Some questions about the Heavy Duty

[460Trucker]

Hey guys, I was hoping someone may be able to help me answer these:

1. Were F-250 HD's only manufactured in 1997?

2. I have never seen a 9th generation body style 1997 F-250 that was NOT a Heavy Duty model. Were there regular F-250's made in 1997?

Thanks for the help

 

[DNFXDLI]

If I recall correctly....in 1997, there was both a HD 250 and a light duty 250. I don't know if the HD badge went past the 97.

 

[optikalillushun]

Yup, in 1997 with the new body style F-150 Ford offered basically a heavy half ton, with 7 lug wheels, slightly heavier suspension. So to seperate the two the OBSs were F-250HDs.

So what ya got is a normal OBS F-250.

 

[460Trucker]

Alright. I have seen the Light Duty designation on only the 10th generation body style 1997 F-250's

Thanks for the information guys

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

1997 F250 HD is the same as any other 1992-1996 F250
1997-1998 F250 LD is the same as a 1999-2004 F150 7700

 

[Truckin4life]

F250 HD's were made in the gen 9 run...
But they weren't badged as such, they recieved the standard f250 badging. Depending on what equipment the truck came with you can tell if its an HD, but the easiest way is a quick decode of the vin. I had a 95 f250HD.
Not quite up to the 350, but bigger than a standard 250...

 

[DNFXDLI]

Beg to differ Don...the HD ones had a "heavy duty" emblem on them..friend here has one.

 

[460Trucker]

Ford F-SuperDuty - I would have to disagree. The HD models had a higher weight rating. Standard F-250's had I believe 8,300 pounds. My HD's GVWR is 8,800 pounds.

Don - DNFXDLI is correct about the badging, take a look at my signature for my Heavy Duty. Instead of saying the package such as "XLT" or "Custom" it says "Heavy Duty". I agree, however, with the fact that the HD's are the size between the standard F-250 and F-350.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

Ford F-SuperDuty - I would have to disagree. The HD models had a higher weight rating. Standard F-250's had I believe 8,300 pounds. My HD's GVWR is 8,800 pounds.

Upon further research that's true, but there we're no "normal" F-250s of your body style made in 1997.

 

[Truckin4life]

Beg to differ Don...the HD ones had a "heavy duty" emblem on them..friend here has one.

My vin decoded as a f250HD.
The fender badges just said f250 and had xlt underneath it... Not Heavy duty..

Most interesting...

 

[DNFXDLI]

 

[primetime]

Light duty and heavy duty F-250s go back a ways. In the 80s you could get three levels of F-250, 6800 gvw, 7700 gvw, and 8600 gvw.

6800 and 7700 trucks had semi floating rear axles, 8600s had full floaters. They did not have any emblems that said heavy duty.

Around the 94 model year Ford made all F-250s 8600 gvw. I don`t know whether or not you could still get the lighter gvw.

Now, fast forward to 1996. Ford has gen 9 F-150s, gen 10 F-150s, gen 9 F-250s, and are releasing 7700 gvw gen 10 F-250s. Gen 9 F-250s got a Heavy Duty added to their emblem and on the tailgate, while light duty F-250s where simply badged as such with the trim level.

This was back when a Super Duty badge meant you had a 2wd F-450, not a truck line.

Your truck is a gen 9 over 8600 gvw truck. Nothing more, nothing less. Just a little badge engineering on Fords part to confuse us.

This does remind me of when I worked at Gaylord Ford. A customer had dropped his truck off for service. I finished it, went to find him, he was talking to the sales manager. I said your F-350 is ready sir, whereupon the sales manager looked at me and said SUPER DUTY is ready. I said no, his truck is a 97, not a 99.

 

[460Trucker]

Your truck is a gen 9 over 8600 gvw truck. Nothing more, nothing less. Just a little badge engineering on Fords part to confuse us.

So the Heavy Duty badge is more or less a marketing thing?

Great information, much appreciated

 

[DNFXDLI]

You could get the diesels in the HD version where you could not in the other.

 

[primetime]

That`s a good call on the diesel. Forgot about that. Might have been due to the smoothies I`d had. Or a little dyslexia. Not real sure.

460s where also an over 8600 option.

Don`t worry Mike, your truck is real nice, so it`ll be just fine.

 

[460Trucker]

Thanks Justin! Nothin' like a good 460 with a Flowmaster to start your morning off right

 

[primetime]

That`s a fact! Course, I prefer two Flowmasters, but that`s a minor detail.

Although standing next to a 12-71 Detroiter while it`s being throttled up to full anger is also a hell of a good way to start the day!