OK guys, here's my story ;

Once there was a mom with 1 little girl and another due any day. She drove a fiat sports car. She told hubby that probably wasn't going to be quite right anymore so he went out and bought her a Suburban! (That was 1982)

It turned out to be a good decision because within a couple more years 1 more girl and 1 boy were added to the family. (and then they were six, plus dogs, plus friends plus....you get the idea)

Over the years the suburbans (5 in all) were much loved by all. (I know this is a Ford site - just bear with me.)

Then one day one little girl asked for horsebacking riding lessons and life was never the same! First came lessons, then a pony, then more lessons (remember 3 girls!) then a horse, then another horse, then some local shows, then some not so local shows.... Mom needed a horsetrailer! But could she pull it with a burb? Well, yes you can - and she did - for 4 LONG YEARS!

Finally Mom said "ENOUGH!" If we're gonna do this we're gonna do it right!

And Mom got a FORD TRUCK !! F350 PSD Crew cab LWB!!! AND a brand new gooseneck trailer to go with it. She thought she'd died and gone to heaven. "More horse shows, she begged, just so she could drive her new rig!

Well, that was a few years ago and now all her girls have gone off to college and her dilemma starts.... PAY ATTENTION NOW - this is where you guys come in....

OK, OK, that was silly but I wanted you to know where I was coming from. My dilemma is this - I think I want to down size my truck, the 172 wheelbase is really more than I need now and it makes manuvering the trailer more difficult than it needs to be.

BUT, I love the power the truck has and do not want to give that up....SO some of my questions for you guys in the know are:
(keep in mind I'm pulling a three horse gooseneck, extra tall, extra long, Probably 10-12K fully loaded)

1. 350 vs 250

2. diesel vs V10 vs V8

3. I have no idea what is gear ratio, or torque@, or suspension differences, or most of the abbreviations I see regularly posted here! (I'm not really dumb just totally ignorant when it comes to trucks - BUT I LOVE THEM!)

Please advise... your infinite wisdom and advice will be MOST APPRECIATED!!

Thank you, Carole

P.S. If you're wondering about hubby, he knows less than me....drives those luxury sedans!

 

Alright.

1st. If your not offroading or really maxing out the truck, a F-250 will do just fine. The suspension and axles will pull 12,000 lbs without a problem. The reason for going with a F-250 is that if you get 2wd you will get IFS (Indepent Front Suspension) now this is weaker than a solid front axle, but remember we're not offroading or anything. The IFS will give you a smoother ride. If you get a 4x4, the difference between the F-250 and F-350 is the number of springs. It really doesn't matter but the F-250 will do fine.

2nd. If you like power, don't go with the smaller engine (the v8), this is what my mother did with the truck listed below to save gas millage. The fifth wheel she pulled weighed 12,000lbs and the engine was too underpowered. She now uses a Dodge v-10. I know the current v-8 is more powerful than mine but you would still want the v-10 or diesel for the 425ft-lbs (a measurement of force) and up, that these engines develop.

Again if you do a lot of unloaded driving (i.e. only pull 3 times a year) go with the axle ratios in the 3's (3.73); if you are going to tow a lot, go with the 4s (4.10, 4.30). What these numbers mean (lets use 4.10) is that the drive shaft has to rotate 4.10 times in order for the tires to rotate once. It's like a pulley system used to increase force. Lower (i.e. 4.10, 4.30) gears are a huge advanage in towing because they increase the torque delivered to the tires. They also suck gas.

Torque@: If ford makes 400 ftlbs of toqrue at 2,000 RPM(Rotations per minute or engine speed) and chevy makes 410 ftlbs of torque at 4,000 RPM which would you buy? The Ford. Because you don't want to drive your motor at 4,000 RPM all the time in order to move your load. 2,000 RPM is a nice crusing speed (like 60mph in 5th) and more reasonable setup for towing. 310ftlbs @ 2,200 rpm is telling you when the engine is strongest. 200hp @ 3,800 rpm is telling you when the engine is fastest. Pull with torque, race with HP (horsepower)
You also have to keep in mind the RPM that these numbers are developed at, all these new cars say 230 hp at 5,500 RPM, very few people regually drive their car at 5,500RPM it will blow the motor. That is why you look at power vs RPM charts, to see what kind of power is developed at useable RPM's

Daywalker
92' F-250 351 4x4 xlt 4.10 5spd supercab longbed

Sound System: Stock Stereo, RockfordFosgate 800 watt amp, Vega 18" sub (400 watt rms), one Cerwin-Vega LS-12 3 way floor speaker with the Vega sub removed (because I blew it) and a RockfordFosgate 12" sub (500 watt rms) in its place. And one Boise floor speaker with a 75 watt power capacity (you know it ain’t gonna last).

Performance Mods: K&N Air Filter.

Cosmetic Mods: Black Grill Guard, 5% window tint, bug guard, bed liner.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1426655&a=10683799&p=36629681&Sequence=0&re s=high

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 27-Feb-01 AT 09:57 AM (EST)[/font][p]Generally, the newer F-250 and F-350 are the same truck. Since it sounds like you tow the horses around quite a bit and the trailer weighs 5-6 tons, you should probably go with the F-350. For towing, neither the gas V-8 or V-10 is going to give you the pulling the diesel does. Here's the truck you need:

F-350 supercab with Dual rear wheels You didn't say if you have DRW now or not but, it's alot more stable with the trailer.
7.3 L diesel
I think you can only get limited slip with one of the axle ratios with the DRW so whether it's the 3.73's or 4.10, I'm not sure.
4wd? I dunno if you need that or not.

That's all that comes to mind right now.

 

I have a 1997 F-250,7.3L Power Stroke diesel,5 speed manual,2 wheel drive.I have a 25,000 pound hideaway gooseneck hitch and a receiver hitch.I haven't had it long enough to pull with,but,having had a Dodge diesel and pulling with another Ford diesel I can tell you that you need the diesel.Gas motors just can't make the grade pulling unless they have around 700 horsepower and then you get 5 mpg if you're lucky.

There is virtually no difference in the F-250 and the F-350,and there is no difference in the older ones (if you order replacement springs they fit both and are rated the same.They are rated to tow the same weight.Get 4.11 gears if your going to do extremely heavy towing (i.e. over 20,000 pounds) alot,if not then 3.55s (or 3.73s if that's what they are) will get better gas mileage and you can go faster.

 

Oh, there is a big difference in the older ones. The F-250's had the TTB IFS and the F-350's had the solid front axle.

 

I just wanted to say that I'm glad someone else likes the psd. I stated my opinion in a very nice way about why I think the V-10 sucks and got reamed. You rule spooky!!!

 

When I said identical,I meant in the rearend.Same axle,same spring pack.I am glad for the piece of info though,I was not aware some older Ford 4x4s were IFS.Also,12,000 pounds is not too much for a 250 Power Stroke.We have pulled 10,000 pounds with a Sonoma w/ a 4 cylinder in it.You couldn't stop the rig,and you had to keep it on the floor in third on hills but she did it.The transmission died not long after that,then the motor a couple months later (cause Erin run it plumb out of oil) and that 10,000 pounds might have had a wee bit to do with that,but I don't know.

 

I would have to argee that 12,00lbs is NOT too much for a F-250. If you get the more powerful motor, you'll have the same transmission and axles that the F-350's have. If you get the towing package, you won't have problems.


Daywalker
92' F-250 351 4x4 xlt 4.10 5spd supercab longbed

 

250 vs 350?
Check your weights to decide this question. How much weight does the gooseneck put into the bed? How much capacity do you have with a particular truck? When you look at the payload values in the Ford brochure they are assuming a striped truck with no options. The weight adds up real quick with options and added weight reduces your allowable payload. Both trucks can pull about the same weight, but the F350 can carry 1100 lbs more in the bed. The reason for this is that the F350 has higher rated standard tires, stronger rear springs and stronger rear axle. Don't let anyone tell you the axles are the same on both trucks - if you look up the part numbers you'll find they are different.

Which engine?
Again consider weight. The diesel weighs 500 - 600 lbs more than the gas engine. This reduces your payload and towing capacity. My setup listed below is barely within the GVWR. If I had the deisel, I would be overloaded. Also consider how much driving you do. By my calculation, the diesel will take me 100,000 miles before I break even on the increased upfront cost (and that doesn't figure in how much interest I could earn if I invested the money instead). I personally would only get the diesel if I drove at high altitudes or put many miles on the truck each year.

----------------------------------------
2000 F350 CC DRW Lariat 4x4 LWB 4R100 V10 4.30ls with Torklift tie-downs/Superhitch and Rancho RS9000 and Ride-Rite air springs.
1998 Alpenlite Pendelton 11'10" Slide-in camper with all options.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 02-Mar-01 AT 08:15 PM (EST)[/font][p]Harold

Have you actually seen these parts numbers being different? If so, were they the same exact truck other than one being a F-250 and the other being a F-350? I have yet to see anyone confirm the two are different. According to the Ford source book, they have two different Ford/Sterling 10.5" but, which one you get is dependent on engine and truck configeration, not whether it's an F-250 or F-350.

Added on edit:
This of course is only for 99-up super duties.

 

Yes there are different sterling 10.25's semi-float and full float. Maybe all F-350's come with the full float, but if you get a F-250 with the towing package you also get the full float. If you compared to a truck that didn't have the towing package, yes they would be different. The only difference is springs.

 

Daywalker

That may be true for some of the older F-250 and F-350 but, not with the newer super duties. All F-250 and F-350 super duties have a sterling 10.5" full floating axle. I'm not sure if they even still make a semi floating 10.25/10.5. They may use them in some of there vans or maybe the F-150 with the higher GVWR though, I dunno.

 

I had a 2000 F350 4X4, SC, DRW with the powerstroke, 6-speed with 3.73 axles. I pulled a steel Titan 3-horse gooseneck with it. Good truck, but I was disappointed in it. I just traded it for a 200l F250 crewcab shortbed 4X4 with V10 and 4.30 limited slip. It does a lot better than the Powerstroke. The throttle response is quicker, it gets up to speed faster, it's quiet, and it's easier to find fuel. My empty mileage is 12.5. The Powerstroke was 15. My wife likes the gasser a lot better too. The Powerstroke is a great engine, but the V10 (geared right) will do just as good. As far as resale value, when you trade a Powerstroke, that dealer considers it just another truck.

 

I concur. I have the F250 V10 4x4 CC and it has plenty of power both empty and pulling 8000 lbs. The gas does fine is easy to find and I don't have to turn the truck off to have a conversation. Plus i know no ones complaining when they are behind me, other than maybe they can't see over a big truck. If you drive it around town and pull less than three weekends a month all year long. I say go gas.

 

Hi, I Vote for the f250 with a diesel and 3.73 gears I have one of these it's not a power stroke but even being a 6.9 it will pull 12,000 pounds all day long it is rated in the owners manual to pull this load as far as a v10 out pulling a diesel forget it!! it will never happen. diesel is as easy to find as gas anymore and the diesel brings higher resale than a gas because it will run longer. John