# Anyone here have experience with older F800's?



## 2401 (Feb 3, 2001)

Just curious, my work recently bought an '89 F800 with the "hecho en Brazil" diesel, 6 speed, 33k GVW, air brakes. It's got a 4 ton Pitman boom on it as well. 

From my perspective (driving & operating it) it seems like a decent truck. Wondering if any of you have had experience with these trucks, good/bad or indifferent? Any sort of specific problems they tend to have?

Just curious - BTW, please don't say "Don't buy it!!!" 'cause they already did! LOL


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

I had several of those trucks, and still have some today.

The oldest one we have is a 92, with 400,000 miles on it. It is a 7 speed with a cat diesel in it I think. The truck is set up with a rack body on it, which doesn't dump. It doesn't see snow duty or any off road work, so it is in good shape. I also have one of the newer 98 models with a cummings diesel and a 6 speed, also just a flat bed truck.

Over all they are good trucks, no major problems with them. Just do your PM and you will be fine.

Geoff


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## guido (May 13, 2001)

*Yup!*

Great Trucks! We have a late 80's (or very early 90's, not sure off hand) model that we use strictly for snow removal. We have it equiped with a front blade, an underbody scraper, and a spreader. Never have a problem with it, runs like a beast! PLUS its a FORD!!! 

Heres a Pic.


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## 2401 (Feb 3, 2001)

Thanks guys! Sounds like the boss made a good choice then. The previous owner wasn't as rigorous about PM as they should have been - first time I went to drain the air tanks I had Niagara Falls coming out of them for a while, followed by some sludge.......  

Guido, ours is an '89 and has a more "square looking" front end, so I'm guessing the truck in your pick is an early '90's.

Only problem is, days I drive the Ford my Chevy welding truck gets jealous................................


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## guido (May 13, 2001)

*And your Chevy.......*

Has every right to be!


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## 2401 (Feb 3, 2001)

*F800 update & a question:*

Our "F-word" (  ) has been working out well - decent power & seems to do pretty well for fuel mileage too. Pleased with it.

Wondering what service intervals (in particular oil/filter change) should be, keeping in mind that being a boom truck, it gets a fair amount of time with the engine running but no miles going on the clock.


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## CT18fireman (Nov 30, 2000)

Put an hour meter on it. Similiar to boats and power equipment. This is the best way to manage service on a truck like that. All of our fire trucks use the hour meter to schedule service.


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## 2401 (Feb 3, 2001)

Good point on the hour meter, now - how many hours should it be serviced at? 

(Not trying to be difficult, just not sure of the recommended service intervals. Not 100% sure of the truck's maintenance history, want to keep the PM up to date)


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## 2401 (Feb 3, 2001)

Snapped a pic of our "F-word" recently:


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## TCplow (Jan 9, 2002)

*Ford 2 ton*

hey fellas, I'm geting ready to buy an old dodge 2 ton from the sixties. Ya think they'll last forever?


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## 2401 (Feb 3, 2001)

Not quite sure what you mean - you mention getting a 2 ton Dodge, but the title on your post says "Ford 2 tons". The F800 is considerably more than a 2 ton, since it has a 33k GVW.

Since you're not really in a "salt belt" area, trucks probably DO last longer than they do up here.

Is this going to be a work truck or a restoration project?


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## steveair (Feb 24, 2000)

Hello,

while working at the airport we had a old 80's model f800. The truck was a old municipal truck and was set up with a mid-mount spreader unit (had a dump that would dump forward and the feed belt was located at the the front of the bed, not the back....

What a rust bucket!

The spreader didn't work, the dump didn't work, nothing on the back worked. It was in bad shape. Those mid-mount spreader really eat a truck away quick........rust city. Salt just gets thrown all over the underbody with the set up......we were always waiting for the truck to 'snap' in half one day........the only thing holding it together were two steel plates that were welded to the frame to extend the frame for the spreader.

Even though it was a real rust bucket, the truck was a monster in the snow. We had a big 12 foot monroe and it would push just as much snow as the new Ineternational 4800 (DT466).

It was a automatic with a cat diesel......talk about a smoke fest! Think its pretty much the case for most the cat's to smoke. We had to get the truck out of the shop as soon as possible when we started it.

Even though it was a rust bucket, and even worse, it was a ford, I will say that it was a 'good ole' plowtruck'.

steve


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## jakegypsum (Jan 25, 2002)

Been around them my entire life. F and LTS models. Gassers and diesels. My Father brought me up around them and we still use them in several applications. Great running trucks as long as you keep up on them. Simple R&M that is. Built our businesses around using heavy Ford products. Very content. Jake.


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## PAPS Landscape (Jan 30, 2002)

*F-600*

We have an 1989 F-600 and its a great truck. Also, just added a 9' fisher plow to it this year, and it plows like an animal. Love the truck, been real good to us.


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