I'm looking for a replacement truck

[bookmaker]

Ok, first off, I don't want to start a brand war here, but would appreciate some input based on experience.

My TC hauler, a 1997 Ford F350 diesel dually suffered frame damaged by hurricane Michael. It may be repairable, but since I also have to replace my camper (with a likely heavier one), I am seriously considering a truck replacement as well.

First off, I cannot justify a new truck. Most use will haul the camper a few times a year then minimal use otherwise.

Looking through searches, I find the Optimum Diesel Truck is considered to be a Ford body, Cummings diesel and an Allison transmission. Obviously that doesn't exit.;)

That said, what should I definitely stay from? Pros and cons of the three majors Ford, GM, Chrysler. Specific years to look for or avoid and equipment to look for or avoid. What about diesel vs. gas?
Obviously I want a dually.

Thanks,

Dale

[jefe_4x4]

This topic is morphing right along, as expected. If your current, fixable rig doesn't work out, you might try a nationwide search (as on Craigslist or others) for a complete rig:
1. 3500/350, 4500/450, dually with
a. diesel engine if you are going to put more than 250K miles yourself on it, or
b. big, fuel sucking, gas engine if only to be used occasionally. The difference is the original "diesel penalty" you pay to get the oil burner that you don't pay for a gasser.
2. large camper already attached with the bugs worked out.
Every week there are hundreds of older RV-ers whose lifestyle is changing that are finally shedding their camper/pickup baggage. This is your focus group, but you must cast your net wide and expect a lengthy gestation. Also, have your cash ready to pounce if you find the right one. Several members on here have done very well with this outlook. This time of year is the best for buying a complete truck camper outfit. Anytime of year is good for getting some of your money back on a used diesel pickup.
One other issue that I will point out is the matter of a manual trans. Mine still works fine, and I do love it, but Jeanie is less and less inclined to drive it which leaves me to do almost all of the driving. Short trips: O.K. Long trips: not-so-O.K. Here again it's a matter of age.
jefe Death Valley March 2008:

[bookmaker]

My 97 F350 diesel with the camper would get 9-10 mpg at about 67-68 mph. The best I ever got with it was 14 on the highway with no load. If I got over 70 with the camper, I swear you could hear the diesel sucking from the tanks.:E

The fuel gauges are off so much, I use a 160 mile range on each of the 2 tanks as a guide. Sometimes the gauge would end up well below empty on the second tank, but would still have a couple of gallons in that second tank. (always had a couple in the first tank, just in case.)

[jimh406]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Few times I was driving 40 mph highway after reset and the mpg was even better than 14 mpg with camper, or close to 30mpg empty.

Agree that it’s possible to do short stretches with extremely high mileage. As Grit dog suggests, no way a gasoline engine did 14 mpg at interstate speeds with TC across the country. You’d be lucky to get that mpg without the TC with a 250/2500 or larger truck. Possible that a lie-a-meter was off that much though. The best I ever got with my empty Chevy 2500, 6.0 was just over 15 mpg and that wasn’t even over mtns or at interstate speeds, and that was with mods.

[bookmaker]

In answer to expected driving style.

Most is on flat land, but I do want to have reasonabe capability for towing in the hills. I will be expecting to tow a box trailer weighing about 3000 lbs loaded with a small airplane that I am currently building. Also a 16ft bass boat.

As for speed, I like to run about 67-68 on the interstates.

All input above is very helpful.

My main concerns are reliability and carrying capability.

Dale

[Kayteg1]

Grit dog wrote:


I love fuel mileage claims! 14mpg cross country with your rig/camper is virtually unachievable unless maybe you were hyper miling the whole way.

I've been always observing mpg my whole life and in the past I used to carry notebook, where I was recording every fill-up.
Now my 2017 F350 dually has nice displays, where I have actually 2 meters that will show me mpg at 2 separate resets.
Few times I was driving 40 mph highway after reset and the mpg was even better than 14 mpg with camper, or close to 30mpg empty.
Would I drive like that across the country>>>> hell not.

[Grit_dog]

discovery4us wrote:
Good news on possible just being the bed mounts. Around here a 1997 7.3 Ford CC Dually still has a lot of value.

This won't be a popular opinion with most but for me bang for the buck would be a 2005 - 2007 Ford 6.0 power stroke with the 5 speed torque shift automatic. The key is the day you buy it take it to the shop and have the "bulletproof" done to it. Around here with the purchase price of the truck and the install of the kit you will be under $20K. Anything gas will be over $20K and any other diesel will be over $30K unless you are happy with over 200K miles.

OP doesn't sound like a mechanic and even bulletproofed, 6.0s are finicky/needy engines.
That said, if I was looking for a screamin deal on a capable diesel 10-15 years old and couldn't find the right Duramax and needed crew cab and auto trans (running out any 5.9 Cummins trucks), I'd be looking for a low mile 6.0 Powerstroke to bulletproof. Great power potential, just as good of trans as the Alli and a very solid performing chassis.

I'd only doo it if I could be money ahead of getting a similar miles/condtion Dmax though.

[bookmaker]

Actually, I have seen listings for several nice looking trucks in the price range I am looking at - just none near me. I have good relationships with the Dodge, Chevy/GM and Ford dealers here in town and have put out feelers.

If I get my White Whale (97 Ford) back in good order, that will give me some breathing room. If I find a good deal on a camper I want, I want to be able to go get it.:B

Again thanks for the good info.

Dale

[discovery4us]

Good news on possible just being the bed mounts. Around here a 1997 7.3 Ford CC Dually still has a lot of value.

This won't be a popular opinion with most but for me bang for the buck would be a 2005 - 2007 Ford 6.0 power stroke with the 5 speed torque shift automatic. The key is the day you buy it take it to the shop and have the "bulletproof" done to it. Around here with the purchase price of the truck and the install of the kit you will be under $20K. Anything gas will be over $20K and any other diesel will be over $30K unless you are happy with over 200K miles.

[JimK-NY]

Have you started shopping yet? If not, I think you will be shocked at how well HD pickups hold value. That was certainly true for my 2010 Ram diesel. When it was totaled, I decided not to fool around looking for a high priced used truck. I bought new again.

[Grit_dog]

Travels with Yoly wrote:
So far no mention of the Ram HD with the 6.4L Hemi. I love it ... tons of power and almost decent fuel mileage 🙂 We averaged 13.9 mpg over 8,600 miles last year on a trip to western Canada from Georgia with our Adventurer 80RB.

Also a factor for us in choosing a brand is the local dealer support. We had a Ford Expedition many years ago and I discovered my local Ford dealer to be the most dishonest dealer I'd ever run across. That being the case, I'd never own another Ford product.

I love fuel mileage claims! 14mpg cross country with your rig/camper is virtually unachievable unless maybe you were hyper miling the whole way.

[Grit_dog]

bookmaker wrote:
Somewhat good news. I took my dually to the frame shop and they don't think the frame is bent. Rather they think the bed supporting structure is collapsed at the rear and stretched at the front. They will check the frame on the frame machine just in case. They believe they can get it back in good operating condition.

Even if I decide to replace it, that gives me something in the mean time if I find another camper and have to go get it.:)

Bent or not, if it’s totaled and you can buy it back cheap you could be $ ahead repairing it....maybe.
Back to the new truck scenario, you still haven’t indicated how new you’re wanting or budget, but sounds like you’re just fishing for general opinions across the board.
My general opinion, any gasser will haul the camper with ease.
If you’re towing anything significant at the same time is when the gasser will struggle more than the diesel by a bunch.
But your expectations of what is acceptable is the variable. A brand new gasser with almost 400hp and deep gears probably have more getup thanyor old diesel if it’s stock.
Do you want to be able to do 70mph uphill at 7000’ elev ? Or are you going to be poking around the southeast at sea level doing 55?

Based on fuel mileage and egts, hauling our 4000lb camper is roughly equivalent to towing our 32’ 6000lb enclosed trailer. For comparison sake.

[Travels_with_Yo]

So far no mention of the Ram HD with the 6.4L Hemi. I love it ... tons of power and almost decent fuel mileage 🙂 We averaged 13.9 mpg over 8,600 miles last year on a trip to western Canada from Georgia with our Adventurer 80RB.

Also a factor for us in choosing a brand is the local dealer support. We had a Ford Expedition many years ago and I discovered my local Ford dealer to be the most dishonest dealer I'd ever run across. That being the case, I'd never own another Ford product.

[Optimistic_Para]

Bookmaker didn't really indicate the price range, and therefor, the years he was interested in.

If you do decide to go for Ford and a gas engine, you should know that for many years the Ford 5.4 V8 and 6.8 V10 engines had spark plug issues that led to class action law suits. In brief, they had a 100,000 mile warranty, and they spec'ed the first spark plug change at 100,000 miles, and if the the threads stripped, as they often did, and you were the least bit over the 100,000 mile warranty limit, they wouldn't cover it.

In some years, the threads on the head were so thin, spark plugs blew out as you were driving down the road.

Google the issue and you'll see what I mean.

I understand that by the 08 or 09 models, they finally solved the problem.

The 6.2 gas engine that came out with the 2011s was by all reports a good engine, without any inherent design flaws. I ended up with a 2012 with the 6.2 and I love it!

[crcr]

If I were in your shoes, I would look for a clean 2003 to 2007 Dodge Ram 5.9L Cummins. That's what I did and it's been a great truck, and as a bonus has held its value very very well. They had little to no emissions and are good solid trucks that are easy to work on yourself if you are so inclined.

I noticed some say to find a manual trans, but those are very uncommon and not easy to find. The 48RE automatic trans in those gets a bad rap from some, but in reality it's undeserved. They hold up a long time unless the engine is heavily tuned, and they are easily built for as much power as you want to feed them, and there are a lot of quality builders of the 48RE around.

Good luck!