who makes the best diesel truck?

[epicklein22]

Anybody drive the new Duramax or Powerstroke? Both are pushing 400hp or close to it and damn near 800 lbs. of torque. Sounds very impressive and the I know people are starting to crack the codes on the powerstroke and will have a tuner/programmer available shortly.

My old 7.3 powerstroke is dinosaur compared to the newer stuff but still gets the job done. 298k and counting.

 

[mdavlee]

Dodge is the last one to hold on to the manual tranny. Ford quit in 11 with the new engine. They do have a new 6 spd auto. My 09 has the 5 spd auto with the 6.4. It runs strong but a couple guys I worked with have traded up to the 11 and they say they're night and day with the power difference. I'm not going to trade anytime soon so I don't need to tempt myself by driving one.

 

[046]

just put in a ceramic button clutch in my 96 12valve cummins.
made by Sachs who claimed it should hold 600 hp.

took a bit getting used to driving a clutch with no slip.
this means either taking off in 1st (granny) or taking off fast enough in second to spin the tires just a bit. something has to slip and it's not going to be the clutch.

 

[madmax]

just put in a ceramic button clutch in my 96 12valve cummins.
made by Sachs who claimed it should hold 600 hp.

took a bit getting used to driving a clutch with no slip.
this means either taking off in 1st (granny) or taking off fast enough in second to spin the tires just a bit. something has to slip and it's not going to be the clutch.

Youll get the feel for it, buttons are the only way to go,IMHO.

 

[mdavlee]

A single disc rated for that much horsepower is going to be rough engaging. I personally will only put double discs in my trucks. I recommend them to anyone towing anything. Backing up is a lot easier with the double disc than a big single.

 

[t613]

Psd

Anybody drive the new Duramax or Powerstroke? Both are pushing 400hp or close to it and damn near 800 lbs. of torque. Sounds very impressive and the I know people are starting to crack the codes on the powerstroke and will have a tuner/programmer available shortly.

My old 7.3 powerstroke is dinosaur compared to the newer stuff but still gets the job done. 298k and counting.

Enjoy that veteran! That is arguably the best PSD International ever made for Ford. Many people swear by them, and you don't have to worry about that emissions crap!

Love my 6.4L, but not real happy with this regen stuff. Hopefully they have it figured out with this new urea system.

I hope my 6.4 proves as reliable as your 7.3!

Tim

 

[mdavlee]

I would like to have a 95-97 crew cab 350 with the 7.3 and a 5 speed or a 460 in it. I could swap a cummins into pretty easily.

 

[BlackOakTreeServ]

If JESUS owned a diesel, it would be the 7.3!!!........so I got one, 97' F350, crew cab, 4x4, green, 127,000mi. and so far got 20mi. to the gallon on freeway....like it.

 

[t613]

Nice find!

If JESUS owned a diesel, it would be the 7.3!!!........so I got one, 97' F350, crew cab, 4x4, green, 127,000mi. and so far got 20mi. to the gallon on freeway....like it.

Nice find with that '97! It looks great, but boy is it loooonnnnggg!!!!

Enjoy it!

Tim

 

[mdavlee]

That's what I'm looking for right there.

 

[komatsuvarna]

If I didnt have a 7.3 truck first, Id probably never buy a ford diesel again. I drive a 01 with about 110k on it that hasnt had a bolt turned yet.

On the other hand, Have a 04, 05, 07 in the work fleet with the 6.0.....and ill never have another 6.0 truck again.

I cant say much for the 6.4. Never even rode in one or know anybody that has one.

If the new 6.7 turns out, I may upgrade my 01 to a newer nicer truck. I hope ford hits a home run with the 6.7, other wise ill be going to the other side....with a uglier more dependable truck.lol

 

[mdavlee]

A couple people I worked with upgraded to the 6.7. One did cause someone hit his 10 6.4. He loves the extra power it has over the 6.4. He didn't mention if the mileage was any better or not.

 

[BlackOakTreeServ]

Nice find with that '97! It looks great, but boy is it loooonnnnggg!!!!

Enjoy it!

Tim

Thanks, and it only takes 1 acre to make full turn...LOL...

 

[046]

yup... ceramic button clutch takes a completely different driving style.
starting to figure out how to drive in city traffic without too much jerkiness.

have only towed my heavy trailer once so far and only loaded with 7k lbs. trailer weights about 3k lbs. taking off in 1st gear feels not much different with no trailer.

putting 100% of the power to the ground without slip is an awesome feeling!!

12v cummins puts out max torque at about 1600 rpm... NO full power pulls in 5th gear under 1500 rpms. otherwise could toast 5th gear.

Youll get the feel for it, buttons are the only way to go,IMHO.

 

[a_lopa]

Hino,they go the distance. Mitsubishi long life even when doors and everything else falls apart.

 

[BlackOakTreeServ]

Here's the 7.3 pulling up black oak to road...got 1 cord out of this little TWIG

As you can tell, I was taking it easy and not hitting gas pedal to hard...front tires were on pavment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-O507jzl1U&feature=player_popout

 

[Great Smokies]

Toyota Hilux. opcorn:

Not avaible in the US, but it's gotta be the best truck ever made. A motoring show in the Uk tried to kill one, but couldn't. After sinking it overnight in the sea, they finally tied it down to the top of a 10 story building that was being blown-up. After the demolition, they dug it out and managed to get it runing and drive it.

Pretty impressive.

Oh man, I wish we had the 3 litre HiLux diesel here...30+mpg daily driver.

I have a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 5.9 Cummins Laramie stick shift. I LOVE IT! I tow heavy loads and it doesnt flinch. I had a 2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 Duramax LT. That was a nice truck. Here's the rub, one versus the other.

Dodge is MUCH roomier, much better fit for me.

Dodge ride is much nicer.

Dodge has better mileage.

Chevy leather seats were worn through by 42000 miles. 83000 on the Dodge, they look like new.

Both have very 'workmanlike' bench back seats (I have the 4 door cabs on both, but not the Mega or full door ones) but the dodge has better leg room.

Chevy has a few more gadgets inside for the top trim level. Onstar is nice. Satellite radio was nice. Dodge has MP3 CD playback, which is nice.

Dodge looks better, IMO.

I'd never get the Dodge in Auto, had to be stick. Prefer the Cummins engine though. Silverado did dump twice.

So...overall I go Dodge, but I do not dislike the Chevy at all. I only hear complaints about any diesel Ford after the 7.3!

 

[046]

for some reason diesel truck mfg think we Americans are stupid.

doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you that a LOT of folks driving diesels trucks don't need to yank 20k+ lbs (not me, pull 30k+ lbs)

my 96 12v cummins 4x4 weights 8,000lbs and still gets 20-22 mpg.
in town during winter goes down to 18 mpg, it never reaches operating temps.

there is NO substitute for light weight ... the best fuel mileage vehicles are the light weight ones ... period! then factor in aerodynamics and engine type.

pushing around a truck through the air is like pushing a sheet of plywood stood up. yes some gains can be made like semi-truck aero features. but you can only do so much.

power plant is where MOST of the gains can be realized. look at what the Europeans are driving.... their fuel costs have been $5+ gal for a long time. They have no choice but to find the most economical method to power their vehicles.

Europeans are driving LITTLE DIESEL vehicles, this includes pickup trucks.
The only little diesel vehicle available in the USA is Volkswagon TDI ... which gets 50 mpg ... this is better than any electric/hybrid, etc. without the complexity of hybrids. Sure hate to pay the repair bills when they finally are due and ALL vehicles break eventually.

4BT little cummins transplants into 1/2 ton trucks are getting 30+ mpg. My brother just drove down from Canada (1,100miles) in a HUGE (158in wheel base) Dodge Sprinter Van with 5cyl diesel (2.9L) and got 26 mpg.

Finally ... American mfg are going to offer a diesel motor in a 1/2 ton pickup again. shouldn't be too hard to achieve 30+ mpg ... wooo...

In all fairness GM did offer a diesel in a 1/2 ton 20+ years ago... in part due to GM's reputation for diesel motor failures, didn't sell very well... so was canned.

 

[RVALUE]

I have a 4 cyl in a bread van, a fellow tried to buy it a couple days ago for his f150. The 150 is RUNNING on gas. He wants to swap it out. It might do better than 30.

:monkey:

 

[Frank Boyer]

Diesel in Norway was around $11 a gallon two summers ago. Diesel was around $5 a gallon in CA then.