Pics of my new baby..

[KenH]

I finally got it. The truck is amazing. Handles great and is a workhorse. Should have done it years ago.

[KenH]

.

[MacLawnCo]

Ken,

looks great. Do you have any more details?

[KenH]

Sure...Its a 2003 Mits. FESP. 14500 GVW, 12' Reading Landscape Body. AC/PW.PL/CD/Block Heater/Heated Mirrors. Around 8000lbs capacity/14 Cu/Yards. Previous to this I was running 2 F150's, one was a rack dump, so you can imagine the difference.

[MacLawnCo]

Thanks Ken.

That looks awesome. What did that cost? Do you think you will be able to tow a trailer with it?

[KenH]

Thanks. It was 38000.00 out the door. I had it outfitted with a combo ball/pintle hitch so it will be ready to go. Right now I have a dedicated trailer truck, so this will be used for mulch/cleanups/leaves/fertilizing.

[gogetter]

ken, does it dump? Nice looking truck!

[KenH]

Yes...its an electric dump. The truck is a diesel, with an Alison trainy.

[LB Landscaping]

Is it a 4X4?? I have heard those are pretty good for plowing, they can turn on a dime. Seems like it would be good in a tight spot. Looks good, I like it.

[KenH]

LB--I have the 2WD. I never got into plowing. I think the FG is 4WD. I have a
Honda minivan and a Subaru Outback. This truck outturns them both.

[Turfdude]

Wish you much luck w/ the truck!
Just a side note: the bed looks like it sticks out pretty far from the frame. Depending on how hitch/pintle is attached, be careful of trailer tongue weight as well as be careful when raising dump bed all the way that it doesn't hit & bind on hitch.:blush:

[SCAPEASAURUSREX]

Beautiful Truck, best of luck with it....

[GraZZmaZter]

Very nice rig Ken. I hope it makes you the money back tenfold!

[LAWNGODFATHER]

NIce truck, but be vary careful with it.

The CA is to short for the body. If loaded wrong you can loose steering.

[KenH]

Thanks for the compliments.

Actually, before I purchased the truck, I spoke with the engineers at MFTA (Mits Fuso Truck of America) and they laid the truck out for me based on the body I wanted. (Basically all this Cab to Axle and wheelbase stuff was new to me.) It was their choice to put on the 108.3 wheelbase as they said it would work the best when fully loaded. (They took into consideration max. weight when loaded as well as passengers, as well as door swings, etc.....pretty thorough.) Since the engineers laid out the truck, any problems I may have will fall under the 3 year warranty.

I do understand though if I were to place a pallet of stone in the rear not over the wheels, then I am asking for trouble. (That is what the side access door is for :D )

[Turf Technologies]

JUst wondering what those runs?

[LAWNGODFATHER]

We set up an F350 with a 12' rugby stake dump w/8' v box spreader, and when it was loaded we had almost no steering.

We added tractor weights to the front of the truck to compensate, 600# worth.

[KenH]

Do you know offhand the wheelbase of the Ford??

[LAWNGODFATHER]

I would guess off hand 132ish, the bed area is set up similar to yours.

From the back of the bed to the center of the tire there is 62"

I measured this when we put the v box on to see what the ratio was in front of tire and behind tire.

I am pretty sure its about an 84" CA.

[paponte]

Yeah that wheelbase would scare me a little. I have UD's, and all have a longer wheel base. Nice truck though. Did you get used to getting in and out yet? :cool:

[IBGreen]

I bet that truck will turn on a time.

[KenH]

Its actually unbelievable how tight it turns. It is like the truck pivots on the rear wheels.

[Albemarle Lawn]

My name is also Ken and I have the same truck...

Awesome...good image builder, very manueverable, economical, and hauls as much as a pickup + 18' trailer.

[Albemarle Lawn]

It turns sharper than my Honda Accord. The only thing I own that turns tighter is my Ford Bronco (full size).

Ken

[hustlers]

INSURANCE, what do you pay a month for full coverage

I was looking at one but my insurer would not due anything over
1 ton. Where did you buy the insurance

[Gravel Rat]

A Ford F-350 with a 12 foot deck is gonna have a 161" wheelbase its standard size and the most common size the rear wheels are about centred on the deck. You can go with the next size up in the wheelbase but you run the risk of bending the frame and have to run a 13-14 foot deck.

Anyhow the little cab over trucks are good for guys that run in the city and never really see any off pavement work as the COE trucks are light on the rear axle and heavy on the front. When your spec'ing a truck for a deck you look at the CA which stands for Cab to axle which means the back of the cab to the center line of the rear axle. For the COE truck discussed here its probably got a 80-84 CA which is about right for a 12 foot box and get good dump angle on it.

As for these little trucks carrying loads they do like having the weight over the rear axle and forward anything heavy behind the rear axle will make the front float. The thing you have to watch is hauling palletized stuff putting the heaviest stuff over the rear spring hangers on top of the axle. Hauling mulch and stuff like that the load is pretty well distributed so I don't think you will have any problems.

The biggest drawback about these trucks is the 16" wheels on the heavier COEs the next size up has a 17,000lb Gvw but the 14,500 models are pushing the limits of Lt-235R16E rubber.
When it comes to buying Steer tires for these trucks DONOT buy the cheapy tires these suckers are hard on front tires so get a good quality ribs like XPS Michelins or G-159 Goodyears. For rear drive tires on the duals use a good traction tire a XPS Traction or Goodyear Workhorse Traction these tires see alot of scrub from the small turning radius.

Have you pulled a trailer with this truck have you found out the GCWR for this truck these trucks are not the most powerfullest on the road.

Good Luck with the truck

[KenH]

G. Rat--- Good, informative post. As the truck is setup now, the rear wheels fall a little more to the rear of the center of the 12' bed. You were right on, as I believe this truck has a 84" CA. I definately understand not to load only in the rear, which was a big selling point of the bed I bought due to the side access door, which can easily accomodate a pallet.

I havent pulled a trailer yet, as this truck really wasnt intended for such.

[Gravel Rat]

Those trucks are meant for carrying loads I have seen a friend of mine put 6 ton on his GMC W-5000 one size bigger than your truck I was amazed. Your truck is probably good for 4 ton and probably 3 ton legally depending on your tare weight of the truck like I said before its the tires that limit the weight.

[fblandscape]

I should tell you this, as I am hoping not too many other people have this experience. BUT! be VERY careful with that truck. If you hit ANYTHING with the cab it can be totalled pretty easily. I have known a couple of people who hit their trucks on trees and they were both totalled, or pretty close to totalled. The cab crushes pretty easily, and if you hit it hard enough the engine gets killed.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Aint that with any vehicle.......

[KenH]

A friend of my just purchased the FG, 4wd model mainly for landscaping/ plowing. He tilted the cab without removing the plowlights and frame....ouch..:( :( :( :( :(