on the drivers side door of my 88 it has listed, snow plow package, not equiped with ambulance package, and if it had the towing package i believe it would say towing package as well. look at either the door or your door jam(drivers side) and it should have a tag with all that info including your gvwr and axle ratings.

 

on the door sticker if you look at the front spring code if it says "x" then you have the snow plow springs in the front.

 

Under the section that says "SPR" it has VA......any ideas what those letters mean? I also saw the stcker tat said the truck was nt equipped to be an ambulance above it.

Thanks

Mark

 

You have the "v" code front springs I think. The snow plow prep package includes the "x" code springs in front. Yours should read XA or Xsomething if it had the X codes. The first letter is the front spring. For instance mine is VB it also did not have the snow plow package. You could always buy some x springs or just put a 3" lift front spring and that'd accomplish about the same thing.

Post this in the superduty forum or e-mail "Yeti" the mod there. He knows all about snow plowing. He has the plow prep package on his truck....... well he did until he lifted it.

 

What's up guys, new member here. I think that I can shed some light on this situation. After I installed a leveling kit on my '02 F-250, I realized that it was actually too level. When I loaded it the least bit, it sagged in the rear. While looking for a fix, I happened to see 2 new shortbed crew cabs like mine sitting side by side at the dealership. I noticed that one was higher in the rear. I stopped to find out why. The answer was simple: one had taller rear axle blocks. True to my nature, I had to know why. This was also simple: one had an 8800# GVW(lower blocks like mine), the other had a 9900# GVW, which is the same as the F-350 single rear wheel. All spring packs front and rear were the same. With this info, I went straight to the parts department and ordered two 9900# blocks, costing $42 each. After I installed them, the stance was perfect, but I gained another benifit, I raised the GVW of my truck to 9900# using factory parts. You can't beat that!

 

guess you are new to diesel gross weights i think like you . but your 8800lbs gvw will always be 8800lbs . county mounties will get you even if you replace the back axle with a F450 . my '99 F250 came factory standard with 4" blocks. but since my truck is as stout as a 350 [in my mind][with the right tires and airbags to help] that's the way i load it.

 

RRmike, i have to ask, what the HECK is that video clip of??

 

I think it's an Iraqi T-62 tank. You can see the turret falling after it blows up if you look close.

 

Phat 02, adding the 9900# blocks doesn't make your truck have that GVW capability, you still have the same 8800# wheel studs, and bearings, and all that.

RRMike that is a cool clip

 

Thanks I like that clip. I got a couple other good ones of some whacko with a fully auto glock pistol and a 30 round clip that's pretty cool too.

As for the other part of your post the studs and bearings and everything else is exactly the same. The F-250 and F-350 SRW trucks use the same axles. Exactly the same.

Ford just basically makes you pay extra for that sticker on the door that says 9900#

 

RRMike- I agree completely. In the eyes of the law and Ford, my truck is still 8800#, and nothing will change the 20,000# GVWR. Sounds like you know your Superdutys.

To others- To clarify, it didn't take much research to realize that the axles, studs, and springs on the 250 and 350 SRW are all the same. I also found a few brand-new '03 250's with the 9900# package. When I said that I raised my GVW, that was from a mechanical standpoint, common sense told me that it was now equal to a 9900# package. I also did not do this mod to raise my GVW, I did it to get the stance that I wanted. The weight increase was just luck. In most cases, a mod will cause you to sacrifice in one area to gain in another, this didn't.

I also tried to find out why there are 2 different GVW's(I'm naturally curious). I got an answer, but I have no idea if it is true. Maybe one of you guys know. I was told that in the early years of the current Superdutys(1999 was used as an example), all the 250s used the 4" rear block and all were 9900# GVW. Some customers complained that the trucks were too high in the rear, so Ford offered a swap to the 2" block that is found today on the 8800# trucks. They now offer it as an option from the factory.

 

maybe i can set things straight. the SUPERDUTIES showed up jan/1998. both 250's and 350's had 4" blocks. the GVW of the 250 has always been 8800lbs and the 350 SRW 9900lbs [CA 9700lbs].by putting on 4" blocks gave you no MECHANICAL advantage...just how magic do you think those blocks are ? you want to equal things then put on higher rated tires. people complained in the early superduty years about their 5th wheels not fitting so ford put out a TSB and changed out the 4" blocks to 2" on both the 250 and 350. i have owned a superduty since 9/98 and i've been reading this stuff for 4 years...you kinda pick things up
i think you are mistaken about seeing a 250 with a GVW of 9900lbs...you were looking at a 350

 

When I put the heavy Ranch Hand bumper on the front it lowered the front about an inch. Guess that adds the 400 lbs of the bumper to the GVW? That's why I let the Ford Dealer install it. I would think they would not install anything that would effect warranty or safety. They claim to have a leveling kit for $800 installed, but I don't mind the rear being higher.

 

yavapai- This is one of the main reasons that I have always avoided most forums. There is always someone who wants to argue or try to make someone else look stupid. No one is right all the time, and I am the first to admit when I am wrong, but you missed my whole point. As I stated twice already, and now the third time, I did not do this to add anything to the GVW. I know the weight ratings that are published on these trucks, and I also know a little about engineering and mechanics. These are not "magic" blocks as you want to call them. The reason that they do allow more weight is that when loaded to the max, the 9900# blocks allow 2" of extra space between the axle and the bumpstop, which adds to safety because a floating axle has much less stress on it than one that has no movement. If an axle is riding on the bumpstops, any jarring action will have to be absorbed by the tires, wheel lugs, and the axle shafts, which are the weakest point of the axle. The higher blocks also allow the truck to ride closer to the center of gravity when loaded, aiding in steering safety. The spring packs on both are exactly the same, meaning that with the same load, they will both be stressed to the same point. The blocks have no effect on this. The tires, axles, and wheel lugs are also exactly the same. Now I'll give you a scenario: Ford assembles 2 trucks. Both are crew cab, short bed. Both are 4x4 SRW. One has the 4" blocks in the rear, and a 9900# GVW sticker from Ford. The other has the 2" blocks and an 8800# GVW. Forget the 250/350. Now, as we know, everything in the rear is the same except the blocks. I want your 4 years of experience to tell me how from a mechanical standpoint I didn't raise the GVW by changing blocks, considering that they are the only difference. I am going to say this for the fourth time, just in case you missed it, I don't care about the GVW of my truck, I only occasionally pull anything heavy. So why the argument?

Now for my other point. I don't mind if someone questions me, and as I said, if I am wrong I will say so, but don't ever tell me what I saw with my own 2 eyes. I didn't say that I saw one 250, I said that I saw a few. One in particular was a few miles from my home, and guess what? It's still there. So I will take great pleasure in making a digital photo of this truck and the sticker stating F-250, 9900# GVW. Do you want to see?

 

wow... ok FAT2 let's see the pics. you show me a 250 with a GVW of 9900lbs and i'll become a believer. glad you have a great engineering background....you sound like my degreed engineering neighbor who swears i can't possibly hear his dogs bark from my house.you're new to big trucks and diesel power right ? didn't quite catch your age either. now you called them 9900lb blocks....where did you get that from ??? the early superduty 250 AND 350 both came with 4" blocks but the GVW's were 1000lbs apart...please do let us know how they all of a sudden become 9900lb blocks...jeeesh. p.s. the 4" blocks do not give anything extra to the bump stop.trucks come with different packages. the camper option will give you an o'load spring ....a 250 might have that extra spring and a 350 might not have one....depends on what you order..or buy. like i say,after reading ford related threads for 4 years and you have half a brain you pick up "stuff". and i'll say this for the last time.you want to equalize things...the only thing you have left is the tires....whether you have 2" or 4" blocks...the tires are the weak point...get the same tires as a 350 and things are equal 250 to 350.tell ya.. i just love an argument when i'm right.