Used truck to tow with trailer\tractor 7K#

[777777]

Hi All,

Thanks again for your help. Provided a lot of thought and have helped me narrow down to a couple of brands.
Reluctantly, am going to stay away from Diesel only because of repair factors and lack of knowlege. Gotta rely on the experience factor of myself and my buddies. Would be checked top to bottom before each run. Oversized rad, oil cooler, PS cooler.
Staying away from 4X4 as really don't see a great need for it. Staying away from Dually.
Haven't towed goose neck so not really sure there. Probably stay away from it for now.
Prefer manual over auto but ......... can rebuild trans to high performance towing specs with coolers.
Depending on the 3/4 to 1 ton, will decide if want to upgrade trailer but would prefer to stay where I am for now weight wise.

Again thanks. Your time, patience and experience is appreciated.

Tom

 

[Highbeam]

Wow, a Canadian not wanting 4x4? I can't imagine a truck without it even in the states. I have used 4x4 several times in seemingly good conditions while towing to keep things going. Wow eh?

 

[jayhaitch]

As a fellow Canuck, you should think about the 4x4 issue. A 4x4 reduces payload because the extra front wheel drive components weigh more. However, I laugh when I see guys in nice RWD trucks spinning their wheels or shovelling/pushing after a fair snowfall, when all I do is flip the dial on my 2001 Expedition's dash. I've had a Jeep YJ, and GMC Yukon prior; couldn't imagine now having 4x4.

However, OTR trucks are not 4x4. The trailer weight causes so much drive wheel traction it's not needed. So, can you wait a few days if a big snowstorm hits? If not, get the 4x4. If so, get a RWD. Besides, they're cheaper and less to break. I almost got a job once hauling boats from southern Ontario to the prairies. Dealer has 2 late 80's dodge 1 ton SINGLE rear axle 4x4's, diesel, manual trannie, pulling on of those funky huge skeletal boat trailers. I used one of the trucks to launch and retreive a boat: funny pedal arrangement, but the torque!

What are Ontario regs for GVWR and duallies? In Manitoba, anything over 10,000 lbs truck GVWR is considered commercial, and requires a commercial licnce (class 3 vs class 5).

For that much weight and towing, get a big block. You may not actually use more gas, as flooring the gas in an underpowered small block all the time will suck the fuel and well as a loafing big block.

 

[Birdhunter1]

LBrown you've obviously never done anythign serious with anythign bigger than yor D-50 or you'd realize that what a truck is rated for and what it will doo are entirely differnt things. You keep saying your d-50 is rated only 500 lbs less than the chevy, but load each truck (chevy and d-50) to it's max and go down the road, you will see the difference.


Also are you saying your gonna run tax free deisel fuel in a deisel pickup, in your post earlier you mentioned if you had a deisel you'd qualify for the 150 gallon minimum for off road fuel, I don't know about Canada but if you get caught doing that in the US they fine the heck out of you and base it on total mileage on your vehicle, figure how much fuel it would take to go that many miles and then nail you on the tax for that fuel and probably more fine as well. To anyone in the US I serioulsy would not consider doing this in any deisel vehicle, you may go thousands of miles before you ever see a sign saying "all deisel vehicles must stop ahead" but once and you'll never do it again.

 

[LBrown59]

1*but load each truck (chevy and d-50) to it's Max and go down the road, you will see the difference.
2*are you saying your gonna run tax free diesel fuel in a diesel pickup, in your post earlier you mentioned if you had a diesel you'd qualify for the 150 gallon minimum for off road.
Birdhunter1
Platinum Member
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1*Since my D-50 will easily do what I want it to do at what it's rated for; why do I need the Chevy?
2*120 Gallons of on road and 30 gallons of off road.
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[LBrown59]

Extended cab with long bed? You bet there is, lots of them. Mine's a '94 Ford F250, 4x4, Supercab, long bed, Powerstroke diesel. Payload? 2900 lbs. Towing capacity? 12K Empty truck weight, around 6400 lbs. Gets around 15 to 17 mpg depending on how fast I go. And no its not for sale, I'm original owner with 104,000 miles.

Measure the inside length of your bed then go measure the inside lengths of a short bed and a long bed regular cab.

 

[jwstewar]

2. The Blue Book value of your truck goes up and down depending on how much gas is in it.

You are right there isn't a 1/2 tone crew/extended cab w/ long bed, but in the 3/4 and 1 tons they most certainly do exist. Maybe you should surf the Chevy/Ford/Dodge websites a little before you say something that isn't true.

 

[LBrown59]

I see crew cab long beds all the time too. Long as heck but certainly available.

I just got done checking the specs on Toyota.
Inside Bed lengths.
Regular Cab Short Bed 73.5 inches.
Extra cab Regular bed 60.3 inches
Extra Cab long bed 73.5 inches
The extra cab so called long bed has either a shortened standard regular bed of 60.3 inches or a regular 73.5 inch regular short bed. There is no long bed available over the 73.5'' short bed.
---Which is the longest a 73.5" regular short bed or a 73.5" long bed??
*Bet if you were to measure the inside bed length of these you'd probably find them to be about the same length as the reg. standard beds on the regular cab Pick ups and certainly shorter than the beds on the regular cab long bed trucks.
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[jwstewar]

Did I say check Toyota? I said check GM/Ford/Dodge on their 3/4 & 1 ton trucks. Last time I checked Toyota still just had a half ton truck. Heck, even my Extended Cab Chevy "Short Bed" is 78.7" long.

My next truck will be a 3/4 ton CREW CAB with an 8' LONG BED. Preferrably with the Duramax and the 6-speed Allison.

Look in the attachment and you'll see that I have the truck configured as a crew cab/long bed.

 

[AlanB]

77777

I would think hard about the dually option, but you are the guy that has to sit behind the wheel.

I drive (actually the wife does more) about exactly what you describe. 1996 F250, 2wd, Lb, king cab with a 460 auto

Went gas because most of our stuff was in town and I had just watched my buddy bet his PS reworked, I think it was 1 injector and a turbo and some misc stuff for $2500 and thought to myself I could have put in a new motor at that rate.

We haul gooseneck and bumper pull and the gooseneck is definetely nicer for heavier loads.

I would definetly go big block in whatever you get. I get around 10 mpg pulling heavy, about 12 or so empty / pulling light. I also have a couple of lighter Chevy's that I occassionally pull the big bike trailer with, (16' enclosed) and while they get much better empty milage, the MPG loaded drops like a rock pulling heavy loads.

I would certainly consider starting like you are, but I think you will quickly see why all the "hotshot" drivers run the dually diesel trucks.

(Hotshot being the express one way delivery drivers hauling small direct loads under contract)