Difference between 08 F250 and F350?

[TexasExcursion]

Call me the idiot in the room, but what is the difference between an 08 F250 and F350 (not sure if the year matters or not)?

I've been looking through some tow manuals--to include the Trailer Life 2008 Towing guide and the Ford stuff--and it appears that the only difference is the springs which change the trucks carrying capacity. Is this really the only difference?

And if so, can a guy upgrade the springs on a 250 and essentially have a 350?

If this has already been addressed in a post somewhere, someone please point me in the right direction because I couldn't find anything.

Thanks--

 

[rcork]

I have the same question

Bruce, I was looking at this as well. One dealer told me that the 350 had bigger brakes and another told me it was just the springs. Hopefully someone knows, otherwise I'm going to have to get friendly with a parts guy and find out myself.
Robert

 

[EmptyDub]

Ditto!

TXEX- I was told the same thing when I bought my truck. I went to the largest truck dealer in the state to get a SRW F350, and they didn't have any??? The SALESMAN said that Ford had all but stopped producing them because there was no demand for them. I was actually looking at picking one up in Houston, when I talked to the salesman there and he told me that the only difference was the springs/load capacity. He suggested that I buy an F250, upgrade the springs or even bag it for more comfort & capacity. I ended up buying my 250 locally instead of having to pay the shipping fees from Houston. As far as the salesman telling the truth .... who knows, but I do know that this 250 is more truck than I'll ever need for what I tow with it!

 

[yukondiesel]

I read SOMEWHERE (I don't remember where) the F-350 has an extra crossmember in the frame? ALso Are the axles rated the same? Suspension changes and substitions are easy IF the axles have the carrying capacity
JMHO...Joe

 

[powerstrokeguy]

Just the springs, and the the 250's have 2 " blocks in the rear, and the 350 has 4" blocks.

 

[yukondiesel]

Well....I looked this morning and the 250 has a lower rated rear axle (GAWR, I think) than the 350. The 350, as I recall has a rear GAWR or 7280 lbs with the 250 being rated lower. Now, I don't know if that is based on spring rates and capacities, but I believe it is not. My recollection is that you can change spring rates and/or axle capacity without affecting the other. That is: Putting a higher capacity spring does not affect the carrying capacity if the axle, like changing tire capacity does not affect the carrying capacity of the axle; spring,; or the GAWR. That is if my failing memory serves me...joe

 

[yukondiesel]

Bruce, I was looking at this as well. One dealer told me that the 350 had bigger brakes and another told me it was just the springs. Hopefully someone knows, otherwise I'm going to have to get friendly with a parts guy and find out myself.
Robert

The brake specs (rotor sizes etc) are in the SPEC's section of sales brochure. The GAWR's are there as well as other stuff...Interesting reading for comparisons like this, but you have to focus on the issues you are researching. Its easy for my distratced mind to get off the track

joe

 

[TexasExcursion]

It seems like almost all of the Ford brochures list carrying capacities together for the F250 and 350, with the little * that says weights are shown for the 250 and the 350 is within 200 pounds. That tells me that the capacities are almost the same, EXCEPT for the GVWR is less on the 250, which I assumed was because the springs weren't as beefy as the 350.

Bruce

 

[skipnay]

Not sure about the blocks but if it is blocks it is that plus an extra spring for the rear. That is it.

 

[yukondiesel]

Is GAWR based on axle capacity only or ALL the suspension components?