[quote name='poc' post='22779' date='Aug 14 2006, 06:25 ']Mr. Burke, Overall how are the 4500's holding up? I had heard there were some air ride issues at first any truth? Thanks for sharing the pics and info. Had the pleasure years ago to "nose" around one of the units back when they were coming out of Winter Park FL.[/quote]
Once they replaced the air ride with leaf springs the ride got considerably better. By no means does that mean that the vehicles ride like a dream. They are still trucks, and handle like trucks as far as patient comfort is concerned. I've been thrown around in the back of vans, mini-mods, Type I's and medium duty ambulances, and there's really nothing you can do about it-it's the same across the board. The vehicle is designed for emergency care and transport to the closest medical facility, and that's what I tell patients when they complain about the quality of the ride while going to a hospital on the opposite side of the city at 3AM because "that's where my doctor is".
If I had to be forced into an opinion right now, I'd have to say the 4500's are the most durable rig that I've worked in. The vehicle that we just turned in was a 2003, had 60,000 miles on it and was running as well as the day she was new. We could have gotten at least 2-3 more years of frontline service out of her in my district, but we'll take the newer vehicle, and let that one live the rest of her BEMS career as a spare.
Once they replaced the air ride with leaf springs the ride got considerably better. By no means does that mean that the vehicles ride like a dream. They are still trucks, and handle like trucks as far as patient comfort is concerned. I've been thrown around in the back of vans, mini-mods, Type I's and medium duty ambulances, and there's really nothing you can do about it-it's the same across the board. The vehicle is designed for emergency care and transport to the closest medical facility, and that's what I tell patients when they complain about the quality of the ride while going to a hospital on the opposite side of the city at 3AM because "that's where my doctor is".
If I had to be forced into an opinion right now, I'd have to say the 4500's are the most durable rig that I've worked in. The vehicle that we just turned in was a 2003, had 60,000 miles on it and was running as well as the day she was new. We could have gotten at least 2-3 more years of frontline service out of her in my district, but we'll take the newer vehicle, and let that one live the rest of her BEMS career as a spare.
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