Fiver TV - 2002 F-350 Lariat 7.3L Diesel Dually

the 7.3 trucks are good... the transmissions need some upgrading to be really reliable the torque converters are not to good at high horsepower..it should haul a 41ft f'ver well enough..i worked on a 99 that was used to haul a d4 cat and a cat compactor to job site.. just don't try to tune it too hard..

Great truck and great engine. The primary problem is the trucks lack of payload. A 41' 5'ver will have have too much pin weight for the rated payload. It's not that it won't pull it, and there is little doubt it can actually handle the weight, but legally you will be over the truck's payload rating.

That being said, the majority of trucks I seeing pulling 5'vers are 3/4 ton trucks. Most people I talk to have no idea of their truck's rating or the pin weight of their trailers.

There is one of those right by me, but it's a manual. If I had the money, I would be all over it!

IMO an 02 (or rare early 03) Super Duty 7.3L is one of the true "gems" of the used truck market (like the fuel-sipping 305/555 CTD or 06-early 07 pre-DPF DMax).

It can also handle tuning if done right & reasonably, just be prepared, at some point in time, to rebuild & fortify the 4R100. Yeah you'll spend a few bucks but it can be made to be unbreakable.

There are some very good points made here. Yes, the 7.3 Powerstoke is a great diesel and will last a long time. Yes, the injectors are expensive and I wouldn't change them. Have them done. Yes, the 4R100 is a possible weak link, but you ever wonder why it has hung around for so long. Its a Great tranny. My next 4R100 will be one of those bullet proof one. Yes, the 2-3 shift is hard, but I just let off the pedal a little when its about to shift.

Yes, mine is chipped, (DP Tuner), cold air, mapp fooler, big exhaust, tranny cooler, Deep sump tranny, dual oil filters (Amsoil), all the gauges, and the funniest thing is it runs like a monster with that 16,700 pound fiver on the back.

The major thing you can't change are the brakes. The truck will pull the 41' fiver all day long, but it won't stop coming down a 8% grade. I had to hunt down and get a F450. I found a 2002 F450 7.3L Powerstroke, and completed all the same mods on it. I was paid more for my F350 than it cost me for the F450. The F350 had 187,000 miles when it was sold, and the F450 had 90k when purchased.

Buy the F350, do some mods, and enjoy it. Keep the weight down on the fiver. Good luck

Hello OP,

Great question an it is one that is very subjective with the answer. The 7.3 PowerStroke is a great diesel... there is no doubt about that. However, it still has its issues that must be dealt with and that you should be aware of. Injectors can still run $1000.00 or more, Thinks like the HPOP are relatively expensive, there are two batteries.. Standard diesel stuff.

Now, what you need to be aware of is the 4R100 transmission is the weak link in these (our ) trucks. This transmission is quite literally a late 1980's slightly refined technology. The 4R100 is very similar to E4OD with the main differences coming from the electronics. They are reliable in their stock form but can suffer from stiff 2-3 (as in shake the dash hard) shifts. This may mean that you need a rebuild. It may also mean that you have some broke/weak springs in your valve body. I have a V10 F350 and I suffer from the hard 2-3 shift. I am getting ready to rebuild my valve body to see if this resolves the issue. But I am prepared to rebuild the transmission as well.

If the diesel has been modified or "chipped" you can expect a new transmission shortly.

This Diesel does have turbo lag. There is a bit of time it takes for the turbo to spool up. If you have driven gassers or you are use to a newer diesel you will notice the turbo lag, especially from a standing start.

The newer diesels (the 6.0 and the 6.7) use different technologies to pretty much eliminate turbo lag.

With this in mind the 7.3 is an awesome motor, proven, reliable, and relatively powerful. If everything checks out, I would not hesitate to own one, let me put it that way.


Thanks!

Jeremiah

We have the same truck but a 2000. We love it. You do look like HUGE coming down the road but we wouldn't change a thing. We bought the truck from our friends who had it since new. The truck had 90K on it. Paid quite a bit for it but it is THE best diesel made. Keep it nice and it will last a long time. Our fiver is 35 feet. I wouldn't want anything longer because you get into "not fitting" into places. Good luck with your decisions but as far as the truck goes. YES!

Your mechanic is right. That is a rock solid engine and truck. Not as powerful as today's more modern diesels but it will definitely get the job done. With respect to FW that truck doesn't have quite the carrying capacity of today's trucks either but my guess would be stay around 16k# loaded FW and you'll be in good shape.

41 ft that is a lot of trailer and that model.
chevman