2011 Ford F450

[Whirlwind]

I'm at the State Fair of Texas and on display is the all new Ford pickups for 2011. The F450 in my opinion is not as large as the older F450.
The truck has several modified changes, including the hood that is not the old clam style hood that the 2008-09 had. The all new 6.7 L engine has one turbo with two sets of blades on the shaft. They now will inject a urea cleaning solution into the exhaust system instead of the system now. You will have to add the solution (7 gallons) at each oil change. The filler system is located next to the diesel fuel fill door in the same compartment. The interior is about the same with only a few changes. The truck I saw had 17 inch tires instead of the 19.5. ; with a GVWR of 13,000 lbs instead of 14,500 lbs that my 08 has !!!
The truck can be ordered with factory rino lined with the new Reese 20K hitch installed on a new mounting system. Looked very impressive.
Factory Rep said truck should cost just shy of $70,000.
Took several pics that I'll try to download later.

[wingnut60]

My '07 F350 dually had a GVW of 13,000--I don't think they are going to sell many if it doesn't haul any more weight than a 4-yr-old 350. Sounds like they have their info screwed up for the handouts. Also, 17" tires aren't going to handle F450 class weights. I think they put 450 badges on a 350 truck just for the show.
I believe they are going to begin appearing in Jan 2010?
Joe

[RGordon]

I think I read somewhere the 2011 F450 was going to be like the F350 TowBoss option is now. We already have all the options on our 07 F350 Dually that you listed for the F450 except I can save money by not having to add urea every oil change.

[wingnut60]

What is the GVW of your 350?

[rdunk]

My '06 F350 has a GVWR of 13,000 - I would guess the F450 should be more than that!

[wingnut60]

I guess Ford can do whatever they want to with ratings--they have already changed the axle ratios to numbers that 2-3 years ago would have been unacceptable: 4.88--gone, except for work trucks; 4.30 almost gone; 4.10--now the 'average' ratio?; 3.73--showing up more and more; 3.55s even available.
The Tow Boss option as I understand it, does nothing for the rear axle weight rating, only the max tow rating?
And if you don't have the Monobeam Wide Track front end, you are missing one of the best aspects of the F450--the short turn radius.
I tried to find a TB/WT truck before I got the F450--they just weren't out there on lots--gave up, and went to the specs that covered ALL of the ratings for my trailer--only in a 450. Now, they are going to back off that?

[rdunk]

Yes, sometimes the new stuff comes out before the dealers know about them. When the TowBoss option was announced in late 2004, for the 2005 Ford PSD dually's, the dealers didn't know what I was talking about either. I was ordering anyway, so I did get it.

And yes, towboss does not change GVWR, but does (in '05 and '06) add 2500lbs to the Gross combined, up to 26,000lbs, and added 2500lbs to the max tow weight, up to 19,200lbs (std. cab), with exact max tow depending upon truck configuration/weight.

[wingnut60]

Robert,
How are you on the rear axle weight? I was over on my '07 350 as I have the gen/w/d adding to the pin weight.
Joe

[wingnut60]

I took a look today at one while at the TX state fair--it was a black one. Is that the same one you saw, David?

For what it is worth: I believe it to be an F350 equipped with the Tow Boss option and Monobeam Wide Track, and they just badged it as a 450 for the show. Why I think that is the 17" tires/wheels are identical to what was on my '07 F350--Goodrich Radial TAs, and the RAWR was 9000 lbs, just as my '07 was. 13000# gross was also the same as my '07. The only Ford guy I spoke to said "Its only a prototype, the 450 when it comes out will have larger tires." I could not find any details in a brochure anywhere. Very nice looking truck, but for a display unit, it didn't even have the nav system.

Will be interested in what the 2011s cost and what they begin showing as fuel mileage.

[Whirlwind]

Wingnut,

Yes, that was the same truck as I saw.
A black king ranch; with no NAV.
I took a picture of the door speck plate and it showed the truck to have 17" tires and a GVWR of 13K.

How did you like the Reese hitch set up along with the new way they are mounted?? Pretty Slick, I thought.

David Schwertner

[wingnut60]

Actually, forgot to look that part over--saw it, but didn't look closely. A hitch, in my opinion, is too individual an option to depend on Ford for it--to many people in the RV industry don't know what is needed, let alone a truck salesman. I would not depend on a truck mfg yet to supply a hitch, but they are doing pretty good on the brake controllers.

Gonna be a different world soon with the big tow vehicles, eh?

Joe