2500 or 3500 what's the major difference?

JIMNLIN wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:
Having spent 30 years administering industrial safety compliance programs I will respectfully decline to accept your opinion of what the difference is and defer to what the manufacturer states in writing the established ratings for the product they sell are. We call that hazard recognition and risk avoidance and it is the ONLY proven and acceptable data available. Everything else is opinion and worth diddly squat.

Your way off the track here.
If you believe in mfg rating then why don't you read Fords spec sheets clicky I made above that backs up what ricatic, myself and others have all ready found out and have shown in our replies pertaining to the OP post of 250/350 major differences.

Or you can continue to stick your head in the sand and continue making ignorant remarks about other folks as arm chair engineers which doesn't help the OP find the differences he is asking for.

Simply read the OP question and give a informed answer. If you can't read Fords specs sheets then ask some one to read the for you.

Look who's being ignorant? The maker says this is what the product is designed to do and you and a couple of other AE's say otherwise because your smarter than the engineering team that designed it. Based on your approach the American worker and their employers could do anything they THINK is OK. That wouldn't end well for either. Believe what you want but some of us know better because we have seen the consequences of ignoring ratings and warnings.

Me Again wrote:

therink wrote:
I am pretty sure that the sticker in the door frame is the deciding factor for what the truck is designed to tow and carry. Please correct me if I am wrong.

There is nothing on the Placard about what you can tow. GAWR is an indication of the weakest link in the separate axles. Rear is usually the tires. Front is usually the axle for 4x4's and 2x4's other suspension components. GVWR is more a warranty issue than anything else.

The federal and matching state weight laws are way above what a pickup truck can haul.

Pickup weight police only exist on forums like this one. Chris

Not true. My vehicle used for Towing my fiver is also my company truck with Dot #s on the door.

therink wrote:
I am pretty sure that the sticker in the door frame is the deciding factor for what the truck is designed to tow and carry. Please correct me if I am wrong.

There is nothing on the Placard about what you can tow. GAWR is an indication of the weakest link in the separate axles. Rear is usually the tires. Front is usually the axle for 4x4's and 2x4's other suspension components. GVWR is more a warranty issue than anything else.

The federal and matching state weight laws are way above what a pickup truck can haul.

Pickup weight police only exist on forums like this one. Chris

I am pretty sure that the sticker in the door frame is the deciding factor for what the truck is designed to tow and carry. Please correct me if I am wrong.

fla-gypsa wrote:
Having spent 30 years administering industrial safety compliance programs I will respectfully decline to accept your opinion of what the difference is and defer to what the manufacturer states in writing the established ratings for the product they sell are. We call that hazard recognition and risk avoidance and it is the ONLY proven and acceptable data available. Everything else is opinion and worth diddly squat.

Your way off the track here.
If you believe in mfg rating then why don't you read Fords spec sheets clicky I made above that backs up what ricatic, myself and others have all ready found out and have shown in our replies pertaining to the OP post of 250/350 major differences.

Or you can continue to stick your head in the sand and continue making ignorant remarks about other folks as arm chair engineers which doesn't help the OP find the differences he is asking for.

Simply read the OP question and give a informed answer. If you can't read Fords specs sheets then ask some one to read the for you.

It depends in part on the manufacturer and the model year. With the 2011 and later GM trucks the difference is in the number of leaf springs at the rear axle and the available configurations with fewer choices with the 3500 trucks though the option for DRW. With the 2013 RAM trucks the 1-ton has a stronger frame but in 2014 the same frame is used with the 2500 trucks.

There are too few units sold to justify having two different trucks so over the years the manufacturers have made the differences entirely those of payload capacity and this is primarily the difference between SRW and DRW rear axles. It is easier to add two more wheels at the rear and stay with 18" wheels than to use special 19.5 rims and tires to increase payload capacity.

ricatic wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:

ricatic wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:
It is all about payload and it matters. Many armchair engineers will claim the only difference is this or that but unless they are building them its all conjecture.

Gypsy...

I have posted this Ford information many times...but I will repeat it for you and those that have not read it...The complete axle assemblies for all Ford F250 and F350 SRW trucks are identical. They are all assembled in Sterling Heights Michigan at Ford's Sterling Axle Plant. My BIL is very high up in management at this location.

When I asked him the difference between 250 and 350 axle question several years ago he told me there were none...in fact...the assemblies leave the plant for Louisville Assembly with no designation as to which model truck they were to be installed...all components: housings, shafts, axles, gear sets and brake assemblies are all the same...

...any discussion regarding the F350 having larger axle shafts only concerns F350 Dually's...The dually truck does not use the common Sterling Axle Plant product but instead uses a Dana manufactured assembly...The confusion is caused by a continuing error published in Ford's specifications...The name Dana does appear in the Dually specs but most readers fail to understand...

...not an arm chair engineer...just a distributor of facts...

Regards

Having spent 30 years administering industrial safety compliance programs I will respectfully decline to accept your opinion of what the difference is and defer to what the manufacturer states in writing the established ratings for the product they sell are. We call that hazard recognition and risk avoidance and it is the ONLY proven and acceptable data available. Everything else is opinion and worth diddly squat.

...and where are those black helicopters...the information posted is easily verified by reading the entire specifications regarding the F Series SRW trucks and the F350 Dually...the difference only appears in the dually...and it is clearly listed as a Dana axle assembly...

I will concede that the F350 SRW truck has two differences...ones already stated...they are:

F350 SRW truck has an additional overload leaf spring below the main spring pack

The F350 SRW truck uses a 4 inch spacer between the main leaf spring pack and the axle...the F250 uses only a 2 inch spacer...

Just the facts...

Regards

Apparently the choppers are on the way to bring you more secret data.

fla-gypsy wrote:

ricatic wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:
It is all about payload and it matters. Many armchair engineers will claim the only difference is this or that but unless they are building them its all conjecture.

Gypsy...

I have posted this Ford information many times...but I will repeat it for you and those that have not read it...The complete axle assemblies for all Ford F250 and F350 SRW trucks are identical. They are all assembled in Sterling Heights Michigan at Ford's Sterling Axle Plant. My BIL is very high up in management at this location.

When I asked him the difference between 250 and 350 axle question several years ago he told me there were none...in fact...the assemblies leave the plant for Louisville Assembly with no designation as to which model truck they were to be installed...all components: housings, shafts, axles, gear sets and brake assemblies are all the same...

...any discussion regarding the F350 having larger axle shafts only concerns F350 Dually's...The dually truck does not use the common Sterling Axle Plant product but instead uses a Dana manufactured assembly...The confusion is caused by a continuing error published in Ford's specifications...The name Dana does appear in the Dually specs but most readers fail to understand...

...not an arm chair engineer...just a distributor of facts...

Regards

Having spent 30 years administering industrial safety compliance programs I will respectfully decline to accept your opinion of what the difference is and defer to what the manufacturer states in writing the established ratings for the product they sell are. We call that hazard recognition and risk avoidance and it is the ONLY proven and acceptable data available. Everything else is opinion and worth diddly squat.

...and where are those black helicopters...the information posted is easily verified by reading the entire specifications regarding the F Series SRW trucks and the F350 Dually...the difference only appears in the dually...and it is clearly listed as a Dana axle assembly...

I will concede that the F350 SRW truck has two differences...ones already stated...they are:

F350 SRW truck has an additional overload leaf spring below the main spring pack

The F350 SRW truck uses a 4 inch spacer between the main leaf spring pack and the axle...the F250 uses only a 2 inch spacer...

Just the facts...

Regards

ricatic wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:
It is all about payload and it matters. Many armchair engineers will claim the only difference is this or that but unless they are building them its all conjecture.

Gypsy...

I have posted this Ford information many times...but I will repeat it for you and those that have not read it...The complete axle assemblies for all Ford F250 and F350 SRW trucks are identical. They are all assembled in Sterling Heights Michigan at Ford's Sterling Axle Plant. My BIL is very high up in management at this location.

When I asked him the difference between 250 and 350 axle question several years ago he told me there were none...in fact...the assemblies leave the plant for Louisville Assembly with no designation as to which model truck they were to be installed...all components: housings, shafts, axles, gear sets and brake assemblies are all the same...

...any discussion regarding the F350 having larger axle shafts only concerns F350 Dually's...The dually truck does not use the common Sterling Axle Plant product but instead uses a Dana manufactured assembly...The confusion is caused by a continuing error published in Ford's specifications...The name Dana does appear in the Dually specs but most readers fail to understand...

...not an arm chair engineer...just a distributor of facts...

Regards

Having spent 30 years administering industrial safety compliance programs I will respectfully decline to accept your opinion of what the difference is and defer to what the manufacturer states in writing the established ratings for the product they sell are. We call that hazard recognition and risk avoidance and it is the ONLY proven and acceptable data available. Everything else is opinion and worth diddly squat.

The minimum difference is springs. It could be a lot more depending on brand and vintage.

Most people shop by tow ratings which cab be pretty high for 3/4 ton diesels. RVers tend to have more numbers to shop by like payload.

There is nothing wrong with diesels in the winter. They won't heat up as quickly as gas, but otherwise the same problems as gassers. A friend of mine has a 2012 GM dually. Parks it in his garage in Nov and pulls it out in March/April. He did the same with a 2003 diesel pickup. Get the engine you want. Note payload for the diesel equipped truck is quite a bit lower than the same truck gasser.