Best (Non-Caddy) Diesel Truck Available in the US?

[drrtybyl]

Just wondering if anyone has recommendations on non-caddy diesel trucks available in the US.  We're looking for something capable of towing up to a 4-horse trailer.  I realize options are probably limited to Ford F-series, Dodge Ram, and Chevy Silverado.  Any first-had experience, info or suggestions regarding different models is appreciated.

[BlastIt]

I have a f350 with 7.3L that i pull heavy trailers every day. It has 212,000 miles on it a still going strong.
My sister also has f350 with the 6.0L she pulls a 4 horse trailer with living space in the front of it. She only has
about 40,000 miles on hers and loves it. The biggest repair I had on mine was the flywheel cracked and had to be replaced.
No problems other wise.

[bajacalal]

Best = Cummins in a Ford. This is the truck America should have built.

Seriously, the cummins 6BT (5.9l straight 6) diesel engine, used by Dodge, is the best truck engine offered by the big 3. The F350s just seem to be more comfortable and durable than the Dodges even though I like the Dodges. For some reason I have no love for any GM products at all...

These types of conversions are common enough to turn up in the local classifieds every now and then. Of course, you're dealing with a homebuilt conversion so buyer beware.

Also see http://www.4btswaps.com specifically the 6bt section.

[maxfax]

I kinda agree with bajacalal..  The 6bt cummins is a great engine, but the rest of the Dodge trucks are questionable..  That is excluding the early 6.7L cummins (introduced in 2007.5) first attempt at a "clean diesel" and they were quite troublesome..  I guess by late '08 they got most of the bugs out..    I hope...

Not being much of a GM person the Chevy's with the Duramax don't seem to be horrible..  It's not the engine that the Cummins is, but not terrible either..   The fact the for once GM didn;t design the diesel engine is a big plus!

[Turbinepowered]

All of the newest diesels offered (6.4, 6.7, and 6.9(?) Ford, Dodge and GM respectively, I think) are crap. Over emissions strangled, overpowered, and suck fuel down like it's free.

I have no love for the 24v Cummins engines. None whatsoever any longer. The 12v was a much better engine, but is only found in trucks sufficiently old to start showing the problems of years of accumulated abuse. The engine may be willing, but the body will not be; Dodges don't last long anymore.

The 7.3 Powerstroke in the '01 F250 has been fabulously reliable. Two replaced sensors under warranty (coolant temp and fuel temp(?)) within the first year. One failed POS starter. 200k miles on it and it's not even meticulously maintained. Oil changes are when it can be afforded (15 quarts, ouch!), fuel is whatever can be found (I try to use B20), and has consistently returned 18mpg no matter what conditions we put her through: city, highway, loaded, empty, overloaded... it does drop off rather sharply when you go over 70mph, however. I think that's a gearing issue though, it climbs above 2400 RPM when you're cruising at that speed.

[Turbinepowered]

15 Quarts of oil...  

Yeah, fifteen quarts of Rotella 15w-40 synthetic and an oil filter the size of my freaking head. Shops were charging $110 to do oil changes.

I started doing them at the house, now they cost roughly $80 (Fuel and air filters, too. Especially once I started running the Bio-D)

[maxfax]

All of the newest diesels offered (6.4, 6.7, and 6.9(?) Ford, Dodge and GM respectively, I think) are crap. Over emissions strangled, overpowered, and suck fuel down like it's free.

Amen!!   

[rabbitman]

I know a family with three dodge cummins, all have over 200k miles....one might even be over 300k. they're ranchers so they're pretty hard on 'em too. Two of them are modded for towing, one quite a bit.
The body's aren't too bad yet either. I like the coil spring front end they have, rides nice and is still tough.

[drrtybyl]

Thanks for all of the opinions and insight.. It's too bad Ford or Dodge never made something the size of the F150 with a diesel -- large enough to tow big loads but small enough to get really good mileage.

[Turbinepowered]

Thanks for all of the opinions and insight.. It's too bad Ford or Dodge never made something the size of the F150 with a diesel -- large enough to tow big loads but small enough to get really good mileage.

Ford has been waffling on offering the F150 with a 4L diesel V8 for the past decade... They were revved up to go with it when gas was $4/gallon, then when the price of oil crashed again they scrapped the plans once more. 

[Turbinepowered]

Also, with respect to the Cummins in a Ford being the best... nah. Gotta go with a Caterpillar to get the best combo.

Drove a mid-nineties F250 with a flatbed and a Caterpillar 6-cylinder under the hood. That was pure torque, my friend. All mechanically controlled like the 12v Cummins, but putting it into the truck was simply a matter of sourcing an F450 transmission and engine supports. Caterpillar engines are an option once you climb past the F350.

There's an ancient Ford-based flatbed tow truck around here that has a two stroke V8 Detroit in it... Loud, obnoxious, and copiously powerful. Leaks more oil than an aircooled VW.

[bajacalal]

Drove a mid-nineties F250 with a flatbed and a Caterpillar 6-cylinder under the hood. That was pure torque, my friend. All mechanically controlled like the 12v Cummins, but putting it into the truck was simply a matter of sourcing an F450 transmission and engine supports. Caterpillar engines are an option once you climb past the F350.

I WANT ONE!!! Have any photos?

Was it a 7 speed trans? I've also seen GM medium size trucks (5 ton?) with a DD. 6v-something I think... Of course some old Fords (L series I think) had 6bts.

[Turbinepowered]

I WANT ONE!!! Have any photos?

Was it a 7 speed trans? I've also seen GM medium size trucks (5 ton?) with a DD. 6v-something I think... Of course some old Fords (L series I think) had 6bts.

Might have pics of a swap in progress before too horribly long. Coworker of mine wants to do the Caterpillar swap in his '95 flatbed F250.

I believe it was a seven speed, too, it was a while ago so memory's spotty.

Detroits didn't start the V configuration until they hit the 8 cylinder models, so if it was a V it was probably an 8v71 or 8v92; could have been a 6-71 or a 6-92, as well, as an inline six.

[diesel smoke]

Pre common rail Cummins. My dad has a 24V '02 Cummins with over 300 000Km and aside from a water pump, a clutch slave cylinder and regular maintenance. It has never missed a beat. There is also a guy in my home town a '03 Cummins, it hasn't had anything big fail either. He also has a 12V with 1.2 million Km on it, and another with 600 000Km.

[bajacalal]

Turbinepowered, do you know which CAT engine was used? I'm curious as to what size came in a 90s 2.5+ ton Ford truck. Also, now you have me scratching my head. I thought there was a 6v71 and a bigger v6 too. And they had inline engines with the same displacement per cylinder. I thought the "71" engines went all the way from 1 cylinder to 20-something in every V and inline configuration imaginable.

That would be the best of both worlds for me: my little VW diesel for running around and a big 3/4 ton 4x4 with a real deal truck engine for big jobs. I do have a need for both...

drrtybyl, the F150 is not enough truck to tow big loads (you're thinking a 4 horse trailer). Have you ever had a trailer push your truck around on the highway? Have you ever had a trailer that keeps going after the truck has stopped? I have (was young and dumb) it's not something I wish to repeat.

What I would like to see more, is those trucks like the Isuzu NPR. They can handle big loads but the engines are small enough to get good mileage with the right gearing. I live in a small town in SoCal where raising animals is very popular, it's big time horse country. Usually you see F-series or Dodges with a few oddities like an International for a tow vehicle.

Everybody else, I totally agree that the big 3 went the wrong direction with diesel engines by catering to the "bigger = better" crowd. The new diesels are all too complicated (new Fords don't like Mexican not-ULSD diesel, a lot of people involved with Baja offroad races are pissed) too powerful, too uneconomical and too fancy. Come on, people, it's a work truck. They catered to the crowd that hands over $60,000 and tows a gooseneck on the interstate at 90 mph in the fast lane (which is illegal, dangerous and totally irresponsible).

I have actually been looking to buy a 1st generation 3/4 Dodge cummins. I like the look of these better than the Fords even though the F-series is supposedly more durable. I also like the simplicity of a leaf springed, live axle front suspension (on a truck, not a car).