Motor Trend truck of Year

[Phred]

Yes.
But if the hand grenade cost the same as the fire cracker and the cost of ownership is about the same.......
who in their right mind would be going around talking about what an impressive poping sound the fire cracker makes?

 

[_RaT_]

"The dodge tow ratings are 2x of the import. Almost 15K lbs for the dodge, and they will pull much more,
The other day I saw a guy pulling a dozer with a 2500, and he was not struggling. Do not try this with the toyota."

Don't try to park your Dodge DRW in a city parking lot either.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


I saw a brand new Dodge 3500 DRW with a 5th wheel 8 horse trailer once headed east bound from the Donner summit. A reasonably steep downgrade. The truck was upside down, the trailer completely upright. How the two could still remain coupled is amazing. The bed was twisted about 90 degrees while the gooseneck was twisted the rest of the way. The moral is, don't tow more then the truck is rated for. When the dogdew hits the fan, the trailer has a good chance to win. Fortunately no one else was involved for had they been, my guess is if the trailer was beyond the tow limits specified by the manufactuer, your in wampum big trouble. If Motor Trend is basing their decision on how much a truck can tow, I suppose Peterbuilt , Kenworth or Freightliner would be in contention for this "prestigious" award.

 

[rozett]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The moral is, don't tow more then the truck is rated for. )</font>

I go one step further... don't tow something that weighs 2 or 3 times the weight of the tow vehicle. I regularly tow 10k pound loads of firewood. My tow vehicle weights 8k pounds. I have had to deliver in areas with some big hills (both up and down) and I don't want the load 'pushing' the tow vehicle.

 

[Will_C]

I have been reading this thread since the start, and I have refrained from posting. I really don't care how Motor Trend or any other magazine rates trucks. I don't understand why most posters are putting down one brand or the other based on payload, horsepower, etc. Everyone has different needs from a truck. Personally, a 3/4 or 1 ton truck would be foolish for me to own. My Toyota Tundra suits me fine, a comfortable driving truck that can handle the occasional load in the bed (under 1,000lbs. or so) and pull my utility trailer (3000lbs w/the Kubota loaded.) Although I have had three Toyota trucks, I looked very hard at buying a Chevrolet before I bought the Tundra. I liked the Chev, but my history with Toyota convinced me to buy another.
Many of you need a larger, stronger truck. I understand this. That does not mean that other trucks aren't good, and all many (if not the majority of people) need. I remember driving my mother to work when the weather was bad. It always made me laugh to see the number of 3/4 and 1 ton trucks that the "white collar" workers drove to work. The majority of those trucks had obviously never been used for anything that a Toyota Tacoma couldn't handle!! But the owners had a "real" truck. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Please don't misunderstand. My brother has a excavation business, and has a 3/4 ton GMC. He often carries 1000-1500lbs of tools, fuel, etc. in the bed, and has quite a few plowing accounts in the winter. For him, that is the truck he needs. Maybe one day, if I buy a large RV, bigger tractor, etc. I'll have to get a bigger truck. But for now, my truck is right for me. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Will

 

[RobertN]

Sometimes it is just the driver.

We went to Mexico this last summer; we flew from San Francisco. On the way there, down near Fairfield, we were passed like we were standing still; I was doing 75mph.

Here's this guy, in a pickup(Dodge 4x4, newer but unsure of model...) towing a horse trailer with horses loaded. He was running the fast lane, cutting in and out of traffic. He must have passed us at 85+. This is of course, in our land of California "55mph limit" for trailer towing...

He must have been pulled over, because we saw him later, way down the road, going real slow...

I have had horses, and would never run that fast, in traffic or curvy roads. At least a tractor is tied down; an emergency manuever or stop would play havoc on the poor horses.

 

[MChalkley]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Yes, hindsight is 20/20. I wanted a stump puller, and got it. But, after expierience with other buddies Cummins, I do not need 4.10's.

Mark Chalkey, I think, was running 3.07's with a pumped up 12V. And, tows heavy loads daily.

My max towing to date is 8klbs. No problem... )</font>

Robert - You're correct about the 3.07's in my '93. I've now retired the '93 and replaced it with an '05 3500 (Cummins, of course). The '93 engine was still going like gangbusters, but I got a deal on the '05 that I couldn't pass up. Plus, it comes stock with a tow rating of 17k, so I'm not so overloaded pulling the EarthForce as I was before. The '05's only come with a 3.73 axle in this configuration, and I already miss the higher gear, but you can't have everything. At least not before you start modifying... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I'm sure the lower gear ratio is easier on the rest of the drivetrain, but the Cummins doesn't seem to care one way or the other.