Which Dually?

[sprucebunny]

If you plan on hauling a trailer less than 10,000 pounds, I'd recomend a 1990-1993 F350 deisel 2wd. Should be able to get a real nice one in Texas for less than $7500.

This is a non turbo (one fewer expensive thing to break) gets about 16 mpg, rides real nice and if you treat it nice should go 400,000 miles with few problems.Change the transmission filter/fluid every 60,000 miles.

The newer a truck is, the harder it is to fix yourself.Ford Powerstrokes have a bunch of sensors that break and a less bulletproof fuel system. Just my experience...

[slowzuki]

As a side note, my buddy owns a pair of F350's, pre powerstroke, 6.9 and a 7.3 no turbo.  My stock Suzuki Samurai is faster than even the 7.3.  Of course the 7.3 is almost the same speed even when it has 15,000 lb of hay hooked on to it.

[Murf]

I've got a fleet of pickups, mostly crew-cab duallies.

Over the years we've had them all, my experience has been;

-don't buy a Ford with an automatic tranny,
-if you get a GM be prepared to fix lots of stupid little things like the alternator EVERYTIME the battery gets run down,
-if you buy a Dodge it will rattle like a 10 year old truck after the first year,
-if you get a Ford PSD find one with the taller (3.50) rear end, NOT the 'stock' 4.10's, it will run a LOT better on the highway and still have plenty of grunt, especially mated to the 6 speed manual.

Finally, if you get a Ford PSD, throw the stock exhaust and airbox in the scrap pile, and get the ECM reprogrammed, you will add BOTH 30% more horsepower, and about 5+ mpg to the factory numbers.

[scsmith42]

Methinks that Murf knows what he's talking about...

[Murf]

Thanks Steve, but me thinks you over-estimate my abilities just a tad.  :D

I do however remember that which costs or saves me money.....  ;D

[ScottAR]

All three domestics are pretty good trucks.  If'n I was getting...
I'd get a 2wd, manual trans, Diesel or gas will be your call.

I'd buy the biggest motor for that series truck.  You can always let off the throttle but it's harder to add fuel to the fire. 

The 2wds for the most part are still using tapered wheel bearings.  Most of the 4x4 trucks are using unit bearings or hub assemblies which run between $150 and $300 a piece. 

Manual trans besides an oil change are good to go for the life of the truck.  Clutch runs $500 to $800 and should last 100k more or less.  Auto rebuilds start around $1k and get worse from there. 

I'd probably try to find one with sealed beam headlights too but I'm weird like that.  Headlight housings are expensive.

Don't get a GM 6.2 or 6.5 if you ever plan to be in a hurry. 

[slowzuki]

As a note, reprograming the ECM will increase the stink and emissions and reduce the engine life.  Every psi of boost you let the engine make takes time off the engine life.  If the programming messes with the injection timing which I don't think the PSD computer can do it really cranks the NOx emissions up.  The injection is retarded stock to lower the peak temps at the start of the injection cycle.

t a Ford PSD, throw the stock exhaust and airbox in the scrap pile, and get the ECM reprogrammed, you will add BOTH 30% more horsepower, and about 5+ mpg to the factory numbers.

[flip]

Find a '00-2003 F350 2wd with the 7.3 and 4R100 (auto) trans.  Take to a dealer and have check for blow by, fuel leaks, and make sure glow plugs are working.  We have see dozens of guys come in here with smoking or low power complaints, raise the hood and find K&N and Bully Dog chip.  Engine is dusted because air filter never got cleaned.  If you pop the hood and see a dirty K&N or Airaid-run.  A chip will give you more power but you will loose fuel economy-facts of life.  I would steer clear of the 6.0.  If you can pony up get a new '08 6.4, it's about to make Chevy and Dodge extinct in the truck market.  I'm a little Ford biased ;D.  Maintenance records are a plus!

[Quartlow]

Chipping a truck only results in poor fuel economy if you drive it like you stole it.

I drove 444 cummins once that put 850 HP on the ground trough the old style drive line components. When it was stock it got 4.5 MPG after it was rebuilt and hopped up it got 6.5 MPG
Even if you went to racing it mileage only dropped to 5mpg
The longer you stay in high gear, and the less you shift the less fuel you use.

When you have HP you don't have to shove your foot through the firewall in an attempt to get moving

[sprucebunny]

The info I got says that the 2008 Fords are going to make the dealerships rich...you have to remove the cab of the truck to perform many engine repairs.

Another blow to do-it-yourselfers :

[rebocardo]

Gas or diesel?

For a crew cab I prefer the Ford, especially in a 4x4.

The Dodge with the Cummings (don't get the 98-99 ? that uses the Chrysler only sourced injector pump) is nice. I would recommend NOT buying a Dodge with an automatic, the standard is a good transmission though.

One thing going for the Dodge is it is easy to work on compared to the Fords. Easy enough to do standard things such as bleeding the fuel rail. Once you have the multi-point sockets for the Dodge, changing the starter is way easier then it is on the Ford and that is one of the most common things to change on a diesel that is a wear item besides the batteries.

[flip]

If you call getting paid 2 hours to do 4 hours worth of work getting rich, we are rolling in it ;)  DIYser do not buy new trucks to work on them, they buy to use and for the 5 years 100,000 mile warrantys.  Most people would be surprised how bad dealers get boned working on vehicles under warranty.  I did warranty work when I was a tech. now I'm the one billing Ford for the work, even our best and fastest techs. do not beat warranty times. All I know the new '08 are mean as heck, quiet and have loads more power than any diesel Ford has ever produced.

[tcsmpsi]

If you call getting paid 2 hours to do 4 hours worth of work getting rich, we are rolling in it ;)  All I know the new '08 are mean as heck, quiet and have loads more power than any diesel Ford has ever produced.

Yeah but, all that is of little use when the wheels fall off of it.   :D

[flip]

 :

[tcsmpsi]

 :D Aw now, flip.  You can't expect any better from an old east texas dodge owner.

I remember a while back, I scrimped and saved got all my earnings together, as I was determined to go ahead and spend the extra money and get me a good truck.

I wrestled and haggled and moaned and groaned at the car lot, but all I could do was get 5 bucks off the asking price.  But, it was such a prime specimen of a truck, that reckoned I could let go of the $85 for a clean, dentless, smooth running '49 Dodge.

Sky blue with a white top.  Was one hog haulin' little jewel. 

[Murf]

As a note, reprograming the ECM will increase the stink and emissions and reduce the engine life.  Every psi of boost you let the engine make takes time off the engine life. 

t a Ford PSD, throw the stock exhaust and airbox in the scrap pile, and get the ECM reprogrammed, you will add BOTH 30% more horsepower, and about 5+ mpg to the factory numbers.

I don't know 'bout dat, I've got several that were done a few years back, one rarely turns a wheel without a trailer out back, even just da empty trailer weighs 3k pounds, loaded it's about 10k pounds, been doin' dat fer some 300,000+ miles, way better dan stock mileage an' still purrs like a kitten on warm milk.

My own toy, err, umm truck, has all that done to it and more, and has about 200k miles on it, still pushes a 9.5' snowplow, and hauls anything I can hitch to it.   :

[junkyard]

When I had trucks I ran Dodge Ford Chevvy and International. In the Tandem I liked the Ford, The Dealer was 10 miles away and could almost build a truck from his parts room. In the two ton size it was a tye between International and Dodge even though the dealer didn't have that big of a parts department. One ton duallys Dodge was the best even had a homemade tag axle on one of the Dodges. It hauled as much as the two tonners. Being an old timer this was a quite a while ago, but I would still look at the Dodge before the others.
                           Junkyard

[flip]

I thought all you Texas guys drove Fords...didn't think they sold any other brands down there. ;)

[slowzuki]

I guarrantee if there was such thing as free mileage it would come that way from the factory.  Sounds like you drive yours right and don't have that engine putting out its full hp all the time.  But I'm telling ya the hours a given diesel engine model has in her is a function of how much hp per cubic inch she delivers in her life.

Fuel her to 700 hp like some of the cummins crowd loves and leave your foot in it all the time and you'll quickly see what I'm talking about  :D  A good indication an engine won't live very long is if you need exhaust pyrometers to daily drive the thing.

Anyways, back on topic!

Back on topic, a cheap hauler for not a lot of miles will have a gasser in it because we all want diesel.  If you are putting low miles the savings on oil changes and regular maintenance and the initial savings all point to gas.  If you are putting 100,000 a year on it all points to diesel.

I don't know 'bout dat, I've got several that were done a few years back, one rarely turns a wheel without a trailer out back, even just da empty trailer weighs 3k pounds, loaded it's about 10k pounds, been doin' dat fer some 300,000+ miles, way better dan stock mileage an' still purrs like a kitten on warm milk.

My own toy, err, umm truck, has all that done to it and more, and has about 200k miles on it, still pushes a 9.5' snowplow, and hauls anything I can hitch to it.   :

[tcsmpsi]

Ohhhh noooo....not down here around these parts.  This is just sho 'nuff plain ol' Dodge country.

Had a newspaper article just the other day where a couple of Fords were found out in the east side of the county, buried up in the mud.  By golly, you know, I believe that they mentioned Indiana plates.   :D

Dodge dually's as primary and secondary vehicles.   (sheeesh)   :D  Well, anyhow, a lot more folks with them than what need them.   But then too, a lot of need for the farmers and loggers.

DanG near every 4th vehicle is a silver Dodge dually.  

Not me.  I try to keep all my stuff toned down enough that my little ol' Dakota Quad (black) will handle it all just peachy keen.  

[Murf]

I thought all you Texas guys drove Fords...didn't think they sold any other brands down there. ;)

I thought they were all biased towards stuff wit horns on da front, steer, goat, don't matter much I suppose.  ;)

:D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D

As a buddy of mine puts it, "Real trucks work for a living, they don't wear bow ties!!"  ;D

[Qweaver]

Thanks for all the input everyone.  I'd like to have a low milage truck but it's really hard for me to justify it unless I give up one of my other vehicles...and my wife starts to pout as soon as I mention selling our custom van.  :  I may just stay on the lookout for a mid 90s dually in good shape but that's tough to find.
Quinton

[isawlogs]

  On a quiet evenin', out here in the country ,  ya can hear a Ford rust .

  Personnally partial to Dodge ..

[thurlow]

  Personnally partial to Dodge ..

You and me both;  about to get the Cummins broken in.  It's a '93 D350 with that oft maligned Getrag 5 speed.  The dealer ordered it to my specs and I took possession on Valentine's day, 1993.  Already, I've had to replace the tires, brakes, battery and starter.  "They just don't make 'em like they used to".  It rides like the proverbial log wagon;  since I retired, my wife's been hinting that we need to get a 4-door that she wouldn't be ashamed to be seen in.  Long's I've got that 7500# gooseneck and need to move a tractor or backhoe on occasion, it ain't gonna happen.  8)

[isawlogs]

  Mines the class of 91 4 X 4 cumins with helpers on the back . It's down to the frame , doing a little body work to it    ;D   Mine also is just getting broken in ... at 500,000 kilos  ;D  I did change the trany and the transfer case ... but then it is behind a plow so that aint all that bad .