2011 or 2012 F-250 ??

[Diamondpilot]

Yes i did get the integrated brake controller.

For my needs I don't see needing the extra capacity of the F-350 SRW.

Needs change quickly. I was just like you buying a brand new 2004 FX4 F-250 with the heavy 10,000# GVWR. 12 months later we got a bigger boat and it just was not enough. I have had duallys and hated them so I had to trade up to a 2006 F-350 SRW with 11,500# GVWR. No difference in ride but man, a totally different machine.

The boat would squat the F-250 about 8" and only squat the F-350 2". Thing is I was told to skip the F-250 and get a SRW F-350. I should have listened.

For the money I would change my order asap. I have made the 3/4 ton truck mistake twice with that Ford and a Dodge and kicked myself on both.

Funny thing is 3/4 ton trucks with diesels are hard to find here anymore. All the locals caught on and so did the dealer at what a bargain the SRW F-350 and other SRW 1 tons are. You can find 3/4 ton gas trucks but just not diesels.

On my road there are 12 houses. There are currently 6 1 ton SRW trucks. 4 Fords, 1 Dodge, and 1 GM. There is not 1 3/4 tons. There is 1 dually GM and the rest of the folks have 1/2 tons.

Think about it. I just don't want you to make the mistake I made twice. I buy lots of trucks, 13 new ones since 1997 alone. I have found out what works and what does not.

Chris

 

[sparc]

I'll think about it. I'll call tomorrow and see
what the difference is and if its too late to change.

 

[sparc]

Put in request to change the order to a F-350.
I'll know soon if it went through but they said
they didn't expect it to be a problem this early.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I think you made a wise choice. There have been others on here I suggested that to. Some did and some did not. One came back and told me 6 months later that he wished now he did go to the srw 1 ton.

Chris.

 

[rasimmo]

Diamondpilot,
Your post had me curious, so I looked at the Ford site. It lists the F350 srw payload capacity up to 1000lbs higher than the F250. The towing capacity is actually listed as 100lbs higher on the 250 though. That sounds kinda funny to me.
I don't see many 1 ton srw trucks around here, on the lot or on the highway. Just wondering if you have noticed any difference other than the amount of squat the truck does. That makes sense because of higher payload, but what about the towing. Have you seen much difference?

 

[jeffsw6]

That sounds kinda funny to me.

I think the tow ratings are a GCWR limitation of the transmission, so if you make the truck itself heavier (with more frame and suspension mass) then the truck .. gets heavier .. which means slightly less trailer fits within that GCWR before your combined truck and trailer weight is above the design limit of the transmission's cooling and torque-handling ability.

So what the ratings are telling you is that the 3/4 ton is theoretically similar in towing ability. In reality this is probably true of tag/bumper pull (where the transmission design limits are not a factor) but not gooseneck/5th wheel (because tongue weights are higher.) But I am not a Ford guy so I am not familiar with the specific trucks. Besides that, those huge towing figures for SRW look good on paper but when you get a large trailer in the wind you wish for more sidewalls.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Diamondpilot]

You are right, srw 1 tons are regional. All my neighbors and friends have them. Only know 2 guys with 3/4 tons.

Also, you ate right about the tow ratings being slightly higher on a 250 when compared to a srw 350 due to the trucks slightly heavier empty weight

My 04 F250 for example is 7500# while my 06 F350 is 7600# nut the difference with a load is night and day. Kind of like a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton. That is the difference between a 3/4 ton and a srw 1 ton.

GVWR is the number I look at first and care about the most and the Fords have that going for them if you know what to look for and how to order them.

Chris

 

[sparc]

I think you made a wise choice. There have been others on here I suggested that to. Some did and some did not. One came back and told me 6 months later that he wished now he did go to the srw 1 ton.

Chris.

Well according to the dealer he had to cancel the first order and do another order with all the goodies I had on the first truck. He said he couldn't just change from a 250 to a 350. If it was just adding an option or changing something on the F-250 order, no problem, but changing the truck meant starting over. So I lost a week in the order process. I'm in no hurry but I do hope to be driving the new truck before the end of the year.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Well according to the dealer he had to cancel the first order and do another order with all the goodies I had on the first truck. He said he couldn't just change from a 250 to a 350. If it was just adding an option or changing something on the F-250 order, no problem, but changing the truck meant starting over. So I lost a week in the order process. I'm in no hurry but I do hope to be driving the new truck before the end of the year.

Can not wait to see it. My gutt tells me you will have the new truck as a Christmas present. Vehicles are not moving right now so the factory should get it built asap.

Chris

 

[Lt CHEG]

Well according to the dealer he had to cancel the first order and do another order with all the goodies I had on the first truck. He said he couldn't just change from a 250 to a 350. If it was just adding an option or changing something on the F-250 order, no problem, but changing the truck meant starting over. So I lost a week in the order process. I'm in no hurry but I do hope to be driving the new truck before the end of the year.

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. Chris does bring up an excellent point in his fondness for the F350SRW over the F250, however according to a couple of different guys over at Ford Truck Enthusiasts who build Super Duties at the Louisville Plant, the only difference between the F250 and F350 SRW diesel equipped trucks is the addition of blocks on the rear suspension for the F350. The axles and springs are identical, it's just that the blocks help prevent sag under load. If I was ordering new, I'd probably spring for the F350, but in my case I ended up with an F250 because that was what was on the lot and that's what I got a terrific deal on. I've yet to reach the limit of what my F250 can do and I've towed to the limit of what the truck is rated for. However, if I ever feel like I need the extra load capacity of the F350 SRW, I'll just buy the blocks for the rear suspension from Ford and add them myself and have an F350 SRW that's marked as an F250 . I would make sure though that you have the highest GVWR package available for your truck. Chris reminded me of the fact that Ford usually has several different GVWR packages and I made sure I checked that mine was the 10,000 pound GVWR package when I bought mine. Good luck with your new truck.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. Chris does bring up an excellent point in his fondness for the F350SRW over the F250, however according to a couple of different guys over at Ford Truck Enthusiasts who build Super Duties at the Louisville Plant, the only difference between the F250 and F350 SRW diesel equipped trucks is the addition of blocks on the rear suspension for the F350. The axles and springs are identical, it's just that the blocks help prevent sag under load. If I was ordering new, I'd probably spring for the F350, but in my case I ended up with an F250 because that was what was on the lot and that's what I got a terrific deal on. I've yet to reach the limit of what my F250 can do and I've towed to the limit of what the truck is rated for. However, if I ever feel like I need the extra load capacity of the F350 SRW, I'll just buy the blocks for the rear suspension from Ford and add them myself and have an F350 SRW that's marked as an F250 . I would make sure though that you have the highest GVWR package available for your truck. Chris reminded me of the fact that Ford usually has several different GVWR packages and I made sure I checked that mine was the 10,000 pound GVWR package when I bought mine. Good luck with your new truck.

These guys do not know what they are building. There is a major difference in the spring packs. Also usually different sized wheels and larger tires made to haul more weight. And as you mentioned the GVWR is the limit. DOT only cares what is on that label and that any one axle or pair of wheels is not exceeding its limit. 10,000# GVWR like you have is the highest you can get on a F-250 while the F-350 SRW can get a 11,500# GVWR.

Chris

 

[JESSE1]

I guess it's a regional thing but around here you seldom see F-350 SRW pickups, many F-250's. When you see an F-350 it's usually going to be a dually.

What's amazing is how the GVWR's have changed over the years. An F-350 dually always was rated 10,000#, F-250's were about 7500# and F-350 SRW were 8800#. GM and Dodge were rated about the same.

 

[sparc]

Can not wait to see it. My gutt tells me you will have the new truck as a Christmas present. Vehicles are not moving right now so the factory should get it built asap.

Chris

Update: Spoke with the dealer earlier this week and still projecting delivery before Christmas but not sure when yet. They'll contact me when it leaves the factory so I'm still waiting to hear it's been built.

It would be nice to see it before the holidays as I have some time off and if there is some snow I can play a bit. Won't be like driving my H1 but should be fun, and more confortable too.

 

[Dmace]

Won't be like driving my H1 but should be fun, and more confortable too.

Screw the pictures of the Ford, I want pictures of the H1! :thumbsup:

 

[sparc]

Screw the pictures of the Ford, I want pictures of the H1! :thumbsup:

You can see it in my avatar behind and to the left of the Bobcat.

I'll dig up some photos, don't have any on this computer.

 

[dstig1]

These guys do not know what they are building. There is a major difference in the spring packs. Also usually different sized wheels and larger tires made to haul more weight. And as you mentioned the GVWR is the limit. DOT only cares what is on that label and that any one axle or pair of wheels is not exceeding its limit. 10,000# GVWR like you have is the highest you can get on a F-250 while the F-350 SRW can get a 11,500# GVWR.

Chris

It's been said and shown a bunch of times. The axles, wheels, tires, frame etc are all the same on the F250/350. The only thing that changes is the rear spacer block, and yes there are different spring packs for the different payload ratings. Oh yeah and the all important badge on the fender and sticker on the door jamb with the GVWR...

 

[not2old]

The sticker on the door jamb is all the police look for around here, to determine if you are overloaded. Nothing else matters or is able to increase your capacity. On Ford Superduties, the prices are so close that lower taxes on the "commercial truck" make the F350 less expensive than the F250 so 250's are rare here in B.C.

 

[two_bit_score]

I guess it's a regional thing but around here you seldom see F-350 SRW pickups, many F-250's. When you see an F-350 it's usually going to be a dually.

What's amazing is how the GVWR's have changed over the years. An F-350 dually always was rated 10,000#, F-250's were about 7500# and F-350 SRW were 8800#. GM and Dodge were rated about the same.

Funny thing about regional preferences. You're exactly right about 1 ton SRW's being rare in East Texas.

But they are plentiful in West and South Texas. Kingsville, Corpus, Victoria, San Antonio, Midland-Odessa the dealers are stocked with SRW 1 tons.

A little chevy dealer in Eden, Tx had a lot of trucks and I bet half were SRW 3500's. I don't recall seeing any duallys on his lot.

 

[Diamondpilot]

The sticker on the door jamb is all the police look for around here, to determine if you are overloaded. Nothing else matters or is able to increase your capacity. On Ford Superduties, the prices are so close that lower taxes on the "commercial truck" make the F350 less expensive than the F250 so 250's are rare here in B.C.

Yea, around here the Fords and Dodges are 2/3 SRW 1 tons with a even mix of a few 3/4 tons and 1 ton Dually's. GM is maybe 1/4 SRW 1 tons and the rest are primarily 3/4 tons with a few Dually's.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

where i live, ford f35 drw from 90+ are common, gn is next most common drw, and dodge is uncommon in drw.

1 ton SRW is uncommon

3/4 ton in all flavors are very common.

Most people here, if they go 1 ton, go drw for extraaxle capacity I guess. lotsa horse farms and cattle in this area.

the people you see with 1 ton srw are usually pulling an rv.

soundguy