OP
Hay Dude
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2012
- Messages
- 18,616
- Location
- A Hay Field along the PA/DE border
- Tractor
- Challenger MT655E, Massey Ferguson 7495, Challenger MT535B, Krone 4x4 XC baler, (2) Kubota ZD331’s, 2020 Ram 5500 Cummins 4x4, IH 7500 4x4 dump truck, Kaufman 35’ tandem 19 ton trailer, Deere CX-15, Pottinger Hay mowers
Well it finally got its flatbed body installed. Took a quick picture in the garage yesterday.
First impressions and comparisons to my previous F550.
Cons: It rides harder and the turning radius is a little disappointing. The Ford wide track front axle has amazing tight turning radius. Im attributing the stiffer ride to it being new with new max traction tires. The edge of the suspension stiffness will subside with age. The mirrors are lagging behind even the older Ford. Sure, the have power and heated glass, but you have to manually flip them up and out to get them to become a wide towing mirror. Even my 08 Ford came with power folding and extending option. I think the upper level RAM might have them, but I dont know for sure.
Pros: the list is pretty long. The engine pulls very hard, even in its detuned level, it has a torque monster feel. The Aisin transmission has a different feel to it in the way it shifts. It has a military vehicle feel to the shifting in tow haul mode. It downshifts very strong (being unloaded makes it feel too sharp, in any of the downshifting trucks). The exhaust brake is excellent. In the full on mode, it slows the truck down to the point where the service brakes are almost not needed. I would expect brakes to last a very long time before replacement. There is also a gear limiting feature right on the steering wheel to keep her geared down for hill descending. The downshift, exhaust brake and gear limiting make for the trucks 43,000lb GCWR to be realized.
The interior is very nice. Seats are pretty comfortable and attractive with heat/ventilation features. RAM has an excellent center console on the Laramie edition. Its convertible into a lot of different configurations and lots of room for all the junk I can seemingly never stop carrying around. Theres a double stack glove compartment with a really slick top glove compartment kind of hidden in the middle of the dash.
The back seat area has a lot of room and options for folding down the heated rear seats into cargo space. They just fold up-no awkward latches to grab and with other hand yank on the seat. They just fold up and down effortlessly.
Lighting is over the top with puddle lamps, corner lamps, back up lamps floor area lighting and its all LED. Fog lamps are not a joke. The shine far and wide. The instrument cluster is a technological wonder. It has probably 6 different modes. Normal, fuel economy, towing, entertainment, tire pressure monitoring to name a few. You can also monitor your trailer tire pressures up to 12 tires. The center cluster has a 8-1/2” main screen. From there I get a back up camera and a bed-area camera which is great for trailer hook up. You also have Apple Play and Sirius. Also, almost all cab functions (seat heat, air temp, etc) can be controlled by driver of passenger from screen virtually.
Just getting to know the truck, so I will check back and add as I go.
First impressions and comparisons to my previous F550.
Cons: It rides harder and the turning radius is a little disappointing. The Ford wide track front axle has amazing tight turning radius. Im attributing the stiffer ride to it being new with new max traction tires. The edge of the suspension stiffness will subside with age. The mirrors are lagging behind even the older Ford. Sure, the have power and heated glass, but you have to manually flip them up and out to get them to become a wide towing mirror. Even my 08 Ford came with power folding and extending option. I think the upper level RAM might have them, but I dont know for sure.
Pros: the list is pretty long. The engine pulls very hard, even in its detuned level, it has a torque monster feel. The Aisin transmission has a different feel to it in the way it shifts. It has a military vehicle feel to the shifting in tow haul mode. It downshifts very strong (being unloaded makes it feel too sharp, in any of the downshifting trucks). The exhaust brake is excellent. In the full on mode, it slows the truck down to the point where the service brakes are almost not needed. I would expect brakes to last a very long time before replacement. There is also a gear limiting feature right on the steering wheel to keep her geared down for hill descending. The downshift, exhaust brake and gear limiting make for the trucks 43,000lb GCWR to be realized.
The interior is very nice. Seats are pretty comfortable and attractive with heat/ventilation features. RAM has an excellent center console on the Laramie edition. Its convertible into a lot of different configurations and lots of room for all the junk I can seemingly never stop carrying around. Theres a double stack glove compartment with a really slick top glove compartment kind of hidden in the middle of the dash.
The back seat area has a lot of room and options for folding down the heated rear seats into cargo space. They just fold up-no awkward latches to grab and with other hand yank on the seat. They just fold up and down effortlessly.
Lighting is over the top with puddle lamps, corner lamps, back up lamps floor area lighting and its all LED. Fog lamps are not a joke. The shine far and wide. The instrument cluster is a technological wonder. It has probably 6 different modes. Normal, fuel economy, towing, entertainment, tire pressure monitoring to name a few. You can also monitor your trailer tire pressures up to 12 tires. The center cluster has a 8-1/2” main screen. From there I get a back up camera and a bed-area camera which is great for trailer hook up. You also have Apple Play and Sirius. Also, almost all cab functions (seat heat, air temp, etc) can be controlled by driver of passenger from screen virtually.
Just getting to know the truck, so I will check back and add as I go.
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