2010 Ford F-Series Super Duty

There is all sorts of fervor out there today about economies of scale, cash crunching and downsizing. It’s almost rather trendy for some folks to point at what they perceive as excess and then berate it. But what’s that old saying about walking a mile in someone’s shoes? Often times there’s a truly big need for brute and brawn. Just ask the guy who has to drive off-road to a construction site in a truck heavily laden with tools and equipment, or a rancher with a 40-foot long gooseneck trailer that’s mandatory to move livestock. Or ask the guy down the street with the big bass boat or the racer down the road with the triple axle fifth wheel trailer. Those people will be the first to tell you that the capability of their truck is more important than any other attribute to them.

Super Duty Says It All

The truth is, when it comes big payloads or heavy trailers, you can’t ask a station wagon, small SUV or front-wheel-drive commuter car to do the job. You can’t even ask a light-duty truck to do your bidding. You need a truck that’s ready, willing and able to work, any hour of the day and under any conditions. That’s where Ford’s Super Duty pickup lineup enters the equation. The Ford Super Duty is the most capable pickup in North America, offering a huge array of configurations and powertrain packages. The idea here is to provide the end user with a truck that can be configured precisely to the task at hand (more later).


Ford introduced the Super Duty lineup over 10 years ago. The idea was to separate the lighter duty F150 team from the heavy-duty pickups. Effectively, they created two different truck lines. Some questioned the decision, but now, almost a decade later, it looks like a stroke of genius. It’s clear the buyer (and the mission) for a big heavy-working truck is decidedly different from the one who buys a pickup to run errands or uses a small portion of its capability.

Big Payloads = Big Capabilities

So what’s the 2010 Super Duty like? First and foremost, you’ll never mistake the truck for anything else on the road: The nose features a tough, deep double size grille flanked on each side by lowset stacked headlamps. The bumper is thick and carries wide nostrils for tow hooks and air intake. Each front fender incorporates a heavily arched wheel well topped with a side vent. Mirrors are engineered for towing, and that means they’re large and purposeful (they fold and they’re telescopic). Door handles are vertical, with cutouts suited to big, gloved hands. Window glass is cut low on the flanks, allowing for maximum visibility. Single rear-wheel models offer built-in fender flares on the rear that mirror those on the nose in shape. Dual rear wheel incorporate composite rear fenders covering the extra-wide rolling stock. Out back, the center of the rear bumper has a deep cutout to allow for stepping over the end-gate. Equally important (to us at least) is the optional, class exclusive step that folds out of the tailgate when opened.


Clever? Certainly. Useful? Absolutely. It should be noted that box lengths and cab configurations are pretty much up to you. Need a short box crew cab? It’s available. Need a work truck with a standard cab and an eight-foot box? No problem. Need backseat room and dual wheels and a short box? Specify a Supercab with that equipment. Need a two-wheel-drive truck? Simple. Just ask. Need a 4x4? Easy. Need a 4x4 with dual rear wheels? Ford has you covered. There’s an almost staggering choice of configurations and Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)/Towing capabilities. So many, we can’t list them here. Suffice to say, whatever your heavy duty pickup truck needs are, the Super Duty can accommodate them.

Inside Story

Inside, the Super Duty mimics the outside when it comes to choices: You can specify anything from a base work truck with vinyl seats and flooring (XL models) right up to a King Ranch model complete with leather trimmed captain chairs. Options are considerable, but so are standard features.