2000 Ford F250 Super Duty

 
Four slamming doors, a six foot bed, a direct injected, turbo charged 7.3- liter diesel motor that puts out an impressive 235-horsepower, 500 lbs.- ft. of torque and a gross combined weight rating of over 10 tons, the brand new 2000 Ford F250 Super Duty was our choice for Project Workhorse.

Our objective was, for two months of October and November of 1999, to find a work truck that could “talk the talk and walk the walk” while providing its occupants with a bit of comfort. Ultimately, we needed to find a rig that could tow a gooseneck trailer, a ’77 Jeep, a ’74 Land Cruiser, three people, luggage and more, while providing decent fuel mileage, reliability, plenty of power, good styling and creature comforts. Our list of demands read:

1. Lots of torque – preferably the most available in a passenger truck
2. Big payload / towing capacity – hauling capability in excess of 11,000 lbs. and its ability to do so through mountainous terrain.
3. Long-term reliability
4. Spacious interior – need lots of room for four or more people, luggage, equipment, etc.
5. Fuel Mileage – Need fairly decent fuel mileage when towing, city driving, etc.
6. Decent street driving
7. Some creature comfort – comfortable cloth seats, lots of headroom, hip room, legroom, etc.
8. 4-Wheel Drive – Never know when you might need to venture off-road to recover a broken vehicle.
9. Solid front axle – A solid front axle would provide increased reliability and make lifting the vehicle a snap.
10. Availability of accessories

 

After a month or so of asking questions, talking about diesel versus gasoline motors, test-driving, talking to experts and much deliberation between Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge, we decided first on a diesel motor and then on a 4-wheel drive pickup. After all of this debate, we chose the 2000 F250 Super Duty. With a sticker price of $38,550.00, our truck came with loads of standard amenities, but not too many to prevent it for it’s real purpose: work.

The decision itself was a tough one. Chevrolet, unfortunately, went out of the picture early due to their lack of heavy-duty, light truck options, leaving only Dodge and Ford in the running. The choice from there was pretty tough as the Dodge has a great history for making beefy, long- lasting trucks. Although Dodge can’t boast the torque that Ford can, the Cummins turbo diesel’s torque range starts earlier and lasts a bit longer than the Ford. The Power Stroke however, has a much better throttle response and has much better acceleration throughout its torque and horsepower ranges, in addition the interior of the Ford has considerably more room was a bonus while the simple fact that by comparing classes, the Ford has air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, tilt, cruise and alloy wheel as standard features while these are costly options on the Dodge. Lastly, Ford had some 30 base- model pickups to choose from; Dodge didn’t even come close. Dodge did put up one heck of a fight, but round for round in the showroom ring, the new Ford won the battle.

 

Review

Super Duty; a cocky name that brings forth thoughts of blasting through the mud, towing heavy loads and commercials with bucket loaders dumping several thousand pounds of aggregate into the bed from 10 feet above. With a baseline of some 500 lbs.-ft. of torque and a GVWR of some 12,000 plus pounds, who can argue that name? The Super Duty pickup is a high sitting, stout truck with an aggressive stance and antagonistic lines.

With only a few minor changes to the line up this year such as four-wheel, anti-lock disc brakes, two new interior and exterior colors and power windows and door locks added as standard features to the XLT package, the Super Duty is a combination of creature comfort and sheer working status.

Exterior

What can we say but BIG?
There is no mistaking the new styling of the Super duty series, with its immense size, the aggressive flares and high stance. The 99 ½ to 2000 model transition had no noticeable changes to the exterior, but the 98 to 99 exterior differences were dramatic nonetheless.

Ford did add a set of semi-automatic locking hubs this year. The hubs allow you to drive around in “unlocked” or “automatic” position. The “automatic” position keeps the front-end disengaged until the driver engages 4-wheel drive from inside the cab. Our tests proved that this new feature works well and provided no problems during off-road testing.

Interior

Interior fit and finish rated about an 8.5 on a scale of 1 to 10 but its empirical ratings were much lower. Its cavernous interior allows for six large people and provides more than ample leg, hip, shoulder and headroom, both up front and in the rear seats. A standard illuminated entry feature turns the dome light and cargo light on and dual air bags keep the front seat occupants safe. Two standard 12-volt auxiliary “cigarette” plugs are handy, along with oversized center console / middle front seat. Everything about this truck is big. Shift on the fly 4-wheel drive controls allow the driver to engage 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive lo-range with a twist of the knob.

The four large doors make entry for multiple occupants a snap, and rear leg, hip and shoulder room is equivalent to that of a large sedan. Four reading/ map lights are well placed and provide minimal interference with night driving. The driver’s seat offers a number of adjustments including lumbar support and the passenger front seat has similar adjustments to ensure everyone is comfortable.

The dash, although all too familiar, is well laid out. All controls are well within reach and can be operated with gloved hands. The stereo system has a clear and crisp sound, but lacks in bass and distorts at high volume. The gauges are well positioned, easy to read and provide the driver with vital information in all lighting circumstances with minimal sunlight glare. The overall interior design and usability of the Ford hasn’t changed and is overdue for a makeover. Its lack of empirical features that help other manufacturers tip the charts won’t be found here. No compass, no automatic dimming rearview mirror, no premium sound are here and the list goes on.

 

Engine

The engine is comprised of a direct injected, 7.3 liter turbo diesel motor. The motor is a V8 by design, which helps with producing a bit more horsepower by nature, but advancements were needed as standard inline diesel motors tend to put out more torque. As stated previously, the motor exhales some 500 lbs.- ft. of torque and 235 horsepower. Dual batteries are standard for the diesel motor and dual alternators are an option.

The motor provides great power through all RPM’s and the automatic transmission shifts crisply and without confusion. Additionally, Ford has added a good amount of sound dampening material to the firewall to help quiet things up a bit in the cab and has done a good job at it.

Off Road 

Off the beaten path, the F250 Super Duty’s performance is a bit lacking. The live front and rear axles provided minimal articulation and the truck is a bit top heavy considering its length and width. We expected a bit more frame/bed flex than we saw but this is due to the heavy-duty boxed frame. The steering feedback during off road testing is more than expected and is on the verge of bumpsteer. Hitting a good sized rock with a front tire, even at low speeds, spun the steering wheel out of our hands.

 Our wishes of having a full size rig with a live front axle did come true with a strapping Dana 50 located with leaf springs. This should make for easy lift kit installations.

The off-road traction is better, however, than expected and attacked the steepest hills with minimal wheel slip and little effort. Putting the truck in 4-wheel drive, lo-range provided a fantastic compound ratio even with the 3.73:1 gear ratio.

 

On Road

On road driving is surprisingly pleasant for a 4-wheel drive and a pickup. With a solid front axle and leaf springs all the way around one would expect nothing less than a brutal ride. Not so however, the F250 Super Duty soaks up all but the largest bumps and provides a firm, yet comfortable ride. The steering system lacks badly in steering radius making u-turns nearly impossible.

The 4-wheel, antilock, disc brakes help to stop the big truck quickly and in a straight line. Additionally, the antilock system isn’t affected much by off road testing and high-speed washboard road driving.

The Super Duty handles turns, corners and lane changes better than most full-size trucks and provides minimal body roll and sway.

 

Final impressions

Considering the Ford’s less than perfect off-road performance, we really like the big truck. Its intended purpose is that of towing, hauling and work and the off- road performance was much lower on the list of requirements we had. The interior space is immense and makes talking with your passenger nearly a long distance call.

If you are in the market for a large truck with a spacious and comfortable interior, a truck that can handle well and tow, drag or haul just about anything you can think of, then the Super Duty is for you. We look forward to driving project Workhorse as often as we can.

 

Pros	Cons
500 lbs.-ft. of torque Large payload / hauling capacities Ample interior space New exterior styling Large, easy to operate controls Quieter diesel motor 4 full-size doors Shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive	Wretched steering radius Heavy bumpsteer while off-roading Ageing interior layout Meager ground clearance

 

NOTE: All ratings on a scale of 1 to 4 with flat tires equal to a half.
Description	Notes	Rating
On-Road Performance	The Super Duty handled better on the road than off. It gives the driver a feeling of supremacy and security. Excellent braking characteristics.
Off-Road Performance	All things considered, the truck did as well as expected with a new vehicle and one of that size. Ground clearance is too low, the axles articulate poorly and the limited steering radius will prevent this from seeing any tough trails. Traction, hill climbs and overall off-road comfort was better than expected.
Drivability	The overall driving characteristics of the Super Duty are better than average. The truck offers superior acceleration for a diesel, excellent braking even in off road situations and a comfortable ride while wrapping the driver in a comfortable and easy to manage cockpit.
Comfort	The cavernous interior offers more room than any vehicle in its class. The seats are large and comfortable and offers the driver decent vision.
Appearance	We happen to like the new appearance of the Super Duty truck line. The tall and wide stance, burly lines and large grill give it an aggressive look.
Price in comparison to related vehicles	The Super Duty lineup is quite a bit more expensive than others in its class but comes standard with more amenities. Price as tested, $38,550
Editors Notes	If you are in the market for a large, super strong and well handling truck that can pull, haul, tow or drag just about anything you can think of, the Super Duty is for you….RW

 

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