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Advantage of a 3/4 ton over a 1 ton.


CKRobin

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Other than initial cost, a slight theoretical fuel savings and maybe insurance are there any advantages to a 3/4 ton over a 1 ton?


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CKRobin

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If it helps ill be using it mostly for pulling a 5th wheel camper and occasionally to pick up cars and truck for a car lot.


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bobbywalter

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3/4 ton with trailer package and diesel engine would be my choice, unless there are specific high load demands expected
 

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Imho it depends on what brand/engine/trans combo we are talking about.

One thing to consider is esurance wouldn't let me insure my '89 F350.
 

CKRobin

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Am going to look for as old as I can find with less than 80k miles. Not really going to be brand loyal, more like $$$$ loyal.
And diesel.


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don4331

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In a lot of cases, the 3/4 ton actually hauls/tows more than a 1 ton (SRW) legally; the lighter components actually put you ahead of the stronger truck.

Personally, I would avoid the 6.0 PSD.
 

Will

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First, what is the difference between a 3/4 and a 1-ton? Same motor, same axles--really it's just the rear springs have a little more capacity. As long as we aren't talking dually. For a single rear wheel, each tire has 3,065# capacity so it doesn't matter between an F250 and F350.

It's all bull5hit anyway. Buy the truck you need. My E350 van has a Dana 60. That's not a one-ton axle, except that it is. It's a full-float Dana 60 with the same size bearings as the 14-bolt in my Chevy truck. But newer E350 vans have a semi-float Dana 60 which is rubbish. The E150 uses the same axle.

Worse--GM and Dodge always assigned their vans with 3/4-ton status when they had 1/2-ton parts on them. You see a D20 or G20 or C20 van and it had 5-lugs and an 8 and something inch rear axle.

Point is--what parts does the truck have on it and what do you need. If you don't need a dually, either the F250 or F350 is about the same because the rear tires are the same and the axles are the same and the engines are the same. The 250 might ride a bit smoother because it might have a little softer springs.
 

CKRobin

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Good points. Thanks for the input.


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85_Ranger4x4

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Dad has a '96 F-250, the advantage to it is it is basically a F-150 with bigger brakes, springs and axles with a 460. :3gears:

Downside (kinda) is it still rides like a half ton, haven't got a gooseneck ball in to truely compare it to the old F-350 it replaced. Just looking at the rear springs it is nowhere close though.
 

don4331

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My brother's '04 F-150 was identical to my buddies (now my father in law's) '97 F-250...

The 1 ton sterling 10.5 I played with had 37 splines axles and were about 1/16" larger in diameter than the 35 spline one found in the 3/4 ton version (sort of like differences between Ranger/Explorer/F-150 8.8s). Gotta love Ford for being consistent. (not that Chev or Dodge were any better).

Gotta laugh - when I was a kid, Dana 60 WAS the 1 ton axle; now, Dana 80 has that title. Big improvement has been tires: Today's 17/18" wheels are far superior to 16" ones from back in day...
 

85_Ranger4x4

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My brother's '04 F-150 was identical to my buddies (now my father in law's) '97 F-250...
7 lug trucks or what???

I like my 16's. :icon_thumby:
 

Alberta 7.3

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If you come across older Ford diesels and are looking at getting 4x4, go for "1 ton" aka F350. The OBS (97 and earlier) trucks used a D60 straight axle front on the F350, and the D50 Twin Trashcan Beam on the F250. The D50 TTB wears out bushings, eats ball joints, and is torture on the leaf springs since it twists them longitudinaly as the axle beams move up and down. The F250 has a relatively harsher ride since the front springs are thicker to reduce/prevent twisting fatigue/cracking. Most F250 owners (myself included) usually swap in a D60 axle/springs and toss the 50.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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80-85 F-350's were D50 TTB trucks too. Dad's old '350 that the '96 '250 replaced was a '80.

Didn't seem to have much for front end problems, it was pushing 300k when he sold it after having it 25 years. It rode kinda rough but had something like 6" of springs in the rear...
 

CKRobin

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I am not looking to go that old. I do want to get pre DEF at least and maybe even pre Egr but that's as old as I want.


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