Help spec a new F-250

[majorairhead]

Real life experience in a 2017 F250 crew cab, 4 by 4, with the camper package. She rides rough empty but loaded up and hitched up she's a beast towing a 30 foot Airstream.

[Rocinante]

So, here's what I really want to know when considering a 250 / 2500 vs. a 150 / 1500: Will the 250 / 2500 still fit into a standard height garage? I'm already using a garage with a double-wide door because it's such a pain to park my RAM 1500 in a single-width garage, but I'm not willing to give up the garage for a 250 / 2500.

Oh, and before you get all excited, please know that we've already towed Rocinante for thousands of miles, up and down both sides of many significant mountain ranges, without any difficulty whatever. That said, a greater load capacity does have me thinking now and then about a 250 / 2500.

[nryn]

Rocinante, I fit the 250 in a standard width garage (single door) no problem. Mirrors need to come in but that happens with a button push.

I think where most people have issues will be garage door height and garage depth, not width. I think the truck is 6’9” tall (I know it will fit into a 7’ car wash, because I remember looking up through the sunroof and shaking my head).

The truck, a CCSB, will not fit into my home’s garage depth-wise (it would but just barely and it is rarely there). It does fit depthwise into the garage at our farmhouse, but it’s a pretty deep garage.

I can take pics and measurements next time I’m at the farm.

[DewTheDew]

Originally Posted by nryn

Rocinante, I fit the 250 in a standard width garage (single door) no problem. Mirrors need to come in but that happens with a button push.

I think where most people have issues will be garage door height and garage depth, not width. I think the truck is 6’9” tall (I know it will fit into a 7’ car wash, because I remember looking up through the sunroof and shaking my head).

The truck, a CCSB, will not fit into my home’s garage depth-wise (it would but just barely and it is rarely there). It does fit depthwise into the garage at our farmhouse, but it’s a pretty deep garage.

I can take pics and measurements next time I’m at the farm.

Our F150 fits into our garage, which is 22' deep with 8' doors. Crew cab 5'5" bed. Our house is a spec colonial in Maryland and we didn't order anything special but I gather that most garages are 7' tall. I think the truck is about 20' long as I have 18" to spare at the back when I get just inside the door with the front (backing in). I don't believe the F250 is any wider. Probably the widest is the F150 Raptor!

[Rocinante]

Thanks! With our double-wide garage door I’ve no concerns about width, but was wondering about height. Good point to check length as well, thanks for that tip! So, before shopping, if / when we do, we’ll measure height of our open garage door and depth of said garage. We’re not buying anything we can’t put in our new garage, as we’re done buying houses for now, and maybe forever.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

The days of radical differences between 150/250/350 are long gone. If you load a 150 up to it's absolute max in terms of payload options, you have a base 250 in all but name. Do the same thing with a 250 and you have a base 350 except for the badge. Are there slight differences? sure. The other 99% of the truck is same/same.

Why? Marketing !!!! It lets them yack endlessly about how this or that badge is the biggest baddest toughest heaviest one of them all. Marketing gets to decide what's what and that's the way they want it.

Bob

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

The days of radical differences between 150/250/350 are long gone. If you load a 150 up to it's absolute max in terms of payload options, you have a base 250 in all but name. Do the same thing with a 250 and you have a base 350 except for the badge. Are there slight differences? sure. The other 99% of the truck is same/same.

Why? Marketing !!!! It lets them yack endlessly about how this or that badge is the biggest baddest toughest heaviest one of them all. Marketing gets to decide what's what and that's the way they want it.

Bob

In terms of sheer payload this is true, the HD Payload F150 is rated for more payload than some older 1-tons were. In terms of the overall package, though, Ford jerks us around quite a bit. We're not allowed to configure a fancy F150 with big payload. Mid-level XLT or base Lariat are the highest trims on which you can even order the HD Payload package, and at least in 2017 you had to go to the highest-trim Lariat to get the LED headlights, 360-degree cameras and air-conditioned seats, 3 things I had on my "required" list.

The SuperDuty allows lots of equipment to be optioned onto an XLT that you have to go to a high-trim Lariat to get in a 150 (external cameras, etc.) You're much more likely to find a SuperDuty on a dealer lot that will do what you need than an F150 (posh F150s are way more likely to have power running boards and a giant moon roof than good tow mirrors, e.g.) That's why I ordered mine.

[pgordon888]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

So, here's what I really want to know when considering a 250 / 2500 vs. a 150 / 1500: Will the 250 / 2500 still fit into a standard height garage? I'm already using a garage with a double-wide door because it's such a pain to park my RAM 1500 in a single-width garage, but I'm not willing to give up the garage for a 250 / 2500.

Oh, and before you get all excited, please know that we've already towed Rocinante for thousands of miles, up and down both sides of many significant mountain ranges, without any difficulty whatever. That said, a greater load capacity does have me thinking now and then about a 250 / 2500.

A 17+ 4x4 SRW Super Duty with 20 inch wheels will be a struggle to fit in a standard 7 foot garage door. Plenty of posts on the issue can be found on the ford truck forums. See my above post on my Kelderman air bags as a height adjustable solution. I slam my f350 on my air bags and park in a garage with only ~6 foot 8 inches of door clearance.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

Thanks! With our double-wide garage door I’ve no concerns about width, but was wondering about height. Good point to check length as well, thanks for that tip! So, before shopping, if / when we do, we’ll measure height of our open garage door and depth of said garage. We’re not buying anything we can’t put in our new garage, as we’re done buying houses for now, and maybe forever.

My F250 4x4 King Ranch will not fit in many standard double wide garage door "heights." We have been house hunting a lot recently and most existing homes have standard size garages...not long enough in many cases but bigger issue is the height... 10 year and older homes it seems...anyone else?

[DewTheDew]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

My F250 4x4 King Ranch will not fit in many standard double wide garage door "heights." We have been house hunting a lot recently and most existing homes have standard size garages...not long enough in many cases but bigger issue is the height... 10 year and older homes it seems...anyone else?

Ours was built in 2006 and the garage doors are 8' tall! It is my third house but first on the east coast; it seems the west coast houses all had 8' doors but it is more rare here. I would also not want to have a truck that wouldn't fit in my garage!

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

In terms of sheer payload this is true, the HD Payload F150 is rated for more payload than some older 1-tons were. In terms of the overall package, though, Ford jerks us around quite a bit. We're not allowed to configure a fancy F150 with big payload. Mid-level XLT or base Lariat are the highest trims on which you can even order the HD Payload package, and at least in 2017 you had to go to the highest-trim Lariat to get the LED headlights, 360-degree cameras and air-conditioned seats, 3 things I had on my "required" list.

The SuperDuty allows lots of equipment to be optioned onto an XLT that you have to go to a high-trim Lariat to get in a 150 (external cameras, etc.) You're much more likely to find a SuperDuty on a dealer lot that will do what you need than an F150 (posh F150s are way more likely to have power running boards and a giant moon roof than good tow mirrors, e.g.) That's why I ordered mine.

Hi

Sure, as you move up in the "range" of a 250 or a 350 you can add a whole bunch of stuff. The only was that at the break points they are virtually identical trucks. Debating a stripped F350 vs a loaded up F250 (payload wise) is a bit futile.

Indeed the payload on a fully boosted up F250 will beat a F150 by a lot. The same is true of a fully boosted F350 vs a F250.

Bob

[absteen]

Sorry to bust your bobble Bob, but huge difference between F-150/250.
For starters, engine choices are for bigger more powerful engines in the 250.
Furthermore, the drivetrain is totally beefier, and the frame and springs are also much stronger. Body wise they are starting to look a lot alike, but it is the frame, springs, and drivetrain that are much stronger in the F-250. The engine and tranny in the F-150, while rated at a certain payload, will struggle with a close to max payload, and the tranny will eventually fail. the F-250 will pull a 30' Classis all day long, up the hills, down. Just sayin from experience.
Andrew K6STN
2017 27'FB International Signature
2017 F-250 4x4 diesel crewcab Lariat

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by absteen

Sorry to bust your bobble Bob, but huge difference between F-150/250.
For starters, engine choices are for bigger more powerful engines in the 250.
Furthermore, the drivetrain is totally beefier, and the frame and springs are also much stronger. Body wise they are starting to look a lot alike, but it is the frame, springs, and drivetrain that are much stronger in the F-250. The engine and tranny in the F-150, while rated at a certain payload, will struggle with a close to max payload, and the tranny will eventually fail. the F-250 will pull a 30' Classis all day long, up the hills, down. Just sayin from experience.
Andrew K6STN
2017 27'FB International Signature
2017 F-250 4x4 diesel crewcab Lariat

Agree! Ford uses same cab for the F150/250/350, but the suspension, engine, tranny are different when you move from 1/2T to 3/4T, 1T. The ride is totally different also, although in 2017 the new suspension and frame design on the 250/350 was changed and greatly improved for ride....I loved driving my F150 for the ride and maneuverability, but I love my F250 for pulling my AS...that's why I bought it in the first place...that and payload!

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by absteen

Sorry to bust your bobble Bob, but huge difference between F-150/250.
For starters, engine choices are for bigger more powerful engines in the 250.
Furthermore, the drivetrain is totally beefier, and the frame and springs are also much stronger. Body wise they are starting to look a lot alike, but it is the frame, springs, and drivetrain that are much stronger in the F-250. The engine and tranny in the F-150, while rated at a certain payload, will struggle with a close to max payload, and the tranny will eventually fail. the F-250 will pull a 30' Classis all day long, up the hills, down. Just sayin from experience.
Andrew K6STN
2017 27'FB International Signature
2017 F-250 4x4 diesel crewcab Lariat

Hi

Sit down with the parts book on the F-250 and the F-350 .... same ... same ... same ... same. Take a look at the max payload on a "super duper monster" F-150 and the entry F-250 ... same. Again, there are all sorts of options you can add. Indeed the F-150 to F-250 parts book exercise is not quite asb much same ... same ... same as the 250 / 350. Payload wise - same.

Bob

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Sit down with the parts book on the F-250 and the F-350 .... same ... same ... same ... same. Take a look at the max payload on a "super duper monster" F-150 and the entry F-250 ... same. Again, there are all sorts of options you can add. Indeed the F-150 to F-250 parts book exercise is not quite asb much same ... same ... same as the 250 / 350. Payload wise - same.

Bob

Not sure what your point is, UB? The F250-F350 are the same except for loading and springs. Stands to reason the option list would be the same, right? The F150 is way different; chassis, suspension, springs, engine, transmission (10 speed), etc...and you, of all people, understand "spec sheet" numbers on payload, never reflect the actual truck once it arrives.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Not sure what your point is, UB? The F250-F350 are the same except for loading and springs. Stands to reason the option list would be the same, right? The F150 is way different; chassis, suspension, springs, engine, transmission (10 speed), etc...and you, of all people, understand "spec sheet" numbers on payload, never reflect the actual truck once it arrives.

Hi

The max payload F-150 is the same as the payload of the low end F-250. The same is true at the 250/350 divide. That is the point. On the 250/350 about the only thing that changes is the badge. On the 150/250, a bit more changes, but not as much as you might think ....

Now, when you make the step, there *is* a lot more stuff that you *could* change. That's sort of the point in having steps in the line. When you change them, you move up from the base configuration.

Bob

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

The max payload F-150 is the same as the payload of the low end F-250. The same is true at the 250/350 divide. That is the point. On the 250/350 about the only thing that changes is the badge. On the 150/250, a bit more changes, but not as much as you might think ....

Now, when you make the step, there *is* a lot more stuff that you *could* change. That's sort of the point in having steps in the line. When you change them, you move up from the base configuration.

Bob

Disagree again, UB. Take a F150, loaded up (King Ranch or Platinum or limited) with Super Crew cab, short bed, 4x4, Off Road package...night and day to the F250 with same package, which by the way, is different in suspension, payload, wheels, springs, etc.... The option spec sheet is not a help here other then for purchasing more do-dads...which I would agree can be the same, but not important in the consideration you mention. Not sure why your even bringing this up anyway?? Are you looking to get an F150 Supercrew 4x4 short bed Off Road, for some reason?? If you are, be assured, the Payload of a loaded unit like I mention, is going to be around Max of 1400-1500#. The F250 around 2200#...big difference...

[nryn]

Sorry, guys, I think I’ve lost the point of this particular discussion. If the point is that the F-150 is a capable machine and in one of its rarest incarnations (8’ bed, V8 XL, regular cab, HDPP) its specs suggest it is as capable as a vanilla F-250, I‘m ambivalent. Sure, it can handle up to 3270 lbs of payload. But I don’t want an 8’ bed and a regular cab wouldn’t work.

If the point is that they are for all intents the same truck or feature the same truck bits, I find that interesting (if true) but not very useful. I couldn’t spec a 150 that would meet my requirements (not all of which are quantitative) but could spec a 250. So it doesn’t really matter, at least to me. And shouldn’t for quite some time—I’ve already bought my truck so I’m out of the market .

Getting back to the point of the thread, I’ve bought new shocks for the truck (Bilsteins) and will have them installed or install them myself before we take off. I don’t expect it will change the way it tows very much but it should make the truck respond to the road a tiny bit more like the vehicles I’m used to.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by nryn

Sorry, guys, I think I’ve lost the point of this particular discussion. If the point is that the F-150 is a capable machine and in one of its rarest incarnations (8’ bed, V8 XL, regular cab, HDPP) its specs suggest it is as capable as a vanilla F-250, I‘m ambivalent. Sure, it can handle up to 3270 lbs of payload. But I don’t want an 8’ bed and a regular cab wouldn’t work.

If the point is that they are for all intents the same truck or feature the same truck bits, I find that interesting (if true) but not very useful. I couldn’t spec a 150 that would meet my requirements (not all of which are quantitative) but could spec a 250. So it doesn’t really matter, at least to me. And shouldn’t for quite some time—I’ve already bought my truck so I’m out of the market .

Getting back to the point of the thread, I’ve bought new shocks for the truck (Bilsteins) and will have them installed or install them myself before we take off. I don’t expect it will change the way it tows very much but it should make the truck respond to the road a tiny bit more like the vehicles I’m used to.

Agree; who wants an 8' bed and single cab anyway... On the Bilsteins for your F250; where did you purchase and how much? I am considering this move also, but the dealer said Rancho's are fine and he recommended waiting till 100K?

[nryn]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Agree; who wants an 8' bed and single cab anyway...

I can’t speak to HDPP, but it’s a pretty popular working truck, particularly in the 150. One of the games I played with my kid while I was doing research was to ask him to identify truck make, class, and config—this one came up a lot more than I expected. Might be a fleet purchase thing.

Originally Posted by gypsydad

On the Bilsteins for your F250; where did you purchase and how much? I am considering this move also, but the dealer said Rancho's are fine and he recommended waiting till 100K?

I got them at summitracing.com—total with shipping was $357. In all honesty, your dealer is probably right. The right move for me would have been to wait until the “Ranchos-not-Ranchos” die and replace them with the Bilsteins. I expect a marginal-but-noticeable improvement when not towing. I’m told that I should object to the way the truck rides, but I don’t, I’d just like a little less “jitter” overall. It was more of an impulse purchase than anything; I was ordering some Rigid lights for the grill and to install in the rear bumper of the Airstream. I’ll report back when I have them on the truck. I believe the user Turk123 says he likes them.

On the topic of lights, I find the 250’s LEDs to throw excellent light, but they have a steep cutoff. I find this also on my Volvo (my last Volvo had bi-xenons). Hoping that adding the lights in the grill gets me a little more distance to see wildlife at night (I’m told by a friend of mine who hunts and who also has a 250 that they are excellent). I don’t expect to be towing at night much if at all, but I do drive and use the truck at night when at the farm and before/after Airstream trips.