tow rig

[userbmx1315]

looking into getting a tow rig. i'm into the 7.3 fords. but also like the dodge diesels.
i'll be towing 2 xj's (after i get a trailer) looking for something that will haul 4-5 people.
which gets better milage towing and dd-ing?

 

[jcshaney]

99 crew cab superduty 4x4 15mpg towing 1 jeep 6 hours to harlan ky. last summer. dodges are probly better on mpg but the leg room in a superduty is alsome unless you buy a mega cab dodge

 

[POSJ]

98.5-02 5.9 will get the best mileage but they are a rare find in crewcab. Unloaded duramax's get the best mileage with a tune. Don't get a 6.0 Ford. I would look for a 7.3 for what you want unless you have some cash and want to get a 06-07 duramax with an LBZ.

 

[macgyvr]

Dodge didn't make a four door truck til 03. If they made one in the 98-02 trucks I'm pretty sure it was a custom cab. The 03 to 09 four doors really are just a bigger extended cab and for long trips wouldn't be something I would reccommend for four people. 10+ dodges finally have a decent sized cab but can you afford one? The megacab came out in 06, but if you need a long bed you can't get it with one unless you have it custom made. If your considering an 03 and newer dodge I would suggest leather seats because the cloth seats absolutely suck ass...I had an 06 Megacab with cloth and the seats were awful.

If you are serious about towing two rigs on a trailer I would suggest a dually. I have towed my two place with both a srw truck and a dually and hands down the dually feels safer and more controlled to me.

I would stay away from the 04 and eariler duramax because of issues with where things are located in the motor making them hard to work on. 05 and newer is a better design with the 06-07 (before the 07.5) being the best from the factory tune motors. I'm not a Chevy fan, but they seem to get decent fuel economy and have some great power.

That leaves us with Ford. You can buy the truck in any configuration almost. The 7.3 is a good strong reliable motor, but compared with the newer stuff it is slow and smelly. They had trouble with the cam sensors and a few oil gaskets here and there. They get great fuel economy but you'll lose a lot of speed on hills unless your haulin the mail at the bottom of the hill keeping the truck in the power band...

The 6.0 is the bastard. So many problems, yet there are people that swear by them. They are cheap. I see 7.3 trucks that are a few years older than 6.0 trucks going for lots more $$ than the 6.0 truck. Keep in mind that an upgrade to ARP studs, an egr delete, and an oil cooler upgrade will make the 6.0 a pretty decent motor. That said if you can pick one up cheap and put a couple grand in it you'll have a pretty decent truck.
I have a 6.4 Ford f450. Its a great truck, pulls anything and everything. But it gets awful fuel mileage. It also has 4.88s gears. The guys with the 6.4s like the motors once they delete the awful dpf...that's a couple grand to delete and run a tuner.

So the perfect answer? I wish I had it, cause I would've bought the truck already. Depends on how much you want to spend. Just remember a 7.3 truck is going to need some maintenance and people know what they are worth, they aren't giving them away. Dodge doesn't really have an affordable crew cab unless you're ok with a shortbed and the oldest ones there are 06s. Chevys are better 05 to 07, but pricey.

I'm trying to sell my f450, I'm going to go with the LBZ chevy (i hate chevys but...) or find an 05-07 6.0 truck for a steal and do the mods. My goal is 8 to 10 mpg with a two place trailer...currently i'm getting 6 to 7...

mac 'diesel isn't getting any cheaper' gyvr

 

[userbmx1315]

deff not getting a 6.0 ford. leg room shouldnt be a problem with me. i'm like 5'9" 155.
ive found a few 7.3's but they have high miles, in the 250k. what is the average miles on a 99-02 7.3.?

i like obd2 trucks for simplicety of fixing.

 

[ChiXJeff]

Mac, the Dodge 2nd Gen 24v trucks did have a 4 door option. The early ones were suicide doors, and don't have a pillar between the doors, called a Quad Cab. I think the later ones did have a standard rear door. All of them were definitely tiny rear doors, though.

 

[userbmx1315]

an extended cad would be fine. as long as the driver (me) is comfortable then it will be fine, since i'm buying the truck. hahahahah.
i dont have the cash, so i'm really looking into a buy here pay here or some kind of car loan. but i'd like to keep it less the 12,000

 

[macgyvr]

Interest rates will kill you unless you have awesome credit...and even then...

I see 99 to 02 7.3 trucks go for 12 to 18k depending on options and cab configurations and most are 170 to 230k miles...and most need some kind of maintenance or other work. Texas trucks that make it this far up north are higher because of no rust.

The quad cab with the suicide doors to me is an extended cab. The doors that open like a four door on a cab I've only seen in the 03 and newer gens...the 94 to 02s i've never seen in a full four door version.

You say that about an extended cab, but if you are pulling your buddies rig and he's paying for half the fuel, you'll want him to be comfy...if you want him to split the trailer.

Do you have a trailer? A nice two place trailer isn't cheap either.

Different variations. Dually tows it all better.

mac 'spliting a trailer is double the fuel economy' gyvr

 

[userbmx1315]

i do not have a trailer. will be looking into one after the truck.

what are ya'll's thoughts on a 6cyl dodge? i didnt know those were 6cyl. ive seen one for $12k and had 134XXX miles

 

[macgyvr]

Dodge makes a good motor...the rest of it...well...

what year is the one you found?

mac 'I bought a cummins once...but it came wrapped in a dodge' gyvr

 

[1990JEEPXJ]

yeah i have heard from many people that the interiors in dodges lack quality. seems as though every brand has its pros and cons. i guess it all comes down to whats important to you. for 12k you can throw out the duramax as an option. they are expensive.

 

[userbmx1315]

the year is a 99. what do u mean 'the rest of it'?

 

[MoparManiac]

The front ends do need attention in the 2nd gen Dodges. I have an '01 5.9 5spd (NV4500) ext cab short bed 4x4.

I've upgraded the trackbar in mine, added a steering box brace, and have done ball joints/unit bearings. Once done though, I haven't had a problem in 30k miles though some people claim otherwise. For a '99 there are write-ups to swap Ford outers onto it to get locking hubs back.

I have had other things go out (mine has ~125k miles) like the clutch master/slave, and the fan clutch. Just recently the CAD front axle (same as an XJ from 84-91 with part-time t-case) became finicky. They stopped using that in 2002.

As far as interior, I'm not a fan of the cloth seats in the 2nd gens (I have leather) but the cloth seats in my father's third gen are nice and comfy ('08). Almost all 2nd gens end up with a cracked dash which varies with intensity. Mine has two small cracks by the defroster vents that haven't gotten any worse so it doesn't bother me. Other than that I haven't had any issues.

Other than that, no issues. I've towed my rig and my buddies rig (separately) and average about 13-15 mpg with a 7k and a 10k trailer. Unloaded I can pull 20 mpg easily.

I wouldn't suggest 4 full sized adults could ride comfortably in my truck. 3 would be the max so the third has room to spread out in the back, it's hardly a full rear seat. I use it mostly for interior storage.

That being said, I'd probably still go with a 2nd gen, but try for a 2002 Sport ext cab short bed 4x4 5.9 NV5600 (6spd).

 

[xjsnake]

This might be worth a look and is near you.

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/ctd/2179594933.html

 

[chpmnsws6]

Does it have to be a 4wd? If it doesn't, stick with a 2wd. If your strictly pulling overloaded trailers, go with a DRW. If you plan to drive the truck around town with some pulling overloaded trailers, get a SRW. If you don't like the sway with the SRW, put some 19.5's on it.

For trucks, Dieselbombers has a few that are going cheap. If you don't have emissions and don't think you will for awhile, go with a 97-98 12v CTD. If you do think you'll be fighting emissions, go with a 98.5+ CTD.

I like the turbo 7.3 for the truck, but the engine is a slouch. Its too bad the Fummins couldn't have been created from the factory.

 

[macgyvr]

the year is a 99. what do u mean 'the rest of it'?

The motor is good, the rest of it falls apart...

The perfect truck...a cummins with an allison in a Ford...at least for me...

You can get that, but its called an F650...and out of my price range...

mac 'loves Ford interiors' gyvr

 

[eflores]

i ran a 98 Chevy c3500 crew cab 454 5spd
power was ok and i love the nv4500. i "upgraded" to a 98 dodge ram 3500 cummins 12v 5 spd "crew cab" aka mini suicide doors. yes the holy grail of the 12 valvers. well after my first long trip (2200 miles) i can say i hate this effing cab. i want my old chevy back with my very healthy 430hp 12v under the hood.....and one day it will happen

 

[userbmx1315]

This might be worth a look and is near you.

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/ctd/2179594933.html

ive seen that. that was another one i was looking at.
the reason i want 4wd is for those "just in case" moments. id hate to be going to a 4wd-park or place to wheel and have a hard time driving thru rainy gravel or hit a slick patch of black ice.
i have been putting thoughts on a 2wd. but a 4wd just looks better

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

The motor is good, the rest of it falls apart...

The perfect truck...a cummins with an allison in a Ford...at least for me...

x2 :thumbup:

 

[userbmx1315]

any problems with a 95 dodge like the link above?