F650 ? or no?
 

There are some f650 conversions out there that are starting to look reasonable. I have a 02 crew 4x4 f250 lariat , and it is a great truck . I normally leave it hooked to my boat , but occasionally unhitch and drive around town a little . Probably only put 5k miles a year max.
Question is how are these conversions? The ones with the small horsepower cummins , seem to be the cheapest. How are they on power? Are they total dogs? I have always swore up and down that I would never own a two wheel drive truck , but as far as my tow rig , I cannot remember the last time I locked in the 4wheel drive.
Will the standard f250 and f350 interiors fit into these? I would most definitely add a king ranch package interior .
How bad is the fuel mileage , and Ride?
Basically what I am saying is I do not need it other than the WOW factor . But I like them , and the difference in purchase price does not scare me. I would love to have the 4x4 version but boy they get pricey..... Comments? Input?

loved my 650, had the cat 7, and super single floatation tires. Looked like a pickup on steroids. Plenty of power, could not even feel my 35' nordic behind it. Used it as a daily driver for a while, putting on about 40k miles over a few years. Hardest part was the drive tru windows, had to reach down, while the starbucks girl reached up to give me my coffee. fuel consumption was about 11-12 mpg.

"Small horsepower Cummins" F650supertrucks uses the 350/750 5.9L. The CAT C7 is 300/860. There is a tweak to 330/960 but it will cost you $5000. For that price you can double the Cummins hp/tq. If you've got the money to buy the truck get one with the Cummins.

The 4x4 will probly add $20,000 to the price.The 19.5 tires are generally highway tread, not the mud and snow tread you would need for boat ramps.

If you buy one with the air ride seats and suspension you should be pretty comfortable.

I've been debating the same thing they look cool as ever done up.

I have a 2005 F650 4x4 that I am planning on selling soon. It is black, has CAT/ Allison, super singles and only 25,000 miles. Let me know if you have any interest. Can take your truck on trade too. Asking $79,000

Mat
910-787-4101

I'd test drive one for a couple of weeks.......Study the different suspension options on each one and drive each one separately before you make any offers. Got tall garage doors at your house ?

:D :D

Sounds like a nice rig Mat r u sure its not a white ??????

I have always had f250s but after owneing a 6.0 I know I could not buy a 6.4. So I built my own f650 with a 330hp c7. here is some befor and after pics. I am into the whole truck for 29k with 90k miles. Its not the nicest f650 out there but it works, and I will never own a light duty truck ever agian. so YES on the f650

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2..._4065004_n.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...94gto/f650.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2..._4009239_n.jpg

That looks great !!!!! did you have to shorten the frame?

The frames on thoughs trucks are staight so I just drilled new holes for the suspension, slid the axle forward and cut the end of the frame off. Shortend the driveline, ebrake, brake lines and wiring.

talk to Corey at SuperTrucks .....he will set you up with anything you need.....

http://www.f650supertruck.com/:coolcowboy:

do you have that truck for sale ? I could have swore that I saw it somewhere in the hundreds of ads that i looked at.

Honestly , its info like this that will save me hours of digging around on the internet. I would have thought the CAT was the motor to have.....
Thanks for all of the replys so far. Please keep them coming.

The more I keep reading the more l want one. I just listed my 450 time to move up.


http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...o35955-en.html

The Cat motor is more desirable to most but Catamando is our in house Dodge promoter so he votes Cummins on everything!

Pulled MY Top Gun VERY well!!

Thanks again.
Now what did I do w those pics?

sum B!@tch :eek:now those are some bad azz trucks ,couple of them look familiar from Key West

HELL Yeah!!! I love it when I can promote to spend other peoples money!!!!

So how about the International conversions ,the RXTs??
And will the two wheel drives be ok in and out of the ramps.

I know rite thanks lol! I was to the point of keeping it until you had to bring these things up. I've spent way to much money do to these sites. I guess that's just part of it.

Well for most the CAT 300/860 motor will do, and it's a very reliable motor. There's just not nearly as many mods available for it as for the Cummins. And it wouldn't surprise me if the 6.7L Ford diesel is now available. So now there are three really good engine choices for the F650.

For suspension I would suggest the Kelderman Air Ride.

I've liked the F650 ever since I first saw it in Road and Track. They gave it to Jean Lindamood to test and her article was hilarious.

getting tempted BIG Daddy ,any pic s ?
Bill:drink:

Man how you gonna slip up and steal my MOJO!!!! :lolhit:
seriously , I would love to step right up and buy into that range, but want to pay cash . Do not like financing Toys.
BLAH BLAH , I dont want to hear how somebody else will just stroke a check for the 79,500 one either ..... I admit it , I have a little WEENUS too......:party-smiley-004:

not stealin your MOJO BIG Daddy ,i'm not partial to Black :eek:

I bought a 650 early this spring. found it here on oso . its very cool it draws a crowd. I had a 550 with a 6.0, the 650 milage is double. around 9- 10 towing my cigarette, just went to loto for the shoot out did 1200 miles and put fuel in twice, cause it was 20 cents a gallon cheaper in missouri. as for interior I put new in from supperior seating in elkart indiana. awsome 2 tone leather heated buckets and rear bench ,i think was $ 2400, sold the stock setup for $ 1000. it is air ride and it does ride like a truck But its very cool would not go back to 350/450/550 or a chevy dually. it least not for a while my 2004 650 just turned 10k miles. my vote go big

How bout some pics of that waycool truck. ;) I really like that white FX Hauler on the F650supertruck site, sharp looking truck. It's not as lifted as most of them so it should be easier to tow a gooseneck/5th wheel.

Got your CDL?????
 

This is a real truck. Legally much different than a pickup truck.
Needs a CDL. (yes they do. don't try and fool yourself)
The truck now needs to be tagged for the COMBINATION weight. This will put all but those pulling bass boats over 26k.
Don't drive past weigh stations in a 650... You may get lucky a couple times..... Passing a weigh station is a moving violation...It'll throw 3 points on your DL....

The stock 650s with air ride in the rear ride like unloaded dump trucks...which is what they are.
Kelderman air ride is not cheap.

I have a good amount of seat time in a F650 w 300 cat... The more weight the better. The truck was just fine with 32,000lbs on the hitch. It rode like a 2x4 when only pulling 15,000lbs.

Overall worst aspect was that it would not run in the rain.... If humidity climbs and rain starts I swear the engine lost 50+ hp and fuel economy dropped 25%......

I see that you have a 32' boat.... No need for the big truck...
Moving up to a dually pickup will be an improvement in towing though...

I see that you have a 32' boat.... No need for the big truck... Tim G.


Cobra Performance Boats in California bought a six door from F650pickups.com. The biggest boat they build is a 32' V. The bad part is they bought it right before the economy crashed.

I have never used anything bigger than a 1 ton Chevy to pull my 47. In fact I pulled my old 47 a lot of miles with a 454 then a 496 because I hated the old diesel that Chevy had and I was to stuborn to try a Duramax when it became available. My current 3500 is an 08 Duramax and I'm glad I finally tried one. I will also say that new Ford diesel is pretty impressive and once they are out awhile and are proven I may have to try one. Most likely if I do it won't be anything bigger than a 450.
And Tim G is right about the problems of using a 650 and also it has to be plated for the total gross weight of the truck, trailer and boat combined.

CDL's
 

These truck rules don't make sense to me. So, you need a CDL to pull your boat with a F650, but an 80 year old can jump right in a 43' motorhome 102" wide at over 50K lbs. gross, no problem? I see Freightliner's pulling RV's, do they need CDL's also? I see Freighliner chassis's made into motorhomes pulling SUV's, CDL? All non-commercial. Doug

motorhome is a motorhome in most states, not a truck..."personal " not for commercial use, thus no CDL needed for owner/driver..... tow and go, heck add a trailer if you want and travel the country in style... recently got stopped in Chicago in a 50 ft Motorhome + 50 :evilb:ft trailer for traveling in the left (non truck lane)....state patrol came back and said "sorry" didn't know this was a motorhome , it is NOT a TRUCK, can't give you a ticket, have a nice day......

[QUOTE=

The 4x4 will probly add $20,000 to the price.The 19.5 tires are generally highway tread, not the mud and snow tread you would need for boat ramps.

.[/QUOTE]

I have a 2008 kodiak c4500 that I pull my cigarette with. It is a landscaper package that has a locking rear diff (with upgraded Dana 130 rear), and it came with 19.5" mud/snow rears, michelins I think. Like others mentioned, I never intended to have a 2wd truck, but I have't had a problem.

For that type of motorhome, you need a class A license. It does not have to be a CDL (Commercial) but you have to take the written and road test for Class A in it at a CDL facility to be legal. The trooper may not have known that, but if you had hit someone, I can guarantee the investigators will.

Can you own a "personal" not for commercial use F650 to pull your own boat or RV?

This is courtesy of wikepedia. Like other rules, it can vary state to state, but this is the federal requirment. The important point is that a CDL is required to use the vehicle for hire. The way its written, you could theoretically own an 18-wheeler and drive it without a CDL for private use. I'm sure most states include some provisions for things like air brakes that would make that illegal.

Around where I live, everyone and their brother seems to have a medium-duty truck for pulling horse trailers that make my boat look like a toy.

Wikipedia:
"A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) is a driver's license required in the United States to operate any type of vehicle which has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 lb (11,793 kg) or more for commercial use, or transports quantities of hazardous materials that require warning placards under Department of Transportation regulations, or that is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver. This includes (but is not limited to) tow trucks, tractor trailers, and buses.[1]"

Dont need a CDL for airbrakes and weight IF (and ONLY IF) you register your 650 as a recreational vehicle, which it is. Unless its commercial, then yes youll need your CDL.. Ive discussed this topic with DOT in a number of states and they allllll tell me its about how you have it registered. Even had one guy ask if there was a toilet on the boat, said that was the only way he'd let the truck be registered as an RV..

Theres a lot of fuzzy lines in this area and everyone thinks they know the law better than the guy posting above him. But in reality, the key term here is "up to the officers interpretation".. Thats why my latest FMCSA has all the pages on "interpretation of laws"

Register it as a RV and weights, length, airbrakes will not matter in any state. EDIT: (should have said, will PROBABLY not matter, each state has its own laws but you should be able to research them in your own state and register, then allowing yourself to drive in other states) Thats why Pops can drive his 50' Class "A" motorhome with his 40' car hauler behind him with nothin but a class D and an aarp card in his wallet..

Im sure Ill catch flack for this post, but I deal with it on a daily basis. We have two sterlings, 2 freightliners, a 550 and a 450. And 2 drivers with CDL... Been through weigh stations, checkpoints, random searches, pulled over and never been ticketed. Regardless of width, flags, banners, etc. You just gotta know what to say. And what you say is that THIS IS AN RV.


EDIT: Ok, to avoid all the flaming, Im going to back these statements up with some actual proof..
Federal Motor Carriers Safety Act of 1986. Read through it, the Act describes four exceptions. (section 5.1) to requirements of CDL, and here they are as follows:
farm equipment, military equipment, ambulances and fire trucks, and
(last but not least), PERSONAL USE VEHICLES-(recreational vehicles)
"RV's used strictly for recreational and other non-commercial functions do not meet the FMCSA definition of a CMV"
"Vehicles designed for use of towing a travel trailer, also not designated as CMV"
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/

Now, with that said. Certain "STATES" have their own laws.. Like California, for example, has a license called "NON COMMERCIAL CLASS A" and its based on length. Anything over 40' long and you gotta have their A-NC endorsement. BUT it doesnt prevent you from driving from out of state into California under your own states licensing laws..

Yes. In, KS-Tx-Mo-AR-MS-GA they require you to have "not for hire" written somewhere on the truck in 3" tall letters. No definition for script, explaining that you are a personal use vehicle that is not for hire and not being paid for hauling.

Youll only need that wording on the side if you are "at that moment" over 26k#.
Daily drivers wont need it.

Not in *most* midwestern and southern states...

Do you guys understand how EASY it is to get your class A CDL??? There was nothing to it...
Why not just get your CDL if you want to drive a big truck rather than jjst trying to find loopholes as to why you may not need a CDL.....? Just a thought.

Air brakes are an endorsement on your DL here in FL. You can get air endorsement on less than class A....

The RV thing cracks me up....
Just picture yourself getting stopped by the DOT... and as the trooper walks up to your big truck just as you pop out the parking brake air valve......
Yeah, this is an RV....:angry-smiley-038:

I dont know how florida is on their CDL's, but in OK the rules for everything are ten times as strict for CDL carriers. Officers are almost NOT ALLOWED to give warnings to anyone carrying a CDL plus we have a absolute ridiculous dui law for CDL carriers. If you register ANYTHING whatsoever, license revoked. Judge isn't friendly about it either..

If you can keep from having to have a CDL, you are much much better off.. For example, DOT pulls you over because you are questionably wide, if he doesnt like you and you get a ticket its gonna be under $200 in OK for a Class D. BUT if you got that same ticket as a CDL, you are given an out-of-service mark on your license and that is around 3-4 points plus a major ($800+ fine)..