March 2008, Work Truck - Cover Story

Ford Gets Tougher with the 2008 Super Duty

By Cindy Brauer

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Driver and front passenger airbags are standard on the Super Duty. An airbag deactivation switch disengages the passenger side airbag when the seat is unoccupied (not included on the Crew Cab).

An additional safety feature available with the 2008 Super Duty is a new rear-view video camera system. With a display mounted in the rear view mirror, the system enhances visibility at the rear of the box, helping drivers maneuver in tight spaces or line up the hitch with a trailer.

Super Duty Proven in Michigan

Ford engineers and technicians put the 2008 Super Duty through rigorous development testing at Ford's new multimillion facility in Rochester, Mich. Hundreds of tests are performed on vehicle components and systems at the facility, which includes high-tech labs featuring robots abusing seats, a tire-squealing conveyer belt, and an 8-foot chamber that houses brake testing that used to occur on the streets of Los Angeles.

The center also features a recreation of the Ford Silver Creek "rough road" in Arizona. Miles of on-road test conditions test vehicle durability, handling, and control.

During a recent Ford "Truth About Trucks" media presentation at the Rochester facility, Work Truck and other reporters tested the Super Duty's hauling, towing, and off-road capabilities. At the wheel of 6.4L diesel-powered F-450s, we easily towed a 20,000-lb.-plus trailer up and over one of Michigan's steepest slopes. Handling the trailer around curves and over rough roads was surprisingly comfortable for even a less-experienced driver.

In another demonstration, we drove down a 7-percent grade carrying 2,500 lbs. in a Super Duty truck bed. The vehicle maintained a slow, steady, and controllable downhill pace, thanks to the Super Duty's TorqShift and tow-haul mode features.

Mother Nature enhanced the Rochester presentation's off-road demonstration with a steady chilly rain, creating an especially realistic mud track. Here, again, the Super Duty forged through the slippery wet mud with in-charge control.

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