F250 options

alan40 · Jun 28, 2003

Looking at geting a F250. One because I like a Ford product and two I need a better towing/hauling truck. Of wich I have done little. My question to you all is what setup do you reccomend? My Dad just bought a F150 with a 7700 towing package. We both had never heard of it until they bought a fifth wheel and the salesman recomended the package. It's also the only package recomended for a plow. So is there a similar package for a 250? I'll be hauling sap and pulling a trailer for my tractor? Talked to a local salesman and he said he never heard of the package. Just go's to show that just because your truck saleman dos'ent mean you know trucks.
Thanks in advance.
P.S. I really need spell checker /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Anonymous Poster · Jun 28, 2003

From what I understand if you get all the tow/camper/ (whatever)spring options on an F-250 you basically end up with the same frame/springs/axle combo as a single rear wheel F-350. So you would think you would be able to tow/haul the same as a 350, the problem is the F250 has lower GVW ratings so you won't be legal depending on how much you carry.

This has been debated to death on other forums if I remeber correctly the conclusion was that everything on similarly equiped trucks was identical. They had the same spring codes, axles, brakes, etc.

This may or may not be a problem depending on your needs. What is the price diference from a 250 to 350. I would think in resale you could surely make it up, I don't think it is that much $$$.

If you don't need the "legal" weight rating an F-250 with the tow/camper/snowplow (whatever gets you the heaviest springs) should work.

I could be wrong and I am sure someone will chime in if so.

Bird · Jun 28, 2003

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Talked to a local salesman and he said he never heard of the package )</font>

Reminds me of when I was looking at new Ford pickups in '88. I asked a young salesman which engine a particular pickup on the lot had and he said, "The V-8." I asked, "Which V-8?" and he got a blank look on his face. I found that he had no idea Ford made more than one V-8. And when we went inside to ask someone else about the towing package, no one there knew anything about it, but someone mentioned an older salesman who was off that day. Sure enough, I stopped by the next day out of curiosity and that one old salesman had the books on towing. Ford's towing specs will provide information as to which truck with which engine and which rear end ratio will pull how much, and while I haven't checked on the latest models, I'll bet they still have one or more "towing packages" which will include some or all of such things as heavier duty cooling, stronger springs, extra transmission cooling, higher capacity alternator, load distributing hitch platform, heavier stablizer bars, etc. But you need to find a salesman who is familiar with towing trailers.

Bird · Jun 28, 2003

I just had another look at Ford's web site and it shows a "trailer tow package" as standard equipment on the F250s (without showing exactly what that includes), but then they show a "heavy service suspension package" and a "camper package" in addition to that.

jray · Jun 28, 2003

Hey Alan I've had both an F250 and a now a F350. The First truck was ext. cab Short wheel base 4wd my truck now is a Crew Cab 4 full doors, Long wheel base 4wd SWD. The first truck had the camper tow package and did a good job with everything I put behind it "Which wasn't a whole lot". My truck now is a brute it is just as rough riding as the shorter wheel base F250 but IMHO can do more if I really need it to. We use the truck as our family hauler so we do everything in it. We just took a trip to New York from Colorado in it which wasn't bad considering we had about 1500 - 2000 lbs of stuff in the back which makes everything smooth out /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. We had to haul hay from kansas last year I think we had about 250 bales with truck and trailer 26'GN were pushing way over the rated wheight limit which is not something I would have tried in the F250. I guess with all this wind I just blew out I am saying that IMO the F250 would haul your tractor just fine the only thing about upgrading to the 1 ton SWD and especialy (SP) the dually you will not be limited with what your able to do. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Boone · Jun 29, 2003

After listening to my Dad talk about his 5th wheel camper towing truck, I'd think a good place to research trucks would be at a big campground filled with fifth wheel campers. These guys talk about axel ratios and air assist bags for the rear springs, which engines are their favorite all kinds of good info from guys that like to pull big trailers.

bgott · Jun 29, 2003

This is a website dedicated to Ford pickups...

http://www.thedieselstop.com/

banjobj · Jun 29, 2003

www.rv.net=[www.rv.net] also has lots of good info. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

cowboydoc · Jun 29, 2003

You can get the heavy duty front springs but that's about all the upgrade there is on the SuperDuty F-250. You can easily haul 13k loads with this truck, Fords rating.

Inspector507 · Jun 29, 2003

From Fordvehicles.com:
Camper Package includes Heavy service front springs, rear stabilizer bar (SRW) auxiliary rear springs (SRW models with 5.4L engine, effective Winter ’03) and camper certification

Snow Plow Package. Includes: highest front GAWR/springs, steering damper, auxiliary rear springs (SRW models with 5.4L engine, effective Winter ’03)

And cowboydoc is right you can haul/tow a lot with the F250 SD. Had one for 5 years and I don't think the helper springs ever touched /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif