# Kodiak 4500 5500 4x4 plow truck and salter



## luckylawnboy (Sep 27, 2000)

Has any one got any of these trucks. I really like them but they seem geared really low. I want to use it for lawn and landscaping in the summer and snow and ice control in the winter. I thought about a regular cab with a 12 foot landscape body. Is my only option for salting a salt box or can i use a tailgate insert. Or is this truck just odd. too big for a pick-up or too small for a dump truck. I have herd reports or these trucks being under powered is that true too. I beleive they weigh around 10,000 12,000lbs depending what body one puts on them. Does any one have any pictures of this truck equiped as i described? Just wanting some advice from experienced owners. I think they look like one hell of a truck .


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## brshhog (Dec 13, 2006)

Give me your e-mail and I will send some pics. Took some yesterday, but can't figure out how to size the pic to make them fit on this site yet. Need some training tonight from the wife. I have an 06 C-5500 4x4 quad cab with a BOSS 10' V and love it so far. I use it in the summer to pull my equipment trailer in the mountains of SW Colorado. 23,500 loaded (just trailer and equipment) and I love it. I was pulling with a Dodge w/ Cummins and it did the job, but didn't have the stopping power or the feeling of overall safety that this truck has. I love my C-5500!
Some have had major problems with this truck, but I have only had a few minor. It seems to be a crap shoot with this truck. Check out
www.dieselplace.com
and go to the Medium duty site, My sig is Brshhog. I do have some pics there.
Most of these have 5:13 gearing w/4 wheel drive, thats about 2600 @ 70MPH but it works, its a work truck after all. Mine weighs 9400 cab and chassis.
DOUG
[email protected]


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## BOSS550 (Jan 19, 2007)

I did someserious shopping before I bought both my F550s. I really wanted a Chevy 5500. It seem the Chevys are built better than the Fords but you pay for the quality at the scales. The chevys are a bit heavier which equal less payload. My 550 dump is a steel 11 footer with 16" sides and 4x4 with a diesel and auto. It weighs 10,560 with a full tank of fuel. The truck is legal to 17,500. 3.5 tons is not a very big payload if your using it as a dump. My other 550 is a flatbed- no dump and its rated to 19K. A little better but still not a big legal payload for stone, dirt, etc. The deciding factor for me was the 10K difference in price between Ford and Chevy. My flatbed F550 I ordered and it was still 10K cheaper than an off the lot Chevy 5500. The 06 fords turn much sharper than the chevys since ford went to front coils. Chevys have much better front visibility. I also ordered my flatbed with the h.d towing upgrade. It's a double frame on about half of the truck that increases my combined tow capacity to 33K from fords standard 26K. Chevy would only go to 26K which was too low for my needs. Happy truck shopping


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## KHB (Nov 30, 2005)

I've had no problems with my truck. I have a Fisher 9'MC and a 3 yard SS Ice -O-Way sander. Mine has the landscape dump body. Yes, its geared low. Mine has 5.13 gears. I've had mine loaded with 10' X 48"+ logs. Hauling is no problem. I have pics also PM me your email and i'll send you some pics.


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## luckylawnboy (Sep 27, 2000)

Do you guys hop in these trucks and run to town or are they strickly loaded or working miles. Are they feasable for that.


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## KHB (Nov 30, 2005)

luckylawnboy;362082 said:


> Do you guys hop in these trucks and run to town or are they strickly loaded or working miles. Are they feasable for that.


I do. I don't drive around all day like i would a car but i wouldn't hesitate taking it anywhere. grocery store, mall, lunch. etc. The turning radius is pretty good but its no Geo so some of the parking lots may be tight.


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

(2) 2004 4500's one desiel, one gas the gas has the 12' box both work GREAT only 2wd but plow good


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

Opps forgot the other truck


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Check out this thread:

http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=40086


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## JOEC (Oct 12, 2004)

Do you have any problems with your lights on your gas engine. Anyone who drives my gas 4500 complains about the lights not bright enough. When I took it back to the dealer mechanic agreed theres a problem but the dealer gave up on trying to fix it. I just gave up with chevy at that point. I have a friend who has the diesal and it seems that all the problems that I get in my truck he has the same problems brakes, rotors, etc. Chevy made a big mistake getting rid of the 3500 hd great truck. Bring that truck back to production only had minor problems with the hd 3500 but the 4500 never would buy another one. STAY AWAY FROM US MAINTENANCE !!!!!!!!!


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## luckylawnboy (Sep 27, 2000)

What salt spreader do you prefer. and how do they compare as far as price goes. I want to get a landscape body like the monroe or ABC then get a spreader insert. or should I just get a v-box. Also I only run bagged salt now, how do you handle bulk salt as far as storage or is there a place to get it from a supplier that open during the storm ect.


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## BillyRgn (Jan 28, 2004)

my buddy has got an 03 chevy 4500 2wd, and loves it, i drove it a few times my self and thought it was great, hes got the d-max/allison with a 10ft dump on it and the turning radius is great, even though its 2wd it does real good in the snow with a good set of rubber, he runs a 6 yard Monroe spreader and a 9ft Fisher MC. The spreader is huge, but the plow i think is way to small, it barely clears the truck with the blade angled straight, if it was mine i would probably run a 10ft MC but thats probably to heavy for a 4500, but i don't think hes to worried about the DOT when hes got the sander loaded with 6yrds of sand and a plow, however at 37,000 miles he did just have to replace the hole entire rear end and GM did not cover the $4,500 bucks it cost


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## snowsniper1 (Nov 26, 2006)

brshhog can you send me pics of your set up i have been thanking about a 5500 [email protected] thanks


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## Antnee77 (Oct 25, 2005)

BillyRgn;362476 said:


> my buddy has got an 03 chevy 4500 2wd, and loves it, i drove it a few times my self and thought it was great, hes got the d-max/allison with a 10ft dump on it and the turning radius is great, even though its 2wd it does real good in the snow with a good set of rubber, he runs a 6 yard Monroe spreader and a 9ft Fisher MC. The spreader is huge, but the plow i think is way to small, it barely clears the truck with the blade angled straight, if it was mine i would probably run a 10ft MC but thats probably to heavy for a 4500, but i don't think hes to worried about the DOT when hes got the sander loaded with 6yrds of sand and a plow, however at 37,000 miles he did just have to replace the hole entire rear end and GM did not cover the $4,500 bucks it cost


That thing is far overloaded as it is with 6 yards in the back, I don't thing he needs a bigger blade. The 9' MC weighs enough.


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

I had some problems with our diesel 4500. Had all the lifters replaced about 6 months ago. Then three weeks ago it would show it was going 85 miles per hour and we were doing 30. Turns out when the GM dealer sent it out to get upfitted the upfitter did not know what he was doing cos he ran the plow harness though the wheel well(punched hole though it) So when we drove down the road the salt water was getting into the engine and corroding all the connectors. It fried the PCM, all wiring had to be replaced, instrument cluster. The dealer got the PCM covered under emission's warrentybut it still cost us $4000 to pull it out the dealers lot. Now we are fighting with GM. I say they hired the upfitter so it there problem they say its the upfitters deal. We bought the whole thing brand new off the lot with plow and dump box so its there deal. We have 10 GM trucks and there pulling this sh--.The real problem for us was not having the truck for two weeks in the busyest month of winter !


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## luckylawnboy (Sep 27, 2000)

I highly doubt a 9 foot plow is overloading a plow. We looked at two new trucks today both had a 10 foot Boss V-Blades. they had regular dump bodies and we are looking for a red truck with a black landscape body. I thought he told me they had 8000 lbs front axel


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## KHB (Nov 30, 2005)

luckylawnboy;362654 said:


> I highly doubt a 9 foot plow is overloading a plow. We looked at two new trucks today both had a 10 foot Boss V-Blades. they had regular dump bodies and we are looking for a red truck with a black landscape body. I thought he told me they had 8000 lbs front axel


When I looking for plows 2 out of 3 Fisher dealers told me that they don't recomend the 10MC on my 5500. So i went for the 9MC. And you are correct on the front axle.


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## luckylawnboy (Sep 27, 2000)

Im not sure about fisher, You dont see them around here, they must be heavier than the Boss plows, but who knows. The plows looked like were matched nice for the trucks. I drove one and it was nice...Just deciding if its over kill for me. But you know how us Snow/Lawn guys are. Bigger the better right!!


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## luckylawnboy (Sep 27, 2000)

there is over a 300lb difference from the Boss 10' V-Blade and a 10MC.. thats alot. well boss weight is minus the mount sothe web said 1105lb + mounting brackets 130LBS


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## luckylawnboy (Sep 27, 2000)

I just noticed something. The Fisher plow are similiar to western plows. and Blizzard, Western, and Fisher are all the same company Douglas Dynamics, L.L.C.. Am I the only person who did not know all these plows were part of the same company.


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## BillyRgn (Jan 28, 2004)

i new fisher owned western or vice-versa, just look at the design fisher has had for a while, the western has pretty much copyed the whole pump design, but as far as blizzard, i did not no that


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## Runner (Jul 21, 2000)

LOL that is like the truck that another local guy (you know who he is) has, and he about detroyed a Boss plow on the front of it. I've never seen a Boss plow tweaked up quite like that, but after seeing the truck it was on, it makes you realize anything's possible. We had it over at John's shop for about 2 days dismantling it straightening and re-welding on it. It just goes to show, with a truck that size, you really have to know and WATCH what you're doing. I used to see one of your trucks plowing at the plaza that has the Target over on Center Rd. I did the Bob Evan's right there. Nice rig, without question.


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## Antnee77 (Oct 25, 2005)

luckylawnboy;362757 said:


> I just noticed something. The Fisher plow are similiar to western plows. and Blizzard, Western, and Fisher are all the same company Douglas Dynamics, L.L.C.. Am I the only person who did not know all these plows were part of the same company.


Possibly. LOL

And yeah, the front axle rating on the 4500 is decent, but you don't realize how heavy these MC plows really are. Nice and strong, though.


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

Runner;363202 said:


> LOL that is like the truck that another local guy (you know who he is) has, and he about detroyed a Boss plow on the front of it. I've never seen a Boss plow tweaked up quite like that, but after seeing the truck it was on, it makes you realize anything's possible. We had it over at John's shop for about 2 days dismantling it straightening and re-welding on it. It just goes to show, with a truck that size, you really have to know and WATCH what you're doing. I used to see one of your trucks plowing at the plaza that has the Target over on Center Rd. I did the Bob Evan's right there. Nice rig, without question.


Are you talking about JD. If so he had lots of problems with that Boss. at least now he put a real plow on that truck (western 9' pro plus). Also he did the Traget on Center?


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## Runner (Jul 21, 2000)

Yeah, That's who I was talking about. That really sucked for him,...and I know he was a bit discouraged by it. We had it all apart again just last week to straighten and reweld it. He had to put a new center pin in as well, as his was pretty bent. We were discussing how we thought the steel moldboards are probably a better bet, because the rigidity of the board itself provides support for the frame. Granted, the poly has more framework, but it just doesn't add up to the same amount of support. When I asked him if when he bought another one, would he buy another poly, or go with the steel. e just said he was unsure.For the target on Center, I was talking about your truck. This was last year. He hasn't had good luck with plows...I remember when he got that new Western Contractor. It fell apart on him when it was practically brand new...A western rep. came over to see it and took care of that one, though. I hope things go better for him...he's a heck of a nice guy.


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

yer, he is a real nice dude. He's bin doing this for a long time!


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