Who’s still using a 7.3 diesel truck
Who’s still using a 7.3 diesel for there TC? How long have you had it? What TC do you have? What’s are some of the must haves to keep it chugging along happily with TC on top? Cheers
Forum Discussion
I have a 2000 F350, 7.3 liter diesel, Crew Cab, SRW, Auto trans, 4x4 Long bed. I bought it in 2002 with 26,000 miles from the original owner. The pickup now has 156,000 miles. I already had a 1992 Lance camper that I carried on a 1993 Dodge 250 club cab 4x4 with the 5.9 liter Cummings. The camper has a 11’3'' floor with a generator. I had installed Reese class 5 hitch and the airbags on the Dodge. I took the hitch and the air bags off the Dodge and put them on the 2000 F350. The air bags helped the rear end to not squat so much. But the front end was too soft with the camper on. When a semi truck would pass me I would have to get off the throttle and ride it out. There was a lot of sway on uneven ground when the camper was on also. I had the Rancho 2.5” level kit installed, Rancho 5000 shocks and double shocked the front end. That modification really made a big improvement to how the pickup handles when loaded with the camper. Since then I have added an Edge Products programmer, K&N cold air intake, bigger trans oil cooler & temp gauge, 4” exhaust with straight through muffler. Almost two years ago I went to 19.5” wheels & tires. I am happy with tires they don’t bulge out under load and they really helped reduce the sway. I also took the F350 to a spring shop and they added a thick-heavy spring to the main spring pack on the rear end. They also replaced the one overload spring with two thicker-heavier springs. Now the pickup rides level and handles well even without using the air bags. Last year we bought a really well taken care of in great shape, 2010 Lance model 950-S has a 9’10” floor one slide out and a generator. Hope to sell the 1992 Lance this spring. Things were pretty weird last year, because of multiple reasons we only got to go on one short camping trip with our new to us camper. Hope we can do more before long. With everything I have done to my 2000 F350 it carries the camper very well, handles well and is nice to drive loaded. I haven’t had many engine problems. Replaced the ball joints at 100,000, water pump at 120,000 and alternator at 140,000 miles. It would be nice to have a newer F350 with the 6.7 that has more power and is quieter. I don’t now and won’t have the means to get another pickup for a good while. I hope nothing drastic and bad happens to my F350, 7.3 because I would like to keep it for a long time.
