I have decide on a 550 chassis for my service truck the ? Now is gas or diesel about 30000mile a year or more. When the truck is a full weight can the gas engine handle acceleration and the abuse. Neither truck will idle separate engine driven compressor and generator. How are the 6.7 holding up heard a few story's of them blowing turbos and coolant out the tailpipe. Look at dodge and I hate the mirrors and the interior. Thanks for your help
the gas engine does decent, everyone i talk to with a gas 550 is getting 10-14mpg which is comparable with the new diesel. and they were 7K cheaper and run on a cheaper fuel. at least around here.
I just bought a 2013 F350 with the 6.7, has 2K miles on it. It's a CC, 4x4 LWB. I pull a gooseneck and bumper pull trailers moving skids and mini's around. So far it's been a great truck but I don't have any miles on it yet. This truck is the most powerful Ford I have bought - including a handful of 7.3's. It will bark the tires stock if your heavy on the accelerator. Towing wise it's the strongest and smoothest truck I have had. Retail the diesel option is $7K more but once you negotiate and use any available rebates and incentives the actual price is around $4K - at least that is what I found out looking at gas vs diesel models. If it were me I would go with the diesel.
you cant beat a diesel in terms of reliability, durability and power. Plus tons of aftermarket parts in the diesel world.
even with the new emission systems i heard that the blow up transmission and go though turbo every 5000-10000 mile
Have you just heard about it or is it documented?
U tube video and first hand experience with a friend pickup
The company I work for just bought 10 new trucks, not a one is diesel. Reason. Down time and cost of parts for the diesels. We have one V10 gas in one of our shop trucks, a little gutless on the steep mountain logging roads but other then that just keeps ticking. The diesels have the power on the hills but spend lots of time in the shop, not out in the field making money. We have company gas pump so no idea what the fuel economy is like. I just drive LOL I'm a diesel guy, but when my 98 chevy 6.5 dies, I'm going back to gas. The new diesels are way to complicated, too many things to go wrong and the price of repairs is scary. They just replaced a set of EGR coolers on one of the trucks at work, crazy. The bad part is there are several more with the same problem. Just my $0.02 worth:beatsme
Yair . . . Us from Oz just look at this thread in amazement . . . a V10 petrol engine in a work truck . . . C'mon? Cheers.
Riay . . . Us in the U.S. like to actually use our trucks for something and get it done today.
stay away from the 550 UNLESS you have money to burn..The injector and turbo cost alone,.. will put in the poor house...JMHO
Will the truck regularly pull a trailer any distance, or just haul itself around? The gas seems to be the way to go with reliability and cost. If you are set on diesel, Chev seems to be the way to go these days, or maybe move up to a small International or Freightliner.
what about cummins if the diesel is the way to go for the weight i bet there are aftermarket mirrors for the truck. if the other truck breaks it will tow a 15000lbs trailer
I had been pricing out new 550 sized trucks and the international terra star's are right in the ballpark, and you are going to be able to order them with 4X4 in a month or so. The only problem is that then you have a maxcrap engine. Apparently they are either bad or terrible, when it comes to the emissions crap on them. I don't have one, I'm just going by what my mechanic friends are telling me. There is an oil field electrical service company around here that is running Gas engines in there F350 service trucks. No problems to speak of. Replaced the odd alternator, and water pump, but nothing like there diesels. they had a couple of 6 and 6.4 litres and they were always fixing something. I think some of there gas trucks have close to 400,000Km on them now, so durability doesn't seem to be an issue. Milage isn't something they worry about to much I don't think many of the operator shut there trucks off while there working, probably run 8-10hrs in a 12 hr shift.
Some random thoughts... I have a GMC pickup with the Duramax diesel. Great truck, great power, and its been very reliable so far. I put almost 30,000 miles on it in the last year and thats with some fairly agressive programming and a heavy foot. Fires right up on the coldest days and it gets 18.5 mpg running empty. I'm a welder, i have a couple thousand pounds of equipment, and i haul a few more thousands pounds of steel on the trailer. Oh and i plow too. For me the extra expense of the diesel paid for itself with all the miles i drive. At the day job, our ford diesels have been falling apart. Our F550 service truck (6.0 diesel) has less than 80k miles and it has had two turbos and a set of injectors. The foreman have F350s with 6.0 diesels and it has been the same. High pressure oil pumps, injectors, turbos and all these trucks have less than 100k. We have a newer 6.4 that hasnt had any problems yet but we havent had it that long. Now im not trying to bash the Ford guys (proud former 7.3 powerstroke owner right here!) but i use all these parts expenses as an example. If your keeping it close to home, maybe not hauling at full capacity every day, or plan on keeping the truck for less than 100k, the gas motor is probably the way to go. Even if you blow the motor, i bet you could replace or rebuild it for less than the diesel option. Im a diesel guy through and through but parts are rediculous these days. Tubros, hpop's, and injectors are all rediculous. Maybe spark plugs arent so bad after all...
i am building a Aluminium and i want the truck to last 20 years i need a good chassis to put the body on what is the best out there
Can't imagine any new vehicle lasting 20 years now days the way they are built (ie plastic bumpers) We have 3 2012 F550 service trucks with the 6.7 and not one problem yet. I love my truck and have no complaints. One has about 30,000km, other 20,000km and mine is around 3000 kms. They all average close to 8500 kg normal operating weight and pound up and down logging roads. Time will tell but so far any problems with the truck have been due to the service body install (crushed fuel lines, pinched sensor wiring). Also the continental factory tires are garbage and after about 15 flats between the first 2 trucks they got new tires.
Wouldnt touch a Ford with a diesel in it if Henry Ford himself built it and personally delivered it. I have had 3 Fords with 6.0 and 6.4L engines and they have all been trouble all the way. Not bashing the 7.3 by any means just the newer stuff. At this point when Ford has screwed me not once but twice on warranty issues i would never ever ever ever buy a Ford product again. Not that they build a bad product in general but its their tactics i dont like. There are way too many options out there to even consider one in my opinion. Just my take on it, not trying to upset anyone........... Its a debate as old as time!!! In order 1) Isuzu NPR 2) Dodge 5500 3) International as mentioned before 4) Chevy 5500 (if they still make those) 5) Chevy 3500 with suspension upgrade if necessary 6) Peterbilt, Kenworth if pocketbook can handle it!
What kind of service vehicle are you building? One built for on highway trucks that is going to be working on the side of the road? Or a construction/logging service truck. Do you need 4x4 or would 2wd do?
4x4 with a 12 foot body to support day to day use in a home building and excavation company
I would avoid the little international, it uses the same 6.4L as the last generation fords did. They have just as many problems in the internationals as the fords. Only difference is they whole hood tilts up so you don't have to lay on a radiator support every other day to fix it. As for the Chevy, they are a cute ladies truck. The run strong but the frames, and suspensions just aren't to the same level as the fords or even the new dodges. they just don't handle the weight physically as well as the others. I'm a dyed in the wool ford guy but if I had to buy a new diesel service truck I would look long and hard at the dodge 5500. that's IF you have a dealer close to you that's willing to work on the damn things. Not every dodge dealer will. IF you got the dough I would put the two Paccar products above all else. A 335 pete or a T-300 KW with the rebadged Cummins as a PX-6 and a REAL Allison, air brakes and air ride would be a 20 year truck
a little late here but just found this thread. i bought a new sterling (dodge) bullet (5500) in 2008 with 4x4 service body with 6k crane and compressor and welder. showed up empty at 17000 lbs!!! after tools installed i was 19,000 lbs legal was 19500lbs. i got rid of it after owning it for two years because it was illegal overweight all of the time and super scarry to drive because the back end suspension was super soft, it rolled worse than a half full water truck. i once towed a 246 cat skid steer with it for 3 hours at 36,000 lbs and it never even slowed down on the hills or heated the tranny, the power (cummins) is amazing........theironoracle
i am running a 2011 ford 550 4x4 with the new 6.7 diesel. i have 65,000 miles on it with no trouble at all. this truck has a 11 foot service box with 6k lb crane,welder and air compressor. i love the this truck, but like theironoracle said it is near 17000lbs empty.
Why would you buy a gas Ford when you can buy a diesel Dodge
Just got a 13 F550 with the 6.7 with 11ft Knaphiede bed with a stellar crane. Only complaint so far is the PTO noise at idle. According to a TSB paper the "chatter" is "normal".
its NOT normal & chelsa or muchie has shims for it to fix that noise
Shadow2, Did you ever build your truck? If you did, how about a few pics.
no the 550 was to small for all the tool and cargo i wanted to carry so i went with a 03 350 cab chassis bullet proof the engine and a 12000lbs cargo trailer 7x14 feet. the truck will hold 3 tons cargo with 100 gallons of diesel and have all work light and warning lights it should be done by april the trailer will hold 5 tons of tools and you don't have to drive everywhere with the tool on the truck
14k miles on the odometer and no problems with the turbo, guess I got lucky..
DONT SAY THAT TO LOUD!!!! lol
looking back at the 550 with an 11 foot Summit body with a trail blazer 302 air pack 110 gallon fuel tank reels: 50ft 3/4in, 200ft 10/3 electric, 2/0 150ft welding leads, 150ft twin torch reel, 125ft 1/2 air reel: all hannay reel 50in side height with a lumber rack amber and blue warning light system 2 whelen pioneer pole light mount on front of the bed, 2 pioneer micro bed light, 2 pioneer slime line on the back of the bed lumma bar compartment and under body lights how does that look for the truck spec i was not going to do any drawers i was wonder what is a good jumper pack to carry for both 12v and 24v machines any other ideas of what i should carry would be great this is the first truck the company is setting up to be able to take care of the machines as well the normal demo and excavation work
well guys im still running my 2011 550 ford. im at 82,000 miles. not motor or tans problems at all. great truck so far.
has any body put a winch bumper on the front of a service truck
My personal choice would be a Ranchand with a 15k lb winch mount. Had one on my '06 F350 that a VW bug totaled. The bumper didn't give much but it did bend the frame horns, totaled the truck.
I have installed several brands of winch bumpers on every model pickup truck. the very best I have installed/witnessed hitting a car, & pulling a F550 out of the mud up to the hubs was a Ramsey!! (yes the truck was abused but it was a fleet truck) that bumper could take a lick & keep on ticking had the 15000# winch mounted in it.
Are you not able to get the truck closer to the machine than these distances???
Inside a house
Huh???
when i have to work inside of a basement of a house we are building
Ok, got it.
i was just wonder why the drawers don't go to the top of the compartment
One thing I would recommend is on the welding leads, buy a 25' roll of #1 or 2 cable and cut it in half, then put a stinger and a ground clamp on the ends of those. That way, you've got a 12' whip of lighter, more flexible cable to use then having to carry the monsters. I think mine are #2, and have the TWECO style connectors on them.
We are looking at getting a 10 wheel hook lift with room for a 15 foot body Has any ever built a roll off service body the hydrlic system will be there already and weight won't be an issue just wonder if the tool would go flying when you pick it
Shadow, if the drawers went to the top, you wouldn't be able to see in them.
So is it safe to say Ford has finally found a diesel design that survives, the current 6.7?
Yes the Army has a roll-off palletized tool system called the "Forward repair System" COmes with power generation, Air, hydraulics a grove crane and a snap-on tool load. Pretty impressive set-up. Here's a link to some ics of one or just google the name and you get a ton of hits. http://www.flickr.com/photos/vaguardpao/7394811892/in/photostream/ Not sure who the soldiers are in the photos but its a couple of decent views of the set up.
I hope so. My 350 is almost a year old with 17K miles and no problems so far except for the drivers side seat belt wouldn't retract all the way. (Knocks on wood.. ) That is a slick set up. That will be something to watch on the gov't auctions when they retire those units.
the new fords seem pretty damned good. Other than software that says somethings wrong when its not the only Achilles heel is they absolutely completely and totally cannot handle bad fuel. One batch of bad fuel will trash the entire injection system to the tune of 12K