Fire department Service/ Brush truck

[stg2500]

Being a member of the local VFD we are in the process of researching the possibilities of a new Service / Brush truck. Since I am the lieutenant for the truck I would like to push for a Dodge/Cummins 5500 with an enclosed service body / brush truck body. Our current truck is a one ton International with an enclosed utility body.



Is anyone a member of a FD that has a Dodge/Cummins truck? I would really like to see photos and hear your opinions.

 

[Hoefler]

Check this thread out, there is a bunch of pictures I took of the trucks I built for our fire department. What does your average bare bones flatbed weigh? - TDR Roundtable

 

[ECasey]

Sterling Trucks - Fire/EMS Bullet

 

[jelag]

You might wish to rethink your needs... . I do believe that these are great trucks... . my 5500 now has 9,000 miles on it... . but what I don't think the factory has worked out... . is long idle times... If the DPF went through a self clean cycle sitting in a brush field you'd have a fire under the truck... ...

However we noticed that our truck has the ability to kick up the RPM with a switch across 2 pins for PTO speeds... this would be great for a pumper..... flick the switch, engage the PTO and pump... .....

Knowing your going to have 20 guys who might run this truck and they will want to let it sit and idle while they wash it..... or stop with a second truck and chat... . etc... . I just don't see it... .

OTOH (on the other hand) where we use it as a highway truck... always at GVW and cruising down the highway..... so far its a great truck... .

 

[Mactruck]

You might want to check out these guys.

Wildfire manufacturing



They have done some really nice trucks on Cummins and Phord frames.



The first one I saw was on this site 5 years ago. Its on Dave Fritzes site.

#ad




Dave has more pics of it HERE!!!

 

[snuff]

myself, build the truck for the mission at hand,

- will the truck TAKEN OFF ROAD INTHE WOODS?

-do you mined the truck getting scratched and dented or will it be pretty site on the hard road??

-what do you want the truck to do and go????



an yr old maybe two diesel 3500 would do nice, true suspension lift, real tires not ***** ones , winch, 250-400gal water, cafs sys. 4x4, regular cab, crew cab adds weight, beefy bumpper front and rear, tow hooks front and rear

 

[Skydiver]

I pushed hard for a 95-98 Ram 2500 but our chief thinks ford's are cool.

Consider a truck that is not easy to put on it's side and one that doesn't cost so much that if it gets totaled it puts your station in a bind. I know that's why we carry insurance but our dept. has a shortage of funds.



Sounds like your talking "New truck".

 

[stg2500]

Thanks for the info so far. I never even thought about the Sterling Bullet

 

[mymtnhauler]

Thanks for the info so far. I never even thought about the Sterling Bullet

I'm not trying to put damper on your project, I live in a very rural area that is extremely susceptible to fires. Our V. F. D. has a 08 powerjunck and we try to encourage them not to even use this truck offroad!

I would suggest an older medium duty Kodiak 4X4!

 

[IC Smoke]

You might wish to rethink your needs... . I do believe that these are great trucks... . my 5500 now has 9,000 miles on it... . but what I don't think the factory has worked out... . is long idle times... If the DPF went through a self clean cycle sitting in a brush field you'd have a fire under the truck... ...



However we noticed that our truck has the ability to kick up the RPM with a switch across 2 pins for PTO speeds... this would be great for a pumper..... flick the switch, engage the PTO and pump... .....



Knowing your going to have 20 guys who might run this truck and they will want to let it sit and idle while they wash it..... or stop with a second truck and chat... . etc... . I just don't see it... .



OTOH (on the other hand) where we use it as a highway truck... always at GVW and cruising down the highway..... so far its a great truck... .

what if you put a single stack on the truck?

 

[therabbittree]

yeah I feel for you . . our dept is so set on fords. . they are specing a new brush pump truck now and I havn't even looked at the tenative specs. . as the guys building it aren't diesel heads,,and think a 550 is the end of all ends. . etc. . oh well the 550 and the 5500 cummins probably have the same regen issues . . I don't even thing these guys know what regen is and I'd probably have to explain it to them. . its frustrating. . they are also doing a tandem axle tanker too. . and i'm not sure who or what for the same reason. . I just hope it has balls and a real engine brake. . a 160hp dt466 in a approx 1500 gal tanker/ pump sucks on hills

Thanks

Deo

 

[stg2500]

yeah I feel for you . . our dept is so set on fords. . they are specing a new brush pump truck now and I havn't even looked at the tenative specs. . as the guys building it aren't diesel heads,,and think a 550 is the end of all ends. . etc. . oh well the 550 and the 5500 cummins probably have the same regen issues . . I don't even thing these guys know what regen is and I'd probably have to explain it to them. . its frustrating. . they are also doing a tandem axle tanker too. . and i'm not sure who or what for the same reason. . I just hope it has balls and a real engine brake. . a 160hp dt466 in a approx 1500 gal tanker/ pump sucks on hills

Thanks

Deo

Deo,



I here you on the non-diesel heads. Luckily, my Deputy Chief knows that I'm a diesel head and asked for some input. He wasn't sold on the Dodge until I showed him the cab and chasiss 5500. He definately wants the Cummins thoughOo. You need to jump to the F-650 to get the Cummins in a Ford, which he said was way too big for what we need.