Ford customers offer ‘cheat sheet’ dream specs for Super Duty

stacey-nelson-super-duty
Stacey Nelson is responsible for a 3,200-truck fleet for Rapid City, South Dakota

Five Super Duty Insiders – a handful of Ford’s heavy truck customers – have configured their dream pickups and chassis cabs, leaving behind cheat sheet for other fleets in heavy-duty industries

Oil and gas extraction: Ford F-250 Super Duty 4×4 SuperCab XL

Stacey Nelson’s Black Hills Energy fleet of 3,200 trucks are tasked with keeping natural gas and electrical services running for 1.2 million customers across eight states in the Dakota region, often operating in extreme weather conditions and around the clock.

She says durability and value were critical in the design of her all-new Ford F-250 Super Duty dream build.

“The weight Ford saved and reinvested into strengthening the Super Duty frame should result in a truck that lasts longer and is more durable,” she says. “A more durable truck translates into lower costs for us – which we can pass on to our customers.”

Beyond choosing the spacious SuperCab model with 4×4, Nelson selected several features that make her dream F-250 Super Duty XL more capable and comfortable in extreme terrain and weather, including a medium-duty battery, skid plates that cover the transfer case and fuel tank, rear wheel well liner, front and rear mud flaps and an engine block heater.

Nelson also wanted smart driver-assist technology, which included Super Duty’s optional seven cameras that provide a 360-degree view around the truck, and a Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) that alerts crewmembers to vehicles in blind spots for both truck and trailer.

Other key features of this F-250 Super Duty 4×4 SuperCab XL:

  • 2-liter two-valve gas SOHC EFI flex-fuel V8
  • TorqShift-G six-speed SelectShift automatic
  • Single rear wheel
  • 73 electronic locking axle ratio
  • 6 ¾-foot bed
  • 10,000/9,000-pound GVWR package
  • Power equipment group
  • XL value package
  • Tailgate step
  • Bed mat
  • Remote start system
  • Exterior backup alarm
  • Platform running boards
  • Electronic shift-on-the-fly
  • 110-volt, 400-watt inverter outlet
  • Ultimate Trailer Tow camera system
  • Upfitter switches
  • SYNC 3
Jack Mills, owner of Plum Contracting, in Pittsburgh, needs capable work trucks that are still maneuverable.Jack Mills, owner of Plum Contracting, in Pittsburgh, needs capable work trucks that are still maneuverable.

Heavy construction: Ford F-350 Super Duty 4×4 Crew Cab XL

Jack Mills, owner of Pittsburgh-based Plum Contracting, handles heavy-duty construction projects – including building bridges and culverts, and rebuilding roads after landslides – needs a combination of capablility and maneuverablikty from his trucks.

“My trucks are always loaded to capacity with the crew, their tools and equipment for any situation that might develop at a job site that could be as far as 300 miles from home base,” Mills explains. “Plus, they always are towing a trailer or piece of equipment.”

Mills designed his dream F-350 XL Super Duty with 4,340 pounds of payload capacity and 18,000 pounds of towing capacity.

“My job sites are road construction projects that normally have single lane closures, and the single rear wheels keep the truck narrow enough that the barrels don’t need to be moved for them to pass through,” Mills says. “The tailgate-mounted rear camera is a nice safety feature to help prevent back-up accidents and the upfitter switches make it easy for my shop to add additional lights and powered accessories.”

Other key features of this F-350 Super Duty 4×4 Crew Cab XL:

  • 7-liter Power Stroke turbo diesel V8
  • Six-speed SelectShift automatic
  • Single rear wheel
  • 55 electronic locking axle ratio
  • 8-foot bed
  • 11,400-pound GVWR package
  • Power equipment group
  • Heavy front suspension package
  • XL value package
  • BoxLink
  • Remote start system
  • Platform running boards
  • 18-inch Argent-painted steel wheels with painted hub cover and center ornament
  • 18-inch all-terrain tires
  • Heavy-duty vinyl seats
  • 10-minute engine idle shutdown
  • Trailer brake controller
  • Electronic shift-on-the-fly
  • 110-volt AC outlet
  • SYNC 3
At Berges Trenton Awning, based in Pleasantville, New Jersey, service crews drive chassis cabs outfitted with 9-foot and 11-foot utility bodies to haul tools, supplies and samples.At Berges Trenton Awning, based in Pleasantville, New Jersey, service crews drive chassis cabs outfitted with 9-foot and 11-foot utility bodies to haul tools, supplies and samples.

Manufacturing: Ford F-350 Super Duty Chassis Cab 4×2 SuperCab XL

At Berges Trenton Awning, based in Pleasantville, N.J., service crews drive chassis cabs outfitted with 9-foot and 11-foot utility bodies to haul tools, supplies and samples. The company is currently revising its fleet to accommodate a growing workforce and is moving from standard-cab to extended-cab trucks.

Nate Berges, Berges Trenton Awning vice president, says the company sends out two or three-man crews to most jobs, and was pleased that the 2017 Super Duty added six inches of additional space in the SuperCab compared to the outgoing model.

“That’s a serious improvement our guys will appreciate the moment they jump in,” he says. “The dual-rear-wheel trucks are great because we actually gain room in our utility bodies because of the extra rear-end width. More width means more tools and supplies.”

Berges’ F-350 Super Duty dream build includes the 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo diesel V8 engine, which reflects the fleet’s shift to diesel in its quest for less engine noise and greater horsepower and torque.

“We buy XLs with the power equipment package,” he says. “It helps us stretch our dollars, and gives us power windows, locks, fobs and other convenience features that create an awesome truck for our crew members.”

Other key features of this F-350 Super Duty Chassis Cab 4×2 SuperCab XL:

  • 7-liter Power Stroke turbo diesel V8
  • Six-speed SelectShift automatic
  • Dual rear wheel
  • 73 non-limited-slip axle
  • XL value package
  • Privacy glass
  • Fixed-glass rear window
  • Dual extra-heavy-duty 332-amp alternators
  • Platform running boards
  • Trailer brake controller
  • Rapid-heat supplemental cab heater
  • 110-volt, 400-watt outlet
Tim Pope, CEO of Terry Tree Service in Rochester, New York, needs trucks that are just as capable off-road in forested acreage as they are on the highway.Tim Pope, CEO of Terry Tree Service in Rochester, New York, needs trucks that are just as capable off-road in forested acreage as they are on the highway.

Forestry: Ford F-350 Super Duty 4×4 Crew Cab XL

Tim Pope, CEO of Terry Tree Service in Rochester, N.Y., spends a lot of time off-road in forested acreage and on the New York highways and he wants a truck that can handle both. Pope configured a dream F-350 Super Duty with available factory-installed amber LED warning strobe lights for his fleet, which specializes in residential tree care, commercial land clearing, storm disaster reclamation and wood resource recovery.

Pope adds he needs the 11,400-pound GVWR rating to transport tools and equipment for our job sites, and chose the transfer case and fuel tank skid plates for off-road, right-of-way work.

In addition to the backup alarm and rear camera for safety, Pope added features that save money and time – including factory-installed upfitter switches.

“The 10-minute engine idle shutdown will help us save fuel,” he says. “We’ve found features like the trailer brake controller and upfitter switches work best when they’re installed at the factory.”

Other key features of this F-350 Super Duty 4×4 Crew Cab XL:

  • 7-liter Power Stroke turbo diesel V8
  • TorqShift six-speed SelectShift automatic
  • Single rear wheel
  • 55 non-limited-slip axle ratio
  • 6 ¾-foot bed
  • 11,400-pound GVWR package
  • Heavy-service front suspension package
  • XL value package
  • Tough spray-in bed liner
  • Exterior backup alarm
  • 18-inch Argent-painted steel wheels with painted hub cover and center ornament
  • 110-volt, 400-watt AC inverter outlet 
Josh Morris’ F-350 dual-rear-wheel configuration is built for serious towing and hauling with a fifth-wheel and gooseneck hitch prep package, BoxLink and LED box lighting.Josh Morris’ F-350 dual-rear-wheel configuration is built for serious towing and hauling with a fifth-wheel and gooseneck hitch prep package, BoxLink and LED box lighting.

Electric, gas and sanitation: Ford F-350 Super Duty 4×4 Crew Cab XL

Josh Morris, an independent power grid electrician based in Atlanta, used his drea spec to replace one of the larger trucks in his fleet without sacrificing capability.

“A new Super Duty would be a crew work truck that could tow equipment, get hammered and pounded on a daily basis, and still go to lunch,” he says.

Morris’ F-350 dual-rear-wheel configuration is built for heavy towing and hauling with a fifth-wheel and gooseneck hitch prep package, BoxLink and LED box lighting.

“The integration Ford has done with the trailer brake controller and hitch means there’s no downtime to get that stuff installed, we just pick it up at the dealer and go” Morris says. “And the operator-commanded regeneration is really important because it lets the operator clean the exhaust by pushing a button.”

Other key features of this F-350 Super Duty 4×4 Crew Cab XL:

  • 7-liter Power Stroke turbo diesel V8
  • TorqShift six-speed SelectShift automatic
  • Dual rear wheel
  • 10 limited-slip axle ratio
  • 8-foot bed
  • Power equipment group
  • XL value package
  • Exterior backup alarm
  • Dual extra-heavy-duty alternator
  • Rearview camera
  • LED roof marker and clearance lamps
  • LED box lighting
  • 110-volt, 400-watt AC inverter outlet
  • Upfitter switches
  • Cloth 40/mini-console/40 seats