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[psy999]

Having traded in a 99F250 7.3 diesel superduty with an auto and 3.73 rear end for a F450 last year, I can speak from a little experience.

I very frequently pulled a 30 ft stock trailer (gross weight of truck/trailer (full) on scales was 23,000 lbs) and I can say that the powertrain was more than enough (I drive at high altitudes and plenty of mountain roads). I worried a lot about the automatic transmission but the only time it ever overheated was on long slow pulls up mountain dirt roads. However, a SRW tire is not up to the task of pulling heavy loads at high speeds (I had a blowout on the highway at 75 mph, left rear tire. It was in good condition and fully inflated to 80 psi).

According to the specs, with the exception of the engine, transmission, and cab, everything on my F-450 is heavier duty than on the 250-350 (frame, brakes, suspension, driveshaft, wheels/tires, etc). It also has a wider front end and therefore a considerably smaller turning radius that the 250-350. It's also about 1000 lbs heavier (I can't remember the exact figure), and with the 4.3 rear end and standard transmission, seems to get about 10mpg no matter what I do. However, it is beyond a doubt, a pulling son-of-a gun and the braking power is significantly better.