Diesels - Dodge vs Chevy 2500 older models

[gemini5362]

I still dont understand why all you guys buy 3/4 tons. Get a 1 ton single rear wheel. I made this mistake myself when I bought a new 2004 F-250 4x4 PSD. I had to trade two years later after buying a bigger boat. The F-350 is a world of difference, only about $500 more, and just a little rougher ride.

Chris

Chris I bought my 2006 3/4 ton duramax off the lot because chevrolet had 0 per cent interest and I wanted to get one right then. Actually at the time I bought mine the 3/4 ton and the 1 ton were about the same price. I have not seen too many chevrolet duramax 1 ton single axles trucks sitting on lots. That dont mean that there are not any it just means the dealerships I have been in dont seem to feel like they sell. I have looked at the 3500 ton hd trucks and to be honest the only difference I see is heavier springs and on the ones I have seen they have dually wheels. The engine and transmission are the same I suspect the rear end is also. Both of them come with 3.73 gears. The towing rating is not that much different and I feel like that is only because of the dual tires and the heavier springs. To have what you are talking about I think just adding heavier leaf springs to my truck would give me the same thing as a 3500HD with single wheel. Maybe some of the chevrolet experts like workin would tell me if I am correct about that. ?

 

[workinallthetime]

Chris I bought my 2006 3/4 ton duramax off the lot because chevrolet had 0 per cent interest and I wanted to get one right then. Actually at the time I bought mine the 3/4 ton and the 1 ton were about the same price. I have not seen too many chevrolet duramax 1 ton single axles trucks sitting on lots. That dont mean that there are not any it just means the dealerships I have been in dont seem to feel like they sell. I have looked at the 3500 ton hd trucks and to be honest the only difference I see is heavier springs and on the ones I have seen they have dually wheels. The engine and transmission are the same I suspect the rear end is also. Both of them come with 3.73 gears. The towing rating is not that much different and I feel like that is only because of the dual tires and the heavier springs. To have what you are talking about I think just adding heavier leaf springs to my truck would give me the same thing as a 3500HD with single wheel. Maybe some of the chevrolet experts like workin would tell me if I am correct about that. ?

there is no 1 ton single rear wheel !!!!!!!!!!!
only diference is duel rear wheels and springs to acomidate, check your tow limits a 2500 used to be rated more than a 3500 by just slightly. gm felt the duel rear wheels just added stability, so they told us

 

[workinallthetime]

Actually, 3/4 ton trucks and diesels in particular are stacking up like cord wood before a hard winter. Drive around and take a look then low ball the heck out of it. You might get surprised.

I have 73k on an 03 and it runs sweet. For the GM's don't get older than an 03. An 04 to 04.5 is better as there is a free injector replacement deal on them for 7 years 200k miles. Better is an 04.5+ with the LLY engine that has the externally accessable injectors.

I would almost bet that you may be able to walk off with a diesel truck cheaper than you think. Around here the dealer lots are chock a block full of trucks and SUV's and not a soul is looking at them. Good time to buy --> if you NEED one. Nasty time to sell if you only wanted one before!

jb

On edit - I've averaged 17.803 mpg since new with about 25k towing. Empty it gets 20-22. Best ever was 22.37. But I drive like a grey haired granny most of the time. Towing is 10-14 depending on load, wind, speed and temps. I normally tow just under 10k.

yes gm has extended the warranty for fuel injectors to 200k but ONLY for 1 spacific failure. For the injecotrs to be replaced the truck must have a condition known as "ball seat erosion" this condition will cause a crankcase full of diesel fuel, low power, ses light with a p1093 or 2 other codes i never see, and be unable to achive 23k psi period. when a truck comes in with a stuck open injector i can see it from a mile off, white smoke that reakes of fuel. this is due to an injector sticking open and is not covered under the 200k mile warranty due to at some point this truck had contaminated fuel and the particles have wedged themself in the injector. GM will charge the dealer back for the injecotrs if they catch them trying to slide this through warranty.

my personal truck of choice woudl be 02 - 04, not quite as powerful but a very proven powertrain. I would add a pre filter to the unit, open up the exhaust and intake and probably put an edge "juice" on it with monitor.

On another note, i just quoted a guy $17005.83 to install a new engine and pump in his 02 d-max, this will be the 5th d-max i have seen fail since 2001. it seems Mr. Albert Einstein's truck died so he busted out a can of starting fluid and foged it down, after he got it running it would no longer start w/o said product until one day it died while driving. he insisted the injectors caused the problem but being unable to verify it needed injecotrs i sent him to down the road motors so someone else could tell him the same thing. the engine had 120 pounds on #1 hole #3 and #5 were dead holes. but by golly he wanted me to put injecotrs in it, gees some people !!!!
has to have at least 300 pounds to smash that liquid gold

 

[AKfish]

'03 Chevy Dmax with just over 90K. Not a hiccup. Three trips towin' up the ALCan hwy with loads rangin' from 6K to just over 13K.

Stock truck. Best mpg was 23.7 unloaded and towin' 6K avg. 14mpg and the 13K load averaged 10mpg up thru the Frazier River canyon (now, there's some serious switchbacks and grades...).

Can't beat that Allison tranny and the DuraMax has been a great stump puller, too.

I've got a '01 Ford E350 with the 7.3 PS engine, too. It's been a really solid truck as well. It won't keep up in a foot race with the Chevy -- but, it just might pull up bigger stumps... if you really had to grind one out!

If I was lookin' for a good used diesel truck and wasn't set real hard on a price limit --- I'd want a '06 Dmax with that shiftable 6-speed Allison.

My $0.02.

AKfish

 

[crashz]

there is no 1 ton single rear wheel !!!!!!!!!!!
only diference is duel rear wheels and springs to acomidate, check your tow limits a 2500 used to be rated more than a 3500 by just slightly. gm felt the duel rear wheels just added stability, so they told us

I thought 2004 or 2005 they re - released the single wheel 3500's? The local Chevy dealer has them, labeled as single wheel 3500 trucks, with a higher gvwr than the 3/4 tons. Looks like the same truck, with bigger rear spring packs, steel wheels, and 265/75/R16 tires.

 

[workinallthetime]

I thought 2004 or 2005 they re - released the single wheel 3500's? The local Chevy dealer has them, labeled as single wheel 3500 trucks, with a higher gvwr than the 3/4 tons. Looks like the same truck, with bigger rear spring packs, steel wheels, and 265/75/R16 tires.

If so i have never seen one around these parts, new, used or broke. The last dealer i was at had a huge commercial department and i never saw one there either.
I know when i go to mexico all the 1500's have 2500 badging for what ever thats worth

 

[LarryRB]

there are a ton of single rear wheel 3500 chevy and gm here in NEw England, In fact, I just got off the "build your own 08" and it lists single and dual rear wheel 3500's/

 

[gemini5362]

guys I dont know the difference now but from what I saw when I was looking there was not that much difference in towing capability between the 3/4 ton duramax and the 1 ton. I looked at a 1 ton pretty close once and I saw more leafs to the spring and it was dual wheels but that is basically the only difference I saw. As far as I know the engine, the transmission and the rear end are the same thing.


Workin. I would have thought you would have said the 06 was the best engine tranny they had. 06 has the variable vane turbo. heavier duty piston rods. higher fuel injector pressure. and the injectors are outside of the valve covers. the allyson is a bit heavier duty and 6 speed. Why do you not like these trucks as much ?

 

[gemini5362]

AKfish

we will be in alaska in two weeks. We are taking the cruise tour. Fly into anchorage then go to one of the villages by train then to denali for a couple of days then to fairbanks for a couple of days. Then fly back to anchorage and take a bus to seward then get on the cruise ship and do the 6 day inside passage cruise. I am really looking forward to it.

I spent a couple of weeks in fairbanks years ago and I got there right after they closed denali.

 

[Builder]

there is no 1 ton single rear wheel !!!!!!!!!!!
only diference is duel rear wheels and springs to acomidate, check your tow limits a 2500 used to be rated more than a 3500 by just slightly. gm felt the duel rear wheels just added stability, so they told us

Sure there is! Mine is a 3500 single rear wheel!