End of the diesel light truck

[TBarD]

Wow.. guess I got lucky and bought a supertruck of the lot back in 06... Have put 17 round bales behind my truck countless times and cruised at 65mph in 100+ degree heat for hours...

Up Sangre De Cristo valley way in NM/CO, about 80% of the trucks you see hauling (for farm/ranch duty) are Dodge with a diesel Cummins. I have never seen the engine struggle; it has more than enough power, the limit is EGT, and that is only on upgrades. The usual issue is more the AT, or braking of the truck/trailer with a heavy load. Adding an exhaust brake helps a lot there. Not much to do about the AT except avoid big cities and freeway onramps where there is heavy traffic. The engine will eventually destroy the AT if you push it too hard with too much power (the manual tranny also has issues, which you use is really a toss up).

 

[buickanddeere]

Hay must be expensive after hauling 17 bales for hours one way?

 

[VitaBene]

The day when owning one vehicle is quickly ending. Soon you'll need a small ecobox for daily driving so you don't have to drive your truck unless you really need a truck. With new trucks costing $50k plus most people are going pause and think twice before spending that kind of money on a part time driver. As the new MPG standards kick in the market will soon be looking for ways around them.

That is what I did. I got rid of my 04 Tahoe that was my daily driver and replaced it with a '12 Jetta TDI. I average almost 42 MPG now and drive 35K per year for work. I had the rust fixed and body repainted last year on my 99 F250 7.3 6 speed truck. It has 195K on it and I am now only running it about 7K a year. I am hoping to get 10 more years out of it, even if I do the body again.

 

[PoorMansCat]

Hay must be expensive after hauling 17 bales for hours one way?

unfortunately it was VERY expensive two years ago. Thats why I overloaded my 3/4 ton truck with 17 round bales. Figured if I was going that far, I was stacking the trailer till it was full and the truck was just gonna have to put up with it!

 

[buickanddeere]

Last summer in Listowel Ontario at Carson's. 720lb round bales sold for $128.
Must have been getting into CVR weight category?

 

[buickanddeere]

Last summer in Listowel Ontario at Carson's. 720lb round bales sold for $128.
Must have been getting into CVR weight category?

 

[farmgirl19]

i like my diesel. in fact. if I ever find another 7.3psd ford 350 int he 99-2003 range for cehap and in great condition.. I'll buy it and put it on jacks till I wear out my current one.

LOL I always say when (if) I wear out my current 7.3, I'll get a factory reman for my 2003 F-250. I always have a load on it, and sometimes, even a trailer behind it extra! Good to see that I am not alone in loving my truck. I always think of the song from the 80s, "I Love my Truck".