bush truck/rapid response specs

[firemanmikey]

I have a meeting this Tuesday for the purchase of our new rapid response/ bush unit, or what ever we'll call it. I was wondering if anyone had any specs I could show the Rural Board (guys paying for the truck). If you have a copy you could e mail me that would be great! My e mail is [email protected]

I will black out any names on the specs as well or you can delete them if you like.

Thanks again,

Mike

[WCENG23]

Toyne has a Quick Attack demo unit on an F-550 on their website. The specs and drawings can be downloaded as well.

www.toyne.com

[Firemannibroc]

We have just ordered are new Brush pumper you should checkout www.blanchatmfg.com they have some pretty cool ideas we decide on the Chaparral Series with a 500 gallon tank on a Ford F550

[wfire32]

How maneuverable is and F550 with duals off road, or any truck with duals for that matter?

[ecfr1978]

I wanna know how to get my dept. to buy the crewcab 4 axle tanker (Gunfighter Series) with matching tractor and trailer.

[mcaldwell]

How maneuverable is and F550 with duals off road, or any truck with duals for that matter?

The duals aren't the problem, but the wheelbase. Duals just limit your trail ability due to the width.

Most F350/450/550 units are on the quad cab, long box chassis, and they turn like a bus.

A standard or short box regular cab is much better, but can result in a lot of body overhang and poor departure angles.


Even a full size engine with a SWB will often out-turn them significantly.



We are looking to supplement ours next year with a dedicated full size wildland engine in this scale.





Here is our current light brush/utility. Drives very well on logging roads, but don't expect to turn it around on the trail.

[Ledebuhr1]

Do you have a skid unit in the back of that F350? if so, how big of one? Is it harder to used with the cab on it?

Our brush trucks are to take off roading not mud bogging.

[cafyrman]

Here's ours

In the category of mine is bigger than yours, here's our heavy brush rig. We have one in service and two more that we're trying to get to work right before accepting. It doesn't look so big in the picture, but those tires come up to mid-chest.
http://www.ssfire.com/apparatus/7/im...ltra-XT-SM.jpg

We also have four Pierce Fire Hawks. Pretty nice rigs. Well, except that steam coming out of the crankcase vent in mine.
http://www.piercemfg.com/apparatus/Hawk_BLM_14.cfm

I'd think the Pierce would be what you're looking for.

[Weruj1]

We have just ordered are new Brush pumper you should checkout www.blanchatmfg.com they have some pretty cool ideas we decide on the Chaparral Series with a 500 gallon tank on a Ford F550

who is running that triple axle Gunfighter thingy >? HOLY CRAP !!! :eek

[mcaldwell]

Do you have a skid unit in the back of that F350? if so, how big of one? Is it harder to used with the cab on it?

Our brush trucks are to take off roading not mud bogging.

It carries a 100gallon aluminum tank in fire season, with an assortment of portable pumps and hand tools.

It's primary role is not wildland, it's more of a utility that is slowly being built for medical and rescue duty.

We use our old SWB 79 king-seagrave engine for that. That is the engine that will be replaced with a new fullsize 4x4 chassis.


The f350 is fine for grass fires and open trails, but not for tight forest work.

[FyredUp]

firemanmikey: I have a meeting this Tuesday for the purchase of our new rapid response/ bush unit, or what ever we'll call it.

Okay let me throw my opinion in here on this topic.

1) Most people when designing a rapid response / brush truck make a HUGE mistake and try to put too much equipment and capability on too small a chassis.

2) Smaller rigs like the Ford F550 and the GMC 5500 are not designed to carry the weight or set up to run pumps of any real size. Let me calrify the pump point...without a manual transmission.

3) There are chassis choices that are still reasonable but offer far better value in the long run.

Want more clarification of my opinions? I would be happy to elaborate.

FyredUp

















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[bjlffire]

What does that Chaparrel rig cost, looks like A good truck.

[Catch22]

who is running that triple axle Gunfighter thingy >? HOLY CRAP !!! :eek

That is huge! I want one.

You think it needs that third axle to be able to handle the trailer? Not that I'm used to seeing a pumper/tanker pull a trailer, but if it works for them it's an interesting concept.

[npfd801]

Okay let me throw my opinion in here on this topic.

1) Most people when designing a rapid response / brush truck make a HUGE mistake and try to put too much equipment and capability on too small a chassis.

2) Smaller rigs like the Ford F550 and the GMC 5500 are not designed to carry the weight or set up to run pumps of any real size. Let me calrify the pump point...without a manual transmission.

3) There are chassis choices that are still reasonable but offer far better value in the long run.

Want more clarification of my opinions? I would be happy to elaborate.

FyredUp

I'd like to hear your thoughts. We went away from the mini pumper concept and ended up with an urban interface type rig, after realizing we'd end up giving up too much of what we wanted to do on an F series chassis.

[FyredUp]

npfd801...

Okay from one salesman to another? Sorry couldn't resist that.

I have a hard time understanding why so many FD's say they need a small manueverable rig then buy a 550 or 5500 and try to equip it to do what a full sized pumper will do. I know you have seen this too. A "mini" pumper with 3 or 4 preconnects, a deck gun, 1000 feet of 5 inch, hydraulic rescue tools, 4 or more scba and spare cylinders, ladders, hard suction, and more. A neighboring FD to me has one of these 550's with a 4 door cab and high side compartments and it was overloaded before they started to equip it. They had it resprung and added helpers. It is almost level now. But tell me...how will it stop? It can hardly turn sharp enough to get out of it's own way.

If you buy a GMC 5500 there is no way to get an automatic transmission to run the pump and not VOID GMC's warranty by having to jury rig the throttle set-up.

There are several manufacturers that build chasis that are not tremendously bigger than a 5500 that have far more capabilities than that chassis. i won;t insult your intelligence here by listing them. Honestly though, the penny wise and dollar foolish decision to go with a 550 or a 5500 and then try and put as much equipment on them as many do is a diservice many builders pay to the fire service.

FyredUp