I'm looking for a sanity check here. I'm starting to make plans to replace my 2000 F350. Its a 4wd crew cab with a long bed that I bought used from the original owner about 8 years ago. When I bought it, it was my daily driver, but I bought a used Camry 5 years ago. The cost of fuel paid for the car in just over a year. Truck has almost 270k on it, the engine and automatic transmission are fine, but the body is shot, and the frame isn't looking real good. I use it mainly for hunting, towing an 8500 lb travel trailer, and pulling a 10k equipment trailer with either a 5k tractor on it, or 8k-10k worth of logs for firewood. The Camry will likely need replaced first, and I'm thinking of something like a CRV or CX5 because they have a little more ground clearance and can easily tow a small harbor freight utility trailer which would make them more than adequate for my hunting needs and relegate the truck to purely a tow vehicle. In the production years I'm considering, the F250s, F350s, F450s, and F550s all cost about the same assuming they are in similar condition. I'm thinking a 4wd F550 dump truck would have enough payload capacity to haul the logs I'm currently hauling with my equipment trailer while also pulling the trailer with tractor which addresses the issue of not having a tractor to load with OR having to leave it behind when I drive home to unload.
To me, it seems like that a 550 would be the best option, but it also seems like jumping up to a 550 would have some draw backs to consider. Fuel milage is one that comes to mind. I'm currently putting less than 5k miles a year on my truck, so fuel milage wouldn't be a huge factor. Size/maneuverability would be another. Cab options factor into this to some degree. A standard cab is not an option. An extended cab is a possibility, but a 4 door with room for 4 grown men has some usefulness to me. As hard as it is to find a place to park a CC long bed, finding a place for a 550 dump truck is going to make it look like child's play. Using it to occasionally run to the grocery store would be out of the question. Running over to Walmart would be an option, but I'd need to park it at the back of the lot with the tractor trailers and tree service trucks. Depending on the wheel base and bed length, I might also have issues getting it through the woods in places where I CAN take my SRW truck now. There are a couple of turns in the lane that I can barely make currently. Then again, I am normally there to cut firewood, so those trees COULD be removed and used for heat. There's also storage. I currently park all our vehicles in the drive way because my 2 car garage was built (by the original owner of our house) with 6-1/2' wide garage doors. Goal is to replace the garage with a 2 story pole building that we can fit the vehicles in along with a camper (or enclosed trailer), but space would be a little tight because of how the property is laid out. Storing a longer, taller, wider truck might be out of the question. Best I might be able to do is have it under a car port. Then there's weight. Obviously tags/plates are going to be more expensive. Otherwise, I can't think of anywhere, including my yard, where the additional ~2,000 lbs of weight would be a concern.
Anything I'm not thinking of? Is it stupid for someone in my position to consider something like this? Before anyone tries to recommend replacing my F350 with a half ton, regardless of mfg, the answer is NO. I absolutely refuse to pull 10,000 lbs or more down the road with a half ton tow vehicle. If I were ONLY pulling my travel trailer, it MIGHT be a different discussion, but I'm not. I've always thought that was a stupid thing to try to do. I've since talked to several people who've spent their decades long careers dealing with trucks of all shapes and sizes and they confirmed my thoughts on the subject. Others may try it and succeed, but I will not push my luck.
Otherwise, what say ye internet?
Thanks,
Mark
