New Truck Advice

[drjjj]

I currently have a 07 3400RL that I tow with a 1999 Ford F250SD CC LWB with the 7.3 Diesel. The truck only has about 135K on it, and it pulls just fine, but I am starting to get new truck envy. A couple of people that I have spoken with have told me that unless you drive a lot of miles or need to pull more than 16K that the diesel option is not worth the extra $$ when you factor in the cost of fuel and maintenance over the years. Any of the smart people on this forum ever done the math? I should qualify that I intend to stick with a Ford, probably go F350 this time, LWB, CC, and 4WD this time (current truck is 2WD). Thanks for any and all advice

[mhs4771]

Can't really help much since the last gasser we had was a 95 Chevy 1500 with the 5.7L (350cuin) and 3.73 gears and it had all it could do to pull our 4500 to 5000 Lb TT. Now I know a lot has changed with the gassers since then. But I think gas or diesel depends a lot on your usage. Will you put a lot of miles on towing the Monty or most of the miles running around town? If not a lot of miles towing maybe a gasser is the way to go. We put 10K or more miles on a year towing so the increased torque and mileage made sense to us, and running solo on the highway we can get 18 to 20 MPG out of our 9000 Lb dually. So for us a diesel dually made the most sense.

[bigskyjimmy]

O.k here we go, a 2012 f350 6.2 gas lwb 4x4 WITH 4.3 gears will tow a 15,200 5th so you can do it but you are right at the limit with a 3400rl being loaded full of gear MOST folks will tell you diesel and I have one too but man do I sure miss my good ole V10 Gas ALMOST zero maintenance cheaper fuel but it was a gas sucker,If I would have had 4.3 gears instaed of 3.73 in my v10 I might have kept it, but if you travel alot of miles a year Diesel is the only way to go,If you travel a little the 6.2 GAS is a nice choice with 4.3 gears IMO

[jimcol]

Like MHS4771 we pulled a travel trailer for years with the 5.7. As you can see from my signature I have a diesel. Hate the cost of the fuel. Hate the cost and frequency of the oil changes. Anytime I am in the hills and or mountains I love that diesel. Like other have said it depends on how many miles and what type of terrain you are going to travel. Jim

[TLightning]

Don't care about fuel costs, or maint costs or purchase costs, or how many miles I'll drive. Hauling something heavy is a pleasure with a diesel, hearing the gasser scream bloody murder climbing a tiny hill gets real old real fast.

[Parts Ed]

I currently have a 460 gas hog that I tow our trailer with and in the next year will pull the trigger and buy a new Ford F350 crew cab diesel short box. Everything thing has been positive about the new 6.7L and we really don't see them in the shop except for routine maintainence or customer stupidity........
BTW I do work for a Ford dealer......... FWTW

[mlh]

I notice you are a veterinarian. What does that have to do with pulling a compeer? Nothing but our neighbor just passed her bar exams and after a long struggle is a vet. We are so happy for her. I also notice you live in Texas. Flat country. I think you can get by with a gasser. If you aren't going very far and aren't in a hurry you will be just fine. If you plain to be up in the Rockeys GET the diesel. A gas engine looses 3.6% of its power for every 1000 feet of elevation. So at 10,000 feet you are down 36% on power. The gasser doesn't have much power anyway and when you loose 36% there isn't much left.
Lynwood

[bigskyjimmy]

MLH, the Gasser does not have not much power anyway???? compared to a diesel I hope you mean, the 6.2 gasser has 385Hp and 405 lbs of torque and is nothing to sneeze at with 4.3 gears, it's quite the workhorse

[seahunter]

quote:Originally posted by TLightning

Don't care about fuel costs, or maint costs or purchase costs, or how many miles I'll drive. Hauling something heavy is a pleasure with a diesel, hearing the gasser scream bloody murder climbing a tiny hill gets real old real fast.

Couldn't agree more. It's back to the old question of what truck does the trailer REQUIRE. When you do the numbers, the only vehicle that is really capable of towing these Montanas, is a one-ton diesel if you want to do it safely and within specs. Like you said, you can redline a gas engine, or use 800 pounds of torque and forget you're towing because that's what the engine was built to do.

[1retired06]

quote:Originally posted by bigskyjimmy

MLH, the Gasser does not have not much power anyway???? compared to a diesel I hope you mean, the 6.2 gasser has 385Hp and 405 lbs of torque and is nothing to sneeze at with 4.3 gears, it's quite the workhorse

The 6.7 has 800lbs of torque at around 1600 rpm. If you can afford it, go with the diesel.

[mlh]

If you are pulling on flat ground the gasser will get you by but at 7200 feet which Laramie Wy is the gasser is down to 303 pound feet of TK and 288 HP not very much to pull a 15000 pound camper.
Like Mike said, The 6.7 has 800lbs of torque at around 1600 rpm. If you can afford it, go with the diesel.
I pull with over 600 HP and over 1100 pound feet of TK. There is no such thing as a canoe that is too light or a truck that has too much power.
Lynwood

[whitebb]

I pull a RL3700 and use a F-350 Dually, 6.7 and 7.3 rear end 4/2 and works great with a 16500 load and even the Rockies, I didn't want a 4/4 as extra cost and higher off ground. I have to laugh as my daughter ask why I didn't purchase a 4/4. I told her tat I was retired and will not go in mud or snow with truck and trailer, as I will just wait till weather is better.

[bncinwv]

And a diesel smells a lot more "manly"!!
Bingo

[seahunter]

quote:Originally posted by whitebb

I pull a RL3700 and use a F-350 Dually, 6.7 and 7.3 rear end 4/2 and works great with a 16500 load and even the Rockies, I didn't want a 4/4 as extra cost and higher off ground. I have to laugh as my daughter ask why I didn't purchase a 4/4. I told her tat I was retired and will not go in mud or snow with truck and trailer, as I will just wait till weather is better.

There are many threads on the old 4X4 vs 4X2 debate. I got 4X4 as when I had a 4X2 there were enough times either I or someone else got stuck just getting into or out of a site that had just enough wet grass and/or mud to get stuck requiring help pulling out. Even just a small incline/decline area is enough to lose traction with a two-wheel drive. I got stuck just a handful of times, but it was enough to decide my next and final truck would be a 4X4. Just my opinion...

[seahunter]

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

And a diesel smells a lot more "manly"!!
Bingo

Reminded me of the funny t-shirts on this site:

http://www.dieseltees.com/store

They have the great one "will work for diesel" among others.

[Art-n-Marge]

Hmmm, I have a diesel, but I don't have the "Manly pedal". Does this lessen the manliness of my truck?

(Picture a diagram of three pedals and the manly pedal is the one on the far left, get it?)

[bncinwv]

Unless it has an Allison transmission, I am afraid so, Art. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!!
Bingo

[drjjj]

Thanks for all the great advice! I have driven diesel vehicles since 1981. The reasons I was considering gas were 1)economic; and 2)I do hunt a fair amount and I know the diesel is much heavier in front and more likely to get stuck. I rarely need 4WD, but two years ago I burned up the trans. on my current truck when it overheated while I was trying to back the rig into a site uphill, after dark, in the Texas summer. One of the super-smart people on this forum told me if I had 4WD I could have put it in 4-low and it would have worked just fine and not overheated. I checked with a couple of knowledgeable mechanics I know and they concurred.

[mhs4771]

Just for info, I use 4 Low alot to get into some of those very tight spots. And unless its a pretty steep incline 4 Low will get you into most spots at just an idle, saves a lot of slippage and heat on the tranny, plus an added benifit of lubing the 4 wheel drive train.

[bigskyjimmy]

Yeah gang we all know the Diesel is way more powerfull but for some of us on a budget and do not go on long trips the Gasser with the right gearing is a fine choice, I did it for years and really enjoyed the low maintenace