Originally Posted by sidekick (Post 381684)

here we are running a 3500 dodge brush truck and also a F350 brush truck and also a 5500 gmc 19.5" wheels as a brush truck all three are 4x4 the dodge and gmc is auto and the ford has a manuel 5 speed. by far the gmc is the best truck. the 3500 isnt heavy enough for the weight. But the gmc will go places the other 2 wount all around a better truck

Originally Posted by peobryant (Post 382180)

You can't compare two 3500 series trucks to a 5500 series truck. Of course a 5500 is going to be able to handle weight better than a 3500.

Yeah you can, they are both fire trucks, our 5500 GMC turns sharper, pumps betterm and runs stronger then our 3500 Dodge and F250 Medics.

To the OP, in all reality, all three brands will do whatever you want them to. The Cummins has been proven to be the most reliable engine over the years, and I'd put the Duramax is 2nd place as far as reliability.

The Dodge tranny in our 3500 Brush Truck hates life, The truck is always at max weight and getting the hell driven out of it, After teh third rebuild we finally bit the bullet and put ATS parts in teh tranny

Just go test drive the trucks, and see which one you like the most. If you're looking at brand new trucks, then you have to remember Ford and Chevy are going to have to switch engine designs to meet 2010 emissions, while the 6.7 Cummins is already 2010 compliant. I don't know how much aftermarket support a 6.4 PowerStroke will get, as Ford is going to a 6.7 engine in either 2010 or 2011.

For aftermarket support there is already a 6.4 ford over 700HP :D

Like I said, any truck (in the same series) will perform just about the same in stock form, but if you plan on adding power, the 6.4 PowerStroke seems to take 1st here, followed by Duramax, then the Cummins. That's as far as power per modification.

The Cummins will in all likelihood outlast the other to engines, and the new trucks even with all the emission equipment seem to do a lot better than they did when they first came out. This is due to new flashes from the dealer, so you shouldn't have any problem with a new emissions vehicle.

Originally Posted by Jonny (Post 382322)

what is the land like in your 1st due? That should be your first line of thought. We wanted to get a big pick up at my station back home, but ended up with a jeep wrangler due to the terrain. A truck would have never made it, let a lone a 5500.
The next question would be how much water are you carrying? Other equipment? A 5500 might be overkill for what your needs are. No point in getting a brush truck if all it can do is cross open fields. My tanker can to that if you try hard enough:U: