89 F250 - LD vs HD. differences?

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Oct 28, 2005 | 07:00 PM

#16

ghunt

Postmaster

Joined: Oct 2005

Posts: 3,724

Likes: 0

From: Clarksburg WV

Quote:

Originally Posted by andym

Only certain years did. Not sure when it started, though.

I noticed in our local car-ad thing, there is a place that has two diesel F-250's...one is a '96 supercab cab longbed, and the other is a '97 supercab short bed. I assume that since the shortbed one has a diesel, that makes it an HD version, right?

Oct 28, 2005 | 09:27 PM

#17

Argo

Posting Guru

Joined: Nov 2003

Posts: 1,006

Likes: 4

From: Sussex County, DE

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghunt

I would agree with that statement, because I do not believe that the diesel was available below 8,600 GVWR.

Nov 3, 2005 | 01:00 AM

#18

russell56443

Junior User

Joined: Jan 2005

Posts: 56

Likes: 0

Cool!!!!!!!
Now I dont feel so bad about what I paid for my 88 F250 xtra cab,($3000 a year and a half ago)It had a new tranny,transfer case and other goodies and I didnt even realize it was a HD?
It's one hell of a truck to say the least!

Nov 4, 2005 | 06:45 AM

#19

oldsw-31

Junior User

Joined: Aug 2005

Posts: 55

Likes: 0

Based on the info off the Door tag you can determine if its a HD version. according to my factory service manual there was 3 different GVWR. 6600 8600 and 8800. this applies to the 4x4 version

the 8600 was used in the regular cab trucks. 8800 was used in the ext cab

you can also tell by the type-GVW code and the spring codes.

I have a factory service manual that covers the 87, 92-00 trucks. it breaks down the door sticker codes.

if you need help decoding them I may be able to help.

Apr 9, 2019 | 04:57 PM

#20

woodson84

Senior User

Joined: Apr 2019

Posts: 156

Likes: 6

From: San Jose, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldsw-31

So my 4x4 F-250 GVWR from the sticker is 8600. It's the XLT Lariat with the 460. From what I read here this is the HD, is that right?
I've also seen that stock towing capacity is 10k lbs. Does that seem right?

Apr 9, 2019 | 05:12 PM

#21

Nothing Special

Lead Driver

Joined: Feb 2013

Posts: 5,006

Likes: 72

From: Roseville, MN

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodson84

Yes, an F-250 with a GVWR over 8400 lbs is an F-250HD.

Ford trucks of this vintage don't have a tow rating. They have a GCWR, which is Gross Combined Weight Rating. That's the maximum weight of the truck, trailer, and everything in both the truck and trailer. So to know how heavy a trailer you can tow you need to know the GCWR and the weight of the loaded truck while you are towing. Put more weight in the truck and the tow rating goes down.

The GCWR depends mostly on engine, trans, and axle ratio. My 1997 F-250HD owners manual gives the following GCWRs, all for a 460 (if yours isn't a '97 I don't guarantee it will be the same):

12,000 lbs with manual trans and 3.55 gears
15,000 lbs with automatic trans and 3.55 gears
16,000 lbs with manual trans and 4.10 gears
18,500 lbs with automatic and 4.10 gears

Apr 9, 2019 | 05:29 PM

#22

woodson84

Senior User

Joined: Apr 2019

Posts: 156

Likes: 6

From: San Jose, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nothing Special

Yes, an F-250 with a GVWR over 8400 lbs is an F-250HD.
Ford trucks of this vintage don't have a tow rating.

Interesting!

Quote:

The GCWR depends mostly on engine, trans, and axle ratio. My 1997 F-250HD owners manual gives the following GCWRs, all for a 460 (if yours isn't a '97 I don't guarantee it will be the same):[list]

12,000 lbs with manual trans and 3.55 gears
15,000 lbs with automatic trans and 3.55 gears
16,000 lbs with manual trans and 4.10 gears
18,500 lbs with automatic and 4.10 gears

Mine is a 1990 with an automatic transmission but my sticker is mucked up and I can't read the axle code. Going to try to clean it off but I might be counting teeth. Any easier methods?

Apr 9, 2019 | 06:38 PM

#23

Nothing Special

Lead Driver

Joined: Feb 2013

Posts: 5,006

Likes: 72

From: Roseville, MN

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodson84

.... Mine is a 1990 with an automatic transmission but my sticker is mucked up and I can't read the axle code. Going to try to clean it off but I might be counting teeth. Any easier methods?

Put it in neutral and jack up one back tire. Turn the tire TWO full revolutions and count how many times the driveshaft turns. If the driveshaft turns about 3 1/2 turns it's a 3.55, a little over 4 times is a 4.10. (Of course it's also possible that some time in the past 29 years someone regeared it and maybe its 3.73, or 4.56, or whatever...)

If you can't spin the tire like that (one in the air, trans in neutral, no parking brake), then you might have a limited slip diff that isn't completely toasted yet. In that case jack up both back tires, turn one of them ONE full turn (the other tire should turn the same amount in the same direction if you have a limited slip) and count driveshaft revs. Again, 3 1/2 is 3.55, a little over 4 is 4.10, ...