GMC 5500 Mini

[52shelby]

Anyone running or know of any departments running a GMC 5500 with more than 300 gallons of water on board?

We are looking to purchase a GMC 5500 4x4 4 door as a quick attack unit.

[skipatrol8]

Unruh Fire equipment out of Sedgwick Kansas will apparently do this. Never seen a unit, just found it online. The Hutchinson KS rig at http://www.unruhfire.com/hotfromthefactory.htm says that it's a 500/500 and the Guide Rock, NE rig has a 400 gallon tank. That's all I could find.

[jeremy1213]

we have one that has a 300 water and 10 foam with a 500 pto pump. I think it is better than a f-550. We have had zero problem's with and it's 3 year's old

[dragonfyre]

52 shelby: Tried to send you a private e-mail but you don't allow them.

If you send me your specs I'll be glad to spec out the chassis for you. You have to make sure you get the newer higher GVW rating.

I've ordered several of these for other fire companies including this one:

http://www.4guysfire.com/coplef2588.asp

[Weruj1]

and another ...............http://www.northwoodfire.com/trucks/806.html

[Catch22]

We've got 400 gallons on ours. You can see it here, post 103.

It was built by Unruh, who skipatrol mentioned. If you want some more info, just drop me a PM or email and I'll be glad to share.

[52shelby]

Thanks for the information so far. Dragonfyre, sorry about that..I will fix my settings. I was not aware about the message block.

Does anyone know, would 400 gallons be too much with a four door cab and body like the Unruh unit? Looks like mostly 200-300 gallons on the crew cabs.

[Ledebuhr1]

400gal is not to much, I have even seen 500gal on a f-550. I believe the F-550 and 5500 are both 17,500Gvwr. The 5500 is not a small truck, almost as big as an engine.

The ultimate would be to have a CAFS skid unit installed and have the ability to pump CAFS through the remote nozzel on the front bumper. Then you can put out a ton of fire without leaving the air conditioned cab.

[Catch22]

Thanks for the information so far. Dragonfyre, sorry about that..I will fix my settings. I was not aware about the message block.

Does anyone know, would 400 gallons be too much with a four door cab and body like the Unruh unit? Looks like mostly 200-300 gallons on the crew cabs.

I'm getting ready to take our rig up to the school to do a fire safety event, I'll see if I can't get on the scales at our farm center while I'm out and get a weight on our 2-door with 400 gallons and equipment.

I can't imagine that the 4-door is going to add enough weight to make a huge difference. I used to have the numbers, but that's been a year ago. Even if it did push the 19K GVW, you have the option on the 5500 to go higher on your axles (can't remember how high, though). You can go to GM's commercial website and find out some of the info in regards to axle ratings and other stuff.

[firenresq77]

I want to say you can get a 5500 with 26,500 GVW. I believe that's what ours is that Weruj posted the link for. 400 gallon tank and 500 pump 4x2 with 4-Door chassis.

We love it. Ours is a 2005 and it has been 10 times better than the 2003 F-550 we had prior to that.

[dragonfyre]

I want to say you can get a 5500 with 26,500 GVW. We love it. Ours is a 2005 and it has been 10 times better than the 2003 F-550 we had prior to that.

You can get the 2X Crew Cab up to 26,000 GVW, the 4X Crew only goes to 21,500 GVWR without approval from GM engineering. Either way you have to beef up several items including going to the Allison 2350 transmission series.

Glad to hear firenreaq77's good words. Once you drive one (to steal a line from Ford) and you see the better turning radius and line of sight ( half of Ford's) there's no comparison.

Yes it is bigger but it also comes standard with an 80,000 lb frame rail as opposed to Ford's 35,000 lb. It's not a beefed up pick-up truck, like a Bullet, but a de-rated medium duty truck.

[DOGRSQ]

Here's our recent purchase:
http://www.customfire.com/d_initiala...=4897176648e33

It handles well. I was skeptical when it was ordered, but now I really like the utility for it's size...

[dragonfyre]

Here's our recent purchase:
http://www.customfire.com/d_initiala...=4897176648e33

It handles well. I was skeptical when it was ordered, but now I really like the utility for it's size...

Bet you like the better sight line (1/2 of the F-550) 14' instead of 28'. Helps you stop faster and avoid accidents!

Looks good!

[neiowa]

.... It's not a beefed up pick-up truck, like a Bullet, but a de-rated medium duty truck.

Actually I'm pretty sure the Bullet/Dodge 4500/5500 has a totally new frame compared to the 1ton. Frame is straight/flat behind the cab vs the kickup of a pickup. Very heavy duty looking in any case. Go visit to a Sterling dealer. In any case the Sterling certainly is a lot easier on the eyes than the GMC/RosieODonnellmobile.

I'm not sure how price compares. As I recall 5500 Bullet around $50k which is quite a bit more than a F550. But you get a compression/Jake brake and PTO ready automatic.

[dragonfyre]

From Sterling's website announcement:

"Features and Options
Several impressive features come standard on the Bullet, including a powerful Cummins 6.7L ISB engine with exhaust brake, a power take-off prep package, and a rugged 34-inch wide, 50,000 psi frame for easy body builder upfit."

(The GMC/Chevy has 80,000 psi frame rails.)

Won't matter much now anyway:

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Oct...merica,00.html

Spoke with my Isuzu rep this morning and all Sterling sales reps have been laid off.

[firepundit]

You can get the 2X Crew Cab up to 26,000 GVW, the 4X Crew only goes to 21,500 GVWR without approval from GM engineering. Either way you have to beef up several items including going to the Allison 2350 transmission series.

Glad to hear firenreaq77's good words. Once you drive one (to steal a line from Ford) and you see the better turning radius and line of sight ( half of Ford's) there's no comparison.

Yes it is bigger but it also comes standard with an 80,000 lb frame rail as opposed to Ford's 35,000 lb. It's not a beefed up pick-up truck, like a Bullet, but a de-rated medium duty truck.

GM has chosen to put their full size truck cab on the 5500 but that doesn't mean that everything else is from their full size line. That said, it is not a bad chassis.

As for the tensile strength of the steel that is used in the frame rails, so what? They could be built of 200,000 PSI soooper doooper ultra high strength molychromebendium but still suck if it is only a 1" x 3" "C" channel. If you want to compare frames the only way that makes any sense is to compare the resistance to bending moment (RBM) which takes into account the tensile strength of the material as well as the geometry of the member.

Often, the numbers they DON'T give you are the ones you need to know to make an informed decision. For instance:

http://www.sterlingtrucks.com/Trucks...Specifications

That page makes me worry a tad. Note in the frame section they have a label that says, "Frame(section modulus)" and then they give the tensile strength instead of the section modulus. Apparently, they prefer to advertise the strength of the material rather than the strength of the design. Either way, neither number will tell the whole story. A high section modulus doesn't mean diddly if the steel used is weak. Again, RBM is the only way to effectively compare frame strengths.

Sorry about the rant.

[dragonfyre]

GM has chosen to put their full size truck cab on the 5500 but that doesn't mean that everything else is from their full size line. That said, it is not a bad chassis.

As for the tensile strength of the steel that is used in the frame rails, so what? They could be built of 200,000 PSI soooper doooper ultra high strength molychromebendium but still suck if it is only a 1" x 3" "C" channel. If you want to compare frames the only way that makes any sense is to compare the resistance to bending moment (RBM) which takes into account the tensile strength of the material as well as the geometry of the member.

Everything else is from the rest of the medium duty family. I sell them and there is no difference.

As for the RBM, it's 824,800. That's a lot of folded paper and a lot bricks it can hold.

[baja320]

Why not the F-650? You can also get I believe a Cummins or a Mercedes in it.

[islandfire03]

Why not the F-650? You can also get I believe a Cummins or a Mercedes in it.

Because then you would be comparing apples to apples between GM & Ford.
The F-550 is a large GVW light truck & the 5500 is a low GVW medium duty
chassis

[djgfyrman1]

Bet you like the better sight line (1/2 of the F-550) 14' instead of 28'. Helps you stop faster and avoid accidents!

Looks good!

As the Station Chief for the Garfield Station of the Dresser Osceola Garfield Fire Association, I wanted to chime in!!

We have a 2005 or 2006 F550 built as a light rescue in our Dresser station now. This truck was the cat's meow before getting the C5500 4 door 4x4 at the Garfield Fire Station. Now, with the C5500, weighing 21,080lbs loaded, we are able to carry what we need to, including water and foam.
This rig drives like a pickup truck on steroids! Smoother than the F550, and with a GVW of 24,000 upgraded at the GMC Factory, we have room to spare.... You gotta drive one to see the difference!!
BY THE WAY, I HAVE BEEN A FORD MAN SINCE I STARTED DRIVING!!! I am now forty years old, and love the GMC C5500 4x4 Crew Cab! Drives easier and smoother than my Ford F150 FX4!

My two cents!