Saw A Good F-450/550 Recently

[HBarlow]

One day last week I was motoring south on I-5 somewhere in Northern California with the cruise control set on 59 mph listening to talk radio. A Ford F-450 or F-550 zipped past me at 65 mph or better pulling one of those huge gooseneck horse trailers that looks like it could carry ten horses. I couldn't miss the characteristic hummmmm of an inline 6 cylinder as the rear of the truck and its exhaust sound passed my driver's window. Sure sounded like a Cummins ISB to me. That was probably the only good F-450/550 I've seen.



A friend and fellow TDR member described the big Ford Super Duties best when he told me they are medium duty trucks with a 3/4 ton drivetrain. The owner of the one that passed me seems to have solved half the problem. At least he has a medium duty engine. I wonder if he installed a NVG six speed out of a Dodge to match the engine?



Must have been pretty expensive to buy a new Ford, remove the engine, and buy and install an new Cummins ISB to power it.



Harvey

 

[AfterBurner]

i believe the 650's have the cummins as an optional engine. As for the 550's? maybe he managed to get them to stuff one in there for him. Must say though, that i have dirven 450, and 550 and was very impressed with both vehicles. Especially our 550/ 6. 0 firetruck that has been through some rough stuff, loaded with water, foam, tools, generator and firefighters!

19. 5's are also a big plus with them.

 

[CumminsBu]

I saw a nice white one around the Seattle area with a Flat tonneau cover, 22. 5 Alcos (maybe 19. 5) and a three pod a pillar. Not to forget the hot chick driving the thing.

When the body of my 2500 wears out, my ISBe and NV5600 will be going in a F-550!!!

 

[Grizzly]

I was told by a Ford dealer and confirmed by a Dodge dealer that the Ford F-450 and higher come standard with 6. 0 Powerjoke or you can get an optional 5. 9 Cummins or a Cat Diesel. Grizzly



Oo.

 

[macdaddy]

Have any of you guys noticed how the 7. 3's under hard acceleration sound like they have a miss???. My brother has a F-550 that he pulls a 40' weekend warrior (heavy) thats where I first noticed it. Now I have noticed that they all do it, man we go back and forth with this PSD vs CTD stuff.



Mac

 

[rkressg]

I believe that the ISB (probably now a HPCFR-B) or the Cat 3126b are only optional on the 650 and larger trucks. I am almost certian that you can only get a 6. 0 for the 250-550.

-Rich

 

[HBarlow]

It's been a couple years since I looked at a Ford truck brochure but through model year 2003 the Cummins (or Cat as stated above) was only available in the F-750 and maybe the F-650. Lighter trucks were stuck with the powerjoke. If Ford is offering the Cummins as an option in the F-450/550 along with a suitable transmission backing it up they may become a serious light-medium duty truck. I would consider a Ford F450/550 with a Cummins and Allison six speed automatic or manual seven speed.



I suspect there would be serious contract issues from DC's point of view if Cummins sold B engines to Ford to install in trucks that would compete with our Rams.



Harvey

 

[Forrest Nearing]

450-550 are 6. 0's



650+ can get CATs or Cummins



Forrest

 

[Grizzly]

If Ford is so proud of the Powerjoke why do they offer the Cummins or Cat on the F-650+? They must not have enough confidence in there engine to handle a bigger load. Grizzly

 

[DieselTweaker]

Acutally ford did put the powerstroke in a 650 I work for a very large ford dealership and one of the guys had a 650 with a 7. 3 powerstroke.