For many of us, there’s nothing quite as stylish, functional, and capable as a full-size truck when it comes to getting around town or tackling some work. The Ford F-150 is a favorite for many people due to how well it combines great features inside and out with impressive power that’s built for just about anything. But if you’re looking for a truck that can surpass the performance and capability of the F-150, then it might be time to check out a Ford Super Duty for sale. The Super Duty models, along with the F-150, make up the Ford F-Series of trucks, the most popular and best-selling trucks in America since the Reagan era.
Considering how competitive the truck market is, that’s saying something, but knowing whether a Super Duty model is right for you isn’t always easy—like many other aspects of shopping for a pickup. So today, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at the 2024 Ford Super Duty models, mostly the F-250 and F-350 options, to see what they offer. Then, you should have a pretty good sense of whether one of these models should be on the short list for your next truck.
What Distinguishes the Super Duty Models?
This is a great question to start with; it’s always a good idea to have a sense of why you might pick one vehicle over others or why it might work better for you. All of the F-Series trucks are full-size models that can be perfect for taking care of everything you need throughout the week and enjoying the weekend. By and large, the primary factor that sets the Super Duty models apart is that they can handle towing and payload beyond what the F-150 can do. The F-Series consists of several different models: the F-150, F-250, F-350, and F-450 (though most folks aren’t going to get the most from an F-450). The Super Duty trucks are those latter three that handle weight that can be far beyond what the F-150 can do (as you’re about to see when we dig into them).
The 2024 Ford F-250: Bold and Stylish
If you like the style and performance of the F-150 but need more power from your truck, then the F-250 is a great one to consider. For the sake of comparison, keep in mind that the 2024 F-150 can handle up to 2,445 lbs of maximum payload capacity or up to 13,500 lbs of maximum towing when properly equipped. I should also mention that the F-150 has numerous engines available, starting with a 325-hp 2.7L turbocharged V6, along with a variety of hybrid options. Finally, remember that you have three different bed lengths available for the F-150 these days, from about five feet long up to eight feet in length.
Looking at the F-250, we can quickly see some important differences in the kind of power it delivers and how that translates into its capabilities when trying to get some work done. For one thing, the F-250 has fewer engines available than the F-15; however, it starts with an impressive 6.8L V8 that delivers 405 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque. So, right out the gate, it’s built for power. There’s a 7.3L V8 available, along with two versions of a 6.7L Power Stroke turbo-diesel, including a High Output one that delivers 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. So, just looking at the engines, we can see that what’s on offer with the F-250 is far more powerful and built with massive capability in mind.
Towing capacities and payload are where the Ford Super Duty trucks get intense. The F-250 has, at minimum, 14,800 lbs of towing capability—again, that’s the absolute lowest maximum towing you’ll find with this truck. If you choose a configuration that’s designed for the best towing possible, then the 2024 F-250 can handle up to 23,000 lbs of maximum towing capacity. That’s a massive difference from the F-150 and tells us everything we need to know. Maximum payload with the F-250 can be up to 4,268 lbs when properly equipped, so you also get far more capability in terms of how much weight you can load onto your truck.
In addition to all of this power and capability, the F-250 is just generally built with getting work done in mind. Only two beds are available for it, over six feet in length or about eight feet long, and the trim levels are a bit more streamlined. That being said, you still have a huge number of options available to you to customize an F-250 and get everything you want on it. But overall, this is a truck built for hard work.
The 2024 Ford F-350: Incredible Capability
If you’re looking for even greater power and capability, then you need to check out the Ford F-350, which is designed to take things to another level entirely. The F-350 has a lot in common with the F-250, including the same engine options, bed lengths, and similar features inside and out. In fact, at a quick glance it would be pretty easy to confuse some F-350 models with the F-250 since they share so many design details. What truly sets the F-350 apart, however, is that it’s available with a dual rear-wheel (DRW) setup rather than the single rear-wheel (SRW) configuration that is the only option for the F-250 (and the F-150).
By choosing a DRW model with a pair of wheels on either side of the rear axle, you can massively boost how well this truck handles weight. For starters, when properly configured, an F-350 model can handle up to 8,000 lbs of maximum payload thanks to DRWs supporting more weight in the truck’s bed. In terms of conventional towing, the F-350 can handle up to 30,000 lbs when properly equipped with a DRW setup. That’s an incredible boost compared to the 22,000 lbs that the F-250 can pull behind it and more than doubles the maximum weight of the F-150.
Going one step further, the DRW setup is also excellent for gooseneck or fifth-wheel towing since it strengthens the rear axle to handle more weight. The F-250 tops out at 23,000 lbs of maximum gooseneck towing. But if you go with a DRW F-350 and the right configuration, then it can handle up to 40,000 lbs of gooseneck towing. Not only is that far more than the F-250 but you can see that it’s also significantly more than what the F-350 can do with conventional towing. That’s the difference the DRW setup makes.
The 2024 Ford F-450: Power, Elevated
I should briefly touch on the F-450, which is the top model in the Super Duty lineup. What mostly sets this one apart is that it comes with a DRW configuration standard, rather than having it as an available option like the F-350. So you can see a process of adding greater capability by bringing more to this selection of trucks. The F-450 offers the same maximum conventional and gooseneck towing as the F-350 with a DRW setup, so if that’s something you’re interested in, then it can be just as easy to look for an F-450 model rather than a DRW F-350. Note, however, that the F-450 is only offered with a diesel engine, but that’s likely what you’re looking for anyway if you’re interested in this kind of truck.
Which Truck Is Right for You?
In the end, this is the question that matters most. Every truck in the Ford F-Series is great, so you can’t go wrong with any of them, but it comes down to what will meet your needs and work for you. The standard F-150 is a great choice for most drivers and it’s what most people pick; but if you want greater capability, then check out the Super Duty models. An F-250 gives you greater power and capability than the F-150, while the F-350 adds the option of a DRW setup for incredible muscle, and the F-450 boils things down to a standard DRW configuration and diesel engines to put towing and payload at the forefront. With all of this in mind, you’re now equipped to go out there and choose the perfect truck that you’ll enjoy for many years to come.
