To TC'ers who have bought new trucks

[Boatycall]

I'm thinking.... ONLY in the thinking stage right now, of a new 2016 F-450 or F-550. They're awfully proud of those things.
There's nothing what so ever wrong with mine, it hauls what I have fine, but it is almost 15 years old, and the new ones have a lot to offer.

So I have some questions for those who have been in my situation - You already had a truck set up for your TC, and you bought a brand new one.

* How did you like it?
* Did you find after you bought it you still had to upgrade it to haul your TC(besides tie-downs/hitch)?
* Did you notice improvements or not in handling?
* Power is a given - the new ones are locomotives on 6 wheels--was that a deciding factor?
* Any significant mileage changes?
* Overall - are you glad you did it?

I'm really looking for input from the few that have F450's/F550's if possible.

[deltabravo]

Boatycall wrote:

* Power is a given - the new ones are locomotives on 6 wheels--was that a deciding factor?

:B

[bighatnohorse]

Boatycall wrote:
2001 F350 DRW 4x4,Torklift Talon Tie Downs,Stableloads & SuperHitch, F550 Rear Suspension,Roadmaster F & R Sway Bars,Rancho 9000s, Banks Turbo & Intake
2012 Eagle Cap 1160-Six 140Ah AGM Batts,Prosine 2.0 2kw Inverter
2013 Can Am Maverick
2015 Wells Cargo 26'

With all that stuff you ought not to be even think of a 350/3500 class truck.

[Boatycall]

rshrimp wrote:
Boatycall.
How many miles and what overall condition is that 15 year old truck?

You might be surprised at how much that 7.3 is worth!

As the OP, my disclaimer--
Wayne--I'm not soliciting the sale of it here....I swear. I'm more on the side of keeping it.

That being said, ya, I have a pretty good idea what a VERY low miles, one owner, garaged-since-new, heavily modified for TC hauling 7.3L should go for if I do decide to sell it.

[Moose10]

AKSuperDually wrote:
I was in Anchorage looking at the Dodge 5500 chasis cab this week also. Priced out a new one online with all the fancy stuff for ~$60K. Just have to build a flatbed on it then.

My 2000 is still pulling strong, and works great...but I need to step up to 19.5" wheels, and the springs are about ready for freshening/replacement. By the time I spend that (getting it all here), I'm going to have around $10K in upgrades according to my estimates. My truck is still running very strong, with a lot of upgrades already. I've got $10K coming from our state dividend check this year...and I think my truck is still worth $16-18K in the Alaskan market. I may even sell the camper as a package. That gives me around $40K to put down on a new truck, and I may even finance a new AF1150 as a motorhome package/second home deal. Routinely I need more hauling capability than I have with my heavily modified F350. I'd like to be driving something that isn't maxed out or even over extended all the time. I've owned my truck for 12 years now, and I'm about ready for something new.

Or....I'll just spend the 10K and drive it another 2-5 years.

First time in 12 years I've considered selling my truck.

Do you have insight on what PFD's are going to be this year, or just guessing? :h
I need to get pics of my truck up with the 19.5's....best upgrade I've ever made!

[fpoole]

2BLAZERS wrote:

.. a dually crewcab in client parking lots is a pain. A 5500 flatbed being a foot longer will just make it harder. ...

Yah, i'm faced with the same thoughts. Luckily, I don't drive much in town and I'm thinking I might get some flack from the Condo Assoc so was thinking of the little "Smart Cars" Electric.

Heck, it'll fit right on the Flat bed, like spare tire or back up.
(I got the Flat bed to haul Buggies around if needed)

We'll see...

sigh, it'a always something eh?

[2BLAZERS]

rshrimp wrote:
2Blazers. I saw that you had mentioned that in an earlier post. I don't understand why daily driving a 5500 would be any different from daily driving a 3500. Neither will fit in a standard parking space.

I am going to add 19.5's and H rated Toyo's to my 3500 and drive it for now.I am also going to try to move some weight forward or remove it altogether. Spare tire .... Carry less propane ... Get junk out of truck ect.

I noticed that someone was adding a brake system to a jeep earlier in the thread. I added an NSA Ready Brake and love it. No boxes on the floor to deal with and it is true proportional braking. Also half the price of other systems and easy 1 -2 hour install in the driveway with basic tools.

Yes Ram rates them lower but American Axle and Dana rates them at 10200lbs and 15K respectively.

I'm a CPA and Partner in a CPA firm. My work commute is only 5 miles each way but I do go visit many clients, many times fitting a dually crewcab in client parking lots is a pain. A 5500 flatbed being a foot longer will just make it harder. Also daily driving a 5500 flatbed i could already hear my back hurting from it. The dually 3500 is my limit in size for daily driving.

[rshrimp]

Boatycall.
How many miles and what overall condition is that 15 year old truck?

You might be surprised at how much that 7.3 is worth!

[Boatycall]

AKSuperDually wrote:
I'd like to be driving something that isn't maxed out or even over extended all the time. I've owned my truck for 12 years now, and I'm about ready for something new. Or....I'll just spend the 10K and drive it another 2-5 years.

First time in 12 years I've considered selling my truck.

This is my exact quandary..... It's paid for, but max'd out, and I've put probably the same into it as you have just to haul better, around $10k.
And just like you, I'm looking at 19.5's, also looking at 88mm turbo, Stage 1 injectors, custom program...and that adds up to about another $8k.
Or I can go get a 2011-2015 F-550.

[Bedlam]

My crew cab 60" CA 5500 is one foot longer than a 3500 crew cab long bed and the same width.

The Dana 111 model in the 5500 is rated for 14.5k lbs by Dana. The Dana 130 (used in heavy option F550) is rated for 15k lbs.

[rshrimp]

2Blazers. I saw that you had mentioned that in an earlier post. I don't understand why daily driving a 5500 would be any different from daily driving a 3500. Neither will fit in a standard parking space.

I am going to add 19.5's and H rated Toyo's to my 3500 and drive it for now.I am also going to try to move some weight forward or remove it altogether. Spare tire .... Carry less propane ... Get junk out of truck ect.

I noticed that someone was adding a brake system to a jeep earlier in the thread. I added an NSA Ready Brake and love it. No boxes on the floor to deal with and it is true proportional braking. Also half the price of other systems and easy 1 -2 hour install in the driveway with basic tools.

Yes Ram rates them lower but American Axle and Dana rates them at 10200lbs and 15K respectively.

[Tizi]

I have added air bags, Rancho 9000XL shocks, Roadmaster anti-sway bar, 19.5 wheels and matching tires. My camper is lighter than slide out models, but is still over a ton dry. I bought the truck new in 2008 and it has less than 20,000 miles on it. I have thought I should have gone 3500 or higher, but its too late now and I'm not going to spend that kind of money for a new rig. My 08 is paid for and has a lifetime powertrain warranty on top of it.

[2BLAZERS]

rshrimp wrote:
What a great thread! Good read all around. I have a 2012 Ram 3500 and was hauling a Lance 1181. I had added Supersprings and air bags to the rear. I flat tow a Jeep mostly but do also have a 16ft enclosed trailer that can go 5000lbs loaded. Jeep is also 5000lbs but no tongue weight. The Lance sat right on the rear axle.
Empty Weight 4500 ft, 3500 rear
Lance Weight 4500 ft, 8500 rear
I just bought a Chalet DS 116RB with the optional third slide. Love the camper but!
Chalet Weight 4800 ft, 11000 Rear
Now I wish I had bought a 5500 and am considering a trade.
The big difference between the 3500 and 5500 is the rear end.
According to the axle manufacturer the rear axle in the 3500 is rated at 10200lbs The axle in the 4500/5500 is rated at 15000.

Both the trailer and my Jeep has a braking system.
I am torn between upgrading the rims and tires to 19.5's and keeping my non-def 2012 or biting the bullet and buying a Hemi 5500 and building a utility body for it.

And Ram rates the rear axle on the 3500 dually only at 9,250 on like my 2011. And 9,750 on the 2015 model. Heavy camper and its really easy to be over 10K on the rear axle. The 4 steel wheels rate at 2,750 each or 11,000 total.

I'm leaning towards a 5500 flatbed but the only issue is I can't daily drive for work a 5500 flatbed so the TC carrier becomes really just a motor home chassis and I keep my 2011 for driving to work and other truck duties....I've been daily driving a dually for 10 years now.

I keep going back and fourth,

[rshrimp]

What a great thread! Good read all around. I have a 2012 Ram 3500 and was hauling a Lance 1181. I had added Supersprings and air bags to the rear. I flat tow a Jeep mostly but do also have a 16ft enclosed trailer that can go 5000lbs loaded. Jeep is also 5000lbs but no tongue weight. The Lance sat right on the rear axle.
Empty Weight 4500 ft, 3500 rear
Lance Weight 4500 ft, 8500 rear
I just bought a Chalet DS 116RB with the optional third slide. Love the camper but!
Chalet Weight 4800 ft, 11000 Rear
Now I wish I had bought a 5500 and am considering a trade.
The big difference between the 3500 and 5500 is the rear end.
According to the axle manufacturer the rear axle in the 3500 is rated at 10200lbs The axle in the 4500/5500 is rated at 15000.

Both the trailer and my Jeep has a braking system.
I am torn between upgrading the rims and tires to 19.5's and keeping my non-def 2012 or biting the bullet and buying a Hemi 5500 and building a utility body for it.

[AKSuperDually]

I was in Anchorage looking at the Dodge 5500 chasis cab this week also. Priced out a new one online with all the fancy stuff for ~$60K. Just have to build a flatbed on it then.

My 2000 is still pulling strong, and works great...but I need to step up to 19.5" wheels, and the springs are about ready for freshening/replacement. By the time I spend that (getting it all here), I'm going to have around $10K in upgrades according to my estimates. My truck is still running very strong, with a lot of upgrades already. I've got $10K coming from our state dividend check this year...and I think my truck is still worth $16-18K in the Alaskan market. I may even sell the camper as a package. That gives me around $40K to put down on a new truck, and I may even finance a new AF1150 as a motorhome package/second home deal. Routinely I need more hauling capability than I have with my heavily modified F350. I'd like to be driving something that isn't maxed out or even over extended all the time. I've owned my truck for 12 years now, and I'm about ready for something new.

Or....I'll just spend the 10K and drive it another 2-5 years.

First time in 12 years I've considered selling my truck.

[jimh406]

I was shopping 1 1/2 years ago. I ended up buying a used 2010 F-450 for 40K less than the new MSRP of a new one. I really didn't want to do DEF.

It was a significant upgrade from the F-350 Supercab even though I had added 19.5s to the SRW. What I like about the F-450 is that it is a lot heavier duty. The brakes are fantastic not even comparable to the F-350 and the turning is as well. I can literally turn tighter than the F-350 Supercab by a significant factor. I don't like the fuel mileage. On this trip with much of it in the significant mountains, we averaged just over 9 mpg with much of it at 70 mpg on the interstate and with heavy wind.

As you can see from the picture, it is significantly taller etc, than the F-350 DRW in the following picture. If this was one of you, thanks for being near Old Faithful for demonstration purposes. 🙂



But, it doesn't have an unlimited capacity. I weighed on this trip with full tank, 60 gallons of water (much of it in the Black/Grey), DW, Brittany, and myself. We had everything we normally carry. We don't normally carry that much extra. We had more water than normal and usually our black/grey tanks are empty.

The weights are as follows at the CAT Scale.

Steer Axle - 5720
Drive Axle - 8680
Gross Weight - 14400

This is for a truck that is 14500 GVWR. I also have F rated 19.5 stock wheels. I think you might need to go bigger if you carry your bigger camper with the number of batteries you have.