Opinions on trucks

[Diamondpilot]

I just did the exact same thing. Tried the Chevy-Gmc crew, there weren't any Ford ones around to try other than black. My last four trucks were black, Hard to keep clean and time for a change,,, Last week I got rid of an 07 one ton diesel, and also my Kubota L48 TLB and trailer,, This is the first gasoline powered vehicle since my 89 dakota.. Replcaed the kubota with a much smaller, lighter basic case tractor... The wife went and picked up the truck while I got the tractor,... Dodge, crew, hemi, Case, 45 hp with hydro trans,

Boy, new truck and tractor in the same day. Did I miss Christmas or something?

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

That is why we love our GMC so much, the 5.3L RULES!! If I could swing a DMAX, I would have one in a second.

Congrats on the new ride Canoetpr!!

What are you talking about? The 6.0L GM was designed to compete with Ford and is the only engine that GM has in its stable that can compete with the 5.4L Ford.

Chris

 

[Dmace]

What are you talking about? The 6.0L GM was designed to compete with Ford and is the only engine that GM has in its stable that can compete with the 5.4L Ford.

Chris

Gimme a break, that engine should never be in a full size truck. Even the Dodge Dakota V8 4.7l (302hp/329lb.ft.)gives that Ford V8 5.4l (310hp/365lb.ft) a run for it's money.

And the GM 6.0l was designed to beat the HEMI 5.7l not the Ford 5.4l (their old 5.3l was more engine then the Ford 5.4l), Ford's V8 is no match for any of the other V8's. GM had to bump the displacement to 6.0 liters to beat the HEMI 5.7l and Dodge still has a 6.1l V8 (425hp/420lb.ft) that they could put in a truck if needed but there is no need when the HEMI 5.7l is still such a great engine. Ford makes a decent overall truck but their V8 engines are still not truck-worthy and certainly their downfall.

LarryRB, how's the ride on that new Ram with the coil over suspension? I have yet to drive one but they sure do look great!

 

[Diamondpilot]

Gimme a break, that engine should never be in a full size truck. Even the Dodge Dakota V8 4.7l (302hp/329lb.ft.)gives that Ford V8 5.4l (310hp/365lb.ft) a run for it's money.

And the GM 6.0l was designed to beat the HEMI 5.7l not the Ford 5.4l (their old 5.3l was more engine then the Ford 5.4l), Ford's V8 is no match for any of the other V8's. GM had to bump the displacement to 6.0 liters to beat the HEMI 5.7l and Dodge still has a 6.1l V8 (425hp/420lb.ft) that they could put in a truck if needed but there is no need when the HEMI 5.7l is still such a great engine. Ford makes a decent overall truck but their V8 engines are still not truck-worthy and certainly their downfall.

LarryRB, how's the ride on that new Ram with the coil over suspension? I have yet to drive one but they sure do look great!

The Hemi is a great engine. Just not a good choice for a truck. They would have been better suited building off the 5.9L 360. HP and torque are important but what is more important is where it is made. The Hemi is a racers engine and makes its best power at high RPM's. It only makes about 60% at best of its torque below or at 2000 RPM and needs 2900 rpm before it gets into the 80% range.

A good gas truck engine makes 80% or more of its available power below say 2000 RPM's. Look at the 6.0L GM motor or the legendary 8.1L. The Ford V-10 is a great example of this. The 5.4 in its current form makes 320 HP and 390 FT LB of torque and does most of this below 2,200 rpm.

Chris

 

[Builder]

Gimme a break, that engine should never be in a full size truck. Even the Dodge Dakota V8 4.7l (302hp/329lb.ft.)gives that Ford V8 5.4l (310hp/365lb.ft) a run for it's money.

And the GM 6.0l was designed to beat the HEMI 5.7l not the Ford 5.4l (their old 5.3l was more engine then the Ford 5.4l), Ford's V8 is no match for any of the other V8's. GM had to bump the displacement to 6.0 liters to beat the HEMI 5.7l and Dodge still has a 6.1l V8 (425hp/420lb.ft) that they could put in a truck if needed but there is no need when the HEMI 5.7l is still such a great engine. Ford makes a decent overall truck but their V8 engines are still not truck-worthy and certainly their downfall.

LarryRB, how's the ride on that new Ram with the coil over suspension? I have yet to drive one but they sure do look great!

Totally agree. Ford's engines leave very little to be desired. lol

GM's engine & powertrain lineup puts phord to shame.

I do like the latest rendition of the Ford V-10, though. Smart to continue offering big block gas power.

 

[LarryRB]

:
LarryRB, how's the ride on that new Ram with the coil over suspension? I have yet to drive one but they sure do look great!

Dodge has made improvements for the inside of the cab by leaps and bounds this new model.. They've been bragging about it in the stock info and in other areas, advertising and such. I have to agree that the interior is almost non dodge and at least equal to the GM interiors, like GM LTX, SLT interiors... Probably not quite there like Ford yet.. The new suspension is another non Dodge area and the truck rides really nice, smooth, corners much better than before and gives a ride like I've never had before., Remember, I've had lot's of Dodge pick ups since my very first new one in late 73. and all rode like trucks, all interiors were truck, nothing fancy or special., For Dodge, this is a major upgrade.. Of course There must be areas that can still use some interior improvement,, We''ll see what I think by the end of summer and how it rides, feels, etc...

 

[WilliamBos]

What are you talking about? The 6.0L GM was designed to compete with Ford and is the only engine that GM has in its stable that can compete with the 5.4L Ford.

Chris

The 5.3L is the best of the 3 GM has. The 6.0 is a sluggish fuel hog, and is saddled by torque management even more that the 5.3L. I would not own a 6.0 with out a Westers PCM.

 

[canoetrpr]

I have to disagree guys but different things are important to different people. Could one be happier with more power than the 5.4L in the Ford - sure.

To suggest that it is so underpowered for the work applications that the vast majority of truck buyers use their trucks for, that it should never be put in a full size truck, does not sound like rationality but completely blind brand bias. Tell that to the hundreds of thousands of guys that use the F150 day and and day out on the job site. Do you really think they would be better of with the 380 some HP Toyota Tundra just for the extra oomph?

A LOT of people have used and continue to use their Ford F150s with the 5.4L V8, in this model and in the previous model and it does everything it is designed to including towing to its best in class limit. The only F150 owners I have heard of complaining about the lack of power of their 5.4L are ones that want to compare 0-60 times with the buddies who have the Hemis (which without a doubt beat their F150s).

I'm about as non biased a buyer of North American trucks as you will find. I've never owned a truck before and haven't owned any thing other than an import for over a decade. I researched all three brands. They all make really nice trucks. All in my opinion will serve their buyers equally well despite what for me are considered small differences in their power output or other features.

My personal analysis was that the GMC Sierra had the best external looks, the Dodge Ram Hemi, the biggest powerplant, the Ford F150 had the best interior by far. This coupled with other factors - quality of dealers of each brand, the fact that two of the three are in serious financial trouble, the 6 speed transmission on the F150 which seems quite nice to me, and other things - made the F150 the right truck for ME.

It is all personal opinion and preferences if you ask me. What is important to one person is not important to the other . All three trucks seem to be the best they have ever been. I'm positive I would have been just as happy with either the RAM or the Sierra. Just happened to be that the things that I valued the most, fit well with the F150.

Oh btw. I absolutely LOVE the 'man step' and the side box steps.

YMMV.

 

[Dmace]

The 5.4 in its current form makes 320 HP and 390 FT LB of torque and does most of this below 2,200 rpm.

Chris

I see you conveniently used the E85 numbers and not the true pump gas numbers on the Ford 5.4l. You have any E85 stations around you? None up here. BTW, it's lb.-ft. (pound-feet) not FT LB.

The HEMI makes 80% of it's torque at 2800rpms which sounds high but it also has a 6000rpm rev limit so that is at less then half the rpm range which is just as important. Long rpm range like that means less shifting, broader power band and no need for a 6 speed transmission.

I am not blind biased, have you ever put the max load behind an F-150? We put my tractor and trailer (approx. 7500lbs) behind a 2004 F-150 and it was horrible. Completely different story with my 03 Ram 1500 HEMI. Sure you can get by with that 5.4l in a full size truck, they did more with less power back in the day but it is limited compared to the others. If they continue to stick with a "small" V8 that makes "short" power then it should be getting at least 22-24mpg by now.

 

[Builder]

I have to disagree guys but different things are important to different people. Could one be happier with more power than the 5.4L in the Ford - sure.

To suggest that it is so underpowered for the work applications that the vast majority of truck buyers use their trucks for, that it should never be put in a full size truck, does not sound like rationality but completely blind brand bias. Tell that to the hundreds of thousands of guys that use the F150 day and and day out on the job site. Do you really think they would be better of with the 380 some HP Toyota Tundra just for the extra oomph?

YES! the 403 in the GM would be even better. The 5.4L is probably the weakest of the 1/2 ton bigger V-8's out there. Who wants to have the least amount of power?

BTW: I like your truck, don't get me wrong. I'm more disappointed with Ford's continuing insistance to always be the lowest on power in most truck power categories.

If Ford would offer better powertrains, I'd still be driving them.

Ford always gives me the impression the first thing you do when you get your new Ford in your driveway is you have to start looking for power enhancements.