# Good old beater truck?



## winland (Jan 6, 2013)

Looking for suggestions on buying a used, good old beater truck to haul firewood.
Obviously needs to be a 4x4 to get in and out of some dirt trails.
But if you were looking for a "less than $2000" pickup truck to haul firewood/logs/rounds
what make/year/engine would you be MOST likely to be interested in? 
What old beater 4x4, long bed, pickup did you sell that you wish you had back?

Chuck


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## brenndatomu (Jan 6, 2013)

This is gonna be interesting...opcorn:


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## tld400 (Jan 6, 2013)

I would tell you to get a older 1980s chevy 3/4 or 1 ton truck. Cant kill them and you can get parts for it anywhere.


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## dustytools (Jan 6, 2013)

Ive got a 1986 Ford F-150 4X4 with the inline 6 and bulldog tranny. I stole it for $400 and wouldnt take $2400 for it. It is a wood hauling mo-sheen!!


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## Rockland Farm (Jan 6, 2013)

In that price range I would look at any of the big 3 from the 70's to early 80s . I have owned examples of them all and just like that time period truck for a beater . Not a big fan of one over the other when looking for a work horse . Currently running a 78 f150 4x4 . It had a new Jasper motor and tranny in it when I traded the original owners son 3 cords of wood for it .


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## z50guru (Jan 6, 2013)

Im recommending any toyota pickup with a 22r 5spd. Great durability, and it gets in the tight woods like a side by side. No huge hauling capacity here, but with a gas sipping motor, i just make a couple trips. :msp_thumbsup:


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## camr (Jan 6, 2013)

Had a '75 Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4 years ago. Had to cut a couple of sheets of CDX to throw on the floor of the bed to keep stuff from falling out on the ground. It sure did haul the wood and it didn't matter if you rubbed it against a tree or a fencepost. Sold it for a profit to a guy that was going to hang a plow on it and push snow.


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## stihly dan (Jan 6, 2013)

Must have locking rear end.


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## srb08 (Jan 6, 2013)

z50guru said:


> Im recommending any toyota pickup with a 22r 5spd. Great durability, and it gets in the tight woods like a side by side. No huge hauling capacity here, but with a gas sipping motor, i just make a couple trips. :msp_thumbsup:



You need wheelie bars on that thing.


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## dustytools (Jan 6, 2013)

z50guru said:


> Im recommending any toyota pickup with a 22r 5spd. Great durability, and it gets in the tight woods like a side by side. No huge hauling capacity here, but with a gas sipping motor, i just make a couple trips. :msp_thumbsup:



And it has POWER steering to boot!!:smile2:


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## unclemoustache (Jan 6, 2013)

Toyotas are the best, but not known for their ability to haul a big load. I'd go with a Ford, but not a 150 - at least a 250 or preferably a 350. I've got an F-350 4x4, and love it. I bought it from someone in Missouri where they have to pass certain emissions tests. The older trucks have a harder time passing, so if you live just outside of Missouri (like me) or some other state that has emmission laws, then that might help lower the price.


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## mizzou (Jan 6, 2013)

unclemoustache said:


> Toyotas are the best, but not known for their ability to haul a big load. I'd go with a Ford, but not a 150 - at least a 250 or preferably a 350. I've got an F-350 4x4, and love it. I bought it from someone in Missouri where they have to pass certain emissions tests. The older trucks have a harder time passing, so if you live just outside of Missouri (like me) or some other state that has emmission laws, then that might help lower the price.



I've never had to have an emissions test, and have lived in Missouri all of my 54 years. We do require a safety inspection every 2 years. Maybe it's a st. louis thing.


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## srb08 (Jan 6, 2013)

unclemoustache said:


> Toyotas are the best, but not known for their ability to haul a big load. I'd go with a Ford, but not a 150 - at least a 250 or preferably a 350. I've got an F-350 4x4, and love it. I bought it from someone in Missouri where they have to pass certain emissions tests. The older trucks have a harder time passing, so if you live just outside of Missouri (like me) or some other state that has emmission laws, then that might help lower the price.



The emissions garbage is only in the large metropolitan areas. It only affects a few counties in the state.


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## mizzou (Jan 6, 2013)

srb08 said:


> The emissions garbage is only in the large metropolitan areas. It only affects a few counties in the state.



I figured that as soon as started posting. Glad it's not required in Lafayette county.


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## MeanMark87 (Jan 6, 2013)

I'm biased, I've been a Ford guy all my life.

Cannot go wrong with an older 3/4 ton or 1 ton Ford truck. If 2000 is your budget you'll have tons to choose from.

For example I just went on my local craigslist and found this (obviously these are just examples, I don't know where you're located):

1994 Ford F250 pickup, crew cab






122k, 460 V8. 4x4.

Or an older one, little cheaper:

1988 Ford F250







Wish I was in your spot, man....I wanna trade up my truck for a fullsize pretty badly. :smile2:


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## Jakers (Jan 6, 2013)

ive had all three of the big names and they all have thier place. i would much prefer to have a chevy from the mid 70s to 86. parts are cheap and easy to find. workin on them only requires a shade tree degee and they make good power. Ill second what stihly dan said, make sure you have a locker in the rear end at least. best to have both F/R lockers. if all your planning on doing with it is hauling wood and dont drive on the pavement loaded very often a welder can fix an open rear end quick and cheap. *warning: do not weld the front end or the pickup will be next to impossible to steer in 4X4*. another thing to do is to add a few extra leafs to the rear packs. i used 3/4 ton leafs in my 86 1/2 ton chev by taking apart the packs and saving the 1/2 ton top leaf then using the 3/4 pack. i ended up trimming the second leaf from the top of the 3/4 pack to fit under the 1/2 ton top leaf. MAJOR improvement in hauling!!!

this stuff can be done to any make or model with rear leaf suspension. 

things to stay away from are independant front suspension and most 1/2 ton auto trannys. i built my own chevy autos so that wasnt a concern but if i didnt have the ability it woulda been costly to own and use that truck the way i did. I own a 87 ford F-250 with a 6.9 and a 5 speed manual now. love it except for the ford IFS stuff needing ball joints at the moment. the front springs seem to sag on them pretty bad too but thats just an add-a-leaf fix.

had a 98 dodge 5.9 cummins 5 speed for a while too. loved the truck but it was a short box and somebody had twisted the rear end out before me and it was an open rear diff so it was almost useless off road. had lotsa motor trouble and major repair bills made me hate it in the end so i sold it cheap just to be rid of it. had a 95 1 ton 5.9 cummins reg cab long box auto 2x4 for a while that would haul like nobodies business. that one had the locker so it almost did better than my 98

whew... thats alota readin just to say try to get solid F/R axles and a locked rear end in what ever you get. the lower the gears the better. try to find a manual tranny too. the older ones are way better than the newer aluminum cased ones. i do know lotsa guys that have used the 88-up chevys with IFS but they have plenty of trouble too. know more than one that has broken the frame on 1/2 tons hauling wood


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## unclemoustache (Jan 6, 2013)

srb08 said:


> The emissions garbage is only in the large metropolitan areas. It only affects a few counties in the state.




Ah, thanks for setting me straight.


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## JeffHK454 (Jan 6, 2013)

OP , what part of the country you from?

A friend of mine has a 96 F250 4x4 460/5spd for sale pretty cheap. It would make one heck of wood hauler if you could aford to put gas in the thing.


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## Jakers (Jan 6, 2013)

JeffHK454 said:


> OP , what part of the country you from?
> 
> A friend of mine has a 96 F250 4x4 460/5spd for sale pretty cheap. It would make one heck of wood hauler if you could aford to put gas in the thing.



googled his location as a zip code and came up with Tiffin, OH


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## JeffHK454 (Jan 6, 2013)

Jakers said:


> googled his location as a zip code and came up with Tiffin, OH



Good job on paying better attention than me at the little "location" space..I though he had a huge post count..


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## TreeGuyHR (Jan 6, 2013)

You might consider a small dump truck (5 yard) that has a custom winch on a little tower installed. That way you can load logs to take them to where you store them , and cut and split later. Leaves one of the 4 or 5 times you handle each firewood length out of the equation. I worked for a tree service that had one years ago; the owner loved it, and so did us groundies -- saved our backs! It was probably not "legal", though, but this was back in the day when you just wore a baseball cap doing tree work and you were responsible for your own hearing protection and glasses. If you travel around any old loggging town, you can probably make an offer on one of these beasts.


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## winland (Jan 6, 2013)

JeffHK454 said:


> OP , what part of the country you from?
> 
> A friend of mine has a 96 F250 4x4 460/5spd for sale pretty cheap. It would make one heck of wood hauler if you could aford to put gas in the thing.



yea, up in NW ohio, but my brother is in Cincy.
Let me know.

Chuck


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## Cerran (Jan 6, 2013)

winland said:


> Looking for suggestions on buying a used, good old beater truck to haul firewood.
> Obviously needs to be a 4x4 to get in and out of some dirt trails.
> But if you were looking for a "less than $2000" pickup truck to haul firewood/logs/rounds
> what make/year/engine would you be MOST likely to be interested in?
> ...



I bought a 1986 F250 for 1850 dollars about 3 years ago and it's been a great utility truck and wood hauler. 460 V8 in it so not great on gas but since it only gets driven about 1500 miles a year that's not a big issue.


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## winland (Jan 6, 2013)

Gas mileage is not my big concern.
Not going to be driving it to the grocery store or to work every day.
Looking for something to get into farmers' field, tree lines, etc
I do not own a lot of acreage with any trees so I have to scrounge for my firewood.
Always looking for downed trees, logs, etc. Just need something to get in and out of the
area with a big load of wood.


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## Mac88 (Jan 6, 2013)

We had an '86 F250 2wd long bed that we regularly used to haul a 450 gallon water tank (3600 lbs.). 300" 6-banger, 4 spd. with granny low 4.10 axle. It squatted about 3-4" with a full tank. Fuel mileage was ok, but it turned about a million rpm's above 55 mph. The only down side was that, off the road and empty, it wouldn't get out of it's own way. Just spun the tires.


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## Patrick62 (Jan 6, 2013)

*Lots of great suggestions here!*

seems that the F250 is a favorite, and for good reason. I am not a fan of the 460 tho...

Chevy's are common, and parts are cheap. which is a good thing, cause you would need a bunch.

My preference is a stinkin' Dodge. Fairly reliable, but the bodies are chit.
The 5.9 cummins is designed to destroy everything behind it. Tranny/transfer/driveshafts/axles.

That 300/6 ford is a heluva engine, and would be excellent. Old school is go with a stick with a granny. A properly built Auto can be workable. The only reason to do a "lincoln locker" is to break axle shafts faster. You are loaded heavy and that means that both axles need to share the load. 3/4 T trucks use the same basic front axle as 1/2 tons, don't cowboy it as hard as you might a honest 1T rig.


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## tld400 (Jan 6, 2013)

Buy a 88 or older 3/4 to 1 ton chevy dodge or ford and then you can put historic QQ tags on it. Be real cheap for insurance and any of the 3 will haul anthing you want. Chevy 1 ton with a 4sp you wont kill it.


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## stihl023/5 (Jan 6, 2013)

I had a 79 F250 4x4 35" hawgs and a 429 interceptor I miss that truck.


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## StephieDoll (Jan 6, 2013)

Picked up an 01 F250 SD V-10, auto, 4X4 with 194,000 miles for $2,000 a couple years ago. Like the 460, crap gas milage, but pulls/hauls anything. Had to do a little body work, but runs like new.View attachment 271864
View attachment 271865


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## WidowMaker (Jan 6, 2013)

JeffHK454 said:


> OP , what part of the country you from?
> 
> A friend of mine has a 96 F250 4x4 460/5spd for sale pretty cheap. It would make one heck of wood hauler if you could aford to put gas in the thing.



====

Look no further there's your truck...


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## ropensaddle (Jan 6, 2013)

Something like this 








Or this


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## stihl023/5 (Jan 6, 2013)

Very nice up here it is a fight to keep rust away.


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## Cerran (Jan 7, 2013)

Here is mine:

View attachment 271877


View attachment 271878


Great thing about the PNW is almost no rust on the rig but the clear coat is starting to peel off. May have to have a cheap paint job done to it in a few years.

It's carbureted but that's not necessarily bad as it's pretty easy to work on. The only thing that has been done to it is a new fuel pump and general maintenance (Oil changes, Fuel pump, belts, tuneup ect).


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## tld400 (Jan 7, 2013)

You cant go wrong with any old heavy duty truck. Easy to work on and a ton of new and used parts.


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## EXCALIBER (Jan 7, 2013)

80's Chevy 1 ton with either an auto or a manual, preferably an ex military one. It will have heavy duty 1 1/4 ton suspension, brush guard, and tow hooks already on it. Either tranny is almost impossible to break in stock power levels. I personally would look for a 6.2L in it. I can consistently make 21 mpg on the highway with my 1 ton crew cab 4x4 with 6.2L and 4 speed. Mileage is and will be important as it gives you greater range in scrounging wood, that you would not be able to do with a gas hog. Most the older trucks were built more for work than show. Get a good deal and buy it. I will say this though, there is and was a reason the military only ran the Chevy's with the 6.2L for the last 20 years. They are tough and last, but are not real fast.


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## AIM (Jan 7, 2013)

I have a 94 chevy 4X4 2500 and have really learned to respect this truck. I have not been kind at all to it and it just keeps going. Very few issues and the body is pretty decent for the 175,000+ miles. It has the independent front suspension and while maybe some have been troublesome I haven't had an issue.
Someday i want to build a "super truck" and might just start with a 1 ton version of what I have.


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## Smcgill (Jan 7, 2013)

*You don't know until it's gone!*

Boy after reading this I miss my 1978 f-250 with the 400 and 36"inchers!!


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## autoimage (Jan 7, 2013)

i like the f350/250 the 300 motor with c-6 trans is good, just a thing to remember in '87 the gasoline engines had weird emissions equipment with air pumps and hoses running everywhere


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## jh35 (Jan 7, 2013)

winland said:


> ....
> What old beater 4x4, long bed, pickup did you sell that you wish you had back?
> 
> Chuck



I had a 1984 3/4 chev 6.2dsl 4x4 TH400.

She succombed to cancer but I loved that truck. Family/work/school/stuff prevented me from keeping it as a wood hauler.


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## ropensaddle (Jan 7, 2013)

autoimage said:


> i like the f350/250 the 300 motor with c-6 trans is good, just a thing to remember in '87 the gasoline engines had weird emissions equipment with air pumps and hoses running everywhere



Thats why i have the 65  no emission bs the 79 is ok but the 400 is too smogged of course with some Aussie heads it has potential. I have around 50k miles on the rebuilt 400 with no issues but it don't hold a candle to the 390 in my 65! I decided if the 400 lays down I will go diesel next


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## mizzou (Jan 7, 2013)

ropensaddle said:


> Thats why i have the 65  no emission bs the 79 is ok but the 400 is too smogged of course with some Aussie heads it has potential. I have around 50k miles on the rebuilt 400 with no issues but it don't hold a candle to the 390 in my 65! I decided if the 400 lays down I will go diesel next



Forgot about the 390. My first truck was a 1/2 ton 67 with a 390. Great engine.


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## zogger (Jan 7, 2013)

winland said:


> Looking for suggestions on buying a used, good old beater truck to haul firewood.
> Obviously needs to be a 4x4 to get in and out of some dirt trails.
> But if you were looking for a "less than $2000" pickup truck to haul firewood/logs/rounds
> what make/year/engine would you be MOST likely to be interested in?
> ...



any 70s or 80s 3/4 ton or one ton chevy or ford. Because there are still zillions out there or spare parts and so many made the aftermarket new parts availability is good, and the knowledge base online for repairs is completely total. The half tons can work, just you wont have all the heavy duty suspension and axles, etc. Still good enough though.

Nothing against dodges, just not as many out there and prices seem to be higher all the time, from what I have seen. Crapshoot what you might want and what you can find.

90s and up, meh, man, parts are high and little electric gizmos can getcha. Only if you get a wicked deal from someone who used it as a suburban commuter, meaning little loaded work miles on it, and they cant work on them themselves, and it only needs a part or two. Plenty of medium rich guys who just sell off cheap and dont care, they will just go get another new one.

The japanese trucks are nice, but not as heavy built, although they can be pretty strong.


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## 04titanse (Jan 7, 2013)

I've got a Ford f350 with 460 gasser 5 speed manual, manual 4x4 transfer case and a 5 ton dump body. Paid $2300 w/ 46k miles. Put about $1000 into it to get it totally road worthy. Its a rock solid wood hauler with solid front and rear axles. It also has a 9 foot plow on the front. Only gets 10-11mpg but thats really the only down side. The zf-5 trannys like to eat up syncros so I just double clutch it.


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## deerlakejens (Jan 7, 2013)

Look for a '90-96 Mitsubishi Mighty Max 4x4, also rebadged as a Dodge D50. They have FI 3.0 V6 with an oversized clutch and a one ton suspension. I've hauled 2500# of stone in mine quite often and it handles it with ease, no headlights at the sky like my Toy did with 1000#. You do have to plan your braking on the downhills, though. I average 17mpg around town, up to 24 on the highway. Easy to work on trucks with a lot of parts common to Monteros. The only downside is a smaller bed but with side rails and/or a trailer, that hasn't been a problem for me. They are often found in the $1200 to $1500 range.


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## midwest_170 (Jan 7, 2013)

Pretty hard to beat a mid 80's chevy. I have a 1 ton with a 6.2 deisel in it. It's not a drag racing truck, but with 4.56 gears it's got plenty of power. Here's a picture with a pallet of seed (3000lbs) in the back. The trailer I have that goes with the truck will hold a cord of wood if you stack it. I've had a cord of hedge in the trailer before with no troubles. The truck has a detroit locker in the rear and a limited slip in the front. The drive train on this truck is almost unbreakable.


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## ropensaddle (Jan 7, 2013)

mizzou said:


> Forgot about the 390. My first truck was a 1/2 ton 67 with a 390. Great engine.



yes FE blocks rule essentially same block as 352,428cj 428 scj 427 with some heads and some nice machine work the fe ford will smoke a chevy and cough up a dodge :hmm3grin2orange:


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## Patrick62 (Jan 7, 2013)

*bench racing*



ropensaddle said:


> yes FE blocks rule essentially same block as 352,428cj 428 scj 427 with some heads and some nice machine work the fe ford will smoke a chevy and cough up a dodge :hmm3grin2orange:



FE blocks are stout. I got a FT in a 2 ton here that I will get doing something someday. 

The Dodge ain't skeered. Do the same machine work to a mopar, it will keep up with the phord.

This was about a cheap reliable beater wood hauler. Excellent suggestions in this thread.


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## ropensaddle (Jan 7, 2013)

Patrick62 said:


> FE blocks are stout. I got a FT in a 2 ton here that I will get doing something someday.
> 
> The Dodge ain't skeered. Do the same machine work to a mopar, it will keep up with the phord.
> 
> This was about a cheap reliable beater wood hauler. Excellent suggestions in this thread.



Lol yup sorry muh hot rod days reared they ugly head


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## MofoG23 (Jan 7, 2013)

Trust me...you can't beat a late 70's or early 80's Chevy/GMC for wood hauling. Built like a *tank* and very simple to work on.

Here is my 1976 K20. 350 with a SM465/NP205 drivetrain that is indestructible. I have 4:10 gears and get 11/12 mpg loaded down or unloaded - does not seem to matter much. 






View attachment 272023


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## ropensaddle (Jan 7, 2013)

MofoG23 said:


> Trust me...you can't beat a late 70's or early 80's Chevy/GMC for wood hauling. Built like a *tank* and very simple to work on.
> 
> Here is my 1976 K20. 350 with a SM465/NP205 drivetrain that is indestructible. I have 4:10 gears and get 11/12 mpg loaded down or unloaded - does not seem to matter much.
> 
> ...



oKoK I'be nice :hmm3grin2orange: 
I had one like yours but I can beat it !


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## Patrick62 (Jan 7, 2013)

ropensaddle said:


> oKoK I'be nice :hmm3grin2orange:
> I had one like yours but I can beat it !



What's not to like about a Orange Crusher? 350 is very simple to work on, parts are cheap. Quadrajet will happily run at crazy angles. 465/205 combo is bomb proof. 14 bolt rear axle is fine, but gotta be kind to the D44 front end. You can put 3000 in it and it will walk out without a whimper. I have a 1973 1/2 ton version of the same truck. I need the 4.10 gears but it has hauled crazy loads up stupid trails plenty of times (you're getting there when the 4bbl is opening up in compound low :msp_scared


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## ropensaddle (Jan 7, 2013)

Patrick62 said:


> What's not to like about a Orange Crusher? 350 is very simple to work on, parts are cheap. Quadrajet will happily run at crazy angles. 465/205 combo is bomb proof. 14 bolt rear axle is fine, but gotta be kind to the D44 front end. You can put 3000 in it and it will walk out without a whimper. I have a 1973 1/2 ton version of the same truck. I need the 4.10 gears but it has hauled crazy loads up stupid trails plenty of times (you're getting there when the 4bbl is opening up in compound low :msp_scared



Well 390 t18 4 on the floor np 205 dana 60 rear dana 44hd front! I have had both and yes the 3/4 old chevy's were ok but My 65 would pull them spinning backwards imo.



Warning poster has been known to be a tad biased


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## 04titanse (Jan 7, 2013)

Posted Earlier about this truck. 1989 F350 cab and chassis DRW 460 gas zf-5 manual tranny 5-ton dump body. 53,xxx original miles.


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## ropensaddle (Jan 7, 2013)

04titanse said:


> Posted Earlier about this truck. 1989 F350 cab and chassis DRW 460 gas zf-5 manual tranny 5-ton dump body. 53,xxx original miles.



I like that bed does the tailgate get into the ground when u dump ?


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## brian660 (Jan 7, 2013)

in that price range...73-87 chevy, with a 350, 4 speed and if your lucky enough 60/14 axles, even the half ton stuff will last forever if its just firewood duty though.


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## 04titanse (Jan 8, 2013)

ropensaddle said:


> I like that bed does the tailgate get into the ground when u dump ?



Doesn't look like it from the picture but the tailgate is at least 24" from the ground when the dump is all the way up. So there is no issues dumping firewood and stuff.


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## MofoG23 (Jan 8, 2013)

Patrick62 said:


> What's not to like about a Orange Crusher? 350 is very simple to work on, parts are cheap. Quadrajet will happily run at crazy angles. 465/205 combo is bomb proof. 14 bolt rear axle is fine, but gotta be kind to the D44 front end. You can put 3000 in it and it will walk out without a whimper. I have a 1973 1/2 ton version of the same truck. I need the 4.10 gears but it has hauled crazy loads up stupid trails plenty of times (you're getting there when the 4bbl is opening up in compound low :msp_scared



Yep, when its locked in 4 low using the creeper gear, its a tractor...I've crawled out of some gnarly stuff while hauling out firewood.


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## MofoG23 (Jan 8, 2013)

ropensaddle said:


> Well 390 t18 4 on the floor np 205 dana 60 rear dana 44hd front! I have had both and yes the 3/4 old chevy's were ok but My 65 would pull them spinning backwards imo.
> 
> 
> 
> Warning poster has been known to be a tad biased



Ford, Chevy, Dodge of that era...not much of a difference IMO as they all share quite a few drive train parts (NP205's, Dana 44HD's, full floating rears...etc). Pick anyone of 'em and enjoy the truck... 

The only thing I want to do to my K20 is find a cheap set of lockers for the front and rear...never had an issue yet, but would be a piece of mind when I'm going back some old logging roads in the dead of winter.


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## ropensaddle (Jan 8, 2013)

MofoG23 said:


> Ford, Chevy, Dodge of that era...not much of a difference IMO as they all share quite a few drive train parts (NP205's, Dana 44HD's, full floating rears...etc). Pick anyone of 'em and enjoy the truck...
> 
> The only thing I want to do to my K20 is find a cheap set of lockers for the front and rear...never had an issue yet, but would be a piece of mind when I'm going back some old logging roads in the dead of winter.



If only my 65 had power steering  oh well adds bicep :hmm3grin2orange:


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## nstueve (Jan 8, 2013)

autoimage said:


> i like the f350/250 the 300 motor with c-6 trans is good, just a thing to remember in '87 the gasoline engines had weird emissions equipment with air pumps and hoses running everywhere



I'm another ford guy like many others before me on this thread.

I have a 88 F250 4x4, ZF 5spd, 300 inline six. Best truck i have ever owned. The 300's are known to last for 300K+ miles and the ZF 5spd trannys have a granny low and an OD for highway driving. 87-91 is the box nose style that people don't seem to like so they are usually cheap. I found my 3/4 ton for $400 and refurbed the tranny and clutch for $500. Best $900 I've ever spent. Like said above the 87-91's had air pumps and stuff but it only took me 30mins to pull mine apart, grease it and reinsall after it locked up. I have 3.55 gears on mine which are more highway but I have still pulled a car trailer with logs on it at 55mph in 4th gear no problem. The 300 engines are really the best way to go for light firewood use due to reliability but the 80-86 era had a terrible intake and exhaust that really choaked the power out of the engine... easy enough fix to find a dual plane intake and some 87-96 EFI manifolds to solve that problem!!! IF you get a ford stay away from E40D 4spd auto trannys, M50D 5spd trannys, 460 gas guzzlers, and while I love diesels... the 6.9-7.3 IDI diesels are underpowered and require to much maintence for trucks of this vintage. IF you don't find a 300 I6 my second choice would be a 351w. 302's are high RPM engines and not well suited for trucks. They are underpowered too... Also some might complain about the TTB/ IFS front suspention on the F250's but you'll get a way better ride on road and off...

Here is a f250 4x4 I6 5spd for $1000! $100 in break lines and maybe $200 for a clutch and you'll have a supurb wood hauler with room in the budget to spare!

ford 4x4


80's chevy 350 is a good way to go to... never owned one but hear good things.


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## winland (Jan 8, 2013)

I want to thank everyone for all of the great information.
Very helpful, even if I do not understand all of the initials and numbers, but learning fast.

I have seen a few nice trucks in my price range on CL.
Some of them have been "lifted" by 2 inches, some more.
How does this effect the hauling / towing ability of the truck.

Thanks, 
Chuck


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## cnice_37 (Jan 8, 2013)

Lifts look great.

They suck when it comes to loading the bed with firewood.

They screw with IFS on the 86+ Fords.

But they look sexy.


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## zogger (Jan 8, 2013)

winland said:


> I want to thank everyone for all of the great information.
> Very helpful, even if I do not understand all of the initials and numbers, but learning fast.
> 
> I have seen a few nice trucks in my price range on CL.
> ...



Lifts done right can be useful for installing oversize tires and wheels. Ground clearance, mud, crawling, deep snow, etc. 

Depends on what you can expect to go through in your offroad travels. Example, I can guarantee you without a decent lift and some big wheels, around where I am on this farm, half the year you would get stuck with most factory stock 4x4 configs. Your frame is just gonna be dragging in the mud. Heck, you can get stuck here even with a 4wd tractor, done it.

This is why I only haul out firewood during the dry season. Up north, best time from what I remember is like fall, frozen ground, but snow not deep yet.

Stock is still good enough, just learn the limitations of your particular ride. Best way is just go out convoy with other off roaders and just go for it, push the envelope, until stuck, then get winched out, and dont go that far again. Im serious, you wont know until you get stuck a time or three.


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## ropensaddle (Jan 8, 2013)

zogger said:


> Lifts done right can be useful for installing oversize tires and wheels. Ground clearance, mud, crawling, deep snow, etc.
> 
> Depends on what you can expect to go through in your offroad travels. Example, I can guarantee you without a decent lift and some big wheels, around where I am on this farm, half the year you would get stuck with most factory stock 4x4 configs. Your frame is just gonna be dragging in the mud. Heck, you can get stuck here even with a 4wd tractor, done it.
> 
> ...



Aww lol you ain't stuck nail it


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## Rockland Farm (Jan 8, 2013)

zogger said:


> Lifts done right can be useful for installing oversize tires and wheels. Ground clearance, mud, crawling, deep snow, etc.
> 
> Depends on what you can expect to go through in your offroad travels. Example, I can guarantee you without a decent lift and some big wheels, around where I am on this farm, half the year you would get stuck with most factory stock 4x4 configs. Your frame is just gonna be dragging in the mud. Heck, you can get stuck here even with a 4wd tractor, done it.
> 
> ...



I guess it depends on where you live and gather your firewood . I see plenty of guys on here that use 2 wheel drive trucks or dually rear wheel drive trucks that to me are awful in the slippery stuff but it works for them . I had to laugh a little about the lift part though . I have a 78 F150 4x4 now with just a little extra spring in the rear for load carrying not lift . When I was in my late teens early 20s I had a 77 with 4 inches of lift and 36 inch tires that I could hop in and out easily and chuck wood into the back no problem . Now many years later I have the 78 with 33s on a relatively stock suspension that is heck for my old fat butt to get in and out of . And I swear with each piece of heavy oak I put in the bed the truck raises .


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## EXCALIBER (Jan 8, 2013)

Ok I will say this about the lockers as it sounds like many of you have not done much off roading. Lockers will give you more traction in certain situations, like driving through terrain that is flat or straight up and down. Now take a side hill with a locked truck and your rear will want to slide downhill, where a open diff or limited slip will drive on the same side hill with no problem. I would suggest getting selectable lockers like ARB, or the limited slips. In most situations you will go further with them then a full locker.


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## Blackdog87 (Jan 8, 2013)

I went searching last summer for a cheap beater truck to haul wood in. I wanted a 78 F250 like my dad used to have. I passed on several just cause i hadn't found "the one". I wound up buying a 93 Dodge W350 with the Cummins 12v and a flatbed. It rides like crap empty but its a real work horse. Decent mileage, power and speed. I got mine cheap bc it's ugly and needed alot of little things. It's taken on a life of it's own and what was supposed to be a cheap beater is now basically my daily driver. If you go looking for a Cummins truck most of what youl find will be very overpriced modded to race (blow lots of smoke) but if you lay in the weeds for a while you can find em for a steal. I paid $1500 for mine and I'v got another $1000 into it. Only maybe $500 of that was needed to haul wood but i wanted to daily drive it too so i spent more on new tires and good batteries. I'm still a ford guy at heart but my 91 bronco left a bad taste in my mouth. Thing never ran right. IFS ate tires. EFI 351 was really thirsty. Dad had a 88 F250 with the 6.9. Reliable but slow. It would grunt and pull with a load but the cummins would be a mile away by the time the 6.9 got rolling.


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## Rockland Farm (Jan 8, 2013)

EXCALIBER said:


> Ok I will say this about the lockers as it sounds like many of you have not done much off roading. Lockers will give you more traction in certain situations, like driving through terrain that is flat or straight up and down. Now take a side hill with a locked truck and your rear will want to slide downhill, where a open diff or limited slip will drive on the same side hill with no problem. I would suggest getting selectable lockers like ARB, or the limited slips. In most situations you will go further with them then a full locker.



I agree .And lockers on ice are horrible in my experience . But I have to tell you a ARB or other selectable locker would most times double or triple the over all cost of the junkers I tend to look for in cheap wood haulers . In my experience which is not as extensive as yours probably when it comes to off road rigs . But I have had my share in the 28 yrs I have had a drivers license . And this applies to beater trucks for hauling firewood out of the woods in my area .Not to dedicated off road rigs for trail running .Is to do this -
1 buy beater truck of choice and make sure it is as mechanically sound as you can get it without turning into a restoration after all its a beater right!
2 I have found that a compliant suspension that lets me keep all four tires on the ground is the key to not getting stuck on the skidder trails I sometimes follow .
3 I stuff as big a tire as I can on the stock suspension that will fit without rubbing when loaded .
4 If budget allows I have found a winch on the truck to be far more useful than locking diffs . And useful in the wood lot as well .
Like I said this is what I prioritize for a low bucks beater . If you got plenty of extra cash then the sky is the limit. But then of course we are not talking low bucks anymore .
One more thought I have seen where too much weight + too much traction makes metal things go bang .Sometimes a little slippage is good .


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## zogger (Jan 8, 2013)

Rockland Farm said:


> I guess it depends on where you live and gather your firewood . I see plenty of guys on here that use 2 wheel drive trucks or dually rear wheel drive trucks that to me are awful in the slippery stuff but it works for them . I had to laugh a little about the lift part though . I have a 78 F150 4x4 now with just a little extra spring in the rear for load carrying not lift . When I was in my late teens early 20s I had a 77 with 4 inches of lift and 36 inch tires that I could hop in and out easily and chuck wood into the back no problem . Now many years later I have the 78 with 33s on a relatively stock suspension that is heck for my old fat butt to get in and out of . And I swear with each piece of heavy oak I put in the bed the truck raises .



I use a tractor now, and even then I avoid deep mud season. I used to use trucks/jeeps, etc beore. Cant use a tractor scrounging though, unless close by. 

Oh for sure you can use 2wd getting wood, just limits you more, thats all.

I had a hotrod VW bus I made once though, with wheel adapters and some serious meats on the back, it was slick! A big baja! well, kinda sorta... Went off road great, plus it floated. They have nice clean ground clearance too. Hit an intersection once that was seriously flooded, only me and some guy with a BIG lifted truck made it acrosss. Funny as heck, I paddle wheel floated across, sort of sideways...none of the other people there tried it, including some trucks/SUVs, etc.

ya, I know it was dumb..meh, it was sport! Young, stupid, etc.


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## BrokenToys (Jan 8, 2013)

I miss my 1969 GMC - 1 ton, giant V6 with the oil bath air cleaner with a flat bed ... that truck i severely bent and all being a jackass and trying to get airborne one night beach cruising. was really good at making right turns. straight? notsomuch.

but it could haul anything. i got it off an old clammer who has a PTO in it and used it to haul his clamboat out of the bay.


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## Rockland Farm (Jan 8, 2013)

zogger said:


> I use a tractor now, and even then I avoid deep mud season. I used to use trucks/jeeps, etc beore. Cant use a tractor scrounging though, unless close by.
> 
> Oh for sure you can use 2wd getting wood, just limits you more, thats all.
> 
> ...



I remember the old Pickup,Van and Fourwheel Drive magazine ( think I got the name right ) that had a fellow that went by the name Desert Fox who wrote about his off road adventures in a VW Bus .
I also new a kid in High School that had a VW bug that he used to take places you would hesitate to take a monster truck especially if he was fueled with enough of that Budweiser nitro .


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## Larry Ashcraft (Jan 8, 2013)

Found just what you are looking for: 1985 F-150 4x4 Farm Truck

1985 F150 4x4, 300 I6, needs nothing, $1200.

Bad thing is it's in Pueblo West, CO. Good thing about that though, almost no rust!


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## missouriboy (Jan 8, 2013)

If it was me i would look for a F-250 from the years 1987-1997 and get one with the heavy duty front axle. I read on this thread that somebody said that the F-250 and the F-150 ifs front axle are the same that is wrong. look for the one that has a dana 55 front ifs axle i wouldn't listen to everyone when they complain about the ifs front axle. I have a 1992 F-250 with a 5.8 and 5 speed and 4.10s and it can haul a huge load.View attachment 272233


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## tld400 (Jan 8, 2013)

e


winland said:


> I want to thank everyone for all of the great information.
> Very helpful, even if I do not understand all of the initials and numbers, but learning fast.
> 
> I have seen a few nice trucks in my price range on CL.
> ...



If I was you I wouldnt buy a truck with not to much lift in it. The higher it is the harder to load by hand. If you want bigger beefy tires your beter off cutting outer wheel wells.They sell fender flares once you cut it out. The bigger tires will give you some better clearance and better traction without making truck to tall. Lifted trucks suck for firewood, I know because i have a dodge on 38 that i dont use anymore and just use a 2wd chevy pickup. 4wd is ideal but high boys are not.


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## Blackdog87 (Jan 9, 2013)

missouriboy said:


> If it was me i would look for a F-250 from the years 1987-1997 and get one with the heavy duty front axle. I read on this thread that somebody said that the F-250 and the F-150 ifs front axle are the same that is wrong. look for the one that has a dana 55 front ifs axle i wouldn't listen to everyone when they complain about the ifs front axle. I have a 1992 F-250 with a 5.8 and 5 speed and 4.10s and it can haul a huge load.View attachment 272233



What is the difference between the two setups? I understand the 250 has a heavier axle but its still the IFS twin beam suspension isn't it? I never had problems with the axle itself, just the suspension setup. And iirc isnt there a heavy duty model F250 that had a solid front axle?


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## howellhandmade (Jan 9, 2013)

Rockland Farm said:


> I remember the old Pickup,Van and Fourwheel Drive magazine ( think I got the name right ) that had a fellow that went by the name Desert Fox who wrote about his off road adventures in a VW Bus .
> I also new a kid in High School that had a VW bug that he used to take places you would hesitate to take a monster truck especially if he was fueled with enough of that Budweiser nitro .




The Desert Fox I remember had a 454 Suburban. I read that mag in the 80s, early 90s, maybe he had a bus before my readership. Lived in Baja, died on a dirt bike. RIP, that was some hilarious stuff.


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## 04titanse (Jan 9, 2013)

Blackdog87 said:


> What is the difference between the two setups? I understand the 250 has a heavier axle but its still the IFS twin beam suspension isn't it? I never had problems with the axle itself, just the suspension setup. And iirc isnt there a heavy duty model F250 that had a solid front axle?



I know there was the option for the HD solid front axle for the 1-ton trucks not sure about the 3/4ton. My 89 f350(1-ton) has the heavy duty solid front alxe w/ leafs.


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## fiasco (Jan 9, 2013)

ropensaddle said:


> Thats why i have the 65  no emission bs the 79 is ok but the 400 is too smogged of course with some Aussie heads it has potential. I have around 50k miles on the rebuilt 400 with no issues but it don't hold a candle to the 390 in my 65! I decided if the 400 lays down I will go diesel next



Good luck getting a 400M to blow up...one of the "fleet" I had access to in high school was a 79 F250 4x4 with the 400/auto. I was told that if the 400 blew up, we could drop a 460 in it. I couldn't blow it up, but did learn it would do 53 mph in "1".

I miss that truck a lot! Would love to have one with a 6BT swap!


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## Rockland Farm (Jan 9, 2013)

howellhandmade said:


> The Desert Fox I remember had a 454 Suburban. I read that mag in the 80s, early 90s, maybe he had a bus before my readership. Lived in Baja, died on a dirt bike. RIP, that was some hilarious stuff.



Yep same guy . The bus may have been earlier . I seem to remember that he had all types of vehicles from old flat fender jeeps to dirt bikes .


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## nstueve (Jan 9, 2013)

oh my gosh where to start...



winland said:


> Some of them have been "lifted" by 2 inches, some more.
> How does this effect the hauling / towing ability of the truck.


NO! do not get a lifted truck. If you are throwing and stacking in the truck by hand you won't want a rig 6ft tall... I'm 6' 3" and my stock 88 f250 with 33in tires is about all the higher I would go. Good clearance for getting through the mud, snow, etc... and still low enough for fire wood chucking. Now if you were talking F150... Maybe a 2in lift would be ok since they sit lower to the ground. Keep in mind you have to lift every piece of wood higher to get it in the truck after a lift... Practicle is not as "fun" but it'll save your back and wallet in the long run... Plus lifts done wrong will just hurt your truck in the long run.



tld400 said:


> If I was you I wouldnt buy a truck with not to much lift in it. The higher it is the harder to load by hand. If you want bigger beefy tires your beter off cutting outer wheel wells.They sell fender flares once you cut it out. The bigger tires will give you some better clearance and better traction without making truck to tall. Lifted trucks suck for firewood, I know because i have a dodge on 38 that i dont use anymore and just use a 2wd chevy pickup. 4wd is ideal but high boys are not.


x2


Blackdog87 said:


> What is the difference between the two setups? I understand the 250 has a heavier axle but its still the IFS twin beam suspension isn't it? I never had problems with the axle itself, just the suspension setup. And iirc isnt there a heavy duty model F250 that had a solid front axle?



TTB= twin traction bean and IFS= independent front suspension. Both terms mean same concept of front left and right tires moving independently from each other unlike a solid front axle where each will can "move" the whole axle. TTB on F150 and F250 does NOT mean the same suspension on both! D44 vs D50 axles, and axles are sprung by coils on F150 vs leaf springs on F250. Plus your knuckles are going to change... 5blot vs 8blot. Control arms are also bigger on f250. Same basic "TTB idea" with different parts.

And NO there aren't HD F250's with solid front axles. There is a HD F250 and it comes with a full float 10.25sterling rear axle so you can change axles without complete disassembly. You can see the HD hub stick out of the center of the rear wheel. The HD F250 also came with rear overload springs to help with heavier loads. It's also been said that some of the light duty f250's had M50D 5spd trannies... Which I would stay away from and get a HD ZF542 5spd personally (ZF's have a diamond pattern on the side of the tranny if you want to know how to tell the diff)...

If you ever want to know what axle or axle ratio is on a ford you can go over to ford truck enthusiasts forum and ask there. I the links on home computer to decode it all, but not at home right now...



04titanse said:


> I know there was the option for the HD solid front axle for the 1-ton trucks not sure about the 3/4ton. My 89 f350(1-ton) has the heavy duty solid front alxe w/ leafs.


correct. Dana 60 in F350's only. but both D50's and D60's in the f250-f350 are both leaf sprung.

Other notable things to look at when buying a truck... 
1.) manual shift transfer case? 93'ish and newer trucks had push button 4x4 and the t-case motors to shift in and out of 4x4 are $150! and you can always count on your arm to shift yourself into 4x4

2.) auto hubs vs manual hubs - Again sometime in 93ish ford when to auto hubs vs manual lock outs. Hmmm... anyone want to take a guess why ford went back to manual lock outs??? autos are a PITA to deal with when broken.

OP, I would make sure for $2000 you are sitting good mechanicly before you look at astetics like lift kits, rust, and extra hardware you don't need.


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## STEVEGODSEYJR (Jan 9, 2013)

I had an 86 half ton chevy that never had an easy day the whole time I owned it. Paid $5000 about 15 yrs ago. Was like new when I got it.
I had a 81 3/4 ton 4x4 with a camo fender. Paid $1500 and a real hunk of chit. Put another $300 to get it running decent and sold it a year later for $1500.
Now I have a 94 crew cab ton with a 454, 400 turbo, 14 bolt, 44 front and 35's. Paid $1500 for it.


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## ropensaddle (Jan 9, 2013)

fiasco said:


> Good luck getting a 400M to blow up...one of the "fleet" I had access to in high school was a 79 F250 4x4 with the 400/auto. I was told that if the 400 blew up, we could drop a 460 in it. I couldn't blow it up, but did learn it would do 53 mph in "1".
> 
> I miss that truck a lot! Would love to have one with a 6BT swap!


Well trust me when I say, I hope it don't blow up. If my 79 400 does it will be replaced with a small diesel as the 400 being smogged does not have the power. If I could get a cheap set of Aussie heads I might change my mind because the bottom end of the 400 is indestructable. Their weakness is in the cam oiling easy fix mine already has and the over smogged heads. I may leave it a 400 if I get lucky and find aussie heads though.


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## zogger (Jan 9, 2013)

Small toyota reliability report. Met a temp worker guy at the farm today. He has a 500 dollar beater that the body is still in good shape, runs fine, I was checking it out, looks more like a 2500 buck vehicle.. He bought it from a guy who worked at like a jiffy lube. Toyota 4 runner. 478 thou, original engine and tranny, still running good.


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## missouriboy (Jan 9, 2013)

I don't see what is wrong with the ifs. In the 1992 F-250 i have has the the heavy duty dana 50 front axle and i have it in 4 wheel dive a lot and never had a problem with it. It has 255000 miles on it and just now put ball joints on it and two u joints. i only put the u joints in because i was there. So whats wrong with the ifs for the normal use of a truck. By the way all i use my truck for is to cut wood and get in and out of the woods.


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## Jakers (Jan 9, 2013)

STEVEGODSEYJR said:


> Now I have a 94 crew cab ton with a 454, 400 turbo, 14 bolt, 44 front and 35's. Paid $1500 for it.



very nice rig. howd you do the 44 swap in the front? old style T-case or ford/dodge axle? did yo go leaf springs then or fancy coil over 4 link set up? im thinkin more pics would be welcome...


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## STEVEGODSEYJR (Jan 9, 2013)

Jakers said:


> very nice rig. howd you do the 44 swap in the front? old style T-case or ford/dodge axle? did yo go leaf springs then or fancy coil over 4 link set up? im thinkin more pics would be welcome...



I bought the truck from my cousin about 3 months ago. It started out as a 2wd. He added a 208 t-case , 400 tranny, 44 front with leafs. It also has a 454 from a 98 chevy truck. I am not sure what the front axle is from but one of these days it will have a Dana 60. I will try to get more picture off of my phone soon.:msp_biggrin:


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## Jakers (Jan 10, 2013)

STEVEGODSEYJR said:


> I bought the truck from my cousin about 3 months ago. It started out as a 2wd. He added a 208 t-case , 400 tranny, 44 front with leafs. It also has a 454 from a 98 chevy truck. I am not sure what the front axle is from but one of these days it will have a Dana 60. I will try to get more picture off of my phone soon.:msp_biggrin:



sounds like your cuz really knows his stuff. none of those are easy swaps. im guessing he went old school axle if he used a 208 t-case as they are most commonly found in right side drive. is the front diff on the left or right side of the axle?

sorry for the thread hijacking


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## winland (Jan 14, 2013)

Found a 1996 4x4 Chevy Silverado 3500 crew cab ( not a dually ) that has just under 400K miles on a 350 engine.
Current owner does not know if engine has ever been replaced.
There is no rust on this truck and interior is in good condition.
New brakes and shocks.
asking price is $3000.

What do you think about that much mileage?
Chuck


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## Rockland Farm (Jan 14, 2013)

winland said:


> Found a 1996 4x4 Chevy Silverado 3500 crew cab ( not a dually ) that has just under 400K miles on a 350 engine.
> Current owner does not know if engine has ever been replaced.
> There is no rust on this truck and interior is in good condition.
> New brakes and shocks.
> ...



Seems kinda high for that mileage . I would keep looking .For $3000 there should be alot of trucks to look at .


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## cnice_37 (Jan 14, 2013)

Keep looking, that is an absolutely horrible price for that mileage.


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## Big_Al (Jan 14, 2013)

I'd pass on that one, very high miles & high price.


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## winland (Jan 14, 2013)

Thanks guys,
appreciate your good advice.
I will continue my search.


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## fields_mj (Jan 14, 2013)

Here's mine






More than you wanted to spend, but it's also my daily driver. 

'93 F250 4x4 7.3 IDI 5 spd. Had 4.10 in it when I got it, but since it's my DD, I put 3.55 gears in it and haven't looked back. It has a 6,000 lb rear axle, and it takes the full 6,000 before the overloads touch. I try not to put any more than 5 on it though  

If I were going to get (another) old beater, it would have to be a 3/4 or 1 ton 4x4 with a manual tranny and manual lockers. I don't care so much about how much HP the engine puts out. That can be overcome with the correct gears, and I wouldn't need a dedicated wood hauler to be able to run 70mph down the highway with 2 tons on the back. Simplicity and longevity are more important.


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## winland (Jan 19, 2013)

After re-reading this thread, there seems to be a big divide between the 
pre-1987 and post-1987 models.

Can someone give provide information about the difference besides visual model change?
Is it just the emissions or engine or body or suspension


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## DSS (Jan 19, 2013)

winland said:


> After re-reading this thread, there seems to be a big divide between the
> 
> pre-1987 and post-1987 models.
> 
> ...




Post 87 is fuel injected for the most part. 86 and down had a carburetor. Seems to me Dodge didn't change till 88.


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## Arbonaut (Jan 19, 2013)

AIM said:


> I have a 94 chevy 4X4 2500 and have really learned to respect this truck. I have not been kind at all to it and it just keeps going. Very few issues and the body is pretty decent for the 175,000+ miles. It has the independent front suspension and while maybe some have been troublesome I haven't had an issue.
> Someday i want to build a "super truck" and might just start with a 1 ton version of what I have.



I do like the heated seat, but isn't the toilet supposed to be inside the outhouse?


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## winland (Jan 21, 2013)

I have seen a few ads for diesel 4x4, early 90's trucks under $3k
I know a little about gas engines, but absolutely ZERO about diesels.
Should I scratch diesels from my list of possible wood haulers or 
take a chance and find a good diesel mechanic when needed?

Chuck


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## twochains (Jan 21, 2013)

Get a 4wd '79 Chevy 1 ton with a flat bed...they are cheap...you can actually HAUL A LOAD on it w/o over working the suspension...your bed won't spread out and look like crap (pick up)...you can haul log lengths and process at your house...with a long wheel base 11ft bed you can haul around 3 1/2 rick of firewood with no prob...you can haul hay in the summer ...I could go on and on but tired of making dots. LOL!


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## Big_Al (Jan 21, 2013)

If you don't know anything about diesels you should probably avoid an old one unless you're sure of its history & mileage. If they need work it gets expensive fast.


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