Truck Basic Specs

These are the specifications for the chassis cab as delivered by Ford to the truck conversion company.

Mileage:
As of 11/13/2007: 64,399 miles (just under half of that mileage is towing).
Make:
Ford
Model:
F550 Chassis Cab (no bed)
Model Year:
2004
Date of Manufacture:
Went into production week of 17 Nov 2003. We deliberately waited for this production date to get all the 2004 fixes.
Assembly Plant:
Kentucky Truck (Jefferson County, Kentucky).
Wheelbase:
176"
Overall Length:
Length before towing conversion: 261"
Cab:
Crew cab. Provides full back seat for passengers, cargo.
GVWR:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating: 17,500 lbs. This is the maximum total combined weight on the tires of the truck, including the weight of the tires, that the truck is designed to safely handle.
GCWR:
Gross Combined Weight Rating: 30,000 lbs. This is the maximum total weight that the truck can safely handle. This is everything included in GVWR, plus the weight of anything being moved by the truck, such as a trailer under tow.
GAWR:
Gross Axle Weight Rating. Front axle: 5,600 lbs; rear axle: 13,500 lbs. This is the maximum total weight that it is safe to put on each axle.
Maximum Fifth Wheel Trailer Weight:
21,400 lbs, BEFORE addition of truck bed, towing equipment, fuel, people, tools, supplies, and anything else that might be put on the truck. The "Towing Conversion Specs" page will give a more accurate picture of the max fiver weight this truck can handle.
Engine:
6.0L PowerStroke diesel (International). This is the first run of the 2004 version of the engine, with fixes for numerous problems (the previous year, 2003, was a bad one).
Transmission:
Five speed automatic with overdrive and tow/haul mode.
Differential:
4.88 axle ration, limited slip. Increases pulling and engine braking power at the expense of fuel economy.
Fuel Economy:
Towing we get between 8-9 MPG. Unhitched we get 13-14 MPG.
Tow/haul Mode:
Computerized function that changes transmission shift points, braking, turbocharger configuration, etc., to assist with heavy loads. For example, when braking a heavy load it can downshift sooner, plus close the vanes on the variable geometry turbocharger to provide exhaust braking.
4X2 Drive:
Rear axle drive, only. Would have liked 4X4, but in this model year it would have reduced towing capacity by 4,000 lbs.
Dual Rear Tires ("Dually"):
Two tires on each side of the rear axle. Provides extra stability and traction for towing a large trailer that can act as a sail going down the highway on windy days.
Tires:
225/70R19.5 (all-season), Load Range F. Replaced worn out Generals with new Double Coin tires on 11/13/2007.
High Capacity Trailer Towing Package:
Includes synthetic rear-end lube, in-tank transmission cooler, trailer wiring & relays.
Adjustable Gas & Brake Pedals:
Pedals can be moved forward or backward. Great if there is a big difference in leg length among drivers.
Engine Block Heater:
Use when parked for long periods in temperatures below 0°F. Note that this engine starts easily without the engine block heater in the coldest temperatures we experienced (around 10°F).