A thread to discuss tow rigs, post away 
Tow Rigs - Lets discuss (2 Viewers)
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I know of few of our folks have new to them diesel tow rigs and all of them are very nice. I'm looking to add one to the family but other than doing alot of reading I don't know much about diesels. So those that have them please educate me and others that may be looking on the do's and don't's and what models are better than the others.
What I'm looking for is a used crew cab 3/4 ton, solid axle 4WD diesel PU between 50 - 70,000 miles the later the better for warranty purposes.
The solid axle rules out the GM so my choices are in the Dodge or the Ford
I don't want a 6.0 Ford because of the horror stories I've heard from my neighbor and others that had them.
I'm swinging towards the 08 - 09 Dodge. I would rather the cummins drivetrain I've always been a fan but was never a fan of anything else that came with it :whoops:. It seems they've come along way from the 80's and 90's though. I've heard Josh's horror strories and have read of the big recalls on the 08 - 09 models and was wondering if Josh or Albert had any problems with theirs?
Sounds like Ford has it right with their 2010/11 models and the new 6.7 but I'm not looking to spend that kinda coin on a new rig so whats the sweet spot on the Fords go back tot he 7.3?
What I'm looking for is a used crew cab 3/4 ton, solid axle 4WD diesel PU between 50 - 70,000 miles the later the better for warranty purposes.
The solid axle rules out the GM so my choices are in the Dodge or the Ford
I don't want a 6.0 Ford because of the horror stories I've heard from my neighbor and others that had them.
I'm swinging towards the 08 - 09 Dodge. I would rather the cummins drivetrain I've always been a fan but was never a fan of anything else that came with it :whoops:. It seems they've come along way from the 80's and 90's though. I've heard Josh's horror strories and have read of the big recalls on the 08 - 09 models and was wondering if Josh or Albert had any problems with theirs?
Sounds like Ford has it right with their 2010/11 models and the new 6.7 but I'm not looking to spend that kinda coin on a new rig so whats the sweet spot on the Fords go back tot he 7.3?
yea when i worked for tnt welding supply thay had like 6 fords f 250 had more crap with em got rid of them and got dodge but they we all 5.9 cummings and wer great , all i know and here on the new 6.7 cumming is that the smog filters and crap are killing them , but if u take it off ur good to go , ryan had troubel with his new megacab , but they fixed it with a new engine and all the up dates and mess , but dam it fells like u can pull a m1a1 tank , id have to say dodge mega cab like 07 with the 5.9 that would be my choice , my cuz ben richard works at musson hes on my FB and got in 3 diff dodges used one duely he had pics on face book ,
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I'm with you bud and leaning that way.
07 model hugh I need to research that year I did hear about all the emissions issues choking them back
I can`t believe what i heard from Larry a ford or a dodge,hhmm. Go buy a cargo plane you get there faster.
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I know will mess up the good looking stock I have going.
I totally agree. EPA with thier tier 1,2,3,....5,000,000 is killing that motor. My good friend that I hunt with all the time has a 07' and it idles pulling a trailer in areas that my 96' 80 would struggle with 1/4th of the load he pulls. I am not really fond of the interior of the Dodge but hey I drove a 60 for about 12 years and that didn't bother me one bit. I miss my 60 more than any truck I have ever owned.
That 6 speed standard Dodge is AWESOME.
the 5.9 didnt haveall the soot filters and crap . it blew black smoke )
)
You will get a lot of personal preference answer to the diesel question. As you stated wanting a truck with a solid front axle narrows down the search.Even though the GMC does not have the solid axle it’s ride is superior to Ford /Dodge, It’s transmission is top rate. Just throwing it out there.
Lets make a up side list on the Dodge.
Up side list
The engine will last ,axles,transmission will last, good quality.
Down side list
injectors expensive $1,200 a piece.There are six of them there. 27K psi injectors Common Rail System.
Emissions equipment hurts these engine by dumping soot back into the. Long list of this negative effect.
If you have never owned a diesel it’s maintenance cost is more expensive than a gas burner.
3 gallons of oil $33 + oil filter $12 = $45 if you do it your self . $100 at a oil change place
Fuel filter gets changed every 10,000 miles at a cots of $33 if you do it yourself. $60 a oil change place
Tires are more expensive “E” rated 10 ply $170 a tire.
Get a batch of dirty fuel with water in it and ruin an a few injectors and the bill will equal $4K quick :whoops:.
Transmission goes out why replace with stock you will want to upgrade so that means a SunCoast transmission $5K. You will pay to play. You will save on rebuilding an engine but the other parts that wear out are expensive you could say.
These are the cost involved yet you see so many of these diesel trucks on the road. Why? Because they are a blast to drive with the bed of the truck empty or loaded pulling a trailer. You can brake the tires lose on dry blacktop in the 1st three gears on a six thousand pound truck! It’s a rush to drive these trucks because they move and move fast. You really have to have gauges to monitor these engines and what guy doesn’t like have a bunch of gauges to look at? I guess that belongs on the upside list .
I have the 2008 6.7 Dodge. I like to tinker with stuff so it’s a good truck for me. It’s a bored out 5.9 heavy on emissions. In stock form with the new computer flashes (J-35) the engine is not giving near the amount of trouble as before the current flash.
Look for the 5.9 if you look at a Dodge. That engine will produce ridiculed torque and get better fuel mileage than the 6.7. You can find the 5.9 in the 2006 body style which looks the same a 2009.. my .02
Do not mean to depress anyone but it’s better to know this stuff up front than after. Sory for the long reply just did not know if you had considered these things . .... Oh and I really like my diesel even with everthing I just typed.
Lets make a up side list on the Dodge.
Up side list
The engine will last ,axles,transmission will last, good quality.
Down side list
injectors expensive $1,200 a piece.There are six of them there. 27K psi injectors Common Rail System.
Emissions equipment hurts these engine by dumping soot back into the. Long list of this negative effect.
If you have never owned a diesel it’s maintenance cost is more expensive than a gas burner.
3 gallons of oil $33 + oil filter $12 = $45 if you do it your self . $100 at a oil change place
Fuel filter gets changed every 10,000 miles at a cots of $33 if you do it yourself. $60 a oil change place
Tires are more expensive “E” rated 10 ply $170 a tire.
Get a batch of dirty fuel with water in it and ruin an a few injectors and the bill will equal $4K quick :whoops:.
Transmission goes out why replace with stock you will want to upgrade so that means a SunCoast transmission $5K. You will pay to play. You will save on rebuilding an engine but the other parts that wear out are expensive you could say.
These are the cost involved yet you see so many of these diesel trucks on the road. Why? Because they are a blast to drive with the bed of the truck empty or loaded pulling a trailer. You can brake the tires lose on dry blacktop in the 1st three gears on a six thousand pound truck!
It’s a rush to drive these trucks because they move and move fast. You really have to have gauges to monitor these engines and what guy doesn’t like have a bunch of gauges to look at? I guess that belongs on the upside list . I have the 2008 6.7 Dodge. I like to tinker with stuff so it’s a good truck for me. It’s a bored out 5.9 heavy on emissions. In stock form with the new computer flashes (J-35) the engine is not giving near the amount of trouble as before the current flash.
Look for the 5.9 if you look at a Dodge. That engine will produce ridiculed torque and get better fuel mileage than the 6.7. You can find the 5.9 in the 2006 body style which looks the same a 2009.. my .02
Do not mean to depress anyone but it’s better to know this stuff up front than after. Sory for the long reply just did not know if you had considered these things . .... Oh and I really like my diesel even with everthing I just typed.
I would get an 06-07 classic body style Duramax with the 6 speed Allison that has a factory drivetrain warranty of 150K miles. If its just a tow rig you will hardly ever use the 4wd, so might as well have the comfort and style of a GM. If you get a 6.7 Cummins swapping out the DPF filters along with ECU work that will void the warranty and you still have an iffy trans so you might want a 5.9 motor. Both cummins are top notch its just whats attached that makes it so unattractive, it was my second choice while I was shoping. If you can find a nice 7.3 powerstroke with a dana 60 front axle thats a good choice also, but the new Fords have aluminium heads on a diesel with exhaust temps that get pretty high not the best combo in my mind.
Just my $.02
Not an expert do your research.
Just my $.02
Not an expert do your research.
first statement IMHO!
FORD 1999/2003 7.3 ONLY!!!!!!!! the rest are TRASH!!!!!! STD or AUTO trans both OK!
DODGE can`t kill the that "come along " no mater what year!! trans are an other issue cab quality ride etc etc.
GM have no prob with 2003 up 05 have 5 speed auto 06 speed autos no drive line prob that I am aware of . ride quality is superior again IMHO.
this is all in the 3/4 1 ton arena
if all ya gonna due is tow tow tow then any one of the middle of the road 3-5 ton except 6.0/6.5 ford will last forever and will prob give better fuel millage towing so pick up a rollback double cab can load one tow one. & if ya really want a tow truck get it with a kittycat & let it puuuurrrrr.
FORD 1999/2003 7.3 ONLY!!!!!!!! the rest are TRASH!!!!!! STD or AUTO trans both OK!
DODGE can`t kill the that "come along " no mater what year!! trans are an other issue cab quality ride etc etc.
GM have no prob with 2003 up 05 have 5 speed auto 06 speed autos no drive line prob that I am aware of . ride quality is superior again IMHO.
this is all in the 3/4 1 ton arena
if all ya gonna due is tow tow tow then any one of the middle of the road 3-5 ton except 6.0/6.5 ford will last forever and will prob give better fuel millage towing so pick up a rollback double cab can load one tow one. & if ya really want a tow truck get it with a kittycat & let it puuuurrrrr.
why are you wanting the solid axle?
The same reason Doable likes Dodge, John likes Duramax, I like Land Cruisers, and you don't have a solid axle. We all like what we have and are all bias.
They are all just opinions. That being said, drop a LC diesel in your 80 Larry, I love mine even though it is under 100 HP.
I would just like to touch on somethign Paul said. he recomended 99-2003 power smokes err strokes. I would cut it off @ 2000. As I recall they switched from forged connecting rods to a powdered metal rod that while suitable for stock power levels is prone to failure with even mild chips.
if I had it to do over again I would NOT buy a post 2004.5 dodge they rephased the cam to get an in cylinder EGR effect as a stop gap untill they cast the new head for the 6.7 because of this you loose about 2mpg compared to the pre 2004.5 models plus your EGT's run about 200 degrees higher because of the 3rd injection event that is supposed to clean up the exhaust.
the 48RE can be a stout transmission if properly built but stock (like mine currently is except for the Torque converter) I am fairly sure I could kill it on command if I turned my tuner up. the Early common rail engine is pretty good. I would skip the whole 24valve pre comon rail cummins (the ones with the VP44 injection pump as from what I read the pump is the weak link in the whole set up) If I could sell my truck for what I owe on it I would seriously consider getting an older 12 valve dually with a NV4500, get the 5th gear nut fixed and throw a set of twins on it.
For what it is my truck is amazing to me though. I probably baby it too much, being overly cautious about popping the trans. the uphill portion right after we got on TN-111 was the only time I have seen it have to downshift to hold the cruise set on the highway pulling the 4runner. if I had the 6speed I would probably be happy but it is almost to nice, not tractor like enough for my taste. I actually make my dog ride in the back rather than up in the cab like almost every truck I have had up till now (when I had a dog atleast. no dog with the f-150)
The fords are friggen SWEET... if you dont mind pulling the cab to work on the engine. best interior I have ever sat in was a 2007 lariat I was cross shopping with my dodge. Like I touched on earlier, I could see myself driving a early 7.3 especially if it was in an Excursion. The 6.0 I am scared of baddly. the 6.4 is a very very thirsty motor, drove a loaner my mom got once. when it started to regen the mileage just dropped like a rock. I have read on powerstroke.org about people who only get like 14mpg on the highway with the 6.4s. the 6.7 is just too different, need to give it a few years to form an opinion on it.
the Duramax's I have only ever driven one, a 2003 or so 2wd GMC. was nice but was such a long time ago I don't remember well enough to critique it well. I would criticize them for putting IFS on a heavy duty pickup but it is not like the AAM axles they are putting under dodges are all that great either so I am just going to keep my mouth shut.
EDIT: one other thing I will say for the pre 6.7 cummins. Working on the I-6 It is like working on an old chevy with a 350. you can climb in the engine compartment with the engine to work on it. Changed the water pump in my driveway in under 2 hours, and that included a bunch of goofing off on the computer time waiting for everything to air dry well before I put the silicon on the thermostat housing. Actual work time was probably less than 45 min including pulling the airbox just for a little extra room because the guys on cumminsforum.com recommended it. the few power strokes i have seen it is almost a trick to just see the actual engine with as crowded as the engine compartment is. Again cant speak for the duramax but it is a v-8 as well so i figure the packaging would be similar.
if I had it to do over again I would NOT buy a post 2004.5 dodge they rephased the cam to get an in cylinder EGR effect as a stop gap untill they cast the new head for the 6.7 because of this you loose about 2mpg compared to the pre 2004.5 models plus your EGT's run about 200 degrees higher because of the 3rd injection event that is supposed to clean up the exhaust.
the 48RE can be a stout transmission if properly built but stock (like mine currently is except for the Torque converter) I am fairly sure I could kill it on command if I turned my tuner up. the Early common rail engine is pretty good. I would skip the whole 24valve pre comon rail cummins (the ones with the VP44 injection pump as from what I read the pump is the weak link in the whole set up) If I could sell my truck for what I owe on it I would seriously consider getting an older 12 valve dually with a NV4500, get the 5th gear nut fixed and throw a set of twins on it.
For what it is my truck is amazing to me though. I probably baby it too much, being overly cautious about popping the trans. the uphill portion right after we got on TN-111 was the only time I have seen it have to downshift to hold the cruise set on the highway pulling the 4runner. if I had the 6speed I would probably be happy but it is almost to nice, not tractor like enough for my taste. I actually make my dog ride in the back rather than up in the cab like almost every truck I have had up till now (when I had a dog atleast. no dog with the f-150)
The fords are friggen SWEET... if you dont mind pulling the cab to work on the engine. best interior I have ever sat in was a 2007 lariat I was cross shopping with my dodge. Like I touched on earlier, I could see myself driving a early 7.3 especially if it was in an Excursion. The 6.0 I am scared of baddly. the 6.4 is a very very thirsty motor, drove a loaner my mom got once. when it started to regen the mileage just dropped like a rock. I have read on powerstroke.org about people who only get like 14mpg on the highway with the 6.4s. the 6.7 is just too different, need to give it a few years to form an opinion on it.
the Duramax's I have only ever driven one, a 2003 or so 2wd GMC. was nice but was such a long time ago I don't remember well enough to critique it well. I would criticize them for putting IFS on a heavy duty pickup but it is not like the AAM axles they are putting under dodges are all that great either so I am just going to keep my mouth shut.
EDIT: one other thing I will say for the pre 6.7 cummins. Working on the I-6 It is like working on an old chevy with a 350. you can climb in the engine compartment with the engine to work on it. Changed the water pump in my driveway in under 2 hours, and that included a bunch of goofing off on the computer time waiting for everything to air dry well before I put the silicon on the thermostat housing. Actual work time was probably less than 45 min including pulling the airbox just for a little extra room because the guys on cumminsforum.com recommended it. the few power strokes i have seen it is almost a trick to just see the actual engine with as crowded as the engine compartment is. Again cant speak for the duramax but it is a v-8 as well so i figure the packaging would be similar.
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fewer moving parts, only one ujoint per corner rather than inner and outer cvshafts plus the related boots that can fail. better articulation, personal taste, less stuff in the way when getting at the engine from underneath. from ahead of the axle atleast, the 4 links are kinda crowded behind the axle, less change in geometry with suspension travel so more consistent tire wear.
bad: slightly harsher, or so I hear. less ground clearance in the center of the truck, having trouble thinking of any other downsides. I would think it is mostly the ride quality issue.
I need to stop typing and go to bed.... one last thing though. Even though the oilchanges are higher (I pay 80 dollars at the Penzoil in Jennings for 11 quarts of rotela 15w40 and 1 quart of lucas oil additive) you can go farther on an oilchange. Even with the in cylinder EGR supposedly putting more soot into the oil my last oil analysis from Blackstone came back very clean at 5000 miles. Told me to resample at 7500 miles so when i get home I am going to pull a sample. if they tell me it is still good I am going to look into a bypass filter and push the oilchange out to 10,000 miles and re-sample at that point. at that oilchange interval it is about the same price as a gasser. Ideally I am hopeing to get to a 15,000 mile oil change interval with a sample pulled at 7500 miles just to keep an eye on bearing wear, the amount of additives left in the oil, and fuel injector problems thinning the oil out.
U all are killing me with all this BS. I have one word "TUNDRA"
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- #19
Thanks for all the valuable input guys certainly appreciate the time you took to post your feedback. All are great points and the reason I started this thread because I wanted to hear from those that own them and use them. I like to tinker as well Albert so the maintenance is not much of an issue though I'd rather not replace critical parts tranny, injectors etc where I can help it. Sounds like I have to evaluate my choices a little more than running out and getting what I was shopping to be a 08 -09 mega cab to haul the family, camper and toys. Being that I have backup vehicle it doesn't have to be my daily driver and can rotate them out for regular use. I rather the front axle because its less wearing parts on the front end I'm not a fan of IFS and torsion bars, solid axles carry the weight better and hold up to the abuse better, I've read great things about the ride in the GM and the Allison is the shining star behind the Duramax so maybe I shouldn't cast it out so fast I would like something with a warranty so its covered on their nickle for a time. 3/4 and 1 tons are so heavy I've seen them get stuck in wet grass so I'd rather the 4WD to avoid those occurrences and some of the places we visit may call for carting the trailer across less than favorable roads with asphalt. Like the steep climb in Sparta. Plenty to digest so will look and drive a few before jumping the gun was trying to get something before I headed to TN so I could haul back two 40's but maybe I'll save that for the Thanksgiving trip. Thanks again
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The same reason Doable likes Dodge, John likes Duramax, I like Land Cruisers, and you don't have a solid axle. We all like what we have and are all bias.
Considered a diesel or 4.7 in the 80 was on my mind but the continued long sprints and trail abuse will take its toll so I've reconsidered and as we hope add a 25 - 27FT camper to start dragging around the country as much as I'd always love to have a cruiser with me I think the tow rig is the better choice with the Moab trip and time out west next year weighing my decision as well. We also have the Sequoia that does fine for nearby trips but with a 184 on the clock and the 8 - 9 mile per gallon towing its not the nest option for the long winded sprints
Why Toyota never brought us diesels 
U all are killing me with all this BS. I have one word "TUNDRA"
Tundra is a beast for a gasser and was the wife's first choice but its a thirsty hog and the diesel will tow much of any load I choose to throw at it and should make up on the mpg's as well.