Ford unveils new Transit skeletal chassis cab

[Jamaican Bulldog]

4 hours ago, 66dc75 said:

I've got a 2015 extended medium height with 3.7 natural aspirated, awesome van no problems for the 3 years I've had it. I could really use the 3 across seat though, can't understand why they couldn't offer that here.

Yep because often the customer has to pay for an additional after market seat in the rear which takes up space. However there are some flip and fold up types that are pretty good aftermarket. Years ago Ford had a crew van package with a rear seat but they discontinued it.

[Hayseed]

4 hours ago, 66dc75 said:

I could really use the 3 across seat though, can't understand why they couldn't offer that here.

I Too don't understand why It's not offered in NA.

It's standard here across the entire range.

https://www.ford.com.au/content/dam/Ford/website-assets/ap/au/nameplate/transit/brochure/BHFPM0515_TransitCV_eBro_July2018.pdf?gmbxtid=ford_transit_first-kba-001-download_transit_commercial_vehicles_brochure_1&intcmp=bb-fau-vhp-ford transit-fau--return

 

[Jamaican Bulldog]

19 hours ago, TS7 said:

Kscarbel you are so right, in the US a 2018 F-350, F-450, E-350 and E-450 are hauling what a 1978 F-600 would have been used for. I think that Transit T-450 on a E-450 frame would need a 6.2 at least. That Transit dual cab looks like it would sell good.

I wondered about that too. Why not put the modern Transit body and powertrain on the heavier duty E-series  chassis even if they had to put the flared fenders like the discontinued E550.

[TS7]

I think what Ford really needs is a new heavy duty chassis for cube vans, a T-550. Transit cab on a 15,000-19,000 GVW chassis with F-series powertrain. Almost all Ford and GM cube vans are overloaded. What works in Europe, does not work here. We haul and tow more, that is not going to change. The T-350 chassis I think is great for a lot of lighter bodies and uses.  

[kscarbel2]

I think you'll find that what works in Europe, the global market, can work here.

Towing needs to be regulated. A CDL-less 16-year-old kid barreling down a crowded 45mph road doing 55mph in an (insufficiently tow rated) E-250 or F-250 pulling a cheap and overloaded tandem-axle trailer overloaded with a skid loader, breaker and numerous other items that he failed to secure properly (aka. projectiles) is all too common place. These accidents-waiting-to-happen are seen daily coast-to-coast. Such towing should be limited to private property (at your own risk), and banned from public roads.

In the 550 range, I'd like to see a (Cargo) low-cab-forward. With that you get the needed weight distribution, with the added benefit of enhanced visibility.

[Maxidyne]

A lot of the problem is shady operators trying to haul big loads while staying under the 10,000 pound logbook required threshold. Had a driver with an Econoline cube van pull into our facility once, had over 10,000 pounds of mail to unload and confessed he'd driven straight through over 1200 miles to get there! The cube van was registered for just under 10,000 pounds...

JB, My sources for Ford news are retiring too. Like you said, they performed a valuable service by giving dealers, customers, etc. a heads up of what was coming in the next year or two. There replacements barely seem to know what they'll be doing the rest of the week, never mind next year! Then again, Ford top management doesn't seem to know where the company is going... While they're talking electrification, production of most all of Ford's hybrids and electric vehicles has ended. Haven't heard any Ford PR for the Transit Custom electric in months and the only thing hybrid coming is the next generation Explorer while Ford is coming to market with new diesel options for the Transit Connect and F150.

[Maxidyne]

15 minutes ago, kscarbel2 said:

I think you'll find that what works in Europe, the global market, can work here.

Towing needs to be regulated. A CDL-less 16-year-old kid barreling down a crowded 45mph road doing 55mph in an (insufficiently tow rated) E-250 or F-250 pulling a cheap and overloaded tandem-axle trailer overloaded with a skid loader, breaker and numerous other items that he failed to secure properly (aka. projectiles) is all too common place. These accidents-waiting-to-happen are seen daily coast-to-coast. Such towing should be limited to private property (at your own risk), and banned from public roads.

In the 550 range, I'd like to see a (Cargo) low-cab-forward. With that you get the needed weight distribution, with the added benefit of enhanced visibility.

Was doing some research on the safety of the huge LCVs South Dakota allows so I dug out the state's crash stats. Turns out the LCVs have a pretty good safety record, while the group of vehicles that really stand out as crash prone is the smaller straight trucks pulling trailers. Makes sense- While the LCVs have more than ample tire and brake capacity with ABS and CDL qualified drivers, the typical light truck and trailer rig has a driver who qualified largely by passing a parallel parking test overwhelmed by an overloaded mismatch of too light truck and a trailer with no ABS and a poorly secured rolling cargo. Makes me wish for the EU's requirement of a CDL for any trailer over 1650 pounds or a GCW of over 7700 pounds... Would like to see the shopping mall cowboys and cowgirls try to pass a CDL with their crew cab duallies!

[TS7]

I agree on towing over loaded trailers, I see it every day. I see class 4 LCF trucks over loaded too ever day too. I think that is why the F-550 is selling so well. There is a market for a T-550 too. In Michigan we have a lot CDL qualified FOOLS driving 160,000 GVW trucks  everyday. A CDL does not make you a good truck driver, or a safe driver.

[kscarbel2]

2 hours ago, TS7 said:

I agree on towing over loaded trailers, I see it every day. I see class 4 LCF trucks over loaded too ever day too. I think that is why the F-550 is selling so well. There is a market for a T-550 too. In Michigan we have a lot CDL qualified FOOLS driving 160,000 GVW trucks  everyday. A CDL does not make you a good truck driver, or a safe driver.

I hear you. There are many questionable drivers with CDLs (though I'm not an advocate for autonomous trucks).

All I'm saying, is with a CDL, the driver has undergone some formal training, whereas the non-CDL driver has not.

Of course it depends where you are, but I observe that GM lost massive market share when it walked away from commercial. Yes, they still offered a 3500HD cab & chassis, but fleets ignored that thin offering. I believe Dodge grabbed most of GM's market share.....everywhere I look is a new 4500 and 5500. And I believe Dodge has been incrementally grabbing Ford market share.....still a lot of fleets that never regained their confidence in Ford after the never-ending diesel issues, and then Ecoboost nightmares. They looked at Dodge, with the Cummins, as a known entity, a safe bet. Dodge has witnessed premature DEF pump failures on the 3.0L Ecodiesel (Italian VM Motori) engines (a US market emissions design/sourcing issue), but the ISB-powered HDs appear to be winning more and more market share from Ford defectors. The new hood-tilting 2019 Chevrolet (why not GMC?) Silverado HD finally offers the engine access we always knew was possible but the US automakers didn't want to create (to keep architecture standardized with the smaller pickups). But away from the commercial market for what seems like an eternity, with dealers who don't have experienced "commercial" people, GM has an uphill battle ahead of it. Most fleets simply aren't going to jump back on board the GM train....they're going to need some convincing in the form of generous incentives. The Isuzu Duramax V8/Allison combination certainly works satisfactorily, though a straight 6 (e.g. Cummins ISB) would/does deliver better fuel economy. Frankly, if I was GM, I would use the superb 5.2-litre 215 horsepower (520 lb.-ft.) Isuzu 4HK1-TC in the 3500HD thru 6500HD range instead of the Duramax V8 for class-leading fuel economy to spur sales, or at least offer it as the base engine. Why ignore the opportunity to brag as having the most fuel efficient offering?

[TS7]

I think Ford is working on a new F-450 - F-550, maybe to F-750 lineup, just a guess, but I think they are. They are up to something with the E series too .. When I say they need a T-550, I do not mean like the old E-550, I mean a something more heavy duty, 15,000 GVW. Cube vans and U-Haul mean a lot to Ford. T-350 is too light for most U-Haul. I see a lot of F and T test C & C running around SE Mich. The Best never Rest. 

[kscarbel2]

47 minutes ago, TS7 said:

I think Ford is working on a new F-450 - F-550, maybe to F-750 lineup, just a guess, but I think they are. They are up to something with the E series too .. When I say they need a T-550, I do not mean like the old E-550, I mean a something more heavy duty, 15,000 GVW. Cube vans and U-Haul mean a lot to Ford. T-350 is too light for most U-Haul. I see a lot of F and T test C & C running around SE Mich. The Best never Rest. 

I hear you, but I feel Ford is behind the curve. Look at Ranger. Why did they ever discontinue US sales? Why didn't Ford immediately replace the outgoing model with the new 2012 global market T6 Ranger?  What a no-brainer. Why did they walk away from Bronco, a signature Ford product unlike anything the competition sells. Why are 3.0 diesel-powered F-150 XL and XLT pickups only sold to fleet customer number holders.....individuals are not permitted to buy one? (Why send a customer away with money in hand?) Why did Ford get out of heavy trucks after spending US$500 million? Why did Ford waste everyone's time introducing the LCF with a cramped Mazda cab the US market would never accept, and that Navistar 4.5 litre V6 full of teething problems. The idea of a US market Ford low cab forward was perfect, but the execution was shockingly poor. Incompetence rears its ugly head again and again at Ford US (meanwhile at Bill Ford-backed Ford-Otosan, they are methodically getting Ford back on the global stage in a way not scene since Ford US hands destroyed the development of the Transcontinental!)

Saw a new Avon F-650 U-Haul today. But knowing U-Haul, I'll bet money that Ford makes minimal profit from those sales. They're giving them away for the visibility.

It used to take us 5 years to create an all-new Mack. Today, it probably takes Ford 3 years to design an all-new F-Series. Any which way, when a new F-Series launches, they are already at work on the next.....they're always in the pipeline.

[Lmackattack]

At work we have a 2006 Ford F550 with the v8 turbo diesel. It has a service body on it with a crane, out riggers, miller welder, gas axe, 100 gallon fuel tank, under hood air compressor, and filled with tools. The dam thing is so heavy for what it is. we cant tow anything with it legally. It should have been built on a medium duty chassis and something with larger brakes. I hate driving it. not to mention the ford diesel throws a code for something once a month. Right now it hard starts in the morning and dont want to start after its warmed up. its one of the biggest POS trucks I have driven. Its set up nice but just not on the right chassis.

[Dirtymilkman]

On 8/5/2018 at 6:03 PM, kscarbel2 said:

I hear you, but I feel Ford is behind the curve. Look at Ranger. Why did they ever discontinue US sales? Why didn't Ford immediately replace the outgoing model with the new 2012 global market T6 Ranger?  What a no-brainer. Why did they walk away from Bronco, a signature Ford product unlike anything the competition sells. Why are 3.0 diesel-powered F-150 XL and XLT pickups only sold to fleet customer number holders.....individuals are not permitted to buy one? (Why send a customer away with money in hand?) Why did Ford get out of heavy trucks after spending US$500 million? Why did Ford waste everyone's time introducing the LCF with a cramped Mazda cab the US market would never accept, and that Navistar 4.5 litre V6 full of teething problems. The idea of a US market Ford low cab forward was perfect, but the execution was shockingly poor. Incompetence rears its ugly head again and again at Ford US (meanwhile at Bill Ford-backed Ford-Otosan, they are methodically getting Ford back on the global stage in a way not scene since Ford US hands destroyed the development of the Transcontinental!)

Saw a new Avon F-650 U-Haul today. But knowing U-Haul, I'll bet money that Ford makes minimal profit from those sales. They're giving them away for the visibility.

It used to take us 5 years to create an all-new Mack. Today, it probably takes Ford 3 years to design an all-new F-Series. Any which way, when a new F-Series launches, they are already at work on the next.....they're always in the pipeline.

It's all about being #1. They didn't want ranger sales taking away from f series sales. They want that best selling feather in their hat. So call the ranger the F100 or something and add it to the f series sales. I don't think the #1 seller is a big sale point. 

[RoadwayR]

Speaking of U-Haul and the F-650, I expected to see 100's of 650's in U-Haul livery by now, but I have only seen a handful.  It seems that all the U-Haul franchises near me no longer rent anything larger than a Ford E series or GMC Savanna cut-away van. 

[Red Horse]

13 hours ago, RoadwayR said:

Speaking of U-Haul and the F-650, I expected to see 100's of 650's in U-Haul livery by now, but I have only seen a handful.  It seems that all the U-Haul franchises near me no longer rent anything larger than a Ford E series or GMC Savanna cut-away van. 

U-haul 650's have been very visible here in NE.

[Red Horse]

On 8/5/2018 at 9:31 PM, Lmackattack said:

At work we have a 2006 Ford F550 with the v8 turbo diesel. It has a service body on it with a crane, out riggers, miller welder, gas axe, 100 gallon fuel tank, under hood air compressor, and filled with tools. The dam thing is so heavy for what it is. we cant tow anything with it legally. It should have been built on a medium duty chassis and something with larger brakes. I hate driving it. not to mention the ford diesel throws a code for something once a month. Right now it hard starts in the morning and dont want to start after its warmed up. its one of the biggest POS trucks I have driven. Its set up nice but just not on the right chassis.

Well 2006 would be a 6.0 would it not?  No comparison to the 6.0 vs 6.7.           F-550 6.7's are very popular contractor service trucks around here-set up as you describe yours.  There are also a lot of 5500 Mopars in same service  but I would say the 550's are in the majority.  Had a contractor doing some work for me and his (550) also had an air "conditioning" system that kept tool compartments from developing condensation!  Like yours-loaded-big hydraulic crane with wireless control, welder, 100 gal diesel tank, nice Miller welding set up etc etc.  Guy's primary business is portable rock crushing so you can imagine-this thing is set up for every contingency.

I will say the big Cat dealer has 650s set up for their service trucks.  

[kscarbel2]

The F-600 (650) always made for a good heavy equipment truck.

.

[TS7]

Trucks do not overload themselves, people do. A 12 year old F-550 has issues, I wonder why.

[kscarbel2]

It's hard to believe the F-550 has been out since 1999. Seems like yesterday.

I do remember the new-for-1987 Class 4 F-Super Duties. We all thought that was something, and long overdue (renamed F-450 in 1999). The F-350s had been overloaded for years.