Well I went and done it!

[Flintstones]

Congrats on the new Ford Super Duty. They call it the $50,000 test drive! You drive it and you want it.

My 2011 tows our very heavy bunkhouse with ease. Just got back from a ten day family vacation down to Philly and on the Ocean City, MD. Truck performed excellent as usual and got 11.2 mpg to boot! I already have 29,000 miles on it, its the best tow vehicle I have ever owned.

Good luck with your new King Ranch Super Duty!!!

[Mike Clay]

They call it the $50,000 test drive! You drive it and you want it.

Didn't work for me so I guess I saved 50k

[Rob & Cathy]

They call it the $50,000 test drive! You drive it and you want it.

I already have 29,000 miles on it, its the best tow vehicle I have ever owned.

Whoa, there's a guy that likes to drive his truck.

Rob

[Samsbird]

Yep, these Fords are awesome. Gotta love all of the gadgets, this is the best truck that I have towed with.

Randall

[bigbunkhouse]

They call it the $50,000 test drive! You drive it and you want it.

Didn't work for me so I guess I saved 50k

it sure did work for you, just a different brand

[watkinsk]

Samsbird,

Congrats on the new F350. A couple of points to compare:

I bought a 2012 F350 SRW in early June. This past week we did our first pull of our Cardinal 3150 (loaded weight estimated at 13,300lbs). The trip was from Colorado Springs over La Veta Pass (~9,300ft) then over Wolf Creek Pass (10,800 ft with 8% grade) to Pagosa Springs then back. I averaged 12.6 MPG but most impressive was I maintained about 48 MPH going up the grades on Wolf Creek with the limiting factor being the Pyro temp. I found going up the passes that using the manual shift function really helped control the temp and speed. The Exhaust Brake is unbelievably helpful coming down the passes. I had no engine temperature problems other than Pyro (unlike a couple of friends' trucks who overheated pulling lesser trailers)

I only have 1600 miles on the truck at the end of the trip and it is way to early to call it a "winner" but if the mechanical condition sustains itself over the next 100K miles then I will be dancing in the streets! Hope it performs this well and is comfortable on the trip to Branson.

Best of all, to quote my wife: "this is almost a Cadillac it is so quiet".

[Samsbird]

Thats great news, do you have an insight that you are monitoring your exhaust temps and if so which ones are you keeping an eye on? These new trucks are very nice and I agree with your wife it is top notch.

Randall

[watkinsk]

Randall, The one big failure of the F350 is that is does not have an EGT gauge (that I know of!). I use a Snow Performance water-meth injection system. Snow gives 2 gauges: a Pyro and Boost gauge as well as calibration for the amount of water-meth to be injected. Snow also gives about 1MPG more and cools off the Pyro about 100-150 degrees that helps tremendously on the hard pulls. I only use Snow when towing as the truck is so powerful when doing normal driving.

I don't know how I could tow without the EGT/Pyro gauge. I also think the boost gauge on the F350 is so small that I almost need my reader glasses to see it...no granularity to the gauge and almost worthless.

Keith

[Mike Clay]

Use to be Pyro gauges were a must when towing especially when I use to drive the Cummins trucks. Now a days with the computer systems in the big three it will de fuel before you hurt anything. Plus with the new turbo brakes versus the older style butterfly in the exhaust you wont see the same high exhaust gas temps coming down long hills.

[Rob & Cathy]

Now a days with the computer systems in the big three it will de fuel before you hurt anything.

I agree. Unless you've modified the truck to increase performance, which I can't imagine on these new trucks, you don't need to worry about it.

Rob

[watkinsk]

Sorry guys but I want to know what my Pyro temp is. Just as I monitor the engine temperatures (water and oil) I have this tremendous fixation on knowing the boost, pyro and tranny temps. This may be a holdover from my 2004 Cummins days.

Good news is that the boost, tranny or engine temps held remarkably stable over Wolf Creek. The Pyro touched 1280 before I started backing off the throttle. I have no idea what the F350 pyro temp is when the fuel cutoff starts.

If I do have one major complaint about the F350 short bed is the diesel tank is only 26 gallons! The long bed F350 is a 35 gal tank. Sure wish i had at least a 30 gallon tank as getting 12mpg towing means I can only go about 250 miles between tanks when I get the pucker factor going.

Keith

[Rob & Cathy]

Sounds like there may be an additional fuel tank in your future Keith.

Rob

[Mike Clay]

Towed Wolf Creek the second day out after picking up our 3150 in Cheyenne. Went over the top with at the time my 08 2500 with no problems at all. Not to mention that truck had no turbo brake on it. I here ya with the Dodges back then but now a days you really dont need to worry about it. But to each their own, and I have to admit I still monitor pyro and boost just for grins and mainly to see when I go into regen. Plus with this truck I find if I keep the rpm around 2300 i do not have temp problems.

[Chief409]

Sounds like there may be an additional fuel tank in your future Keith.

Rob

An extra 50 gallons, plus the 36 gallons with the long wheel base is nice!

Jeff

[Bill, Sharon & Toby]

Sounds like there may be an additional fuel tank in your future Keith.

Rob

I am brand new to this forum. Can you explain how I make a new post of my own, I cannot figure it out?