Not to start any flaming, I just want to get the first gen folks opinion of the Topkick 4500 Monroe pickup setup. I have said it before on this forum, that manufactuers should differentiate their diesel products more, i.e., tilt forward hood, air ride suspension, and air ride seats, etc. It seems that GM has a package abeit medium duty, that actual comes from the factory with all the nice to haves for those of us requiring tow vehicles. Their tow package comes with the B&W reversable hitch for goose necks and 5th wheels vice a wiring harness stuck in the glove compartment for the owner to add. Admittedly the package is expensive and my 93 D350 is running just fine, but come retirement in 3 years when we begin extensive travel throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico, the Topkick may be the way to go.

John

 

Look into the Ford F-650's........ the standard engine is a 24 valve Cummins 5.9!

 

does your topkick have the CAT engine?

 

The standard on the new F-650s is that POS Powerstroke 6.0, optional are the 5.9 Cummins and a Cat diesel. That would be a sweet rig, F-650 crew cab with a Cummins.

 

Along with our Dodge dealership, we also have a Chevrolet dealership. We have sold some C4500 medium duty's, and I have had one myself. I personally would not own another one. The ride is way to rough, the handling is not real good, and the Duramax is way to underpowered to be in a medium duty truck. It won't pull at lower rpm's and spends most of it's time in lower gears running 3,000rpm. It makes a decent little dump truck with a 10'-12' dump bed, but as a puller I wouldn't recomend it. The poster who made the coment about the F650 I would tend to agree with. You can get the 22.5" wheels and tires, and they provide a nicer ride than the short 19.5"s on the Chevy. You can get factory air ride on the F650, as well as the Cummins, which we know can pull down low, as well as the bigger 2000 and 3000 series Allison transmission's. I'd say that'd be a way better set-up than the 4500 after having owned one.

 

I was a bit interested in those, too, or actually the 5500. Their big advantage (for me) over the F-650 is that they can be ordered with factory 4x4.

Unfortunately, they don't come with the Cat until you go the next one bigger than the 5500, and then they are 2wd only...

I was kind of disappointed when it turned out Dodge's 5500 would be a pickup size cab..