I have a 2007 F150 XL 6 cyl that I bought new, It has been fantastic, still runs great, never an engine light. I am retiring in about a month and will tow a smallish camper. I bought a F150 XL F250 XL ...ended up with a F350 XL. Wanting some insight from those that know. I wanted a F150 but I do not want all of the stop/start, cylinder deactivation, etc. It is my understanding the Super Duty does not have this. Once I decided to go Super Duty I noticed the 350 was not much more than the 250. I figured more capability for not much more money. I now wonder if I should have went with a 250 for ride comfort. Any thoughts?

F350 XL
4x2
SWC
Crew cab
Long Bed
6.8 gas
Cloth Seats
3.73 with electronic lock
Camper Package
Trailer Brake controller
Chrome Package

 

I have almost the exact same truck. I have the Snowplow Prep/ Camper Package that gives my truck one more up with the front springs.

My 2025 F350 rides better than my 2020 F350 short bed with the exact same package. The seats feel much better on the new truck.

A F250 might ride a little smoother but not by much:

 

Don't worry about the ride in the 350 versus 250. The ride of the 350 can be on the harsh side if unloaded and the tire pressure is at the recommended 80 psi. The 250 recommended air pressure is 65. Both recommended air pressure ratings are based on GVWR. Set the air pressure based on the truck's actual weight. This will improve the ride. BTW, the Super Duty (250 or 250) will not be as comfy a ride as the 150.

 

The 6.8L in your new F350 XL doesn't have any known long term reliability issues beyond the 7.3L lifter issues mostly reported in derated configurations like the E350/E450. Very little of this issue has been reported on F-series superduty and it is thought to be caused by the variable speed oil pump not producing enough oil pressure at idle. There is no confirmation this has happened but it is thought that all trucks have had software updates to raise the pressure and newer 7.3L trucks model year ~2022 and newer are shipped this way. Therefore this should not be an issue for you but the general guidance is avoid long idles.

The more unknown factor about your truck is the long-term reliability of the 10r100 transmission. This is a relatively new transmission SKU introduced in 2023 alongside the 6.8L. As of 2025 model year the 7.3L godzilla motors in the F250 are transitioning from the 10r140 to the 10r100 (I believe F350 and Tremor F250 7.3L remain 10r140). It remains to be seen if this transmission will be more problematic for owners compared to the 10r140 which in recent model years is considered generally reliable. Time will tell. There is a thread in this forum concerning a 10r100 early failure but so far reports such as these appear to be outliers: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...n-failure.html.

 

2wd and 176" WB; your ride will be just fine and no different than an F250

Dave

 

If you’re not 100% sold on an F250/350, why not just get a F150 with the V8. Yea, it has stop/start but there are several ways to disable it permanently.

Only reason why I say consider is F150 is because you said your trailer was ‘smallish’. I was towing a 9000lb Rockwood with a 3.5L Turbo F150. Power was never a problem.

Can you share details of the trailer? Are you towing at elevation where a non-Turbo engine may be a problem?

 

You can drop the tire pressure tpms to match your needs. Maybe go to a 285/65/18 and that will allow more drop as the load rating is higher to start off with.

 

We have not bought one yet. After I retire, we were going to get one but now that I will have a F350 I'm thinking of a toy hauler as we have a Honda GoldWing that we enjoy...

 

Is that user adjustable?

 

Not at the moment for 2025 Super Duty. There is a Windows app called FORScan that can use a USB to OBD dongle to connect to your vehicle and change things like TPMS. Right now it only works up to 2024 model year. It is also not that user friendly for a pure causal computer user but anyone can do it if they put enough time in to read and watch how to do it. Eventually you should be able to program your 2025 truck in this way. In the meantime, as someone who sets my F250 tire pressure to 50psi all around and gets TPMS warning, it is a warning at engine start that you can clear and then there is just an icon on your dash. In a way it's nice to have because the truck shows you the psi of your tires each time you begin. If your gas F350 XL is running at 80psi you can definitely drop to 55 front / 50 rear unladen for vast ride comfort improvement.

 

I ordered a 2025 F-250 XL 2WD SuperDuty... crew cab/short bed, with the camper package. A few things...

It came with the 17" steel wheels. First thing I did was swap them for 18's... I bought a set of takeoff STX 18" wheels, had Coopers mounted, and slapped them on with not even 25 miles on the truck. I did the speedometer change, and the tire pressure (TPMS) adjustment via FORScan, and everything is peachy. I run 55F/60R with the 18's, for a reasonable ride, vs the very harsh 65F/80R for the 17".

The 2WD truck is soooooooo much better, and easier to drive, than my 2023 4WD F-250. If you are hauling weight, you may need to upgrade the shocks very soon, however.

The 6.8L/10R100 combo is a bit suspicious, however. Unlike the 7.3/10R140 (in my 2023) you really have to put your foot into it to get it moving... not at all like the 10R140... so it takes a bit of getting used to. I have my doubts about the long-term durability of the 10R100 pulling weight, straight up. It is my understanding that the F-350 has the 10R140, however... so I hope that is the case for you. Nope... it appears that even with the F-350/2WD, you get the 10R100. Sheesh.

My 2025 2WD F-250...

 

Glad to hear FORScan is working on 2025, I keep reading elsewhere that people are still waiting.

I had a 2WD 2020 F150 and went to a 4WD 2024 F250 and I need almost double the distance to turn compared to before. Is the turn radius the primary component of why it's easier/better to drive your 2WD or is suspension a factor too? Does the 2WD super duty have IFS or SFA in the front?

Regarding the 6.8L gas I think it only comes with the 10r100 in all configurations in all model years. So it will never be possible to test it with the 10r140.

 

I picked mine up yesterday. May 8th to June 21st. Order to me taking possession.

 

I don't know... my 2023 4WD CC/LB turns very good for such a long truck. Compared to my 2WD 2009 CC/LB, it isn't that much different... I think the wheelbase makes more of a difference than drive axles.

Yes, the 2WD SuperDuty (F250/F350) still come with the IFS, which is fine; F-450 and up comes with a solid axle. It 'drives easier' due to the more nimble steering... not pushing all that front axle around... a more compliant suspension, and I mean that in a good way. It is taut, not sloppy at all, but not harsh, which the 4WD can be. It also doesn't jump around like the 4WD, going around sweeping corners with bumps... due to the more compliant IFS.

 

Did a U-turn today in my new F350CC LB...Nope, wont do that again. It certainly does not turn on a dime or even a football field!