redramnc

My wife is now driving a mobile testing lab being pulled by an 04 F650 with a flat bed setup for the fiver lab trailer. The trailer is a heavy mother - the setup crosses the scales at 28K pounds. She said the trailer brakes had stopped working coming down Jellico Friday night so she wanted me to take it for a spin to see if I could get the trailer brake situation figured out. Brand new truck (1800 miles) with a new Prodigy but no controller manual in truck. I pulled one off the net and proceeded to set the boost up correctly and then took it for a spin.

All I can say is - this thing is a SLUG. Under the hood is a Cat 3126E w/turbo mated to an Allison 2400 5-speed auto. I figured that combo would not be too bad even with the weight. Acceleration - you need a calendar. Rides like an empty dump truck even with the trailer attached. Steers like big truck - wanders alot worse than I expected. Pulled out on 4-lane and matted it - could feel it going through gears but it took a quarter mile to get to 50 mph > . RPMs were slow to rise - his thing would get you killed with a manual tranny. No wonder my wife was squawking that it couldn't pull a hill at speed - IT CAN'T.

She agreed with me that my basically stock CTD could probably out accelerate it even with the same trailer - might toast the stock rebuilt trans doing it, though.

That little test ride really underwhelmed me. It kinda reminded me of the old Ford 7.3 non-turbo dumptruck I used to be able to borrow - don't get in a hurry because it is going to take its own sweet time getting up to speed. No wonder all the landscaping trucks move so slow in traffic - they can't go any faster.

Is there a peppier combination for the Ford HD chassis line? If this is the best they have.............

BigBlue

Aren't the 8.3L Cummins an option in those things? I know you can get a Cummins in an F-550.

redramnc

Just looked up the 3126E motor on the Cat site - 210HP/520TQ governed to 2500 rpm for the auto version. No wonder it is such a slug.

Wonder what kinda BOMBs are available for it - make the wife a little happier to hit hills and hold them at speed ;D

redramnc

Available motors - 6.0L Powerstroke, 5.9L ISB Cummins, C7 and 3126E Cat -off of Ford Heavy Duty "Build a Truck" site for the F-650 chassis. Maybe 8.3L Cummins in other chassis.

Think I'll get a Peterbilt with a Cummins if I ever have to go that route.

98rammer

[quote author=BigBlue link=board=8;threadid=18791;start=0#msg176213 date=1061760155]
Aren't the 8.3L Cummins an option in those things? I know you can get a Cummins in an F-550.
[/quote]

you cannot get a cummins in an F-550 or F-450 unless it's some conversion. they are still apart of the lighty-duty chassis lineup with V10's or 6.0's. 650's and 750's are of the medium duty lineup.

BigBlue

My bad. Thought you could.

98rammer

[quote author=BigBlue link=board=8;threadid=18791;start=0#msg176315 date=1061784616]
My bad. Thought you could.
[/quote]

no, i'm sure we'd all be driving an F-550 crew cab dually pickup if it had a cummins in it

dodgeman01

[quote author=98rammer link=board=8;threadid=18791;start=0#msg176320 date=1061785195]
[quote author=BigBlue link=board=8;threadid=18791;start=0#msg176315 date=1061784616]
My bad. Thought you could.
[/quote]

no, i'm sure we'd all be driving an F-550 crew cab dually pickup if it had a cummins in it
[/quote]
NOT I
DM01

BigBlue

[quote author=dodgeman01 link=board=8;threadid=18791;start=0#msg176321 date=1061785320]
[quote author=98rammer link=board=8;threadid=18791;start=0#msg176320 date=1061785195]
[quote author=BigBlue link=board=8;threadid=18791;start=0#msg176315 date=1061784616]
My bad. Thought you could.
[/quote]

no, i'm sure we'd all be driving an F-550 crew cab dually pickup if it had a cummins in it
[/quote]
NOT I
DM01
[/quote]

I second that. ;D

SjLingenfelter

Dont the 650 and 750's come with the 5spd power glide tranny? Those are supose to be a sweet tranny.

PADZZ

So is that 5.9 Cummins the same they put in the Dodge 2500-3500?

wannadiesel

[quote author=PADZZ link=board=8;threadid=18791;start=0#msg176435 date=1061827247]
So is that 5.9 Cummins the same they put in the Dodge 2500-3500?


[/quote]
Yep.

On the subject of Cat 3126's, I don't think the one in my work truck (see my signature for details) does too bad considering the weight it drags around. The 3126 is slower revving (a LOT more rotating weight) than a 5.9 Cummins, so it's going to be slower accelerating no matter what. Once I get mine wound up and pulling, it hauls that truck up hills pretty good. The 10 speed does make it slow around town, though. I think the automatic in the F-650 is sucking a lot of pulling power out of the combination. I haven't been impressed with any automatic transmission equipped medium duty truck once a load has been applied. Does make 'em quicker stoplight to stoplight when empty, however. Helps to sell trucks when they're quick on the test drive.

The 3126 can be uprated by computer at a Cat dealer, but I don't think you'll be able to find one who will do it. That transmission won't hold the 330 hp and 860 ft/lbs the 3126 is capable of.