Fifth Wheelin'
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Thursday, October 11, 2007

Ford Super Duty 450 for 2008 BIG 5er Puller

RVers who want to pull those really BIG fifth wheels may want to look into Ford's 2008 truck offerings. The new 450 Super Duty is now rated to tow a fifth wheel up to 24,500 pounds. Partly responsible for this capacity is Ford's 'souping up' the Power Stroke diesel engine to 6.4 liters, and rating it at 350 horsies under the hood.

One nice addition we spotted was the change in the fuel injection system. If you've ever sat around in the cold waiting for a glow plug light to give you the go-ahead, Ford says even at 20 below Fahrenheight you'll only have to wait 2 seconds to start. Our raggedy old Ford makes us wait several seconds on what Arizonans would describe as a chilly morning--and that's far from anywhere near that moribund 20 below stuff.

Another wrinkle? Integrated trailer braking. Integrated as you don't need to buy and install an after market trailer brake control--Ford's is tied into the ABS system that Ford says "synchronizes" the truck brakes and trailer brakes. This I gotta see.

To read more opinion and puff, check out a story found Indiana's Star Press.

Photo courtesy /www.fordvehicles.com

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posted by Russ and Tiña De Maris at 3:54 PM

5 Comments:

  • We pull a 2007 Carriage Royals International with our 2008 F450. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable experience, with the exception of an issue with the tow package giving us the rather disconcerting 'Trailer disconnected' error.

    This is a well-documented issue with compatibility between Ford and the manufacturer of our trailer braking system being the crux of the matter.

    So far, this does not appear to be a safety issue, but we are leaving no stone unturned to rectify.

    We are posting on the Trailer Life Open Roads forum with several other unwilling participants in this problem, at http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/20454304.cfm

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:52 PM  

  • Amen brother. I have the same with my 07 F350, and we ain't alone.

    As for ABS for the trailer, a friend pointed out the illogic of this claim. ABS is based on braking on each wheel based on slippage detected by the wheel sensor. You got a sensor on each trailer wheel? Me neither. Ha!

    By Blogger Bruce and Jenna, at 8:59 PM  

  • I have an 07 F-350 and I have the same problem with one trailer. I have decided that it is not in the trucks intergrated brake control, but that it must be a short in the trailer. I can pull my 5th wheel with no problems, my 10 ft dump trailer no problems, but when I hook up to my snowmobile trailer is when I start having problems with the trailer disconnected error.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:00 PM  

  • Hi, im italian, i just found y blog and it's absolutely fantastic immediately added to my favorites!

    Thank you!!

    By Blogger enry, at 12:06 AM  

  • To the people who have the trailer disconnected warning, Ford has an internal investigation going on with that problem,but are not telling the public. I had the same problem on mine which I just turned back in with 117,000 miles on it. I didn't know about this until I got the 2008 warranty list from the dealer that tells everything that has been warrantied on your individual truck. The dearler will not give this to you unless you ask for it.The problem with my harness, was it shorted the brake wire and I didn't have any trailer brakes.It also wouldn't charge the battery in the trailer.Hold on to your hats because the worst is yet to come! GOOD LUCK!

    By Anonymous John Fletcher, at 3:26 PM  

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