F350 or F450 or F550
- Thread starter Alloy
- Start date
I think I've copied all of the pertinent posts to this thread:
Current regular cab Ford F-450 and F-550 chassis-cab trucks are available with 60" CA, 84" CA, 108" CA, and 120" CA frames, with another 47.2" from rear axle to end of frame (without aft-axle frame extensions).
Even with a 84" CA, one would just need a long enough bumper, right?
Current regular cab DRW F-350 chassis-cab trucks are available with 60" CA and 84" CA ( with another 47.2" from rear axle to end of frame).
The RC, SC, and CC, Ford F-450 and F-550, are available with 84" CA.
The CC F-450 4x4 84" CA chassis-cab, with payload downgrade package to 15000 pounds, has a payload of 7,440 pounds. The RC DRW F-350 4x4 84" CA chassis-cab has a payload of 7500 pounds.
For someone that wants/needs a SC or CC 84" CA chassis-cab, a F-450/550 might work.
The 60" CA and 84" CA 450/550 chassis-cabs are available with aft-frame extensions. The combination might work well for someone who doesn't plan on towing, but wants a wide-track axle and a short wheelbase (at the expense of departure angle). Just be careful about recovery points.
You might want to consider the DRW F-350 CCLB with the 7.3L gas engine and 4.30s. Same 14,000 pound GVWR and about 1200 pounds more payload than the diesel F-450 CCLB. 28,000 pound GCWR. It might also be easier to insure than the F-450 PU or F-550 chassis cab.
The 7.3L gas engine is strong enough that it is the standard engine in the current F-750.
The F-550 Crew Cab chassis cab might be what you need for your intended payload, and it is available with a 84" CA if you want/need the length.
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The 2017+ F-250F-350/F-450 pickups have a fully boxed frame for stiffness. The 2017+ F-350/F-450/F-550 chassis cabs have a fully boxed frame under the cab and forward, but have c-channel aft of the cab.
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2017+ Super Duty pickups:
"FULLY BOXED HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL FRAME
The fully boxed frame, built of percent high-strength steel with up to 10 crossmembers, is 24 times stiffer than the previous design. The frame is designed to minimize flexing and twisting while maximizing strength and torsional rigidity, and serves as the foundation for the impressive towing and hauling capability of the Super Duty® .
*Max.payload rating of 7,850 lbs. available on F-350, Regular Cab 4x2, 6.2L gas. Max available gooseneck tow rating of 37,000 lbs. on F-450, Regular Cab, 4x2. Class is Full-Size Pickups over 8,500 lbs. GVWR."
from:
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From Ford's link about chassis cab trucks:
"Reducing body weight and making the frame eight times stiffer than before — together, these increase the payload in today’s generation of the Super Duty Chassis Cab. And that’s a big reason the 12,750 lb.-maximum payload rating is the best in its class. * The F-600 takes things even further and hauls up to a maximum of 15,090 lbs."
"The chassis cabs have a fully boxed frame under-cab with C -channel aft-of-cab frame." See:
https://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/chassis-cab/
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2017+ Super Duty pickups:
"FULLY BOXED HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL FRAME
The fully boxed frame, built of percent high-strength steel with up to 10 crossmembers, is 24 times stiffer than the previous design. The frame is designed to minimize flexing and twisting while maximizing strength and torsional rigidity, and serves as the foundation for the impressive towing and hauling capability of the Super Duty® .
*Max.payload rating of 7,850 lbs. available on F-350, Regular Cab 4x2, 6.2L gas. Max available gooseneck tow rating of 37,000 lbs. on F-450, Regular Cab, 4x2. Class is Full-Size Pickups over 8,500 lbs. GVWR."
from:
...........................................
From Ford's link about chassis cab trucks:
"Reducing body weight and making the frame eight times stiffer than before — together, these increase the payload in today’s generation of the Super Duty Chassis Cab. And that’s a big reason the 12,750 lb.-maximum payload rating is the best in its class. * The F-600 takes things even further and hauls up to a maximum of 15,090 lbs."
"The chassis cabs have a fully boxed frame under-cab with C -channel aft-of-cab frame." See:
https://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/chassis-cab/
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The 7.3L gas engine is about the same weight as the 6.2L gas engine, so, much less of an anchor than the 6.7L diesel.
Do you need the diesel engine? The 7.3L gas is used in the F-750.
Alloy
Well-known member
At 19.5lb GVWR the F550 has a pcs of 1/4" plate is added to the frame behind the cab
On the F550 the 4.88 gearing is require for the 19.5Ib GVWR. I thought it would need 41" singles to keep the engine RPM down but it looks like the 10speed transmision takes care of this.
Don't know why the F550 Shift Chart only goes to 7th gear (maybe the dealer set the cruse speed at 60mph?) but it also includes the turning circle
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Picked up my 2022 F550 Lariat at the end of August that I ordered back in April. When I was placing he order, I was going back and forth between F450 and F550 chassis cabs. If considering a chassis cab, I don't see the benefit of going with anything lower than an F550. Technically, they are all in the commercial chassis class and require the more expensive private use commercial insurance. They all have the same power-ratings. They are all relatively close in price. So why not go with the chassis which has the best brakes, driveline, etc?
I suppose the lower payload 350/450 chassis cabs will have softer rear spring packages than the 550, so it won't beat you to death when unloaded? But there are options to address that with money. Or its no longer an issue once you've got your camper on the back.
I ordered my 550 from a dealer in Oregon, so I had to drive it back to San Diego (about 1020 miles). Aside from the harsh ride through LA freeways with nothing in the rear, this thing feels WAY too nice to be considered a "commercial" vehicle. lol We had a Super C on a 2013 F550 XL chassis and the 2022 Lariat is lightyears beyond that.
Also, regarding the detuned engine package that the CC's use, I'm sure the extra power would be nice. But in my old Super C, we would tow out a 24' enclosed trailer with a truck, multiple dirt bikes and lots of gear totaling around 11k lbs loaded. Even with the 17.5k dry weight of the RV alone, I had no problems going up the pass each way between SD country and Imperial County when doing desert trips. For those of you that are familiar with the route and grade, you'll know what I mean.
I suppose the lower payload 350/450 chassis cabs will have softer rear spring packages than the 550, so it won't beat you to death when unloaded? But there are options to address that with money. Or its no longer an issue once you've got your camper on the back.
I ordered my 550 from a dealer in Oregon, so I had to drive it back to San Diego (about 1020 miles). Aside from the harsh ride through LA freeways with nothing in the rear, this thing feels WAY too nice to be considered a "commercial" vehicle. lol We had a Super C on a 2013 F550 XL chassis and the 2022 Lariat is lightyears beyond that.
Also, regarding the detuned engine package that the CC's use, I'm sure the extra power would be nice. But in my old Super C, we would tow out a 24' enclosed trailer with a truck, multiple dirt bikes and lots of gear totaling around 11k lbs loaded. Even with the 17.5k dry weight of the RV alone, I had no problems going up the pass each way between SD country and Imperial County when doing desert trips. For those of you that are familiar with the route and grade, you'll know what I mean.
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The 2017" F-350 DRW pickup max payload is greater than the 2017+ F-450 pickup, especially if the F-350 has a gas engine.
2017+ F-250/F-350/F-450 pickups have a fully boxed frame, but the F-450/F-550/F-600 chassis cabs do not.
The F-450 pickup and the F-450/F-550/F-600 chassis cabs do have the wider front axle with the better turning radius, but the F-350 pickups and chassis cabs do not, except for possibly the fleet F-350 DRW chassis cab with the ambulance package. See:
2017+ F-250/F-350/F-450 pickups have a fully boxed frame, but the F-450/F-550/F-600 chassis cabs do not.
The F-450 pickup and the F-450/F-550/F-600 chassis cabs do have the wider front axle with the better turning radius, but the F-350 pickups and chassis cabs do not, except for possibly the fleet F-350 DRW chassis cab with the ambulance package. See:
Porkchopexpress
Well-known member
Ford Chassis cabs are fully boxed and same as the Super Duty in section under the cab then a C channel is bolted and welded for the aft section at the standard width for commercial upfitter flatbeds, ect. That is a little narrower than the Super Duty and without the rise over the rear axle.
I had considered an F550 with a Northern Lite on a flat bed bed decided a short bed Super Duty with slide in pop up is plenty of truck for my needs and will be able to fit in normal parking easier. If I had gone the F550 route, I eventually would have got Kelderman air suspension like the Earthroamer and super singles.
... It appears you missed post #3. I'll quote it below. ... So,
is accurate.
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That is not true. They are detuned. Also have different turbo, intake, exhaust and likely ECU programming from the pickup versions.
Alloy
Well-known member
Yeah.....I was thinking I'd buy a F550 add a 100hp with a tuner and I'm set but then I found out there's a few things they do to make the engine to last.
It sounds like you can still get some decent power out of a CC with a tuner. I know of at least one person that has one on a 2017+ F550 with with 41” continentals and a slide in. He said that he doesn’t use any of the “performance” modes because it’s more power than he needs, even at 16k lbs loaded.
Alloy
Well-known member
So,
is accurate.
I it probably isn't boxed behind cab becasue it's easier to fasten to a channel than it is a tube.