DETROIT – I spent a week test driving a real truck; Ford’s 2011 F-Series Super Duty 4X4 Crew Cab. I had the F-250. There’s an F-350 as well as an F-450. All of them are or should be working trucks.
By that I mean if you’re looking for a truck as personal transportation, then Ford’s F-Series Heavy Duty trucks are not for you. When it comes to Ford trucks for personal use, stick to the F-150 Series.
Anyway, the second item to be aware of with a heavy duty as well as with any pickup truck is the climate in which you drive. There was a ton of snow in Detroit during my week-long test drive. And those of us who lived on side streets were left pretty much to fend for ourselves as snow plows concentrated on the major thoroughfares and the expressways.
My point is that my Ford Super Duty had a dickens of a time getting down the slush filled side streets. It wasn’t until I switched the F-250 from 4X2 to 4X4 High Boy that I could get down the street. The reason is that though pickup trucks are powerful and rugged, all the weight is in the front when the bed is empty.
And since I didn’t have several hundred pounds to haul around in the bed of my test truck, I found myself switching between 4X2 and 4X4 when needed. The fact that the F-250 could do it on the fly, meaning when the truck was moving, made my driving experience less challenging.
My test vehicle was powered by a 6.2-liter V8 that made 385 horsepower and 405 foot-pounds of torque. That engine was mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift capability. The truck would also operate on flex fuel (ethanol).
The drive train gave the 2011 F-Series Super Duty the capability to tow 24,400 pounds or tote 7,070 pounds in the bed. That’s what I mean when I say the F-Series Heavy Duty pickup truck is a work truck.
You just don’t need that kind of capability to take the kids to a soccer match or to go to the grocery store.
Still, the crew cab could hold five full-grown men without a problem, or a work crew which is what I think most crew cab trucks are built for.
The truck offered the capability to tow from inside the bed. It could be outfitted with what Ford said is the first factory-installed fifth wheel and gooseneck attached directly to the frame.
The Heavy Duty pickup could also monitor the truck’s motion with a trailer attached. If the trailer is swaying the truck can automatically apply “precise” braking and reduce engine torque to reduce sway.
All Ford Heavy Duty pickups are equipped with hill start assist that applies brakes to prevent roll back especially when towing, hill descent that uses the accelerator and the brakes to set and then hold speed when descending, an electronic differential which forces the rear wheels to turn at the same speed providing maximum traction, tire pressure monitoring and optional side air bags and curtain air bags.
My test truck had some creature comforts like satellite radio, steering wheel mounted audio controls, rearview camera, a Sync voice-activated system, Bluetooth, a power sliding rear window and reverse vehicle aid sensor.
Burl chrome tubular cab steps (running boards), power trailer tow mirror jacks and a storable bed extender reinforce the true intent for the 2011 Ford F-Series Heavy Duty. At $45,245 my F-250 was meant for heavy lifting.
Frank S. Washington is managing partner/editor of AboutThatCar.com.
