I wish F-450s had air brakes

[Gravel Rat]

Doing some work on the familly property fixing up a road today. Had 2000lbs of gravel on the truck and the d*mn thing wouldn't sit in one spot. Sure glad I don't have a automatic I think I would have broke the park pawl off yes the road is steep it has over 11% grade it might be steeper than that never measured it.

Truck is parked with the nose up the hill truck in low gear emergency brake on full quickly get out and get a rock behind the wheel to keep it from rolling.

Why can't these auto manufactures get a better emergency brake that holds. I have to go get 3 yards of gravel tommorow to finish what I'am doing I will have to park nose down it will be interesting.

Who ever thinks these trucks have enough braking power must be off their rocker. With the 2000lbs I had backing down the road the truck didn't want to stop. Brandnew brakes on all 4 corners they are broke in too. I don't think I will beable to back down the hill with 7000lbs of gravel on the truck.

My truck has the exact same brakes as a F-550 rated at 19,000lbs how in the h*ll does Ford actually think the brakes would stop a truck weighing 19,000lbs.

I'am fixing the road up so the neighbours can have some work done to their property. The guy working for the neighbour had some troubles the other day with a 2wd drive 1 ton dump with a open diff got a little stuck :laugh:

My F-450 has a true trac its pretty much like having a locker both wheels spin. I have brand new traction tires I didn't even spin a tire today with a empty truck.

It is giving me something to do on my days off.

[stuvecorp]

I don't ever remember needing more brakes with my 450, the 350 was a whole other thing.

I would like to have a 26,000 gvw rating on a 550 though.

[SiteSolutions]

Are the 450 parking brakes a "drum-in-hat" design like the 250/350 brakes?

And aren't you in another thread telling folks that a 450 isn't big enough to haul serious weight and to get a 4700 or a 650? I know they are real popular in some places but why anyone uses an oversized pickup truck to haul materials is beyond me. You could have brought all your materials in one trip with a 750, and had air brakes, and your choice of engines. 750 isn't much of a daily driver though.

[zak406]

because if you had air brakes in a 450 it would require you (at least in pa) to have a cdl and who the hell is going to get a cdl to drive a small dump truck? not to mention if you didn't have a cdl it would be harder to make the sell on that truck. I'm also sure ford did there math and testing with the brakes they put on there truck (and i don't like ford) that's probably one complaint they don't hear much with all there other problems

[Duffster]

because if you had air brakes in a 450 it would require you (at least in pa) to have a cdl and who the hell is going to get a cdl to drive a small dump truck? not to mention if you didn't have a cdl it would be harder to make the sell on that truck. I'm also sure ford did there math and testing with the brakes they put on there truck (and i don't like ford) that's probably one complaint they don't hear much with all there other problems

Once again, air brakes do NOT require a CDL. :hammerhead:

[Gravel Rat]

The truck is my daily driver and carry tools etc around when I'am working a single axle 5 ton dump doesn't do me any good. I only need a truck that will carry 6000lbs.

Absolutely no demand for single axle 5 ton (33-35,000lb gvw) dumps it is either 2 yards or 12 yards not much in-between. For a extra 20 dollars you can get a tandem axle dump so if you want a little more than 7 yards you can get it. If you had a 26,000lb gvw single axle the truck would have weeds growing around it.

A F-450-550 can haul 2-3 yards that is all what most people need for small landscape projects etc. Anything more than 3 yards depending on the place a tandem axle is used. Most of the time the homeowner wants the material in a tough spot so you need to make two trips with a 450/550 the homeowner is willing to pay it.

Yes the F-450s have the same E brake system as a 250-350 they are a weak horrible system. I know the tow truck operators use mico locks (line lock) but they are not legal for a parking brake and they are tough on your brake lines etc.

Ford makes these trucks able to carry the weight but can't stop the weight.

[Gravel Rat]

Once again, air brakes do NOT require a CDL. :hammerhead:

In Canada you don't need a CDL or western Canada you don't need a CDL till the truck has tandem axles. You need a air brake endorsement that is a 16 hour course I got mine when I was 19.

We don't have the stupid CDL laws you guys have in the USA. Anybody with a regular drivers license can operate a 2 axle truck with any gvw.

When you start pulling a trailer with electric or hydraulic brakes you need a trailer endorsement you need that if the trailer has a gvw greater than 10,000lbs.

[Duffster]

In Canada you don't need a CDL or western Canada you don't need a CDL till the truck has tandem axles. You need a air brake endorsement that is a 16 hour course I got mine when I was 19.

We don't have the stupid CDL laws you guys have in the USA. Anybody with a regular drivers license can operate a 2 axle truck with any gvw.

When you start pulling a trailer with electric or hydraulic brakes you need a trailer endorsement you need that if the trailer has a gvw greater than 10,000lbs.

We don't have an air brake endorsement.

If you ask me needing an endorsement to pull a trailer is stupid, but it would be simpler if the CDL's just started at 3 axles

[93turbo]

We don't have an air brake endorsement.

If you ask me needing an endorsement to pull a trailer is stupid, but it would be simpler if the CDL's just started at 3 axles

thats because the trucks that have air brakes are over 26,000 so to drive the truck you need a cdl and to get your cdl you have to pass the air break part of the test:rolleyes:

[Duffster]

thats because the trucks that have air brakes are over 26,000 so to drive the truck you need a cdl and to get your cdl you have to pass the air break part of the test:rolleyes:

There are plenty of trucks under 26k with air brakes.

Just drove a little 19k Kenworth last week with air.

http://www.truckpaper.com/list/list.aspx?bcatid=27&PCID=&dlr=&dlrgrp=&GUID=14B9B870F7C645E9AA3DFD5F4D8F8816&ftr=&DidSearch=1&EID=1&CDTS=&CDTE=&ual=0&OAuctions=0&GroupSort=&Pref=&MDLGrp=&ETID=1&ParentCategoryID=208&catid=0&Mantxt=&Mdltxt=&mdlx=Contains&PF=&PT=&YF=0&YT=0&EventBD=&EventED=&MileFrom=&MileTo=&Feet=&Inches=&LiftGate=All&VIN=&CabType=&Cond=Both&Engine=&HP=&HPTo=&FrontAxleLbs=&FrontAxleLbsOther=&Axle=&RearAxleLbs=&RearAxleLbsOther=&Transmission=&SleeperSize=&MaxSleeperSize=&SleeperType=&Suspension=&Name=&CTY=&keywords=Air+brakes&txtStates=&LS=&SO=2&btnSearch=Search

[Gravel Rat]

The trailer endorsement is just a skills test you don't take any road tests if the trailer has electric brakes.

Here in B.C. you need a air endorsement for air brakes the course teaches you how they work and how to adjust them etc. Allot to learn in 2 days but its doable.

I would never own a medium duty with hydraulic brakes can you say dangerous. Ya the newer trucks have come a long way but it is still juice brakes.

With my F-450 I have brand new brake rotors on the front and the rear brake rotors are in good shape. I used the best brake pads possible. I should have changed the brake calipers they work fine but its something I probably should have done.

[Duffster]

I would never own a medium duty with hydraulic brakes.

Don't you own one now? :confused:

[Gravel Rat]

Don't you own one now? :confused:

A F-450 550 are not medium duty trucks heck people use them as pickups and Ford does make the 450 pick up.

A medium duty in my mind is a F-650 and bigger.

I don't know what you could class the 15-20,000lb truck market they are not really medium duty trucks.

[Hanau]

Don't you own one now? :confused:

Let's see here.

Medium-Duty Trucks, Classes 4 - 6, 14,001 to 26,000 GVW

Source: http://www.constructionequipment.com/Equipment/21264.html

This means Gravel Rat got:

[zak406]

my bad duffster just looked at the dmv site

[Gravel Rat]

Maybe you guys in the USA class the F-450-550 trucks as a medium duty in Canada they are still called 1 tons.

A 26,000lb truck is a 3 ton a 30-35,000lb truck is a 5 ton. The 26,000lb truck is only a USA spec truck.

Any truck over 12,000lb gvw does need a NSC (motor carrier DOT number) if the truck is used commercially.

[Junior M]

Maybe you guys in the USA class the F-450-550 trucks as a medium duty in Canada they are still called 1 tons.

A 26,000lb truck is a 3 ton a 30-35,000lb truck is a 5 ton. The 26,000lb truck is only a USA spec truck.

Any truck over 12,000lb gvw does need a NSC (motor carrier DOT number) if the truck is used commercially.
Yall are screwed up... :hammerhead:

[Duffster]

Let's see here.



Source: http://www.constructionequipment.com/Equipment/21264.html

This means Gravel Rat got:

Thats funny. :laugh:

[YellowDogSVC]

I have to agree that the Ford Superduty Emergency brakes leave a lot to be desired. The overall stopping, though, in my F350 is excellent. I believe my '05 F350 share the same brakes as the F450. Is that possible? I know my '08 F350 has very large brakes. Oversized for the truck in my opinion.

[Gravel Rat]

The old "F Superduty" the original 450 had a decent E brake it was shaft mounted the only thing was both wheels had to be on the same surface so no tire on pavement and one on dirt. If you were not the one on the gravel would loose traction and the truck would take off if the truck was in neutral.

Picked up 6679lbs of gravel today gotta go spread it now the truck handles the load just fine. Truck will probably handle more weight but I'am 1500lbs overweight.

[bobcat_ron]

The F Series have disc brakes, front and rear, good for heat build up while slowing down, but less surface contact that you have with drums, so they wear faster.
I carry a quick C clamp in the truck (as part of my camera mounting system) and clamp that on the trailer brake controller when I load something on the trailer on a hill, that locks up the trailer brakes, or I yank the safety pin on the break away.
I also used an 80 pound brick on the brake pedal to keep the truck from rolling, I was worried the catch pawl in the tranny wasn't going to hold, and my parking break isn't working anymore.

[mrsops]

Gravel rat just buy a f-650 and be done with it :laugh:..

[bobcat_ron]

Gravel rat just buy a f-650 and be done with it :laugh:..

GR and I are in the same kind of boats (his is sinking faster, mine is passing him by at a break neck speed) F450/550's are easier to park and insure and they don't look ass ugly and chicks still dig dudes wth regular looking trucks, all the girls here love Mr. Bunny.

[Gravel Rat]

I don't haul enough weight to warrant a 650 size truck. The F-450 is good for what I do because I can go anywhere in it and park it in a mall parking lot with no troubles.

I may not have any work right now but when I do get jobs I need a truck with a 11 foot bed.

[Hanau]

If you do buy an F-650 never, ever mention it on this site. It will turn into a 300 post flame fest.