2005-07 vs 2008+ F350?

[sld]

You will really like the V10. For a gas engine, it has tons of torque just off idle.

The only thing I would suggest is to get the 4:30 gears. Depending on the year they can range from 3:73 to 4:30. I have the 4:30's and I am not really giving up anything in mpg from the other gears. Actually the city mileage is probably better.

There is a very noticeable difference in pulling power between the 3:73's and 4:30's. Not as big of a difference from the 4:10's but if you ever want to add a slightly larger tire the 4:30's are the only way to go.

Bottom line - try to avoid the 3:73's if you are going to be pulling a heavy load.

 

[jgrreed]

Not to start a storm, but why not diesel?

I have an '08 350, and the interior is very nice. The engine, from the factory, is a fuel pig. The -'07 diesels are either really good, or complete lemons. They get much better mileage than the '08-.

-Jer.

 

[Dargo]

Although it's different, I bought my wife an Expedition with the 5.4 V8 and it was a bit tight for our family of 7. With a luggage carrier on top, it constantly shifted in and out of overdrive on the interstate if the speed limit was 65 or more. I wouldn't want to have towed anything much heavier than our Jet Skis with it.

I sold it and bought her an Excursion with the V10 and the engine was a FAR better fit. It never wondered between gears or felt underpowered. Also, I would have to say that it was the smoothest running engine I've ever owned. I wish I hadn't sold it now.

As far as the spark plugs; um, my dad drove to a job that was over 50 miles each way for years in his truck. At somewhere around 160k miles I asked how often he had changed his plugs. He said he never had yet. Oh well, it still runs just fine and the fuel economy hasn't changed. I bet the little tip is gone on all the plugs by now.

 

[Diamondpilot]

You will really like the V10. For a gas engine, it has tons of torque just off idle.

The only thing I would suggest is to get the 4:30 gears. Depending on the year they can range from 3:73 to 4:30. I have the 4:30's and I am not really giving up anything in mpg from the other gears. Actually the city mileage is probably better.

There is a very noticeable difference in pulling power between the 3:73's and 4:30's. Not as big of a difference from the 4:10's but if you ever want to add a slightly larger tire the 4:30's are the only way to go.

Bottom line - try to avoid the 3:73's if you are going to be pulling a heavy load.

I agree 100%. My uncles F-250 V10 had 4.10's and his current truck, a 05 F-350 SRW V10 had 4.30's. That thing is a beast for a gasser.

I came real close to buying a used F-250 V-10 last year. Close till I realized it had 3.73's after crawling around it.

Chris

 

[ME83]

Almost all of the trucks I see advertised around here say they have the 4.10 gears. It is very hard to find them with the 4.30 rear. I have been looking for the 4.30 but I will probably have to settle for the 4.10.

I haven't gone to look at any trucks yet, I want to get through Christmas first (hopefully my wife won't surprise me with another Very large credit card bill) and start looking at the first of the year. As an engineer I tend to research and analyze everything I purchase, best of all it drives my wife nuts :laughing:

 

[Diamondpilot]

Almost all of the trucks I see advertised around here say they have the 4.10 gears. It is very hard to find them with the 4.30 rear. I have been looking for the 4.30 but I will probably have to settle for the 4.10.

I haven't gone to look at any trucks yet, I want to get through Christmas first (hopefully my wife won't surprise me with another Very large credit card bill) and start looking at the first of the year. As an engineer I tend to research and analyze everything I purchase, best of all it drives my wife nuts :laughing:

Also be aware that the gears dont tell the whole story. There was a HP jump, new tranny, and a new front suspension with much better steering introduced in 2005 or so. The early ones were 305HP and 420TQ. The post 05's are 362HP and 457TQ mated up to a better 5 speed tranny that is really a 6 speed.

It only uses 5 speeds at a time. When the temps are cold or in tow haul mode it shifts into a gear hidden between the normal 4th and 5th gear if I remember correctly.

So normal driving is something like 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th.

Tow Haul/Cold its something like 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th.

 

[alaskakubota]

You are on the right track. My uncle has had 2 Ford V-10's. The first was a early 2000's F-250 and his current is a 2005 F-350 SRW. Both Extended Cab and Short Beds. The 05's and later had the coil over front suspension which gave them a extra 18deg of steering. His 05 just turned 50,000 miles with not one single issue. He has 4.30 gears and pushes snow with a V plow. Its a Hauss. It averages 10 to 12 MPG and will still get about 8 pulling his 25,000# boat. We did upgrade the hitch to a 2.5" unit after I broke the one on my 04 Ford Diesel.

Its a great truck. I have never personally had a V-10 but I currently have a 04 F-250 Diesel and a 06 F-350 SRW Diesel and have had great service out of them.

Chris

If your towing 24k and getting 8 mpg with a gas motto you must be doing something I don't know about. I had a 97 7.3, 2001 v8, 2005 6.0, and now have an 09 v10 all with manual trannies and no way in heck I could get 8 mpg with any of these gas motors. The diesels would get between 9-11mpg and the gassers are 6ish. The gassers tow just as well and I like them better than the last two diesels. The 09 has been my favorite so far. Oh yeah, I tow 24k all the time. Jd 450 dozer on my 35 foot gooseneck trailer. I have the 4.10's and don't wish I had 4.30's. These gears are perfect. Just don't use 6th much towing heavy. I like the gas motors as I don't have to worry about them starting when it is 40 below at the parking lot when I come back from the cabin. I used to have to carry a generator.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Just going off what I saw riding along on a 30 mile trip via the dash monitor. Its relatively flat in Southern Indiana and the 4.30 gears have no issue getting the load rolling. Dont get me wrong, I have seen 3 mpg in it also jacking around getting into the gas on the hills. By comparison I pulled this same load for 3 years with my 6.0L powered F-350 4x4 with 3.73 gears and got right at 12 mpg on the same route.

Chris

 

[johnk]

I have a 2009 f350 v-10 w/ 4:10's and in the city, in the winter hubs unlocked 15% ethanol I get 8.5 to 10 depending how many red lights I get stuck at. On the highway unloaded in the winter I got as high as 15.2 going 65-70. I start mashing the gas and those figures drop rapidly. I love my v-10. I had a 2005 f250 5.4 before and to me when towing 8K and above it won't get out of its own way. The best MPG I got out of that brute was high 12's on the highway at 65 MPH. This ethanol crap really does a number on MPG in the freezing weather..My new 350 w. camper pkg, and plow pkg actually rides smoother than my 2005 F250.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Nice truck.

Chris