Advice from Kodiak/Topkick or F650 owners

[workinallthetime]

totally off the what you are looking for but.....
there is a company in kansas that makes a motorhome out of a 5500 series, now that would get you to the track in style, but a 40' bumber pull would not be to much fun behind it. we had one that was a 5500 series 4x4, the cazyiest motorhome i ever worked on.

 

[TwinCreek]

A 5500 4x4 motorhome sounds like a wild machine. When we go to a 40ft trailer its going to be 5th wheel so the motorhome idea is out. No matter how much I would love the comfort.

I forgot to ask about any Toyota rumors. I'm glad to see they are starting to hit the 1/2 ton market hard. Any chance of Toyota moving up to the 1 ton diesel market?

I have a 1986 Toyota pickup that I bought 13 years ago for $3,000. It has 235,000 miles on it, never left me stranded, and only regular maintenance performed.

 

[Builder]

IMO, a stock 5500 4x4 motorhome would be too top heavy for me. I think they can be lowered, though.

 

[KICK]

Then your memory must be real bad. They were not a "joke". They were some of the toughest pickups ever made. MUCH tougher than the offerings from Ford or GM at the time.

RUST NEVER SLEPT




What you're forgetting is that GM BOUGHT detroit Diesel, they didn't create it. GM BOUGHT Allison Transmission, they didn't create it. Ford BOUGHT new Holland, they didn't create it.



EVER HEARD OF FORD FERGUSON?? OLD HENRY WAS MAKING TRACTORS WITH THE" FERGUSON" OF MASSEY FERGUSON FAME LONG BEFORE THERE WAS A MASSEY INVOLVEDHOW MUCH YOU WANNA BET YOU CAN BUY AN INTERNATIONAL WITH AN ALLISON TRANNY??

See what i'm getting at here? GM & Ford would simply buy what they couldn't build themselves. TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY GOT THE MONEY IF THEY WERE JUST "AUTO MANUFACTURERS, THEY SURE MUST HAVE BEEN POPULAR?. IH IS TOO SMALL TO HAVE DESIGNED EVERYTHING INHOUSE AND ITS PRETTY SURE THERE AREN'T TOO MANY MANUFACTURERS WHO HAD AN ORIGINAL IDEA. MOST OF EM USED SOMEONE ELSE IDEA AND IMPROVED IT.

That's why both compainies are teetering on bankruptcy.

IH WAS AT THAT POINT IN 1980


Wanna talk about war machines? IH built 10's of thousands of half tracks and troop transport trucks. Wanna talk BIG tractors? Well, IH led the indsutry for about 70 years in that department until the late 80's Case/IH merger.


I BELIEVE GMC BUILT 250,000 DEUCE AND A HALFS DURING WW2

IF IH WAS SO GREAT WHY DID THEY MERGE WITH CASE? DID THEY NEED HELP DESIGNING TRACTORS OR WERE THEY JUST CHERRY PICKING LIKE GM AND FORD DO.???

So I stand by my premise: From an in-house manufacturing and engineering standpoint of trucks & engines, IH has built & designed FAR more than GM or Ford and still does today. Ford or GM couldn't build the IH4800 that sits in my garage today without having to send it off to a subcontractor to have it upfitted with 4 wheel drive. They don't have the capability to do it themselves, but IH does

I HAVE GOT TO SAY THE LAST PARAGRAPH IS THE MOST ABSURD THING I HAVE READ IN THIS FORUM IN A LONG TIME. THAT STATEMENT DEFIES ARGUMENT. GM IS A COMPONENT OF THE DOW, IH BARELY RATES ON THE S@P 500.

 

[schmism]

you still got to admit this is a quite the machine

but to be honest, if i needed something on that magnitude it would never have a stock pickup bed on it. Its built to be a tow vehical, i dont understand why they stick a stock pickup bed on it.

with a custom haul bed they look MUCH better IMHO

 

[workinallthetime]

IMO, a stock 5500 4x4 motorhome would be too top heavy for me. I think they can be lowered, though.

the thing was horible to drive !!!!!
a small gust of wind and you felt like you were either going to lose control or roll over. i fixed it drove it 5 miles and parked it, never to want to drive it again. sure it looked cool and it was a custom build for a dirt bike racer, but i cant imagine driving that thing in high winds or around winding roads., they extend the frame on all of them they build so you probably cant tow that much anyway. one day when you have one a bunch of championships and have all the sponsers you could want a motorhome might be cool for you to have and a tow unit.
i have seen some pretty cool 4500/5500 conversions that would be really nice for what you want.
here is a good story for you abour one.
i got a signed tony stewart action toy car for fixing one of his 5500 trucks used to tow a car all over the country. the truck was a conversion with carpet, leather seats, air ride, and entertainment (tv and sterio) system. i dont know what car went in it but i stayed late one night to get him back on the road and they sent me the car, shirts, and hats. all signed. it was a nice truck and they pulled a big enclosed trailer with it. they had a short flat bed on it with air suspension that would lower the back end to hook up the trailer.
personally i dont hink you could go wrong with the gm 45/55 series, and if you watch the deals on them you can get one pretty cheep. since you are a car guy anyway, i would do the inside up yourself instead of paying for a package deal, the mark up on those are insane. shop around for the bed also, you would be amazed at the difference in price and quality of the things. if a dealer upfits the truck be prepared to pay.

good luck man

 

[Builder]

I think that 4x4 is almost useless in an RV unless you're into off road expeditions or trying to look really cute.

"HAVE GOT TO SAY THE LAST PARAGRAPH IS THE MOST ABSURD THING I HAVE READ IN THIS FORUM IN A LONG TIME. THAT STATEMENT DEFIES ARGUMENT. GM IS A COMPONENT OF THE DOW, IH BARELY RATES ON THE S@P 500."

First thing you need to do is learn to talk to other people with some semblence of respect. Red letters or capital letters is typically the sign of screaming at someone on the internet and surely the sign of a tempermental person who just has to win every debate or they take their ball and go home.

Second- The size of a company has nothing to do with its' ability to make a quality product. McDonalds is the biggest in burgers, but I can get a far better buger at the local sandwich shop, nuff said there.

Third- While you continue to use mostly your opinion to come across as someone who has any idea what they're talking about, I'll speak from facts. Facts will win the day over opinions everytime.

1. IH is the world's largest medium duty truck and medium duty engine builder, period. That fact cannot be disputed.

2. Neither GM or Ford build as many medium or heavy trucks as IH. That is an indisputable fact.

3. IH is a major player in heavy class 8 truck market with its' 7000 & 9000 series big rigs. Ford is not even in the game. GM is a very small player with the 8500 tandem. Those are indisputable facts.

4. IH just developed a line of 11 litre & 13 litre big bore truck diesels. Even though IH is already the biggest in the medium market in the world, they have expanded into the 10 litre & over displacement market for diesels as well.
On the other hand, Ford & GM are shrinking operations, closing plants and building fewer engines & vehicles per year. Between the two of them, they only build one small diesel. That's a joke compared to IH. Those are indisputable facts.

5. Ford's diesel engines are built for them by IH, CAT or Cummins. Ford's trucks are actually partially built for them by IH. GM's diesel engines are built for them by Isuzu & CAT. IH has its' own line of diesel engines to put in its' own line of trucks. Quite impressive. Those are indisputable facts.

If that doesn't help you get past your "opinions", I don't believe anything will. Considering the way you talk down to your fellow members, I would not be surprised.

I'm sorry to get off topic, folks. I just can't let such nonsense go on unanswered.

Have a great day.

 

[KICK]

First thing you need to do is learn to talk to other people with some semblence of respect. Red letters or capital letters is typically the sign of screaming at someone on the internet and surely the sign of a tempermental person who just has to win every debate or they take their ball and go home.

I'm sorry to get off topic, folks. I just can't let such nonsense go on unanswered.

Have a great day.

the reason for the use of green or red was for contrast, because when replying to long rambling posts while using the quote feature it is helpful.. I didn't know that this forum had rules for what color I can use, next time I'll use a more passive color such as purple so you aren't so easily offended.

If you want to let nonsense go unanswered , you are doing a good job of it. Your original statement was that "GM and Ford were just auto manufacturers".

A statement of how many trucks and engines IH manufacture does nothing to refute my point that GM and Ford are not just auto manufacturers..

Your statement would just be as outlandish as saying CAT sells the most construction equipment, and IH and John Deere are just Tractor manufacturers, and implying that JD and IH don't know jack about making construction equipment.


I have a problem with someone being a total home team backer and not seeing the reality of what they post, namely that there are other manufacturers and that there is a possibility those other manufacturers also know something about the design and manufacture of the vehicles/ engines/ equipment in question.

One could point out that while the IH corp is a major manufacturer, the HEUI injection system that was used on the Powerstroke engine was developed by CAT, and that the current Injection system which is used on Detroit diesels was developed when GM owned the Detroit Diesel Corporation, one could also point out that the first electronic controlled Diesel Engines were manufactured by Detroit Diesel in 1984 and DDC used a system that was developed by the General Motors corporation. GM was the pioneer into that application. Now that Daimler Chrysler owns Detrotu Diesel, and have the capability to make their own fuel system you would think they would change fuel systems, but they have not, leading one to believe that GM got it right. But that is just history and does nothing to prove they aren't just auto manufacturers.

One could also point out that GM designed and manufactured the Fuel Injection system that was installed on the Detroit Diesel line of engine, while IH never developed their own proprietary system, implying that Ih doesn't know how to make fuel injection. but its all a moot point.

forget it.

 

[KICK]

you still got to admit this is a quite the machine

Yep, considering it has the blue oval on it. LOL.

shame it aint an IH because then it would be a real truck. LOL.

 

[Builder]

I have a problem with someone being a total home team backer and not seeing the reality of what they post, namely that there are other manufacturers and that there is a possibility those other manufacturers also know something about the design and manufacture of the vehicles/ engines/ equipment in question.

Can't be too much of a "team backer" considering I own Ford, GMC and IH trucks now can I? How many brands you own? If you look at my pictures, you'll see I own several different brands.

Now don't go trying to put words in my mouth. I never said GM & Ford didn't "know something". Of course they do. They just don't know squat compared to IH about building bigger trucks or diesel engines. They must outsorce the technology or buy it elsewhere from someone like IH or Isuzu. Go to IH's Indianapolis Casting Complex sometime, I did. It's an amazing place where IH casts blocks for diesel engines, not outsourced, like Ford or GM. They also have another diesel engine plant in Huntsville, AL. Maybe you'll see what I mean.

"One could point out that while the IH corp is a major manufacturer, the HEUI injection system that was used on the Powerstroke engine was developed by CAT, and that the current Injection system which is used on Detroit diesels was developed when GM owned the Detroit Diesel Corporation, one could also point out that the first electronic controlled Diesel Engines were manufactured by Detroit Diesel in 1984 and DDC used a system that was developed by the General Motors corporation.

GM was the pioneer into that application. Now that Daimler Chrysler owns Detrotu Diesel, and have the capability to make their own fuel system you would think they would change fuel systems, but they have not, leading one to believe that GM got it right. But that is just history and does nothing to prove they aren't just auto manufacturers.

One could also point out that GM designed and manufactured the Fuel Injection system that was installed on the Detroit Diesel line of engine, while IH never developed their own proprietary system, implying that Ih doesn't know how to make fuel injection. but its all a moot point.

forget it.

You mean when GM bought Detroit Diesel. GM themselves developed nothing. They simply bought the Detroit Diesel technology and rebadged it as GM. It's that simple. DD engineers started getting their paychecks and orders from GM managers. No or very little GM engineering took place. Doesn't matter because GM sold off DD many years ago. They now rely completely on ISUZU for diesel technology. Why? Because unlike IH, they can't build their own diesel....just like poor ol Ford.

Hope you understand now. Have a great weekend in stillinlimbo, Florida!