In shopping at trucks and FW's simultaneously I was deadest on a diesel F250 or 350 (depending on the deal and need). Then I come across a new F250 Xl with the 6.2 V8 and 3.73 ratio. I know very little about the mechanics of trucks and rely on weights etc. I do know that the 3.73 is less favorable than a 4.1 ratio for towing - but how much?The appeal to this truck - link below - is that the price of this new gas is the same price as a 3-5 year old diesel with close to 100k miles. Granted I am sure there is justification for that, but the long walk around the barn to my question is, is this a decent truck to buy for towing an entry level FW (understanding it depend on the FW)? The ad doesn't get into pin weights etc. Or should I just keep shopping for a used 250/350 diesel?link

The 6.2 is a good dependable engine. I have one and pull a 5th wheel with about a 10,000 gvwr but I haven't ever weighed it to see how much it weighs loaded. I have had it in some fairly steep hills in the eastern US but not over the Rockies. I'm sure it would do the job through the Rockies but I'm sure the altitude would pull it down. It will drop down to 3rd gear through the steepest parts and it runs some fairly high rpms but nothing that will hurt it. The only negative I have with it is the fuel mileage unloaded. If you're going to drive it very much unloaded be prepared to spend a lot on fuel. It does not get great mileage loaded but I figure that's to be expected with just about anything.It would really depend on how much you want to tow as to how good it will do. If it were me and I were buying new I'd probably buy a 7.3 F-350 if I wasn't pulling a huge trailer. That's just me and everybody has a somewhat different opinion.Can you get a 10 speed behind a 6.2. If you could that would help.

If you want to tow a 5th wheel skip the F250 and just get an F350 with 4.1 and a 6.2 or 7.3 if you are afraid of diesel. You will top out at about 16k tow capacity. An F350 diesel will tow out at about 30k towing, meaning that towing 16k will be easy.

Seems like a great deal on that F250.

" I know very little about the mechanics of trucks and rely on weights etc. I do know that the 3.73 is less favorable than a 4.1 ratio for towing - but how much?"Just about exactly like the towing numbers show. Chassis - wise, F250s and F350s are very similar, almost the same and save for rear springs, have relatively the same capability across the board.Drivetrains are a different story. The 2 - 6.2 3.73, 6 speed F250s I had got 7-8 mpg towing about anything over about 5000lbs and they were all low profile loads (flatbeds with materials or equipment on them). Empty driving mileage around 13mpg. Bulletproof setups but lacking in power. 2nd and 3rd gear pulls up mountain grades with anything substantial hooked to the back.Most I pulled was 12-14klbs, flatbed with street plates and it would run at normal speeds no probelm, but there was zero wind resistance. Just towing a 5000lb cargo trailer was a similar feat as the heavy trailer sat highway speeds.If you are only towing the 5ver occasionally, then it is ok, IMO. If you're going tp be using it regularly for towing, it'll drink gas like Charlie Sheen and be sucking wind on every grade.There's a reason the price is attractive. It's because the performance is not. It literally has less than half the torque of the diesel.

As you're new to this, do you have any friends or family with large trailers and similar trucks? It would be good to get a feel for how a base model gasser pulls compared to a modern newer diesel.Not something you can discern just with test drives, because the 6.2 will feel very powerful and fast with nothing hooked to it.Or to put it this way, if I was hauling even a small 5ver alot and someone offered to trade me my 13 year old 175k mile diesel pickup that is running about 500hp/1000ft lbs for a 3 year old equivalent 6.2 gasser truck with low miles, it would be a hard pass!

2020 F250XL 6.2 V8 | Good Sam Community

Grit_dog
Navigator
Jul 04, 2020
^ I agree that there are good tools for every job, sufficient tools, great tools and inadequate tools. And they are directly related to the job that is being done.
You understand that and chose accordingly. But not everyone recognizes that.
As evidenced by this thread and many others similar to it.
specta
Explorer
Jul 04, 2020
Everybody knows that diesels have more torque than gas engines do.
Not everyone wants to lay out the initial investment for a diesel nor do they want to own one.
LanceRKeys
Explorer
Jul 03, 2020
I’m not saying that the torque multiplication makes it better towing, just interesting read that’s all. I do wonder if you were completely isolated from the engine, no tach, no sound; what the opinion of gas engines would be. My car will downshift on hills and turn 4,000 and most of the time I don’t notice it, when I pulled my travel trailer with a Chevy 5.3, I would notice the 4000 rpms, didn’t mind it so much, the shifting of the automatic is what I didn’t like. I much prefer to tow with a standard.
Hannibal
Explorer
Jul 03, 2020
Grit dog wrote:
^I bet....
You guys crack me up!
Why have a diesel when you could have the torque multiplication of a screamin 5.4 Triton?? Lol
I got news for anyone that believes this. I’ve had a couple F250s with 5.4s. One in AZ in a reg cab 2wheeler would at least get out of its own way( without a trailer ). One in a 4x ext cab in CO wouldn’t pull itself up a hill without screaming, with a trailer it was just as loud and twice as slow!

I’ve owned six diesels. Nothing stopping me from owning another if what you said had an ounce of truth to it. :)
RoyJ
Explorer
Jul 03, 2020
Remember everything is relative - the HDT guys with ISXs and DD15s lugging up grades @ 1250rpm would say the little 1 ton diesels "screaming their heads off" at 2600 rpm is not relaxed enough...
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 30, 2020
^I bet....
You guys crack me up!
Why have a diesel when you could have the torque multiplication of a screamin 5.4 Triton?? Lol
I got news for anyone that believes this. I’ve had a couple F250s with 5.4s. One in AZ in a reg cab 2wheeler would at least get out of its own way( without a trailer ). One in a 4x ext cab in CO wouldn’t pull itself up a hill without screaming, with a trailer it was just as loud and twice as slow!
LanceRKeys
Explorer
Jun 30, 2020
I remember reading an article that compared the V-10 to a diesel and showed how through gear reduction and higher RPM that it would actually put more torque to the ground than a diesel. Interesting reading...
Hannibal
Explorer
Jun 29, 2020
way2roll wrote:
Hannibal wrote:
pitch wrote:
Why are people scared to let their machines run as intended? The engineers did not give you eight speeds intending the tranny to stay in OD constantly.
Small block V-8 are designed to make power above 3500 rpm,why are you scared to let the engine work as designed? I love the sound of my 5.7running up hill in 3rd gear at 3700 rpm. Pulls like a freight train!

I agree 100%! Especially the sound of the 5.7L Hemi.

I would agree as well but I am concerned that the extra work is harder on a gas engine than a diesel and it also equates to worse mileage. The mileage on this particular truck I was looking at is awful even without towing.

Through gear reduction, torque multiplication, an engine turning twice the rpm with the same road speed and load, needs to produce half the torque at the flywheel as the lower rpm engine. Higher rpm isn’t working harder. It’s working easier by letting gear reduction do more work. My ‘05 345hp/365ftlb 5.7L Hemi easily outran my ‘03 250hp/460ftlbs Cummins in duplicate trucks towing the same 10,040 lb 5th wheel around the southeast at 30%~ higher rpm and about 30% higher fuel consumption. At 125k miles, I simply wanted another Ford. The Hemi used no oil and ran like a new truck. At 106k miles, the little 5.4L has been bullet proof, uses no oil and still runs like new. Towing in O/D is all a matter of perception. Not worth $10,500 option to sound like it’s not working as hard.
specta
Explorer
Jun 29, 2020
rhagfo wrote:

Specta, not bad logic gas gives you more payload for your drop-in camper, but as you state 12,000# total, well out 5er weighs more than that, so an apples to oranges.

I simply stated why I bought the truck I did.

I wasn't comparing it to anything.
Lantley
Nomad
Jun 29, 2020
FishOnOne wrote:
Lantley wrote:
I'm not against higher RPM's or even the noise from a gasser. I'm more pro diesel because I want a relaxing tow with less input from me, the driver.
A gasser requires more input, that means pressing a little harder on the accelerator, letting the truck find the right gear, maintaining the right gear, down shifting as required, holding the gear as required. More effort to descend a steep grade.
A gasser requires more input. Now some may consider that extra input part of the fun and I get that. Sort of like why some enjoy driving a manual transmission.
Personally relaxing and enjoying the ride with little driver input is my idea of idea of a smooth trip.
The diesel takes all the work (driver input) out of the equation. Some may consider me a lazy driver because I want the truck to drive itself with out input from me, to some degree you are correct. That's why I paid more for a diesel performance.

I would think the new 10 speed would require less driver input since the PCM/ECM has more gears to choose from for the right situation.

Fish I imagine you are right and the 10 speeds take relaxed driving to another level. However that 10 speed still needs to be connected to a diesel engine to meet my needs. If the 10 speed you are referring to is connected to a gasser. I'll stick with my 6 speed Duramax combo.
I'm hearing good things about the 10 speed trannies.
But personally I decided to stick with the proven 6 speed vs. being a beta tester for the new 10 speeds.
While it may not be the latest greatest I am ecstatic with the performance of my 2019 Duramax 6 speed combo.