# Ford F550



## jake2333 (Oct 13, 2009)

I was thinking of buying a 2 wheel drive Ford F550. The dealer is telling me guys plow all the time without 4 wheel drive and the dually works great with just putting weight in box. Anyone have experience plowing with 2 Wheel drive and is it recommended?


----------



## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

They trying to dump a truck?


----------



## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

lots of posts and threads on plowing with 2wd dumpys search a little. Its done all the time with the right conditions and circumstances. (weight, tires, lot size, grade etc...)


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

jake2333;1648125 said:


> I was thinking of buying a 2 wheel drive Ford F550. The dealer is telling me guys plow all the time without 4 wheel drive and the dually works great with just putting weight in box. Anyone have experience plowing with 2 Wheel drive and is it recommended?


Don't do it. I went through it last year when my 4x4 broke. it was awfull. had to hire guys for anything up hill. and i had LOTS of ballast. Yours having 4 wheels will be a little better, but you will still be pushing those two front wheels and the weight of the engine. hit any pile of snow, and your truck will go sideways into a pole.

walk away from a 4x2. and walk away from any truck not made by american workers.


----------



## BC Handyman (Dec 15, 2010)

a f550 is quit a bit diff then your 1/2 ton bird, all I have to say.


----------



## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

Here's something to start with:

http://www.plowsite.com/search.php?searchid=3553422

Are you in a flatter part of WI or hillier?


----------



## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

I did it for 2 years 3500hd GMC. Had a 1.5 ss Salter in the back. Only times I had issues was when I would try and push to far into the pile and get way to much snow behind the plow
Another tk we have is a 3500 dump. And all we put is 1.5 of river rock in the bed. And that tk has a blizzard on it.
So all food for thought


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

BC Handyman;1648160 said:


> a f550 is quit a bit diff then your 1/2 ton bird, all I have to say.


Very true. But I sure as heck would never do it. Esspicialy if you are spending the cash for a 550. The 4x4 can't be that much more


----------



## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

All in all 4x4 is about a 3,000-5,000 option


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

dieselss;1648209 said:


> All in all 4x4 is about a 3,000-5,000 option


Expensive option. but i wouldnt go without it. I even use it on the job site during the summer. less wear on the customers turf, a little more control on the dirt.

tho. ill admit if your drivin back with a 550 your probably doing a job that will tare up the turf regardless


----------



## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Well that's you.


----------



## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

For flat ground, like parking lots, the 2x F550 will be excellent. You need at least 3K pounds of ballast, and you need the best snow tires all the way around, for traction and steering. And, for the halibut, I'd have some quality net chains in the tool box. But, I had an F550 4x4, with a huge heavy dump bed. I plowed in 2x most of the time. Only used 4x4 on hills, or ice.

I used these snow treads, a re-cap done by Stratham Tire here in NH. Super aggressive, worked awesome.


----------



## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

2wd in a heavy truck is fine, just know your limitations. We've plowed from time to time with our 2wd F550 and with some weight on it, it pushes like a freight train. Only time I wish it was 4wd is when we had a freezing rain event, that little extra help from the fronts would have added a lot more confidence in trying to get around when it's that slick.


----------



## jrs.landscaping (Nov 18, 2012)

I have to agree with birdman, if I were spending 40-60k on a new truck I'd want to make sure it could do the job. Our 450 has similar tires as buswell's, they work well but during nemo if that truck didn't have 4x4 it would've been dead in the water.


----------



## Jguck25 (Oct 30, 2009)

i have a 350 dump truck and i can plow in 2wd sometimes with a lot of weight in the back. but that is only sometimes.. we have way too many hills here in central nh and our snow is usually that really heavy slippery snow that i end up using 4wd at some point in the storm no matter what


----------



## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

Apparently a lot of guys who don't even own trucks like these know lots about them 
We run two Chevy 4500's 2wd, they plow great. Obviously not uphill and the driver has to have common sense, but I bet I've pulled pick ups out of snow banks more than our 4500's. We also run a Chevy 6500 2wd and it's a plowing machine. Best rig we have, 2 ton of salt in it and it would probably even plow up hill


----------



## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

Shhhsssss superior. . Good time of year to get a deal because of misinformed poeple.


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

Till you accidently back up into a bank lifting the back end up and none of that weight touches the ground.


----------



## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

birddseedd;1648368 said:


> Till you accidently back up into a bank lifting the back end up and none of that weight touches the ground.


A fully loaded F550 and your 4 door 1/2 ton cannot be compared. Two completely different trucks.


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

Banksy;1648371 said:


> A fully loaded F550 and your 4 door 1/2 ton cannot be compared. Two completely different trucks.


wasnt comparing it to my truck. was comparing it to a pile of snow


----------



## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

When I am looking for answers I like to talk to experienced poeple. 

If we compare 1 guy with 1 truck and 4 years plow experience to me that multiplies out to 4. And most likely all in the same truck. 

Then compare to 1 guy with 10 trucks ( or pieces of equipment ). and 10 years experience. This guy will also have run a large variety of different equipment in every condition. 

I don't mean to knock anyone, but listen to the poeple in the know. Any and everything is said over the Internet from behind computer and phone screens.


----------



## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

birddseedd;1648382 said:


> wasnt comparing it to my truck. was comparing it to a pile of snow


That you backed into with your 1/2 ton, so my comment still applies.


----------



## jrs.landscaping (Nov 18, 2012)

goel;1648389 said:


> When I am looking for answers I like to talk to experienced poeple.
> 
> If we compare 1 guy with 1 truck and 4 years plow experience to me that multiplies out to 4. And most likely all in the same truck.
> 
> ...


So if you had two 550's side buy side you would buy the 2wd to save a couple grand?


----------



## Jguck25 (Oct 30, 2009)

Superior L & L;1648362 said:


> Apparently a lot of guys who don't even own trucks like these know lots about them
> We run two Chevy 4500's 2wd, they plow great. Obviously not uphill and the driver has to have common sense, but I bet I've pulled pick ups out of snow banks more than our 4500's. We also run a Chevy 6500 2wd and it's a plowing machine. Best rig we have, 2 ton of salt in it and it would probably even plow up hill


How can you possibly never have to encounter a hill? Obviously different parts of the country would be better for a 2wd truck. If I could only plow places on my route without going on any hills I would get to do one of my parking lots. An F550 is very much like an f350 dump physically and weight wise.


----------



## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

Probibally not if they were main winter use trucks. 

Currently we use a f350 drw 2wd and 2 550 drw 2wds, all carry Plows and spreaders. 

For the work we do i our region, I can remember 1 storm in the last 7 years that gave us troubles. But it was 14 inch dump of cement. On level ground they all did ok, but even the slightest hill was a problem. 

With that kind of snow we let the larger equipment do a rough rough plow and the trucks made it pretty. 

The 350 which carries the least weight has a 9 ft plow with wings so its almost 11 ft wide. 

We do work in big open areas and there is always a 4x4 plow truck on the same lot or within 5 minutes. 

Usually each type of truck gets stuck once a year, mainly because somebody had a brain fart.


----------



## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

birddseedd;1648368 said:


> Till you accidently back up into a bank lifting the back end up and none of that weight touches the ground.


Not going to happen with a 550. And if you do, being stuck would be the least of your worries, as you would have just destroyed your spinner at minimum.



goel;1648389 said:


> When I am looking for answers I like to talk to experienced poeple.
> 
> If we compare 1 guy with 1 truck and 4 years plow experience to me that multiplies out to 4. And most likely all in the same truck.
> 
> ...


Why? This is the internet that Al Gore invented and everything on it is true?



jrs.landscaping;1648395 said:


> So if you had two 550's side buy side you would buy the 2wd to save a couple grand?


I'd buy the 4WD hands down, no questions asked. But that's me.

My dad bought a 2WD F350 in '79 and plowed several years with it. Same as everyone else said: load it up and you're fine. He used it in several blizzards back then.

Stuck with pickups and some 4WD 3500's for awhile, then bought an F800 in '98. 2WD. That truck will push and push and push and carry a bunch of salt. I think it's been stuck twice. Bought a F750 in 2000. That truck would push and push and push. And carry a bunch of salt. But it would push empty as well. I have 1 450 and 2 550's that are 4WD. One of the 550's does not have a spreader, just an Ebling; the other has a spreader and only needs 4WD when pulling out loading docks\using the back blade. Bought another 550 with 2WD, haven't had any issues. Bought another F800 and haven't had any issues. Well, the F800 got stuck once last year, driver error. And that one has crappy tires. Old and hard. All except the first have Blizzard 8611's off the front. So they carry a lot of weight and can get a little squirrelly when empty, but we load up and keep plowing. We've plowed up to a 22" storm with these trucks, not all of them, but most. It is flat where I am. Yes, I would rather have 4WD but it is not a deal breaker in a 550 and up size truck.


----------



## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

I plowed for 6 years in my inter- 4700,10' fisher mc .I tried everything to get more traction, tires, chains,6 tons of salt etc. My big problem was as the salt was used up traction would diminish.I got stuck dozens of times! In my area as you plowed the snow the surface would ice up instantly. At the end of a push I would often be stuck trying to backup. I put up with it because I wanted to keep all my trucks working. I sold that truck last year and replaced it with a gmc 4500 4x4. Still got stuck a few times (dreaded 39" blizzard) and also was surprised that it was better in 2wd than the 4700.(forgot to lock hubs) I would not consider a 2wd truck unless it was a killer once in a lifetime deal. And on a different subject,I wouldn't plow again in a standard trans if you gave me the truck! Oh my aching knees


----------



## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

I agree, buying new, 4x4 is non negotiable. But, if I found a 2x F550 for a really decent price (and you can, I have seen lots of them) and had work for it, I would not hessitate. Like I said, tires, ballast, and chains. And, if you want to get crazy, a reese mounted 10K pound electric winch with 100' of cable. It's a year round tool, so buying one wouldbn't be too far out.


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

customers do not get mad when you gouge up their pavement with chains?


----------



## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

birddseedd;1648586 said:


> customers do not get mad when you gouge up their pavement with chains?


If it's bad enough that you need chains, there will be no gouging. Basically, I'd say only use them on long uphill pushes, and during heavy ice events.
And they only gouge when you spin them.


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

cant have them in michigan


----------



## Ne1 (Jan 15, 2007)

I have several f450 and f550 diesel, 4x4 trucks. With these trucks we plow 75% of the time in 2wd. However, I wouldn't buy a truck without 4wd for those inevitable events were its going to be needed.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

birddseedd;1648588 said:



> cant have them in michigan


Actually, you can. You can't have studded tyres in Michigan.


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

Mark Oomkes;1648615 said:


> Actually, you can. You can't have studded tyres in Michigan.


Has the law changed recently? What i read last year said the metal could not touch public pavement


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

birddseedd;1648632 said:


> Has the law changed recently? What i read last year said the metal could not touch public pavement


No, it hasn't.

You said it yourself, they are not supposed to come in contact with the road, but they can be used.

http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-52374-205115--F,00.html

Here you go for the studded tyres.

http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-52374-205116--F,00.html


----------



## Ramairfreak98ss (Aug 17, 2005)

All of our trucks are 4x4... but that said, almost all times were in 2wd.

Last year i drove one of the F550s the whole time, granted its a 201" wb crew cab 12' landscape body with a 4 yard salter PLUS between 2500-3500 of calcium/bagged salt in front of the spreader against the bulkhead of the body. 

We're probably overloaded often. I run continental hdr's on back, a stock type tire even, and never have issues even going into loading dock areas. The year prior, i drove the truck for salting mainly and a couple small plows, on the "old tires", they were nearly bald, with a ton of weight, i only slid once in a parking lot, jumped the curb by a foot while slowing down from plowing, nothing major though.

Anyone having problems in 2wd F550s, are either in icy areas, not nearly enough weight in back or in very high snow accumulating snow storms. 

I've also noticed a slew of say 1.5 to 2yard salt spreaders in F550s... thats NOT enough for a big truck like that especially with a big plow in front for 2wd... even full its nothing for the truck, half full or empty you're going to have issues.


----------



## ryde307 (Dec 3, 2009)

We run 2 550's both are 4x4. Both run 9'2" v plows and start the night with 3 ton or so of salt. Both will plow in 2wd 95% of the time but I am very happy they have 4x4 for the other 5% of the time.
We had a 2wd 550 but had bad tires and not enough weight. It struggled to get out of it's parking spot. (wasn't setup right so it does not really count)

Like others have said if it's new it's worth getting 4x4, if you get a good deal on a used one 2wd is fine. Just get good tires, weight and a decent operator.


----------



## fms (Nov 8, 2005)

We run our F550 in 2wd most of the time, but 4wd gets used at least once every larger storm. I would not buy a 2wd. Not worth being the plow guy needing a tow at 2 a.m. during a 2" an hour storm. Tough to recover from a business stand point and an ego stand point.


----------



## fatheadon1 (Dec 27, 2007)

i don't think its been asked but do you have another truck capable of pulling out a loaded 550? If you do then its not a deal breaker for me. Put a good driver in the 2wd truck load it heavy and 95% of the time that truck will be productive when it gets stuck yank it out an keep it moving. If you do not have something that can pull it out then the tow bills could add up go with the 4x4. i say this with being that guy that always guy left with the 2wd truck and the only time i ever get stuck is when i have had the safety blanket of something to pull me out thats when i would push my luck just to see how much i could get away with.


----------



## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

jake2333;1648125 said:


> I was thinking of buying a 2 wheel drive Ford F550. The dealer is telling me guys plow all the time without 4 wheel drive and the dually works great with just putting weight in box. Anyone have experience plowing with 2 Wheel drive and is it recommended?


I plow 2wd with my dually 4x4 but that's snow under 3'' anything more Im in 4x4

I wouldn't buy a 2wd for plowing snow


----------



## mulcahy mowing (Jan 16, 2006)

I used to plow on a team with a non 4wd f550 dump. Even with a sander full with salt and an experienced driver I spent allot of time pulling him out while stacking piles. Plowing is a 4wd adventure.


----------



## fatheadon1 (Dec 27, 2007)

here is 2 short videos taken 2 or 3 years ago with my black berry of my old bosses 08 550 9' pro plus 18-22 inches of snow http://s142.photobucket.com/user/fatheadon1/media/VID00004-20101226-2325.mp4.html http://s142.photobucket.com/user/fatheadon1/media/VID00005-20101227-0254.mp4.html I was plowing streets that had not been touched yet I lead buy tucking the curb then a truck behind me doing the middle and another behind him retucking the curb the tires on that truck were bald an I can remember getting stuck 3 times all time I feel I pushed 2 much an would have gotten stuck even with 4x4


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

Seems to be by everyone's input that it depends on what you are plowing (snow obviously). Hills, Ice. bad idea. flat planes, will probably work without 4x4.

too many hills here in Michigan and too much ice. last year even cops were sliding off roads. I slid into someone myself only going 5 mph. for a long distance. truck just wouldn't stop.


----------



## alpine779 (Feb 16, 2010)

Is this your only truck you'd be plowin with? Sorry I didn't check to see if you had other equipment. If it was I'd say pass on it, look for 4wd. We plowed for 2 years with a f450 2wd superduty and it worked fine for the most part loaded up. But, we had other 4wd trucks and other equipment to gives us a tug WHEN we did get stuck, and to be reliable for those big dumps of snow every now and then. If its an additional truck and a smoking deal then go for it. It'll be productive, you just have to be more careful and think a couple steps ahead when your pushin. As long as you can be reliable for your customers I think that would also be one of the main deciding factors as well. Nobody wants to fall behind cause they were stuck in the pile or wherever else spinning their tires waiting for a tow at 3am.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

birddseedd;1650202 said:


> Seems to be by everyone's input that it depends on what you are plowing (snow obviously). Hills, Ice. bad idea. flat planes, will probably work without 4x4.
> 
> too many hills here in Michigan and too much ice. last year even cops were sliding off roads. I slid into someone myself only going 5 mph. for a long distance. truck just wouldn't stop.


Except all the muni trucks are 2WD.


----------



## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

Mark Oomkes;1650238 said:


> Except all the muni trucks are 2WD.


90% of my City trucks are WD plowing streets is different then a Lot


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Antlerart06;1650254 said:


> 90% of my City trucks are WD plowing streets is different then a Lot


I fully realize that. But plowing a lot with a 550 is different than with a 1/2 or 3/4 or even a 1 ton.

Might just be that unless one has tried it one doesn't understand it.

My 4WD 550 spends 98% of the time in 2WD.


----------



## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

It is true, an F550- even a 2x F550- with a dump cart and some ballast is a completely different animal than even a 1 ton dump. Like I said, mine was a 4x4 diesel, and weighed 11,500 with half a tank of fuel. A 2x with a 10' or bigger dump body will come in around 9000 - 9500 pounds..that is 2900 pounds more than my F250..now add ballast.


----------



## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

Locking dif has a huge part to play in this, my 550 4wd got stuck 3 times last winter, I would never plow without 4wd, a inch off the pavement and your donezo, not going anywhere


----------



## jasonz (Nov 5, 2010)

so whats a good amount of ballast for a 2wd f550 with your typical landscaper body, truck weighs about 9500 empty. Is a two yard sander loaded not enough?


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

That would be a good start.


----------



## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

4 yard sander. No less than 3.5, if they make such a thing.

It will haul it, easily. And you want the ballast as well as the ability to sand for a while without going for more.


----------



## OldSchoolPSD (Oct 16, 2007)

The kind of weight that you ballast a 550 would break a half ton in half. My F-450 does just fine crossing the scales around 15k. Its a beast. Don't think I've ever had it in 4x4 in the snow.

I'll throw it out there and say that 4x4 on a 450/550 size truck kinda sucks. On those skinny, hard ass 19.5 tires by the time you need 4x4 you are sunk already (in non-snow situations anyways)

You load that thing down to max GVW and you wont miss 4x4 at all.


----------



## jasonz (Nov 5, 2010)

OldSchoolPSD;1650919 said:


> The kind of weight that you ballast a 550 would break a half ton in half. My F-450 does just fine crossing the scales around 15k. Its a beast. Don't think I've ever had it in 4x4 in the snow.
> 
> I'll throw it out there and say that 4x4 on a 450/550 size truck kinda sucks. On those skinny, hard ass 19.5 tires by the time you need 4x4 you are sunk already (in non-snow situations anyways)
> 
> You load that thing down to max GVW and you wont miss 4x4 at all.


I plan on having some side fabbed and welded onto my sanders to increase them to about 3.5 yards. I've still
Got the stock General HDR tires on there too.


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

OldSchoolPSD;1650919 said:


> The kind of weight that you ballast a 550 would break a half ton in half. My F-450 does just fine crossing the scales around 15k. Its a beast. Don't think I've ever had it in 4x4 in the snow.
> 
> I'll throw it out there and say that 4x4 on a 450/550 size truck kinda sucks. On those skinny, hard ass 19.5 tires by the time you need 4x4 you are sunk already (in non-snow situations anyways)
> 
> You load that thing down to max GVW and you wont miss 4x4 at all.


isnt the point of 4x4 to use it BEFORE getting stuck so you DONT get stuck???

maybe i'm doing it wrong and should be getting stuck more?


----------



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

get tracks. problem solved


----------



## OldSchoolPSD (Oct 16, 2007)

birddseedd;1651027 said:


> isnt the point of 4x4 to use it BEFORE getting stuck so you DONT get stuck???
> 
> maybe i'm doing it wrong and should be getting stuck more?


Go drive a 15k truck on 19.5's into a soft pasture and let me know how that 4x4 works out for you. It just makes the difference between burying 1 axle or both. The only place I use mine is on the boat ramp.


----------

