OK, this may be a very elementary question but

What are the differences between the 250 and 350 PSD? Figure recent years here...

I know the suspension is different. However, isn't the drivetrain the same? What about the frame? Is there any difference in gearing? I noticed a 450 has (at least the one I looked at) 4.88's. I think the 350 can come with 3.73's or 4.10's. What about the 250's?

The biggest difference I see is a 350 has a higher load capacity. Is that, in a nutshell, the "difference"?

I have never driven a 250 so I don't know what it would be like, but I spent a year in a 350 long haul.

Steve

 

The only difference between a F250 and 350 are the badges on the fender and the weight sticker in the jam. Really! There are only two spring options in the rear (B and something else)and two in the front(V(Regular) and X(snow plow prep) code. It is truely sad FORD charges 1500 more for differnt badges on the fender For a F350

 

2" vs 4" block on the rear axle and springs and what was already indicated. Ride seems about the same to me.

 

My brother has an F350- I believe he has one more spring in the rear, a higher block and 4:10's are the stock gear ratio in the 350 as opposed to 3:73's in the 250, but either one can be ordered in the other.... Just looking at them the 350 sets about 1" or so higher, just 'guessing'

 

The 250 and 350 both have 5 leafs in the rear pack and 2 in the front. Typically the 250 has a 2.5" block and the 350 has a 4" but i have seen the 250 w a 4" block from the factory. Cant get 4:10s w a diesel unless it is a dually. But gassers can come both ways.

 

All this is based on SRW trucks. Duallies are a different animal because the rear axles actually are different, but that's the largest difference there.

Not true at all. Differences in coil spring ratings and the number of leaves in the pack are all based on the packages the truck is ordered with. My 250 has 6000# front coils, and the overload and auxiliary springs in the back, I've seen plenty of 350s lacking the aux spring, and with front coils rated at 5200. It's all based on the packages you ordered, that's how I got the 6k springs from the snowplow package, and rear sway bar from the camper package.

100% the exact same.

Gearing is more engine based than model based, excepting dually trucks. V10s will come with 4.10s or 4.30s in the Sterling 10.5" axle, single rear wheel PSDs will have the 3.73s, DRW 350s have the Dana 80 rear axle and will have the 4.10s, and the 4.88s come in 450s with another axle.

The difference is the number printed on the ratings tag. For reasons that are completely up for argument, Ford made two identical trucks, and sells one for less with smaller ratings, and one for more with higher ratings.

 

Thanks for the info. Yea, the 350 I drove was an 05 DRW 2wd and had the helper/overload springs in the rear. With 2 cars on the trailer it would only squat to the helpers and that was it. I don't know what the front springs were rated, but all the truck ever did was haul so I am sure the company got it with all the heavy service packages.

So there is no real advantage to going with a 250 over a 350? If the only big difference is between a 350 SRW and 350 DRW then I guess it doesn't really matter. I have heard people say the 250's ride "nicer" because they are a lighter duty truck, but I guess that isn't totally true if 250's can come with the same springs as a 350? Weird.

Steve

 

everyone still thinks that the 250 is a 3/4 ton rated truck and the 350 is a 1 ton rated truck....but my 250 can haul more than 3/4 ton so if you just take it at face value, well you know the rest of the story.

 

Once difference is legality. The F350 is rated for a higher GVWR and is therefore legally allowed to haul/tow more. If you get pulled & checked when hauling a trailer and have a 250 but are over the GVWR rating... you could be looking at a significant fine. Something to consider.

 

My 250 rides like a tank with the 6k front springs and short wheel base, I've been in plenty of 350s that are longer wheelbase or have significanty lighter springs that ride almsot like Caddys. This is just people spouting off their ignorance by acting like they know things.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that there actually were some differences between the post-05 250's and 350's. I pulled the specs for 08's and the biggest difference I saw was the rear axle:

250 - Visteon 1.36" 35 spline 6200#
350 - Visteon 1.5" 37 spline 7280#

The specs also say that the 250 has a rear spring rating of 6100# and the 350 has 7000#, although the number of leaves and thickness is the same.

 

The only problem is for you guys that have 04 and older diesels that weigh close to 8000#. By the time you and the dog get in the truck all you're legally good for is 750#. Good thing they sit so high and and have such a stiff suspension as nobody can see what you're up to when you're hauling 2500 lbs of stuff in the back .

 

Lars128 has it right. almost...I have the specks in front of me.

250 rear axel rated @6100#, 350 rear axel rated @7050#. Axel diameter in 350 is .14 inches bigger.

rear springs on 350 have a one inch block and designed to carred 1150# more. However as mentioned. Overloads and srpings are strictly determined by order.

If you have ever loaded a 250,,,, then a 350 you will deffinetly notice the 350 carries the load better,,,,much better when loaded to the max. I have 14 of them in a fleet..some 250's and single rear 350s....350 carry more weight.....NO question.

Frames, brakes, etc are the same. Drive lines are the same. Engines the same. Axle ratios are determined by engine and truck configuration. But the 350 carries much more load, I have seen it done hundreds....er thousands of times. I order only 350's now....and guess what......the last 350's were actually priced out to me FOR SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE 250'S...DON'T KNOW WHY....SOOOO.. I went to the ford wed site and priced out two identical trucks....XL'x super cabs with V-10s and the 350 came in with an msrp slightly LESS THAN the 250 for the 2010.....???? equipped EXACTLY THE SAME. do it...don't trust what I say. DO for yourself...

The 350 sets about an inche higher at the room line.... I KNOW THIS NOT JUST BECAUSE THE SPEC SHEET SAYS SO...BUT BECAUSE I CAN SEE IT WHEN I DRIVE ONE IN MY GARAGE.

You have to order the camper package or heavy duty suspension package to get the rear overloads. MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. And when you order the camper package, or heavy duty suspension package...or snow plow package...your get higher rated front springs.....that also raises the truck height. And....you can get the 18 inch tires as an option. The 18 inches tires are rated at 3650# each.....the 17 inch tires are rated at 3000#.....ITS WRITEN ON THE SIDE WALL...

 

Wrong! As stated earlier. You can get the same spring in a F250 as a F350. It is all how it is specked out. And for the 10.25 axle.... Ford has not used one since 97, in the OBS. Now the standard axle unless a dually , is a 10.50.

I dont care what the spec sheet says, thats like talking to a salesman. If you look up the spring and axle codes in the door jam they will come back saying what i just said.