I don't drive my 450 as a daily driver but I don't find much issue with the straight axle's ride. Truck rides as good if not better than any other truck I have owned, actually probably better than them. Only discomfort I feel is when the rear axle hits a large pothole or pavement crack than I am reminded of the big axle and stiff suspension back there. Driving the truck around a parking lot is not much different than driving a 1/2ton extended cab 2wd truck, turning is that tight. With the slowdown in truck sales due to high fuel prices, you should be able to get a great deal. I actually paid less than what many buy a 350/3500 series truck for. Take one out for a test drive and see for yourself.
Capt Skup
AD-1(AW)USN Ret.
Wonderful Wife, 3 beautiful Daughters
"Never get in a battle of wits with an unarmed man"
Yes as mentioned, the 650 is the bigger body MDT setup. A lopro is a model offered in some degree by Ford, GM, Freightliner and International/Navistar. The model is a lowered version, typically with 19.5" tires, a drop front axel vs a straight and a tapered frame at the rear to allow the axel to be put closer to the frame, for a lower frame and ride the at the cab. In the past, while the floor of the cab has been slighter higher than say a 450/550 from Ford, the top of the frame is actually lower, allowing one to have a lower bed than even some 350's, and definetly lower than a 450/550! If you are like me, in the construction biz, and have to lift manually things into thebed, while 3-4" may not sound like a lot, it is! I also realize, you are buying an RV hauler/puller, not a flatbed dump as my Navistar is, still some of the positives and negitives of the two setups are still real from one rig to the next. Ie maybe lifting a generator, or firewood into the bed. I find getting things to my waist is easy, up to my chest, well that is a different story.
Also, generally speaking, the bigger body model MDT's have a bit better forwrd visibility, along with less distance from the front of the bumper to the ground from the drivers seat. Especially with FL and IHC. GM has typically been in the middle for this spec, Ford in the rear. Along with in the past, these class 6 rigs have had better turning radius's than the 450/550 models. BUT, that change about 3'ish yrs ago, Ford came out with a better wheel cut on the 450/550 models, so it is inline with the class 6 models. Which have been better turners than the class 3 ie 35 series models. My 188" WB navistar will out turn my CC DW 3500 by some 5-7' of diam. So in reality, it is usually easier to park etc. than the 3500!
Price wise, some are right in there with the 45/55 models, others, since you can get what I call V8 or V10 motors vs the V6 if you will in the 45/55 models, they cost more, have bigger FA's and RA's, better transmissions etc.
Now to clarify my V6 vs V8 vs V10 motor. Yes the 6.4 PSD is a V8. BUT< if you look at this motor in comparison to other motors availible in the MDT line of truck, this is one of the smaller motors availible, ie you can get motors up to 10L I6's with 350-400 HP and 1500 lb ft of torque in the same chassis. Hence, as a comparison, the 6.4 PSD is an equal to a V6 in a pickup line vs the PSD being a the top HP/torque motor. I would also put the 6.6 dmax and 5.9/6.7 cummins motors in the same place, ie V6 motors as compared to what other models are availible in the same chassis. All are good motors when placed in proper perspective as to what they can do. But put one of the smaller motors trying to yank around 30-40K lbs, while it is doable, you will find the larger disp I6 motors with more power, to be more relaxing if you will, same is trying to pull 8000 lbs with a 4.3 V6 vs a dmax!
Good luck on your choice, just throwing out another option that may work better than a 450, not that the 450 pickup model is a bad choice, it has a place in the market. Skup loves his, and seems to work for folks like him.
Marty
05 Chev CC D/A LS Dooley
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
00 Chev C2500, V5700, 4L80E, 4.10, base truck, no options!
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
3 Single axle utility trailers
If you are worried about the ride I believe you can get air ride as an option on the 450. I sure would like to have it on my 350 as my wife has a bad back.
I think the 450 is a better option for what you are going to pull. My neighbor pulls about the same setup with a SRW F350 but I think he is crazy to do so, way over the limit expecially with the second trailer. I run a V10 and get 8.5 to 9.5 pulling. A lot of people are not getting much better with a diesel pulling.
D and K
Just the 2 of us now! Unless the grandkids come along.
2003 Everest 312M, 2008 F350 4x4 Off Road Super Duty V10 Dually 4.10 rearend
GoodSam and KOA Member
I own an F450. It's a truck and, naturally, rides like one. I prefer the towing capacity over the 250/350. I insure it and the fiver through Goodsams for about $900/year. Other insurers wanted to insure it as a commercial vehicle.
I was in the same quandary about 350 vs 450.
I bought the F450 for the bigger brakes. tighter turning radius, heavier duty axles and springs and lots of wiggle room for towing capacity.
Go for the F450! I love mine!
I pull a fiver that grosses at 18,000# with a 07 F350 Dually Tow Boss 4.30
gearing, that has a GCW of 26,000# and have no issues at all. It also rides great and I considered the F450 but glad I didn't go that route. I had straight axles on my Ford Class A Motothome and the ride was just awful and would never consider anything with as straight axle.
Ron & Libby Gordon
07 Ford F350 Dually Tow Boss Diesel
07 Mobile Suites 38RL3 #3698
02 Winnebago Adventurer 35U V10 (Former RV)
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow
What are the loaded up 450s going for now, what kind of prices are you guys seeing. Ford has 0 percent here now but you loose all the rebates. Also my 07 350 isnt worth as much as I would like.
RGordon wrote: It also rides great and I considered the F450 but glad I didn't go that route. I had straight axles on my Ford Class A Motothome and the ride was just awful and would never consider anything with as straight axle.
You must not have test drove the 08 F-450. The ride is anything but awful, IMHO.
marek wrote: What are the loaded up 450s going for now, what kind of prices are you guys seeing. Ford has 0 percent here now but you loose all the rebates. Also my 07 350 isnt worth as much as I would like.
At least 10K off the sticker is a good starting spot.
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