before ordering cc psd read this. - Diesel Forum

clydesdale · 12-11-2002, 08:30 PM

I had to get a 250 when i got my truck because i needed the financing rebates and there were no 350s with sticks and i rather have a 250 6spd than a 350 auto. That being said, 250 cc psd are bad ideas. They do not have enought gvwr, they overload very easy. The other thing i would do is talk to the dealer and get x code springs put up front. This will act as a leveling kit. Since you guys are ordering a truck these are my suggestions. If you take off the lot, like i did you have to hunt for what suits you best, but i basically made my truck like a 350 with a leveling kit. However my towing is legally limited, since i dont tow anything over 4,000 lbs, it is no problem. Get a 350 with x springs you will be very happy. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

guardrail22 · 12-11-2002, 09:57 PM

8800 lb GVWR
12000 lb towing capability

mine had a shipping weight of 6200 lb. So including me I can load 2600 lb.

I didn't get the 350 because I didn't want the ride to shake out all my wifes fillings and I saved enough money for some goodies.

tnance · 12-11-2002, 10:23 PM

As far as ride is concerned. My 2003.25 F350 crew cab Lariat 6.0L 5-spd auto rides smoother than my old 2000 F250 4X4 Crew cab Lariat.
I was expecting a rougher ride.

Painted Horse · 12-11-2002, 10:31 PM

Guardrail, The paper work may have said shipping weight of 6200. But the CrewCab Diesel 4x4's I've seen on the scales are all over 7000lbs. Mine is 7200 lbs empty. So subtract 7200 from 8800 and see what that leaves you.

I'd have a hard time believing that the 03's are a 1000lbs lighter.

Painted Horse.

Traildust · 12-11-2002, 10:39 PM

My F350 doesn't ride any worse than my F250 did. That shipping weight is misleading, a little on the light side. I think Smokey will be along shortly. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
Traildust

George C · 12-12-2002, 01:31 AM

I hope my new truck rides as nice as my old 156" F-250.
I have the max front springs coming. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

I drove an F-350 RC with them and it almost shook out my fillings..

JVencius · 12-12-2002, 10:54 AM

You'd better hie thyself to a scale--I'd put a fistful of dollars your truck is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over 6200 lbs.

TBROKER · 12-12-2002, 11:34 AM

Unless Ford changed for 2003 the F250 and F350 come with the same springs as long as the trucks are the same configuration; i.e. 4x4, cc,etc. So the ride will be the same. I believe they started using the same springs in the 2002 model year.

TBROKER

ibsmurf · 12-12-2002, 11:35 AM

Guardrail, mine scales at 6300 wet but empty. Bet yours is more like 7100-7400. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

guardrail22 · 12-12-2002, 12:38 PM

I have another post on this somewhere but here is what I found.

shipping weight was 6200# which supposedly includes about 150# of fuel - 23 gal - loaded at the plant.

I took it to the local North american Van lines place and weighed it. With myself and a friend in the truck and about 150# of fuel, it scaled 7300#.

Subtract 500# for the two of us, that says 6800#.

600# error (10%). I tend to beleive the factory number is closer because they have a truck scale designed for these weights and haulers would get checked by transpotation police. A truck scale designed to weigh 80,000-100,000# moving rigs is likely to be off significantly weighing something at 7000#. I'm going to look fo a better scale - like maybe on at a landfill or something but I'm betting my truck is somewhere around 6600# with a full fuel load.

Don't forget that the 6.0/Torqshift is supposed to be 300# lighter than the 7.3/trans combo.

In any case I don't envission breaking mmine even with a ton of concrete pavers in it next week.

clydesdale · 12-12-2002, 01:17 PM

ride is the same 250 or 350. If you bought the 250 and dont tow much then you are in my boat and it is now biggy, but i would get the dealer to help with x springs. If you tow, you NEED the 350. The trucks are the same, it is the legalities that are different.

hitecdan · 12-12-2002, 01:50 PM

That's why I ordered a F-350. A loaded F-250 crew cab with a diesel engine and 4 wheel drive weights in around 7,100lbs. A similarly configured F-350 weights in at about 7,200 to 7,300lbs. or so. Did the math.....

Payload = GVWR - GVW

So a F-250: 8800 - 7,100 = 1,700lbs.
F-350: 9,700 (California version damnit!) - 7,200 = 2,500lbs.

Similarly equipped F-350 has about 30% more payload capacity then a F-250.

Ride quality between the two is the same, of course anything rides better then my current truck! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Also note that the 6.0L diesel is about 200lbs lighter then the 7.3L diesel.

hitecdan · 12-12-2002, 01:59 PM

__________________________________________________ ______________
The trucks are the same, it is the legalities that are different.
__________________________________________________ ______________

What do you mean, the trucks are the same. My understanding is the F-350's frame is a little more stout then the F-250's frame. Maybe one of the factory guy can enlighten us on what differences exist between the two frames.

Also note, that if you treat your 250 like a 350 and overload it, your insurance company may not pay any claims if you are involved in an accident. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

George C · 12-12-2002, 02:27 PM

Nope,
Same frame, brakes, rears etc.
250's and 350's are exactly the same truck.
The only differences are the spring rates are different and the block spacers in the rear springs are 2" on the 250, and 4" on the 350.
Early 99 250's had the 4" spacer too..

powerboatr · 12-12-2002, 07:32 PM

my 92 f250 sc weighed 7400lbs empty

but my 02 350 rides so mucho bettero