Tuesday, August 26th, 2008
Super Duty models are the hard-hauling brutes in full-size Ford’s pickup trucks line. The F-250 is the three-quarter-ton version, while the Ford F-350 is rated at one ton. For 2007, changes consist mainly of new colors and options for SuperCab and Crew Cab models. Freshened styling on the Ford F-250 Super Duty adopted elements of Ford’s Mighty F-350 Tonka concept truck for 2005. A new 6.8-liter V-10, with three valves per cylinder, produced 52 horsepower more than its predecessor. The Power Stroke diesel engine gained 10 pounds-feet of torque for a total of 570 pounds-feet, and a new three-valve version of the 5.4-liter V-8 delivered an additional 40 hp. Ford said the new TowCommand System, with its electric trailer-brake controller, was an industry first.
The F-250 Super Duty pickup comes in XL, XLT and Lariat trim levels. For 2006, equipment that was previously included just in the F-250 Lariat pickup Luxury Package is standard in all Lariat models. An Amarillo Package for Lariat Crew Cab models features Blazing Yellow paint, 18-inch forged aluminum wheels, black leather seating surfaces and other extras. A Chrome Package is available for XLT and Lariat SuperCab and Crew Cab trucks. Forged polished-aluminum 20-inch wheels are available on SRW Crew Cab 4×4 Lariat, King Ranch and Amarillo editions. The King Ranch version of the Lariat Crew Cab is offered in two new two-tone color treatments.
Styling differences between Ford’s light-duty F-150 and the Super Duty models are most evident up front, where a massive grille dominates the Super Duty’s nose. Super Duty pickups come in three forms: regular cab; four-door SuperCab with two conventional front doors and two smaller, rear-opening back doors; and four-door Crew Cab with four conventional front-hinged doors. Wheelbases range from 137 inches on regular cab models to 172.4 inches on the long-bed Crew Cab. Regular cab pickups have an 8-foot cargo bed and measure 226.4 inches long overall, while SuperCab models are equipped with either a 6.75- or 8-foot bed and have an overall length of 231.2 or 247.4 inches. Either bed can be installed on the 4×4 pickup truck, which measures 245.6 or 261.8 inches long.
Front tow hooks are standard. A chrome front bumper and bright grille go on XLT models, while the Lariat adds cab steps, fog lamps and a sliding rear window. Two appearance packages are available for 2007, a Highline Package for SuperCab models and a Outlaw Package for Crew Cab models. The Highline features extensive use of chrome on the grille, tow hooks, step bars and other trim bits, while the Outlaw is a primarily black theme that’s carried over into the interior. Regular cab models seat either two or three occupants. A folding three-place rear bench seat goes into SuperCab and Crew Cab models. Air conditioning, power windows and locks, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel and a CD player are standard in XLT models.
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Saturday, August 23rd, 2008
People buy pickup trucks for many reasons. Some of those reasons are strictly sensible; others lean more toward vanity and fashion. This hasn’t always been true. A few decades back, pickups were strictly utilitarian vehicles that people purchased to do work. Owners were willing to put up with certain discomforts as long as the truck performed its assigned tasks without balking.
Today, fewer private truck owners haul gravel or crates with their vehicles. Those who buy a pickup for its practical merits are likely more interested in its towing capacity. Outdoorsy families may need a truck to haul a camper trailer or boat on summer vacations or weekend journeys. And if that trailer or boat is heavy, only a pickup with serious towing capacity can handle the job. Each manufacturer issues ratings for towing capacity, measured in pounds. Ratings for a given truck model may vary according to several factors.
If a 4×4 pickup is available with a choice of engines, the larger-displacement version typically has greater towing capacity. A truck with an automatic transmission may be capable of hauling more weight than an equivalent model with a manual gearbox. Heavy-duty trucks may be available with a choice of single or dual (dualie) rear wheels. This means there could be one or two wheels and tires on each side. Typically, additional tires translate to greater capacity for hauling cargo, though not necessarily a significant increase in towing capacity.
When you need to tow a trailer or boat that weighs more than 4 or 5 tons, you have few choices besides a heavy-duty truck from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford or GMC. These are the only trucks that offer towing capacities above the 10,000-pound mark. As a rule, you’ll have to turn to a one-ton model — Chevrolet Silverado 3500, Dodge Ram 3500, Ford F-350 Super Duty or GMC Sierra 3500 — to get the peak capacity, but a three-quarter-ton truck might suffice for slightly reduced weight requirements. On the whole, import-brand pickups trail the domestics where heavy-duty towing is concerned. Only the Nissan Titan vies with half-ton pickups from Detroit’s Big Three.
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Wednesday, August 20th, 2008
The Ford F-350 pickup truck is quite a different beast from its standard brethren. Nowadays, light-duty pickups have become quite commonplace as daily drivers and even as family vehicles. Ford’s F-150, in particular, has been hugely popular for the past three decades. The F-350 Super Duty, however, is a 1-ton 4×4 pickup truck that’s often seen doing what it does best hauling and pulling big loads.
More robust than even the capable F-250, the Ford F-350 Super Duty is fit for extreme grunt work thanks to the availability of a dual rear-wheel setup that greatly improves stability when towing. And like other Super Duties, the F-350 is available with a wide choice of body styles, powertrain options and trim levels to choose from. Another reason that Ford’s heavy hauler is a fave is that it can handle massive payloads while also being easy to drive and comfortable to ride in.
There are a few other choices to consider, as Chevy and Dodge also offer worthy choices in this powerhouse field. With the domestic Big 3 constantly improving their heavies, it’s almost anyone’s ball game for a given model year. All are eminently capable, so we suggest driving them all back to back before you make a purchase decision. A dual-rear-wheel setup is offered as well, which allows more weight to be carried in the bed as well as providing greater stability while towing a heavy trailer.
A trio of engines sees duty in the F-350 Super Duty: the standard 5.4-liter V8 (300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque), an optional 6.8-liter V10 and the aforementioned 6.4-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel V8 (350 hp and 650 lb-ft.) Transmission choices consist of a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic. Buyers can choose either two- or four-wheel drive across the board.
The previous generation Ford F-350 Super Duty ran from 1999-2007. The debut of this version marked the first time that Ford gave its heavy-duty pickups their own style. Compared to the soft contours of the F-150 of the time, the angular Super Duty with its massive grille looked every bit the square-jawed brute that lay under the skin. For 2003, the FX4 off-road package debuted, as did (for crew cabs) an optional power moonroof and the King Ranch edition.
A smaller yet more powerful 6.0-liter Power Stroke replacing the 7.3-liter version debuted that year as well. The 6.0-liter diesel engine, however, has a reputation for questionable reliability. For 2005, the big news was a new five-speed automatic transmission, an upgraded front suspension, a new grille and headlight design and increased towing and hauling capacities. The next few years saw just minor changes to feature and package availability.
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Monday, August 18th, 2008
There are eight models of full-size heavy-duty pickup trucks for sale in the U.S. Base retail prices range from around $22,000 for an entry-level Ford F-250 Super Duty XL Regular Cab 2WD to more than $41,000 for a top-of-the-line 4×4 GMC Sierra 3500 SLT Crew Cab. When it comes to hauling the big loads, there are a few rivals to the heavy-duty full-size 4×4 pickups. With its reinforced chassis and choice of high-powered engines, the heavy-duty pickup has the highest towing capacity and payload of any pickup on the road. This is also a market made up solely of domestic products.
Most heavy-duty pickups are used for commercial purposes, or to tow trailers and recreational vehicles. Key one-ton players in this rough-and-tumble market include the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 and the GMC Sierra 3500, Ford F-350 Super Duty and the Dodge Ram 3500. With their first complete redesign in over ten years, the all-new heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and Chevrolet Silverado 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500 went on sale in 2001, giving Ford and Dodge formidable competition.
However, Dodge answered the challenge with the release of its all-new heavy-duty pickups for the 2003 model year. The Ram 2500 and Ram 3500, unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in February, 2002, sport the same aggressive look as the Dodge Ram 1500. The new trucks are available with a new 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum V8 as well as a powerful 5.9-liter diesel. Speaking of diesel power, Ford now offers an all-new 32-valve 6.0-liter V-8 Power Stroke diesel engine for its SuperDuty lineup. The new engine not only boasts 325 horsepower at 3300 rpm and 560 lb-ft of torque at 2000 rpm, but also features better fuel economy and lower emissions than the 7.3-liter engine it replaces. The General Motors offerings are also available with impressive diesel power. The optional 6.6-liter diesel provides a whopping 590 lb-ft of torque at just 1600 rpm.
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