PLEASE SCROLL DOWN AS MY QUESTION HAS CHANGED>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Well folks, I need some input. I currently have a 1996 F-350 460 4 speed 42,000 original miles. I am always overloaded from a legal GVW standpoint. I absolutely love the truck but need more capacity. I found a 1999 F-550 Gas Co. truck with 120,000 miles and needs engine help, bad dead miss. It may need an engine $3000 and some change completed by local trusty shop. The truck has a 3500lb, 22' reach knuckle boom with a slick hydro system on the auto tranny. It was a welding truck and the bed is shot but the truck is generally in good shape as is the boom.
Question one: I am not a hyped up diesel guy, what the word on the street as to the V-10? I LIKE GAS ENGINES, mind you.
Question two: The auto tranny is fine but what about that for dependability?
I have really wanted a F-550 extended cab 4X4, this is a comprimise as it is a standard cab, and two wheel drive, but has the GVW I need. I cant afford $25-50,000 bucks. The price is $8000 truck alone or $10,000 with the boom. How about some input? I will be putting my 12' army truck bed (w/flip down sides) on it. I do have a 3200lb 17' electric Ventoro telescoping crane in my current bed.
Thanks in advance, Reid Crosby
The truck is in good shape except for the engine?
That price is SWEET!
You don't want it, give me the #! ;)
You own oil co stock ???
Brian
Well, from what I've been reading, unloaded the gas milage is on pare with what my V6 Explorer is getting.
I just don't have the option to handle a load when needed. :-\
This one you would have to factor in a loss for the boom weight though.
As to oil co. stock, you just got to make it pay when you run it. My F-350 gets 8-10 mpg, a friends Dad has a V10 and gets 11mpg. Another guy with a new F350 powerstroke gets 13 over the road with a trailer, he paid $42,000 for the truck. I would much rather put the money in fuel as I drive 10,000 miles a year and don't want that $$$$ overhead. AND YES, My wifes family is heavily into oil stock as my father-in-law worked for Citgo for 40 years before he died at 62 (never really got to enjoy retirement). Thanks for the input.
Furby, EXACTLY. I had a f-250 extended cab 4x4 and got 8 mpg, so why not get the GVW you need, just FILLER UP!!! And while gas is volitile price wise the American public winers will pressure the politians to keep it low. Diesel cost seems to be unrelated to public outcry and hard to find in some areas, plus they are noisy and the odor gives me a headache. Then there is the upfront cost of the diesel, maintaince costs and it may be hard to find someone to work on them. Give me GAS!
Reid
Reid, my biggest concern for you is the rearend ratio in the truck. To me that is the most important and following is the transmission. I had the lowest geared rearend I could get, put in my F450, with an Allison automatic 5 speed. With the lower gear system you are not as likely to tear the rearend up and the Allison has been really bulletproof for me over the last 5 years. I had the truck built to my specks, due to the heavy loads I carry and pull. I have a Chelsey power takeoff on the Allison for dumping.
I dunno about the F-550, sounds like a great price, but if you get it and want to sell the F-350, give me a shout - I'm looking for one.
First I admit to being a diesel guy all the way.
I have a friend that did not want the powerstroke diesel when he bought a new F-350 so he got the V-10. He pulls a livestock trailer every day. After just three months, he took a big hit and traded that V-10 for a powerstroke diesel and said he just couldn't afford the gas for that V-10. He said that with a good load behind the mileage was really bad. There is a good reason that heavy over the road trucks are all diesels. If you change the oil, filters, and put good fuel in the diesels they will out perform, outlast, and give you more torque than any gas engine. That is why they cost more to buy. However, if you only drive 10,000 miles per year, you may be able to tolerate the low mileage although a bad engine at only 120,000 miles is not a good sign. I would look very hard at your projected annual operating costs including the cost of a new engine before you buy.
It sounds like you are compromizing a lot to accept this truck. The automatic transmission is not a problem, in fact they are now using them in heavy duty log trucks. However I would not give up 4-wheel drive nor extended cab even if it was a diesel. Keep in mind, it's very difficult to resell the V-10's because they are not very popular.
But thats just my opinion.
Thanks Gary, I do have much to think about. Regards Reid
My Fire Department has 2 brush trucks with the V10. One is a F350 4wd 6sp standard and the other is a F550 4wd with automatic. None of us like the 6sp and some of us prefer a manual transmission as a genreral rule. Both trucks have adequate power, but the F350 has a 3:70 something rearend and is geared too high in my opinion. As expected, both trucks get poor gas mileage as currently driven ;D
The 550 is our newest truck and we opted for the V10 for several reasons. Our experience with the 350 has been good overall, less frontend weight for soft areas, we don't drive many miles, costs less, lower repair costs. We'd never make up the cost difference in fuel savings with a diesel. For that matter, we'd never make up the yearly interest lost on the extra $5000 needed to get the diesel.
Dead miss could be a coil pack or broken valve spring. If it did need an engine and you can get by for $3000 you better buy it. Does it have a PTO mounted on the trans? We have seen some issues with the coast clutch in the trans and the PTO not working correctly.
OK...............Well I opted out on the V-10. My current choices are 1999 7.3 Powerstrokes with Ford (Jasper rebuilt 32,000 miles ago) or a 6 speed manual. The two used trucks are F-550 two wheel drives with 150,000 and 130,000 mile repectively. I drove the 6 speed today. It has an aluminum rollback on it. The other with the Rebuilt Ford automatic is in Va. I talked to the owners mechanic that is selling it for him. He gave me some info on new glowplugs that they put on as well as new batteries and general other stuff he looked on their computer to see the work performed. The 6 speed is at a local tractor dealer and know them personally. Both are similarly priced.................ANY INPUT??????????????? Thanks Reid
So is anyone getting the knuckle boom?
Well Furby,
The deal is the guy with the v-10 wants the roll back in exchange for knuckle boom. So the process is evolving. Reid
Well I kinda want a roll back AND a knuckle boom........ guess I'm screwed. :-\
Furby, The good news is that the guy has another older 15' rollback that he will sell if he gets this one. I will connect the dots for you if it all works out. He will want around $1700 for it. Reid
How old is older?
I'll think on it.
It is probably 8-10 years old. I saw it the other day. It was taken off the original truck in 1999 and has been in storage since. Reid
Hmmmmm...........
Lets get back to your questions for now, sorry to go awol with the thread. ;)
Can't answer your questions either. ::)
I really like my 6 speed... Good splits, no real empty spots where your hunting for the right gear. Low is around 5.72:1 as I remember. 1st is a little hard to find the first time you drive it.
It's to the left of where you think it is... :D There's a little tab that blocks reverse. Let the shifter go to its neutral, go directly left and push up. That's first.
Go with the 6 speed trust me on this ;)
Thanks Flip that's why I am asking. Reid
I guess I should add a perk I found about the 6spd o' mine. A new
clutch kit/flywheel/throwout and pilot bearing is about $500ish dollars. $240ish in labor will get it replaced. Try that with a high tech automatic. They start around $1200 and go up from there.
ScottAr,
The truck with the 6 speed just got a new clutch. The other thing I am finding out is that the FORD auto (not the Allison) usually gets a $3200 no labor cost in that 3200, rebuilt between 150 and 250 thousand miles. Yeah looks like the 6 speed is for me. I will have the truck all day today to get it checked out by my mechanics.
REID
To get the Allison transmission in a Ford you'd have to buy a F-600 or bigger. The trans. in the SDs (250-550) is a 4R100 which is a variant of the old E4OD. Good transmissions but if they go get the wallet out, to slam a reman in runs about $3000 :o If you don't mind shifting the HP rating on the manual is about 15 more than the automatic plus yoou'll have less maintenance.
Thanks Flip. Frank Pender did get an Allison in his F-450 4x4 but it was special order.
Reid
I don't believe it's possible to get an allison. It will not mate to the 7.3 or the 6.0. Not trying to start a argument but I have checked all of my Ford resources and I have seen no mention to that trans. in anything smaller than a F-600.
Flip, I am sure Frank will be in on this shortly. He was very specific when I asked him about this, but perhaps we was sold a bill of goods.
Thanks for your expertise, Reid
Flip, I had my F450 built at the factory. I ordered it in October of 1999 and it was finally delivered, after it was lost in a railyard in Texas, in March of 2000.
I also have a 1967 F700 Super Duty 10 yard dump truck with an Allison automatic. That baby only gets 4 miles to the gallon on the flat and 3 on an uphill grade. :'( I have not checked the millage on the downhill runs.
WOOOOOOOOOHUUUUUUUUOOOOOOO. Broiught it home tonight.
It ended up being a 2000 not a 1999. I had the truck all day to run around to my mechanics. The guy wouldn't budge on price but did differ the total payment. I orchestrated a swap for the 15' roll back for a sweet 21' 3200 lb capacity (not extended) knuckle boom. I will be posting several things in the for sale section, including another 12 volt 3400lb telescoping boom and my nice 1996 F-350 12' flat bed with 44,000 original miles.
Thanks for all the input. Reid
Air filter. Wix#46648
Oil filter. Wix# 51734
Check the fuel filter. Wix#33518 About $40. It's the little bean can under the engine cover. Flip the little yellow lever to drain the filter and then take the lid off. Replace the O rings and reinstall. Simplest system I've ever done.
Check the coolant for diesel additive Wix#24107 is the tester kit $25
I forget the additive number but it's called Wixcool. $6
These are all Wix# as that's what I use and they have the broadest range of filters. They'll interchange with Fram or your favorite brand.
ScottAR
The coolant has the proper additive so as not to break down the cylinder wall, my mech. checked the unit today and yes a full fleet of filters and an oil change are about to happen tommorrrow. Thanks. My mech. also said the oil pans on these tend to rot out, and it is costly asa the cab needs unbolted and the motor freed from there mounts just to get the pan off. fortunately mine was stored indoors, had I bought a utitlity co. truck that could have been a costly surprise.