# You guys with 4x4 Dumps (F350, F450, F550) ever get stuck?



## Emerscape (Mar 23, 2005)

Just wondering if you guys with 4x4 dumps ever have traction problems in four wheel drive? Let me elaborate. Last night I used my f450 for the first time since selling my Dodge Ram 2500 so I was not very familiar with the way the truck would perform. I hade 4 wheel drive engaged but no weight in the truck and a 9' fisher plow on the front. I had a ton of problems with a foot and a half of snow and eventually got stuck on a small decline. Im pretty sure my 4x4 was working because when i turned sharp it would jump (u know what i mean) a little. Is it just the simple fact that I need wieght in the back of the truck or do u think there is somethign wrong with my 4x4?? thanks for the help in advance


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## dirt digger (Feb 27, 2005)

its not a dump truck but we have a F-550 with an 11' service body on it, and that thing weighs alot. Theres no plow on it so it does well in snow but put that thing in a little mud and you better have chains and a backhoe handy. The stock tires on the 4x4 stink, you'd be best off getting a new set.


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## Emerscape (Mar 23, 2005)

thats weird.. my 450 does great in the mud.. unloaded and fully loaded no problems in the mud.. but snow wa a different story


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## oldmankent (Mar 2, 2001)

I'd say you need some weight in the dump. Dual rear wheels really spread out the weight, plus a 9' fisher weighs down the front. Any truck is gonna have some issues trying to push 1.5' of snow all at once. Try putting 1000-1500 lbs in the back see what happens. Good tires also make a huge difference. I had issues with my traction because of my tires, and that was with 800 lbs behind the rear axle. You can always use low range too.


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## Emerscape (Mar 23, 2005)

yeah i was using low range..the tires are near new.. maybe it was just the conditions. I never got stuck with my dodge but then again it wasnt a dually


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

What kind of tires and you need weight, and a bunch of it. I'd go with a ton on a 450, you will be able to push a foot and a half with no problems.


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## BSDeality (Dec 5, 2005)

my buddy was having big problems last night in his f350/mason with 1.5ton of ballast too.


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## rob1325 (Jan 6, 2000)

If you don't have the ford continentals Max trax tires, then you will get stuck, escpecially without weight. I always order the 550's with all six Max Trac tires and when they wear I put on Goodyears 124's. Though, I heard good things about Michelin. Also, do you have posi traction, that helps too.


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## Emerscape (Mar 23, 2005)

I have the goodyears 124s on the back but not sure what the front is.. front does not have any aggressive tread, more of a highway tire i guess. Not sure about the rear end but impretty sure its not a posi


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## lotsoflights (Oct 26, 2003)

*did you try*

Hi, 
Not sure if you checked...but, do you have the hubs locked in?


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## oldmankent (Mar 2, 2001)

Just a follow up. I thought this storm was very slippery. All the blowing snow got packed and became very slippery without looking slippery. Salt could not keep up with all the snow we got. It was just a slippery storm until the wind and snow slowed down.


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## Travel'n Trees (Jan 17, 2006)

Our f550 only gets stuck on side of the road. (not running) Which is more often than when running.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

We have a Dodge 3500 with the 124's on the rear and just ribs on the front, have been running it this way for years, and very seldom do we have a problem with traction. It has a very, very heavy bed though. 

I still think more weight is the answer. Sometimes when it is very icy underneath, there is nothing you can do unless you have really good tires, like Cooper M&S's, but weight can overcome a lot of problems. Just look at the municipal trucks. Other than very snowy and\or hilly areas, they are all 2WD with a lot of weight in them and look how much snow they can move. We have a F800 and a F750 as well that are 2WD that can push as much or more snow than a 4WD pickup with the same size blade. But they are loaded up with 7-8 tons of salt.


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## dirt digger (Feb 27, 2005)

Travel'n Trees said:


> Our f550 only gets stuck on side of the road. (not running) Which is more often than when running.


what kind of problems you having with the thing?...I love our F-550 with the 7.3 in it.


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## Big Dog D (Oct 1, 2005)

The General tires just plain suck in the snow!!!!! Try going with the Cooper or the Michelin. Better tires along with the proper balast will go a long way.

I am currently trying Coopers on one truck and the Michelins on another(fronts only) to see what works best.

Another option is go to a good commercial tire Co. and ask them if they have a siping tool and see if they can make your tire more agressive.


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## rob1325 (Jan 6, 2000)

Big Dog D said:


> The General tires just plain suck in the snow!!!!! Try going with the Cooper or the Michelin. Better tires along with the proper balast will go a long way.
> 
> I am currently trying Coopers on one truck and the Michelins on another(fronts only) to see what works best.
> 
> Another option is go to a good commercial tire Co. and ask them if they have a siping tool and see if they can make your tire more agressive.


Let us know what you like better. I would be very interested in your findings.


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## remtech1 (Jan 16, 2006)

*needs ballast*

i run a 9 ft fisher mm 2 also on a 2003 f-350 6.0 diesel.a loaded sander makes a big difference & good tires are always a must. go to the fisher web site, they will tell you how much ballast needed for different trucks w/ different plow sizes. i think your'e set up calls for about half a ton.wesport


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## Travel'n Trees (Jan 17, 2006)

The computer, cam shaft sensor, transfer case, fuel pump rear end, fuel line fuel rail, injectors, transmission, air filter box, turbo, 3000 miles, a crappy warranty, no customer service. At least it has made it farther than the 6.0. Mileage, driving speeds are un bearable on highway.


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## itsgottobegreen (Mar 31, 2004)

Dude you need two tons of weight in the back of it. Any of the small dump trucks need that much weight. I pushed 18 of the 21 hours I was out in 2wd and we got 20". The F-350 dump proved itself this storm.


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## earnies2 (Feb 20, 2003)

I almost never use 4 wheel drive its all about the weight, between the utility box all my tools and the sander with only about 1 yard of s&s for balast no problem....you should never use low range its to easy to break somthing and you should never spinn your tires their is no traction in spinning..just my .02


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## Fordtruckman88 (Nov 28, 2007)

no problems with our 550 we nicknamed it dozer


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## ctd992500 (Oct 17, 2007)

The company I worked for had a f 450 with the a 7.3 in it was a tank when loaded with salt empty it couldent push much snow. It even gut stuck so bad one that we had to get a wrecker to get it out. It had a 9ft v boss and diamond 1.5 yd salter, but the F-350 with the 6.0 same salter and 8ft boss straight blade could handle anything empty or loaded.


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## doublestuf (Oct 30, 2005)

*What size tire.*

I have an 05 550 with 19.5 tires. The "traction tires" that came on it suck! They were generals. I switched to Goodyear and am much happier. Are there any other tire brands, that are good in snow available in this size?


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## mike33087 (Feb 9, 2005)

i put a yard of san/salt mix in the bed of my 350 dump and i was pushin back some frozed solid piles yesturday in 2 wheel drive with no problem, i was wondering if i would ever use the 4x4 unless i got stuck or something i dont think ill need it


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## bdr69 (Dec 12, 2007)

*getting stuck*

if you are going to leave it empty or a very little weight in the bed take the outside wheel off each side and watch you will barely need 4wd


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## 92XT (Nov 30, 2007)

Big BALLAST make BIG piles


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## 4evergreenlawns (Oct 22, 2002)

never had any issue with the F-450 or F-550 (both 4X4). With the 4X4 I would think you have to have the Limited Slip rear end which comes in 4:30 gear i think. We have not seen 18"+ of snow either. During the summer we are not in the mud much as that is what I use the New Holland 180 for so for my application I am happy. 

I also run salt in both of these trucks during a storm. So I am running with some weight and never really plow empty much except at the end of the run of course. Oh, Blizzard 8611LP on both for plows. 

As for tires I love the G124's I put on the F-450 but now I am being told they are discontinued. The General on the F-550 are doing OK but I would like to go up to a load range F and something more like the G124. 


Good luck. Let us know what you do. 

Ron G.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

92XT;454267 said:


> Big BALLAST make BIG piles


Lemme guess, 9FT.PILES?


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## Little Jon (Nov 3, 2007)

Emerscape;283070 said:


> Im pretty sure my 4x4 was working because when i turned sharp it would jump (u know what i mean) a little.


We call that the 4wd shuffle. We have both a 350 & 550 dump with no weight in the back, they both work great. Im sure if we put weight they would work even better, but we dont see a need. For us its already a pain in the a$$ to strip the trucks before a storm, we dont want to add putting stuff in to.


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## BOSS550 (Jan 19, 2007)

I had to put no less than 2 ton in the back of both of my F550's. The dump I'd tilt the body up to get it all to the rear against the gate. It had an 11' steel Heil body and it would plow o.k empty but loaded up it was unstopable. It had the 6 max trax General on it and thay were o.k. I replaced them with Goodyear 124's and then it really kicked ass. My other F550 had a 12 foot flatbed. Forget it. No weight= no plowing. Again about 2-3 ton on the rear fixed that. That had only 4 General Max trax and 2 General shouldered tires. IT worked but not the greatest. I think alot of how those 450/550's plow has to do with the wheelbase.


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## 3bladz (Dec 8, 2005)

rob1325;283906 said:


> Let us know what you like better. I would be very interested in your findings.


I would too. My 450 struggles w traction too. But at $250 a tire I just havent felt like spending over 1500 for the G124's
One thing I would like to point out is the 19.5 tires have a lot harder compound for longer wear and have stiffer sidewalls than the 10 ply 16's 
One thing to try would be reducing the tire psi.


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