Dodge vs. Chevy (diesels)

[Snownyet]

Ive got nothing bad to say about my LBZ duramax, in fact I love it. But I do hear the new ford super duty is a pretty darn nice ride. I really like the cummins but Im not a fan of the truck that surrounds it. Bottom line, its all about personal opinion, any of three will tow your rig nicely.

[DHenry]

I have a Chevy duramax and have been running up and down the highways with the Dodge Boys and also the Ford Boys and all have had no trouble pulling any of the Montana's. It is your choice, good luck with your decision.

[Ozzie]

Seeing how our good members pull with all three and love their machines,
I believe you will make your own decision by driving them.
Your own experiences and desires will tell you what fits best for you.
Just don't be in a hurry and do your research.

[rames14]

All three will handle the Montana. My brother-in-law has the Dodge and is very happy. He bought on price. I have the Chevy, bought primarily because of the Allison. I have over 70k on it without needing brakes yet. The security traveling in the mountains with the Allison is great. I did have an issue at altitude with overheating the tranny and engine. But I was pulling at slow speed up a dirt road above Steamboat Springs, Colorado. So, the combo of terrain, grade, temperature and load helped to make the trip up the hill a little longer.

[happy campers]

quote:Originally posted by rames14

All three will handle the Montana. My brother-in-law has the Dodge and is very happy. He bought on price. I have the Chevy, bought primarily because of the Allison. I have over 70k on it without needing brakes yet. The security traveling in the mountains with the Allison is great. I did have an issue at altitude with overheating the tranny and engine. But I was pulling at slow speed up a dirt road above Steamboat Springs, Colorado. So, the combo of terrain, grade, temperature and load helped to make the trip up the hill a little longer.

For some reason, the LLY's seem to be prone to overheating. Glad to hear you didn't have any long term problems.

[Bob Pasternak]

Bert: When Cummins overhauls and engine, all they do, unless you've swallowed a valve or had a bearing seize, is put 6 cylinder kits and rod bearings in it and run it another 300,000 miles. Saying the 6.7 is a 'new' engine is like replacing the plugs in your 6 cyl. Lycoming or Continental and saying it's a new engine. If I wanted to go to the expense and trouble, I could make a 6.7 out of mine. It would be a 6.7 in displacement only, not in torque or HP.

[5ER]

I am very happy with our 03 F350 with the 7.3l. I think the Fords are slightly larger than the GMC'S. I know our bed looks longer. I don't know how you can get any more than a toolbox in a 6' bed. You can buy the toolbox with the built in gas tank.

[sreigle]

Hey, guys, the shortbed on the Dodge MegaCab is identical to the shortbed on other Dodge models. It is 6'4". Five inches shorter than the Ford and just 2 inches shorter than GM. But the critical measurement is not bed length. It's distance from pin to cab. Axle to cab on the Dodge MegaCab is just ONE inch shorter than Ford. I didn't measure GM but it's likely the same as the Dodge or maybe the Ford. In any case, it's not a problem. I moved my Reese hitch and slider from the Ford to the Dodge. Here are a couple of pictures showing my turn angles. This is on level ground with two fingers clearance between cab and Montana. I would not get it this close on uneven ground but it serves to show the MegaCab will be just fine. By the way, the slider is NOT being used in these pictures.





Shoot, I even have a steel crossbed toolbox in front of the hitch. It does not rise above the bedrails, though.

[Dave e Victoria]

Steve,
Glad to see you cleaned your fingernails before the photo. I'm sure I would have forgotten,
Dave

[Capt Kidd]

Hey Bill, We just got a 07 3500 Mega Cab and couldn't be more pleased. Took it and our 07 3075 on the maiden voyage down to Paso Robles last weekend. We have a superglide 18 hitch and it all worked very well. On a smooth road I forgot the trailer was even there.

The Dodge had several thing to recommend it, one it meets 2010 smog now, the 6 speed auto is great, and the included exhaust brake is fantastic.

This weekend we are going from Chico over Mt. St. Helena to Sonoma for a wedding and Im sure the exhaust brake will be very welcome.

I was very surprised at how comfortable the Mega Cab was to drive and ride in. I was behind the wheel for 5 hours at one point and was very comfortable.

By the way oun new truck is Inferno Red Pearl Coat.

[Steve and Brenda]

OK, Dodge and Chevy were your options but that new Ford PSD looks sweet!!! Once the new engine's "FIRE BREATHING" problem is solved look at it for 2009 and this is from a 2X Chevy Silverado owner.

I have a motto, twice broken by myself, "Never buy a first model year, lets someone else report all the engineering flaws to the factory."

[Mac]

Steve,

Well put, that's exactly why we purchased our 2007 Classic 2500. I have myself experienced that "first year model blues" and swore I wouldn't do so again.

mac

[Delaine and Lindy]

Take a look at the 2007.5 or the 2008 Chevy it has as much bling as the Ford Super duties, and hasn't had the problems with the DPF system as Ford has had. Also the Fuel mileage for the F-450 isn't going to be good with the 4.88 rear gear the RPMs are going to run well above 2200 to 2500 at 65 mph and above. Most will get between 6-8 mpg when towing and 11 to 14 on the road. The F-350 will get less mileage than the Chevy 3500. Check it with a pencil now not with the digtal read out. However I must say you don't buy the F series to get fuel mileage. And don't forget the Chevy HD is the most powerful HDs on earth. I also believe the rear spring system will let the F-450 sag when towing large 5th wheels and will probably need rear air bags. Comments are my own and I don't own a Ford, but we did try to buy the F-350 but price was just to much, and they wouldn't deal. So I remain a GM owner and the other two will have to do a lot more than just have the extra bling???? Good Luck to all Truck owners with what ever you drive. The big 3 still make the only Trucks that will tow a large 5th wheel... GBY...

[dscott]

I'am also looking at new TV's, how are the the dullies to drive around after you arrive at your location?

[skypilot]

Hey GM (and Chev) buyers -- look at where the exhaust is on the truck -- I just visited the local GM dealer this past weekend and every single one of their HD had the DPF exhausting thru a larger 'venturi' type tube and then right onto the rear axle -- I asked the sales droid if that was unique to the duallies I was looking at and he said no, that all of the new Duramax/Allison equipped trucks were coming in that way to keep the 'hot exhaust from hitting anyone on the curb or the vehicle next to them'. Sounds reasonable (?) but now I have to wonder about how long that axle fluid will last being cooked that way (french fries anyone ). Obviously I'm being sarcastic on this but it really does surprise me that GM is putting the exhaust forward and direct right at the rear axle that way.

[skypilot]

Don: Although I have a DRW Dodge 3500, I recommend the SRW if you can get one. The DRW does seem more stable when towing but the truth of the matter is that I spend more time in the truck without the trailer attached than with. Parking can be a pain, drive thru's are a real pain (either too narrow or you can't get close enough to the window to deal with the vendor effectively), and it seems there are more narrow lanes around today than ever before (wife says they are making 4 lanes out of roads that used to be 1 lane each way with a turn lane in the middle . ) Looking at the towing capacity, you also get a little better payload with the single rear wheel in most cases. (Why did I get a dually -- Ford died and left me stranded too many times and I bought the first 'reliable' vehicle I could. Regrets -- not a one!!!! and I'd do it again in a heartbeat to get out of that ole 6.0 but that is another story).

One last thing -- I have not seen a SRW GM 1 ton series -- I imagine they make them but in my minds eye right now I don't remember seeing one. Both Ford and Dodge make single rear wheel models of their 1 ton series.

[Cat320]

Duallys are fine to 'drive around.' When I first got mine I tilted the convex mirrors down so I could see where the outside tires were and get used to where they would be in various situations. I can get through just about all drive thrus that don't have structures on both sides...which is most.

Yes, GM makes a SRW one ton...but in long bed models only. For a 3400RL, a dually is the best option, the one ton SRWs will be close on cargo capacity rating.

Sometimes you have to buy what you need, not what you want.

[BirdingRVer]

I was a little intimidated about buying a dually but, someone I know with a 1 ton srw told me “these trucks are hard to park because they are long not because they are wide”. The back fenders of my dually doesn’t really stick out any further that the mirrors do. I drive my dually everywhere, to church, to the store, even if my wife’s car with better mileage is available I take my truck. It pulls like a dream and is very stable even in crosswinds.

[sreigle]

A lot depends on what you plan to do in your "driving around." Our driving around unhitched includes a lot of backroad exploring and even the occasional easier 4x4 only roads. We've been on a number of those where a dually just isn't going to work. And a couple of places that specifically state no duallies. There's one in Big Bend National Park, the road to Hot Springs. For us, a dually just doesn't work. But I have no problem with those who want the dually, for whatever reason.

By the way, I think there was some confusion of terms in an earlier post. A SRW does not provide for more payload than a dually. I think it was meant that the tow rating on a SRW will be higher than for an otherwise equivalent DRW. But the DRW will have the higher payload.

[Cat320]

Don't know about your Dodge Steve, but the GM duallys have a higher tow rating than the SRW...1,300 lbs according to my manual, for all like models.

Of course the cargo rating is much higher for the duallys.