Looking at buying a new F-350 CC 4X4.

I will require the 4X4 for Northern Illinois (Chicago area) winters and Mississippi summers. No plowing in the winter, just driving. Towing the travel trailer, tractor trailer, and horse trailers in the summer.

My primary requirement will be to tow the travel trailer, two motorcycles in the bed, and four adults (size-wise, they are teens) in the cab while on vacation, plus the dog. Preliminary weighing puts my payload at 3,500-4,000 lbs. Current travel trailer weight is under 6,000 lbs, but that could increase as the kids get older. Current tractor/horse trailer weights are between 5,000-10,000 lbs.

Looking at the DRW based on current and possible future payload, but which gears? No less than 85% of the trucks miles will be unloaded or lightly loaded, traveling from Chicago to South-West Mississippi to visit family. Until I retire I have no idea how much I will be towing, but I can't afford to to buy one vehicle to travel in and another just to tow with.

4X4 off-road package: Is it worth it? No real off-roading for this truck (that's what the Jeep is for). I just don't want to get stuck in the fields or at those less-than-desirable RV hook-up locations.

Heavy-service suspension package: Would this be recommended if going with a bumper similar to the Warn winch bumper or Ranch Hand bumper?

Tough Bed: Get it from the factory or go with quality aftermarket? I have no idea what it costs to have a truck bed done out in town?

Molded or tubular-chrome cab steps? Function and durability are primary concerns. I'd rather not have any chrome on any vehicle I own, but that's another thread.

How come you can't get the PowerScope mirrors unless you get the XLT convenience package? I hate auto-lock/auto-unlock! I don't have any use for the keyless keypad entry, either. The only feature I like from that package is the power seat, and I'm not too lazy to do it "manually". Would like those mirrors, though - just don't know if they are worth the extra money of the XLT convenience package to have them.

Rearview camera: Is there a better or more reliable unit on the market for less?

I appreciate any input.

 

You might consider posting this over in the Super Duty forum, as you will get a ton more hits & responses. In the meantime, here is my input:

Given the weights listed earlier & your general driving conditions, I would say that you would be fine with the default gear set provided with whichever engine you settle on. You may consider stepping up one size in gears on the gas motors, as Ford's modular motors like their RPMs, and that will translate into slightly better towing/hauling performance with almost negligible impact on fuel economy.

The 4x4 Off Road Package (17X) comes in at $225 MSRP/$187 invoice. It is/includes:The general consensus is that the Rancho branded shocks are questionable at best. However, for the price of the package it is worth getting. I say this because just adding a limited slip to any Super Duty is going to be about $350 MSRP/$291 Invoice. If you also add in the Skid Plate Package (41P) that will be another $100 MSRP/$83 Invoice. So, separately you are looking at $450 MSRP/$379 Invoice vs. the 4x4 Off Road Package's $225 MSRP/$187 Invoice.

If you are looking at combining a heavy duty grill guard and winch, this would definitely be a good option.

Depending on your area & whether you go with a 6' or 8' box, most spray-in bedliner companies start out around $400 - $600, and that price can climb from there. The Tough Bed option clocks in at $450 MSRP/$374 Invoice...which makes it competitively priced.

I opted for the Tough Bed option in my new truck. It is not quite as thick as the industry leaders (i.e. Line-X & Rhino). And from a consistency standpoint it is very similar to Line-X. While it is supposedly backed by the vehicle warranty, most (if not all) dealerships are unaware how a buyer would go about getting warranty work on it if it were to start cracking or peeling.

For my purposes (light duty box usage), I have no doubt that it will hold up very well.

Hopefully that helps to some extent or another.

I would go with molded steps over tubular step bars in a heartbeat. I would also back that up with a good set of mud flaps (on the front, at a minimum). This is coming from someone that splits time between CO & WY, and knows just how much ice, snow, and mud can accumulate on the tubular step bars. The molded steps are not immune, but they are no where near as bad. A decent mud flap (like the Ford installed or Husky molded mud flaps) will dramatically protect your steps.


I will look into this....not sure what the options are off the top of my head. If nothing else, you can buy them separately & install them yourself.

This is highly debatable. The OEM camera is imbedded in the tailgate handle. This leaves it fairly well protected while still giving a good view. Most aftermarket cameras rely on suction cups to stick to the bed, and, as we all know, suction cups like to move....when you least want them to.

To take that another step, the aftermarket offerings generally either require that you mount an external LCD screen someplace in the interior or they require specific LCD-equipped stereo head units. On the one hand, it can be difficult finding someplace to mount a completely seperate LCD screen that is not in the way at some point or another. On the other hand, buying an entirely new stereo, primarily for a backup camera seems like a waste, as you could get the option from the factory....and it comes with a warranty.

Having had two versions of Ford's reverse camera, I have to say that I love them. In trucks without the LCD-equipped stereo, the image is shown in the left-hand side of the rearview mirror. In trucks with the navigation system, the image is displayed on the navigation/stereo screen. The rearview mirror version is nice, as it is easy to flip your eyes between the rearview mirror, side mirrors, and back to the camera display. The only downside is that the image is a bit on the small side. For the trucks with the navigation screen, the image is a lot bigger which makes it easier to identify what you are about to run over. Unfortunately, looking at the dash is not a "natural" feeling thing to do when you are backing up. If you bounce between both side mirrors, the rearview mirror, and the camera image on your dash, you feel a bit like a bobble-head.