Now it's well known that on Nov.2,2001 Ford announced a Tractor Package for the F750(2002MY), but visiting Ford's media website, I came across the ordering guide for the 2001 F-650.Printed in Oct. 2000, it lists the following package(option code 158) for the 2001 F650 : Trailer Air Brake Package. Um, wouldn't this be like a factory tractor package? It included: Air & electric lines to the end of the frame, Glad hands, Trailer parking ****, and Auxiliary transmission cooler.

 

Air lines for a pintle hitch or other tow behind trailer. I don't read anything that implies tractor.

 

Okay, maybe I read into the "tractor" thing. So this package was basically like a tow package for the F650? Makes sense. I do want to point out something, however. In the 2001 Sourcebook section for the F650/F750 trucks they list possible uses for these vehicles. They list some of the following : dump , towing/recovery, stake, TRACTOR, beverage chassis...Ford's descriptions, not mine. I guess any F650,or F750 could be coverted into a tractor.

 

I don't remember any sort of 'tractor package' available on the 2000-2002 F series medium duty trucks. I don't think they were ever offered in a short wheelbase for tractor applications. Those trucks were not much more than a limited continuation of the 1980-1998 F series medium duty chassis with a Super Duty cab and some additional diesel engine options. My company tried to buy a few of those, and the chassis options and configurations were very limited. That changed when the Blue Diamond trucks came out. They offered a lot more optional wheel bases, suspensions, and axles. I know the Blue Diamond can be configured as a tractor, even though I have never actually seen one.

 

For 2002 MY Ford listed a tractor package for the F750. It included : 10,000 lb. capacity front axle, 23,000 lb. rear axle, choice of two Cummins 5.9L ISB engines, or three CAT 3126B engines, 7-pin trailer connector and in-cab plumbing, air brakes only, available with all 33,000-lb. GVWR transmissions, 12-foot coiled electrical hose mounted to back of cab, or to frame, trailer brake control valve(Johnny Bar), rear-facing turn lamps, available in 158" wb regular cab, or 179" wb Supercab. Available options: vertical exhaust (stack), handling package. 5th wheel hitch not included in package(i.e. aftermarket). In 2000&2001 they didn't officially offer a tractor package, but 2002&2003MY F750s could be so equipped. Starting with the Blue Diamond 2004MY trucks,in the 2004 Sourcebook, it states "NOTE: All 2004 F-650/F-750 models(except Pro Loader models) will be available as either a straight truck or a tractor(the power unit of a tractor-trailer combination). Pro Loader models are only available in a straight-truck version." So the earlier tractor package was F750s only. Now we have both F650 & F750 tractor packages available.