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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,053 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,053 Likes: 1 |
Ford has the best chassis, Cummins the best engine, and .gov motors trucks are a wannabe 4x4 Cadillac? I bought a 7.3 standard when I wanted a truck to last the rest of my life. Worse comes to worse I can put a new 7.3L in for less than it would cost to replace one major system on the new urine chuggin' trucks. Or if I wanna splurge drop a 6BT and fuggitabout it.
"Social order at the expense of Liberty is hardly a bargain” de Sade
"He who'll not reason is a Bigot, he who cannot is a Fool, and he who dares not is a Slave."SirWilliamDrummond
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 860
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 860 |
Thanks for your input guys. I currently drive an '08 Chevy 1500, and up until a year ago I was convinced that I wanted a 3/4 ton gasser. Then I pulled my 20-ft camper on an antelope hunt and it was clearly working the truck too hard. That's what is leading me to think that a diesel would be the best option and since it won't be a daily driver it should last me a LONG time.
The 12v Cummins are very attractive for longevity, but with a kid in tow, I'm afraid we should at least have a quad-cab. Seems like those model years came in regular cab or extended cab, and with the wife and kid along, I think I'd regret that. If was just me, that would be a different story. Right now, I'm thinking a clean (not hot-rodded or monkeyed with) 04-09 Dodge, or an 04.5-07 Chevy, with an increasing preference to the Dodge.
How much does your camper weigh? I can’t see needing a 3/4 ton let alone a diesel for a 20’ travel trailer.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 764
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 764 |
Thanks for your input guys. I currently drive an '08 Chevy 1500, and up until a year ago I was convinced that I wanted a 3/4 ton gasser. Then I pulled my 20-ft camper on an antelope hunt and it was clearly working the truck too hard. That's what is leading me to think that a diesel would be the best option and since it won't be a daily driver it should last me a LONG time.
The 12v Cummins are very attractive for longevity, but with a kid in tow, I'm afraid we should at least have a quad-cab. Seems like those model years came in regular cab or extended cab, and with the wife and kid along, I think I'd regret that. If was just me, that would be a different story. Right now, I'm thinking a clean (not hot-rodded or monkeyed with) 04-09 Dodge, or an 04.5-07 Chevy, with an increasing preference to the Dodge.
How much does your camper weigh? I can’t see needing a 3/4 ton let alone a diesel for a 20’ travel trailer. If I recall correctly, it's about 4400lbs dry. It's not a huge camper, but I can assure you that pulling it over mountain passes with a stiff wind was too much. I know a 5.3L 1/2 ton chevy isn't meant to be a towing machine, but it was dogging it, bad. I'm sure a "heavy duty" gasser would do it, but for a truck that probably won't see more than 2-3k miles a year, why not buy an older low-mileage diesel? For $20k I could buy a much newer gasser with similar mileage, but from what I've read, it won't last nearly as long as a diesel. If that's true, it makes perfect (long-term) sense to just by an older diesel to begin with, no?
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 860
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 860 |
I’d take a newer, lower mileage gas heavy duty or even 1/2 ton over an older diesel without hesitation. Pretty much any of the newer HD gas engines should pull 4K likes it’s not there, plus be a hell of a lot more comfortable than an older, smelly diesel and should go 200k without any major issues.
I don’t know what year 5.3 but if tied to the old 4 speed I bet therein lies the issue. I just don’t see a diesel being the answer to your problems
Last edited by ajmorell; 07/21/20.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 764
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 764 |
My Chevy is a 2008, and yes, I believe it is the 4-speed auto transmission. Are the newer Chevy 6-speeds better in that regard?
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,400
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,400 |
Mines a 2018 ram Cummins for just that reason! I’m not going to buy anything with a CP4.
Last edited by rc82bttb; 07/23/20.
Rick
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