truck chassis

[madmedic8522]

I was wondering if anyone out there had information about the GMC 4500 truck chassis, good/bad/indifferent. I'm more or less looking for your opinion if your using them at work, preferably the ambulances.

[RaceMedic]

my service has had alot of problems with the suspention system being incredibly stiff and unforgiving. After three complete rear air suspention upgrades from Linksys, it is now a dream to ride in. However the rest of the chassis has had its problems. the engine has had the fuel rail and complete turbo system replaced. the transmission has be recalled once and the traction control module has been a problem as well. The fuel filter for some reason has to be replaced at every oild change as well, not sure what thats all about. This all has happened during the first 50K miles. The chassis is now entering its second yr in service and spent about 50% of its time in the shop this first yr.

Now in all fairness i was told that the chassis we have it the 6th one of the GMC 4500 designated for ambulance service. With that knowledge and that there will always be problems with 1st generation equipment im sure they have improved them and you will not see near the problems we have.

Good luck

Race

[madmedic8522]

race, thanks for the reply, we are hearing the same things here, doesn't sound like much has changed. we've also hear that it has no low end power. the air filter thing is that new "fed"mandated reg with the emissions, and from what I'm being told is that it works like the catalytic converter on the gas engines. it's all foreign to me though, the blood ain't red!!!

[RaceMedic]

no problem madmedic ... glad to help. we recently have purchased a new F 450 all wheel drive chassis truck. so far we love it. so much so that we are looking in to getting a two wheel drive f 450 next time round.

We had to get away from the E series trucks the maintence was really eating up the budget. the heavier chassis has so far helped with that. tires and brakes last at least twice as long. not to mention if your maintenece chief knows thier stuff oil changes are done at 6 - 8000 miles instead of every 3000. anyway .. again glad to help.

be safe

Race

[madmedic8522]

Race, you helped us out with the f-450 comments. the truck committee that I'm on at my job has 3 medics 2 board members then the administrator, the 3 medics want the f-450 4x4, and had it all decided..........oh no! here come the board, but the fact that your department went from the 4500 to the f-450 is going to help, awesome!!!! thanks again

[RaceMedic]

glad i could help out... Ford has a very good long running track record in this business and i think GMC was just tring to break in to a niche market with the medium truck chassis. sounds like your service is like mine in that you problably run the largest box you can fit on the the chassis? we do .. not always nessesary but is definitly nice not to be cramped in the back!!!

Just a question, Who is the manufacturer of your box?

Be Safe

Race

[madmedic8522]

Race that's a funny question, I've been with this district for almost 8 years and in that time we have purchased 1......yes i said 1 new truck, brand new, right out of the box from Marque. that truck is still a first out truck with about 154000 miles on it. in that same time we have remounted 3 trucks.......get this, all from different manufactures. one remount was smashed in the parking lot at the manuf. and ooooppppsss, they fixed it then forgot to tell us. we found out after they went bankrupt and the passenger side door fell off in the bay, nice! this time around the admin actually came to the employees and put together a committee to build and buy new trucks. right now the employees want the F450 and the admin want that GMC4500, otherwise "unofficially" i think we are going with AEV for the box. who did you guys go with on your F450s?

[RaceMedic]

both the GMC and the F-450 came from Osage out of Lynn, Missouri. The boxes are good and seem to be doing well. we do not do remounts anymore, got burned pretty good on them. Our other trucks have been from Miller/McCoy and Collins. Now one of those went out out of business i think.

Ohh here is a bit of info on the GMC 4500 as well. Ours is only making 9mpg on the highway at normal speeds and 4-5mpg running lights and sirens. now im not really sure what our fords do but i do know it is better than that. The Duramax diesel in the GMC is not near what they claim it to be. it does seem to have better acceration in passing but it is short lived and gives out before the pass is complete.

Im not sure if or how many over the road transfers your service does, we do a lot of them and usually at 243 miles one way. If your looking at the 4x4 then your not really lookin for over the road stats ... LOL ... hope it helps

Be Safe

Race

[madmedic8522]

Race, your right, we do transfers through a couple of counties, but 243 miles....damn! our average trip on a regular call is more like 60 to 80 miles at a pop! we are on the highway a lot though, so again good info, thanks! Osage is a really good company and they are awesome about standing behind their work. as you might imagine being from MO myself i have spent a good portion of the past 13 years in an Osage amb, very good trucks! we are looking at the 4x4 chassis due to the many rivers we have through the area...even though I'm not quite sure (myself) why we all of a sudden need 4x4 since we have run the E series since the conception of the district???? FYI, I'm assuming that the Osages are fairly new to you guys......if you did remount with Osage, you wouldn't be sorry. they did our last remount and did one hell of a job. that truck....get ready to LOL......has over 98000 miles on it, and is the newest one we have, but the box was originally a marque that they reconfigured and mounted, but like i said a hell of a job, in 98000 mile no "box" issues

[RaceMedic]

yea your right we are new to Osage. we have been very pleased with it. Like you we have been using E series trucks for ever. Before these new trucks our newest truck had just at 100,000 mile on it as well. Now we have these two trucks and the rest have over 120,000 easily. But again like you we had no need for a 4x4 truck now all of a sudden we do.

then they took off the off road tires and put on highway tread....WTH ??? makes not sence to me but then thats why they make the big bucks !!! LMAO

Be Safe

Race