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Comments
You may want to start checking with other dealers in your area..
Before my F250SD, I had a 4x4 ranger. When I bought the truck, it had an open differential. In the winter time, I had to constantly keep it in 4x4 mode because the truck was helpless without it. Even with wieght in the truck, the one tire would spin. That next summer, I had an aftermarket AUBURN Limited Slip installed. The next winter, with this addition, it cut the time I needed 4x4 mode in 1/2!! The reason was I had 2-tires in back that were seeking traction, rather than just the one. With some firewood thrown in back, the right tires(whole-nother discussion) my little ranger went places the bigger trucks got stuck in.
Time4family does bring up a good point about the usefullness of a limited slip on boat ramps, and the decreased mileage. But hey, WE didn't buy the trucks with the expectation of getting 30-mpg either!!
I have done some checking with people that specialize in differetial accessories, I have been told that the ford SD uses one of two axles in the production, one is a 10.5-axle, the other I
believe is a DANA 60. Either way, the limited slip units they install within these are VERY strong and durable. The limited slip does have its limitations though, for example if one tire is off the ground it may require some braking to "engage" the unit more effectively. Of course the ultimate in traction devices is the DETROIT LOCKER. The LOCKER delivers power to both wheels regardless of whether one is off the ground. Of course, for our application, it is $525.00...excluding installation costs.
In conclusion, my personal opinion is that every 4x4 truck should come standard with a limited slip differential. Only vehicles like the new Jeep Grand Cherokee have an automatic system that locks the differentials for a "true" 4x4 vehicle. It could make the difference in some situations whether you keep going or call the local wrecker service to tug you out. Does that help answer some questions????
VOPC message has changed twice for me this week. Once on Tue. and once this morning. (It said released to carrier, deliv. 11/20 - SURPRISE!) So the VOPC is not stalled everywhere.
Paull1 - My 250 SD 4x2 VIN 4th digit is "N" -so much for the 4x4 theory. It'll be interesting when we get this all figured out.
There is a tremendous amount of information about dealer allotments in previous posts. It would be worth spending some time and reading back awhile. It is for real and finding out your dealers allotment will answer most of the waiting questions.
To contact VOPC, you need
#1. Dealer VOPC code
#2. Order #
DAHLND - It is clear that your dealer has no allotment. Ask to see their weekly allotment report. That'll shake their toupee's. It'll also prove what we're telling you about allotment.
Go to Ford-Diesel.com, FAQ's, #2. The ordering process. It has everything you need to know about contacting VOPC. If your order is not serialized and clean and unscheduled, it will say so.
Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to drive I go. I'll let you know what side of heaven I end up on and all of the gory details!
dahlnd... you may want to check dealers "outside" your area too. a 5 month wait is not only ridiculous, it's ludicrous. read all posts in this forum as there's several references to dealers with excellent allocation & prices.
Is it 5x7 or 6x8? I tried calling Ford, but customer service people don't have a clue. I tried calling a local dealer, and one of them told me to ask the sales people. Yeah right!
so..help?
I suspect many of us are still curious as to your extreme disappointment with your truck purchase. Obviously, you're not happy with the stereo, but how is it doing as far as what you really bought such a big truck to do? What advantage did you see with the Dodge over the Ford?
Just a quick comment about the tow ratings mentioned many posts ago. I've got the 99 tow ratings (not the 2000 that were quoted). I come up with a 13,500 tow rating for the F-250 4x4 CC V-10 with the 4.30 and auto trans, compared to the 13,400 quoted, so the numbers are close. However, it appeared that you were also saying the same truck with a regular cab had the same tow rating. When you order the crew cab, the tow rating drops by 600 pounds. A regular cab F-250 4x4 4.30 auto has a tow rating of 14,100. The 4wd takes away 500 pounds. The 2wd F-250 regular cab V-10 4.3 auto trans has a tow rating of 14,600 (for 1999), which is the highest rating for the Superduty (F-250 or F-350).
Every option you add to the truck reduces the tow rating. The dually has a 300 pound lower rating than the SRW, although if you're towing a heavy 5th wheel, most people will tell you the dually will provide a more stable ride. Remember that the tow ratings we are talking about are for 5th wheel towing. Ford does not rate any of the F-250/F-350 Superduty trucks over 10,000 pounds for conventional towing. All tow ratings over 10,000 pounds are for 5th wheels. Dodge is the same way. It's in the fine print on their website with the tow ratings.
Another thing to remember is that you will never be able to tow a trailer that weighs the max tow rating without exceeding the GCWR. The highest GCWR is the 20,000 pounds. If the truck weighs 6,400 pounds and you have the truck with the highest trailer rating of 14,600, you would be 1,000 pounds over the GCWR before you ever loaded you, your gear and passengers if you towed a trailer that heavy.
When I initially ordered my truck last year, I ordered a F-350 SRW with 3.73 limited slip. When I changed the order to the dually, there was no 3.73 option with l/s. I had to order the 4.30 to get the l/s. I'm glad I did, but I haul a heavy load pretty regularly. The 4.30 will cost you 1-2mpg with the V-10.
I ran in 4wd for a tank and lost about 1mpg. Some of that (maybe half) has to do with my winter time habit of starting the truck about 10 minutes before I leave for work so I can get it warm and don't have to scrape the windows. I don't garage my truck. Winter is definitely here. Lows last night were around zero. Clouds are rolling in, and it is expected to warm up to the tropical mid-20s. I'm hoping for some more snow to play in. Northern Lights were out nice Monday morning.
Gthilton, congratulations on the new addition!! Do we have the "baby-room" all ready for delivery??? What part of Michigan will the new baby roam? We have family near Grand Rapids...
Ordered 10/30, dealer placed order 11/2, DORA rcvd that day (i.e., Vehicle Order Confirmation), status is clean and unscheduled, not serialized. F350 CC LWB SRW V10 Auto 4X4.
Also, anyone been hearing more on Ford holding back V-10's on the Supercab until 2000?
Others - if you are checking status at the VOPC and not through your dealer you may want to try the dealer again. The VOPC computer still says my vehicle is scheduled to be built week of 11/8 and scheduled to arrive week of 11/29. However, I just spoke with my dealer and he said my truck has been built and has left the plant. He doesn't know if its on a rail car yet but he will get another update Tuesday (11/16) afternoon. His report still shows arrival the week of 11/22, which is what the VOPC said up until last weekend.
Who knows...
BTW, I checked both with VIN and order/body/year info. Both methods report the same status.
Thanks it may help to show this to my dealer.
I think the difference between the V-10 and V-8 are more like 1-2mpg. These trucks are heavy (over 6,000 pounds). My dually 4x4 1 ton weighs over 7,000. The extra power of the V-10 is nice to have. Theoretically, it should last longer since it won't have to work as hard to push the weight around during it's lifetime.
zrust,
The manual tranny ratings aren't listed in my manual (I'm using Trailer Life's 1999 tow ratings book). I'm not sure why the 4.30 auto is rated lower than the manual. One thing to keep in mind is that the manual tranny is more than capable of towing the same load as the auto trans. Ford puts the limit lower because they feel that some of the people who tow heavy may not be that experienced with the clutch and heavy loads so there is a greater chance they will abuse the clutch and wear it out quicker.
Brutus, others - Ford didn't put their tow ratings in the Super Duty brouchures this year like they did in the '99. Your dealer has a separate guide, "Ford 2000 RV & Trailer Towing Guide" that has this years information.
I have 35 miles on my truck today, but I turned off the mileage computer on my console (Lariat) as when I picked it up with 9 miles it was reading 4.5 mpg. I figured I'd be watching it too closely for no reason. I've heard mileage really gets better and settles in around 5-6000 miles. I have a buddy has a '99 SD V-10 SC and running empty back and forth to jobs (contractor) he's averaging about 16. I'd be ecstatic if I averaged that!
My truck is beautiful. We found one paint flaw on the side of the box. Pretty large grain of something under the paint. We'll see how they'll fix it. What should I expect for remedy? ( I know I won't accept clear nail polish for my 30K! You know, women have nail polish, men have duct tape! and they both have their place, just not on my truck!)
Had my ARE cap put on today. What a beautiful look.
They will probably remedy the paint issue with some kind of rubbing compound. Unless it's something really large, they likely won't need paint.
This afternoon, I used about 20% power from a dead stop and had the duallys spinning and fishtailing as I accelerated. Did I mention that there was ice on the road? Actually, I can break traction with the duallys and the auto trans on pavement, but I don't do it very often.
Holyfield or Lewis?
Shaq or Barkely?
Chrispal... wonder if they "found" another truck with your config. I'd cross check the VIN on it right off as soon as you see it & verify the config against your order if the VIN's are a no match. good idea to check the config anyhow, I suppose.
Delivery date is for week of 11-29. I just hope it doesn't get held up in the rail yards. I would go crazy knowing it was ready for delivery and being held up because of a overload at the rail yard.
Is that how crazyelvis became crazy?
Might have to change my name to crazyjohn if that happens, we'll see in about 2 to 3 weeks. later.
John
Normal diff 4x4= Only 1 front wheel will get power at a given time, and only 1 rear will get power at a given time.. The wheel that will get the power will also be that with the least traction.. (Sounds stupid, but its true).
One example is if you've got both right side tires in a ditch.. Sometimes even with 4x4, your still stuck.
LS diff 4x4= Usually only the rear has the LS diff so the result is:
Only 1 front wheel gets power at a given time, but BOTH rear wheels will get some torque applied. Its not a 'solid' lock, so both rears will not get the same amount of torque applied to them, but they both will pull for you.. (The one with the least traction gets the most torque)
So, in the 'ditch' case above, the rear wheel thats on solid ground is really helpin ya out.
With the engine in the front, 4x4 is helping you even though only 1 front wheel is pulling for you. Look how good most front wheel drive cars in the snow.. Also, that front wheel pulling for you allows the truck to turn when it gets slick..
In the rear, it really helps to have both rear wheels going, thus to get the most out your 4x4, get the LS diff.
Personally, I have no need for 4wd, so I opted for a 4x2, with LS diff.
I hope this helps.
I think every thing is ok, though. I just checked the VOPC and they __finally__ updated status "as of Nov 11, your vehicle has left the plant" which is what my dealer told me on Friday. Of course they say estimated week of delivery is 11/29, not 11/22 as the dealer said. It looks like for some reason, the automated VOPC status system wasn't updated all last week.
jraske - looks like our trucks hatched on the same day - hopefully it was a good day at the plant!
to be delivered by convoy carrier (I think this means transport by truck).
As of 11/3 (10 days ago) the truck as been 'on the ramp'
Question:
Is there a message to indicate when its on the truck/in transport?
Is there a message to indicate when its at the dealer site?
Overall, I can't complain yet. I placed the order on 10/8 with a DORA on 10/9, so it was built quickly.
The dealer I went with said it would be at least 12 weeks or so, (he was being very conservative because they don't want to commit to something that they cant deliver). They assured me they had good allotments, and I was convinced of that becaues in my previous months of researching local dealers, I saw that they had a large number of SD's on the lot, with varying configurations, (5.4, V10, PSD, Lariat, CC, SC ..) and those were turning over.
He, the salesman, was still VERY SUPRISED that it got built in less than 4 weeks after ordering , but im still waiting for final transport to the dealer.
I think your 2nd dealer choice (truck dealer) sounded promising, how long is 'less but long'?
I was fully prepared to wait 3 months for my truck as it seems like this was an average wait compared to many others..
Also, with the holiday season comming, I would expect a few weeks may get tacked on to that..
From all I've heard, seen and experienced, there are really no competitors for the SuperDuty. Dodge/Chevy/GMC just don't have an equal, especially against a loaded lariat package with V10. So, do you have to have a new truck before March 2000? If so, then contine the search. But seems reasonable that if you order any truck now, you wont get it until middle/late january at the earliest.
Another option would be try to find something on the lot. May have to be a PSD as most of the dealers around here seem to have those on the lot.. But the odds of finding 'exactly' what you want is low.
have you read ANY of the past posts in this forum? there's several references to dealers with good allocation/price. and on the DORA issue I'm going to refer you to post #18 of this forum which Bess was kind enough to bring forward from the prior forum (#588 of SD cont'd). this original post was done by Dave84 of which even more information is available from the faq at ford-diesel.com. Dave84 took excerpts from there & added some very beneficial thoughts of his own. in essence: NO DORA info? NO DEAL! here's the point: if a dealer doesn't give you the information you request; would you REALLY want to "trust" this dealer for any future business dealings beyond that? we're not dealing with nickels, dimes, here. these are big buck trucks that DESERVE some customer support & respect from these salespeople. there are plenty of dealers out there that will be "square" with you and as aforementioned, at least some of them have been mentioned in this (& archived) forums. perhaps that one dealer with "less" wait will suffice. but how much "less" would you be willing to "live with"? for us, 13 weeks is the MAXIMUM for ANY configuration. why? because there's many dealerships throughout this country that will guarantee a delivery within that time frame & with a good price. hell, where we purchased our truck (Gator Ford) is just one. they will absolutely guarantee a < 3 month wait at $500 over invoice for ANY configuration.
Paull1... we're getting "bad" messages from the VOPC too. looks like the server is "busted". got "clean & unscheduled" on our truck (which is actually "locked in" for build week 11/22). tried again using chassis/order # & got same message as you. as mentioned, the thing is obviously broke. check tomorrow eve as they've gotten it fixed in the past fairly quickly. it worked earlier in the week for us but admittedly we only check it on occasion.
Immaculate 1999 Super Duty F-350, Lariat, 4x4, PSD, crewcab,
Single Wheel Drive, Long box, 3.73 limited slip, automatic
transmission, PTO, power trailer tow mirrors, full size spare, privacy
glass, rear sliding window, luxury leather captains chairs with driver
and passenger lumbar support , premium am/fm stereo cassette,
CD player, premium sound system, 4 wheel anti lock brakes,
electronic shift on the fly 4x4, engine block heater, roof clearance
lights, daytime running lights, class 4 hitch, trailer tow package and
the 4x4 off road package. This baby is the Rolls Royce of trucks with
a MSRP of about $40,000! and the envy of the neighborhood. I factory
ordered this beautiful truck and its never been smoked in and I'm its
only driver.I have been getting between 20-22 MPG while highway driving
and 16 MPG in the city The only reason I am selling my truck is that I
trade up every year and its been one year ( It only seems like yesterday
my truck arrived from the long stressful wait while it was being built). All
maintenance has been done at Freedom Ford here in town including oil
changes, tire rotation and fuel filters. Please feel free to email me with
any questions you may have. flambert@telusplanet.net asking $32,725
I would also like to track my vehicle once it is turned over to the rail system. What were the instructions for getting that accomplished???
Please, would someone be so kind as to re-post that information.
As always, thanks to everyone for their help and advise.
SHOTGUN1: Just a question--- are you decoding your last 8 digits of the VIN NO. properly?? ie. 8 digits suddenly turn into 11 digits when done right on the VOPC system. I'm assuming the same procedure is in effect on the rail tracking system.