I Want to talk TRUCKS! Trucks for Hauling Trailers! Diesel Vs Gas.. 2500 vs 3500 etc. - Page 2

Mine doesnt blow smoke one bit. Only right at start up and for a second if you rev the motor in park. Even tried putting a "power puck" from my buddys truck in mine... Nothin! Small itty bitty power increase and thats it. Hooked it back into my buddys truck, black smoke central. I think its safe to say my truck isnt gettin proper fuel...(fuel filters new, got a performance lift pump and a good injection pump... Only thing left is injectors.... Oh the joysbof diesel!)



Now i dont want mine to chooch black smoke all the time. Thats just a waste of fuel. Its just nice to be able to do it. especially when your waiting for a break in traffic to get out of a fast food joint on a busy 6 lane road and someone leans on the horn behind you, then goes around you nearly hitting cars on his way out. And its even better when karma is on your side and you get to sit right beside him at the next red light. He didnt like his slow manual windows that day. LOL

Originally Posted by Pattercore

I have a 2003 Chevrolet 2500HD extended cab with the 6.0L and a 4L80E Automatic Transmission. Almost has 350,000 miles on the Engine and uses 3/4 of a quart of oil every 3000 miles. I still to this day would hop in the truck and drive around the world, very relieable... I've replaced the transmission the transfer case and the normal front end parts (normal maint.) This truck was a former FABCO CAT truck it had a gooseneck hitch in the truck before I bought it and it also was a plow truck from the previous owner.. This truck has Been worked all of its life and Since I bought it. It has even a harder life now. I bought the truck with 145,541 miles on it. I've hauled everything from Rough Sawn Lumber to 2.5 Ton trucks.. and hauled a bumper pull 32ft enclosed trailer that weighed 18-20,000 LBS. My heaviest Load hauled in the box was 5,400 lbs of cut steel.. I highly recommend Getting this style Truck for any kind of hauling..

The Bad: 8-10 mpg when hauling and maybe on a good day 13mpg empty...
Cab noise -loud exhaust fixes that.

Pattercore: I thank you very much for the reply. From someone who owns and uses what I think may be my best bet.. it is great to get a real world review of someone who has put 200,000 miles on one and had the results I'm looking for. Thank you sir for chiming in on this one!

Originally Posted by NatBrnCO

I drive a Nissan Frontier so I might not qualify to answer this. But in my regular day job, I haul 150 gallons of water, Polaris Ranger 6x6, pull 3000 feet elevation change in less than 20 miles on gravel/dirt roads. Done it with 2500 Chevy gas, just a little slower. But I think key to any hauling is a gear ratio of the transmission that you can actually tell the difference between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear. The diesel is really nice to have coming down. My favorite trucks out of all the ones I have driven are: 1999 Dodge Cummins 2500- loaded it with 2 bundles of 12 foot 6x6 and drove 300 miles. 1997 extended cab long bed Ford F250 Powerstroke Diesel-needed a 40 acre field to turn it around but I could take it anywhere. 1999 5.2 L Dodge 1500-use to have to go out in the mornings and pull the Meadow Gold Semi-Truck out of the loading dock when it was icy.
I do very much dislike the Ford V-10- I have to fill it up every day and it is screaming coming off the hill in 2nd gear.

All input and information of what you guys drive or have driven, own or have owned.. is welcomed with open arms! Thank you for this.
Aaron

Working at my familys shop, and being out in the country, i see lots of big trucks and what they haul. I know alot of the farmers and they drive the Dodge 3500s. They haul hay and livestock mostly, but they love them. If you or anyone ever goes to diesel, DO NOT get the 6.0, 6.2 or 6.7 powerstrokes. We have seen lots of internal failures with those motors. Including a 2011 f250 with a 6.7L that had just under 140k miles. Glow plug failed sending shards of metal through the top end. Destroyed the piston, injector, valves and turbo. And from what iv seen with the others i would NEVER trust them. The 7.3L are much better.

Anyone know the mpg difference between the GM 6.0 vs 8.1 motor? Someone here mentioned if I were to go gasser.. that I'd want the 8.1 vs the 6.0 if it can be found and "had"

I run a 2004 chevy 2500HD with the 6.0 and an automatic as a daily driver and love it. It will pull anything I can hook up to it and never has it let me down. The only repair that I've had to do is a water pump (45 minutes) in the last 100,000 miles.

I have an E350 XLT super duty for a family car.

The rear suspension is a beast. Pulls great. wish I had The V10 or Diesel though. Ford puts the 5.4 in everything it seems.

Love ford truck and they change when you get into the 350+ series. this is most likely true with other makers too. The one ton any maker will be a huge plus. hey are more expensive to work on as the parts are beefer.

Eric

Ok so a mere 18 months after I went through this once trying to find a 1500.. apparently I get to do it all over again with trying to upgrade to a 2500hd. I sent a message to a CL ad thinking it was a private owner.. turns out it was a dealer. OY.. and of course my truck that books at $10,800 in its condition they want to offer me $5000.. What the jimmy jam is that all about? Then in her sweetest southern voice says "Well I'm not trying to pressure you.. but they really want this truck over at the other location of ours.. are we even close to be able to do a deal on this?" I said "Not at you offering me $5 Grand on my truck and won't budge a penny on yours." I told her to "send that truck on over to your other location.. we aren't even close to numbers on this one" Then of course I get "Well we work hard to be honest, Christian folks here and do the deals right" I should have just hung up the phone right then and there.

Gawd- Large or small car dealers are just licensed thieves.

Focker:
Cool, Yeah I'm looking for a 2500hd either Chevy or GMC, has to be extended cab for the kiddos and 4WD. Those are pretty much my only standard requirements. Obviously, the less miles the better on it, looking to stay below about $14K. I have one I'm really interested in and I have a bit of time as the guy is going to be on the East Coast until Nov 1st, really trying to see if I can offload mine quick to be able to strike the deal with him on his.