OK, totally noob question, but i'm gonna ask it anyway. i keep hearing people talk about LD vs HD 250 models. did they have these two types on 89 F250s? if so, how do i know what i have? and what's the actual differences between the two? different rear end, tranny, etc.?

Thanks!

Mike

 

If you have a Super Cab, you have a HD. All F250 Supercabs were HD in trucks of that vintage. SuperCab didn't come in short beds.

The difference between F250 and F250HD is the GVWR: 8800 lbs and the fact that the wheel bearings are full floating bearings. Ford had a 250 and 250HD because in some states anything over 7500lbs GVW had to be registered as a truck and there was no way to tell if you had an F250 6600 GVW or F250 HD 8800 GVW.

Anyway, the F250HD is a much different truck than the F250/F150. The definitive way to find out is to pull off a hub cap and see if you have a full floating bearing assembly. You will see the axle stick out of the wheel a few inches because it's a truck rear axle, not a passenger car pressed in bearing, which couldn't take as much the weight. This is one of the things which increases the GVWR.

The 2500HD is essentially a base 1 ton, same as a base F350 minus the dually. The frame of the 2500HD is heavier, as is perhaps some of the other driveline components (bushing, hubs, bearings, etc). FWIW, the 1500HD (a 3/4 ton truck) has a semi-floating rear while the 2500HD is a full floater. That's a big difference when you are towing (the axle handles the weight of the rear in a floater, and not the hubs, so it's a lot more stout).

Other 3/4 and 1 ton differences:

1. Larger suspension in the rear.
2. Larger rear brakes.
3. Generally larger rear differential.
4. Larger GVWR for bed load.

I think that F250HD came with 4.10 rear axle vs. F250 getting 3.55 by default, but I am not sure. Almost all F250 super cabs had 4.10 rear ends.

 

sounds like mine would be a plain ol' F250 then. i'll check the GVWR, though.

thanks!

Mike

 

didnt the HD version have leafs spings in the front

 

They only had leaves (leafs?) in front if they were a 4x4 and HD. I've got a 1wd F250HD (xcab, 8800 lb GVWR), and the front has coil springs.

Jason

 

97 250HD, 460, E40D, 3.73LS, D50, FF rear, dual tanks

The 250 SuperCab did come in a short bed, I own one. I also have 3.73 gears with a limited slip. The heavy duty had the D50 front instead of the D44 if you have 4x4.

 

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

It will have a Dana 50 TTB front end if it has an extended cab or a regular cab with a snowfighter option package.

ALL 4x4 F-250's and F-350's are leaf sprung, and all 4x2's are coil sprung. Well, at least all the ones that I've seen are.

 

Weren't enginer and tranny options reduced in the HD models.
I don't think they put the 5.0's or e4od in any HD's did they?
Tim

 

Close, Popa Tim--as far as I know, the 5.0 (and possibly the 4.9?) didn't make it into the HD version. The 5.8 was the base engine. Mine HAS the E4OD, though. Earlier years were probably the C6. I don't think they used the AOD in the HD at all, and not the M5OD, only the ZF.

Jason

 

As far as I know, 5.8L was the base engine for both F250HD and F350 -- of that vintage (89,90,91..) I have the 7.5L which was optional.

I think the base engine in F250 was 5.0?

 

If the base engine was a 302, howcome I see so many F-250's in the paper with 300's in em?

 

The HD base engine was the 4.9, right up until 1997 when they stopped making it. You could either get the ZF, T19 or NP 435 manual (depending on the year), E4OD or C6 automatic. You could not get the 5.0, but you could get the 5.8, 7.5, and whatever diesel was around at the time.

The LD offered more options. The base engine was still the 4.9, but 5.0, and 5.8 were options. No diesels or big blocks. You could also get the M5OD manual tranny in a LD. Automatics were either the C6 or E4OD, I don't -think- you could get an AOD, but I could be wrong. I am not sure about the availability of the ZF manual in a LD F-250.

This is as I understand it, and I believe this to all be correct based on what I've been reading in this forum for several years. I'm always waiting to be corrected.

 

according to my info I have a dana 50 axle 610312-2 89 f250 351Door Tag info

WB =133”
Color- F268
Trans – K
Axle - C5
Springs - 49F

I didnt see these codes on the tech page any help ID them

would this be a HD truck ?

 

If you'd posted the GVWR off the same tag, we'd be able to help you.

 

The base for the 3/4 ton was a 300, untill 1996, when the base became the 351, but the 300 became a fleet option, and still was available. The popularity of the engine meant that alot of dealers and customers ordered the truck with the 300 as a reduced cost option (it lowered the price below base) in the 250 HD, as well as the 250 LD. The 302 was only available in the 250 LD. As an aside, the last year for a 300 in a 1 ton was (I believe) 1989 or so. I can't guarantee that exact year for certain, but I don't believe that the final version (1992-1997) of that bodystyle was available with the 300 in a 1 ton.