MORE, STRONGER, BETTER, TOUGHER – 2005 FORD SUPER DUTY REMAINS KING OF THE HILL
Source: Ford Motor Company Press ReleasePosted: 05-24-04 21:07 PT
© 2004 PickupTruck.com

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Ford Super Duty customers rely on their trucks to get the job done – whether at work or at play. The 2005 Super Duty delivers – with more capability, unsurpassed gas and diesel power, more toughness and useful new features that will make work easier and recreation time more enjoyable.

“The original Super Duty proved that pickup trucks with the right stuff could handle jobs that once were associated only with the big, commercial medium-duty truck segment,” said Frank Davis, Ford vehicle programs director for pickups and commercial vehicles. “The 2005 Super Duty takes this capability to the max, with towing and cargo ratings that will astound our customers.”

The 2005 Super Duty features a host of functional, capability and convenience improvements:

• Increased tow ratings across the board, with best-in-class maximum tow rating of 17,000 pounds
  
• Class-leading payload for Super Duty pickups – up to 5,800 pounds of cargo in the F-350 dually. On average, payload improves 500 to 1,000 pounds for F-250 and F-350 pickups
  
• TowCommand™ System – a combination of standard and optional features that makes towing easier, including an industry-first factory-installed trailer brake controller
  
• Unsurpassed power – including the segment’s most powerful gasoline engine, the 6.8-liter, 3-valve Triton™ V-10 with 355 hp and 455 pound-feet of torque. The best-selling 6.0-liter Power Stroke® diesel increases to 570 pound-feet of torque
  
• A new front suspension and improved steering for better ride, handling and maneuverability in 4X4 pickups and all F-450 and F-550 chassis cabs
  
• Best-in-class braking, with larger rotors and larger, stiffer calipers. Even the parking brake is larger and stronger
  
• Stronger, tougher frame underlying all of this new capability
  
• Design changes that cap off the new capabilities with a bolder, tougher look up front, the segment’s only 18- and 20-inch wheels and a more refined interior

Higher Tow Rating, More Payload Capacity

For 2005, Ford Super Duty pickups have more towing and payload capacity than ever, making F-350 the clear class leader, for towing up to 17,000 pounds.

All Super Duty trucks – from F-250 through F-550 – benefit from chassis upgrades, including stronger frames and available stronger axles.

Ford responded to marketplace changes by implementing a new variable gross vehicle weight rating strategy across all of its Super Duty F-Series pickups that better accommodates the way most customers use their trucks.

With more customers opting for features like diesel engines, four-wheel-drive and crew cabs, this new strategy takes advantage of the Ford Super Duty's higher axle weight ratings, stronger frames and better brakes to help preserve payload capability on trucks with higher equipment levels.

As a result, maximum pickup payload capacity increases by up to 1,280 pounds.

Towing follows suit. With the 5.4-liter, 3-valve Triton V-8 engine, Super Duty now can tow up to 12,300 pounds, an increase of 3,000 pounds, making this economical powertrain even more attractive for fleet and commercial users.

Dual-rear-wheel Super Duty pickups with the 6.8-liter, 3-valve Triton V-10 and 6.0-liter Power Stroke diesel will have the ability to tow up to a class-leading 15,000 pounds conventionally. That’s an increase of up to 1,600 pounds and establishes Super Duty as the clear leader in the class.

“There’s a reason people look up to Super Duty as the benchmark in this class,” said Susan Dehne, F-Series Super Duty chief engineer. “It was a great truck to begin with – and we’ve improved more than 100 individual areas to make it even better.”

The F-250/F-350 Super Duty frame features a new fully boxed front section, improving strength and torsional stiffness.

From the boxed section back, the frame uses steel that is 10-percent to 17-percent thicker, with additional gussets providing even more strength and durability in high-stress areas. This is the thickest gauge steel in any pickup.

This strong new frame extends back to an optional new 2.5-inch hitch receiver. This is an increase from the previous 2-inch receiver, and allows the higher conventional tow rating.

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