Need Help Choosing Truck

[miramadar]

I'm looking to buy another truck to tow my compact tractor and I need some help deciding what I need. I own a Kioti CK27 that, I figure, weighs about 5000lbs with the FEL, box blade and loaded rear tires. The trailer I have is a 16', dual axle car hauler. I guess it weighs about 2000lbs give or take.

I currently own a Dodge 1500, 318 ci, automatic, and it just won't pull it. I hauled about 4000lbs of concrete blocks with it back in the fall and I thought I was really going to hurt the truck. It's just not heavy enough and the transmission was getting really hot (no cooler).

Anyway, I found this truck on Craigslist and I want to get the opinions from the experienced folks on this forum as to whether or not this would fit my bill:

F-250 4x4

It's got a 5.0L (302) motor, 5-speed manual w/ bulldog. The current owner says it would have no problem pulling my load. What do you guys think? It has a gooseneck hitch and the fellow said he regularly pulled a 16' box trailer loaded w/ tools with no problems at all.

Any help?

 

[Soundguy]

hmm.. I have a dodge with 5.9 ( 360 ) and have no problem pulling a 7000# loaded 16' trailer with a tractor on it... have electric brakes. I pull in state with it.. You using the tow/haul cutout.. it really saves heat in the tranny plus some wear.

in any case.. the 3/4 ton should be a breeze. For out of state hauling I use a f250 to tote that same rig..

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

There is a world of difference between the 360 and the 318 Chris. Anyway there was no mention of gears which can make a realativly weak motor like a 302 Ford or a 350 Chevy look great.

I would pass on that truck. I would want no less than a 351 in a truck used to pull. Also you want 3.73 gears as a minimum but with a small block gasser I would get 4.10's.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

I personally don't like small er trucks for lots of pulling anyway.. though for short hauls they aren't bad.

my buddy has a dodge 1500 witht he 318. I've pulled a 2 horse trailer with it.. other than less take off power.. it ain't bad.. but then.. it ain't anything like pulling with a 3/4 ton..

soundguy

 

[miramadar]

There is a world of difference between the 360 and the 318 Chris. Anyway there was no mention of gears which can make a realativly weak motor like a 302 Ford or a 350 Chevy look great.

I would pass on that truck. I would want no less than a 351 in a truck used to pull. Also you want 3.73 gears as a minimum but with a small block gasser I would get 4.10's.

Chris

I need to get up with on the gears. I don't really know much about that aspect of trucks myself, but I can do some research. Thanks for the replies!:thumbsup:

 

[Diamondpilot]

I need to get up with on the gears. I don't really know much about that aspect of trucks myself, but I can do some research. Thanks for the replies!:thumbsup:

Andy

In a nut shell gears make power.

Ford common gears are :

3.55
3.73
4.10

What this means is, for a truck with 3.55 gears, for each full revolution of the rear wheels it takes 3.55 turns of the drive shaft coming from the tranny to accomplish this. This 3.55 gear will be a dog pulling but give better fuel economy.

3.73 gears are a compromise. 3.73 turns of the drive shaft to turn the rear wheels one full revolution.

4.10 gears would take 4.10 turns of the drive shaft to turn the rear wheels one full revolution. This kills fuel economy for daily driving but will yield better fuel economy when pulling near max capacity.

So all things being equal 4.10 gears will give about 15% more power and torque vs a truck with 3.55 gears.

Think back to when you rode your first 10 speed bike. If you were starting off in a big gear it was tough to get up to speed but once there you could go along pretty good with little effort. If you start off in a small gear you can really get out of the hole quick and up to speed but to maintain that speed you must pedal really hard and fast.


Chris

 

[dodge man]

I had a 98 Dodge Ram 4x4 club cab with the 318 and it wasn't bad for towing. I would think it would tow the load you are talking about but would be near the limits. Thats assuming its in good shape and running good. Mine had 3.55 gears. Like others have said gears can make a huge difference. The 3.55 gears in my truck were a step up and stock may have been some thing like a 3.08 which may be what you have and not that great for towing. There is not a big difference between the 318 and 360 in towing. I have experince with both, but all things being equal, the 360 will do better.

 

[Soundguy]

drink more gas too.. my ram is thirsty... i do way better with the f250 psd 6.0

soundguy

 

[RobertN]

Great description in your post.

What you did not mention that I am sure you are aware of, is there are other gears besides those available. Just would be aftermarket. There is actually a wide range of gears out there. A ring/pinion change is ~$500 proposition.

FWIW, my old gasser('89 F250 351 manual 4x4) did a lot better towing and hauling my slide in camper when I switched from 3.55 to 4.10 gears.

In a nut shell gears make power.

Ford common gears are :

3.55
3.73
4.10

 

[RobertN]

That truck should pull that load. The 318 is a great motor. Not a huge powerhouse, but still a good motor.

I would ask more about the truck. Is it stock? 2wd or 4wd, and are the tires stock size?

This is just a guess, but it is probably a matter of a tall highway gear(ie 3.0, 3.23 or thereabouts). Or, it is 4x4, and has highway gears AND bigger tires...

Take a look around the rear differential. Should be a tag on one of the bolts on the diff, that should say the gear ratio.

Might be as simple as a minor gear change and a tranny cooler. Still would not win any races, but would be fine for local towing.

I currently own a Dodge 1500, 318 ci, automatic, and it just won't pull it. I hauled about 4000lbs of concrete blocks with it back in the fall and I thought I was really going to hurt the truck. It's just not heavy enough and the transmission was getting really hot (no cooler).