# Good wood hauler



## Wood Junkie (Dec 24, 2007)

I starting a search for a good wood hauling pick up. What is your guy's opinions? So far I've been told to stick with a staight axle and at least 3/4 ton. Obviously a 4x4,diesel or gas....depends on the deal that I find. I'm looking to stay below 3k. and will prob. wait a month or so to get into the tail end of the winter season to get a better deal. Any suggestions?


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## Nuzzy (Dec 24, 2007)

If you want to stay below 3K, i'd prolly (and it pains me to say this) go gas since a diesel under that amount would be absolutely beat to [email protected] Yes, 3/4 ton or more and helper springs would be a bonus. Will you be traveling any real mileage, or just from a local wood lot back and back?


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 24, 2007)

I know what you mean,if I could only find a 3/4 ton dodge cummins w/ a manual trans.....I wouldn't be so concerned w/ milage. My main wood cuttin' area is about 5 miles from the house.....not looking forward to the crappy milage tho.....will haul our horses from time to time,but only 10 miles or so.


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## Nuzzy (Dec 24, 2007)

Just get an old Ford with a 460 or a Chevy w/ 454. Either could be found under 3K. My buddy just picked up an 80s F350 with 460 for like $750 :jawdrop:


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## romeo (Dec 26, 2007)

Yup, I would go for an oldy with a big block and a granny 4spd. I ran a bunch of those for years. Even in their junkiest state, they will get the job done. Just keep a couple of extra spark plugs and some tools in the glove box. Fuel prices are your friend right now, bet you can pick up one cheap.

I still got my granddads 79 F-350 with a 460, don't use it much but I wouldn't sell it.


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## clearance (Dec 26, 2007)

Romeo and Nuzzy are right, the tough old stuff. I would get a Chev or GM, before '87. I prefer the '80 or older 3/4 tons with a standard tranny. Straight axle front. floating rear, it doesn't have to be a big block, 350s are fine. These pickups are easy to work on, parts are cheap and interchange with all kinds of other GMs. A have loaded 8600lb gvw pickups to way over 10k and driven them home no problems. Nice to have load range E tires also.


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 27, 2007)

I was thinking about an old beast but most of them around here are pretty rusty......couldn't imagine driving a 1 ton w/ a 460 from NM any ways Romeo
:greenchainsaw: ......I bet it's in nice shape tho if native to the area.....
Alot of people trying to sell those v10's around here......might be able to grab one of those gas mizers..where are they on the mpg....6?? 8?? Guess it doesn't really matter as long as I stay local.


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## clearance (Dec 27, 2007)

Wood Junkie said:


> I was thinking about an old beast but most of them around here are pretty rusty......couldn't imagine driving a 1 ton w/ a 460 from NM any ways Romeo
> :greenchainsaw: ......I bet it's in nice shape tho if native to the area.....
> Alot of people trying to sell those v10's around here......might be able to grab one of those gas mizers..where are they on the mpg....6?? 8?? Guess it doesn't really matter as long as I stay local.



We tried to help, now you are talking a v-10, if its for the 3k you want to spend it will be beat to death, and good luck fixing it on your own. Look around, many trucks have been maintained, or have had body panels replaced, its easy to do on the old stuff.


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 27, 2007)

clearance said:


> We tried to help, now you are talking a v-10, if its for the 3k you want to spend it will be beat to death, and good luck fixing it on your own. Look around, many trucks have been maintained, or have had body panels replaced, its easy to do on the old stuff.



Lol......have you ever seen a 25 year old Mich. truck???......unless it has been totally gone through it will be junk even if pampered.(this state uses soo much salt.) I'll keep a look out for an older one too. Like I said,going to wait til the tail end of winter when people want to start getting rid of their 4x4's. I like those old granny geared trucks. I'm just trying to get a good idea of what not to get...... 
Thanks


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## bowtechmadman (Dec 27, 2007)

I've got an 87 Dodge Dakota 4*4 w/ the 8' box I'd sell. Rust free truck and will suprise ya on how much she will haul. Been using it for the last three years to haul wood (so plenty of dents and dings), quad and trailer have taken her place...since it's just easier to manuever the quad.
Definately won't haul w/ a 3/4 ton but can't beat the condition of it.


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 27, 2007)

PM sent,looking for a smaller truck for my job,too.


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## spacemule (Dec 27, 2007)

My experience with used trucks is that 1/2 tons are generally not used as hard as 3/4 or 1 tons. Therefore, you're more apt to find a good truck for less money in a 1/2 ton. 3/4 ton trucks are either priced too high or beat to within an inch of their lives. 

So, if it were me, and since you're only hauling wood a few miles, I'd look for an older 1/2 ton pickup. v-8, 6 cylinder, whatever won't matter if it starts and runs. You're not going to be in any races with a wood truck anyway.


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## bcorradi (Dec 27, 2007)

I guess its all dependant on what you feel comfortable with. I live in MN too so I know all about road salt, but you are still able to find decent trucks from the 80's and 90's here. 

If you wanted a chevy I agree with the others and saying a 73-87 or even newer with a 350 or 454 would work out well. I'd probably stay away from the 305.

If you wanted to go with a ford (body style changes of 73-79, 80-86, 87-91 or 92-96) would probably work also. As for personal visual preference I l like the 73-79 and the 92-96 body styles the best. Motor choices of a 300-6 (4.6L), 351 or 400m (70's), 390 (70's) 351w (later fords), or the 460. I'd personally shy away from the 5.0L and probably the mazda 5 spd transmission found in the 92-96 fords and also the 360's found in early 70's fords. I own or have owned 4 5.0's in trucks: a 93 5.0 (speed density), two 94 5.0's (mass air), and one 97 5.0 (mass air with the GT40 heads). The only one I've been impressed with as far as power is the 97 and thats in an exploder. I'm a huge fan of the 300-6's in terms of longevity, torque, gas mileage, etc., but they definately aren't speed demons . 

I'm not all that familiar with dodges so I don't know have much information to offer except that if your not going to have many body styles to choose from in your price range. Didn't they have just one body style from like the 60's up until like 94 . 

I don't think your going to find anything diesel or with a v10 in your pricerange that isn't going to have a ton of miles on it and isn't on the verge of needing a lot of money thrown into it.


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 29, 2007)

I wouldn't mind getting a 1/2 ton,def. get into a nicer one for the money. One of the guys in our group has 1/2 ton ford and it doesn't take long to have the springs going the wrong way...... kinda makes me shy from the lighter duty trucks. I do like the 300 sixes in the fords...good runners,and more torque than the 5.0 if I remember. I did find a 94 dodge 3/4 ton ext cab at a friends tranny shop (imagine that). Rebuilt trans,new drive shafts,360. 130k but was a plow truck all it's life....looks good but used and abused I bet......wants $3300. On the fence.....


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## bcorradi (Dec 29, 2007)

Ok yeah since you have a few people in your household another route may be to get a 1/2 ton ext cab shortbox and then also pull a trailer. I'm not sure if that is a viable option for you or not? 

Yeah the 300-6's will produce more torque than even a 351 at a low rpm and thats where you want the torque. My old plow truck had a 300-6 in it and my new one has a fresh 351m in it. I prefer my old 300-6 over the 351m for plowing. 

I don't know a whole lot about dodges, but I know they have had a few issues with trannys especially up here in the colder climates. My buddy who is a master mopar tech usually can't wait till spring (when it warms up) so the # of trannys he has to do subsides.


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## hanniedog (Dec 29, 2007)

I would stay away from a truck that plowed much snow. Usually the front ends are worn out among other things.


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## XJWoody (Dec 29, 2007)

*84 Chevy M1008 CUCV*

Rated at 1.25t, but was mostly a longbed SRW K30 pickup. 6.2 diesel, T400 3-speed auto, 4.56:1 axle ratio, and a Detroit Locker in the rear. EZ 350/454 swap when the oiler frys.

Good luck finding one rust-free up there though.


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 29, 2007)

bcorradi said:


> Ok yeah since you have a few people in your household another route may be to get a 1/2 ton ext cab shortbox and then also pull a trailer. I'm not sure if that is a viable option for you or not?



I was thinking of going that route,but also have horses and the one daughter likes to do shows....ie hauling critters to and fro....
Also the main route down into my buddy's woods is....down into the woods. It would be tough getting a trailer into that spot. Would be a good excuse to buy a trailer tho


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## clearance (Dec 29, 2007)

spacemule said:


> My experience with used trucks is that 1/2 tons are generally not used as hard as 3/4 or 1 tons. Therefore, you're more apt to find a good truck for less money in a 1/2 ton. 3/4 ton trucks are either priced too high or beat to within an inch of their lives.
> 
> So, if it were me, and since you're only hauling wood a few miles, I'd look for an older 1/2 ton pickup. v-8, 6 cylinder, whatever won't matter if it starts and runs. You're not going to be in any races with a wood truck anyway.



Space you old rocket scientist, uhhhh, 1/2 tons with the car rear axle and little springs, try loading one with what you can put on a real 3/4 ton (full floating axle), and you''ll be walking home. Right tool for the job.


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## wildbio (Dec 29, 2007)

my ideal wood hauler would be a diesel 3/4 ton with dual axle trailer. I can't afford my ideal so i have a dodge dakota with the 4.7 liter V8. It hauls a bed full (stacked to cab height) just fine (I installed Firestone air suspension bags in the rear to keep from overloading the springs and Timken heavy duty bump stops up front).
I use my 3500 lb single axle trailer as well. The small V8 in the dodge is plenty strong to pull what I haul. A truck with strong engine (half ton) and a decent trailer is a good option (you can load more weight in trailer than you could in the bed of the truck and pull ratings are higher than what you can load in the truck...depending on the rating of the trailer).
my truck stats:
4.7 V8 with the NV-3500 five-speed:
235 hp, 295 lb-ft torque
max trailer weight: 6,100 lb
payload: 1450 lb
Here's my set up for home use firewood hauling from nearby public lands.

I've loaded more in the truck/trailer than what's shown in the pic but try to not overload. Fortunately I don't have to go far for wood....if I had to go further I would want a bigger rig for sure.


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## bcorradi (Dec 29, 2007)

clearance said:


> Space you old rocket scientist, uhhhh, 1/2 tons with the car rear axle and little springs, try loading one with what you can put on a real 3/4 ton (full floating axle), and you''ll be walking home. Right tool for the job.



I agree with space a 1/2 ton with or without a trailer would suit him just fine. He isn't going into the firewood business or anything..he just wants a truck to haul his personal firewood home (probably around 10 cords) plus pull a couple of horses every once in a while. Plus you'll have a lot bigger selection of trucks to pick from with the 1/2 ton vs the 3/4 ton. 

Just for price comparison I spotted a 93 f250 4x4 with the 7.3 L in the paper today with 198k on it for $5500. Thats probably not a bad price, but he would be able to buy a 1/2 ton, a wood hauling trailer, plus a horse trailer for that same price.


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 29, 2007)

wildbio said:


> my ideal wood hauler would be a diesel 3/4 ton with dual axle trailer. I can't afford my ideal so i have a dodge dakota with the 4.7 liter V8. It hauls a bed full (stacked to cab height) just fine (I installed Firestone air suspension bags in the rear to keep from overloading the springs and Timken heavy duty bump stops up front).



Nice backdrop, I like your truck too.....
Yeah, I'd love to find a 90's Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4 ext cab w/ cummins and a five speed with say 100k for say.....$3500....anybody.....hello?!? :monkey:  

Does anyone still make a heavy half version in trucks?


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## clearance (Dec 29, 2007)

bcorradi said:


> I agree with space a 1/2 ton with or without a trailer would suit him just fine. He isn't going into the firewood business or anything..he just wants a truck to haul his personal firewood home (probably around 10 cords) plus pull a couple of horses every once in a while. Plus you'll have a lot bigger selection of trucks to pick from with the 1/2 ton vs the 3/4 ton.
> 
> Just for price comparison I spotted a 93 f250 4x4 with the 7.3 L in the paper today with 198k on it for $5500. Thats probably not a bad price, but he would be able to buy a 1/2 ton, a wood hauling trailer, plus a horse trailer for that same price.



Lets just talk trucks without trailers, which is what was originally asked. Wet wood is pretty heavy, probably around 3000 lbs. per cord. An old Chevy 3/4 ton wieghs around 5400 lbs. and has a g.v.w. of 8600 lbs. So, you can haul it in one trip. Now if you had a 1/2 ton that wieghs a little less but has a g.v.w. of say 6500 l.b.s, you will be making two trips, burning almost twice as much gas and driving twice as much. Trailers are cool, but if you have to go offroad they can be a real p.i.t.a. Also, a real 3/4 ton is better for pulling trailers than a 1/2 ton, stronger drivetrain and a stiffer suspension for more trailer control. 1/2 tons are not really that usefull for hard work.


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## bcorradi (Dec 29, 2007)

clearance said:


> Lets just talk trucks without trailers, which is what was originally asked. Wet wood is pretty heavy, probably around 3000 lbs. per cord. An old Chevy 3/4 ton wieghs around 5400 lbs. and has a g.v.w. of 8600 lbs. So, you can haul it in one trip. Now if you had a 1/2 ton that wieghs a little less but has a g.v.w. of say 6500 l.b.s, you will be making two trips, burning almost twice as much gas and driving twice as much. Trailers are cool, but if you have to go offroad they can be a real p.i.t.a. Also, a real 3/4 ton is better for pulling trailers than a 1/2 ton, stronger drivetrain and a stiffer suspension for more trailer control. 1/2 tons are not really that usefull for hard work.


Your able to get a cord of wood in the back of a longbed truck...but your going to need sideboards. So lets say he hauls a 1/2 cord of wood with the 1/2 ton vs 3/4 cord with the 3/4 ton. If he needs 10 cords of wood per year he is going to need to make 20 trips with the 1/2 ton vs roughly 13 trips with the 3/4 ton. At 10 miles per round trip he will need to travel 200 miles with the 1/2 ton vs 130 miles with the 3/4 ton. Even with gas prices as high as they are, overall its fairly neglible even if both trucks get the same mileage. Timewise, say it takes him say 20 minutes to make a round trip. For the year he would spend roughly 140 more minutes using the 1/2 ton vs the 3/4 ton. If what he was planning to do was on a grander scale (larger quantity or a longer travelling distance) yeah a 3/4 ton would be a better fit...but not in my opinion for what he wants to do. 

I agree trailers can be a pita if your dealing with tight places or need to travel offroad.


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## dan365husky (Dec 29, 2007)

whats wrong with a early to mid 90 chevy truck 1/2 with low miles with helper springs in the rear 350 v8 4x4 longbox extended cab perfect kids horses and firewood. these trucks are great work horses and had very little troubles. my last one had 325000 miles and still ran great when i sold it. and my current 90 with 187000 miles still runs great easy to work on and no carb issues to do deal with fuel injection i overload my all the time their is not alot of difference in a 3/4 ton and 1/2 unless you buy a heavy 3/4 ton
the heavy 3/4 has larger axles front and rear. unless your hauling a house you dont realy need a 3/4 ton for the extra cost.:greenchainsaw: :


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## clearance (Dec 29, 2007)

I have hauled many full cords of wood in 3/4 ton trucks, I never used sideboards, I just used chain with loadbinders to my headache rack/rail. That is another thing a firewood truck should have, a headache rack, you can just huck in the wood, no worries. And you can haul long stuff no problems, like 20' lengths of rebar, for example. 

Dan 365, "what is wrong with 90s 1/2 tons" Where do you want to start? Especailly the 4x4 ones, they don't even have a front axle, this is where Chevy lost thier way, bigtime. Nothing like changing the fuel pump on one of those, one of the other things that comes to mind right away. Notice how you say "heavy 3/4 ton"-Prior to 1981 all Chevy 3/4 tons were heavy duty, they all had the big, strong full floating corparate 14 bolt rear axle. Then they started getting cheaper and weaker as time went on, aluminum chaindrive transfer case instead of geardrives, thinner steel in the box, smaller box, more plastic...it just goes on and on.


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## dan365husky (Dec 29, 2007)

ok sorry i hit a sore spot with the mid 90 chevy post. i just know i beat the crap out of my old chevy and it just keeps on going and nothing has broke as of yet and if it does i will fix it and keep running it. yes i know all the older trucks had super heavy solid front and rear axles and were made like tanks but this guy talks about driving around with horses and such then old trucks werent the best on the road handlers. :greenchainsaw:  :greenchainsaw:


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## bcorradi (Dec 29, 2007)

clearance said:


> I have hauled many full cords of wood in 3/4 ton trucks, I never used sideboards, I just used chain with loadbinders to my headache rack/rail. That is another thing a firewood truck should have, a headache rack, you can just huck in the wood, no worries. And you can haul long stuff no problems, like 20' lengths of rebar, for example.
> 
> Dan 365, "what is wrong with 90s 1/2 tons" Where do you want to start? Especailly the 4x4 ones, they don't even have a front axle, this is where Chevy lost thier way, bigtime. Nothing like changing the fuel pump on one of those, one of the other things that comes to mind right away. Notice how you say "heavy 3/4 ton"-Prior to 1981 all Chevy 3/4 tons were heavy duty, they all had the big, strong full floating corparate 14 bolt rear axle. Then they started getting cheaper and weaker as time went on, aluminum chaindrive transfer case instead of geardrives, thinner steel in the box, smaller box, more plastic...it just goes on and on.



Ok...take a picture of your hotrod 3/4 ton chevy with the headache rack just for curiosity sake. 

I agree with you on the newer trucks being made cheaper and more like cars instead of trucks. I guess modern trucks like chainsaws have evolved to real disimilar beasts to what they once were.


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## spacemule (Dec 29, 2007)

clearance said:


> Space you old rocket scientist, uhhhh, 1/2 tons with the car rear axle and little springs, try loading one with what you can put on a real 3/4 ton (full floating axle), and you''ll be walking home. Right tool for the job.



He's hauling less than 5 miles. My brother in law sold wood professionally for a couple years with a half ton. They're fine for a wood hauler. I think you're letting little man syndrome get to you here, clearance.


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## clearance (Dec 29, 2007)

spacemule said:


> He's hauling less than 5 miles. My brother in law sold wood professionally for a couple years with a half ton. They're fine for a wood hauler. I think you're letting little man syndrome get to you here, clearance.



Space, your brother in law overloaded his truck bigtime or made too many trips, niether of which is that smart. All I ever have is 3/4 tons, cause I don't want 1/2 a truck.


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## bcorradi (Dec 29, 2007)

Instead of 3/4 of a truck you should opt for a 1 ton then you'd get a full truck. What are rangers, s10's, small toyotas, etc ? 1/4 trucks .


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## spacemule (Dec 29, 2007)

clearance said:


> All I ever have is 3/4 tons, cause I don't want 1/2 a truck.



Nothing wrong with overloading a truck used on a farm. I'd take a babied 1/2 ton over a beat to death 3/4 ton for the same price any day. As a side note, a lot of people are happy only cutting enough for a 1/2 ton to haul when they do their wood. There's no need to spend exponentially more money for just a personal firewood hauler. 

Again though, this all depends on what's available and what your application is.


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## spacemule (Dec 29, 2007)

bcorradi said:


> Instead of 3/4 of a truck you should opt for a 1 ton then you'd get a full truck. What are rangers, s10's, small toyotas, etc ? 1/4 trucks .



Well hell, why not just go all the way and get an ex uhaul truck or an old Peterbuilt?


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## clearance (Dec 29, 2007)

bcorradi said:


> Instead of 3/4 of a truck you should opt for a 1 ton then you'd get a full truck. What are rangers, s10's, small toyotas, etc ? 1/4 trucks .



Thats pretty funny.


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## Dok (Dec 30, 2007)

I tried the half ton truck thing, didn't work out. Rear axle seals, twisted rear axle splines, finally the auto tranny went out. This was a 99 Dodge Ram 1500 extended cab short bed 2wd. I didn't install any sides or rack on that truck and I never got more than 2/3 cord out of it. 

I replaced that truck with a 70 3/4 ton Dodge W200. 318, manual tranny, built like a tank. This was a great wood truck. If I didn't need to haul more than one other person I would still have it.

I now take my wife and two kids and dog when I cut and hunt, so I sold the Dodge and bought a used 01 Ford F250 Crew Cab long bed diesel. No regrets there.

These are just my experiences, take it for what its worth.
Dok


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## bcorradi (Dec 30, 2007)

Dok said:


> I tried the half ton truck thing, didn't work out. Rear axle seals, twisted rear axle splines, finally the auto tranny went out. This was a 99 Dodge Ram 1500 extended cab short bed 2wd. I didn't install any sides or rack on that truck and I never got more than 2/3 cord out of it.
> 
> I replaced that truck with a 70 3/4 ton Dodge W200. 318, manual tranny, built like a tank. This was a great wood truck. If I didn't need to haul more than one other person I would still have it.
> 
> ...


What do you have in your 01 for a motor and tranny? 

You got 2/3 of a loggers cord in your 6' bed? According to my calculations you would have had to have it stacked over 5' high.


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## Dok (Dec 30, 2007)

bcorradi said:


> What do you have in your 01 for a motor and tranny?
> 
> You got 2/3 of a loggers cord in your 6' bed? According to my calculations you would have had to have it stacked over 5' high.



The 01 has the 7.3L Powerstroke, 6sp manual, manual xfer case, manual hubs. See where I'm going here? :greenchainsaw: 

2/3 cord, not usually. Usual was 1 face cord (cut to 16" so 1/3 cord). I haul the wood home then split it. The 2/3 cord came from a load of large unsplit rounds that stacked out to 2/3 cord after splitting. Large pine rounds, the smaller loads of oak weighed more.


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## bcorradi (Dec 30, 2007)

Dok said:


> The 01 has the 7.3L Powerstroke, 6sp manual, manual xfer case, manual hubs. See where I'm going here? :greenchainsaw:
> 
> 2/3 cord, not usually. Usual was 1 face cord (cut to 16" so 1/3 cord). I haul the wood home then split it. The 2/3 cord came from a load of large unsplit rounds that stacked out to 2/3 cord after splitting. Large pine rounds, the smaller loads of oak weighed more.



Ok cool great combination on the 01. 

I screwed up on my calculation anyhow ...i was calculating for a full cord . 2/3 of a cord would need it stacked roughly 3.5' high so that makes more sense.


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## ropensaddle (Dec 30, 2007)

I have an old 85 one ton dump not pretty but can haul 2 cords!
I put side boards four feet high and when loaded it can tell!


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## Dok (Dec 30, 2007)

bcorradi said:


> Ok cool great combination on the 01.
> 
> I screwed up on my calculation anyhow ...i was calculating for a full cord . 2/3 of a cord would need it stacked roughly 3.5' high so that makes more sense.



That sounds right. I sometimes miss that 6' bed, doesn't take any time at all to fill it.  
Dok


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 30, 2007)

Ok, if you guys don't knock it off I'm gonna turn this thread around.... :hmm3grin2orange: 

Come on Brad, I don't have 1 ton money.......
I was confused for a bit...wondering how you guys got a full cord of wood on a p/u......I see your talking face cord. 

WTH....now I'm more confused than when started. Have you guys ever hauled a couple of horses with a half ton? Man, an empty trailer alone is 3000 to 3500#s, then put it a couple of fat a$$ horses in there ........I've done it w/ one horse in an 06 1/2 ton dodge ext. cab 4x4....not bad... but the truck was new and everything fresh yet. But all in all it's like Spacemule said....not going very far and can get a decent ext cab for the cash I'm wanting to spend.


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## Dok (Dec 30, 2007)

Getting a full cord in a pickup is easy, put in stakes and bolt up plywood all around to just over the roofline. Rear axle riding on the bumpstops, headlights pointing at the sky. Around here thats a PPP, Pollock Pines Pickup. Bonus points for three or more colors of paint on the truck. 

That's the easy part, actually filling it is the hard part. 

Dok (I usually haul 2/3 cord in my 3/4 ton long bed)


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## bcorradi (Dec 30, 2007)

Wood Junkie said:


> Ok, if you guys don't knock it off I'm gonna turn this thread around.... :hmm3grin2orange:
> 
> Come on Brad, I don't have 1 ton money.......
> I was confused for a bit...wondering how you guys got a full cord of wood on a p/u......I see your talking face cord.
> ...


LOL i wasn't telling you to get a 1 ton I was telling clearance he should if he wanted a full pickup. If everyone was pointing you in the same direction it wouldn't be much fun anyhow. You already threw the thread for a loop in about the 5th post when you were talking about v10's. 

No I'm not that foolish to own horses in the first place . I've pulled 1/2 ton 4 x 4's on an heavy implement trailer over 100 miles with my 1/2 a pickup. This is with a speed density 5.0L and a mazda 5 spd transmission....both of which aren't that great imo. 

I guess the overall consensus is that your not going to get much of a 3/4 ton for the money your wanting to spend unless you want to get an 80's chevy (like clearance mentions) or a or ford from that era. However your going to have a heck of a time finding an ext. cab 3/4 ton chevy in the 80's. If you really want or think you need a 3/4 ton your probably going to have to increase your budget to get something that your not going to have to throw money in.

You will be able to get a better truck and have more selection if you go the 1/2 ton route. Your wood duty can be handled just fine with a 1/2 ton. Your horse duty can be handled also with a 1/2 ton as long as your not needing to travel long distances all the time with your fat a$$ horses. A better solution imo would be to just get rid of the horses lol.


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## Dok (Dec 30, 2007)

bcorradi summed it up for you. I think what threw us is your budget. You started out wanting to stay under $3000, which puts you into an old truck. Then you say V10, which automatically means newer truck, which you will never find for under $3000 as the salvage value will be more than that. Give us a realistic budget and maybe we can help you better????
Dok


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 30, 2007)

Dok said:


> Give us a realistic budget and maybe we can help you better????
> Dok



You want a realistic budget,donate $2k to my triplets fund and we'll bump it up to $5k....... 

With the economy and gas prices the way they are, people are selling their vehicles alot cheaper than even two years ago. My goal with this thread was to get a good rounded opinion of what to look for vs. what to avoid....ie straight axle vs...half shafts.......1/2 vs 3/4 ton......eng. & trans. combos...etc
I think you guys have gave me food for thought....Thanks  

The V10 statement was mostly a joke, I know that a running V10 truck is out of my price range.......I was considering it due to a truck for sale with a blown eng in it.....( V10)
I'm a mechanic by trade, industrial equipment ( everything is heavy duty!) but I'm not up on all the truck specs and so forth tis why I'm asking. BTW.....I'd be doing all my own wrenching......I was a cert. master tech about ten years ago......all cars though...(Mercedes and Volvo). Repairs aren't as complicated as people make them out to be, even the new stuff.....

Thanks for all the input


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## ropensaddle (Dec 30, 2007)

This is what I have been hauling mine with, I get around
ten cords at once!


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 30, 2007)

Sooo.....what kinda milage do ya get? :hmm3grin2orange:


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## ropensaddle (Dec 30, 2007)

Wood Junkie said:


> Sooo.....what kinda milage do ya get? :hmm3grin2orange:



About fifteen to the gallon not bad huh!


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## DarylB (Dec 30, 2007)

ropensaddle said:


> About fifteen to the gallon not bad huh!



15km or miles? or yards? :greenchainsaw:


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## ropensaddle (Dec 30, 2007)

Best I can figure is about 15 miles per gallon, as long as I don't lay down
on the old macks hammer


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## dan365husky (Dec 30, 2007)

are you planing on using a trailer to get wood also or just a truck? from the woods or another way. if you know any one that works for a local small town or city i get lots of wood from local city from the street trees that have to be cut down most of the time is good hardwoods when i get it already been limbed and cut down i just cut it up and load much less work than limbing also larger pieces for outdoor stove.:greenchainsaw:  1/2 chevy with trailer i get all i realy want to haul or cut at one time bewteen the trailer and truck 2 to 3 goodsize pickup loads of wood.


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## Wood Junkie (Dec 31, 2007)

dan365husky said:


> are you planing on using a trailer to get wood also or just a truck? from the woods or another way. if you know any one that works for a local small town or city i get lots of wood from local city from the street trees that have to be cut down most of the time is good hardwoods when i get it already been limbed and cut down i just cut it up and load much less work than limbing also larger pieces for outdoor stove.:greenchainsaw:  1/2 chevy with trailer i get all i realy want to haul or cut at one time bewteen the trailer and truck 2 to 3 goodsize pickup loads of wood.



Hey Dan,there's group of four of us cutting back on some property of a friends. Rough terrain,a trailer would not work too well. We usually cut about six p/u loads or so per Sat. to feed our wood burning beasts......so far we've done that for about three weekends and that will get us by til' the middle of Jan. We also have plenty of farmers around wanting fence lines cleared so we have a good supply,just need the vehicle.


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## dan365husky (Jan 1, 2008)

you metioned also hauling horses what type of trailer are you hauling them with gooseneck or other type small or large trailer and how many horses do you hall at a time. like the others have said you may want a 3/4 ton if your haul huge amounts of wood at a time and more than one horse with larger size trailer. but on the other hand if your driving much on the highway the 3/4 tons dont ride as nice. if you have more than one child regular cabs are not going to fit every one look for a quad cab or four doors and the older trucks very seldom offer that. are you looking for newer or older trucks or should i say tanks like the older ones or should i say newer ones after early 90s . just remember the biggest factor solid axle front end trucks dont ride as nice as independent front suspension trucks do although the independents may not be as strong they still will hold up very well the reason i say that is i work on them all the time i am an ASE MASTER AUTO REPAIR TECH and hope i know something after 16 years at it:greenchainsaw:  .


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## Wood Junkie (Jan 1, 2008)

Thanks for the reply Dan,I have six year old triplets and an older daughter soo...I was gearing towards an ext. cab pickup.......which was why I was considering the 96 dodge plow truck...(see earlier thread).....I guess since the trans has just been rebuilt,w/ new drive shafts, it wouldn't be too bad of a deal. I would just have to make sure the trans. case and rear end are decent.....along with the front end (susp. and steering) and the engine,and .......:greenchainsaw: 

BTW....I have three horses,use a two horse trailer when I need it (bumper pull), I don't own one yet,but will get a three or four horse for the extra room.
I realize the 1/2 tons will do the job,and I can get alot newer,less miles, etc....for the money.....but I would imagine at a cost of a shorter life span of the truck components.....


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## dan365husky (Jan 2, 2008)

Wood Junkie said:


> Thanks for the reply Dan,I have six year old triplets and an older daughter soo...I was gearing towards an ext. cab pickup.......which was why I was considering the 96 dodge plow truck...(see earlier thread).....I guess since the trans has just been rebuilt,w/ new drive shafts, it wouldn't be too bad of a deal. I would just have to make sure the trans. case and rear end are decent.....along with the front end (susp. and steering) and the engine,and .......:greenchainsaw:
> 
> BTW....I have three horses,use a two horse trailer when I need it (bumper pull), I don't own one yet,but will get a three or four horse for the extra room.
> I realize the 1/2 tons will do the job,and I can get alot newer,less miles, etc....for the money.....but I would imagine at a cost of a shorter life span of the truck components.....


the dodge will be a nice choice solid front axle they did have some issues with front end parts such as axle ujoints ball joints tie rod and drag link all like to wear out fairly fast but if your willing to replace some parts at times they are a very solid truck. if you have any question about the dodges i have worked for chrysler over over 10 years as an auto tech so i can give you an idea what if anything you should look for. you did say the trans was rebuilt correct. also if it does not have a extra trans cooler or one in radiator install one in front of radiator and make certain you never tow with overdrive on. :greenchainsaw:


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## Wood Junkie (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the offer of your expertise,I'll make sure to take advantage of it! I talked with the truck owner today. He has rebuilt the trans. w/ warranty. I asked him to check out the trans. case and rear end for me while it's at a shop w/ a hoist.....man I miss having a hoist........but the frame is in good shape and the body is rust free,surprisingly. Still haven't test drove it yet,wonder if he'd let use it for a weekend of cutting wood....


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## kah68 (Jan 4, 2008)

I just bought a 93 Dodge W250 Cummins with 150,000 miles on it and a solid body for $3500.00 the down side is that auto is beat, but I have the identical truck with a rotten body so I have a good tranny. These trucks are good work trucks, powerful enough, and retun well over 20 mpg empty. I will be using it for plowing, fire wood and general running around, they ride like a lumber wagon though.


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## goblin (Jan 7, 2008)

Wood Junkie said:


> I wouldn't mind getting a 1/2 ton,def. get into a nicer one for the money. One of the guys in our group has 1/2 ton ford and it doesn't take long to have the springs going the wrong way...... kinda makes me shy from the lighter duty trucks. I do like the 300 sixes in the fords...good runners,and more torque than the 5.0 if I remember. I did find a 94 dodge 3/4 ton ext cab at a friends tranny shop (imagine that). Rebuilt trans,new drive shafts,360. 130k but was a plow truck all it's life....looks good but used and abused I bet......wants $3300. On the fence.....



The cheapest way to beef up the suspension on those 1/2 tons is to put a set of air shocks on the rear. Going to get wood? Fire up the compressor and pump 'em up to 120psi. Done for the day? Let 'em back down to 70psi.

If you absolutely must, you can add another leaf spring in the back too.

If you need the front suspension beefed up, a pair of coil-over front shocks will do the trick.

In other words, find a decent 1/2 ton, then spend a few hundred beefing up the suspension with heavy duty shocks. You may have to order them online though, as most places probably won't stock what you're looking for.


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## kah68 (Jan 7, 2008)

goblin said:


> The cheapest way to beef up the suspension on those 1/2 tons is to put a set of air shocks on the rear. Going to get wood? Fire up the compressor and pump 'em up to 120psi. Done for the day? Let 'em back down to 70psi.
> 
> If you absolutely must, you can add another leaf spring in the back too.
> 
> ...




Still have 1/2 ton frame, axles, brakes, wheels and tires, drive train, cooling ect. Spend some time and find the right truck for the job, you will be miles ahead of a wanna be 1/2 ton. Also consider the safety of your family when you are hauling horses and grear in the bed of the truck, will those 1/2 ton brakes stop you down a hill in a panic situation? You will find yourself looking for a heavier truck eventually, trailers become bigger, people become bigger, loads are always bigger, better to have that extra margin of safety for everyones sake. Oh and contrary to popular opinions, latter model (late 90's and up) 3/4 and 1 tons ride pretty good compared to the older trucks, they serve double duty pretty good.


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