Was at the Detroit auto show this weekend, they had a couple on display (locked-for our protection....). Axles appeared to be carry over to me, didn't get to study the rear as well though.
Too crowded to get any pictures worth a darn....

 

Im pleading the 5th till further notice. Interesting conversations though.

 

What were your impressions of the truck in person?

 

Very nice-they look better in person. My biggest concern going into a redesign is that they would lose the nice stance Super Dutys have, but we're good....lol.

 

Hmm...in the Ford video on their page, it states the axles are "bigger, stronger, and more capable." That's a pretty general statement, though...and perhaps only applies to the 450 dually they were showing in the video. But supposedly a lot of other systems were changed, including the transfer case, steering, suspension, brakes, and of course the new box frame.

I like it. Starting to grow on me a little bit. I still like the Raptor styling better though.

 

I only stuck my head under a srw truck too.......
It could simply be bigger wheel bearings or tubes that are .01" thicker which lead to that statement......

 

There was a 2017 dually at the auto show in Salt Lake City a couple of weeks ago. It was roped as well off so there was no climbing under or over or in it. My opinion of the new design going into the show was that Ford had sold out the the bling lovers. The C clamp grille and angular look didn't look good to me in the photos. HOWEVER, seeing the truck in person was a different experience. I really like the evolution. The front end is busy, but in a good way. It just looks more updated and current. I was pleased overall. A 2017 will probably be in my future.

 

That rear diff on a SRW model looks different than what we have now. Front looks like a Dana 60 still, which is fine by me.

 

After watching the video you can see where Ford went with the selection process.
But, I think they missed a huge segment by not including the recreational market, especially the 5th wheel towing segment.
I wouldn't be surprised if the percentages of trucks were any different at any campground full of 5th wheels.

 

OK, so my next curiosity question - are we going to get air ride?
Nothing like spending 60-70K on a DRW and dropping 3000-4000 pounds of pin weight in the bed and having the tops of trees illuminated.

I am not real happy with my firestump tech 4 air suspension system, but I do like that fact that I have a level truck, all the time. Empty of 4000 pounds in the bed.

I have 74,000 on the truck and 27,000 of that if with a 17K+ toy hauler getting dragged behind.

 

Yes, the RV market is big for Ford, but most RV'ers don't own multiple trucks. I think Ford was trying to target "fleet" users.

The biggest market they missed was the municipal market - I would have actively sought out a city whose highway / public works fleet was Super Dutys. Those are big buyers and they hold weight with people seeing a city or town buy a fleet of one brand.

My town previously used a fleet of all larger trucks, Navistar-class plow trucks and dumps. They still order a few of those, but since most of the roads in the city are smaller residential neighborhoods or narrow roads, about 10 years ago they went to a large fleet of F-350 and F-550 trucks. These trucks were more maneuverable and got better fuel economy and were cheaper to buy. Since the first round of trucks were all 6.0L Powerstrokes, I was mildly amazed to see the town order another 20 trucks of the 2011-2016 vintage. On the other hand, some of the 6.0's are still in the fleet and running fine...now they get to deal with short duty cycles and lots of idling with the 6.7L emissions systems.

 

It will not be available at least initially on the '17 Super Dutys...and to be quite frank, I don't want it. Years of owning Range Rovers with height-adjustable air suspension have stigmatized me on the potential reliability concerns associated with these systems, and the high repair cost. When you go to head to work in the morning, and your Range Rover is laying on all 4 bumpstops...you can manage to still get to work by driving slowly with no suspension. When you need to throw a couple thousand pounds into the bed or tow 15k...failed suspension is a no go.

The RAMs are too new to judge reliability. I know the Class VIII trucks do well with air ride, but what we see on a pickup truck is not going to be nearly as heavy duty.

If your sole complaint is headlamp alignment under load, it would be a lot better to have an automatic headlamp leveling system in my opinion. Right now, if any part of my truck's suspension system breaks, I can replace it myself for a low cost quickly and relatively easily.

With an air system, you now have a compressor, air reservoir, dryer, solenoid valve block, height sensors, ECU, air springs, and all the plumbing. Many things to go wrong. More added cost to the vehicle. Special tools required to repair or service the system.

 

Speaking of axles, I wonder if there will finally be a difference between the 250 and SRW 350. Since 2011 there has been a misprint in Ford's literature stating the SRW 350's axles were slightly larger diameter with a few more splines. This is completely untrue and has been proven by verifying the part numbers between the two. Ford engineers also confirmed they were the same when they were on this forum talking about the 2015 6.7 engine redesign. Anyways, a camper package equipped 250 is currently physically identical to a SRW 350 and only differs on the door sticker and the emblems. Will the next gen have actual differences between the two? I know the 6.2 250 will have a new transmission but how about the 6.7's?

As to factory air, sign me up. That's one thing I really prefer about Ram.

 

I loved the air bags I installed on my '11. I don't have factory air on my Ram. I'll be adding it after I decide on my lift this Spring. I love the flexibility of air bags.

 

In New Jersey the push seems to be gas. Lower initial costs and less maintenance.

Just my thoughts. I have the firestump tech r4 suspension on my truck. It is not perfect, but it does a great job of keeping my truck level.

I have had problems with the air bags leaking and have gotten it down to about a 1/2 hour job to replace a bag (seems to be about every 18 months).
I have an air supply system on board already, so I tap into the tank for the suspension. The height control valves, hoses and fittings are the exact same valves and hoses found on over the road trucks, no problem with those yet. My suspension consists of 2 air bags, 2 height control valves, a dump switch and some hoses. Pretty simple and easy to work on. No special tools required.
The bags are the weak point, but they do have a lifetime warranty.

I have done at the most so far 65 miles with no air suspension and the toy hauler on the back. Unpleasant, but it didn't stop me from making my destination either.

The headlight issue is a result of the truck squatting to much. Two issues with that squat, the headlight aim and the truck seems to ride on the overloads, just a bit, making for a harsh ride with 2500-3000+ in the bed.

"automatic headlamp leveling system" now that seems complicated, expensive and prone to failure. And the truck still would not sit level.