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Old 08-14-2019, 06:11 PM   #1
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Need a new truck, my 97 F-350 is overloaded.

My current truck is a 1997 F-350 7.3 DRW automatic. My new to me travel trailer is a tank, a 2012 Peterson Excel just weighed at 13660 lbs. The truck has a class V hitch and will handle the tongue weight and trailer weight and the tongue weight is 2000 lbs., right on 15% of total trailer weight. The truck pulls the load OK but it's a slug and I'm afraid the transmission is going to take a dump if I continue to pull this amount of weight. From what I can figure I'm also over the GCWR by 960lbs and over the max trailer weight for the truck by 3600 lbs. I'm looking to upgrade to a newer F350 but I can't afford or want a 6.7 Powerstroke, the 6.4 is a POS so that leaves me with either a 6.0 or a 6.8 V10. I'm looking for opinions from those who know these two engines. I've found a 2010 F350 6.8 V10 DRW automatic 4x4 crew cab XL with 76000 miles and a 2006 F350 6.0 DRW automatic 4x4 King Ranch with 46000 miles that has had the EGR delete and is otherwise stock. I know all of the problems with the 6.0 but I don't want to buy the V10 and regret it. Both are priced within $1000 of each other. Sorry to have been so long winded. Just hoping for some real world advice on which truck would be better suited to my needs.
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Old 08-14-2019, 06:18 PM   #2
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I assume the New 7.3 GAS engine is too expensive also? If so I'd go with the v-10 or 6.2. with 4.30 towing gears.

The 6.0 and 6.4 do not have a good reliability record.
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Old 08-14-2019, 06:23 PM   #3
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I can't justify a new truck to get the 7.3. I'm currently sitting in a state park next to a fellow with a 2012 F-250 with the 6.2. He's not really pleased with it.
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Old 08-14-2019, 06:38 PM   #4
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not sure where your getting your #’s from for your p/u but i’m pretty sure your not over weight. i would have to check mine, but i know i have a 3k. payload. if you don’t like it thats one thing.
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Old 08-14-2019, 06:59 PM   #5
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I would go with the 2010 6.8 V10 as that will be a nicer overall truck than an older 2006. The V10 is thirsty but reliable. And a DRW truck will control the trailer way better than any SRW truck.

That is a very nice, well built, and rare travel trailer.

Just curious - what kind of travel will you be doing? Far or near?
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Old 08-14-2019, 06:59 PM   #6
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He knows he is not overweight, said so in his post. He wants more power and is questioning his transmission.

No gas engine is up to that weight. A 6.2 with 4.55 gears would do it but it will be barking at you up steep grades. The new 7.3 will be a big help but if you could afford that you could afford a diesel, which is what you really need. Ford is phasing out the V10 for a reason, it is an outdated platform.

So in a Ford you have 2 options: 6.2 with 4.55 gears,(hard to find), or 6.7 diesel. If you go with an older diesel you will be fighting reliability, same with a V10
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Old 08-14-2019, 07:45 PM   #7
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Actually the Ford 6.7 litre diesel engine really is not a bad engine. It has plenty of power and is as fairly reliable.

I think I saw that travel trailer in trailer life magazine bring towed by SRW Ram 3500 diesel. Trailer Life liked that combination.

But just an FYI - the 2011 Ram diesel did not require DEF fluid. It also had plenty of power. I helped a friend drive 500 miles one way in a 2011 Ram 3500 dually to pick up a 40' Horse trailer with living quarters. It pulled that empty trailer easily.
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Old 08-14-2019, 07:53 PM   #8
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re-read the title of the thread, over gcwr by 960lbs, over max trailer for the truck by 3600 lbs.
sounds as tho he clearly believes his truck is overloaded with his new trailer[emoji848]
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Old 08-14-2019, 08:10 PM   #9
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I would go with the 2010 6.8 V10 as that will be a nicer overall truck than an older 2006. The V10 is thirsty but reliable. And a DRW truck will control the trailer way better than any SRW truck.

That is a very nice, well built, and rare travel trailer.

Just curious - what kind of travel will you be doing? Far or near?

Right now we're just staying close to home, partly because of my wife's mother with dymensia and because I don't want to tow too much with the truck. I bought it from my uncle who is the original owner and anal would be an understatement. The truck is almost a 147000 mile time capsule and I don't want to rip the transmission out of it.
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Old 08-14-2019, 08:56 PM   #10
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You should have plenty of rawr left over with that combo. The rear should be a dana 70 or 80. Personally,since you know the 97 i would have the trans built and call it a day.
The v10 truck will likely be the most reliable of the bunch and if you just want a newer truck the one ill likely recommend. The 6.0 with an egr delete and STOCK TUNING should be ok. Take an hour and go to the ford-truck enthusiasts website. There is a buyers guide there. You DO NOT want to just jump right into one. You need to spend some time with it and go through some things. The 6.0 is a good motor but ford and the epa screwed it up trying to get numbers out of it. Unlike the 6.4 it can be fixed. I have a 6.0 and im not afraid of it. I like the truck quite a bit actually.
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Old 08-15-2019, 06:12 AM   #11
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Your 1997 with the 7.3 litre diesel is one heck of a crude machine. It is probably the most unrefined truck still on the planet. Everything on it is loose and it rattles as it rolls down the highway.

By 2010 all manufacturers were tightening everything on trucks tighter. A 2010 with a 6.8 V10 will make way too much noise for me but if you are already use to the noise your 1997 diesel truck makes the V10 will make less noise than that.

I had a 2012 Ford 6.7 diesel and it was a good truck and all the bells and whistles still worked. I bought it new and had it for 6.5 years with zero problems.

You will be in shock if you drive your 1997 Ford diesel, which makes more noise than acceleration, and test drive a 2011 Ford 6.7 diesel.

I think you could tow your trailer easy with a SRW 2011 truck or newer, diesel of course.

My friend had a 1997 Ford F-250 diesel that he demoted to a farm truck when he bought a 2011 Ram 3500 dually. He said the trucks were night and day different. Said it took a lot of time for the old Ford to build power while the 2011 Ram had instant power.

NHV - Noise, Harshness, Vibration have been taken out of trucks big time in 2011. And every few years since NHV has been reduced. Trucks are now smooth, quiet and refined.
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Old 08-15-2019, 06:33 AM   #12
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NHV - Noise, Harshness, Vibration have been taken out of trucks big time in 2011. And every few years since NHV has been reduced. Trucks are now smooth, quiet and refined.

Trucks are now also upwards of $50K


I'd build the tranny (John Woods or BTS) and get a couple rolls of dynamat.
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Old 08-15-2019, 07:22 AM   #13
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Take care of it and it will last. 97 F250 had 220,000 mi on it when an employee rolled it and truck had been as heavy as 33k lbs total weight a few times and towed reasonable weights most of its life.
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Old 08-15-2019, 07:29 AM   #14
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Right now we're just staying close to home, partly because of my wife's mother with dymensia and because I don't want to tow too much with the truck. I bought it from my uncle who is the original owner and anal would be an understatement. The truck is almost a 147000 mile time capsule and I don't want to rip the transmission out of it.
Thats a pretty solid vehicle and with low miles and great maintenance I'd be reluctant to part with it. The engine is much less finicky than the post 2003 Ford diesels and doesn't require def. You're not going to find a gas engine that has comparable low rpm torque.

There is a lot of info on companies that upgrade the transmissions and torque converters for improved longevity. That and a mild chip and tune might be your best option. Replacing a transmission at 150k miles would certainly not hurt the value of the truck. A larger capacity transmission pan, a bigger cooler and a gauge to monitor fluid temps and you would be good to go.
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