Going back to gasser based on needs (need advice)

[ognend]

Hello!

We started out with a Duramax diesel, then traded that in for a 2016 Powerstroke. We towed about 13,000lbs of a horse trailer around the country. The Duramax was a 2006, excellent truck. The powerstroke had TSB issues (3 days of warranty work tearing into the engine), then the water pump failed at 15,000 miles, then a sensor at 30,000 miles, now it has a slow leak of antifreeze that the dealer cannot find but every time I go for an oil change, they have to top up the coolant. My battery + terminal on one of them corroded out as well, the mechanism to open/close back seat rusted out, I have to slam my back door behind the driver. It only has 50,000 miles. Because of the general feeling of lemon, I had to spend extra money on a bumper to bumper Ford extended warranty, which will go for another 25,000 miles.

However, six months ago we decided to sell the "big" horse trailer and these days the heaviest I pull/tow is 11,000 lbs (also horse trailer with small living quarters where we sleep, cook etc when traveling). We maybe pull once a month.

We live in a small town with one Ford dealer and I have to wait for the diesel mechanic for two weeks to look at my truck. Oil changes and maintenance are expensive. I could go to nearby larger city, I suppose but that's more aggravation and time spent.

So, I started wondering if I need a diesel at all. I could sell my truck and probably get enough cash (I own it outright) to walk into a dealership and buy outright one of those new 2020/2021 HEMI 6.4L with 8sp transmissions or the new Ford Godzilla 7.3 with the 10sp tranny (even though I lost confidence in Ford) and I feel for my usage I would be just fine. Cheaper maintenance, engines much less complicated, easier to find mechanics, no more hunting for gas stations that carry diesel on the open road, no more emissions equipment, no more turbo issues....

What I am after is advice - based on what I said above - am I right in thinking I don't need a diesel anymore? Even if you disregard all my problems with the powerstroke (probably just bad luck on my side), do I really need it?

Any input appreciated.

[Crespro]

Hi.

Good discussion. My truck is rated 18.9K/26K with the 4.30 and 14.8K/21.8K with the 3.55.

[ognend]

Thank you all for educating me on the axle ratios.

[kellem]

4.30 is standard with Tremor package.
3.55 is the most common gears paired with the 7.3 and 10spd.

Unless you're towing to max capacity, the 10spd gear spacing mitigates the shortcomings found in transmissions with less gears which creates more drastic jumps in RPMS while towing.

Another consideration is Ford may be trying to squeeze out some more fuel economy with this large displacement engine with higher gears, can't blame them.

[theoldwizard1]

ognend wrote:
I am curious, I may be misunderstanding this, but in towing, do you not want the 4.30 instead of the 3.55?

If you check the 20201 Ford Towing Guide page 23, you will see that you don't get much more towing capacity with the 4.30 rear axle.

If you are close to the max trailer weight (14,000/15,000) OR spend more than 50% of the miles towing, I would get the 4.30. If not, go with the 3.55.

(You do have to wonder why there is no 3.73 or 4.10 option ?)

EDIT : Looks like they have added the 3.73 axle to the F250 !

[Hannibal]

ognend wrote:

Hannibal wrote:
...we picked up our 2020 7.3L/3.55 F-250 September 11. We haven’t towed the TT more than 50 miles at a time yet so no real highway towing mileage yet but it’s looking like 8.5-9.5 on flat ground. Love the sound of the 7.3 and the 10spd is great so far. No buyer’s remorse at all.

I am curious, I may be misunderstanding this, but in towing, do you not want the 4.30 instead of the 3.55?

That is correct. The ten speed has plenty of gear reduction for grunt work around the yard and campgrounds. Especially with 4x4 in 4Lo if I ever need it. Boat ramps being my reason for 4x4. On the interstate towing our TT in Tow Haul mode, it likes 8th gear. And I still have 10th for lower rpm running empty.

[ognend]

Hannibal wrote:
...we picked up our 2020 7.3L/3.55 F-250 September 11. We haven’t towed the TT more than 50 miles at a time yet so no real highway towing mileage yet but it’s looking like 8.5-9.5 on flat ground. Love the sound of the 7.3 and the 10spd is great so far. No buyer’s remorse at all.

I am curious, I may be misunderstanding this, but in towing, do you not want the 4.30 instead of the 3.55?

[Hannibal]

steve-n-vicki wrote:
20,000 miles on a 2020 F350 super crew 8 foot bed 4 x 4 , 7.3 L Godzilla, 10 speed Transmission, so far the engine has performed extremely well, the transmission has performed extremely well, I get from a high of 16.4 to 9.8 mpg, truck has pulled everything that I have put behind it without complaint

That’s about what I’m seeing as well. I went back to gas in 2005 to a 5.7L Hemi powered 2500 Ram after 21 years of diesels. Great engine! Transmission ratios were very odd. The truck developed the dreaded driveline drive that the Dodge shop couldn’t figure out. Nor could a local drive shaft shop. Our 2010 5.4L F-250 has been the best truck I’ve ever owned. Wife drives it now since we picked up our 2020 7.3L/3.55 F-250 September 11. We haven’t towed the TT more than 50 miles at a time yet so no real highway towing mileage yet but it’s looking like 8.5-9.5 on flat ground. Love the sound of the 7.3 and the 10spd is great so far. No buyer’s remorse at all.

[ognend]

steve-n-vicki wrote:
20,000 miles on a 2020 F350 super crew 8 foot bed 4 x 4 , 7.3 L Godzilla, 10 speed Transmission, so far the engine has performed extremely well, the transmission has performed extremely well, I get from a high of 16.4 to 9.8 mpg, truck has pulled everything that I have put behind it without complaint

Thanks! This is what I have been hearing while I am doing my research as well! Wonderful 🙂

[steve-n-vicki]

20,000 miles on a 2020 F350 super crew 8 foot bed 4 x 4 , 7.3 L Godzilla, 10 speed Transmission, so far the engine has performed extremely well, the transmission has performed extremely well, I get from a high of 16.4 to 9.8 mpg, truck has pulled everything that I have put behind it without complaint

[wowens79]

ognend wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
For what you are towing, you do not need a diesel and having one would be a want. I would recommend trying to find a friend or someone you know with a modern gas HD truck and see if they will let you tow with it. Another option is to see if you can rent one for a day from places like U-haul, Home Depot, and so on. Most of the time they are fairly new and renting one for a day is cheap. This may help in the decision making process and it is better to find out in a rental that you can take back versus a purchased vehicle than you can't.

Not a bad idea. There may be other commercial fleet rentals within an hour of where we live. Thanks!

Enterprise Truck rental rents Ram 2500 BigHorns with the 6.4 and 3.73 gears. I priced renting one, and could get it for like $60 a day. They sold a bunch of their fleet off back in the summer. I thought about grabbing one, but really want a 3500 with 4.10 gears.

[BurbMan]

ognend wrote:

BurbMan wrote:
The 8 and 10 speed auto trannies are the game changer for gas engines. The 8.1 in my old Suburban needed to drop from OD into 3rd on any incline, but if you anticipated the hill and got it to 3200 rpm (peak torque for that motor) it would pull up almost any hill at almost any speed. If you dead-legged it and waited it for it to downshift as speed decreased, it could never catch up and it was a struggle to get up the hill. That was with only 340 hp.

An 11k trailer is no lightweight, even though it's 2k lighter than your old one...

I don't really need a diesel with for the weight I'm carrying but try and find a used 3500 without one...

Cool - just so I understand what you are saying - stick with a diesel?

No...what I'm saying is the same thing that BB_TX said:

BB_TX wrote:
With the higher horsepowers and torques of newer engines and the 8 and 10 speed transmissions they are far more capable than just a few years ago.

[time2roll]

Let's see.... trade an unreliable lemon straight over for a new gasser with more payload and higher tow rating?

I would trade in a NY minute. You will not miss the DEF.

[kellem]

ognend wrote:

kellem wrote:

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
Kellum, If you are following this, since you have the 7.3 and the 10 speed tranny, what is your trailer weight and fuel economy? And how does the mileage compare to the older gasser?

Very first tow after break-in with minimal highway towing a 30ft trailer weighing 7750 loaded was 10.1 mpg.

My previous truck, 2004 Ram 2500 struggled mightily on steep grades but the older 5.7's were only rated at 345 HP.

Using my old Ram primarily for towing, it never saw double digit mpgs.

I did however wait a year before ordering the 7.3 to eliminate some 1st year wrinkles.

Good luck in your search.

Thanks! Do you have the 2021? I had heard that there were issues with the transmissions on the 2020s? Or is this nor correct? Thank you.

I watched the progression of the 7.3 closely and yes, there were a few issues with transmissions covered by Ford and a plug wire issue, hence the reason I waited.

Yes 2021 F250 and quite content.

[ognend]

kellem wrote:

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
Kellum, If you are following this, since you have the 7.3 and the 10 speed tranny, what is your trailer weight and fuel economy? And how does the mileage compare to the older gasser?

Very first tow after break-in with minimal highway towing a 30ft trailer weighing 7750 loaded was 10.1 mpg.

My previous truck, 2004 Ram 2500 struggled mightily on steep grades but the older 5.7's were only rated at 345 HP.

Using my old Ram primarily for towing, it never saw double digit mpgs.

I did however wait a year before ordering the 7.3 to eliminate some 1st year wrinkles.

Good luck in your search.

Thanks! Do you have the 2021? I had heard that there were issues with the transmissions on the 2020s? Or is this nor correct? Thank you.