help and knowledge for best puller

[chico4554]

hey guys,
i am going to start seriously looking for a puller in the next year or so. I would like to go with a diesel, mainly for the better mileage and loads of torque. A gasser isnt out of the question, but i may be daily driving this truck for a period of time. I have kinda narrowed it down to a 1999-2003 7.3 powerstroke with the 6 speed, or basically any cummins with a standard tranny. Ive heard the 1998-2002 cummins arent the most reliable, and i would really love to get the 03 H.O. cummins with the 6-speed. What are your guys' thoughts on the best of these two?

Im looking to spend above 10,000, but lower than 15,000. Thanks for any input!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Is it going to be a dd and a tow pig or just a tow pig? You can save alot of money outright by skipping the diesel and going with the V-10, if you are not going to drive it much the diesel will take along time to pay for itself in fuel savings (the currently high price of diesel won't help much either) Short quick trips are harder on the diesel, they are made to run for hours on end, not for a 10 minute trip to work each morning. Short trips are not that great for a gasser but they take it better.

That said I think both trucks are good, the Ford truck itself might be a little better made but I know alot of happy owners of both breeds. Both trucks are probably the cream of the crop IMO, not overly complex for emissions yet but still somewhat refined. If I got a heavier truck it would be between those two trucks and those engines.

 

[chico4554]

it would all depend on when i found a good deal. If i was to get one now, it would be a daily driver for me. (driving 50 miles highway to school and back, then around town on weekends) If i got one in a few years when i have my own property, i would most likely have a cheap DD so the truck would be the winter/puller hog. If that was the situation, i would consider a gasser almost equally to a diesel just because of price difference. If i got a gasser it would be ford hands down, most likely a mid/late 90s 460 F-350 w/5-speed.

I know both diesel engines are pretty good, i was wondering if you guys know any problems with the standard tranmissions, axles, or any other problems with drivetrain. I thought i remembered reading somewhere that the dodge front axle isnt as good, Im not sure why though.

 

[canyoncritter]

if you go gas try and go new enugg to get a mass air flow truck vs the MAP injected trucks. get alittle better gas millage.

Had a 2000 7.3 superduty.Never had any real problems with it.A couple of auto trannys.But thats normal with a diesel.factory one a 60,warranty at 100,000. javier is out proably trying to kill the built one I put in...truck got stolen at 110,000

Front wheel bearing cost a few bucks.not cheap.about 250 in parts perside.my factory ones lasted 80,000 and 97,000

the vacum lines to the hubs,if they get leaks will create all kinds of funky stuff(all air vents go out the defroster) and burn up the vacum pump.

changed the oil every 3,000 miles.ford says 7,500. 7,500 just made me cringe.

http://www.thedieselgarage.com/ has alot of info, member's of all brands

 

[Will]

Well, I'll tell you none of the above. But I'd be just talking to myself as usual.

 

[Will]

Alright, I decided to chime in with my unwanted 2 cents anyway--you did title your post "Best Puller".

THIS is an example of what I would get. You can get them cheaper.

The 6.2/6.5 has been in production for 25 years, and still is. It's proven. It survived the initial morons that didn't know about diesels and in it's quarter of a century of production it has certainly shown its ass a time or two but the bottom line is, it's a great motor and extremely efficient.

Will it beat a Cummins or Powerstroke in a footrace?

Nope. Everyone knows that. It's an old indirect injection motor, mechanical, low pressure injection, high compression limits boost and it isn't built for the torque the newer motors can make.

But, it will respond well to 12psi of boost and the injection pump can make 250hp/450ft# on that 12psi. If you monitor the EGT it's no problem. It's an extremely simple motor that any idiot can work on, and unlike any other diesel I've stuck my head under--you can actually see it in the engine compartment.

That newer body style truck with a manual overdrive or a lockup converter can get 25+ mpg on the highway at 70+ mph. I had a '90 2500 and got that. I also made 16mpg pulling my B2 on a trailer at 70mph. No problem. 450ft# gets you over any hill without a downshift unless you get into 7% territory. In my current truck with 4.10 gears, I've had to downshift once for a hill--on the Mountain Parkway in Kentucky--it was 7 miles of 7% and at the very end it suddenly rose steeply and the truck shifted itself.

I don't know what a 600ft# Cummins gets you--you don't get a downshift on the last 1/4 mile of that particular road I suppose. I've towed everywhere from Colorado to Taxechuessets and Florida to Michigan with this truck. It's a 250hp motor and if I am racing another diesel, which I have, it stands its own. It's a very quick truck empty--nobody can beat you across an intersection with that 21.3:1 compression.

And I paid $5,000 for this truck--a Forest Service surplus truck with 47,000 on it. I paid $900 for a used Banks turbo kit on Ebay and then $2,100 for the overdrive unit. It has about 84,000 on it now and I replaced the waterpump and the mastercylinder and done 2,500 mile oilchanges in the 40,000 I've owned it.

It's the best vehicle I've owned and my second 6.2 diesel. No you don't get the cool points of having a big Cummins C but you aren't going to make as many payments, it's easier on fuel and it still goes the speed limit + 10mph easily with 9,500#--the heaviest I've pulled with it.

Don't think you'll be in the slow lane watching people go by. A 450ft# truck beats any gasser when you're on the interstate loafing past them at 2,00rpm on hills when they have downshifted twice--it's a beast of a motor with a turbo on it.

But I still wish I didn't have to have it. I want a turbo-diesel Jetta.

 

[chico4554]

i did look into the 6.5 TD, at the time i couldnt find too much. I guess it makes sense that a little less power will get you better mileage. What transmissions are usually put behind those engines? Were they made with a standard transmission? This is why i posted up on here, hoping to get a little enlightenment on something i may have been overlooking. Ill go research the 6.5 TD now.

 

[chico4554]

well ive read a few sources on the 6.5 TD and i foudn the biggest problem is the injector pumps. Ive also found that they get decent mileage with the right gear ratio. I went to find some on bargainnews and also ebaymotors, but could not find any with a 5 speed tranny.

 

[Will]

The use the same power as any other truck to maintain a given speed at a given weight. A 360hp Duramax only uses 100hp going down the road with a trailer. The have an efficient head design and extremely high compression. 2wd 1/2 tons have been know to get 30mpg. They make great power with a turbo. The Cummins came out in pickups at 160hp and 400ft#. I drove a 30,000#GVWR straight truck with a 185hp Cummins. My dad drove a 275hp over-the-road truck when I was a kid. It's not really about horsepower--it's about torque at the rpm you are driving at. That's the horsepower you are interested in. If you need to pull over 10,000# I would get a Cummins or a Powerstroke. But up to that, a turbocharged 6.2/6.5 does the job just fine. In fact, you need a class A license to pull over 10,000# anyway unless the trailer has RV plates so I don't see the point.

You can get them with a 5-speed. They will have a 4L80 with an overdrive or a 3L80 (TH400) without. The will have a 700R4 if they are 2500LD or 1500 series. I don't know what manual trannies they had. I learned to drive a stick on a brand new '82 with a 400 gallon tank and a 4-speed. Was around them in the military and have had one since 2003 I guess.

 

[Will]

THIS is a perfect example of what I think would be a great tow vehicle.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

It's not really about horsepower--it's about torque at the rpm you are driving at

Yet you think your 3.5L pilot would outpull a 300 straight 6?

Dont look at diesels, get a 96 F250 with a 460 V8 in it. Pull as good as a diesel, and you'll have the big block performance when your running it empty. Gas mileage will be like 11 or 12, as to a Diesels 15MPG but with Diesel at 3.59 a gallon, plus the extra costs of oil changes, the constant filter changes, etc, AND the extra buy in cost of a Diesel, its a waste of money in the long run.

Plus parts for a 460 is cheap.

Will thinks Diesels are gods gift. I had a 04 Cummins Ram.....I hated it. The old 400M in my 78 Ford woulda whopped on it. Couldnt keep parts under it, etc etc. The only decent diesel engine is the 5.9L cummins and the old IH 6.9L, but they still arnt nearly as good as a comparable Big Block. The 6.2L\6.5L twins are JUNK. The Duramax is a Isuzu designed aluminum head pile of shit, the 6.0L Powerchoke is also an pile of shit. The only thing that belongs on a Diesel is Cast Iron.

There weight is an advatage though....heavy boat anchors work the best.

Deisel is nice if your always lugging around 10000+ Lbs....but in daily driving and whatnot they suck.

Take a 96 7.3L and a 96 460 and hold on to your ass cause that 460's takin ya to lunch...then screwin your GF afterwards.

I cant speak for the Triton V10....my guess is it sucks like all of Fords engines in there trucks after 96. The 4.6L does great in cars though....ill give it credit there.

later,
Dustin

 

[Will]

You're full of shit Dustin. Top to bottom.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Yeah well i think your an asshole. Yeah I said it.

Ban me.

Im sick of not being able to voice my opinions without you coming up with some damn contridiction to everything. You think that your right and the whole fucking world is wrong. You need to get whatever it is that you have shoved up your ass outta there, quit PMS'ing about everything I say, and live with it.

Saying Im full of shit is the most 2nd grade responce ive ever heard. But by reading most of your posts all you know how to do is copy and paste shit. Will youve had ONE diesel in your entire life, and a shitty 6.2L at that. DIESELS SUCK! once and for all i said it, im sick of skateing around the truth with it. There slow, they stink, there noisy, who really wants to motor though town with something that smells and sounds like a 50 year old tractor?

There fine when you wanna dump a shit load of money into them, and yeah, black smoke is cool, but they are not the best for everything. Period end of story.

You need to come down off your fucking high horse and stop thinking your above and better then everyone else.

But i guess you wouldnt know a real truck if it bit you in the ass, after all, you think that your pilot is the most bad ass SUV around. Yeah maybe when you load the kids up and take them to the mall. An Explorer, Liberty, Expedtion, anything would kick its ass. On the trail, on the road, with a load, whatever. Im gonna laugh my fucking ass off when you have to buy parts for it.....and pay 400 bucks for a spark plug wire just to realize you cant even change it yourself.

I would be suprised if you could even change a spark plug or wire on a SMall block Chevy.

later,
Dustin

 

[Will]

Sorry, I'm not in the ban department.

What I don't understand is, I constantly support my opinion with references--link, scans etc. I've invited you to friendly bets on competitons--you bring your stuff, I bring mine. You've declined every time so I stopped doing it. All you have is your opinion. Like now, you are claiming your 400M will whip the shit out of a 300hp 600ft# Cummins. Okay, you said you had one. Well John U has one and I'll bet he won't agree with you.

I don't just post. I've towed with my truck all over this side of the Rockies. I can guarentee your 400 won't stand a chance against my truck.

You don't want to get along. That's plain to me. I'm not out to get you. I just wish you had SOMETHING to support your overly strong opinions.

And yes, my Pilot will whip your 300. Easily.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

YOUR FUCKING PILOT WILL NOT BEAT A 300!!!

How many 3.5L's do you see in one ton trucks? Grain trucks, Etc? Thats right NONE. The 300 was used in everything from F100's to F650 trucks. That speaks for what they can do.

I told you....with 3500 or 4000lbs....yeah your pilot will be faster.....but the heavier things get the closer the 300 will come. Till finally your Pilot is sitting there with the Engine bogged while the 300 chug a lugs right past.

later,
Dustin