Good wood hauler

[Wood Junkie]

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.

 

[Dok]

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)

 

[bcorradi]

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.

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.

 

[Dok]

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

 

[Wood Junkie]

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

 

[ropensaddle]

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

 

[Wood Junkie]

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

 

[ropensaddle]

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

About fifteen to the gallon not bad huh!

 

[DarylB]

About fifteen to the gallon not bad huh!

15km or miles? or yards? :greenchainsaw:

 

[ropensaddle]

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

 

[dan365husky]

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.

 

[Wood Junkie]

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.

 

[dan365husky]

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: .

 

[Wood Junkie]

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.....

 

[dan365husky]

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:

 

[Wood Junkie]

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....

 

[kah68]

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.

 

[goblin]

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.

 

[kah68]

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.

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.