We are aware of the login problems affecting the forums, and appreciate your patience as we work on a fix.
Did you recently purchase a new Tesla, Rivian or Lucid vehicle directly from the manufacturer and willing to share how your experience compared to previous vehicle purchases made through a traditional dealer? A reporter would like to speak with you; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 2/19 for details.

Ford Super Duty Continued - VIII

168101112

Comments

  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    For towing the F250 can handle that capacity just fine.. (normally an F250 can tow as much as an F350, but if you need additional bed carrying capacity like for 5th wheel trailers, slide-in campers, or alot of heavy gear, goto the F350)

    Another reason for going to an F350 would be to get the dual rear wheels which will make towing the bobcat feel much nicer..

    I've notice alot of folks around here who tow bobcats have dual rear wheels, but they also might be carrying alot in the bed too..

    I'm not sure how much more an F350 dually cost vs and F250, but for folks who own small business', its better to have a little more than you need than a little less..

    fyi: you'd be happy with either one, they're both SuperDutys.
  • BrutusBrutus Member Posts: 1,113
    The F-250 is actually rated to tow more than the F-350 because of the extra weight of the F-350 suspension. It's not a significant difference, and the difference is only for 5th wheel towing. The F-250 and F-350 are both rated to tow 10,000 pounds for conventional towing, which is what you would be doing with the Bobcat trailer.

    As Bess mentioned, the advantage of the F-350 is the duallys or if you are carrying a lot of weight in the bed. Your truck will probably weigh close to 7,000 pounds. The GVWR of the F-250 is 8,800, so that leaves you just under 2,000 pounds of payload. Your payload will be the tongue weight of your trailer, the weight of your gear, and the weight of you and your passengers. The F-350 GVWR is 9,900 pounds, so you've got about an extra 1,000 pounds of payload. The GVWR of the F-350 dually is 11,200.

    FYI, my truck is a 99 F-350 SC dually V-10 4x4, auto trans, AT tires and 4.30 axle ratio. I've got a 99 10'11" Bigfoot/Oakland 3000 truck camper with all the options. Loaded for a trip, my truck and camper tip the scales around 11,700, which is about 500 over GVWR. I'm closing in on 38,000 miles on the truck with about 1/3 of those miles with the camper in the bed. No complaints. Heading out fishing/camping again this weekend. The silver salmon are in up here in Alaska.
  • redufo2redufo2 Member Posts: 13
    Should you opt for the F250 you should consider the addition of an air spring. When towing with my new F250 sd cc 4x4 the weight of extra gear + the trailer has the rear end dropping when it gets over 1500 pounds causing the head lights to paw at the air. The ability to have less spring when unloaded for a smoother ride and the air assist when your maxed out is something to think about.

    EEE
  • engfarmengfarm Member Posts: 8
    Thank you guys. You've been a huge help!
  • cedmicedmi Member Posts: 7
    I wanted to buy a PSD but the cackle has me concerned. I really didn't need the diesel, just wanted it. Will be doing mainly driving and ocassoinal light hauling and towing.

    1. Any body that owns a 5.4l, 5 speed, are you satisified with the power? Do you regret buying it?

    2. Gas mileage?

    Thanks for the help!
  • fordtuffordtuf Member Posts: 101
    I own the 99,F250,V10. Its #'s are 275 HP
    & 410 lb ft. I've seen #'s somewhere about the 2000 having 310 HP but not sure about torque.

    Does anyone know what specifically the changed and more importantly can I retro them to mine?
  • briguy2briguy2 Member Posts: 4
    1) I've got a 5.4l with the 5 speed. I was pleasantly surprised at the power, especially for around-town driving and highway passing. I have the 4.10 gears, and I think that, along with the 5 speed helps a lot with the power.

    I don't regret buying it. I wanted something easy to maintain that could tow good sized loads on occasion, and I think I got that. Of course, if my funds were unlimited, I'd have gotten the PSD because I think they're pretty cool!

    2) My mileage has averaged 15 mpg, 80% back roads, 20% highway gridlock. It varies about 2-3 mpg either way depending on speed, load, and traffic conditions. I have a Y2K 4x4 regular cab.

    Hope that helps.
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    I have the combo,
    00' F250 SC 4x2 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS.

    1. The power is just fine, I don't regret it at all.. Your not going to outrun folks with the v10s, sports cars etc, but the truck has more than enough power to lead average traffic from light to light..
    The 5sp doesn't shift as smootly as a sports car, but the clutch pull is light and it the truck has a decent feel to it when you step on the gas!
    When on the highway, in the 50 to 70mph range it goes up the hills in WVA in OD without a problem.
    I really like the 4.10 rear end..

    2. MPG is pretty good. Early on I had 1 tank of less than 15mpg, but since then every tank has been at least 15.5mpg doing mixed city/highway driving. I took a trip where I did highway driving for alot of a tank and I came out with a 17.9 mpg. So I think 18+ is possible.. (even though I have the 4.10 rear end).
    Basically, the mpg isn't that different from folks with the diesel, (running with no load of course).

    The 5.4L is a great choice to have in addition to the V10 and PSD.
  • pistoleropistolero Member Posts: 52
    The increase in horsepower and torque was realized largely by major engine changes. Piston configuration and exhaust valves, as well as a camshaft reconfiguration. A retrofit would be too expensive to justify in my opinion. Torque increased to 425. Ford-diesel.com talks about this in greater detail if you want to check it out.
  • hubrex2hubrex2 Member Posts: 24
    I have had a 2K 250 SD for 4 months and 5500 miles, and I'm in line with the last 2 posts on the subject. I don't regret the choice a bit. I wanted something reasonable around town, but capable of towing a medium size load when needed. I ordered the 4.10 axle, with towing and camper packages, and have been very satisfied. I bought a trailer last weekend to haul a racecar, and used it last night for the first time. Total load (trailer+car+tools/supplies) is about 5000-5500 lbs. I can tow over most of the Colorado frontrange hills in 5th with no problem, some of the steeper passes require a downshift to 4th. Mileage while towing: 12-14. Overall mileage (60% in town)15.5. Best mileage: 17.5. The 5.4/5-speed/4.10 combination is just what I hoped for when buying. I would not want to tow too much more than my current needs, but if this sounds close to what you would tow, I would recommend this set-up very highly.
  • oturner1oturner1 Member Posts: 34
    I took my 250SD, Lariat, CC, V-10, 4wd in for warranty service last week. Problems were the famous "clunk" from the rear cab area, steering wheel covering coming loose , and cup holder sticking. The steering wheel and cup holder are on order (hopefully the new model). The "clunk" is gone for now and here is what they found loose: front suspension, front sway bar u-bolts and link bolts, steering gear box bolts, shock bolts, leaf spring bolts, shackle bolts. These were tightened but the clunk sound remained. They removed the rear seat and carpet and found the rear cab mounting bolt loose, center cab mounting bolts loose, and the front cab mounting bolts loose. Also the front radiator support mounts bolts were loose. All were torqued and the clunk is now gone. Geez, I wonder why it clunked?!

    Now for the bad news. I had to leave the truck for 4 days waiting service even when I had an appointment. After I got the truck home I noticed that the upholstery on the rear seat had greasy hand and finger prints all over it (leather and cloth). I also found grease on the rear carpet and steering wheel. I'm not talking about a little bit of black grease here. I looks as though the mechanic did an oil change and didn't wash his hands before removing and installing the seat or taking my truck for a test drive. I had a long discussion with the service department this morning and plan to follow up with a letter. I think the mechanic did a great job of finding all those loose bolts, but just putting his greasy hands all over my interior is inexcusable. Oh, by the way, the carpet was not put back under the door runners either but just left hanging out on both sides of the truck.

    I'll keep you all posted on the results of my letter, but as you can guess I'm very upset with this service department. There only excuse is that they are busy and short of mechanics. Like that is my problem. They also wouldn't assure me that my truck would receive better care on future visits.

    Sorry to go on so long about this. I really wanted to let you know about all the loose mounting bolts associated with the "clunk".

    The Service department is Reynolds Ford, Norman, OK
  • fordtuffordtuf Member Posts: 101
    Thanks for the info pistolero. I was hoping it was less involved. I guess thats what I get for "having" to have the truck.

    gordonp3...Have you gone to FORD's website and "built" your truck? Then send it to about 5 dealers around the southeast. I refered to doing this in post #354. A good place to check out in the Atlanta area is Akins Ford in Winder, GA. They have a huge selection. Good Luck.
  • gtt1gtt1 Member Posts: 63
    I found this over at Ford-Diesel. com

    http://www.hbscomputers.com/2001ford/
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    I'm going to make an appointment soon for my truck. The only problem being the cab mounts clunk..
    Did they happen to tell you what the proper torque is for the cab mounts? The rear ones are way easy to get too, and the front ones aren't too bad if your careful with the carpet..
    Maybe someone else who has the shop manuals could help with torque specifications. I haven't shelled out the $200 for mine yet, I'll wait until the warranty expires.. :)

    00' F250 SC 4x2 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    The little black things on the rear bumper look just like reverse sensors to detect objects while backing up, like the Windstars have.
  • lockshoplockshop Member Posts: 5
    To anyone who can help,

    I currently own a 97 F150 larait 5.4l 3.55 ext cab sb and I am going to be ordering a new truck (F-250sd.)My problem is to get ext cab vs cc. It took me about 6 weeks to decide motors (v10). There is no cc around me to test so any help you can offer I thank you much. My dealer said 10 weeks to get it to me so I need to get off my duff and make up my mind.
  • oturner1oturner1 Member Posts: 34
    They didn't say what the proper torque is. Apparently there are also cab mounts in the center that were also loose. These require the removal of the carpet too.
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    SC:
    Works great for kids(under 15, unless you have big kids. My kids are are only 1 and 4 years old).
    The SC with shortbed will fit it most garages as its only a few inches longer, wider, higher, than an F150 SC.
    The SC will fit 3 adults in the rear, but you wouldn't want them to ride there long or often..
    The rear seats fold up (60/40 split), making it nice for hauling gear around.

    As far as driving around town, the SC + shortbed is pretty nice..

    CC:
    If your kids are big, or if you'll adults riding in the rear, them CC is better for this. I've heard that the rear seats do not fold up/down, if thats an issue.
    The CC + shortbed is longer than many vehicles and may not fit in the garage. Driving around town, its a bit longer, and you'll notice it in some parking lots, but folks seem to quickly get used to it.
    If your towing heavy loads, in theory the longer wheelbase will be welcome..
    I think the CC+ longbed is ALOT of truck.
    Also, check the hauling capacity of the CC vs SC, because I think the SC might be rated to carry more in the bed. (I don't have the book in front of me to look it up).

    I've not heard of any big complaints from either truck, so you can't go wrong..
  • lockshoplockshop Member Posts: 5
    Thank for your help bess you laid it out for me with x's and o's. Fordtuf thanks go out to you because you got one of them. I will proberly get the sc for all of the reason you guys have said.

    Fordtuf your brother must be a GREAT MAN lol

    Thanks agian
  • fbroomfbroom Member Posts: 29
    A few months ago I asked for input regarding tonneau covers for the short bed super duty. You indicated you had an extang and were pleased with it. I'm now ready to buy and would like to know if you're still pleased. Also, the stock bed rail covers create a step at the front end of the bed rail. How does the forward extang rail accomodate this step? Is there a gap between the bottom of the extang rail and the top of the forward bed rail or is there a spacer of some sort to fill this gap? Thanks in advance for your input.
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    Sorry, with all these posts, you have me confused with someone else. I don't have a tonneau cover.
  • sherwoodforsherwoodfor Member Posts: 52
    gtt: you may have made your mind up, but i'll but in my .02 anyway. i have driven in countless sc (of course not all were sd's) and i own 2 cc's, one old and one new. have yet to ever hear anyone say " gee dad/honey/buddy, i sure wish you got the supercab". alternatively, i wish i had a dollar for every reg cab or super cab owner who got in one of my trucks and said "boy, this cc sure is nice/convenient/etc". by way of example, the son of one of my buddies (with his y2k sc parked next to my cc) said, "dad, how come we didn't get a cc?" just 2 days ago. the local outfitter in my area constantly laments the fact that he got a sd sd, and not a cc- he jokingly asked if he could borrow mine for the trip he left for on sunday. noone over the age of 14 wants to climb in the back of a super cab if the drive is going to last more than about 10 minutes.
    having said that, if a cc won't fit in your garage or you live in a city where parking becomes an issue, then you'll want an sc. sorry about the longwinded .02...

    everyone else: what's up with the firestone tires on our trucks v. the recall tires. they are saying that (so far)it only applies to 15" tires, but were our 16" tires made at the same facilities and/or by the same process?
  • lilelmolilelmo Member Posts: 144
    Ditto to sherwoodfor on the SC vs. CC. I'm 6'4" and can sit comfortably in the back seat with the driver's seat all the way back in my CC. My family and I just got back from a 2,000 mile camping trip. We pulled a 31' Prowler. Total rig size was 52' end to end. It made me think a little, but I didn't have anywhere I couldn't go that I really wanted to go.

    My kids are 8,11,and 14 years and 5', 5'5", and 6'. The rear seat was wide enough for them and their Gameboys, backpacks, etc. I had a 94 SC when they were little and I'll probably go back to a SC when they're grown, but for now, I need to carry 5-6 all the time and comfortably.

    The truck is a CC, SB,4x4 with v10, 3.73 and auto. I pulled 6,000# @ 65-75 mph up and down the eastern seaboard for a week. I got 11 mpg @ 65 with the a/c and windows up; 10 mpg @ 65 with the windows down; 9 mpg @ 70 with the windows down; 10 mpg @ 70 with the windows up and a/c.

    Regarding parking, etc. This is a BIG truck with a huge turning radius. fordtuf and I participated in a focus group a couple of weeks ago. Apparently FoMoCo is considering offering a four wheel steer option to address that. It was COOL.

    I had a good laugh on vacation. I was sitting at a light in a small town in Virginia near Washington, DC and I saw another guy in a 4x4, CC SD trying to make a U-turn at an intersection. He was all over the landscaping, curbing, etc. and it was a divided highway. He saw me looking at him and laughing at him in my red CC across the street and he just laughed back and waved. Sorta like misery loves company, but it's worth it in the long run.

    Sorry for the long post, but if you need a CC, get one. If you don't, don't. They are extremely nice if you need the space. (and much cheaper than an Excursion).

    Regarding tires. Our tires are a different size and model than the recalls. I'm HOPING they were made somewhere else. Anyone know for sure?
  • wildside1wildside1 Member Posts: 77
    Glad to hear from you .... but not under those circumstances. Sorry to hear about your troubles with service dept. at Reynolds Ford in Norman, OK. Please keep us up to date as to how they handle the mess they left on your carpet etc. All businesses screw up bad sometimes .... it's how they handle the customer and fix the problem that plays in the long run. I was surprised to hear about your problem with the loose leather (or whatever cover) on the steering wheel. I noticed a two inch square area on one of the side spokes on mine that is loose too. They must have had some bad glue when they did ours. I haven't had the loose cab problem yet ... that I know of. Is that problem very obvious?

    I was at Reynolds last week to get a new CD/radio put in because the CD player was erratic. Several others have had problems with the CD ... just hope not every problem is catchy.
    Happy Motoring
  • oturner1oturner1 Member Posts: 34
    Good to hear from you too. Reynolds did a great job of cleaning up the truck. I'm still upset that it happened. I know the mechanics are issued gloves (surgeon) for just these instances. Anyway, when I returned to get the truck they did all they could to treat me very well. Not going to send a letter this time, one more chance.

    The service writer said that he had seen this steering wheel problem only one other time. Didn't sound like a common problem. Good news is that they will replace it with no questions asked. (I only hope they wear their gloves when the do!).

    I'm also eager to see if they replace the cup holder with the new model. Actually nothing was wrong with the old one. I just thought I would give it a try. If they replace it with the old style, I'll just have the grandkids play with it and try again. Parts take around a month to arrive. I'll let you know how this turns out.
  • oturner1oturner1 Member Posts: 34
    The steering wheel cover problem is exactly as you describe. Mine was on both spokes & front and back. Since our trucks were built so close together, the glue is certainly a suspect.

    The cab noise is very obvious. I happens especially when you are turning the truck onto an incline such as a driveway. Any time that the frame is twisted by a tight turn of some type and the front wheels go up or down such as dip in the road at an intersection. I only noticed it at low speeds. I read where you had done some serious four-wheeling. I think you would have noticed it then if you had the problem.

    I haven't played the CD for any length of time. How long does it take for it to act up. I would like to test mine.

    sorry about sending two messages, but I have a serious case of oldtimers.
  • gossamargossamar Member Posts: 106
    ..I have the X-tang cover on my short bed F-250. I opted for the snaps due to changing weather climate here in ILL. and couldn't be happier with it. The snaps are reversible to change to either tighten or loosen the cover depending on temperature. I leave mine on the loose side so it is easier to remove and put back on when it is time to abuse the RHINO LINER. I would avoid the "zip-lock" seal ones...become VERY difficult during the colder times to remove and install.
    With the installation, there are no gaps. The mounting system includes a bar that goes across the bed rail next to the cab to which the cover is fastened to. The other rails are secured on the bed caps with clamps and the last rail goes across the tailgate and is removable.
    There is some bed rail cap showing as the cover gets closer to the cab. The bed walls flare out a bit by the cab to remain flush with the super-cab doors(i think). Anyway, the cover is flush by the tailgate and gradually flares in toward the cab. At the cab, there is about 1 inch of bed rail cap showing.
    As with anything, the quality of final product is determined by the experience of the installer. There is a really good installer here in central ILL. that I would highly recommend if anyone was in the market in this area. The ONLY downside...CLEANING!! Bought an wash mit with extension at WALMART to help clean the cover during washing. The Xtang company DOES NOT recommend Armor-All or any of those products on thier covers.
    Hope this answers your questions.....
  • fbroomfbroom Member Posts: 29
    Thanks for the info. Very informative and helpful.

    Sorry Bess. With all these posts, it's hard to keep who said what straight.
  • gtt1gtt1 Member Posts: 63
    I'm not sure who or what your talking about? I have a truck(Y2K F350 CC V10 4x4 172") and it will fit in the garage and the barn, if I pull the mirrors in :) BTW I have had 2 Supercabs and they have their place but not for me anymore, I have had 4 crew cabs in the past 4 yrs and will not give them up:) IMHO if it ain't got a 8' bed, it ain't a truck!:)
  • sherwoodforsherwoodfor Member Posts: 52
    gtt, sorry about that. i listed the wrong person (you)as the one who brought up the topic of sc v. cc...
  • wildside1wildside1 Member Posts: 77
    Thanks for all the info .... guess my cab is bolted down OK .... I did have some noises shortly after I got the truck .... but they went away .... maybe the whole thing is ready to fall off!*#@!

    I play the CD player a lot. Never had a problem from 12/29/99 til 7/27/00 (7 months)... never heard a skip over bumps .... 4-wheeling ... etc. Was driving some distance and after about 2 hours the CD quit for a few seconds ... then played for a few ... then quit for 10 seconds ... back on ... so I took out the CD expecting it to be too hot to handle (as reported here by other folks).... it was a little warm but not at all hot. I felt the front of the radio and didn't feel anything overly warm .... so don't know what went wrong. I tried to play it again later and it did all kinds of funny things .... skip over bumps ... quit erratically ... even played properly for 20 minutes. All this happened in Iowa where the temp was between 75-80 degrees ... not here in OKY land where it has been 100+ for weeks .... so outside temp shouldn't have been the problem. The new CD works fine so far.

    Hope some of this rambling makes sense.
  • oturner1oturner1 Member Posts: 34
    Thanks, I'll plug in one of those CDs I was planning to hear and see if I can give it some exercise. If it doesn't fail in this heat it probably won't. Guess I beter hurry before the cold front gets here this weekend (96 ha!) Maybe I'll just feed it some of the Kid's Winnie the Pooh CDs. If that doesn't make it sick nothing will. Do you know if the radio/cass/cd is covered on the 36 or 12 month warranty?

    New problem: now I have a pop/crack noise in the center cab area under driver's seat. Seems to happen under normal acceleration or braking. Bumps don't bother it. Here we go again!!
  • tdevil1tdevil1 Member Posts: 25
    Does anybody have a problem with their steering wheel being off center ? If so did the dealer fix this problem and how? I have had the alignment checked twice by my dealer and the service manager even involved. The manager took the vechile for a ride the second time and noticed the problem and had the alignment rechecked the second time, and he said everything was to factory specs. The service manager said he would have to check with Ford engineers to see how they could fix it. I talked to him the other day and he said that another person was in there with the same problem and he could do nothing for him right now either.

    Also I noticed that my cover on my steering wheel is loose too, just a little bit on both sides just past the cruise buttons. Has the dealers fixed this problem on any of your vechiles.
  • wildside1wildside1 Member Posts: 77
    If Winnie-the-Poo and this heat don't break your CD, nothing will!

    One way to get rid of the pop/crack noise in the
    center cab area under your driver's seat is to have the dealer loosen the cab bolts and put gobs of grease on the carpet .... sorry .... couldn't resist that. Hope they fix it for you.

    My wife had good luck with some service work on a Mercury Villager at Diffee's in El Reno. We had never used them before but wife had a great experience. I tried to buy my truck from them last Fall, but they wanted $1500 over invoice and wouldn't budge.

    We bought Lincolns and Mercurys from Fred Jones in Oky City since the late 70's. Three years ago they screwed us over on a few service jobs .... about the same time they bought up most of the Ford dealerships in the City .... so I will never deal with them again.
    Happy Motoring!
  • oturner1oturner1 Member Posts: 34
    I have a loose cover on my steering wheel also. Only to a much greater extent but in the same area. I showed it to the service department and they ordered a new one. I'm awaiting the parts at this time.

    Wildside1: I hope to remain with Reynolds for my service. I live in Norman and they provide a shuttle that drops me off at work if I need to leave the truck. We will see how this next visit turns out. I'm going to report the new cab noise when I take it in for the new steering wheel and cup holder. I suspect that the center cab mount probably needs to be loosened and retorqued. At least the noise is easy to repeat and they will have no problem finding it.
  • endinmaineendinmaine Member Posts: 12
    All: here is some information I found on SDs braking and steering problems ....

    http://www.autonews.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+autonews.nab.ShowArchiveArtical?id=229154&type=archive&query=SUPER_OR_DUTY.

    Regards
  • virtualyvirtualy Member Posts: 2
    I'm relieved to read the posts of so many pleased owners. Your enthusiasm is contagious. I hope to join your ranks soon.

    But before I do, I have a few questions. What, exactly, are roof clearance lights? Are the heated seats offered on independent controls or do both seats get heated the same? I see an engine block heater option. Doesn't the diesel come with a block pre-heater? Finally, what is the reverse vehicle aid sensor?

    I'm also curious about the fuel economy of the PSD. We're looking to put a camper on the new truck and go see some of God's country. The diesel seems like a good idea but, with the $4k premium, I'd like to know what the fuel is going to cost.

    Thanks ahead. Great discussion group.
  • wingmasterwingmaster Member Posts: 12
    I've got the 2000 SD sc xlt 4x4 PSD 3.73 auto 8' bed, great truck. As stated in an earlier post I would be one of those who would/will get the CC next. It's OK now but my three "suns" are not getting smaller. I just came back from a fishing trip in Gogama ON, 800+ miles, I need to calculate the mileage after i convert liters to gals. We made it (1600+ miles) with three fill-ups. I was the lucky one I did the first fill-up in Maryland, $50, the other two guys paid dearly in Canada, $120 Can. or about $75 US. The PSD was great, and the SC was ok with only 3 adults, one could stretch out in the back but it would have been tight with 4 adults.

    Has anyone noticed the bed on the 2000's not lining up with the cab. Mine is even on the right side but set in about 3/8 inch on the left. No big deal it's just the first thing I notice every time i look in the mirror. I know don't look!
  • BrutusBrutus Member Posts: 1,113
    Roof clearance lights are the orange lights that run along the front of the roof of the truck. It's my understanding that they are standard equipment on the duallys and optional on the single rear wheel. I heard that they are required for a certain width vehicle and the duallys meet that width. They were not optional on my dually.

    The weight of the camper will impact the mpg. I know someone with a 4,000 pound truck camper on a 99 Superduty deisel and he gets around 13.5 hwy. I have the exact same camper and a very similar truck except my truck is a 99 V-10 with 4.30. I get 8.5-9 hwy with the camper on. The 4.30s cost me some mpg. I get 11.5-12 mpg hwy running empty, whereas the guys with the 3.73 seem to be getting around 2mpg better. Some of the mpg difference between my truck and the average truck with 3.73 may be that mine is a 4wd dually also.

    A general rule of thumb in reference to mpg differences that appears to be pretty accurate is to figure on the diesel getting 2-5 mpg better towing and probably closer to 5-7mpg better empty. The breakeven of mpg vs initial cost of the diesel depends on your driving habits and what you do with the truck. I've heard figures as low as 80,000 miles and as high as 180,000. Remember that there are some added cost to maintain the diesel. You've got 15 quarts of oil and more expensive filters. Ford also wants about $300 more for the 30,000 mile checkup.
  • lilelmolilelmo Member Posts: 144
    Yep, I just noticed it this week after 12,700 miles. The left side is just a little off, but the right is okay. I wonder if it has to do with the torque applied to the cab bolts?
  • bowhuntwibowhuntwi Member Posts: 262
    I had my cab mounts replaced, and I still get the clicking noises over bumps, mine you not all bumps, but enough to let me know that its still there. I replaced my front tray on my center console with the cup holders from the Excursion's console after doing this I hardly ever use the cup holders in the dash. Getting the crew cab ready for the hunting trip out to colorado in Oct. just turned it over to 8000 miles, averaging 15mpg. 5.4,4.10LS, auto 4x4 Lariat 00. As for ever going back to a SC, I doubt it,once spoiled with the cc, it would be hard to give up.
  • cedmicedmi Member Posts: 7
    I, too, am looking at buying. I have been following a lot about the diesel vs. gas debate. Everyone tries to boil it down to economics, I am sure there is some way to do it, but it ignores one thing, POWER. The diesel has a lot of torque, much more than the v-8 or v-10 and a price cannot be placed to that. The diesel is supposed to go at least 200k, with proper maint., before needing any major work. The minor work is a little more extensive, ie: more oil, more frequent fuel filter changes. I am quite certain that the gas engines will also live a long life if they are properly maintained. I have read about v-8's hitting the 18mpg mark, v-10's hitting 15 mpg and diesels hitting 22mpg. These are probably pretty optimistic. But the diesel will shine with a load.

    It all boils down to this: Personal preference! If you want a diesel and can spend the big $$ to get it, buy it! If you want a gas engine get it! Trying to figure out the economics of the gas vs. diesel debate will make you crazy. I've seen claims to a break-even point at anywhere from 60,000 miles to 400,000 miles.

    Me? I am going to order the diesel. The higher gas mileage combined with expected longevity(plus I just want one) convinced me. I don't mind the smell, I like the noise, and it gives me a good reason to start changing my own oil again. I plan on running this thing till it falls apart, then putting it back together and running it some more(I like not having a payment for a while)!!

    Good luck!
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    Well, I was supposed to have my appt. today to have the truck looked at for the popping noise the cab makes on un-even ground/parking lots.

    However, a few days ago, the popping stopped!!! ??? geez..
    The biggest difference: we've had some of the coldest days this summer. (got down to the 50's, with highs in the low 80's..) The past few months its hit 95 about every day, with a low in the 70's..

    I called the dealer, spoke with the service manager briefly and canceled my appointment for today. No sense wasting their time or mine if the problem can't be recreated for the techs.
    He said, when it starts happening again, just drop by..

    Just my luck I guess..
  • virtualyvirtualy Member Posts: 2
    I will almost certainly choose the diesel. I wasn't aware of the huge difference in oil capacity so thanks for that heads-up. I wonder if there is any data on extended oil change intervals with the synthetics in diesels. One thing I find missing in the economics debate (gas vs. diesel) is the premium paid for a diesel at time of resale. If there is even a $2K difference, that halves the initial premium paid. But then there's the interest lost...

    Does anyone have any experience with the heated seats or reverse vehicle aid sensor?

    Thanks.
  • oturner1oturner1 Member Posts: 34
    I received a letter that my parts were in (steering wheel and cup holder)at the dealership. I dropped it off this morning and had it back in time for lunch. New steering wheel looks great with the cover nice and tight. I'm especially happy because the cup holder is the new style. Now I have 2 ashtrays that in a truck that I won't smoke in. The new style is a definite improvement over the original.

    It took a little over two weeks for the parts to get in. Not bad, really.

    Wildside1: They did forget to grease the seats this time but I'm not disappointed, ha, ha!
  • redufo2redufo2 Member Posts: 13
    Hey Virtualy the picture of the Ford SD reverse vehicle aid sensor I've seen indicates it a sonar type sensor that could be good for up to 10 feet. Have a hard time trusting them at closer than 12 inches (try backing up to a Ferrari with out getting out to look).

    I'm working on a radar unit good for up to 30 feet now. The trick is if it will enable a back up alarm only when the object is detected.

    I've seen the option for heated seats but not tried them out to compare them to Volvo or Cadillac units.

    EEE
  • jlr7jlr7 Member Posts: 9
    I heard that the 2001 Super Duty Trucks will offer adjustable pedals as an option later in the model year. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

    Thanks
  • klernerklerner Member Posts: 3
    considering a diablo performance chip for my 2000 sd 250 ps. advertizing 78 additional horses without any needed additional mods. Any concerns, or comments welcomed. I would really like to hear some first hand comments...... Thanks
  • bobh12bobh12 Member Posts: 140
    Suggest you go over to www.f150online.com and post the question in the computer chips section for Mike Troyer who is the national distibuter for Super Chip as to what that chip can do for you. Seems like the majority of folks over there that have a chip are using Super Chip, and are very happy.
    Goode Luck
  • dfc2dfc2 Member Posts: 2
    I have heard that there is a clutch problem in the 6 speed diesel. I need the 6 speed for towing in the mountains. I understand that they hold the truck back going down hill. Does anyone know anything about this? I really want the 6 speed, but I know of three people that have clutch problems with very low mileage... According to Ford Co., it is just the driver... any help would be appreciated. Thanks
This discussion has been closed.