[timberfab]

So i am in need of a work truck. i also have a budget or would it be better to say budget minded.

my shop is a small welding and fab shop in central pa. i need a truck to haul steel out to customers, weld on site in oil and gas fields. i am planning on building or rebuilding the bed to suit. i kind of want a combo western hauler/pipe line welder body. low profile and functional. have a miller bobcat 225 welder, gas powered air compressor, and would like to haul my goose neck trailer with it, and a crane would be a plus but not needed

so there are a few semi local rigs.

a 2000 f550 7.3 power-stroke, AT 2wd flat bed. 221,000 miles. good new tires clean as a whistle one owner - $8500.00

a 1995 Chevy c7500 former Verizon truck cat diesel, good tires, huge utility bed with 4cyl cummins air compressor and aux hydro all over! 180,000miles $4700.00

a 1984 f600 diesel, 5spd, 120,000miles, retired service truck in a coal mine. pretty clean, has big utility body, large crane, needs a hydro cylinder on the out rigger for the crane. - $4500.00


i'lll have to build or modify what ever trucks's body i get. the larger rig will be less useful to haul the gooseneck trailer but better for doing big jobs in the field.

F550 seems like a good truck for everything i currently do but might not be a wise investment long haul.


so what are some of your opinions of these trucks?

 

[Mud Slayer 2.0]

anything towed on pirate needs at least a tractor trailer rig.







No i dont have anything useful to ad to this post

 

[406 YJ]

We had an f550 around that same year (years ago) Was a great truck. However that was the lowest geared dude I have ever owned, outside of our 1951 grain truck. I'd get it out on the highway before I bought it. That 7.3 is a great motor and the 550's do good with weight on them. I'd go with the 2000 F550 if it were me.

 

[three60fish]

Yeah, I really don't know too much about any of these trucks, but that Verizon Chevy sounds the most appealing to me since it's got that built in compressor and all those other goodies. If you can fab and your gonna mod the thing anyway, I'll bet you could fairly easily setup that sucker to tow goose. :smokin:

I would figure out what Cat motor the Chebby has and research it as well as whatever tranny is in it. Report back when you know. Only think that doesn't seem appealing about truck is180k and former Verizon truck, eek, coulda been seriously beat on!

 

[Machinos]

Not sure what motor's in the F600 but that's what I'd buy. That seems really cheap for so much truck, and what I like about old trucks is they're simple, cheap to buy and maintain, and you don't have to worry about scratching the damn paint so much. Also I can think of 50 ways I'd be able to use a real crane on a truck and I don't have a welding business.

 

[Jrod-13]

If trucks in a coal mine are anything like trucks in an iron mine, I would really, really look it over... take whatever the mileage is on it, and multiply it by 20, and that would give you a pretty acurate reading.. (1 ton pickups here are pretty much worn out by 10K)

Id also look at what the motor is in the kodiak..if its a 3116, your in for a slow, slow ride..

 

[6LCummins]

So i am in need of a work truck. i also have a budget or would it be better to say budget minded.

my shop is a small welding and fab shop in central pa. i need a truck to haul steel out to customers, weld on site in oil and gas fields. i am planning on building or rebuilding the bed to suit. i kind of want a combo western hauler/pipe line welder body. low profile and functional. have a miller bobcat 225 welder, gas powered air compressor, and would like to haul my goose neck trailer with it, and a crane would be a plus but not needed

so there are a few semi local rigs.

a 2000 f550 7.3 power-stroke, AT 2wd flat bed. 221,000 miles. good new tires clean as a whistle one owner - $8500.00

a 1995 Chevy c7500 former Verizon truck cat diesel, good tires, huge utility bed with 4cyl cummins air compressor and aux hydro all over! 180,000miles $4700.00

a 1984 f600 diesel, 5spd, 120,000miles, retired service truck in a coal mine. pretty clean, has big utility body, large crane, needs a hydro cylinder on the out rigger for the crane. - $4500.00


i'lll have to build or modify what ever trucks's body i get. the larger rig will be less useful to haul the gooseneck trailer but better for doing big jobs in the field.

F550 seems like a good truck for everything i currently do but might not be a wise investment long haul.


so what are some of your opinions of these trucks?

If your oil and gas fields are anything like what i have seen, a 2wd wouldnt be a very good idea. Granted it seems to be teh only one that would haul a gooseneck easily out of all theree. I'd personally stay away from a coal mine vehicle as they are probably abused like eery other fleet vehicle I've seen. The older truck is going to be a hassle as parts are starting to get harder to find, mainly because the guys that know anything about them are retiring and getting out of the parts world. As far as gearing on the F550 you can throw taller tires on it to counter it but that truck seems to be the best bet for you from the three you have listed.

 

[blthomas]

Don't know if this is worth a shot, but there is a F550 crew 4x4 here in No VA for sale.

I drive past it everyday, been there since just after thanks giving at a tractor dealer/repair place.

I could get some details if you would like and PM them to ya.

 

[timberfab]

well thanks for all the advice and information. what i want to do now is buy all three, take the boom off the 1984 ford, install it on the Chevy and go weld, while i haul around in the f550.

but alas i can't afford them all. still in a quandary. i'm gonna give a call to the sellers and ask a few more questions and take them for a ride.

do any of these trucks need a CDL? or better yet, could they be registered so as not to need a CDL. don't really want to pay a guy to get one or get one my self. i guess i will but if i can avoid it . . . that would be nice

 

[Machinos]

The Chevy almost certainly needs a CDL, the F550 doesn't (it might with a loaded trailer though), and the F600 might need one. If it has air brakes I'm PRETTY sure you can still operate it without a CDL or air brake endorsement as long as it's under 26k total.

 

[lumberjack1986]

The automatic in the F550 is the only hold up for me. The 4R100's fairly well suck even on a bone stock truck. ~$3k will buy one that will hold up for towing duties. A friend of mine in SC has a 450 that just rolled over 90k miles. He had to upgrade/replace the trans this past spring, his gross was rarely over 26k.


They are right about the gearing, the 550's 4.88's are certainly better around town rather than stretching legs on the interstate.

I had/have a 2000 F550 7.3L with the 6 speed that was a great truck. The most I grossed was 35k. It was totalled out Thanksgiving week, which is the reason for the had/have. I bought it back from the insurance company to part out.

I replaced the truck with another 550, I like the platform for sure.