son-in-law's new (used) F550 - Diesel Forum

Scott Davies · 08-11-2007, 08:54 PM

Folks:

My son-in-law just picked up a '99 Lariat F550 crewcab w/7.3 He got it for $5,000, which includes a gear-vendor and exhaust brake.

We have a few questions about it.

We're not sure about the GCWR............

question #1

oes the '99 F550 come with anything other than a 4:88 rear end?

Question #2: what is the GCWR with the different rear ends?

Question #3 regards the gear vendor: I'd love to put a 2 speed rear end in my '06--someday...... Anyway, in my previous reading on the forum regarding 2 speed rear ends, I recall that either the gear vendor OR the US Gear, cannot be coasted downhill--anybody know which one??

Question #4: his new truck is a crew cab, with a heavy duty steel flatbed, any guesses about the empty weight of this truck (the closest scales are over an hour away)?

Thanks for the help!!!!

Scott

SmokeyWren · 08-11-2007, 10:33 PM

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We're not sure about the GCWR............

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26,000 pounds

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question #1

oes the '99 F550 come with anything other than a 4:88 rear end?

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If it's a PSD, then 4.88 was the only rear end available. Gassers had 4.88 std with 5.38 optional.

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Question #2: what is the GCWR with the different rear ends?

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For a PSD, it's 26k, period.

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Question #4: his new truck is a crew cab, with a heavy duty steel flatbed, any guesses about the empty weight of this truck (the closest scales are over an hour away)?

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Loaded for a towing trip with tank full of diesel, driver, passenger, tools, cooler, jacks, etc., around 10,000 pounds before you tie onto the trailer. So a 16k trailer will max out the GCWR.

basutoland · 08-12-2007, 01:15 AM

i remember a canadian guy with a 450 posting lots of times here. ....knew alot about gear vendors and gearing...he used to talk alot about grossing over 30,000lbs and being legal. so would have thought the f550 gcwr would at least meet or better that. or is the year ['99] the limiting factor ?.

SmokeyWren · 08-12-2007, 11:39 AM

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...he used to talk alot about grossing over 30,000lbs and being legal. so would have thought the f550 gcwr would at least meet or better that. or is the year ['99] the limiting factor ?.

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Depending on the jurisdiction, you can buy license plates that make you "legal" while being severely overloaded per the GCWR and/or GVWR of your vehicle.

All '99-up F-350 DRW PSDs have a GCWR of 20k, but lots of hot-shotters overload them to 30k and more. All '99-up F-450 and F-550 have a GCWR of 26k without the high capacity towing pkg. With the high capacity towing pkg, they have a GCWR of 28k, 30k or 33k, depending on year and tranny. So your Canuk friend might have had an F-450 with PSD and auto tranny, 4.88 rear end, and high capacity towing pkg with 30k GCWR. More than 30k GCWR requires the F-550 with PSD, auto tranny, 4.88 rear end, and high capacity towing pkg.

So if you go buy a brand new 2008 F-550 PSD without the high capacity towing pkg, it's going to have a GCWR of 26,000 per Mama Ford. But have you heard the song that includes the line - "But I don't care what Mama don't allow, I'll play my banjo anyhow!"

That's why I'm very reluctant to buy a used vehicle from anybody. To many folks have the attitude that "I don't care what Mama don't allow...".

Robert C. Strader · 08-12-2007, 09:32 PM

In answer to your question regarding the GCWR on a '99 F550, It is 26,000 pounds. The 535 High Capacity Tow Package was not available in '99 models. It was introduced for the late 2000 year models and the GCWR for that model with the 535 is 30,000 pounds. The high capacity tow package requires the 4.88 rear axle and for that year it is a Dana 135.

Bob Strader
RV & Truck Conversion Consultants, LLC

Scott Davies · 08-12-2007, 10:47 PM

Guys:

Thanks for all the great feedback. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Any words of advice for my son-in-law regarding the gear vendor unit?

Thanks,

Scott

Robert C. Strader · 08-13-2007, 07:23 PM

Scott,

My experience is with the US Gear Auxiliary Overdrive unit. I now have 113,000 miles on mine and it has been flawless in it's operation. It has a 35,000 pound GCWR rating and that was 5,000 pounds more than the Gear Vendor had in 2000. I like the fact that is is a mechanical transmission that is shifted electronically.

Bob Strader
RV & Truck Conversion Consultants, LLC

LMJD · 08-14-2007, 07:05 AM

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Thanks for all the great feedback. Any words of advice for my son-in-law regarding the gear vendor unit?

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I agree with the post above. If you check out the internal designs of both units, the U.S. Gear is by far a more bullet-proof trustworthy unit. It even uses the Eaton tried and true 2 speed rear axle electric shift motor that's been used in mid duty trucks since the 50's.

Scott Davies · 08-14-2007, 05:21 PM

LMJD:P

Hope you are getting smoked out down there in Cody!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] We've not been able to see anything beyond a couple of miles out due to all the smoke here.......

My son-in-law's truck already has the gear vendor unit installed, so I'm looking for any words of wisdom for him regarding the actual GV unit he has..........

Scott

Robyn · 09-02-2007, 11:38 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Scott Davies</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My son-in-law's truck already has the gear vendor unit installed, so I'm looking for any words of wisdom for him regarding the actual GV unit he has..........Scott </div></div>

LOL! That was funny...

To answer your question, the number one piece of advice I would suggest to your son is to switch the Gear Vendor unit out of overdrive whenever coasting down a hill.

That's how GV units get burned up. They starve for lubrication when coasting (due to how they are designed).

So, advise your son in law to switch out the GV just as he crests each hill.

I'd change out the lubricant currently in the unit, as well as the transmission fluid and transfer case fluid, if equipped.

Since no one else said it... Daaang! He paid only $5,000?

For a 99 F-550 crew cab PSD with a flatbed and a GV unit?

Your son in law should be giving US advice, not the other way around!

NCHornet · 09-03-2007, 05:32 PM

Isn't anybody else curious what this thing looks like for $5,000.00 does it run? Sounds you got a great deal unless this thing is in really rough shape!! Isn't the GV close to 3K installed by itself? We want photos!!

haul_n_horses2 · 09-03-2007, 06:54 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: aridzone</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i remember a canadian guy with a 450 posting lots of times here. ....knew alot about gear vendors and gearing...he used to talk alot about grossing over 30,000lbs and being legal. so would have thought the f550 gcwr would at least meet or better that. or is the year ['99] the limiting factor ?. </div></div>That Canadian guy would be Pat Dolan! He has a lot of posts on the F450 and heavy towing. He scales over 30K# GCW and hauls through the Canadian Rockies and through Wyoming/Colorado. He is commercial and is legal at that weight but obviously, he has to scale at every open weigh station etc. He tows large fluid recycling equipment for large power generation IIRC.