As many of you are aware, Ford ceased production of Duty models with manual transmission in Canada and the United States after 2010. However, they continued to manufacture these models with manual transmission and clutch in Mexico and Venezuela. Unfortunately, in Venezuela, this production lasted until 2016 when Ford stopped offering heavy truck models there. In Mexico, these models have been in production since 2011, still utilizing the same transmission as the 1999 model. They are only available in the dually F-350 single cab version with the 6.2L engine from the SVT Raptor (there are no 6.7L Powerstroke versions) and in RWD; I couldn’t find any 4x4 options. It’s common for dealers to sell these trucks without the Ford bed, as it is up to the buyer or companies to install a platform of their choice. Ultimately, this was the last Ford heavy vehicle equipped with a manual transmission, as production ended in 2020 with the redesign update. The new generation no longer includes manual transmission options for the 250 and 350 models, with Mexico being the last to offer them from 2011 to 2019.
The 2000 and older F350s in Mexico had a 4-speed manual with reverse up front. First gear was a crawl gear.
Lucas said:
The 2000 and older F350s in Mexico had a 4-speed manual with reverse up front. First gear was a crawl gear.
That sounds perfect for me. I want a granny low overdrive setup behind a late-model engine in my ‘73 F250.
@Harper
They’re great for tough work, but the gas mileage is terrible.
@Harper
Super Duty trucks in the US came with a ZF6 that also had a granny low.
Lucas said:
The 2000 and older F350s in Mexico had a 4-speed manual with reverse up front. First gear was a crawl gear.
That’s cool. I have a final-year Toploader 4-speed in my ‘87 F350 with the 7.5L. I think 1988 was when they switched to 5-speed only.
@Finley
Yeah, Mexico was a bit behind. 1992 was the first year we got the 5.0L EFI.
Lucas said:
@Finley
Yeah, Mexico was a bit behind. 1992 was the first year we got the 5.0L EFI.
That’s crazy. My 7.5L came with a factory 4-barrel Holley. Everything else was fuel-injected by 1988 in the US.
I wonder if Ford thought they could get away with carbureted engines in Mexico, or if the market just preferred them.
@Finley
The market didn’t really demand EFI at the time. F150s and F350s were made in Mexico for the domestic market, and EFI parts were expensive. Fuel injection wasn’t required by law until 1996, when all vehicles had to have EFI and OBDII.
Ford probably wanted to get the most out of their old tooling before making big changes. I know some gas-powered F250s for the US market were made in Mexico in ‘97. That same year, Mexico started getting higher-trim F150s as the ‘Lobo’ model. F150 production in Mexico lasted until around 2010.
@Lucas
That’s really interesting! No matter what differences there are between our countries, at least we can all agree on loving Ford pickups!
It’s so weird seeing a Super Duty interior with a stick shift and no infotainment screen. I was driving our ‘22 farm truck today and while I liked the different driving modes on the 10-speed, I hated having to go through three menus just to change whose phone was connected.
@Howie
There was a time when GPS screens and fancy multimedia weren’t the norm. In Mexico, the F350 was sold as a very basic work truck, while the F250 got more features. It wasn’t until the 2023 model that the F350 finally got a screen.
I wish they’d bring back a basic work truck like this in the US… something actually affordable.
Greyson said:
I wish they’d bring back a basic work truck like this in the US… something actually affordable.
You can’t even order a Super Duty with a manual transfer case anymore. I haven’t seen one newer than 2016.
@Finley
It was an option for 2017 and early ‘18. Here’s a discussion on it: Manual transfer case - Page 2 - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums
Howie said:
@Finley
It was an option for 2017 and early ‘18. Here’s a discussion on it: Manual transfer case - Page 2 - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums
That’s actually cool. I like that it’s cable-driven, like new Jeeps. I converted a Cherokee to a cable-driven transfer case, and it was way smoother than the old linkage setup.
I was told manual T-cases were an option until 2022, but who knows. I bought four new 2019 F250s for my business (4x4 XL regular cab 6.2L), and the dealer told me manual-shift transfer cases would have to be special ordered at MSRP. Didn’t make sense when they were offering discounts on in-stock trucks.
My personal truck is a 2016 XL with every option, including the manual shift transfer case. Love that thing.
@Finley
We had a manual 4x4 transfer case in our 2008 F350 farm truck. It wasn’t even a base model—XLT with some options. Pretty sure if you had a manual transmission, the manual 4x4 was standard.
Howie said:
@Finley
We had a manual 4x4 transfer case in our 2008 F350 farm truck. It wasn’t even a base model—XLT with some options. Pretty sure if you had a manual transmission, the manual 4x4 was standard.
Yeah, you don’t see many 2005+ manual Super Dutys. I swear I saw a nice 99-04 Power Stroke with all the power options and a ZF6.
I’d love to find a 2008-2010 V10 4x4 ZF6 extended cab long bed for personal use. That body style is my favorite.
@Finley
I’ve seen a Lariat ‘08-10 with most of the options and a ZF6. Anything newer than that, the only manual truck I’ve seen was a Laramie Mega Cab Ram at a farm show once.
In Brazil, we had the F350 4x2 and F4000 (4x2 and 4x4) with a 5-speed manual and a 2.8L Cummins until 2019.