Beefing up half-ton for gooseneck

[Heywood Jannockitov]

My BIL used to own a business that rebuilt diesel engines, mainly for construction equipment, but for just about anything. He said it was very difficult to rebuild a 6.5 because most suffered from porous blocks. I seem to recall those earliest Olds 350 cid diesels (LF9) weren't originally equipped with water separating fuel filters which is what led to the lion's share of the problems with them.

 

[Renze]

Yes, that's why I walked....actually ran, from Ford when I needed a new truck 2 years ago. Ford changes stuff too often. I can't be good to buy a new 6.4L powered Ford. You're buying an obsolete truck.

Rumor has it that Ford may be collaborating with Peugot to build their next diesel somewhere in Europe. That's the last I heard.

Yes, the 2.0 diesels of 90 to 136 hp are a joint development with Peugeot and Citroen. These engines are also used in smaller Volvos now, i already know of someone who traded his one and a half year old S60 2.0 for a D5 model, with Volvos own 2.5 inline 5 diesel after a major injection pump failure right after warranty.

Volvos D5 is based on the late 1980's 2.5 gas engines, but it was developed with a Diesel version in mind from the start. You can take a T5 R to a German chiptuner and pump out 340 hp, which is double that of the naturally aspirated 2.5 20 valve, and still expect 300.000 miles of it...
Volvo dealers i spoke said they hardly knew how these engines looked on the inside because they usually never opened them...

I'm not impressed by the ergonomics of my parents Mondeo either, my 1996 860 TDI is a dozen times more comfortable for tall persons. Cant say anything bad about the performance and running characteristics, but heard bad about the reliability.

 

[DJ54]

I read through the replies rather quickly, so if this has been mentioned, forgive me.... To me, the most important thing here is the rear axle... At least the type.

1/2 tons don't have full floating axles.. If you get a 3/4, find one with the full floater. Scarey thinking all that weight being carried by the drive axle, then the axle housing... On the full floating setup, the axle housing bears the load.

In my years of travel I have seen pickups pulling trailers (grossly overloaded) setting on the shoulder, or beyond, or worse..., where the axle actually sheared/broke even, with the axle housing. Possibly due to a sudden shock to the axle from a large pothole, or somethong similar... Admitidlly..., I could count them on one hand, but that's still to many..!!

Definitely keep the brakes in shape... Seems people like to pull out in front of you at the last moment, not wanting to get stuck behind a "truck"... I'm thinking I have a sign that appers on the front of my truck that say's " Pull out in front of me..., I have great insurance..."

They are in a big hurry, and either drive 25 mph in a 35, while on their cell phone, or..., go 2 blocks, or 1/4 mile, and turn left, and have to stop because of oncoming traffic... Just the way my luck runs....

 

[Iplayfarmer]

In my years of travel I have seen pickups pulling trailers (grossly overloaded) setting on the shoulder, or beyond, or worse..., where the axle actually sheared/broke even, with the axle housing. Possibly due to a sudden shock to the axle from a large pothole, or somethong similar... Admitidlly..., I could count them on one hand, but that's still to many..!!

Definitely keep the brakes in shape... Seems people like to pull out in front of you at the last moment, not wanting to get stuck behind a "truck"... I'm thinking I have a sign that appers on the front of my truck that say's " Pull out in front of me..., I have great insurance..."

They are in a big hurry, and either drive 25 mph in a 35, while on their cell phone, or..., go 2 blocks, or 1/4 mile, and turn left, and have to stop because of oncoming traffic... Just the way my luck runs....

Oh Man!! Ain't that the truth.

The bigger the load I have on, the more idiots there seem to be out there. When driving my motorcycle they pull out in front of me because they don't see me. When driving the fire truck they pull out and slow down like they're afraid I'm going to pull them over for speeding or something. When hauling a loaded trailer they pull out in front of me because they don't want to get stuck behind a "truck". I guess they figure getting stuck to the front of a truck is better than getting stuck behind a truck.

Keep your truck brakes and trailer brakes in good shape and be sure to really beef up on patience.

 

[DJ54]

Dejavu all over again today... Went to pick up 50 bales of hay, so just took the dually and the three horse slant. Just stack it in, and no need to tie down..

2/3 of the way home, and some dork does a rolling stop, pulls out in front of me... Goes approx. 250', and turns on the left turn signal... 4 cars coming the other way, and I had to big hole it.... Sure had him looking in his rearview..!! Of course..., after almost completely stopping, I had to get right up in his bumper... Close enough he could read my lips... Used about half of the 7 words you can't say on TV, and threw in a few extra, just for good measure... Apparently he got the message, as he was kinda' slidin' down in the seat. Maybe he'll think twice next time...

But then doubt it... Silly me...., what was I thinking...

 

[Diamondpilot]

About 7 years ago I was hauling home to Northern Indiana a 8,500# boat from Tennessee and was only 15 miles or so from home. By the way I was pulling it with a 2002 F-150 4x4. Back to the story. I had a buddy with me, Mike. We were talking away crossing over I-70 on Indiana 1 heading north when he let out a scream. I had some ____ Hole pulling right out in front of me in a little Neon while going about 55. I locked up the brakes and came within about 3 feet of hitting him with 14,000# of truck boat and trailer. It was the only time I have ever seen surge brakes lock up. I was steaming so I tailgated him for the next 5 miles. He was shaking in his seat. Good thing I do not carry a gun.

Anyway I got home and went to put the engine on the boat down to flush it for the customer and as soon as I hit the trim switch down I heard the pump squeal. I got out to investigate and the motor was hitting the back of the trailer. I looked some more and the upright on the tongue that holds the crank had sheared off and the boat had come forward on the trailer about 8". It was made out of about 4" x 3" 1/4" wall tubing and it broke it clean off at the weld. Getting the boat off the trailer to get if fixed was a chore. We could not us motor so I had to back the truck into the water with the front bumper nearly wet to float it off. Took it to the local welder and in 30 minuets he had it welded back on with a new gusset for good measure.

Not 2 or 3 years later had a guy show up at the lake on a Saturday morning with a boat on a trailer all sideways. I went over to talk to him and the boat had done the same thing and came forward enough to bust the window out of his Nissan Pathfinder.

By the way in both cases we both the boats strapped down on the bow with the strap and a safety chain. On the transom we both had ratchet straps. Both trailers were the type with carpeted wooden bunks, not rollers. This geometry does good until something brakes. Once the boat is allowed to slide the back straps slack up. In both instances the only thing keeping the boats out of the passengers compartment of the tow vehicles was the motor hitting the trailers cross members.

Chris

 

[Builder]

Not trying to be arguementative, but as a professional driver, I disagree with this type of reaction to someone cutting me off.

We are taught to turn the other cheek. Give them a honk on the horn, sure, but that's it. Tailgating someone in a car for several miles while driving a much heavier vehicle is a disaster waiting to happen for both groups. That person in front of you is only human and humans make mistakes. I know I make mistakes, too.

As drivers, professional or otherwise, we are not charged with enforcing traffic laws or meting out punishment to others by tailgating them to the point of making them shake in their seats.

I hope it's OK to post the way that commercial drivers are taught to handle situations like this without seeming arguementative.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Not trying to be arguementative, but as a professional driver, I disagree with this type of reaction to someone cutting me off.

We are taught to turn the other cheek. Give them a honk on the horn, sure, but that's it. Tailgating someone in a car for several miles while driving a much heavier vehicle is a disaster waiting to happen for both groups. That person in front of you is only human and humans make mistakes. I know I make mistakes, too.

As drivers, professional or otherwise, we are not charged with enforcing traffic laws or meting out punishment to others by tailgating them to the point of making them shake in their seats.

I hope it's OK to post the way that commercial drivers are taught to handle situations like this without seeming arguementative.

You are right. I guess I was just steaming and it took on heck of a stop to make a 7,000# boat slide up and break a weld. I am much older now and more mature than I was when I was 30 and that made me want to put fear in that guy like me and my buddy Mike had that day.

Chris

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Not trying to be arguementative, but as a professional driver, I disagree with this type of reaction to someone cutting me off.

We are taught to turn the other cheek. Give them a honk on the horn, sure, but that's it. Tailgating someone in a car for several miles while driving a much heavier vehicle is a disaster waiting to happen for both groups. That person in front of you is only human and humans make mistakes. I know I make mistakes, too.

As drivers, professional or otherwise, we are not charged with enforcing traffic laws or meting out punishment to others by tailgating them to the point of making them shake in their seats.

I hope it's OK to post the way that commercial drivers are taught to handle situations like this without seeming arguementative.

You are right. I think we all know that this is the right way to react, but I think we all have times when we're not on our best behavior.

Just this morning on the way to work someone pulled in front of me. I purposely took my time slowing down so as to create an "uncomfortable" situation for the driver of the offending vehicle. Shame on me. (It was mildly gratifying, though, to see the driver slump in the seat and avoid any eye contact through the rear view mirror.)

I guarantee that your comments, Builder, will ring in my head the next time something like that happens. Hopefully I'll have the sense to heed them.

I guess it's like I was taught as an EMT. When speaking with patients, bystanders, or superiors; if it felt good saying it, it was probably the wrong thing to say. If my rash reaction to the other driver's stupidity just felt good, it was probably the wrong thing to do.

 

[Builder]

Road rage is a senseless way to die.