2017 F450 vs F350

[Venom4u]

I currently tow 43ft Jayco 377RLBH. I tow with a 2007 F350 dually.

Couple things.

1) The pin weight on the Jayco is just about 3000 lbs.

2) I have 6 people in the truck plus a 100lb dog.

3) I think the tow wieght is around 14k lbs.

I currently feel my vehicle does an OK job. But it could use airbags. I'm a inch or so away from the touching the overload Springs when all loaded up, full fuel etc.

It's a heavy load and I believe a 2017 with the newer engines would do a better job with it.

So I'm thinking 350 or 450. The 3500 mega cab was also in the mix but the mega cab isn't really bigger interior wise than the Ford and it had a short bed.


That said the 450 is listed as not able to carry as much load in the truck itself. I'm a bit confused because on paper the 350 looks like it works better with a bigger payload since I am way under Mac towing capacity of both trucks.

Many have said that the f450 is underrated.

I have read the 450 has a tighter turn radius which is nice.

So I am a bit torn. 450 sounds like a great rig... But being less capable of load bugs me... Should I really worry?

Opinions please...

[FireRob]

1jeep wrote:
Just curious does the mega cab come in a 8' bed? that would be a deal breaker for me as im not willing to give up the 8' bed ever again.

No. Not from the factory. That's why I traded my Megacab in for my current 3500 crewcab long bed.

Now if money is no object for you. There are a couple business that will make you a Megacab long bed truck but it's not cheep!. They take your megacab truck and a donor long bed truck and stretch the frame and rear drive train and put the bed on it. Looks awesome and I'd love to have a Ram 3500 dually Megacab longbed. There are pictures out there but from my phone it's too much work to post pictures on here

[Bedlam]

Ram does not offer the Megacab in the chassis cab models. This would have given you that tight turning long bed Megacab without having to go the conversion route or choosing one over the other. With passengers rarely in my back seat, I was happy with my previous Supercab Ford and only bought a Crewcab because Ram does not offer one on the chassis I wanted.

The F450 pickup is the answer to someone that needs more than a Class 3 but does not want a chassis cab (Ford limited the GVWR to make licensing and insurance easier). I think there is a demand for the model but little room for competition in this niche. I needed payload for my next RV choice and jumped right up the Class 5 trucks instead of bumping the limits of Class 4...

[Venom4u]

1jeep wrote:
Just curious does the mega cab come in a 8' bed? that would be a deal breaker for me as im not willing to give up the 8' bed ever again.

Dodge was going to do it but didnt. There is a company that does it after market....

[Venom4u]

No, FireRob....You have convinced me to at least take a look at the Dodge. I am a Ford guy. But I have a ton of respect for Dodge and I love the motor and tranny. I actually dont mind dodge...Chevy and GMC well...I just cant do it...I am sure there are people that love them :).

In any case I appreciate all opinions here. My biggest concern is payload for whatever I get.

Pin weight is ~3k...I can see it climbing really easy once I out a washer/dryer in plus gear....so lets call it 4k to be safe.

Im 6'5 235, dog is 100lbs, wife 130, kids are 12,10,8 and 6 but me being 6'5 they are big kids and they tend to not get smaller....so lets say all passengers are 150x5+235+100 = 1085lbs

so we are at 5100 lbs.....I load most of the gear in the trailer so I guess I am good here but it gets close on a few trucks to what is listed as the max payload.

I have seen people drive overloaded (I think it looks stupid and is dangerous) I rather have a nice safety zone.

Anyways....thats sorta my biggest worry. I know any of these can tow my rig...its GVW is 16,500...

Funny that you can run out of payload alot faster than tow capacity....

[1jeep]

Just curious does the mega cab come in a 8' bed? that would be a deal breaker for me as im not willing to give up the 8' bed ever again.

[FireRob]

Last thing I'll say about the megacab vs any other back seat. Seams and feels like any other back seat the of any other truck all three big three included (in other words any truck not a Megacab) is that the back rest is very vertical and that is what makes it uncomfortable to me personally. The Megacab back seats have more of a angle to them then you can actually recline them back even further to a position of comfort for the individual person.

Now as far as leg room.... I think the Megacab wins here again. When we first got our 2014 2500 Megacab the first thing I was able to notice was the ability to get my self (300+ pound man) in the aisle between the seats to buckle all three kids in their car seats. (At that time my girl was around 3 years old and the twin boys were two, so we're talking about buckleing the full harness car seats)

Ok enough Megacab talk out of me. I realize your mostly interested in those two Fords but didn't want to see ya exclude the Ram because of thinking the led room and comfort was the same or less.

[Venom4u]

Thanks for replying this is turning into a good thread...

Firerob - good point....I need to put my kids in the back and get their opinion. 🙂

Bedlam - Yes I had heard the axles are beefier and 14.5k rated its a modified Dana110 or 100 vs the Dana 80 I think. Which is further strange to me why the load capacity isnt higher. Again I guess its to keep GVWR under 14k? So this is my real question I guess.

I supposed the F350 dually would be fine..I just liked the idea of the better turning radius and bigger brakes (plus the bigger tires look cool).

God decisions, decisions.....LOL

[Bedlam]

You have dig deeper to get actual axle ratings. Ford derates the Sterling and Dana axles based on the GVWR class they want the truck to fit. Once you have the model number of axle, you can then see what weight rating it carries.

[1jeep]

Im not finding where you got the 14.5k lb rating on the 2017 rear axle.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/2017/2017_F-250_F-350_F-450_SD_Pickups_-_Specs.pdf

Honestly this is the first time I have actually compared the 2016 to the 2017 and im not seeing ratings that much different on the axle capacities.

[Bedlam]

patperry2766 wrote:
per Ford, it's 5yr/100K on diesels F250-450. Taking a base model XLT as an example with no additional options, it is $55.480 for the F350 & $58.810 for the F450. The big differences I can tell are the F450 has:

Diesel exhaust brake
Widebeam front suspention
1.1" larger front rotors, 1.5" larger rear rotors
upgrgaded braking with Hydroboost ??
19.5" rims
cab steps & splash guards.

Either will pull your trailer, and with only 500 lb difference in payload in favor of the F350, it seems the F450 has more available to help stop the load.

All SuperDuties have diesel exhaust braking. The F450 has a 14.5K lb rated rear axle over the 11K lb in the F350 in addition to the 19.5" wheels.

[buc1980]

You will be fine with F350 crew cab DRW.

[FireRob]

Venom4u wrote:


Also the mega cab is not bigger then a 350/450 if you look at legroom. Sure it does add some storage behind the seat. It doest seem to effect tow rating. Maybe payload but I'm not sure.
.

Have you actually seen and sat in the back seat of a Megacab?? I highly suggest you do if you haven't and recline that back seat and you will change your mind. Also make sure you sit in the Fords back seat. To me the Megacab back seat was much more comfortable and would be my first choice if I had to ride in the back on a trip. Just FYI there isnt much storage behind the seat back. The real storage bonus is when you lay the seats flat. I swear it was big enough to lay a bed mattress back there. (Personal opinion, I dont have facts to support this). I really hated to trade in my 2014 2500 Megacab and loose the Megacab but as your aware you can't get one with a long bed and I really missed having a long bed truck.

Good luck in your new truck shoppping.

[1jeep]

all the 6.7 engines have an exhaust brake.

You can get the wide track axle on some of the years prior to 2017, for example my 2016 has the heavy tow package which gives it the wide track axle and 4:30 gears. 2016 350drw and f450 both had 14k gvwr but the 450 does come with 19.5" wheels and a step up in rear axle size.

2017 they stopped this , you can no longer get the 4:30 gears or wide track front axle in the 350drw. Maybe ford realized this model was cutting into 450 sales?

There are still a couple 2016 f350 drw with heavy tow sitting on dealer lots.

[FishOnOne]

Dayle1 wrote:

Me Again wrote:
Can't you order the wide track front axle option on the F350 and have the tighter turn radius? Chris

X2

It's no longer an option for the '17 models

[Dayle1]

Me Again wrote:
Can't you order the wide track front axle option on the F350 and have the tighter turn radius? Chris

X2