Thoughts on the 2008 F-450?

[ericandalice]

My husband and I have decided on a Landmark Rushmore. We don't have a tow vehicle yet. I've spent several hours doing research and we've decided against anything new due to pricing reasons. We aren't partial to a particular brand but after crunching the numbers we know we're going to need a 1 ton diesel dually.

Ive found a beautiful 2008 F-450 with all the features I want and obviously the muscle to haul a 16,250# 5th wheel.

I'm interested in your opinions, especially Landmark owners. (The truck has under 60,000 miles on it,btw.) Thanks!

 

[brianharrison]

More than enough truck to pull the Landmark. F450s have some special bits which make it a little different - thus some of the parts and costs to replace those parts are unique.

For example the tires are 19.5 and are a bit pricey compared to F350 tires, brakes are larger, larger rear gear. Someone else may chime in with fuel mileage etc.

Brian

 

[mmomega]

I'm guessing it's a Lariat since you mention it has a lot of features.
There's no doubt you'll be just fine with that truck towing a Landmark. I tow mine with an F350 Dually with plenty of weight capacity to spare.
I also applaud you for deciding on a dually as your first tow vehicle, you are going to love it.

Do you mind me asking what they want for the truck? Just curious really.

Edit** You should also get way more life out of 19.5" tow tires than standard tires. I've seen some 450's with close to 100k on the original tires.

 

[jimtoo]

Hi ericandalice,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners forum and family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge if needed.

There is also a nice truck listed for sale on our forum also. Check it out here.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M

 

[ericandalice]

More than enough truck to pull the Landmark. F450s have some special bits which make it a little different - thus some of the parts and costs to replace those parts are unique.

For example the tires are 19.5 and are a bit pricey compared to F350 tires, brakes are larger, larger rear gear. Someone else may chime in with fuel mileage etc.

Brian

I love unique... Except when it's expensive. Lol thank you for chiming in. I'm interested in the fact that you have the 350. No problems?

We're going to try full timing it. And the truck will be our family car (unless we get that moped I'm hoping for.) I should have mentioned that in my first post. Does that change anything do you think?

I've crunched the numbers and as you said, the 450 is more than enough truck but I want to make sure that we're getting enough truck. We were looking at 250s and 350s SRW until I started crunching numbers.

 

[ericandalice]

I'm guessing it's a Lariat since you mention it has a lot of features.
There's no doubt you'll be just fine with that truck towing a Landmark. I tow mine with an F350 Dually with plenty of weight capacity to spare.
I also applaud you for deciding on a dually as your first tow vehicle, you are going to love it.

Do you mind me asking what they want for the truck? Just curious really.

Edit** You should also get way more life out of 19.5" tow tires than standard tires. I've seen some 450's with close to 100k on the original tires.

Yes, I believe it is a Lariat.

It seems my area is out of 2011 duallies and any good Chevy duallies. For whatever reason it seems like Atlanta has been taken over by 2008 F450s. And trying to talk DH into going to Wisconsin for the perfect truck didn't go so well. lol

I think they're asking $38,998.

Good to know about the tires. The 19" on my SUV are supposed to be good for 75,000 miles. 100,000 would blow my mind.

 

[ericandalice]

Hi Jim! Thanks for the link. That's way more truck than we need and it still needs to be our family vehicle. I can't imagine driving to the grocery store each week in a 550. Then again, in our neck of the woods I'd probably fit in just fine.

 

[brianharrison]

Yes I have the 350 and it performs well for pulling my Landmark (16,200 GVWR). I have the SRW with camper package (rear sway bar, heavier selected front springs). I have added Firestone Ride Rite air bags (helpers) on the rear suspension to keep the back end up a bit for the Landmark king pin weight (3000 #s). The diesel engines/trannys are the same in F350 and F450 (6.7L), cab is the same - F450 has tires, frame, rear end, suspension, brakes, and a few other upgrades to give higher tow/payload/GVWR.

The tires will last longer - they are a harder compound to make a stiffer tire to support increased loads, thus they last longer. Some complain the harder tire does not provide the same traction on wet grass/snow/mud as compared to the softer tire with less weight rating - I even changed out my stock OEM F350 Continentals to the new Michelin LTX AT2 to improve wet grass/snow/mud traction. The Michelin is a slight softer tire (ie wears quicker) but provides better service for my conditions/desires.

Back to the F350 - I have also changed out my fluids in the differentials to synthetic and watch temps/parameters with the Edge Digital Insight (not chip but just monitor). Braking is more than adequate when the trailer is set up properly and you drive responsibly - ie drive like you have a 24,000 # rig and give lots of room/time to stop.

You would be happy with a F350 and a using it as a daily driver - it is our family vehicle on the highway - we are happy and feeling safe. (wife drives a Camry Hybrid in the city). The F450 is a bit stiffer ride for a daily driver when unloaded, IMHO.

Hope this helps.

Brian

PS If you are looking for unique - look for a King Ranch package in metallic copper - the interior finish with the leather is unique and the metallic copper color was only available on the King Ranch up to 2010.

 

[jmgratz]

Keep in mind some insurance companies consider F450 and above commercial vehicles. Check out insurance rates first compared to the F350. We tow our Landmark (16500) with a F350 dually and it does just fine.

 

[ericandalice]

Thanks for the comments! We really appreciate your input. It seems like auto dealers think their truck can pull the moon but haven't stopped to consider pin weight (hope I got that term right!) or the GCWR. And RV dealers just want to sell the RV and don't care what you pull it with so long as isn't isn't your lawn mower. lol

So I went back to look at the 350/3500s and am now really confused.

According to this website http://www.fordf150.net/2008/2008-ford-f250-superduty-specifications.php (and I could be reading it completely wrong) the 2008 F-350 has a GVWR of 13,000 and it can tow a 5th wheel up to 18,800 pounds. BUT the GCWR is only 23,500. I'm still looking at duallys, always diesel. I'm betting on the 3.73, rather than a 4.1. I would obviously need to check.

13,000 and 18,800 do not add up to the 23,500.

What am I missing? it seems to me that even a dry truck would be at least 8k and if you add that to the 18k, you'd still be at 26,000. Why would Ford (or anyone else) give you a GCWR that's lower than the combined max vehicle weight and towing capacity??

As far as all the add ons and things...we're just not that kind of people. Heck, I felt spiffy when I bought the upgraded tires for our SUV. I don't mind watching gauges but anything short of changing oil, spark plugs, tires or filling up at the pump will need to be done by someone who understands trucks better than me (and DH.) I'm still trying to get in the mindset that we need to pull up to the diesel pump!

 

[danemayer]

We're pulling our 2011 Rushmore with a 2011 GMC Sierra 3500 HD, SRW, CC, Long Bed, 4x4, 3.73 Rear Axle. Very stable. Pulls effortlessly through the Colorado mountains - both up and down.

While you're crunching numbers, you might want to consider fuel usage. We get about 12mpg towing on level ground. 9mpg in the mountains. Using it as a car: around 18mpg on the highway and 12-14mpg for short trips to the grocery store, Walmart, etc. I don't know what a 2008 F450 gets, but at $4.00+ per gallon, a couple of mpg difference will be a lot of $ over the next 5 years. I've attached a table that shows the annual cost of Diesel at 8/10/12mpg for 10,000 and 15,000 miles.

 

[codycarver]

Here is a link to a site set up by one of our forum members intended to simplify weight and towing questions. I hope it helps. Good luck.
http://fifthwheelst.com/

 

[porthole]

Hi Jim! Thanks for the link. That's way more truck than we need and it still needs to be our family vehicle. I can't imagine driving to the grocery store each week in a 550. Then again, in our neck of the woods I'd probably fit in just fine.

Dually Fords - F-350-450-550 all the same size except that the 450 and 550 have a bit wider front axle.

At the price point you posted on the 08 450 I would seriously look at the linked 550.

That truck is well known in the Heartland community and I would have no reservations buying it, if I was in the market.

At least you would know what you are getting and nothing hidden.
The current owner has much at stake in selling that truck to a community member.

 

[mmomega]

I love unique... Except when it's expensive. Lol thank you for chiming in. I'm interested in the fact that you have the 350. No problems?

We're going to try full timing it. And the truck will be our family car (unless we get that moped I'm hoping for.) I should have mentioned that in my first post. Does that change anything do you think?

I've crunched the numbers and as you said, the 450 is more than enough truck but I want to make sure that we're getting enough truck. We were looking at 250s and 350s SRW until I started crunching numbers.

Well it seems like you're doing exactly what you should be and I drive mine to the grocery store every week From the 550's down the physical truck is the same size. The 650's + are the large semi truck looking Fords.
After pulling across the scales with my Landmark I am seeing 4,880lbs on the front axle. 6,820lbs on the rear axle. Add those together and you get 11,700 lbs.

The GVWR of an F350 SRW is 11,500. A 3500HD GMC SRW is 11,400.

My weight was with no passenger and a half tank of fuel, no toolboxes, no extras on the stock truck other than the 5th wheel hitch. So you can see once you are loaded for a trip a SRW 1 ton truck will be overloaded. Even after subtracting the weight of 2 extra wheels.
My F350 DRW has a GVWR of 13,300lbs so I have an extra one thousand six hundred pounds of vehicle weight capacity. I will end up growing and adding a little to the truck, maybe even a generator and washer/dryer to the trailer but personally I won't add that much more weight.

Now with that both SRW 1 tons are well within the GCWR but again the truck will be overloaded. This is where many dealerships will sell people but not understanding that the truck is overloaded, the rear axle is overloaded. Nor do they add in weight for a full tank + 2-4 passengers + any other supplies in the bed of the truck, toolboxes, extra fuel tanks etc but again you seem to be well versed in the number department.

On a separate note, since this will be your daily driver at some point I would highly recommend looking into an air ride system or aftermarket suspension for the truck.

 

[slmayor]

Having just purchased a 2008 dually in September, I can speak to a couple other issues that the guys haven't. A 2008 with that low of mileage will still have some factory drivetrain warranty left. A 2008 is still covered for the factory extended warranty if you decide to purchase it. The 2008 does everything our 2005 did, it just does it a little easier. The 2008 gets better mileage than our 2005 did.
We purchased the factory extended warranty because although we never had engine issues with that dreaded 6.0, over the 4 years we had it, we did have several sensors go out to the tune of up to $900 each. At the $2k we paid for the extended, and all of the electronics on the 2008 (nav system, etc) we feel it was a good investment. We'll probably never use it now that we have it... LOL
You could probably tow fine with the SRW, but I'm telling you, once you go dually, you'll never go back. There is a world of difference between the SRW and the DRW when you tow. The width is never a problem, it's just that the darn truck is so long anyway you have to park a little farther out. It was easier for me to learn to tow with, because I already had to swing wide for the corners just to clear the truck wheels.
Just my 2 cents.
Deb

 

[ericandalice]

Dan, thank you so much for the spreadsheet. I honestly wasn't paying much attention to the difference in mpg. I know. I'm an idiot. We kept thinking that we didn't want to go above a certain monthly payment on the vehicle. But then I started doing research on the 2008 450s and the gas mileage. Then looked at the 2011-12 350's gas mileage. After more number crunching (I'm so sick of math at this point, lol) it makes sense to get the newer. We're still thinking things over and looking at the options but I wanted to say thank you for driving that point home. I'd rather have a new vehicle under warranty than an older vehicle. I'm just paranoid about such things.