[Pelican]

I think the older F-SuperDutys were a better truck than the newer ones. The chassis' were much lighter than the current series allowing more legal payload. I had a '97 F-350 I trade for my 550, I wish I had that 350 back! It was a good truck for me.

After all the problems I've had with my new trucks, I started looking backward. I bought a '95 F-SuperDuty with 260,000 miles from Texas. The motor is tired, but I plan to repower with the 5.9 Cummins. I'll have a few bucks into it, but I'll have a reliable truck that will haul a respectable load.

The GM 3500HD is a good chassis, but GM's diesel from that period is junk. The chassis is lighter than the Ford, but has the same gross weight so you can haul more. They drive a little nicer too, handling more like a big car than a truck. If this Ford of mine works out, I'll be looking for a 3500HD from down south with a blown motor, again I'll drop a Cummins in it.

[Bill Schwab]

The older 450 is basically a glorified 350. I'm not even sure the brakes are any differently sized to be truthfull.

The 450 I think would make someone doing lawn maintenance an unkillable truck, as long as you had a stick shift tranny, that is the weak and ridiculously overpriced link.

I understand you are attempting to fit a budget, but consider this. The weight you are hauling every day really grants something into the 6 series. Like a Ford F-650, or a GM 6500 series. You can find some pretty workable trucks for under that 15K range. Set aside completley my issues with Fords transmissions. Examine the work you are doing, the weight you are hauling. If you are pushing the envelope every day, or more often than you feel comfortable with, go a sizeup.

Given the choice of a mid 90's 3500HD or an F-450, the 450 is the stronger truck, the transmission will kill you. Arguably, the HD 3500 had the worst brakes ever invented, the salesman for Bendix should have gotten a big promotion that year...I found it much easier to keep an eye on bad brakes. and more cost effective, than to replace a tranny every year in a Ford.

Your call Big, but in this case size matters and I would look heavier if I were you.

[Pelican]

Bill, Both axles are heavier on the F-SuperDuty and the rear is equipped with discs brakes. I'm not sure how the size of the front brakes compare to the standard F-350.

Bill is right, don't even consider a Ford with the E4OD tranny. It's a piece of junk that will cost you $2500 minimum and most likely 2 weeks down time. Go with the 5 speed.

I wasn't aware of GM's brake issues. Are there disc's on the rear or no? Were they undersized for the job, resulting in excessive pad wear?

[Bill Schwab]

Steve:

They had these ridiculously small pads. Dodge from the same years shared the same front brake system, you could interchange pads. If you got 15K out of frontpads, you were doing well. Then there is the anti lock part of the system. A pet peave of mine. After having more than my share of high powered toys, my take on anti lock is if a vehicle has to have it to be driven safely, the driver has too much vehicle for their abilities. Now on this anti lock system (88-99 GM products) the best thing you could do was remove the fuse for the pulsator from the panel, then take a 5" brake line and bypass the pulsator alltogether. Then you have real brakes that work when stepped on. We typically would wear 7 sets of pads to one set of rear shoes, GM used a 90-10 ratio for pressure front to back. The danger, is say you are pulling a light trailer with no brakes and it just starts raining. Then some old lady pulls out in front of you and you have to plank the brake hard...Because you have no weight on the trucks rear, and, the brakes have essentially no stopping power, the trailer will throw the truck into a jack knife. Don't ask me how I know that one....

I saw the untimate set up this week. A guy had a first run Super Duty that he installed 19.5" wheels on. Then he took a 6V53 detroit and a Fuller 10 speed and put it under the hood. I love those old oil drippy Detroits!

[Pelican]

Originally posted by Bill Schwab




I saw the untimate set up this week. A guy had a first run Super Duty that he installed 19.5" wheels on. Then he took a 6V53 detroit and a Fuller 10 speed and put it under the hood. I love those old oil drippy Detroits!

Ouch!! That 53 series was brutal!! All noise and no power.

When I was younger there was a guy here who put a 4/71 in an F-350 pickup with a RoadRanger. He put a stack up through the bed and it would blow black smoke when he went up through the gears. That was some cool truck for it's day, this was back around 1976.

[Mac]

Originally posted by Bill Schwab
The 450 I think would make someone doing lawn maintenance an unkillable truck, as long as you had a stick shift tranny, that is the weak and ridiculously overpriced link.

Bill, why do you say that as apposed to a gm4500? Im assuming you are talking about a new model.

[Bill Schwab]

I'm speaking from the point of comparing one truck brand in the same weight class to the next. What sells Ford trucks simply is they are cheaper in cost, and alot of other things, to GM products in comparable weight classes.

[bigviclbi]

Alright guys here's one for you. 2000 chevrolet 5500 hd, 5 sp, pto, 7.4 gas, 15k miles, 21000 gvw 7500 unladen. It's at $25000 so I might not be able to swing it, but it seems like a good deal. I am meeting with a pool installer thursday and there is a chance that I will be getting alot of work. This guy has alot of work lined up(app. 1 pool a week) and they are higher end customers so I will be able to worry more about the job than the bottom line. Hopefully it goes well and I REALLY appreciate all you guys giving feedback since I am not really a gearhead at all.

[Gardenhaus]

I would like to thank Bill for his input on the kodiak 4500.....did a lot of debating on keeping our 450 dually diesel that had had the engine replaced about 5000 miles ago (because it lost 30 qt. of oil in less than 3000 miles...and I think I remember mentioning something about attorneys and lawsuit to the ford dealer

I am now a proud owner of a 2005 Kodiak and what a difference compared to the 350......I laugh at the 450 and 550's next to my new truck. Even has 4 wheel drive........I asked the guy why on such a big truck and he said in case the project site is wet....I explained to him....if it is that wet...I ain't gonna be workin, but took the 4WD anyways......never know how deep our snow may get.....and we don't plow in the winter....but I wouldn't want to miss a hockey game because of a little matter of 3' of snow

[Mac]

congrats! im sure you will enjoy that.

[Bill Schwab]

Those trucks rock! Congrats...... Remember this. Do not cut, drill, or weld the frame rails for any reason, without first talking to GM and getting an OK. Set the truck up the way you need from the get go and you won't need to worry anyway.

[cutntrim]

I'd be happy to borrow that Kodiak from you for some plowing up here if you don't need it during the winter.

[Gardenhaus]

My Kodiak is like me......in the middle of the night, in the winter it would rather be safe and warm in our warehouse........well, actually I would prefer my house