How much weight?

[CNYScapes]

OK, Im looking for a new truck for mostly landscaping and snowplowing in the winter. These are my choices:

Ford F550
Ford F450
Ford F350

Chevy 3500

all 4x4


I know these will all make great plow trucks, my question is how much topsoil or stone can i really put in these trucks. Can a chevy 3500 hold 4 yds of topsoil? Im not interested in the GVWR of these trucks, I really want to know what they can haul. If I can get away with the 1 tons I will decide between the ford and the chevy, but if I need a bigger truck then I must get the ford. Let me know what you guys think, Thanks !

[TRex]

I would go with the bigger ford in your situation. Say you put 4 yd. of top soil in the back of a 1 ton, which it will barely hold it but then you want to hook your trailer with a skid on it. You will put les wear and tear on the big trucks during normal use and if you want to haul something extra it won't be a problem. This is JMO

[Gravel Rat]

If your looking for a truck that is going to haul any weight you can pretty much rule out 1 ton trucks I own a F-Superduty which is the first model F-450s. I would never own a 1 ton truck again there is no way a 1 ton would carry 6000lbs with ease I have carried 9000lbs.

I have driven the F-550 before they pack a mean load but they sure wouldn't want to use one for a daily driver. The truck I was driving was legal for 8000lb payload we had up to 11,000lbs on the truck.

As for having 4wheeldrive you will really have to think about that one I know you want to use the truck for plowing but for everyday use 4wheeldrive wouldn't get used much.

When you are grossing 17,000lbs (F-550) your going to be stressing driveline if your in places that requires 4wheeldrive. I really debated about converting a F-Superduty (450) to 4wheeldrive and decided it isn't worth it. Sure it comes in handy when your unloaded when you start hauling heavy loads you have a transfer case and a extra axle wearing out.

I don't know if I would buy a F-550 truck it would be really hard to charge enough per hour to pay for itself. For what you would have to charge per hour for a 550 a person could get a single axle 5 ton dump truck.

I can barely get 40 dollars per hour for my F-Superduty because you can hire a single axle 5 ton for 50 dollars per hour that carries more. For a 60 dollars you can get a tandem axle dump truck that brings you 15 tons of material at one time.

I get called todo hauling when you need to load the truck by hand or the place is too small to fit a 5 ton truck but most of the time people only want 2 yards of material.

[rob1325]

F350 -12,000 GVW

F450- 15,000 GVW

F550- 17,500 GVW

F550 Stretched - 19,000 GVW (don't think can get 4x4)

3500 - Think 12,000 GVW.

I personally would get a F550 if you can afford it. F350 or 3500, you can only put about a ton on it legally. If you are deciding between F450 & F550, Then get the F550. You can put 7,500 LBS. Legally on it. The ONLY difference between the two is the REAR AXLE. They have the same springs, brakes, and frame, So ride will be the same. The price difference between the to is like $350 and you get the much heavier duty Dana axle and higher legal payload.

Heres a pic of my truck, F550 which when loaded with sand and plow, its still under GVW:

[Gravel Rat]

The F-550 does have heavier springs it is a extra leaf and a higher spring rate. The rear axle in the F-550 is a 135 Dana its pretty beefy with a 13.5" ring gear :D

I wish Ford would put a larger front axle into the F-450 and F-550 trucks the Dana 60 isn't quite heavy enough heck Marmon Herrington used to put Dana 70s under the F-Superdutys when they did 4x4 conversions.

[rob1325]

When I was next to F450 I looked and counted the springs and they where the same as my F50. But mine was 2001 don't know if they changes now.

[Gravel Rat]

I was told their was a extra leaf I never personally counted them.

You would think the 550 would have a heavier main spring pack as the truck carries more than a F-450.

[Kelly's Landscaping]

Chevy and Dodge top out at the 3500 series but you could go GMC they make 4500 5500 6500 7500 and 8500s can even go tandem wheels on the 8500s just a thought I plan on buying a few 6500s in the up coming year. Trouble you have is you want it for plowing as well.

[GLS]

Chevy and Dodge top out at the 3500 series but you could go GMC they make 4500 5500 6500 7500 and 8500s can even go tandem wheels on the 8500s just a thought I plan on buying a few 6500s in the up coming year. Trouble you have is you want it for plowing as well.


Chevy and GMC both make medium duties. Same thing, different name. Chevy Kodiak/GMC Topkick. Hopefully they will be coming out with the 4x4 soon. There is a conversion for it though.

[MWS LAWN]

I just bought a 02 f-450 4x4. I love it. I test drove a new f-350 with the 6 liter diesel, did not like it. Very happy with the 02 w/ 7.3 liter. The f-450 drives and handles better than our 99 f-250 w/ diesel. The f-450 has a 9 ft. contractors dump bed. We will use it for landscaping and snow plowing.

[myoder]

I would get a GMC 5500 and put weight in the back of it for traction. It will make an excellent truck for plowing parking lots.

[Gravel Rat]

I think I would rather have a F-450 over a F-550 the 450s seem to be a bit more daily driver friendly. I drove a F-550 2wd I found it pretty sluggish you felt like you were driving a truck my F-Superduty (f-450) doesn't feel that way.

If the truck can legally carry 6-7,000lbs why need to carry more you can't get paid more being your in a 1 ton class truck.

I would love to have 4wheeldrive my F-Superduty is only 2wd I can't afford 25,000 grand for a used F-450 4x4 diesel with a lwb.

[CNYScapes]

OK, I ended up buying a 99' F550 4x4 with 12' dump. $19000, what do you think? good deal or what?

[4evergreenlawns]

Hard to say on the price but I can tell you that I am running about 5tons of salt per load in my 9' dump on my 2003 F-450 6.0PSD 4X4 with a 8.5 MVP plow. Actual weight across the scale was pushing 22,000lbs. For $325 I beefed up the rear springs by adding one leaf to the main pack and one leaf to the helper spring. Lifted the truck about 3". Next step is to go to a heavier load rating on the rear tires

My guess is I added between 1800lbs and 2000lbs to the rear axel. I am also running Timbrens front and rear. This truck flat out hauls A##. I have loaded about 4tons of #8 gravel and it pulled just fine. I do wish I would have gone with the F-550 but I only haul heavy in the winter so I guess I will be ok.


And BTW F-350 is only rated for 10,000lbs. F-350 Dually is 12,500 than you go to the F-450 15,000lbs.

Truck plows great too.

[Gravel Rat]

You are pushing the truck to hard a F-450 should never gross anymore than 17,000lbs I would never dream of pushing a 450 to 22,000lbs its just a accident waiting to happen.

You don't have the braking power to stop 22,000lbs I think you better look at a 5 ton truck your just killing a F-450 if you keep grossing it to those weights. You know if the DOT catches you the fine can be one dollar per lb you are over the gvw so your looking at a 7000 dollar fine :nono:

The 550 I worked with the heaviest load we put on that was 5 ton wouldn't want to put much more on the truck it pushed the gvw to 19,000lbs.

The F-450s only have a Dana 80 in the back your axle rating is only 10,000lbs. The F-550s run the 135 Dana and I have read about people busting them from overloading the trucks.

[4evergreenlawns]

Thanks, but $1 per pound not happening in the US. I am not running any more that others in the same situation. I do think the question was about what is the real weights being hauled not what is the GVWR.

I do not haul that far from where I load. It is not different than all the guys running a 2yard V box in a 3/4 P/U. I weight my 2500HD with the V box level and the plow, it scaled at 11,500 and rated for 9,800lbs. There is not one person running a 8' V box legal on a P/U.

But again not like I am hualing over the road. Just short runs loaded and than start salting and the load gets emptied quick.

[Gravel Rat]

The other thing the DOT can make you do it shovel off your load until your legal you can't drop it on the ground it has togo into another truck :D

The DOT keeps a eye on guys with F-450s and F-550s in this area as they are commercial trucks because they are over 12,000lb gvw. Once your over 12,000lbs you have to follow all the DOT rules use the scales on the highway and all the DOT rules are enforced.

The worst part is the police (RCMP) have access to Portables (scales) if they suspect your overloaded man your in deep doo doo.

[4evergreenlawns]

I'll keep that in mind if I ever get a call for work in BC/Canada. Thanks.

[Gravel Rat]

The American DOT probably has portable scales you guys have tougher rules than we do here in B.C. .