Used Truck Decision

[RustyJC]

Originally Posted by MRBB

Wow, everyone is all over the map here. With under 12k to spend he is not going to get a 2007 and above truck with 6 speed trans so let's be real here....

Let's not get our knickers in a twist, OK? I used the 6.7L with 6-speed as an EXAMPLE. My point, as I stated it above, is that one cannot look ONLY at the final drive ratio to make a determination of its suitability for unloaded highway driving. The transmission ratios also must be taken into consideration. Top gear ratios, for instance, are different on the 47RE/48RE automatics, NV5600/G56 6-speed manuals and NV4500 5-speed manuals that the OP will encounter in pre 2007 trucks.

Rusty

[oldbeek]

I have a 2001 Dodge 5.9 with auto 3.54 gears. 55 mph 1600rpm in direct, 12 mpg with a 12000 gvw 5r. Combination weight at 18,000 lb. 50,000 miles of towing with this truck. 7000 mile oil change, 40,000 trans change, 12mpg when towing average over 12000 miles. This truck is blue booked at around $13,000. Would highly recommend 2001 dodge. Go to dieselgarage.com to review diffrent problems with used diesels of all brands.

[Jon Mopar]

true, it all depends on the truck and it's transmission etc, so saying a rear-end ratio is good or bad it's entirely correct. I had a 3/4 ton V10 with 4:10 that was thirsty beyond belief. My 3500 V10 has a slightly lower ratio Dana 80 (3.73 I think it is??), and pulled just as effectively, but without drinking as much. I spend about $10-15 less in fuel per, so it was savings I can calculate.

if you're budget is under $12k though, we need not talk about late model trucks here. If you want a clean truck with lower miles, you're going to be looking at like 02s and prior. It's better to get an immaculate 97 with low miles, then say an 07 with a gillion miles. I kinda giggle when people get out there towing guides to calculate the GCWR etc ratings, and follow them like gospel when speaking in regards to older HD trucks. Although it isn't honestly a bad idea to have a general figure of what you can/can't tow, you can go a bit over your limit. A 1 ton can handle it, easily. After all, it's not like we're talking about a 15k lb+ trailer here. If it's on 3 axles and if the tongue weight isn't anything crazy, you'll probably have more than enough truck to pull it, even with a 3/4 ton

I don't think my Ram (stock other than upgraded rear suspension) has ever pulled a trailer in its entire life that wasn't waaaay bigger than what it was supposed to haha. That included occasionally pulling my friend's 34ft Silverton mini-yacht on a quad-axle from storage to his place... that thing has to weigh over 18k lbs. A bit too much weight, I'll admit (I was glad there weren't many hills along the way), but it still got the job done. I am vigilant on my maintenance and all fluids. Never a problem.

As far as older Cummins Rams go, I've driven the auto, 5spd manual & 6spd man w/the H.O engine. There wasn't enough difference to seek out any truck in particular. I actually wasn't a fan of the 6spd personally, but that's just me.

[timberframe]

Wow, alot of great info here. Thanks for all the ideas. We will let you know what truck we end up with.

[Perry White]

I have 1999 F-350 Crew cab dually with the 7.3Diesel and 4:10 rear and a Banks kit. Can't be beat. I pull an 18,000 trailer with a race car in it. Back then Dodge had nothing to pull a load. Duramax GM was just coming out. 7.3's are getting a premium. I have 2-1999's and a 2000 Excursion with the diesels. They have been great.

An if anybody telling you a Dodge back in 2000 was a good pulling machine, we use to have hundreds of tow vehicles at the tracks, no Dodges. I don't think you can beat the new ones though.

If you get a heavy trailer, 3:73 gears are always going to have your engine loaded. 4:10 will be easier on the engine. Same mileage.

What ever you do stay away from the Ford V-10's.I have a 2000 diesel excursion and get 16-18MPG and we had a V-10 version that got 8.9MPG. Same year same body and gears.

[M zoll]

I have a 1999 f350 crew cab DRW 4.10 rear 7.3 auto, I get 8 mpg pulling 14,000, 5th wheel.
and 16 empty city or road

[Jon Mopar]

Originally Posted by Perry White

An if anybody telling you a Dodge back in 2000 was a good pulling machine, we use to have hundreds of tow vehicles at the tracks, no Dodges. I don't think you can beat the new ones though.

If you get a heavy trailer, 3:73 gears are always going to have your engine loaded. 4:10 will be easier on the engine. Same mileage.

What ever you do stay away from the Ford V-10's.I have a 2000 diesel excursion and get 16-18MPG and we had a V-10 version that got 8.9MPG. Same year same body and gears.

The Dodge I used to occasionally pull a close to 20,000 cabin-cruiser with?? a 1997 Ram 3500 V10 that's slightly beefed up....it's not even a diesel.

It's one of those things though, talk to 10 different people, get 10 different answers. Ford people will say Dodge front ends weren't the best, while Chev guys will tell you Ford's front ends were garbage, and that Fords burn through injectors an turbos like their candy, yadda yadda yadda

I worked for heavy equipment service center and transport logistics company, and all our service trucks were mainly Dodges (those things saw some abuse let me tell you. They ran 24/7). We even 2 Dodge wreckers, and 2 ford F450 flatbeds. We had the most maintenance/repair down-time with those Fords than all the others. Good working trucks when they worked, but they always had something acting up. The owner would have went with Dodges sooner, but the higher sticker prices were the the main thing holding him back. Why do companies use Fords?? When I worked for Ford back in college, it was mainly because our trucks were thousands less than the others. With heavy duty work trucks, a similarly equipped GM was $2k more, and Dodge was over $4k more. Plus Ford offered the best fleet discounts. Ford rules the Fleet market.

[Perry White]

Ford 1 ton service vans. Can't be beat. Plus still made in the good old USA. Where's Dodge making there trucks? Got 200 Acres to sell Cheap In Fenton Mo.

[oldbeek]

You will find great deals on 2004 Ford 6.0 diesel. They are a pure disaster area. ref dieselgarage.com Major engine problems. V-8 engines are much harder on oil than a straight 6 no matter who builds them. Ran a fleet that used oil sampleing. In heavy use the ford and gm would break down the oil in 4,000 miles. The dodge would go 8,000 with the same wear metals showing up in the oil. Wear metals in oil sample means wear in the engine.

[Scarab0088]

A suggestion to get the MOST FOR YOUR MONEY...
Search CraigsList, AutoTrader, etc for trucks in Texas.

Pick-ups are so common there and Texans LOVE big HD trucks.
I saved about $8,000 over a duplicate used truck in Cali by making a deal and flying to Dallas.

Best of luck!

[J Birder]

There's a good article at http://www.dieselpowermag.com/features/1201dp_10_best_used_diesel_trucks/viewall.html.

[RustyJC]

Originally Posted by Perry White

An if anybody telling you a Dodge back in 2000 was a good pulling machine, we use to have hundreds of tow vehicles at the tracks, no Dodges.

Well, that's a first for me. Whatever their brand loyalty, I've NEVER seen anyone that wanted to debate the ability or applicability of the 5.9 Cummins to tow a heavy load. There are many of these 2nd generation trucks still out there working daily for their owners, and a number of these are million-mile trucks. Our 2002 Cummins HO/6-speed Dodge dually is still going strong for its current owners.

Rusty

[timberframe]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

A suggestion to get the MOST FOR YOUR MONEY...
Search CraigsList, AutoTrader, etc for trucks in Texas.

Pick-ups are so common there and Texans LOVE big HD trucks.
I saved about $8,000 over a duplicate used truck in Cali by making a deal and flying to Dallas.

Best of luck!

I bought a truck today. I picked up a 2001 Ford f350 diesel 7.3. It has 152,000 miles. It goes down the road good and I guess time will tell how nice of a truck it is. This will be my first diesel in a truck, (Had a perkins diesel) in a farm tractor once. Have to have a fifth wheel installed yet. I kind of wish I would have taken the idea of purchasing a southern truck, but perhaps next time. Thanks for all the advice in purchasing the truck.

[Philip.Saran]

Do yourself a favor and fill the diesel tank full, then go to a public
scale and weigh your truck, if like mine it should be close to 8K,
my 2004 has a gross weight of 20K leaving me 12K for towing a
loaded trailer. My TT loaded is about 7700 lbs.