Ford F550 or RAM 5500? (Cab and Chassis)

[HDrider]

It looks like Classy Chassis has gotten a black 5500 in and has started on the conversion. Not white but just sayin.

[shill]

Originally Posted by HDrider

It looks like Classy Chassis has gotten a black 5500 in and has started on the conversion. Not white but just sayin.

I knew about the black one that was on the way. It will be his show model. I would grab it myself but to compromise like that on that big of a purchase is just not something I'm willing to do. Remember, I'm a Florida native so 90+ temperatures and black vehicles = VERY HOT! It's hot enough with lighter colors. Anyway, I won't be doing the black with black interior. I'm sure it will look great but it's not practical for me.

[tuffr2]

If you can get past your Ram bias just maybe you could get by your Chevy bias. I could not. But anyway, you really need to consider the redesign on the Chevy 4500 MDT.

Like I mentioned before, when I looked at New Horizons I would buy a Freightliner M2 Sport Chassis. Well now I would buy the new Chevy 4500.

For your heavy trailer you should remove your bias about a MDT. Research the new Chevy 4500 see if that's a truck you could learn to like in white.

Also, I agree with you - no black trucks, too hot in the summer.

[Jshopes81]

Too hot in the summer and too hard to keep clean. One black harley was all it took to prevent me from ever owning black again.

[HDrider]

Originally Posted by shill

I knew about the black one that was on the way. It will be his show model. I would grab it myself but to compromise like that on that big of a purchase is just not something I'm willing to do. Remember, I'm a Florida native so 90+ temperatures and black vehicles = VERY HOT! It's hot enough with lighter colors. Anyway, I won't be doing the black with black interior. I'm sure it will look great but it's not practical for me.

Yup, I knew your feeling about the black truck but I figured I would toss it out here anyway for the sake of conversation on this thread LOL!!

[glennwest]

My Smart Car is silver and black. Considering ceramic tint it gets so hot.

[tuffr2]

Next time anyone is looking at cars/trucks on a summer day, just touch a black car/truck vs a white car/truck. Be careful as you will burn your hand on a black car/truck.

Oh, and impossible to keep clean. And rock chips. Black paint is also more brittle than white paint. There are colors that are close to being as good as white like light silver or light gold. Light silver and light gold never look dirty is one advantage over white.

[Jshopes81]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Next time anyone is looking at cars/trucks on a summer day, just touch a black car/truck vs a white car/truck. Be careful as you will burn your hand on a black car/truck.

Oh, and impossible to keep clean. And rock chips. Black paint is also more brittle than white paint. There are colors that are close to being as good as white like light silver or light gold. Light silver and light gold never look dirty is one advantage over white.

I had a peuter sonoma in college. That truck got an annual wash amd wax in the spring and it never looked dirty. It just started looking matte from the salt spray off the front tires but still the same color. It was the lowest maintenance color ive come across.

[LHCDryHeat]

Originally Posted by shill

Thanks, but all they have is one black one and as I mentioned, I want white.

So get the black and either have it painted or a wrap job done. It's amazing how good the wraps look and you can customize it to any graphic. A cab is not much compared to a whole truck, surface-wise.

[Cypressloser]

Originally Posted by shill

I would like some opinions that are backed by recent real life experience as opposed to just the argument based on simply bias toward one brand or another. I will be towing a 40' New Horizons fifth wheel which loaded will probably weigh approximately 24k lbs. We'll see about that once the construction is complete. It's been under construction since mid-October. If I made my decision based upon my bias, I would buy a 2019 F550 since I drive a 2017 F450 now and have enjoyed the 450 very much. Unfortunately, the payload capacity on the 450 is inadequate for the New Horizons. Also, I've already beat the semi idea to death and that just won't work for our situation so a recommendation to go in that direction is a waste. I am quite well aware that from a pure overall towing and stopping perspective that a medium duty semi or bigger would be the ideal vehicle to tow this trailer with but it's not on the table. So, I will decide between a 2019 RAM 5500 or a 2019 Ford F550. There's one more "minor" complication.....unfortunately, the 2019 RAM 5500 is currently unavailable and no one seems to have any idea when one will be available. There is some issue with the current production plant in Mexico and moving the RAM 5500 build to a rebuilt and retooled plant in Michigan apparently is the plan but will take an undetermined amount of time. The time frame on availability for the RAM 5500 is therefore completely unknown. We will have a hauler bed put on which ever truck we end up with so that will involve further delay. My guess is that our New Horizons will be finished sometime in February and we really don't want to wait forever to get a truck. As I said my bias would be toward Ford but I had already decided on the RAM primarily for the following reasons: Proven Cummins engine (approx. 20 year track history) with Aisin transmission, better exhaust brake (that may be subjective), and the Cummins is easier to work on with more room for access. The Ford 550 towing numbers are actually slightly better, but not enough to make a difference. So I had already overcome my anti-RAM bias and decided to do the 5500 when I discovered that I can't get one even in an '18 if I want it in white with the Laramie package. However, a 2019 Ford F550 with Lariat trim can be ordered right now.The truck will have to be ordered as a cab and chassis. So anybody have any ideas to add? Have I completely overlooked important information, or am I off-base with my comparative reasoning? Thanks for any ideas or help.

I drive a 2018 Ram 5500 ordered in Oct. 2017 and delivered from the Mexico plant in December. I too looked hard at the other options like a highway tractor or a 7 year old M2 Sportchassis Cummins/Allison with low miles and options I would never have dreamed off and the price was right but I have to have 4wd and that killed it unfortunately. I went with the Ram because of the Cummins/Aisin and nearly $10,000 difference on a similarly equipped Laramie/Lariat truck. From my uneducated observation it looks like Ram is outselling Ford 5 to 1 on these particular models at the moment and word among owners is they are still having the occasional problem with the turbo, water pump or fuel system but you always ever hear from disgruntled owners anyway. I was already familiar with the Aisin from my 3500 and was able to test drive for a F550 for a day and I have to say I was less than impressed with the way the Ford transmission shifts gears, sometimes jerky and the wrong time. I own my truck for a year now with 12,000 miles on the clock and still love it like I did when I picked it up at the dealership. I suggest when (if) you order any one of these trucks get all the options you can plus the 2nd fuel tank option but skip the front mud flaps and have 19" rear dually flaps with 2" offset put on and running boards instead of nerf bars to protect the side of the vehicle from road spray. Even though the trucks have factory fender flares they don't do a good enough job catching the road spray. The upfitter switches on the Ram are fully programmable which is absolutely beautiful, I imagine they are as well on the Ford but it's worth checking out.

As has been mentioned dark colours are not your friend and finding a 550/5500 equipped the way you want on a dealer's lot is nearly impossible as 99% of them are bought as work trucks with only basic options.
I realize some people are biased against the Ram but after they went through major design changes in 2012 they are a very strong competitor.

[Wildman4x4]

For those of you whom have bought a F550 or Ram5500 does the dealer install the bed you want or is that done after the truck is bought? What does a bed cost that would work well with a 5th wheel? I like the beds that Classy Chassis sells but they are in IN and I am in Washington.


Does a F550/Ram5500 ride as rough as some say? I am older and remember what trucks rode like in the 60's & 70's. I'm torn between a F550 or a Ram 5500 but have been a Dodge owner for the past 15 years and like them a lot. Just not sure how to go about getting one and then dealing with the bed.

[Cypressloser]

Originally Posted by Wildman4x4

For those of you whom have bought a F550 or Ram5500 does the dealer install the bed you want or is that done after the truck is bought? What does a bed cost that would work well with a 5th wheel? I like the beds that Classy Chassis sells but they are in IN and I am in Washington.


Does a F550/Ram5500 ride as rough as some say? I am older and remember what trucks rode like in the 60's & 70's. I'm torn between a F550 or a Ram 5500 but have been a Dodge owner for the past 15 years and like them a lot. Just not sure how to go about getting one and then dealing with the bed.

You can either order the truck and have it drop shipped to an upfitter of your choice who installs the deck and everything else or have it shipped to the dealer and drive it over yourself if it is very close. Remember C/C trucks don't come with rear mud flaps and it is illegal to drive on public roads without flaps and the risk of flying rocks hitting the rear window is real. I was lucky as our dealer is only 1 1/2 miles from the shop in a small rural town that installed our deck. Regarding the cost of a deck, you can get a decent one for as little as $5,000 or spend $25,000 depending on your needs and wants. Installing the deck shouldn't take more than a couple (2) hours if it's already painted or you want to keep it black. My goal was to carry all tools, the truck's and the trailer's spare tires on the truck and an additional 80 gal. of fuel, C/C trucks are shipped with a spare tire but with no way to mount it. The custom paint job has to wait for now, so black it is .

And yes they ride rough, my truck weighs 12,600 lbs and that helps a lot, still a tad stiffer than a 1 ton dually but with no deck it'd be suicide. If you're able to upgrade to a Kelderman front and rear air suspension - great.

[tuffr2]

I think all new(ish) trucks ride better than trucks of the 60's and 70's. They are way way way more solid too. No rattles and very little flexing of the frame.

[Piros1]

Reading your posts, if you like your Ford why RAM? Ford is a stable American company with a proven track record. Look at sales numbers, I’m sure the RAM is way behind. I have owned both but prefer the Ford. Cummins is a great engine manufacturer but not without issues either. I think your post is more about personal tastes and I would recommend going for what you know. I do have a question though, if you plan to add a Kelderman suspension why not just purchase a Freightliner M2 or equivalent medium duty with air ride suspension. I’m asking this because you did not mention 2 x4 or if it will be 4 X 4,that would probably answer my question on the medium duty. I had a 6.7 Cummins in my previous Motorhome, it ran fine but they gave a week link on the fan drive. It has 4-8mm bolts holding it on, kind of week in my opinion. Cost me a $2700 tow and repair bill. One last comment someone mentioned the new GM medium duty, that truck is being built by International and their quality has went down the tubes since around the mid 2000’s. Keep that in mind plus it will be a brand new truck with no track record. Just my 2cents worth.