Possibly downgrading my firewood hauler...

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If you're gonna have a truck and need use it as such, get a real truck! Unless you're just antsy to change it up and wanna pay more in registration/tag $$ to switch everything over, why mess with a good thing. It's worth more than you think to have a dependable vehicle that you know and can depend on. Newly purchased, used trucks are rarely that until you get a certain amount of maint. done.

I personally wouldn't be happy hauling or towing much of anything in a Tundra (or less), but we live in different places, seem to have different expectations of a truck and need different demands met. To me the best setup (in my neck of the woods, where it's steep, windy, and snowy/muddy) would be a 4x4 1 ton and a 4x4 1/4 ton (Nissan or Toyota) both manual trans. That way you are covered pretty much no matter what, until you get into some pretty serious hauling and towing, plus you don't always have to drive the 1 ton. That's the situation I'm in now, but I suppose it could be worse…I could just have a 1/4 ton and no 1 ton to do real work with.

Just my thoughts!
 
Philbo said:
If you're gonna have a truck and need use it as such, get a real truck! Unless you're just antsy to change it up and wanna pay more in registration/tag $$ to switch everything over, why mess with a good thing. It's worth more than you think to have a dependable vehicle that you know and can depend on. Newly purchased, used trucks are rarely that until you get a certain amount of maint. done.

I personally wouldn't be happy hauling or towing much of anything in a Tundra (or less), but we live in different places, seem to have different expectations of a truck and need different demands met. To me the best setup (in my neck of the woods, where it's steep, windy, and snowy/muddy) would be a 4x4 1 ton and a 4x4 1/4 ton (Nissan or Toyota) both manual trans. That way you are covered pretty much no matter what, until you get into some pretty serious hauling and towing, plus you don't always have to drive the 1 ton. That's the situation I'm in now, but I suppose it could be worse…I could just have a 1/4 ton and no 1 ton to do real work with.

Just my thoughts!
Click to expand...
Decent thoughts bro...thanks for sharing em.
Yep...different worlds with different demands...
 
ReggieT said:
Hey guys,
A lot of thing have changed for me in the past 6 months, and I'm looking closely at possibly selling my full size 03 Tundra Access Cab V8 with 169K.
At best I cut 4-5 cords a year...so its not a truck needed for survival or work related.
I've got several good offers...I can get about 35% more than I paid for it from a friend of mine.

I'm looking at taking some of cash and buying a smaller truck ext- cab...perhaps a Ford Ranger, GMC Sonoma or maybe a Tacoma Pre-Runner with higher miles. Might just buy a decent utility trailer for extra hauling as-needed.

Funny, thing even though this truck really sucks down the gas...I've really grown kinda attached to the power, comfort and safety of it...almost getting the @#$ blues before I sell it!!! lol:cry:
Have any of you guy downgraded in trucks before...is the fuel/insurance savings worth it...did you REGRET it?
As small trucks go...What would you studs recommend or AVOID?

View attachment 359641View attachment 359642
Thanks,
Reg
Click to expand...

My wife and I traded in a 2wd short-bed, reg-cab V6-5spd Silverado 1500 with 185k and a Hyundai Santa Fe with 200k on an '06 Sequoia 4x4 (the SUV version of your truck) with low miles. After driving it around a bit I understand your passion for that truck. I've had a few trucks mini and half-ton. I also had a 2x4 '92 Toy 22re/5spd which I bought w/110K (for $700.00) and sold with 220k (only because the head cracked out and I couldn't justify the $$$ for a 2x4). I miss that truck dearly as it was an awesome motorized wheelbarrow. I would NOT sell your truck as you know it's history and (I assume) it's in good order. I am in the process of doing what others have mentioned and am buying a '93 4x4 S10 4.3/5spd ext cab. When I'm done it'll have a one-off flat bed, lift, rancho shocks and good tires. It will not get much worse (or better) mileage than my 4x4 '02 F-350 Powerstroke CC/LB dually with a 6spd trans and 4:10 gears. It WILL be cheap to tag, insure, and fix. It will also go places that the dually will not or should not go. If you get a 4x4 mini truck, the mileage won't be much different than your SR5. It will offer less and more though.

I guess after that rant, I would say don't sell your truck. If you really want a small one, buy one right and laugh all the way to the bank. It will compliment the one you have now. think of it as the 50cc/70cc saw plan in trucks.
 
Locust Cutter said:
think of it as the 50cc/70cc saw plan in trucks.
Click to expand...
That is a good analogy for this site. I am in a similar situation but my little truck is a 2wd.

Kinda similar to if you only can have one saw it would not be the biggest or the smallest saw but one in the middle, kinda like a 1/2 ton full size truck, in the middle.
 
The 1/2 ton truck I had was good for awhile but was ulimately always out of it's element for me. The 1-ton and 1/4 ton setup is a much better arrangement for me.
 
go find you a old 3/4 ton long bed 4x4 with a manual trans and don't look back. and remember it aint loaded if you dont see sparks
 
There's deals out there if ya don't mind some tinkerin. Here's one from today in my local CL

http://nwga.craigslist.org/cto/4574437221.html

More or less how I got my chevy 3/4 ton, I bought the wheels and tires, got a free truck with them, then tinkered with it and got it running! Mostly just needs injectors now.

That yota up above ain't gonna last long I bet.
 
zogger said:
There's deals out there if ya don't mind some tinkerin. Here's one from today in my local CL

http://nwga.craigslist.org/cto/4574437221.html

More or less how I got my chevy 3/4 ton, I bought the wheels and tires, got a free truck with them, then tinkered with it and got it running! Mostly just needs injectors now.

That yota up above ain't gonna last long I bet.
Click to expand...
I'd probably buy that one, problem is they never come up for sell around here. I had to buy my 94 from a friend down in Florida.
 
toyotas don't last here the frames rot in half then get sent to the crusher my old wood hauler is getting the engine and transmission overhauled.
88 ford f250 4.9 straight 6 5spd 4x4.
 
sunfish said:
I wouldn't trade this one for any fullsize truck. :D

Click to expand...
nice 94, I has a red 94 extended cab just like it, I bought it as a wreck, kid fell asleep and drove it over a stone wall then through a barn:eek:, the right frame rail was bent right behind the control arm, no one wanted to straighten it so I cut the IFS out then chained the left side to my 85 chevy 1ton that I backed into a pile of loam to hold it, then pulled the right (bent) rail back into place with a High Lift jack attached to a big tree, the put a solid axle in it out of an 84 4runner.
it was an awesome truck but it was a 6 cylinder which is just a big POS, compared to a 22r/22RE
 
sunfish said:
I'd probably buy that one, problem is they never come up for sell around here. I had to buy my 94 from a friend down in Florida.
Click to expand...


Engine still running, body in decent shape and them wheels and tires, heck ya, that's a good deal there.

If I had a shop and operating capital I bet I could make good living grabbing deals like that to fix and flip, open a "nobody walks" used truck lot.

Wonder if you took southern trucks like this, really clean them, then super rust proof them, then if they would sell for good bucks up in the salt zone? About the only negative with them down here is so many of the older ones are bill of sale only, no title, so maybe hard to sell up north.

I guess you could proly try to stick a local junk cab with the vin and title from something else on one.
 
zogger said:
There's deals out there if ya don't mind some tinkerin. Here's one from today in my local CL

http://nwga.craigslist.org/cto/4574437221.html

More or less how I got my chevy 3/4 ton, I bought the wheels and tires, got a free truck with them, then tinkered with it and got it running! Mostly just needs injectors now.

That yota up above ain't gonna last long I bet.
Click to expand...

that is a good deal!

looks like a unmolested version of mine:


that mini log skidder goes places that would amaze you!!
 
I don't think it's worth it to downgrade for the extra few dollars you might save on gas, because then you are stuck with a Chevy S 10 that can't even hardly haul a lawnmower on a trailer, good for nothing. Just my opinion
 
If I was you Reggie, I'd get an older 3/4 ton. My wife has an 04 tundra and while I love the thing for commuting it is a pile'o'shite for hauling or even just driving in the woods despite toyota's claims. The Toyota tundra and Nissan Titan are the shittiest 1/2 tons around IMO. About the only 1/2 ton truck I personally think is acceptable for any kind of duty is the f150. Don't tell anyone though cause I'm a Chevy guy.
 

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