who makes the best diesel truck?

[redprospector]

They are all using pretty good engine's, but the rest of the truck is only a Ford, Chevy, or Dodge.
I currently have a 98 Dodge w/cummins 5.9. I know it's possible to get 500,000 miles out of the cummins, but the rest of the truck is just a Dodge (it'll never make it).
I had a 97 Ford powerstroke, and the cummins will deffinately out pull it. I haven't had a Chevy diesel since my 6.2 day's. But I hear they are pretty good now.
In my opinion the EPA has succesfully ruined the best engine for a work truck on the plannet (diesel) by attaching a computer to it, and then changing the fuel it burn's. Oh yeah, don't forget the oil for it they screwed up too.
They're all pretty good, pick the brand you like and pull that trailer.

Andy

 

[Ten_Bucks]

If you're gonna use the truck for timber related work, I'd suggest buying a used '99 to early '03 Ford Superduty with the 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel. Even though I'm a GM guy, I will admit that the Fords that I just mentioned can handle the abuse of being worked in the timber industry quite a bit better than the late model GMs and Dodges. That being said, if you want my opinions on which diesel is the best one for a pickup, I'll say Cummins with the Duramax in close second and the 7.3L Powerstroke in third. The 6.0L Powerstroke has had a tarnished reputation due to problems caused by the stock head bolts and the EGR system. Both of those problems can be solved easily if you get a truck with that engine in it. If I had the ability to build my dream truck, it'd be a '01-'03 Ford F350 with a '03 or newer Cummins under its hood and an Allison LCT1000 trans(one in the Duramax equipped trucks) behind the Cummins. That way, I'd have the best of all three brands. What I have just stated are my opinions and are NOT intended to start a flame war or argument in any way, shape, or form.

Scott

 

[redprospector]

Wouldn't it be nice if Ford, Chevy, & Dodge would do like Peterbilt, Kenworth, & Freightliner? The salesman would be asking you "Which engine/transmission combination would you like with that".

Andy

 

[04ultra]

I've got a 1995 F650 with an Allision auto and the 5.9L Cummins. 22.5 inch tires! 26k GVW.

Sorry to hear that.......j/k........good choice


A friend had a early 90's F650 with the ford 6.? diesel inline 6 and it was a warranty nightmare..

 

[PAF]

.

I like the Dodge cummins ! very powerful !

 

[cabinman]

Cummings

I'd have to say the Ford truck with the GM engine and transmission.

Cummins

 

[460magnumMOD]

If your gunna plow dont buy a gm. The front end can't handle it. Also those and the fords you need a run at it to get piles pushing. the dodge get snow moving like no other. Also their front ends are now AAM 14 bolts instead of dana 60s. much stronger and no more ball joint issues like the predecessors when plowing. The fords were only good when they had the 7.3 powerjoke in them. the 6.0 and the twin turbo, if you want to call it that, suck. The new 6.7 cummins is a pulling machine. All the gm is, is speed and ride, thats it. My 05 dodge 3500 has 70,000 miles on it of constant work hauling and towing and loves every minute of it.

 

[custom8726]

If your gunna plow dont buy a gm. The front end can't handle it. Also those and the fords you need a run at it to get piles pushing. the dodge get snow moving like no other. Also their front ends are now AAM 14 bolts instead of dana 60s. much stronger and no more ball joint issues like the predecessors when plowing. The fords were only good when they had the 7.3 powerjoke in them. the 6.0 and the twin turbo, if you want to call it that, suck. The new 6.7 cummins is a pulling machine. All the gm is, is speed and ride, thats it. My 05 dodge 3500 has 70,000 miles on it of constant work hauling and towing and loves every minute of it.

I don't know about all that, Our 03 duramax has seen countless hrs plowing with no front end issues. Also the gm being nothing but speed and ride is completly false, yes they ride way better then a dodge or ford but they are just as capable of towing big payloads as a cummins IMO.. We have two duramax's and 1- 7.3 powerstroke that work daily well the chevys do anyways the ford is getting a new tranny right now. Here is a pic of the 03 D-MAX pulling 26k and loving it!!!http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg33/custom8726/26klogs.jpg

 

[clearance]

The newer Chev/GMCs 4x4s ride real low to the ground, like an El Camino. The frame is way below the body. Driving on a r.o.w. road with ruts it will bottom out constantly, while other trucks and the old Chev/GMCs will not.

If you never go off the pavement, no big deal, but a truck should go places a car cannot, even a two wheel drive old Chev/GMC sits higher. For that reason alone, I would never have one.

 

[custom8726]

The newer Chev/GMCs 4x4s ride real low to the ground, like an El Camino. The frame is way below the body. Driving on a r.o.w. road with ruts it will bottom out constantly, while other trucks and the old Chev/GMCs will not.

If you never go off the pavement, no big deal, but a truck should go places a car cannot, even a two wheel drive old Chev/GMC sits higher. For that reason alone, I would never have one.

Couple of turns on the torsion bars and they sit just as high as a factory ford powerstroke. The factory stance, wheel and tire combo is crap on the chevy/GMC's but they are easily addresed items. A Much easier fix then the body rotting off the dodges or the head gaskets blowing on the fords. In all honesty they all have there pros and cons but for me the chevys have treated me better then the fords working every day in the tree industry. I never owned a dodge truck but If I did buy one it would have to have the cummins to make up for all the other short comings from dodge:greenchainsaw:

 

[clearance]

Couple of turns on the torsion bars and they sit just as high as a factory ford powerstroke. The factory stance, wheel and tire combo is crap on the chevy/GMC's but they are easily addresed items. A Much easier fix then the body rotting off the dodges or the head gaskets blowing on the fords. In all honesty they all have there pros and cons but for me the chevys have treated me better then the fords working every day in the tree industry. I never owned a dodge truck but If I did buy one it would have to have the cummins to make up for all the other short comings from dodge:greenchainsaw:

Don't know much about the i.f.s. frontends, so I'll take your word for it. But how do you raise the rear?

 

[custom8726]

Don't know much about the i.f.s. frontends, so I'll take your word for it. But how do you raise the rear?

The rear already sits about 2" higher then the front but the cheapest way to raise the back is leaf spring block's or an extra leaf or 2 will raise the back and the payload but the ride suffers slightly. You can run a 33" tire comfortably with cranking the bars on a stock GM.

 

[clearance]

You can run a 33" tire on an old Chev without doing nothing.
Chev made the best trucks ever, then, for some reason they went down the toilet in '88. Dodge was almost dead, the Cummins brought them back, Ford, well, they have some good and some bad, but Chevy, what a dissapointment. I drive an '80 3/4 4x4, just got an '86 1 ton 4x4, the best years, easy to work on, simple, strong, if it ain't broke, why "fix" it?

 

[ropensaddle]

I have an 07 dodge 3500 4+4 6.7 litter not a pulling problem.
Now fuel is a different story has 10500 miles on her at 7.5 mpg loaded
as it is usually loaded!

 

[custom8726]

I have an 07 dodge 3500 4+4 6.7 litter not a pulling problem.
Now fuel is a different story has 10500 miles on her at 7.5 mpg loaded
as it is usually loaded!

Get rid of all that DPF crap and put a mild tune in your 6.7 and you will gain 4-5 MPG plus a little more power. Our 03 Duramax will get 18MPG on the highway towing and the 05 duramax gets 21mpg highway empty but around 15 towing. different motors (LB7-LLY). Also at 10500 miles she is not even broke in yet it will get better with more miles.

 

[custom8726]

You can run a 33" tire on an old Chev without doing nothing.
Chev made the best trucks ever, then, for some reason they went down the toilet in '88. Dodge was almost dead, the Cummins brought them back, Ford, well, they have some good and some bad, but Chevy, what a dissapointment. I drive an '80 3/4 4x4, just got an '86 1 ton 4x4, the best years, easy to work on, simple, strong, if it ain't broke, why "fix" it?

You are right about the old chevys they were and are still great trucks. I hate how complicated the new stuff is to work on, you need a diagnostic tool to do anything to them. But on the positive side they drive and ride like a car but can still take a beating not as tuff as the old chevys but your head is not bouncing off the ceiling every time you hit a bump either. All the new trucks are more car like in that respect though. The older trucks actually had steel bumpers on them you could actually hit something with and not hurt it you try that with a new one and it costs you 3k because everthing is designed to absorb impact. This pic was our solution to the wimpy bumper problem, we built it in our shop one weekend.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Now THAT'S a bumper!


How thick is that stuff?

 

[stihl sawing]

I have a 2000 dodge 4x4 2500 with 150,000 miles. The only thing other than brakes and tires it has had done to it is i replaced the stock fuel system, Which was a pos. It will get 19 on the highway. Now at 4.30 a gallon i can't afford to drive it.

 

[ropensaddle]

Get rid of all that DPF crap and put a mild tune in your 6.7 and you will gain 4-5 MPG plus a little more power. Our 03 Duramax will get 18MPG on the highway towing and the 05 duramax gets 21mpg highway empty but around 15 towing. different motors (LB7-LLY). Also at 10500 miles she is not even broke in yet it will get better with more miles.

I said power is no problem it does not need any more of that
I passed up hill towing a 53 foot wedge with two custom horse trailers
and it was duramax I passed! Dpf is foreign language to me
I have turned many wrenches in older stuff but these new fangled
contraptions,don't have a clue.

 

[stihl sawing]

Know what you mean about the newfangled stuff, I looked a new powerstroke and you could not see the engine for all the hoses and lines and whatever that stuff was.LOL