Ford F550 Good...Bad...Ugly

[Steve Frazier]

If I were in the market for an oversize pickup, I'd be looking at the Dodge 4500/5500 or one of the Jap cabovers if I had to have 4x4. If I didn't need 4x4, I'd be looking at a downsized heavy truck like Freightliner or IH. In my opinion, Ford has to get a handle on their engineering, reliability and service before they'll get my business again.

 

[dieselnut]

Dodge good point never thought of them. If I buy something I want to stay in the size range of a F550 because because I have a F350 then my fleet jumps up to my peterbilt 335 and then up to my tri-axle trucks. Looking for something in between my 335 and F350.
Anybody have any thoughts on that sterling bullet?

Thanks again for all the good insight.

 

[KMB83]

kinda surprised about the hate towards ford's heavy duty truck line.

we have a '08 F-550, other than one recall trip to the shop it has been fine.

we have been using it as our nurse truck for our sprayer. plenty of power to pull 2,000 gallons of water and mini bulks of chemicals. F-550 + 20,000lb goose neck trailer + H20 + chemical + extras = 26,000lbs.

maybe we are lucky, or arent working it hard enough?

i run a '01 F250 as my personal truck and have a '06 Chevy 2500 as my company truck. I think the ford is a better truck.

no experience with dodge. seems like the neighbors that tear the crap out of their dodges get along better than the ones that are babied...

Sterling... we ran a fleet of sterling tandems, unfortunately mercedes is no longer going to carry the brand and wont sell it to anyone. we are a little lost on where to go for our tandems. always liked our sterlings. we are worried about parts/service into the future. word from our sterling dealer was mercedes said that each dealership had to anty up a million to get to keep the parts/service of sterling trucks, they passed.

 

[dirt digger]

no experience with dodge. seems like the neighbors that tear the crap out of their dodges get along better than the ones that are babied...

thats funny you say that...when i bought my new dodge the dealer also sells fords..he said every truck (especially the 6.0's) that come in for service are usually babied fords...the guys that run them hard, tow heavy, haul heavy, and use a work truck as a real truck don't have problems with their powerstrokes....but the guys that baby them seem to have more problems then not

 

[Steve Frazier]

The Dodge and the Sterling are virtually the same truck. Of the domestic big 3 at the moment I think the Dodge is most reliable. Earlier models have had transmission problems, but they have introduced a new automatic which is warranteed for nearly 200,000 miles. It also has the 6.7 Cummins which is a redesign of the proven 5.9.

As KMB83 mentioned, Sterling will cease production in March and only dealer stock will be available. I have a friend who had a fleet of Ford wreckers and he's switched to alternate brands, including a Sterling Bullet which he is very pleased with it for both reliability and fuel mileage. The reason I mentioned IH and Freightliner is they both offer trucks in the same GVW range.

KMB83, better find some wood......quick!

 

[rino]

IH has always had wiring problems. From the mid 80's to the newest 7700 series! The company I work for bought a brand new IH 7700 6 axle, and it took a month back and forthe to the dealer to get it right. It kept overheating. hen the engine suffered damage to the overheat problem, and the dealer and factory were not going to warrenty the work, staing that the driver should have turned off the engine at first warning. He did but the computer didn't record that the truck sat for 2 hours not running. Many time it was taken in, and the computer didn't show the engine overheated!

Needless to say they warrentyed the work, and were very appologetic when one of the techs took the truck out and it overheated on him, and the computer didn't show the truck had "flashed" it was hot!

 

[KMB83]

on that sterling deal, legally they have to carry parts for 15years. or at least that is my understanding.

but our service dealership is going to be farther away.

we ran into a situation where we had a '96 Louisville the radiator fan bearing went out. took 5 weeks to find the part. Ford legally had to fix it (being 11years old). but man that was a very long time.

some of those sterlings wont be traded till 10-15 years from now, i guess it depends on much maintence they need.

kind of a rock and a hard spot. old trucks no parts, new trucks & new emissions....

 

[PSDF350]

Dodge good point never thought of them. If I buy something I want to stay in the size range of a F550 because because I have a F350 then my fleet jumps up to my peterbilt 335 and then up to my tri-axle trucks. Looking for something in between my 335 and F350.
Anybody have any thoughts on that sterling bullet?

Thanks again for all the good insight.

I test drove a bullit thing was awesome. But I think with sterling not around anymore would worry me. But the dodge is the same truck so...

 

[dieselnut]

Wow didnt know sterling was going out of business. I would feel uncomfortable with them gone and having one of their trucks with service. I guess everyone has good experience with the dodge.

 

[Preppypyro]

I would wait to buy a dodge too! They arent doing the best right now either, they are teetering on the edge. Thats assuming that the heavy trucks are a part of the car and light duty trucks.

 

[KMB83]

the dodge trucks are heavily discounted as well....come to think of it, all are.

seemed like they got hit the hardest on mpg on there trucks, the hemi advertising didnt do a lot to squelch that fire. back when gas was $4.00+/gal the local dealership was gauranteeing $2 gas for 3 years or something ridiculous. doing the math it wasnt as great as a sucker would be led to believe

issues that i think of when i hear dodge:

price -normally the cheapest of the 3
engine - they do good on powerplant
fuel efficiency - they had/have some real gas hogs
resale - seems like there trucks do the poorest on held value
transmissions - still hear horror stories
interior -personal opinion, but the interior is less polished (debatable as good or bad)
exhaust - they sure do sound nice with the proper exhaust arrangement

 

[PSDF350]

the dodge trucks are heavily discounted as well....come to think of it, all are.

seemed like they got hit the hardest on mpg on there trucks, the hemi advertising didnt do a lot to squelch that fire. back when gas was $4.00+/gal the local dealership was gauranteeing $2 gas for 3 years or something ridiculous. doing the math it wasnt as great as a sucker would be led to believe

issues that i think of when i hear dodge:

price -normally the cheapest of the 3
engine - they do good on powerplant
fuel efficiency - they had/have some real gas hogs
resale - seems like there trucks do the poorest on held value
transmissions - still hear horror stories
interior -personal opinion, but the interior is less polished (debatable as good or bad)
exhaust - they sure do sound nice with the proper exhaust arrangement

I have never found dodge to be the cheapest. There resale has always been good. Right now they are doing employee pricing with 0% financing, so now just may be the best time to buy one.

 

[dieselnut]

Well guys I priced out trucks the past few days and crunched numbers. I am able to do it but it leaves my budget short. No new truck right now for me.

Thanks for all your great input.

 

[rino]

If you looking for a good used truck, Look to the Ford L series either 8000 or 9000! There are millions of these trucks single axle with enough room to mount a 12' bed! Most will have an L10 Cummins, or any thing but (I personally hate) 3208 Cat! Never could like a V 8 with only 170 HP Brand New! Way under powered for the configuration, and they are PM dependant! Run an oil change 500 miles over, and that engine will be a problem from then on!

 

[ohioduramax]

Im suprised no one has brought up the Gm 5500's. I think those are good trucks. Duramax is a good motor, allison tranny is good. Ive drove some and think they are great. The turning radius on them with a 10' bed is about the same as my regular cab 2500hd.

 

[Dualie]

the 5500's are not "REALLY" in the same class as a 550. their more of a light medium duty than a true medium duty. The ride is harsh their much taller than the 550 but they will turn on a dime.

 

[capt_met]

i have a 4500 chevy 4x4. so far it has been an amazing truck. the ride is rough when empty but it wasn't built to be empty. it is definitly a medium duty truck. the truck is definitly an overachiever. i couldn't agree more that they are in a diffrent class than the F550.
good luck,

 

[ohioduramax]

I know they both have a 19k gvw and the 5500 is twice the truck that a 550 is. I was just bringing it up since no one else has yet.

 

[Dualie]

Oh and I couldn't stand how much the mirrors shook on the 4500/5500 drove me up the damn wall. but on the upside with the 6.6 and the Allison auto she had ZERO problems keeping up with traffic.

Granted the one I spent 5,000 miles in was a VERY high end trailer hauler, leather air ride seats with ostrich inserts, air ride cab conversion and air ride rear suspension, dvd navigation wood inserts everywhere it was a VERY Nice unit.

You can actually see pictures of it here http://www.westernhauler.com/ under GM trucks half way down the page its the white one with the red bowtie in the grille and the tan and cream interior.

For the money talking brand new trucks i like the dodge 4500/5500 over the GM and ford offerings and i was a DIE HARD blue oval fan for ever.

But for a couple of bucks more the international 4300 is much more truck for the money. Optioned with the 330 HP DT570 and the allison 3000 series 6 speed, exhaust brake, TRUE big truck S cam air brakes and factory air ride just more truck for your buck.

 

[dieselnut]

Good thoughts guys that I will have to keep in mind down the road.