2017 f350 srw

[RWJSIM2003]

I have been looking at the 2017 F350 SRW thinking of upgrading from our 2008 F450. I get tired of parking and does not fit in the garage with other cars and a SRW would fit and could be a everyday driver. I miss driving a truck everyday to work.

I test drove one over the last week and to get a feel also have a friend that has a 2016. I wanted to see how it would tow the RW so used his truck to pick up our RW from the shop had some Warranty items completed.


I wont be changing anytime soon did not like the feel of the SRW on his 2016. Trailer was pushed all over when Semi went by or passing one. Our F450 feels so solid going down the road and it has much more power than his F350. I know the power is from all the performance Items I have added over the years. I will just keep my 450 for awhile only has 40k miles and I know the truck well.

[atom ant]

I felt a performance drop going from my 2008 F350 dually to my 2014 F350 dually. The 2008 had 4.10 gear ratio, and the 2014 had 3.73 gear ratio, but I thought the extra HP and 6 sp of the 2014 would overcome the gear ratio difference - NOT. It only takes a few drives up I-70 here in the Rockies to know you are in a different truck.

As much as that 6.4 was a fuel sucker, it was a rocket. I miss it, but overall I don't miss a dually at all. I really did not like that thing, either one of them.

[RWJSIM2003]

I did not consider the 4:10 gears in the Truck. But you are correct the 6.4 seems like a rocket compared to the 6.7. I can live with the MPG I am getting about 12 pulling the Trailer and 15 when not. That is providing I don't get on the gas to much.





I will just keep the F450 for awhile longer in about 4-5 years we plan on retiring completely and will most likely go to a DPMH at that time. For now I have a little Kia soul for my everyday car.

[Donhutch1800]

Originally Posted by RWJSIM2003

I did not consider the 4:10 gears in the Truck. But you are correct the 6.4 seems like a rocket compared to the 6.7. I can live with the MPG I am getting about 12 pulling the Trailer and 15 when not. That is providing I don't get on the gas to much.





I will just keep the F450 for awhile longer in about 4-5 years we plan on retiring completely and will most likely go to a DPMH at that time. For now I have a little Kia soul for my everyday car.

I have a 2015 f350 srw long bed king ranch.I drove one of the new 2017's and if you don't want to buy one don't drive one.Totally different ride.Box frame made a lot of difference plus the truck has alittle higher payload and a bigger rear end.

[Jim & Mary]

I noticed that on Ford's build and price tool the DRW is only available in 3:55 and 4:10 gear ratios. No more 3:73. Not sure that's the best choices. My old 2013 SRW had 3:55 and was constantly shifting going up small hills, and I don't think I would like the 4:10 for the fuel economy. But it would be interesting to know what difference that makes.

[atom ant]

Jim, do they still offer the wide track on the 2017 F350 dually? In 2015 it got you the wide front axle (hence a better turning radius), front fender flares, and mandatory 4.30 rear end, exactly like the F450 was in 2015.

[Jim & Mary]

Brad

The build and price tool doesn't let you choose the 3:73 axle ratio on the 2017 F350 DRW no matter what configuration. When we bought our 2015 DRW only the 3:73 and 4:10 was optioned; this year it's only 3:55 and 4:10.

[xtasee]

I would bet with the new transmissions, they are able to get the overdrive to make up for the lower rear end ratios in regards to fuel economy when not towing. The tow/haul mode while towing will shift it out of overdrive most of the time but while towing the RW, or anything else heavy, the truck will work less.

I think the 4:10 is a good option and will also increase your towable weight. If you want fuel economy and power your options are few. I do not think you would like the 3:55 and would regret that option before long.

[spindrift]

Originally Posted by xtasee

I think the 4:10 is a good option and will also increase your towable weight. If you want fuel economy and power your options are few. I do not think you would like the 3:55 and would regret that option before long.

I agree with X. If it wasn't for the power enhancements on my truck, it would be a real dog towing the RW. I'm currently coming out of my "Boys with Toys" phase and seriously thinking about taking the truck back to stock as we're now spending more time in the mountains where I need whatever power my 3.73 rear end can give me. However good looking my 285/75 17s and lift are, the tires certainly aren't helping me get all of my power to the ground.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by spindrift

I agree with X. If it wasn't for the power enhancements on my truck, it would be a real dog towing the RW. I'm currently coming out of my "Boys with Toys" phase and seriously thinking about taking the truck back to stock as we're now spending more time in the mountains where I need whatever power my 3.73 rear end can give me. However good looking my 285/75 17s and lift are, the tires certainly aren't helping me get all of my power to the ground.

I agree Tom

I spent over 10k in all the adaptions I put on my F350 and I'll admit I had fun with it but I won't do it again. With all of the money and work done I ended up putting out between 900-950 ft pounds of torque and now I believe the new trucks do this from the factory. That 10 mph fast up the mountains wasn't worth the money.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Jim & Mary

Brad

The build and price tool doesn't let you choose the 3:73 axle ratio on the 2017 F350 DRW no matter what configuration. When we bought our 2015 DRW only the 3:73 and 4:10 was optioned; this year it's only 3:55 and 4:10.

Jim, I see it is gone for 2017, but in 2015 there was a 4.30 on the F350 if you got the wide track or option 535. I almost bought one parked right next to my 2014 on the lot, but I was worried about the 4.30 fuel mileage.

TRAILER TOW PACKAGE – HIGH CAPACITY (535)
Availability
• Optional on F-350 DRW 4x4 Crew Cab
Not available with:
• Pickup Box Delete (66D)
Requires:
• 4.30 Limited-slip rear-axle (X4L)
• 6.7L Power Stroke® Diesel engine (99T)
• 172” WB (8’ box)
Includes:
• Front Fender Flare Moldings
• Increase GCW on diesel engine from 31,900 lbs. to 35,000 lbs.
• Max Front Springs
• "Wide track" axle

You can google it (high capacity 545), the truck forum guys loved it, because it actually had better specs than the F450 and avoided some of the tax issues the F450 caused in some states.

Here is the pic of the F350 next to mine - note the front fender flares and the extension flares on the front bumper. The one below was one of they guys on the forum. These all had 4.30s

[Jim & Mary]

Brad

Wished there was some way or someone to tell us how much difference the 4:10 gears would make. If it was only 1 MPG it probably wouldn't matter much, but 3 or 4 might be the tipping point.

[atom ant]

I personally would go right to the 4.10. When talking 10-12 mpg, I don't think it would be much of a difference, probably closer to the 1 rather than the 2-3, but I don't know.

I was playing with my 2008 coming back from New Mexico one time. At 85 mph for 30 minutes, I got 7 mpg. I reset, and at 50 mph for 30 miles, I got over 21 mpg. Driving habits, wind, tow or no tow, all play in the result so I can't imagine gear ratio couldn't be overcome by backing off 5 mph in general.

[travelin' texans]

The guy across from us just got a big black '17 F450 KR & it has everything on it except a guy in a funny hat to drive it for him & a flushable toilet. The dash is more like an airliner cockpit than a truck & not it maybe couldn't fly. It's a beautiful truck, much better looking than the new F150s, the only thing I could see wrong with it is it has a blue oval on the grill, but I have add that that's my opinion so no one takes offense.

[Dale & Tracey Fietz]

I replaced my 373 for 410's in our 2012 Ram and don't see much difference in mpg and it pulls better.

[Dale & Tracey Fietz]

It made about 200 to 250 rpm difference.Have 285-75-17 Nitto tires.

[piper guy]

Friend has a 2014 F450 with the 4.30 rear. Knowing what I know now I wish I would have done the 450 when I bought mine. His around town mpg is within 1-1.5 of mine, his tow mpg with a Landmark about the same size is actually 1 mpg better (he consistently gets 11, I'm around 10 usually).


As Brad pointed out ~ the best of the bunch was the 2014 350 with the Max Tow option. In any case, in any of the makes, I would go for a rear axle in the 4's.
Just my $.02

[Dave&Ginny]

As long as you stay below 70 mph you probably wont see a a big hit on the MPG. I had heard that the 433 got about 2 mpg less than the 373. I believe the tire size and the modern transmissions help.

My MH has 488 gears, weighs much more (50k) yet gets very close to the MPG of the F350 pulling the Redwood.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by piper guy

As Brad pointed out ~ the best of the bunch was the 2014 350 with the Max Tow option. In any case, in any of the makes, I would go for a rear axle in the 4's.
Just my $.02

Vaughan, that High Capacity Tow Package (535) with wide track was only offered in 2015 and 2016. I bought my 2014 right when the 2015s were coming on the lots. That's when I spotted the wide-track on the F350, but I really wanted the lower 2-tone paint that was dropped in 2015 on the Lariat.

[5th_Time]

Not just the increase of rpm with the bigger gears, but the increase in engine noise level at that rpm...