Considering trading my 7.3 for a Duramax... thoughts?

96 Chevy 6.5s are where it's at, mainly because I have the title in hand :D

Brad, I knew you were smarter than to have a Ford when I saw the truck at WF, glad to hear you are coming around. If I could (and wanted to) be $500 poorer each month I would have bought a Dmax/Allison truck. I love the body style, interiors and of course the drivetrain. Wah, it's IFS. BFD it rides 10x better than a straight axle truck that for most people will never see serious offroad time. I've taken the heavy Chevy down the powerline at Redbird, no problem :D
 
Why would you trade a 7.3 for some junk Chevy :D

I could go on and on but you seem to have your heart set...

The best interior hands down is the FORD. Late 06/07 Fords with the 6.0 are considered to be pretty reliable and you can buy em affordable too. I saw an 07 cc sb 4x4 6.0 f350 single rear wheel with 87k for $18k almost made me want to sell the F450 and buy it cause thats a great deal.

If you buy a 3rd gen dodge get leather interior if you want to have a chance at enjoying driving the truck. The megacabs (first year was 05) are awesome but the cloth seats all the way around are supersuckorama. Also the 3rd gen dodges love to eat up all those front end parts and they have a mysterious rotational noise on some. The trans in my 06 seemed to be strong with only having solienods replaced at 100k.

Remember you are looking at a 3/4 to 1 ton truck. Its gonna ride like do-do, they all do and I've rode and driven all of the three in various generations. Its not going to drive like a sports car and they all have problems of one sort or another.

Check your ford to make sure that you don't have any broken rear leaf springs, that is a common problem and won't give it a chance at driving correctly.

I've wanted to buy a truck like yours both times I've bought a diesel truck. The prices they command and the interest rate/loan terms have put me in a two year old truck twice...and its wasn't a 99 - 02 Ford.

mac 'towmater' gyvr
 
MoparManiac said:
:puke:
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I'll take the interior of the 01 ford f250 over the interior of a 01 dodge 2500 in a heartbeat.

I'll take my F450 interior over everything thats out there...its flat out fantastic!!!

mac 'no church pews here' gyvr
 
I've ridden in my buddies 7.3 and I just wasn't impressed by it not to mention wasnt comfortable.

My friends '06 Duramax definitely has a nice interior.

And I have to say my interior is pretty damn comfortable (granted it's a laramie with every option) and I love the layout. I can reach everything without a problem.

I'm not a fan of the 3rd gen dodge interiors, I don't know who designed them but they must have 5ft long arms.
 
MoparManiac said:
I've ridden in my buddies 7.3 and I just wasn't impressed by it not to mention wasnt comfortable.

My friends '06 Duramax definitely has a nice interior.

And I have to say my interior is pretty damn comfortable (granted it's a laramie with every option) and I love the layout. I can reach everything without a problem.

I'm not a fan of the 3rd gen dodge interiors, I don't know who designed them but they must have 5ft long arms.
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Thats a better reply than the puke...

mac 'dodges need leather to even have a chance at a nice interior' gyvr
 
Meh I wouldn't go that far. The seats in my fathers '98 are extremely comfortable and supportive even though they aren't leather.

Again, I just hate the dash layout.

I haven't ridden in a newer Ford though. Maybe they're better.
 
Mac I disagree with everything you said lol. It's just my opinion but hey. 6.0's are the worst diesel motor, I've had two buddies that both blew heads on them in stock form no power adders. The motor feels like poo when driving it, when you let off the go-pedal it decelerates like the e-brake is stuck(test drove three to disprove this and they were all the same). The interior is plain jane Ford interior(I don't know where they got the reputation for having good interior) and the steering wheel is the same since 97'. The ride quality was the same as a the Dodge's. The GM trucks ride awesome, and are comfortable for a 28 hours trip. The motor pulls well and without a trailer its very "peppy". The interior as I said before is very good in the bucket seat/leather option in the years he said.

I originally wanted an 05-07 Dodge with the 5.9l. when I test drove it I loved it but it was more of a farm truck feel, being that I'm in the military and don't do much farming it just didn't fit. So I decided to do research and test drive each one, I thought I was either getting a Dodge or a Ford because of what their owners said about their trucks and talk about the Chevy's. The Chevy owners were the nicest on the forums when I was researching and didn't bash the other two like the others did. I would say do you research and pick which fits you best. I wouldn't trade my truck for anything but a CC/SB 2500HD instead of my 3500 CC/LB, just because it weighs a little more. Let us know what you pick, if you get one.
 
Wow, it got heated pretty quick in here. :D Which is where most threads like this end up. Dodge is out for me. Yes the CTD is great, trans can be OK with some work, but why should I have to pay for a nice truck and then spend more money beefing it up? I don't know about the interior, but I will say the crew cabs look damn small, and the 06 megacabs I saw were going for quite a bit. Anyway, moot point cause I'm not getting a Dodge. :)

I did consider a 6.0 PSD. I think the coils up front would help out, but ultimately I am a pansy and not looking for the farm truck ride, so I think IFS is going to be the bees knees. I'm not terribly worried about the 6.0s reliability any more. Not a huge fan of the 6.4L or anything with DPF. Sure I can delete it, but why am I spending this much money just to have to modify it so it gets halfway decent mileage? From the few 6.0s I've been, their interior is basically identical in layout to the 7.3, just spruced up a little bit. It wasn't a Lariat though. Not that it's a bad setup, but it is plain. 6.4s look fantastic inside, but again that's a moot point cause I'm not getting a 6.4. :)

Just like Mac, most people are telling me to shut up and get used to it, it's a 3/4 ton truck and it's going to ride like crap. Yea, that seems to be reality, but I don't see why it has to be that way. I read about crappy ride quality on Ford forums, but I don't see that as much on the Chevy forums. I think Chevy has found a good balance. Sure, they are sacrificing some things that the other trucks have in order to get a good ride, but nothing that I think I'll miss.

When I bought my 7.3, I had put a ton of money into my Tahoe, and my only requirement was for it to be reliable. So I bought what is regarded as one of the most reliable light duty diesel powertrains out there (see how I said powertrain and not just engine? :D). I probably would have bought a Duramax originally, I just didn't want to spend the money on it. So now I'm in less debt with a truck that I'm not enjoying as much as I should.

It's still a solid truck, for being a lesser output motor it seems like it would haul just about anything. I wouldn't mind looking into getting the steering straightened out and maybe keeping it, I'm kind of up in the air at the moment. Sorry I haven't PM'ed anybody about prices, I am working on a good description of it so everyone knows the good and the bad about it. Work has been breaking my spirit the past few days, so I haven't jumped on selling it as fast as I would to have liked.

Time to grab some :cheers: and debate it a little more.
 
MoparManiac said:
My buddy Bill (RCMan) on here has an '06 and loves it. I've ridden it and it definitely has some sack to it and rides like a cloud.
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Little late in the response... but I love my '06 LBZ Duramax. I got a good deal on it and just picked it up a few months ago with only 51K miles.

I wouldn't say it rides like a cloud, but it is better than the leaf sprung Fords and Dodges. It also tows a heck of a lot better than my old '03 1500 did.
Then again, as mentioned, it is a 3/4 ton truck it is supposed to be somewhat harsh.
POSJ said:
Kind of yeah, it all depends on the VIN. It is an easy upgrade though, so once you change the tune you should have an LBZ. Here: 8th vin #D-LBZ 360 hp tune, 8th Vin #3-06 LLY 310 hp tune. But get me the whole VIN and I'll check as much as I can.
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Minor correction, the 8th digit in the VIN, a "D" denotes a LBZ, a "2" will have the LLY. For '06 they are basically the same with the LLY having a lesser tune. 04.5-05 LLYs are different.
macgyvr said:
Thats a better reply than the puke...

mac 'dodges need leather to even have a chance at a nice interior' gyvr
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I agree with you that the latest Ford interiors are pretty good, but the older gens are just horrendous. I'd take a Chevy/GM or Dodge interior any day.
Edit: Just to add some more ;) , my buddy with an '02 E250 and and '05 Superduty can't keep the interior plastic together. It squeaks and rattles all the time. I can't comment on that gen's Powerstoke 'cause for some unknown reason he bought 5.4L gasers. I've riden in a few, but thats not a fair comparison.
 
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You sure RC? Here is what I've always been told:

8th Vin #1-LB7 300 hp
8th Vin #2-04.5-05 LLY 310hp
8th Vin #3-06 LLY 310hp *Edit* After more digging this is the LLY engine code used in the Hummer H1 Alpha not in the trucks
8th vin #D-LBZ 360 hp
8th Vin #6-LMM 365 hp
 
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I agree with the ford interior part. Brad's dash is hideous But Rev's interior is badass! I like the 04-06 Chevy/GMC interior. I would rather have a CTD myself but i'm kinda biased since A. I love straight 6's and B. I work for Cummins and know the engines are top notch. Niether truck is perfect but i'd prefer a Dodge.
 
FlexdXJ said:
I agree with the ford interior part. Brad's dash is hideous But Rev's interior is badass! I like the 04-06 Chevy/GMC interior. I would rather have a CTD myself but i'm kinda biased since A. I love straight 6's and B. I work for Cummins and know the engines are top notch. Niether truck is perfect but i'd prefer a Dodge.
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It looks better than the dash in your tow rig. :moon:

Did everyone find out I want to buy a Duramax and start raising the prices? At first I thought I'd be spending 22-24k, now I'm getting close to 30k. Ugh. Sure it's just money, but it's still hard to justify. I am sure I would be happy with a Chevy, but for this kind of money I might have to start looking at how to make the Ford steer and ride better. Swapping a front end from a 6.0L seems like it might help, but isn't really a project I want to take on.
 
Just to jump into the fray, 2010 is the 1st dodge with a real Crew Cab with a long bed the choices before where the quad cab and mega (only comes in a short bed unless you drop some coin). And before anyone says anything yes you could could get a Power Wagon crew cab back in the day only talking the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gen 2500/3500s. With almost 20k on the clock I'm pretty happy with my tow pig and would not trade it for anything for long distance hauls. I sold my 02 3500 quad cab with six speed and HO to fund this truck and have not looked back. btw in case someone wants to know my cab is 6in shorter than the mega cab and seats 5 full grown adults very easily.

I would keep your ford and do what you need to get it to where YOU want it, every new/used truck has its own set of issues none of them are perfect. For me I wish I could get an Allison trans behind my cummins and I would be set :) but the new six speed seems to be holding up well guess I'll see in the next 90k

846611717_D9ApH-M.jpg
 
Maxcfm said:
Just to jump into the fray, 2010 is the 1st dodge with a real Crew Cab with a long bed the choices before where the quad cab and mega (only comes in a short bed unless you drop some coin). And before anyone says anything yes you could could get a Power Wagon crew cab back in the day only talking the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gen 2500/3500s. With almost 20k on the clock I'm pretty happy with my tow pig and would not trade it for anything for long distance hauls. I sold my 02 3500 quad cab with six speed and HO to fund this truck and have not looked back. btw in case someone wants to know my cab is 6in shorter than the mega cab and seats 5 full grown adults very easily.

I would keep your ford and do what you need to get it to where YOU want it, every new/used truck has its own set of issues none of them are perfect. For me I wish I could get an Allison trans behind my cummins and I would be set :) but the new six speed seems to be holding up well guess I'll see in the next 90k
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That is a nice-looking truck! As mentioned before, I am not a huge fan of Dodge's styling, and I have had mixed feelings about the new-style reverse-slant front grill. I do have to admit that yours looks pretty sharp though.

As for my plans... well, initially my price range was less than $25k, and it's been kind of hit or miss to find 06 Duramaxes that I would feel good about driving. Still haven't talked to a bank about a loan, and in the meantime, I've paid off one loan and have a good plan to pay off the rest of my truck soon.

So... hmmm. I know that a newer Duramax (or even Ford or Chevy) would be better in every way, except for the price. And I know that eventually I will step up to one. But I will probably keep my 7.3 for a little while longer yet, then see how I feel. I have a wheeling trip this weekend, so I'll see if it does any better on a longer trip now that I've greased up the chassis joints and fixed a few other things.
 
:yelclap:
Glad you're sticking with the Ford... by far the best of the tree :D
As for the oil pan thing, you don't need to pull the engine... just jack it up a bit.

Not that it makes any bit of difference, but I test drove a 2011 F450 CC LB King Ranch a few weeks ago, and holy chit. That thing is the most comfortable truck I've ever been in. I can stand in front of the engine bay with the hood open and hold a conversation with somebody, and it drove more like a car or light SUV, totally didn't feel like I was driving around a 13,000# truck. But not for $60k :eek:
And PS, 7.3s are the best engine ever. 6.0s suck though.
 
GoSlowGetStuck said:
That is a nice-looking truck! As mentioned before, I am not a huge fan of Dodge's styling, and I have had mixed feelings about the new-style reverse-slant front grill. I do have to admit that yours looks pretty sharp though.

As for my plans... well, initially my price range was less than $25k, and it's been kind of hit or miss to find 06 Duramaxes that I would feel good about driving. Still haven't talked to a bank about a loan, and in the meantime, I've paid off one loan and have a good plan to pay off the rest of my truck soon.

So... hmmm. I know that a newer Duramax (or even Ford or Chevy) would be better in every way, except for the price. And I know that eventually I will step up to one. But I will probably keep my 7.3 for a little while longer yet, then see how I feel. I have a wheeling trip this weekend, so I'll see if it does any better on a longer trip now that I've greased up the chassis joints and fixed a few other things.
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Thanks for the kind words, if it helps any i didn't like the hood and grill at 1st but once i understood the WHY I'm fine with it they had to increase the airflow into the front of the truck there was no way to do that with the shorter 1500 grill. So they rasied it and canted it forward, if it was not canted forward it would be 2-3in taller than what it is which would look silly an be even more of a pain to see over.

As for your truck you have a solid start to a great rig I would stick with it you have the 7.3 which is a good motor and if its payed off even better :)

Good luck with it
 
Buy what you want.

The duramax is a good engine, but it too has its problems. Like anything else, you either get a great truck, or a pile

The later 6.0s had almost all the issues worked out of them, but again, you get the random one that has issues

After sending one back to ford, my fathers current 6.4 is amazing. After a chip and dpf delete, it gets 17 mpg and has amazing power

If you like the GM trucks, go with it, as long as you dont intend to plow snow with it
 
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