Ram 5500 or F550???

That's what happened to me. 15k for my 550, built a flatbed on it then lost a turbo. 5k, running again for awhile, left me on the side of the road 100 miles from home. 500 tow bill, had low fuel pressure, while working on it the pressure snapped back up. No codes, couldn't figure it out, ran fine a few months and burnt a piston. Power stroke mechanic said he won't rebuild the 6.4 anymore cause they go bad and he eats the second one. Said 15k for a factory crate motor plus install, only thing he'll do with them.
 
I would never own or recommend owning a 6.4 if anyone's shopping second hand. They are widely known to be a replacement only motor as you described Willie. There's a reason it was only around for three years.

The only Ford diesel I own is a 7.3 and I have four fords.
 
I sent this picture of my buddies shop to a die hard Ford guy, and a member here. His reply:"At least that '08-'10 Ford was put out of it's misery.":O

I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers, but for every Cummins problem there are five Duramax problems and 40 Powerstroke problems.

20170411_113400.jpg
 
Now maybe the cummins has less problems than a powerstroke? Maybe, because no one has actual data on this thanks to manufacturers all trying to claim to be the best. But even if you gave the cummins the nod as the best diesel. The problem is the rest of the dodge wrapped around it. :D
 
squisher said:
I would never own or recommend owning a 6.4 if anyone's shopping second hand. They are widely known to be a replacement only motor as you described Willie. There's a reason it was only around for three years.

The only Ford diesel I own is a 7.3 and I have four fords.
Click to expand...

f00b8bd0b55d9354c5336f9f3321cbb9_10-best-images-about-vehicles-on-pinterest-chevy-trucks-and-po.jpeg
 
FireFighterZero said:
One thing to consider is that you may never get the cost of that diesel engine back.

We used to figure it took 200,000 miles to make up the price of the diesel option.

Resale value is better though.
Click to expand...

Resale value will be where you get your investment back. Fuel economy, reliability (maybe not so much anymore?), and towing capacity/ability is the return on the investment.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #37
I googled "problems with Ram trucks" and "problems with Ford trucks" last night and read the consumer affairs web page comments from people, it's pretty scary how expensive repairs can get on new trucks AND maybe even more than that the down time you can have waiting for dealership repairs. Ten to seventeen thousand $ in a swat and days, weeks, and sometimes months in repairs.

I will look at forums on 2017 Rams and Fords and see what kind of experiences people are having when it's not slit your wrist catastrophic.

Jim that is an interesting point about savings of a diesel over gas. I'm not really after that, or resale. I intend to use this truck for the next 20 or more years and pretty much use it up. It's what combination makes the most sense and will get good tree work done.

I drove a new F650 with a chip box and gas engine and it had good power empty and not pulling anything. The F650 has a higher profile than I want but maybe I should find someone with a F550 gasser that I can ride in or drive loaded and towing.

I did do a ride along with a local to me lady that hauls loads of compost and chips from green waste recycler. She had a Ram 5500 with diesel. She said it drives about the same loaded as empt-and it felt that way to me. She had a twelve foot bed with four foot sides that she carried full.

I want this truck to tow a 5200 lb 90XP chipper most of the time for pruning jobs, sometimes a dump trailer that can go up to 17,400 lbs, and later I want to get a 90 foot Nifty Lift or tracked spider lift that I tow with it.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #38
oh, and what I was seeing as a bit of a trend on the consumer affairs websight was a lot of expensive Ford fuel system repairs, and a lot of expensive and pull your hair out electrical problems on Rams.
 
Will the dump trailer on the 550 become a combination CDL A truck? If so will that be an issue?
 
Merle Nelson said:
Ahh. Oh...... just realized you have probably had use of a lot of new/newish trucks through the forest service Burnham.

That's interesting on useful speeds Jim.
Click to expand...

From brand new up to about 8 years old...that's around the maximum age the Forest Service keeps them in fleet. So that means rigs that were 6 or 7 years old when I started in 1979 up to brand new in 2012 when I retired. Plus, I drove Fords, Dodges, Chevrolets, and Internationals working for two different state fish & wildlife agencies and with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, before I started working for the Forest Service in '79.
 
Can't spend $50k on this rig at the moment, bigger things have a priority this year
c33432fb3fa14cf866cf1d4e7c57e8d6.jpg
e7fab2417b927364c4e7bb9b76a780b7.jpg
0b04a7c1dbc06ecfe6c7a9d409f9892a.jpg
 
I can't for the life of me figure why people buy stuff new!

I research what runs good and lasts then spend my time searching for a good used one. I however don't give two hoots about looks. I have 2 Chevy c6500s with cat 3126 and Allison trans . Paid $11500 and $12000 for them. I have a 96 Grove AT 635 I paid $65k for it. Conehead 510 chipper that I have been running the crap out of, paid $21k. Just decided we needed to speed up the process even more so got a 22" conehead for $35k. Couldn't bring myself to pay $60k plus for a chip truck and then have some jackass drive it .....
 
Oh forgot to mention I have 2 TCM wheel loader last one I picked up for $14000 , buy old good shit and you can afford a backup so WHEN something breaks down (which in my experience is more common with brand new than used) you just switch to the backup and have time to figure out a cost effective solution.

Keep telling the Mrs. We don't have a backup crane yet8)

Oh did I mention I have two 97 dodge pickups with the Cummins....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Truck mounts for pole saw?
Replies
2
Views
768
Treeaddict
Treeaddict
Knotorious
Seeking Advice for Proper Rope Walking Technique and Any Other Relevant/Helpful Information!
Replies
10
Views
1K
Knotorious
Knotorious
flushcut
Chip truck input please!
2
Replies
29
Views
3K
flushcut
flushcut
Page
Electric hoist or pto
Replies
11
Views
2K
ruel
ruel
Knotorious
I (Think/Hope) I Developed A New Hitch Design
31 32 33
Replies
800
Views
33K
Knotorious
Knotorious
Back
Top