Electrician - E150 or E250
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Electrician - E150 or E250
i just read a post from last year here regarding an electrician debating whether to get an 150 or 250....
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-look-for.html
I currently have an 06 250, 5.4L, w/ 149K on it... The transmission just went on it, so I am think of selling it once I get the used tranny put in to get my money back and start back over with something w/ less miles..... Now similar to the guy in the post above... I am not going to really have much in this van.... I'm a residential electrician so what i have is 2 shelves with random connectors, parts, breakers, plugs/switches, and 3 or 4 250ft rolls of wire and other misc wire and also a bench seat horizontal behind the driver seat with a welders box underneath to lock sawzall/drill up in.... I never ever tow anything and I occasionally will have a 25 ft ladder on my rack......Is it really necessary for me to have a 3/4 ton Van or is it necessary? I could always get another leaf put in if completely necessarily.....Their are better prices out their for 2003-07 E150's with less miles on them and i've read they are a better ride..... I would really appreciate some suggestions and what people think
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-look-for.html
I currently have an 06 250, 5.4L, w/ 149K on it... The transmission just went on it, so I am think of selling it once I get the used tranny put in to get my money back and start back over with something w/ less miles..... Now similar to the guy in the post above... I am not going to really have much in this van.... I'm a residential electrician so what i have is 2 shelves with random connectors, parts, breakers, plugs/switches, and 3 or 4 250ft rolls of wire and other misc wire and also a bench seat horizontal behind the driver seat with a welders box underneath to lock sawzall/drill up in.... I never ever tow anything and I occasionally will have a 25 ft ladder on my rack......Is it really necessary for me to have a 3/4 ton Van or is it necessary? I could always get another leaf put in if completely necessarily.....Their are better prices out their for 2003-07 E150's with less miles on them and i've read they are a better ride..... I would really appreciate some suggestions and what people think
Last edited by Liquidswords32; Apr 30, 2013 at 05:27 PM. Reason: forgot
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
I have a '99 E150 and am also an electrician. I bought it new and it has served me well. I did some rear suspension modifications but I do have some weight in it. It always rode very well and would buy another one. I think if you don't put much weight in it an E150 is your best bet
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
I have a '99 E150 and am also an electrician. I bought it new and it has served me well. I did some rear suspension modifications but I do have some weight in it. It always rode very well and would buy another one. I think if you don't put much weight in it an E150 is your best bet
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,255
Likes: 1,657
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
A rebuilt with warranty transmission should be available for about $2200 max unless you know someone in that business. I have a friend and highly trusted trans mechanic who rebuilds these for about $800 if you pull and reinstall it yourself, a bit more naturally if he has to do that for you. Anyway........
Consider going the rebuild route because your current van is hardly over the hill mileage wise. I'm running an '00 E250 with 272K miles and its very dependable, wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere its not already been. Its a work van also and didn't sit still a lot.
Generally the E250 would be a better chassis even for your lighter duty use. Not sure what year the E150's rating and chassis essentially disappeared but in their later years they were basically E250's the differences not really known to me, just going from conversations read here. I don't think you'd enjoy a longer trans life simply by driving an E150 instead of an E250 especially if its the same transmission. Loading and regular maintenance are keys to long life there, not the chassis rating.
There shouldn't be any huge tire wear issues unless you're over loading, improper inflation or driving like a wild man.
Cripes my Michelin LTX's have almost 60K miles on them with a lot of tread left even now.
I can't speak about the ride issue as its my thought a work truck is a work truck, not a sofa on wheels. Any chassis rating that isn't somewhat loaded will seem harsh but maybe not bone jarringly so. A seat in good repair, warm heater, cool A/C and perhaps a dividing curtain between front and back makes my work vans much nicer than one just bare bones and full of metal shelving and other crap that bounces around, clattering every mile you drive.
HTH and best of luck!
Consider going the rebuild route because your current van is hardly over the hill mileage wise. I'm running an '00 E250 with 272K miles and its very dependable, wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere its not already been. Its a work van also and didn't sit still a lot.
Generally the E250 would be a better chassis even for your lighter duty use. Not sure what year the E150's rating and chassis essentially disappeared but in their later years they were basically E250's the differences not really known to me, just going from conversations read here. I don't think you'd enjoy a longer trans life simply by driving an E150 instead of an E250 especially if its the same transmission. Loading and regular maintenance are keys to long life there, not the chassis rating.
There shouldn't be any huge tire wear issues unless you're over loading, improper inflation or driving like a wild man.
Cripes my Michelin LTX's have almost 60K miles on them with a lot of tread left even now. I can't speak about the ride issue as its my thought a work truck is a work truck, not a sofa on wheels. Any chassis rating that isn't somewhat loaded will seem harsh but maybe not bone jarringly so. A seat in good repair, warm heater, cool A/C and perhaps a dividing curtain between front and back makes my work vans much nicer than one just bare bones and full of metal shelving and other crap that bounces around, clattering every mile you drive.
HTH and best of luck!
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
had a spring shop add a leaf to the rear, plus a 2" block lift. you may be able to go to the boneyard and get a set of leafs off a 250 but I am not sure if they bolt up. maybe someone else could advise on that. My van is loaded with shelving, parts, tools. Made sure I kept it below the maximum gvwr. the trans has been great no problems but I have changed the fluid a few times. I get alot of parts at the junkyard near me because they have 8-10 trucks usually with new ones coming in all the time
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
A rebuilt with warranty transmission should be available for about $2200 max unless you know someone in that business. I have a friend and highly trusted trans mechanic who rebuilds these for about $800 if you pull and reinstall it yourself, a bit more naturally if he has to do that for you. Anyway........
Consider going the rebuild route because your current van is hardly over the hill mileage wise. I'm running an '00 E250 with 272K miles and its very dependable, wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere its not already been. Its a work van also and didn't sit still a lot.
Generally the E250 would be a better chassis even for your lighter duty use. Not sure what year the E150's rating and chassis essentially disappeared but in their later years they were basically E250's the differences not really known to me, just going from conversations read here. I don't think you'd enjoy a longer trans life simply by driving an E150 instead of an E250 especially if its the same transmission. Loading and regular maintenance are keys to long life there, not the chassis rating.
There shouldn't be any huge tire wear issues unless you're over loading, improper inflation or driving like a wild man. Cripes my Michelin LTX's have almost 60K miles on them with a lot of tread left even now.
I can't speak about the ride issue as its my thought a work truck is a work truck, not a sofa on wheels. Any chassis rating that isn't somewhat loaded will seem harsh but maybe not bone jarringly so. A seat in good repair, warm heater, cool A/C and perhaps a dividing curtain between front and back makes my work vans much nicer than one just bare bones and full of metal shelving and other crap that bounces around, clattering every mile you drive.
HTH and best of luck!
Consider going the rebuild route because your current van is hardly over the hill mileage wise. I'm running an '00 E250 with 272K miles and its very dependable, wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere its not already been. Its a work van also and didn't sit still a lot.
Generally the E250 would be a better chassis even for your lighter duty use. Not sure what year the E150's rating and chassis essentially disappeared but in their later years they were basically E250's the differences not really known to me, just going from conversations read here. I don't think you'd enjoy a longer trans life simply by driving an E150 instead of an E250 especially if its the same transmission. Loading and regular maintenance are keys to long life there, not the chassis rating.
There shouldn't be any huge tire wear issues unless you're over loading, improper inflation or driving like a wild man.
Cripes my Michelin LTX's have almost 60K miles on them with a lot of tread left even now. I can't speak about the ride issue as its my thought a work truck is a work truck, not a sofa on wheels. Any chassis rating that isn't somewhat loaded will seem harsh but maybe not bone jarringly so. A seat in good repair, warm heater, cool A/C and perhaps a dividing curtain between front and back makes my work vans much nicer than one just bare bones and full of metal shelving and other crap that bounces around, clattering every mile you drive.
HTH and best of luck!
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,255
Likes: 1,657
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Okay I see your thinking on unloading this particular van---makes sense from that perspective.
I don't know much about the different tranny offerings in the various years, mostly know the 4R70W only because that's all I've had in three different E250's w/5.4 motors.
Mark Kovalsky is our resident transmission expert as he was a Ford engineer for quite a while. Of course others are also quite knowledgeable about what was offered too. Could also try this other FTE forum: Clutch, Transmission, Differential, Axle & Transfer Case - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums
I don't know much about the different tranny offerings in the various years, mostly know the 4R70W only because that's all I've had in three different E250's w/5.4 motors.
Mark Kovalsky is our resident transmission expert as he was a Ford engineer for quite a while. Of course others are also quite knowledgeable about what was offered too. Could also try this other FTE forum: Clutch, Transmission, Differential, Axle & Transfer Case - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
jbourne84
1968-Present E-Series Van/Cutaway/Chassis
15
Nov 5, 2015 07:22 AM
EternalShiner
1968-Present E-Series Van/Cutaway/Chassis
24
Aug 24, 2015 05:24 AM
2000xp8
1968-Present E-Series Van/Cutaway/Chassis
7
Jan 16, 2012 04:58 PM
gearloose1
1968-Present E-Series Van/Cutaway/Chassis
2
Sep 26, 2010 12:31 AM
