slaveToHorses
Gold Member
For me it would be the Ford truck with the Cummins/Allison drive train
I like opening up the Dodge hood and seeing all the space and simplicity.
Age old debate, which truck & motor
- Thread starter GreatWhitehunter
- Start date
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For me it would be the Ford truck with the Cummins/Allison drive train
I like opening up the Dodge hood and seeing all the space and simplicity.
Ryan03
Platinum Member
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- Feb 26, 2006
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- 657
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- Chardon Ohio
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- Farmtrac DTC270, Kubota G5200hydro, Honda recon 250, Suzuki King Quad 450 4x4, 2003 2500 DMax/Allison 4x4
Sounds to me like the OP. based on his needs should buy a crew cab long bed truck. He has a preference for Ford products, so I would recomend a Superduty 250 or 350, probably a 4x4 since he lives in snow country, I would also recomend these options, posi rear diff, integrated trailer controller, skid plate package, [Greatwhitehunter, you know he goes off road based on his user name], power windows and locks,power slider, the entertainment package with the flip down TV/DVD player would be a godsend to keep the kids occupied on long trips while going camping, and remote start because diesels take forever to warm up in the winter, and a HD rear sway bar package.
As far as which to buy, 6.0psd or 6.4psd used, I would lean more toward the 6.4 despite its thirst for fuel and emissions, simply because some of the 6.0psd's had some issues, and while many honest TBN members have had fantastic luck with they're 6.0's, Few can argue the fact that some of the pre 06's were real headaches, and some were not. Unless you know the previous owner of a used pre 06 6.0, it is real tough to tell what you are buying, a headache or a engine that will outlast a twinke.
If you could hold out for another month or so, you might be able to get a better price, new or used, due to the fact that 4x4 sales usualy slow down in the spring, as well as dealers trying to make room for the new model year vehicles. If looking for used, you may try googling something like For Sale Ford crew cab diesel 07 Craigslist. Many times this is a way to backdoor a nationwide craigslist search, since craigslist makes you search regionaly and it takes forever.
For the record I currently own a DMax, but I owned a v-10 Ford SD for 100k and loved it to, never owned a ram, but I would not be afraid to if thats what I like. Besides the mileage issues all the new light truck "clean" diesels have, I just don't like how tight the Ford engine compartment is. That being said, it is because I am a experienced professional tech who is about as FRUGAL as they come, and I insist on doing all non warranty work myself. If I was not going to work on it, like many people don't, I would care less how it looked under the hood.
As far as which to buy, 6.0psd or 6.4psd used, I would lean more toward the 6.4 despite its thirst for fuel and emissions, simply because some of the 6.0psd's had some issues, and while many honest TBN members have had fantastic luck with they're 6.0's, Few can argue the fact that some of the pre 06's were real headaches, and some were not. Unless you know the previous owner of a used pre 06 6.0, it is real tough to tell what you are buying, a headache or a engine that will outlast a twinke.
If you could hold out for another month or so, you might be able to get a better price, new or used, due to the fact that 4x4 sales usualy slow down in the spring, as well as dealers trying to make room for the new model year vehicles. If looking for used, you may try googling something like For Sale Ford crew cab diesel 07 Craigslist. Many times this is a way to backdoor a nationwide craigslist search, since craigslist makes you search regionaly and it takes forever.
For the record I currently own a DMax, but I owned a v-10 Ford SD for 100k and loved it to, never owned a ram, but I would not be afraid to if thats what I like. Besides the mileage issues all the new light truck "clean" diesels have, I just don't like how tight the Ford engine compartment is. That being said, it is because I am a experienced professional tech who is about as FRUGAL as they come, and I insist on doing all non warranty work myself. If I was not going to work on it, like many people don't, I would care less how it looked under the hood.
JohnDeere4300
Veteran Member
I have towed a lot of campers with a 1/2 ton truck and i also have a slide-in-camper, and i haul it in a
F-150 king cab short bed truck.
The slide-in-camper weighs 1475lbs. empty and i put a lot of gear in it, i have to leave my tailgate down to haul it and pull a boat behind and i have a family of four.
I do this with safety and the truck is not overloaded, there is plenty of people that tow a camper or haul a slide-in-camper with a 1/2 ton.
RobertN
Super Member
I personally would not do that much on a 1/2 ton. But... They do make nicer, lighter campers these days too. My first camper was a 70's model, even though I owned it in '95. That thing was HEAVY.
An newer 8' camper on a 1/2 ton, with some overloads or air-bags would be ok.
Diamondpilot
Super Star Member
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- Jinma 254/284 Ford 861 Powermaster at work
All this talk about 1/2 tons, 3/4 tons, and 1 tons makes me laugh. You guys all seem to thing you need a 1 ton truck to pull a 12' Jon Boat or a Jet Ski. I own one of each, all Fords that range from 2004 to 2007 models and I will tell you the 1/2 ton is stout. It will out work a 3/4 ton truck from 10 years prior with a gas engine. I pull loads upto 9,000# with it but most of the time, about 35 weekends a year it pulls a 7,000# load just fine. Many times with a 1,000# in the bed. Actually the most worthless truck we own is the 2004 3/4 ton. The 2006 1 ton in the same configuration with SRW will out work that 3/4 ton by a mile.
A 1/2 to is what it is. But look at them and compare them to a 3/4 ton form 1999 and they will out spec them any day of the week unless its a diesel. Its what most 90% of the truck owners could get by with. The are a good compromise of a second family car and a towing 4x4 machine that will get you though the snow and mud better than any 3/4 or 1 ton truck.
Chris
A 1/2 to is what it is. But look at them and compare them to a 3/4 ton form 1999 and they will out spec them any day of the week unless its a diesel. Its what most 90% of the truck owners could get by with. The are a good compromise of a second family car and a towing 4x4 machine that will get you though the snow and mud better than any 3/4 or 1 ton truck.
Chris
jwstewar
Elite Member
Finally someone with some reasoning. I have a '99 Silverado 1500 ECSB 4x4 w/ the 5.3. We haul our family of 5 in it comfortably - more so than our 4 door Accord and our Trailblazer EXT that we just got rid of - while throwing wood/bikes (preferably wood first
) in the bed of it while towing our 28' camper (old '84 model so it is heavy). It does it w/o any problems. It might gear down when going up a hill - so what, it still maintains speed most of the time. I manage about 12 MPGs when towing and empty it gets close to 20. I'll take it to the gravel company and have them load it up with a "ton" of gravel - in reality it is probably closer to 3,000 lbs. Never any problems with it.Next truck I will probably step up to a heavier truck, but for now I'll working my toy (as others would say) truck as I have done and I'll expect it to continue to deliver the same as it has done.
JohnDeere4300
Veteran Member
My slide-in-camper is a sunlite.
And i put airbags on my F-150 to only help when the boat is hooked up with the camper loaded.
Last edited:
RobertN
Super Member
Cool! I Googled Sunlite; nice looking campers. Is yours a pop-up or hard side?
JohnDeere4300
Veteran Member
capt_met
Silver Member
i think the OP should stick with the truck he has till he has outgrwon it. i can't imagine specing a truck to tow something without knowing what it will be towing. the truck he has sounds like an excellant comprimise that is serving him well.
i have 3 trucks, had 2-1 tons. both a ford and chevy. and yes they argued in the driveway every night. the ford is an old 7.3 idi diesel non turbo. most would say it is a dog but for over 250,000 miles i would say it doesn't get in a hurry. it has never left me stranded. for what it is it does quite well. 17 mpg. it has the 5 speed manual which helps. i know this doesn't compare to the newer trucks but i like tio give credit where it is due and ford built a great reliable old truck in this one. it is a crew cab dually 2wd. it will get stuck on a banana peel. and it is a pain to park. it is my daily driver now and i don't recommend a truck this wide and long for anyone to use in that capacity. even only when it rains.
my other was a chevy 3500 duramax/allison 4wd. very simply put it was the most amazing truck i have evr owned or driven. it was an "03 model that was supposed to have had injector problems but never did. i own an excavation company and used this truck to tow 6-7 tons of equipment often. this in the mountains of east tennessee. the truck was always up to the task. couldn't complain about the milage either. when the truck was unhooked it was like driving a light truck. very comfortable, very quiet, even with a straight pipe. the milage then was even better. great interstate truck. this truck was an extra cab but the diffrence in length made it much better than the ford for daily driving. the dually width was still an issue in daily use. when light in 3 years with the occasional drag with local kids a ford or dodge never stayed close. the dodges seemd to do a bit better than the fords. in reality i think a lot of this has to do with what has been added to the truck. i don't love the new chevy body style but would definitly look at another. ford will get a chance as well.
the chevy was traded in for a chevy 4500 4wd. same drive line. what worked well in the 3500 is even better in the 4500. the 5:13 rear end gives crazy pulling power. this truck is actually easier to drive than either one ton. it steers much tighter turning radius. but make no mistake this is a WORK truck and without a load rides rough. a ton inthe bed and it is happy. again not a daily driver.
again for the OP stick with what you've got. when you get a trailer and find out if you will need a bigger truck see whats out then.
sorry for the long winded post a little bored this evening,
good luck,
i have 3 trucks, had 2-1 tons. both a ford and chevy. and yes they argued in the driveway every night. the ford is an old 7.3 idi diesel non turbo. most would say it is a dog but for over 250,000 miles i would say it doesn't get in a hurry. it has never left me stranded. for what it is it does quite well. 17 mpg. it has the 5 speed manual which helps. i know this doesn't compare to the newer trucks but i like tio give credit where it is due and ford built a great reliable old truck in this one. it is a crew cab dually 2wd. it will get stuck on a banana peel. and it is a pain to park. it is my daily driver now and i don't recommend a truck this wide and long for anyone to use in that capacity. even only when it rains.
my other was a chevy 3500 duramax/allison 4wd. very simply put it was the most amazing truck i have evr owned or driven. it was an "03 model that was supposed to have had injector problems but never did. i own an excavation company and used this truck to tow 6-7 tons of equipment often. this in the mountains of east tennessee. the truck was always up to the task. couldn't complain about the milage either. when the truck was unhooked it was like driving a light truck. very comfortable, very quiet, even with a straight pipe. the milage then was even better. great interstate truck. this truck was an extra cab but the diffrence in length made it much better than the ford for daily driving. the dually width was still an issue in daily use. when light in 3 years with the occasional drag with local kids a ford or dodge never stayed close. the dodges seemd to do a bit better than the fords. in reality i think a lot of this has to do with what has been added to the truck. i don't love the new chevy body style but would definitly look at another. ford will get a chance as well.
the chevy was traded in for a chevy 4500 4wd. same drive line. what worked well in the 3500 is even better in the 4500. the 5:13 rear end gives crazy pulling power. this truck is actually easier to drive than either one ton. it steers much tighter turning radius. but make no mistake this is a WORK truck and without a load rides rough. a ton inthe bed and it is happy. again not a daily driver.
again for the OP stick with what you've got. when you get a trailer and find out if you will need a bigger truck see whats out then.
sorry for the long winded post a little bored this evening,
good luck,
