Old Diesel-Heads Going Gas

[Diamondpilot]

Chris you were right the numbers were off by more than 300lbs that i thought.
kinda weird that the 11500 GVWR truck will hold less weight than the 11000 GVWR truck.
I'm going to see if can find the spec. on my 97 DRW and see what it was rated for.
My wife think i'm a kid in a candy store looking up and reading about all this. . . she'll probably get mad because i'll be doing this for 6 months before i buy

Reason the 11,000# truck can handle a little more in the bed is its a gas truck and the engine is much lighter. I also think from what I remember its a 2 wheel drive. All these things equal a lighter truck and more payload capacity. They will not handle a larger trailer with the exception of the 3 wheel drive big gas or diesel.

Chris

 

[Big Bri]

Chris,
I got a 97 f350 2wd 7.3 crew cab 10,000 gvrw. i remember reading that you have a book on truck capacities. Can you tell me what the capacity of my old truck is. I want to get an idea of how much squat a new truck would have compared to my old one.
Thanks

 

[bdeboer]

We went from a gas '02 6.0L/4 speed automatic Chevy to a Duramax 2 years ago. I have no regrets. The '08 6.0L gas with horsepower upgrades and 6 speed did feel more responsive than the '02 did with a tune. Put the tune on the '02 6.0L after driving my 5.3L '05 work truck.

I also shopped around and found the Duramax with 1500 miles (used as a loaner) for close to the price of the local Chevy dealers quote for the same truck in gas.

The 8.1L was no longer offered and no one stocked Ford V10's within a reasonable distance.

 

[F350]

I have a 95' F350 SRW with 395k that's on its last legs After waiting for Ford to produce a reliable, efficient diesel, only to see them produce the 6.0, 6.4, and now an ultra-complex 6.7, I quit, I'm done, I'm OUT!!! I bleed Ford blue, but I'm DONE.

Going to look at a gasser in the a.m. Looks like a gasser or used d-max for me.
Sorry for the rant, but, yes, I'm pissed. Ford has done tremendous damage to themselves in the diesel truck market IMO.

 

[Ken45101]

I have a 95' F350 SRW with 395k that's on its last legs After waiting for Ford to produce a reliable, efficient diesel, only to see them produce the 6.0, 6.4, and now an ultra-complex 6.7, I quit, I'm done, I'm OUT!!! I bleed Ford blue, but I'm DONE.

Going to look at a gasser in the a.m. Looks like a gasser or used d-max for me.
Sorry for the rant, but, yes, I'm pissed. Ford has done tremendous damage to themselves in the diesel truck market IMO.

LOL. I've only had to be towed three times in 45 years. Twice was with the ONLY Ford I've ever owned, a 2002 F250 SD.

Ken

 

[Egon]

LOL. I've only had to be towed three times in 45 years. Twice was with the ONLY Ford I've ever owned, a 2002 F250 SD.

Can't really remember all of the old saying but think it started something like this, "Ninety percent of all Ford Trucks built are still on the road"

 

[crashz]

I take it that means the owners mearly left them there? I guess the shoulder of the road still counts as the road right?

BTW - I test drove a new 2010 F250, v8, 4x4, SB/EC, a few weeks ago. Ohhh - what sweet truck! I felt as if it was 6 feet off the ground, both in ride height and smooth ride. What a difference these new trucks are. I would have pulled the trigger but the wife's ride is a priority right now and the dealer didn't give me anything for my GMC. I've decided to keep the GMC and buy new next year. If I can justify a new Superduty for my daily driver, I'll bring home a left-over 2010 next year.

And no, the wife cannot drive a new Superduty. She wrecks enough stuff with her Beetle...

 

[daveinnh]

I just filled up tonight on the way to the NCAA finals. 87 octane $2.77 Diesel $3.09 for a $.32 difference.

Chris

Lucky you Chris - great game. My Wife and I went to Syracuse and hoped they would go all the way.

Dave

 

[westcliffe01]

When I moved to the US in 2003, the only option I had for getting a car financed was if I bought something from the big 3. So I looked at the time at the F150 4x4, which priced out at $24k. Since at the time I didn't posess anything that needed to be towed, nor could I be an homeowner for several years, I went with a used Audi A6 wagon for $17k which worked out very well with the midwest winters.

a bit over 6 years later, after being frustrated by the high prices of USED diesel pickups, I thought I would again look at what a NEW half ton pickup would cost.... Holy Moly, now an F150 4x4 is running over $50k ????

I have not bought a new car until last year when we got the Jetta Tdi, and that only because of the cash for clunkers deal. It looks like that will be the last too. Despite all my misgivings, it appears that one can get reasonable diesel pickups, 2000-2003 model years with 120-180k miles for less that $12k.

Considering that I do every piece of work needed on any of my vehicles (have not yet rebuilt an auto trans), I think that despite the fact that diesel is a bit more expensive, there is still no substitute for the performance characteristics of a turbo diesel. If I had to pay for (and rely on) a diesel technician at the local dealership, I would not be so certain it would be worth while.

 

[Murray B]

The 5.4L 3V makes WAY more WHP and WTq than the 460/454s of by-gone days, and they are good enough for me in terms of efficiency.

I had a 460 in a '76 T-bird and it was so gutless and hard on gas that I looked to see if there was a hole in the tank. The only 460s I ever saw were the low-compression low-efficiency environmentally friendly wonders of the mid-seventies.

454s on the other hand came with up to 12.5:1 compression earlier and maybe 8 or 8.5:1 after the legislated changes. Some of the early engines were rated at over 400 H.P. and more than 500 foot pounds of torque. Does the 5.4L engine make that kind of power and torque?