Is there a difference in the frames under the gas engine and diesel engine on the 2017 F-250??

Hitch or anything else?? Just the motor and transmission??

I tried the search engine and -- No luck.

Thanks in advance

 

The frames are identical except the engine mount points *might* be different. Obviously the diesel engine brings quite a number of differences underneath in terms of ancillary systems designed to support the engine: a different transmission cooler, the presence of a diesel fuel cooler, the various DEF tank / piping / injectors / sensors / DPF on the exhaust; much larger radiator plus a complete secondary radiator, etc. A "base" diesel F-250 without the HD tow package will share the same Sterling 10.5 axle with the gas F-250, and both will presumably have the same 2.5" receiver hitch. Obviously the gas 250 will have the lighter-duty transmission.

 

Thanks. On that torqshift 'G' is that essentially an upgraded 6R80 that Ford partnered with ZF on?

I would think it would have to be strengthened over and above the 6R80, no?

And the hitch takes either a 2.5" or a 2" tow bar? When I was looking at them, it looked like there was an adaptor inside the receiver with an accompanying pin to hold it in there.

I would also think the gas-engined F-250 would be several hundred pounds lighter due to the lighter engine and the lack of all the diesel-specific supporting parts......

Ford's specs show a difference of 800lbs -- Amazing....... So they must put different springs on it, especially in the front, no?

I'm torn. I want a Diesel (real trucks don't have spark plugs) but not sure I need it. Most I'm gonna tow is 11k Tops. Tops. And not that often.

But I want a Diesel.

What I want and what I should get appear to be two different things.

Thanks in advance

 

The TorqShift G is the 6R100 transmission. You are correct, it is essentially a beefed up version of the licensed ZF6HP26 transmission used in the F-150 (6R80 in Ford speak). It can handle 1,000lb-ft at the transmission input shaft vs 800 for the 6R80; the F-350 gas and all diesel models use the completely different 6R140 (which handles 1400lb-ft at the input shaft).

The 2.5" hitches do indeed have an adapter sleeve down to 2". The 3" hitches have two adapters.

The gas-powered F-250 is the lightest of the Super Duty trucks, because not only is the gas engine considerably lighter than the diesel engine...but the 6R100 transmission is physically a little smaller and lighter than the 6R140 transmission. F-250 trucks regardless of engine get slightly softer rear leafs to make the best compromise between ride quality and their max rated payload capacity. Front coil springs on all trucks are "computer selected" meaning their stiffness is directly related to how the truck is optioned (engine, if heavy duty front suspension, if snow plow pack, etc).

Diesel is a luxury. I've had both, as you can see in my signature. I like the sound of the diesel but lament how quiet these engines are. You can still tell its a diesel, but not unless you're listening. I really enjoy how the diesel rarely downshifts on hills, where the gas truck might skip down 1,2, or even 3 gears. And I do like the sense of hard-pulling torque, although in real life unloaded driving, the gas trucks are nearly as quick as the diesels.

 

If you want a Power Stroke, it is OK to get one without having to justify it to the forum.

Your wife? That is a different story.

 

If it helps your rationalization (it did mine!), the money you sink into the diesel power train will pretty much 100% convert to resale value. Gasoline's a little cheaper and diesel fuel right now, but not much.

So, if you can afford it, it's an investment!

 

Too very true

 

We need to find out who started HGTV and take him behind the Barn.......

 

A wise man once said: "You can never have too much truck!"

 

I mean, no one is ever going to ask you why you picked the diesel... Sorta like a V8 Mustang. Sure, the 4 cylinder makes more horsepower than the V8 did 10 years ago, but that's not really the point is it?

 

Get the Deisel and you will have no regrets. As stated in this thread it will pay from for itself when you sell it.

 

Anything can be an "investment". But it is a "Good" investment? That is the REAL question. I would agree you get most (probably not all) the initial engine investment back in terms of upgrading to the diesel engine. IF the engine has a good reputation.

However what you don't get back is the MAINTENANCE COSTS associated with that engine choice. This can be the hidden cost many are ignorant of (don't know about) or arrogant of (know but chose to disregard). Consider the higher costs of the diesel engines needing more oil (and more expensive oil to boot), more expensive filters, etc ... And diesels tend to more cost intensive when the warranty runs out too; repairs are often more expensive and more involved. It used to be, many years ago, that diesel engines were very simple and therefore easy to maintain and cheap to fix. That is LONG past now. Today's diesel engines are more complex than the gasser counterparts; more parts, more systems, more integration, etc.

If you look with open eyes and not clouded by emotion, you'll see that it really does not make sense to own a diesel for DD commuting or interspersed use. If you drive low annual miles, it will take a LONG TIME to even remotely get close to a payback on fuel savings. If you drive high annual miles, it will pay back much sooner. Using the diesel truck to pull your RV/boat for vacations will NEVER pay for itself.

It's OK to go ahead and get one anyway; just realize it's a "want" and probably not a "need". And it's likely to cost a lot more down the road than what the sales guy is telling you.

I'm not against diesels; I own one too. But I went into it knowing the REAL costs, and that it's probably never going to pay back the way some claim. The best reason to get a diesel the combination of two things:
1) you need the extreme capacity that only a diesel rig provides in terms of pulling power
2) you operate the rig full time, every day, where the use works towards the ROI
IF both of those are not true, you really don't need a diesel.
And "wanting" a diesel often ends up with dissatisfied owners. They get disillusioned by the power at first, and then the daily operations and costs take their toll ... there are lots of three to five year old trucks on used-car lots, often with lower miles, because the reality of owning a diesel sets in, where the owner was not diligent in researching the REAL costs of total ownership.

 

I just went through this same decision tree. You can't lose either way, I think it just comes down to personal preference and budget... but what doesn't.

It simply came down to cost vs. benefit for us. I wanted the diesel, but at the end of the day, I didn't need it and had a hard time justifying the 8K cost increase to me, and a harder time justifying it to my wife.

We still spent that 8 thousand dollars, but it allowed us to upgrade from an XLT, to a loaded Lariat, something that would have put us way over budget on the diesel platform. If budget is an issue, as it is for most people, I had to ask myself which was more important... options that I don't really need, or a motor that I don't really need. I wanted both, but could only afford or justify one.

I've had diesel trucks before and I really don't miss having to hunt around for higher priced fuel that isn't available at all at some stations, or the increased maintenance and cost. None of these trucks are really investments in my opinion, nor are any other depreciating products. People that love their diesels will have counter-points to all of that I'm sure, but most of them are emotional responses. People should feel free to justify their diesel or gas decision on both facts and emotion if it suits them. At the end of the day, it's your truck, and your payments.

ETA - The other factor for us was the diesel motor eats up too much payload to meet our towing requirements in the 250, so we would have needed to go up to the 350. Payload was more important to us than stump removal.

 

All true. But the bottom line is, if there is no emotion involved, at the end of the day, it's just a mode of transportation and a truck payment. To each his own.

 

Well said!