I currently own a 08 F450, I did order a 11 450 which should be arriving in the next few weeks. I did drive a F350 2011 DRW this week and could not believe the ride (non snow plow upgrade). What are them main differences between the 11 450s and 350s, can I expect the same ride.

 

I think the DRW 350 comes with 3.73 gears and the 450 comes with 4.30 gears.

 

They're really isn't much differance other than gears, a little more weight. Ride should be very close...

 

Dont forget the F-450 massive rear-end Dana 110 I belive? And stiffer springs. F-350 comes with a Dana 80.

 

not sure if that is true anymore with the 2011+ models though

 

Hello all;
I'm not 100% sure but my current understanding is that the 450 is now just a "sticker package". I am looking into it as I will hopefully be purchasing a truck within the next year. I am fairly sure that the dana 110's and all the good parts that went with them are gone. I believe it is now kind of like the SRW 250 and 350, not much difference.

Fairly sad, people were buying them for a reason......
Poor decision making in my opinion.

 

I purchased mine for the towing ability 2011 F-450 = 24,000 towing

 

I just read my latest Diesel Power mag and in the article of Ford's new 2011 SD, both the standard F-450 and F-350 dually come with the same Dana 80 rear-end. SRW F-350 and F-250 come with a 10 1/2" rear-end. The Chassis Cab (Commercial truck with no bed) F-450 and F-550 will continue with the massive Dana 110. And a de-tuned 6.7 PSD Scorp.

 

The Dana 80 rear axle is more than capable of carrying the full 11,000 lb rear axle weight rating of every commercial medium duty 15K GVWR truck it has been used in since the late 1980's.

Losing the S-110 axle is nothing big, that axle in the F450 Pickup was way too big for the application and only added unnecessary weight to the truck anyways. On top of that, Ford spec'd the truck with springs that are way too weak to ever begin to use the axle to it's weight carrying potential. Even a Dana 80 with those springs would not be able to be used up it's potential.

I would have spec'd the original F450 Pickup with the lighter weight but still fully capable Dana 80, together with stiffer springs, or maybe a choice of 2 or 3 different spring rates to suit the intended use of the truck. I doubt anyone would have been complaining about the Dana 80 being on the truck. Further there are more differential upgrades for the 80 like ARB's Ect.

I can certainly see using the S-110 axle in the 16,500 GVWR F450 and 19,000 GVWR F550 chassis-cab trucks cause alot of those trucks with big flatbeds, carrier beds, wrecker beds, cranes, etc, actually are used to carry their max rear axle weight ratings on a daily basis. In the F450 Pickup, it is simply unnecessary overkill.


Ford has been de-tuning cab and chassis trucks for 25 years this is nothing new. The turbo and tuning are vastly different than the pickups. My trailers are about 19k to 24k I pulled them all thru Nevada, California and Mexico racing and never had an issue. Of course my loaded weight has never been more than 8.5k.

 

For the record the 110 has a 11.8" ring gear and the 80 has 11.25" ring gear. I would bet the strength in the 110 is in the sturcture meaning the tubes.

 

In reality it is the F-450 brakes and 10 lug 19.5 rims that were of interest to me. Almost all of the towing I do is on steep windy mountain roads. The oversized brakes were the real interest...

 

no more 19in wheels on the 2011

 

they neutered the new 450