Let's talk F-650 Super Crewzer

[Muckatruk]

I'm thinking of taking the plunge because I am really overloaded whenever I pull the horse trailer(27K)..Those of you with 650's...How are they?Comfort Reliability Fuel mileage, etc...The price is a bit steep but I am working with a Dealer friend of mine that I HOPE will sell me at dealer invoice? All comments Welcome!

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NRA Patron Member1999 F-350 PSD 4X4Crew Cab Lauriat, WD Turbo Brake, WD Chip,37ft Sidekick 3 horse gooseneck with LQ's (15.5K),Wind Deflector.New tranny, New disc brakes ..All covered by Ford!RedLine V/H brakes. Three TWH's and 6 Brittanys

[FL-Man]

If you are going to spend that kind of dough, you ought to stop at Sterling, Freightliner, Mack, and IHC dealers to do a little camparison shopping. The F-650 is low on build options.

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2001 FL50, Cummins 225HP, Fuller/Eaton 6 SPD
No longer known as F-450 Bob

[Muckatruk]

FL-Man
meeting with the Towmaster dealer next weekend in Connneticut...Hopefully he will bring a Wiers Towmaster for me to test drive..But my friend is a Ford dealer and if I canbuy for his invoice price or close to it I will consider.....

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NRA Patron Member1999 F-350 PSD 4X4Crew Cab Lauriat, WD Turbo Brake, WD Chip,37ft Sidekick 3 horse gooseneck with LQ's (15.5K),Wind Deflector.New tranny, New disc brakes ..All covered by Ford!RedLine V/H brakes. Three TWH's and 6 Brittanys

[FL-Man]

Good luck, once I looked at the FL the Ford was no comparison.

[BigM]

The reason I chose the fl was because the people were very easy to deal with. Also if you look real close to the actual drive tran componets (suspen etc.) you will see a lg diffrence. actually all of these mid duty trucks offer the same eng+tranny options. So really It's a matter of finding people you like to deal with .

Steve

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95 F-350 dually,

[FL-Man]

Red Horse

What makes the F-650 so much more drivable than the FL? Does it cut tighter corners? What is it?

Looks, your right, I agree they are not lookers. The Ford is not so hot looking either. But I like the big truck cab you get in comparison to the PU truck cab on the Fords. I like my 3.31 rear axle ratio, that would only be a dream on the Ford. I like the 24/7 service and the parts availiblity with the Freightliner. Try that with the Ford.

BigM

Drive train options and ratings are lower, and far and few on the Ford. I looked at Ford, FL, and Cornbinder

[J.R. Ash]

I am also considering upgrading to a larger truck. What do you think of the Fl 112. It is not much larger than a Fl 70 and has quite a few more power options for the heavier loads. Of course it is a little pricey.

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F350 James

[BigM]

I have to agree with FL_Man. i WAS JUST SHOPPING FOR A LARGER TRUCK MYSELF. I RUN 5 1-TONS HAULING WHOLESALE NURSERY STOCK. Tired of changing clutches. Anyway I looked at everything out there and all of them have a cab and chassis for around $45000.00.(class 6)-(pete,intl,fl,)
Personnaly(?) I choose the FL60 for the job. Its the bed that will gget ya. Anywhere from 4000 to 12000. Good luck

Steve

[This message has been edited by BigM (edited 10-09-2000).]

[Red Horse]

FL Man: There is no doubt that the FL has a host of options that the 650/750 can't match. But from everything I have heard, the thing that sells the 650/750 is the driveability of the truck. Granted, if you can't get the options you want, its no good for you, but even specs, what is so great about the FL- and it can't be looks!

[Muckatruk]

I think I am going to flip flop on my decision on getting a med duty truck..Living in New England means that we get more than our share of the white stuff(32 degrees this am)and a 2wd tow vehicle is not that practicle for the winter and of course it isn't easy getting out of the mud..
So I am pricing out F550 30K GVW 4X4 CC DD PSD..I will have an aluminum dumping flatbed made for it if the price isn't too steep..
I guess if I didn't have to worry about the Cash I would keep my 350 and just buy a Supercrewzer or Towmaster...

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NRA Patron Member1999 F-350 PSD 4X4Crew Cab Lauriat, WD Turbo Brake, WD Chip,37ft Sidekick 3 horse gooseneck with LQ's (15.5K),Wind Deflector.New tranny, New disc brakes ..All covered by Ford!RedLine V/H brakes. Three TWH's and 6 Brittanys

[Red Horse]

FL I have never driven a 650/750- I have only heard from owners that the "driveability" issue is a key plus- AI assume that relates to turning radius, ride etc. I can't argue about the dealer issue because that is basicly a local issue- if you feel good about a dealer, go for it. Ford has attempted to broaden their dealer base as in the o0ld days when they had class 8, only a truck store would handle class 6 and 7's as well. Now in their new scheme, they have tried to broaden dealer coverage- I believe any dealer can sell a PSD powered truck but they have to have certified mechanics to sell Cats and Cummins.

JR: If you are talking a 112, you are talking class 8 and a totally diferent annimal then a FL 70. It in my book is a cheap truck that can't hold a candle to a Sterling. Keep in mind its roots were the Mercedes steel cabover that Freightliner brought into this country 7 to 10 years ago to offer a lower cost steel cab to compete with Ford, International and GMC as they too were still in the class 8 business. My company bought some and they did not stay in the fleet long. If my guess is right, I think the FL 50/60/70 uses a lot of those same cab components today.

One other thing for all you FL lovers, keep in mind that Jim Hebe, FL CEO publically stated that the Ford Louisville was the best truck in class when they bought the business from the management idiots at Ford 3 years ago. But now my bitterness is starting to show!

[FL-Man]

RH

I would agree the 650 probably turns better than a 450, but my FL will out turn both of them too. Your comparison in turning might not mean nothing. The FL has a 50 degree wheel cut. What is the cut on the Ford?

Your loyalism is starting to show again, bash away at the FL, because it out sells brand A B & C.

Your blue oval loyalism is showing as well. I have always been a Ford man too, until I got rid of my F-450.

How about I tell all of these guys to just run and buy a Ford, dont look at nothing else? I am glad I looked, I hope other people interested in buying a truck would look at other brands as well.

[CMD1]

I will say the the 650/750 is easy to handle, and familar to drive if you are used to a pickup. This is definatly one of it's key selling points.
That played a large part in my owning a F650.
It now can be had with the 300 HP Cat engine, and 2 speed rear ends. Also a 260 HP Cummins. Only catch now is that these options can only be had with the regular cab chassis configuration. I assume it is to keep the supercrewzer as the only way to get big HP with a super or crew cab. I like my F650, but would like more HP. I have had Cat turn it up to 230/660. This is as far as it will go without a piston change. I am trying to buy a Sterling Acterra 6500. Take a long hard look at these new medium duty trucks. They are very versitle, very customizable, and options are limitless. My only complaint with my F650 is when I am towing my RV, at 37,800 GCVW, I do not have enough hill climbing power. I maybe would have been okay with a F750, with it's larger 250 HP, but in the F650, 210 HP is still as high as you can go. Unless that is,you are after a regular cab, then the 300 Hp cat/Allison pkg is available.
The 650/750 is finding it's market, I see them more and more in the utilities companies fleets here in Texas.
Charles

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2000 F650 XLT Crewcab, Custom RV bed, 230/660 Cat, 7 speed overdrive, 4:88 gears, air brakes, air ride suspension,air ride seats, cruise, CD player, custom leather interior.

[J.R. Ash]

Thanks for the background on the FL steel cab Red Horse. Im not advocating any particular brand but the most common complaint I read is not enough power to pull the big trailers on hills. In talking with the Pete dealer in Witicha he told me we could order a compact size class 8 with a 20K air ride suspension which would stay under the 33K excise tax limit. Then you could get the C12 cat 430/1650 and a 10speed auto shift, and even a jake to. I think that would satisfy even the folks who take thier 40' Tetons to Colorado.

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F350 James

[Red Horse]

FL Sorry if my Blue Oval fanaticism got to you. There is no doubt that Freightliner is far more "friendly" when it comes to building a truck the way you want it. The problem at Ford is that the bean counters rule- and it will be their un doing unless they wise up. They are making progress but as fleets that were all Ford, buy something else because they can't get the spec they want in a Ford, it will be that much tougher for Ford to get the customer back.

As for the FL, it IS an old cab structure. Like I said, it uses many of the FL 112 components and that is an old design. While you may think of the 650/750 cab as a "pickup" cab, it none the less is new technology. And I have to believe that the same design teams that engineered the new Ford Louisvilles (HN80) that Freightliner bought (stole) also were heavily involved in the Super Duty cab development.

And as another point of info regarding who sells what, the 99 sales stats (top 3) in classes5 through 7 were:
5 (16000-19500) Ford 22,323, Isuzu 3122, Mitsu/Fuso 1259
6 (19501-26,000) Ford 21702, FL 13244, GM/Chev 6964
7 (2601-33000) Int, 67,633, GM/Chev 23084, FL 22,913

JR WOW That is some 330 Pete. I'm sure they would build such a beast with a C-12, but it would be huge dollars. I can't believe a 300 horse 3126 would not be able to do the job 95% of the time- of course if money is no object! On second thought, I'm not so sure they WOULD build a 330 with a C-12. I don't think the radiator in a 330 is large enough to handle a C-12. I think you would have to move up to a 357.