After comparing, bought an F-550

[jenkinsph]

Much to my dismay, the 550 weighs a little over 9,000lbs. I was hoping lighter, but not to be. Will easily be 9,500 by the time I add tool boxes and fuel cell. Might scale back to a 22,500 GVWR GN trailer.....

When you consider the 22,500 lb trailer will weigh about 900lbs less than the 25,900lb trailer this should still work well for you. A 22,500 lb BigTex 25+5 weighs 6,433lbs. and has a payload capacity of 16,156lbs. Just a comparison I'm sure this is similar to other brands too. The lower you can keep the gross combined weight to the better off you will be.

 

[scoutcub]

Great lookin trailer. Would you mind PM'ing me with contact info on what I would expect to pay? That is almost the exact trailer I want.

What do you pull your trailer with?

PM sent.

 

[Builder]

When you consider the 22,500 lb trailer will weigh about 900lbs less than the 25,900lb trailer this should still work well for you. A 22,500 lb BigTex 25+5 weighs 6,433lbs. and has a payload capacity of 16,156lbs. Just a comparison I'm sure this is similar to other brands too. The lower you can keep the gross combined weight to the better off you will be.

That's right. I just requested another quote on a lower GCWR trailer. There's a sweet spot between GCWR, empty trailer weight & payload (and price) that I have to find. Probably the single best thing I could do to help is an aluminum flatbed to replace the steel flatbed. That would easily take off 500+ lbs.

 

[ovrszd]

Builder, got any idea what your New Holland hoe weighs?? My Brother has one like it and I am considering hauling it six miles to my house.

 

[jenkinsph]

That's right. I just requested another quote on a lower GCWR trailer. There's a sweet spot between GCWR, empty trailer weight & payload (and price) that I have to find. Probably the single best thing I could do to help is an aluminum flatbed to replace the steel flatbed. That would easily take off 500+ lbs.

Both of my F 550s' are regular cab xlt 165"wb trucks so the cabs are lighter than yours. With 95psi+ tires I don't think I would lower the body weight too much if you will use it without the trailer, would be a rough ride. When Ford calculates the towing capacities of these trucks they assume a second body weight of 1000 lbs.

When you consider the 22k trailer will meet your needs to haul the tractor and batwing with a ton to spare that is what I would go with. Don't forget the passengers in the crewcab too, it all adds weight.

 

[jenkinsph]

Builder, got any idea what your New Holland hoe weighs?? My Brother has one like it and I am considering hauling it six miles to my house.

I think I could road it 6 miles before you could chain it down on a trailer.

 

[Builder]

19,500lbs. I'd road it before I hauled it as Steve suggested.

 

[Builder]

Both of my F 550s' are regular cab xlt 165"wb trucks so the cabs are lighter than yours. With 95psi+ tires I don't think I would lower the body weight too much if you will use it without the trailer, would be a rough ride. When Ford calculates the towing capacities of these trucks they assume a second body weight of 1000 lbs.

When you consider the 22k trailer will meet your needs to haul the tractor and batwing with a ton to spare that is what I would go with. Don't forget the passengers in the crewcab too, it all adds weight.

Steve I need all the payload I can legally and safely aquire. I have other equipment to haul not listed in my signature and I want to make sure i can get every pound on that trailer I can.
I'll have to look carefully at the 22 & 24K trailers and their empty weights.

 

[Bird]

Got it back from dealer after 6 days in shop. #5 hole was out. Lost #5 injector and wiring harness wouldn't ohm-out so they replaced both. Seems to run OK now. Glad I didn't have to eat that repair-covered under warranty.
Got off to a bad start, hope things go smooth for a while.
On edit: Just got an email from selling Ford dealer apologizing for my troubles with the truck. He went on to say "these 6.4L trucks are known for these problems"
WTH???? I hope he isn't right about that.

I hope you have better luck with yours than my brother has had with his 2008 F550 that he got new in January, 2008. He refers to it as a "hangar queen" (you pilots will understand that). He pulls an 18,000 lb. 3 axle fifth-wheel, but just from Texas to Washington in the Spring and back in the Fall.

And by another odd coincidence, I just got an e-mail from him this morning in which he listed the 5 Ford dealers who have tried (unsuccessfully) to fix it, and he has less than 52k miles on it. But it is pretty.:laughing:

 

[jenkinsph]

Bird,
What kind of problem is your brother having with his truck?

I bought a new 1999 7.3 4x4 xlt back in Sept. 1998 and built a custom body for it. Had one major failure at 8,000 miles with the torque converter, they installed a new heavy duty one and replaced the entire transmission and transfer case all under warranty. Have about 90,000 on it now with no other problems. Have driven it to Spokane and back with a full load on it and averaged exactly 10 mpg. Not bad for a 17,000 lb vehicle weight.

Bought a new 2005 with the 6.0 same configuration as above and the dealer had to install a new short block at 24,000 miles. Has about 36,000 miles on it now and seems to be okay.

I suspect all of the major manufacturers could build a solid engine and truck if the EPA would ease up a bit, the older Cummins and 7.3 Navistar engines were pretty good imo.