F550?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,516
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That's true, the GM 5500 is based on a real medium truck, and the F-550 is an extension of Ford's Super Duty pickup. But, that is an advantage for Ford in some areas. The F-550 has a lower cab, so it is easier to mount certain kinds of equipment, like cherry-pickers, or over-the-cab box bodies.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,533
Likes: 2
The F-550 is a tough frigging truck you don't put 11,000lbs on a P/U truck the Chev 5500 is a medium duty wannabe I think Chevy really screwed up when they started building the 4500 and 5500.
The reason why F-450 and F-550 are so popular is they look like a ordinary P/U from a distance but they are far from it payload wise. They are for the people that want the extra carrying capacity but don't want the hey DOT look at me I'am driving a medium duty.
What Chevy is doing is they are using their W series COE chassis for trucks they are not building a separate frame for the 4500 and 5500.
The reason why F-450 and F-550 are so popular is they look like a ordinary P/U from a distance but they are far from it payload wise. They are for the people that want the extra carrying capacity but don't want the hey DOT look at me I'am driving a medium duty.
What Chevy is doing is they are using their W series COE chassis for trucks they are not building a separate frame for the 4500 and 5500.
New User
Joined: Sep 2005
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Originally Posted by F250Wildman
The frame rails on the F-450 and F550 are heavier and different than the F250 and F350. The are also medium duty class frames.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 218
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From: Shelby Ohio
i just wanted to prove it to my buddy how is a chevey fan. I think that the F550 would be more capable because it is shorther and more menurerable
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 532
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
I love my 2001 F550 CC 4x4. Actually I bought for my wife she lost her F250 in hurricane Charley "crunch". After the insurance totaled it she told me she wanted a big truck. Since we were then living in a trailer also because of the storm and would have to be able to pull it out just in case I did not argue. First truck I found was a 97 Ford F800 with only 57,000 miles for $17,000 that someone mounted a pickup bed to. I was very proud of my self. I convinced the dealer to let me drive it home, got it home first thing she said was "it's not four wheel drive". Did some some more looking and found the F550 CC 4x4 pick-up conversion already done with an ARE topper for $32,000. Which compared to the F350s at the time was a steal. I cannot say enough about this truck, its great. It looks like just another F350 until you pull up next to another F350. She likes parking next to them in the parking lot just to make them feel small. Even now that we're back in the house we just can not bring ourselves to get rid of her.
Last edited by Batgeek; Dec 1, 2005 at 02:05 PM.
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 532
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
Hey I got so worked up about the F550 forgot to add that I looked at Dodge and Chevy before I bought her. They just did not offer anything that could compare to Ford as far as performance and looks. I mean who else makes anything that can haul like this truck and still pass it's self off as a normal truck. The only thing I can complain about is that she also rides like meduim duty truck. Ford does not offer air-ride seats in the F550 I believe that Chevy does in the 4500 and 5500 our at least the ones I test drove had them. They smooth out the ride a little.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,728
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From: Damascus-Boring, Ore
Ahem....l where do you guys read this stuff? 
Both the Ford 550 and the Kodiak run straight rail frames and different suspension components than their light-duty pickup siblings. They actually share a good number of those components, so it's completely incorrect to call one more or less capable than the other. Or even longer or shorter- both are offered with a variety of wheelbases. The primary differences are in the cab and the powertrain. Chevy runs a D-max with an Allison, Ford the PSD with a Torqueshift. The Kodiak is wider than a 550 though. Edit: I know both are offered in gas versions, but you couldn't prove it by me- I've never seen one.
The 550 prices out a couple of grand cheaper than a Kodiak, so you see more of them in fleet/municipality application (low bid wins). Overall, we sell them about 1:1.
Both the Ford 550 and the Kodiak run straight rail frames and different suspension components than their light-duty pickup siblings. They actually share a good number of those components, so it's completely incorrect to call one more or less capable than the other. Or even longer or shorter- both are offered with a variety of wheelbases. The primary differences are in the cab and the powertrain. Chevy runs a D-max with an Allison, Ford the PSD with a Torqueshift. The Kodiak is wider than a 550 though. Edit: I know both are offered in gas versions, but you couldn't prove it by me- I've never seen one.
The 550 prices out a couple of grand cheaper than a Kodiak, so you see more of them in fleet/municipality application (low bid wins). Overall, we sell them about 1:1.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 118
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I don't know if GM had too many choices other than use the medium duty frame as GM cannot compete with FORD with frames in the light truck series. It is no secret that ford has had a superior frame for years in all their trucks. The 550 is the only truck that has proven itself over and over again for a superior frame. That is why the 550 is in use so much as utitlty trucks etc. Just my opinion.
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