Help! I Need a new log truck/ daily driver

[ChoppyChoppy]

The guys that owned the trucks I bought couldn't sell them pretty much. I think with them being f450s it cleared out the "brodozer" crowd since they are considered commercial trucks when registering. (Over 14k GVWR). They'd been for sale for quite a while and I got them for a really good price. (Good thing, I couldn't afford much)

 

[Full Chisel]

I cant nock on a dodge. we have 3/4 ton dodge gas burners at work and they go through it all. Haul thousands of pounds of equipment and they keep going. What i would stay away from is a 6.0 powerstroke. Very hard to work on. You have to take the cab off to replace the head gaskets, and the egr system is a huge problem. Now the 7.3'a are just awesome!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The 7.3L is a great motor but it is not necessarily easy to work on and can necessitate lifting the cab to work on...replacing a rusted oil pan for example. The good news is that if you maintain them properly they tend to be extremely reliable, unlike the junk pile 6.0s and 6.4s which is why 7.3s hold higher blue book values than those do.

I am very happy with my '03 7.3...these super duties are workhorses! The Triton V10 is a great motor as well but a fuel hog. When I worked for the state park they had an F450 dump with the V10 and it would burn a quarter tank driving uphill from one end of the park to the other! I average 18-20mpg with my 7.3...not bad for a 4x4 that weighs 9,000lbs!

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

The 7.3L is a great motor but it is not necessarily easy to work on and can necessitate lifting the cab to work on...replacing a rusted oil pan for example. The good news is that if you maintain them properly they tend to be extremely reliable, unlike the junk pile 6.0s and 6.4s which is why 7.3s hold higher blue book values than those do.

I am very happy with my '03 7.3...these super duties are workhorses! The Triton V10 is a great motor as well but a fuel hog. When I worked for the state park they had an F450 dump with the V10 and it would burn a quarter tank driving uphill from one end of the park to the other! I average 18-20mpg with my 7.3...not bad for a 4x4 that weighs 9,000lbs!

Sheez, you have lead filled doors on that thing? The 2500 Dodge quad cab short bed 4x4 CTD I had weighed 7300lbs with me in it and the normal truck junk in it too (toolbox, 50 gal fuel tank in the bed, 120 gal tank for filling equipment, spate tire, etc)

 

[Full Chisel]

Sheez, you have lead filled doors on that thing? The 2500 Dodge quad cab short bed 4x4 CTD I had weighed 7300lbs with me in it and the normal truck junk in it too (toolbox, 50 gal fuel tank in the bed, 120 gal tank for filling equipment, spate tire, etc)

Built ford tough!

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Built ford tough!

Dunno about that. The F350 we have isn't as heavy as yours either. I want to say it was right around 8000lbs with 2 people in it. I know for sure it wasn't close to the 9k area. (Did some dump runs with it) Duallie, 4x4, 12ft flatbed (ie much heavier than a tin can factory bed), 7.3L

 

[Full Chisel]

It's right on the door jamb sticker...8,800lbs dry weight. 8ft bed, extended cab.

To be fair, it's never been weighed since I've owned it. It's probably lost a few pounds to rust, lol.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

8800 is probably GVWR. Unless someone wrote the weight of the truck in the jam it's not going to be on the sticker.

 

[Full Chisel]

8800 is probably GVWR. Unless someone wrote the weight of the truck in the jam it's not going to be on the sticker.

Now that you mention it...you're absolutely right! It is GVWR...my bad.

 

[Full Chisel]

That said, I have definitely had the truck above GVWR with some of the loads I've cut and still get 17-18mpg highway. They are good trucks. The brakes leave a bit to be desired though.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

8800 is probably GVWR. Unless someone wrote the weight of the truck in the jam it's not going to be on the sticker.

Hey hey, that's some good info there!!

VF is right (I'm not gonna say that too loud, though). 8800# is a very common GVWR for 3/4 and maybe SRW one tons. At least it was a decade ago. My 90 f250 grosses at 8600, but only weighs about 4500 empty (6cyl, single cab, 2wd, manual). Means I've got a damned good payload capability.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

That said, I have definitely had the truck above GVWR with some of the loads I've cut and still get 17-18mpg highway. They are good trucks. The brakes leave a bit to be desired though.

The 8800 was because of some commercial vs not rule back in the 90s. My Dodge was the same. It could carry 2 tons in the bed and not struggle.

 

[olyman]

I just wished,,,some of you,,would get your F A C T S straight about the 7.3 idi turbos.............sheesh..........yak,yak,yak,

 

[zogger]

Look south below the rust belt. Still tons of 80s heavy duty trucks around here, and 90s and up are about the average ride, half and half, nice trucks and suvs. Very few actual cars, they just ain't practical enough for most folks and they all cost a lot. You get a lot more ride for the buck only looking at trucks or suvs.

 

[greenskeeper]

7.3 powerstroke all day every day. Yeah the cummins is a "better" platform but it's in a dodge.

Superdutys exist in your price range, just have to look around or be wiling to travel.

Two years ago I bought my 99. Crew Cab 4x4 7.3 powerstroke with the ZF6, had 230k with zero rust (cali truck) on it for $5500

 

[fireemt799]

I run both a 92 f250 extended cab long bed 4x4 manual 7.3 idi and an 02 F450 with 12 foot flat bed and 7.3 powerstoke manual. The 02 is my delivery truck and delivers 2 to 5 cords up to 300 mile round trips without any problems. The 92 is my haul truck. I run it every day and load a cord and a half on the bed stacked above the cab and another cord in a trailer. It has 200,000 on it and still runs great and haven't had any major problems. My round trip is 80 miles with 74 rough, steep dirt roads and it has all the power I need without the turbo. I deliver with it and it has no problem doing highway speed pulling 8% grades. If you really want a turbo on a 7.3 IDI you can buy a banks power complete kit for $1200. I paid $2,000 for the 92 and $8,000 for the 02. The Diesels get great mileage, especially compared to my 89 460. I have never had good luck with Dodge or Chevy, others may have. If you want a 350 or larger, a great place to find good deals is truck paper. I have seen quite a bit of powerstrokes in your price range on there.