New Wood Hauler..Maybe

[DSW]

It had the 7.3 liter turbo. The motor was great but the rest of the truck was going and it was pretty rusty. Bought it for $5K and put $6K into it, used it for a couple seasons to deliver firewood and sold it for $6K , ouch !! It was a beast, pulled great with 4.10 gears until I pulled the tow hitch loose from the rusted frame.

Was sure you were going to say 6.0.

I don't see how a rusty frame is the fault of the diesel engine that ran great.

My 7.3 (admitted bias) sits on a clean frame, was inexpensive, and has given me no issues. If I sold it today I'd make money.

 

[DSW]

I love the 80-96' Fords. Have owned several from 80-86. The pre-80 trucks are hitting collector status now and are too expensive (plus an X-cab is almost impossible to find). I am not a fan of the newer F-150's. I know the early F-250/350 super dutys had a lot of trouble with front ends (my BIL went through several of them) so again something I want to avoid. The more recent super duty's of course would be out of my price range if I am just using it as a wood hauler.

Perfect for me would be a 97 or 98 2500 long box with x-cab, 3rd door, and bench seats so 6 can ride in it.

Although I may just be better off selling my Yukon and getting a truck new enough to drive daily yet old enough to drive on logging roads without worrying about scratching up a bit.

What are your vehicles now if you don't mind me asking? Is the Yukon the wife's that's getting upgraded and then you're driving the 1500 to haul wood and get to work?

 

[DSW]

If you're taking the wood hauler to the wood, no tractor or skidsteer, I'd be hesitant to get too nice of a truck, personally.

 

[lknchoppers]

Was sure you were going to say 6.0.

I don't see how a rusty frame is the fault of the diesel engine that ran great.

My 7.3 (admitted bias) sits on a clean frame, was inexpensive, and has given me no issues. If I sold it today I'd make money.

The 7.3 was good, they do have their quirks but they are solid. I had both trucks at the same time and the 5.4 was newer, had less miles, rode much better and wasn't costing me in repairs like the 7.3 was. It wasn't the motor it was the rest of the truck. I just couldn't find a newer one in better shape for under $10k so I went with the 2003 5.4 gas F250 and I have not regretted it. I was skeptical that it could pull and haul what I did with the 7.3 F350 but it does and it cruises better without the 4.10 gears. I generally run about 40 miles one way when I deliver firewood so cruising on the highway is important and I don't get the wind knocked out of me crossing railroad track anymore. I may get another diesel 7.3l again sometime if I can get a deal but they are very expensive around here for a 20 year old truck.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

A heavy duty pickup is an option.
And as mentioned, a good trailer could be a good option for now and get a truck later.
Or, a 'medium duty' truck if it is just for firewood. They can be had fairly cheap. Probably half to a third the price of a pickup, and twice the truck. You probably will not find one with four wheel drive however.
My 2000 Top Kick 5500 was $4,700. several years ago, with a payload of 9,000 lbs.

 

[GVS]

The 7.3 was good, they do have their quirks but they are solid. I had both trucks at the same time and the 5.4 was newer, had less miles, rode much better and wasn't costing me in repairs like the 7.3 was. It wasn't the motor it was the rest of the truck. I just couldn't find a newer one in better shape for under $10k so I went with the 2003 5.4 gas F250 and I have not regretted it. I was skeptical that it could pull and haul what I did with the 7.3 F350 but it does and it cruises better without the 4.10 gears. I generally run about 40 miles one way when I deliver firewood so cruising on the highway is important and I don't get the wind knocked out of me crossing railroad track anymore. I may get another diesel 7.3l again sometime if I can get a deal but they are very expensive around here for a 20 year old truck.

The 5.4 is a very good engine.300 HP,360 ft. lbs. torque.You do have to spin 'em up a bit but they will get the job done and get respectable gas mileage in the process.I'm closing in on 180000 mi. on my '06 250,6 spd. manual,4 WD,3.73 gears Ext.cab.4.10 gears wouldn't hurt any.Uses about a pint of oil between 4000 mi oil changes and has since new.

 

[svk]

What are your vehicles now if you don't mind me asking? Is the Yukon the wife's that's getting upgraded and then you're driving the 1500 to haul wood and get to work?

Wife has a 15' Suburban that comes off lease next month and we are not going to buy it but will be buying or leasing another vehicle. She will have something in the SUV range but probably not another full size suburban because we do not need two anymore. In any situation, her new vehicle is off limits for hauling wood I have a 07' Yukon XL (GMC version of suburban) that I drive daily and then I have the 1500 X cab as a wood hauler. I could get by with a truck with double benches as a daily driver but need to seat at least 6 so I can haul all of the kids if needed.

 

[svk]

Right now I haul 1.25 cords at a time (1/2 in the truck and 3/4 in the trailer) and am fine with that capacity. Of course if I stepped up to a long box 2500 I could definitely haul 1.5 (total between trailer and truck) comfortably or 1.75 total If I put in sideboards.

 

[DSW]

I think double duty might be hard in your situation if it has to hold six youngins.

Especially if you're taking it off road.

What's wrong with the truck you have?

 

[Cody]

I'd prefer a pre 99'. Vortec (96-98') 350 is fine with me. They are powerful and reliable.

What about like an 03-06 GM 2500 with a 6.0? Many of them can be found with 4.10's as well if you're interested in towing a whole lot more weight. Every bit as reliable as the 88-98 GM trucks, more capable, and more reliable than a Ford.

How much are you asking for your current wood hauler?

If you are looking at an older Chevy, consider a 6.5 diesel. People say they are junk... But they get double the fuel mileage of a 454 typically. A good place to do some research is Dieselplace. The fuel econ can really pay off in the long run if you put numbers to it. if you do your own work, the maintenance isn't too bad. Lots of super die hard 6.5ers in MN too.

I used to love visiting dieselplace, more for the Duramax, but it's a really slow site any more.

 

[svk]

Had a 2000 with a 6.0. Those were solid engines.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

I used to love visiting dieselplace, more for the Duramax, but it's a really slow site any more.

Trying to bring it back in the 6.5 dept. Lotta bad attitudes for some reason. And they sold it and commercialized it more...

 

[Cody]

Had a 2000 with a 6.0. Those were solid engines.

They're not quite as simple to work on as a smallblock but they're not a headache by any means, plus the aftermarket tunes you can get for them are really nice. My only gripe with them is front steering/suspension parts don't seem to last as long as they did on the 400 chassis.

 

[svk]

I think double duty might be hard in your situation if it has to hold six youngins.

Especially if you're taking it off road.

What's wrong with the truck you have?

It's only a half ton and is slowly rusting

 

[deerehunter]

I think your headed in the right direction with what you are looking for. I don't think motor wise you could go wrong with a 350 or a 6.0 as I own one of each and they are both great. The GMT series trucks are getting pretty darn affordable but hard to find them in my neck of the woods that aren't rusted out. Ive had several but this one has been my favorite for wood

hauling.

 

[Boomer 87]

The truck your looking for would be a good choice. I wrench on vehicles the 350 vortec was one of the best engines GM has made. That being said the New LS engines cannot be beaten. The 6.0 is a absolute powerhouse. They are still largely based on the traditional small block. Being pushrod engine. The worst thing I've even had to do to one was head gaskets and being a pushrod engine. even that job was a sinch. About the worse expirence you'll have is feeding it, and the rearest exhaust manifold bolts break the heads off. They make repairs for those too.

The new diesel engines perform like never before. We just did a egr and dpf delete and put a tuner in a new f250 6.7 that was 150 horse capable. It makes a rockeship out of a 3/4ton truck. But im here to tell you, you don't want the repair bills, bc you WILL have them. Thanks to the EPA those engines are so choked with emissions devices it unreal. The fuel systems are so picky, like the 6.4 powerstroke, once the fuel system is contaminated, it all has to go. Tank and lift lines flushed all new injectors, feed lines, injection pump. Bc the pump will chew itself up and send metal all through the fuel system.7500$ worth in just fuel system repair.There nothing like the old diesels. Even the mighty Cummins the new 6.7 wastes a turbo and it will, your out 3600$ Duramax is no exception. I personally had the whole cab off the frame on a 12' model putting in a used engine. And the used engine was 5,000$

You can buy alot of gas with all the money you'll save. I'll try and find the pics I took of the cab off Duramax. That was the most intrusive job I've ever done.

As a current automotive technician, having to do these the of insane expensive intrusive repairs is why I drive a 69c20 with 250ci inline 6cyl. Simple yet effective.

 

[deerehunter]

We have a cab off a crew duramax in our shop right now. Boomer you are correct it is a pain in the a$$

 

[svk]

Well I'm delivering it to its new owner this morning. Felt great about my decision until I went to clean it out now I'm regretting. I'm a sentimental schmuk lol.

 

[Boomer 87]

We have a cab off a crew duramax in our shop right now. Boomer you are correct it is a pain in the a$$

Yeah they suck bad, but to be fair the 6.4 and 6.7 powerstrokes are that bad too

 

[DSW]

Well I'm delivering it to its new owner this morning. Felt great about my decision until I went to clean it out now I'm regretting. I'm a sentimental schmuk lol.

I'm the same way. I had a grocery getter I drove for ten years. Cleaned out the glove box and came across an orthodontist appointment from many years ago. First date with my wife was in the car.

The thing is we attach all these memories to the possession but it could have been any vehicle. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself.