what size truck

[white eagle]

would you all consider for all an around vehicle?
say for towing things like a 33'camper,16'boat and a tandem axle trailer and occasional piece of equipment like a bobcat and trailer and for a daily commuter as well
would you go with a 1/2 ton,3/4 ton or 1 ton?

[high standard 40]

It would depend how often you pull the 33 ft camper and the tandem trailer and how far. I've pulled similar trailers with my 1/2 ton F150 without issues. Half ton would be better for a daily driver. If you go that route, I'd suggest trailer tow package and limited slip rear end.

[brass410]

minimum would be hd 3/4 ton all the thing you mention dictate that you intend to pull sizeable loads periodicaly and I'll bet they will be heavier than you think

[Froogal]

Minimum 3/4 ton heavy duty. 1 ton is better.

[Tracy]

1 ton. There are a few 3/4 tons that might be workable, but most of them are too light.

[scattershot]

Depending on the weight of the33’ camper, I’d say the 3/4 ton would work for you. Only about $1,000 difference in the 3/4 vs. the 1 ton, so of there’s any doubt go with the heavier vehicle.

[joe leadslinger]

3/4 ton for the win. 1/2 ton to soft, 1 ton to hard, 3/4 ton just right. :bigsmyl2:

[sundog]

If you are pulling any grades, I suggest a diesel, 3/4t minimum. I pull a 30' fifth wheel with a 2012 F250 Super Duty. Best truck I ever owned. If you go 1t, might as well go dually since you'll be pulling stuff.

Easy for decisions for me spending your money :bigsmyl2:

[sigep1764]

Try the reviews from TFL Truck on youtube. They test every truck pulling a trailer up the Ike Gauntlet, a really steep grade of highway and then down again testing brakes. There is a comparison of 1/2, 3/4, 1 ton trucks with most engine/transmission configurations. You can narrow it down then go test drive.

[Lloyd Smale]

you could probably get by with a 1/2 ton if you pulled those things a couple times a year. If you pull them a couple times a week get a 3/4 ton. You don't need a one ton. Very few do unless your using it on a farm or worksite. With them your usually talking diesels with near a 1000 ft lbs of torque. Semis didn't have that 20 years ago.

[Conditor22]

"for towing things like a 33'camper,16'boat and a tandem axle trailer and occasional piece of equipment like a bobcat and trailer and for a daily commuter as well"

I have a friend who's an excavator and pulls a large bobcat. He always used a 1-ton truck (single axle PU). He would regularly tow the bobcat to job 60 - 100 miles away

The size of the truck will depend on the heaviest item you will be pulling and how often you will pull it.

For the 33'camper,16'boat and a tandem axle trailer a heavy half-ton 4x4 would be fine (that's what I have and used with my trailers)

If you're renting the equipment, you should find out the requirements of the rental yard.

I suspect they would require a heavy 3/4 ton and maybe even a 1 ton to rent the equipment.

My neighbor has a new 1 ton GMC diesel that is quiet, comfortable and gets over 20-miles per gallon (cost around 60 K) has to add catalytic fluid every XXXX miles

[rl69]

not enough info . But I will say my daily commuter truck is a one ton single wheel. I commute just under two hundred miles a day with no problums

[lefty o]

a 1/2 ton will handle the camper, boats etc, if you even remotely want to consider dragging a bobcat behind something, a 3/4 is minimal.

[white eagle]

on the 1/2 ton would you say a v6-or v8 motor
they make a v6 twin turbo ecoboost in a 1/2 ton

[MT Gianni]

If you are going to pull something get a dedicated pull truck and keep it for decades. Get a smaller rig for every day runarounds. Your bank balance will show the difference. A good pull truck is expensive and deservedly so.

[Froogal]

Depending on the weight of the33’ camper, I’d say the 3/4 ton would work for you. Only about $1,000 difference in the 3/4 vs. the 1 ton, so of there’s any doubt go with the heavier vehicle.

Price difference depends on how the truck is equipped. It is very possible to find a one ton with fewer options, priced LOWER than a fully equipped 1/2 ton. Personally I do not need, or even want all the options. A/C and cruise control is all I want.

[beechbum444]

3/4 ton Ford 250 the older 7.3 diesels will go 400-500,000 miles new ones are $$$$$$$

[Big Tom]

I tow a 36 ft TT (about 9000 lbs) with my F350 Super Duty (8ft bed) and never would go back to something smaller - works great at any incline and wind and gas/diesel mileage is decent between 10 and 11.5 mpg. Took it from OH to southern Florida and it was a smooth, relaxing drive.
Without towing anything, I get between 18 and 20 mpg and we go camping almost every weekend, typically 2-6 hrs drive away from home.

[tmax64]

My 2 cents is if you're pulling something as heavy as a 33' trailer or bobcat/trailer then go bigger. Pulling is never a problem, stopping and controlling is and the only way you get better stopping and control is more weight for a trailer to try to push around. It isn't manly but a cheap small car that gets 30+mpg for a daily commuter will save enough in fuel dollars alone to help pay for the big one.

[bdicki]

https://dustrunnersauto.com/f250-vs-f350/
Not too much different between F250 and F350. This article doesn't mention it but the tires are the biggest difference.

[snowwolfe]

My choice would be a Ford Superduty with the gas motor and 4:30 gears. Pay load is over 3,000 pounds and rated to pull 15K. Gas saves you from spending almost $10,000 for the diesel option.

If you decide to go diesel DO NOT get a 250. The weight of the diesel is so heavy it eats into the payload rating and the truck will only have a payload similar to a F150.

[Three44s]

If you are going to pull something get a dedicated pull truck and keep it for decades. Get a smaller rig for every day runarounds. Your bank balance will show the difference. A good pull truck is expensive and deservedly so.

This one!

There is and is going to be more pressure as time goes by by the Feds and States to discourage 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks from pulling large trailers. Two issues stand out. Heavy winds and stopping.

I pull some livestock over the road and a little RV mainly fifth wheel with a 3/4 ton and if your trailer brakes are not just great you are relying on truck brakes that just are not up to the job. With today’s RV’s the height of some these goose neck rigs look like a skyscraper on wheels. You get some stiff cross wind and you have a handful in a hurry.

One day my father was pulling his 30’ fifth wheel Sand Piper to the hills. He developed his 6.0 Ford diesel (a pig in my opinion) and I had to take my wife’s Ford 3/4 ton up and move the trailer to a State parking lot for the night. I think we had just a couple of miles to move it but I was real happy to get out from under that thing! This truck has a very stiff custom suspension (camper booster springs) and there were just normal breezes blowing around but it was a hurricane and that I was using a Datsun. With a 460 gas I was not short on go .... but just staying straight and in my lane with so much height was a mind blower.

If you want to be safe I say 1 ton dually with much height (and I do not like duallies empty and on slick roads) but that is my take on the matter.

Three44s

[BD]

My company truck is a GMC 2500 HD with the duramax and the factory tow package. It's pulled horse trailers, flat bed trailers with panelized buildings, equipment trailers with small stuff like tractors, mini excavators or skid steers. All with no issue. Tow capacity is 13,000 on the ball and 17,000 on the fifth wheel hitch. My personal truck is an older 2500HD with the 6L gas motor and the factory tow package. Tow capacity on that one is 10,000, and it struggles over the mountains pulling my 7,000lb haulmark tool trailer. My advice is to go diesel with a factory tow package, and make sure the trailer brakes are working on anything you hook up that even approaches 2/3 the weight of the truck You can certainly pull heavy stuff with a 1/2 ton F150, but you likely won't be able to stop it in an emergency.

[Tracy]

A couple of people have mentioned a heavy duty 3/4 ton. Allow me to expound on that just a bit.
There is a difference between a heavy duty 3/4 ton and a standard 3/4 ton. Don't expect a truck salesman to even know the difference, although he will certainly blow lots of hot air about it (in favor of what he really needs to move and/or makes a bigger profit on).

1 ton and heavy 3/4 ton trucks have full floating rear axles. Lots of standard 3/4 ton trucks have C-clip rear axles, which is a bad idea even in a 1/2 ton. Ford (the worst offender by far), Dodge and Chevy all do it. I recommend that anyone who is considering the purchase of a 3/4 ton become familiar with the difference, and avoid anything with a C-clip axle.

To be fair, Chevy was the one that started the C-clip axles in half tons. But Ford was the first to put that garbage in a 3/4 ton, and even some 1 ton vans.

[osteodoc08]

3/4 ton+ with diesel if pulling a 33’ camper with any regularity.

[Lloyd Smale]

I can hear tim the tool man taylor grunting right now! Bottom line is for most of us a truck is a car 90 percent of the time and a truck 10 percent of the time. You have to live with them every day. Im not spending 70k on a diesel 1 ton to pull a skidsteer a couple times a year. A new 1/2 ton has twice the power and twice the braking power a 3/4 ton did 20 years ago and is safer towing about any load then that 1975 3/4 truck you dad thought was so amazing back them. It will handle pulling your trailer 50 miles every weekend or maybe a once a year trip out of the area. Skidsteer? Well that might be a challenge. Id sure not loose any sleep if I knew I had to tow one 30 miles tommarow morning and surely not if I had to move one across town. If you making your living with it and moving it every day or even every week then you need a bigger truck. As to power the v8s today and even those ford turbo 6s make gobs more power then anything did even in the 90s. Heck my 2004 silveardo 5.3 v8 had 275hp. the exact same as chevs new 4 cyl turbo there putting in there full sized trucks today. My 1979 350 4 barrel put out 195! You have to search to find a 4 cyl that puts out much less then that today. 79 and the 05 had disc front and drum rears. ANY truck today has 4 wheel disc brakes and anti lock breaking and traction control which also makes towing safer. Then add to that tire technology and how far its come. This is pickup truck central. Id bet theres more pickups bought in this area then cars. I chuckle all the time at the diesel trucks. Yup theres a few that really need them but most are sold to 20 some year old kids that happened into a good job that jack them up put programers, bigger turbos, exhaust systems ect and the heaviest thing they ever carry or tow is there dirt bike or snowmobile. But there cool! I say look honestly at what your going to do with your truck for 90 percent of the time and buy a truck that fits that. If you happen to have to tow your skidsteer 500 miles get a buddy or rent a truck to do it. With the 20k you save buying it and the extra money youll spend to maintain that diesel and the extra you pay for diesel at the pump (a difference you wont recover with the small amount of better fuel economy your going to see on those 90 percent days when both trucks are empty) and the insurance and plate increases you will see you could probably rent a truck once a month.
on the 1/2 ton would you say a v6-or v8 motor
they make a v6 twin turbo ecoboost in a 1/2 ton

[high standard 40]

I can hear tim the tool man taylor grunting right now! Bottom line is for most of us a truck is a car 90 percent of the time and a truck 10 percent of the time. You have to live with them every day. Im not spending 70k on a diesel 1 ton to pull a skidsteer a couple times a year. A new 1/2 ton has twice the power and twice the braking power a 3/4 ton did 20 years ago and is safer towing about any load then that 1975 3/4 truck you dad thought was so amazing back them. It will handle pulling your trailer 50 miles every weekend or maybe a once a year trip out of the area. Skidsteer? Well that might be a challenge. Id sure not loose any sleep if I knew I had to tow one 30 miles tommarow morning and surely not if I had to move one across town. If you making your living with it and moving it every day or even every week then you need a bigger truck. As to power the v8s today and even those ford turbo 6s make gobs more power then anything did even in the 90s. Heck my 2004 silveardo 5.3 v8 had 275hp. the exact same as chevs new 4 cyl turbo there putting in there full sized trucks today. My 1979 350 4 barrel put out 195! You have to search to find a 4 cyl that puts out much less then that today. 79 and the 05 had disc front and drum rears. ANY truck today has 4 wheel disc brakes and anti lock breaking and traction control which also makes towing safer. Then add to that tire technology and how far its come. This is pickup truck central. Id bet theres more pickups bought in this area then cars. I chuckle all the time at the diesel trucks. Yup theres a few that really need them but most are sold to 20 some year old kids that happened into a good job that jack them up put programers, bigger turbos, exhaust systems ect and the heaviest thing they ever carry or tow is there dirt bike or snowmobile. But there cool! I say look honestly at what your going to do with your truck for 90 percent of the time and buy a truck that fits that. If you happen to have to tow your skidsteer 500 miles get a buddy or rent a truck to do it. With the 20k you save buying it and the extra money youll spend to maintain that diesel and the extra you pay for diesel at the pump (a difference you wont recover with the small amount of better fuel economy your going to see on those 90 percent days when both trucks are empty) and the insurance and plate increases you will see you could probably rent a truck once a month.

I agree with this 100%.

[georgerkahn]

STOPPING reply :) -- I once pulled an 11,000 pound generator to a neighboring town, using a 4-cylinder Dodge Colt car! (An emergency situation, thankfully I needed not make any emergency stops!) Now, I have a Toyota Tacoma SR5 TRD Off-Road, with a 6-cyl powerplant. I pull a boat, land-scape, utility, and a dua- axle Carry-On trailer with my Kubota tractor on it. Two things always on my mind is first, that my tire pressures on all trailers are where they're supposed to be; and, perhaps of more importance, "WILL I BE ABLE TO STOP???"
If I use Toyota's "ECT" transmission, I'm pulling (tractor) at the very upper limits allowed; noting my trips are generally in the ~15-mile each way range, on PRETTY LEVEL terrain!
Hey -- pretty much any powerplant will get anything (within reason) moving up to cruising speed, if you're not in a great hurry with heavier loads -- PLEASE, if your area has hills to climb; hills to go down with no fears of a needed stop -- keep this at the forefront of your mind while shopping for a vehicle. Yes -- my trailer for tractor has electric brakes, but I fear even with them, I'm astute keeping more than a reasonable distance from vehicles ahead.
Many folks just consider the "going" needs; my suggestion is to also consider "stopping!" needs.
Good luck!
geo

[bob208]

yep I hear the grunt loud and clear. back in the 60's I towed racr cars all over md. pa. va. and wv. with a chevy 3/4 ton with 261 inline 6 . never a problem going or stopping. my father hauled scrap iron and tractors on a 5th wheel trailer for years. pulled it with a 3/4 ton chevy with a 350. never a problem going or stopping. also pulled a 30 foot camper all over the country again a 3/4 ton gas chevy. the only reason for the 3/4 ton was they had bigger brakes.

[dkf]

No question a 3/4ton (Super Duty or Heavy Duty) or larger. Did the half ton thing already and you are max the payload out quick and end up putting some kind of load leveling setup on it if you have any kind of pin weight. No thanks. I can hook up my F-250 to any of my trailers and not worry about that stuff. Despite what people may think when your towing anything of size a tow vehicle with some weight to it can be an asset. Especially if you get into some bumpy roads, quick maneuvers, etc.

FYI there is very little difference between say an F-250 vs an F-350 physically. Some years the only difference is 2" larger blocks in the rear and higher gross numbers. Now on the newer F-250 vs F-350 gas trucks Ford uses a lighter 6R100 in the F250 vs the heavier duty 6R140 trans for the F-250. They started that around the 2017 MY.

[snowwolfe]

For you guys recommending 3/4 ton trucks with a diesel.......................you really need to check one out on the dealers lot and look at the door jam sticker to see what they will carry.
When you read the manufacturers specs they only list the max towing or carrying capacity for each model. A diesel truck reduces that max carrying capacity by a bunch.
I have read plenty of stories from new 250 diesel owners to learn of their regrets.

[Handloader109]

Two things. I had a '97 F250 7.3L Diesel that was a great puller and got good mileage (usually close to 20mpg) when empty. 10 when pulling anything.
I would NEVER go buy a new diesel or for that matter now. Way too easy to find a GOOD used vehicle for half the price.
I would go looking for a used one that is 2-3 years old with say 75-100K miles on it. Probably half the price of a new one.
Then I would buy smaller half ton that I would use for most of the small hauling and empty travel.
This unless you are pulling every day. Then I would forgo the small truck and keep savings for replacing the diesel after 250k miles or 5-6 years. Yes, easy to go that much distance with zero problems.

[Mal Paso]

The foreman on a working cattle ranch just south of here was looking for a heavy duty truck to haul horses. He found a F700 4x4 down in LA. The pictures looked good, great price and he was really busy so he sent a check to cover it. And was totally shocked when he went to pick it up. The pictures weren't doctored but there was nothing in them to show scale. Nothing to indicate the beast was 8 feet wide and 10 feet tall. Barely fits on the road, can't park in a regular parking lot. I'd see it parked out with the motorhomes and semis for a while until he sold it. Always brought a smile to my face.

[shdwlkr]

First I would never buy one of the new pickups don't care what engine or package it has. Go find a good used one either 3/4 or 1 ton and whatever engine you want. My old diesel pickup has pulled more weight than I thought it could. The heaviest load was a load of firewood and huge trailer grossed out way past what gvw sticker said. Yes you need to pay attention when pulling heavy and think ahead so you can slow down to where the brakes are good. If you need more truck on a regular basis then start looking the at the 450, 550, maybe even 650 size rigs. Me personally I would not have a gas engine in a truck because that diesel has more grunt at the bottom than any gas engine I have ever seen. A friend of mine just picked up a 2004 ford f350 to pull his 34 foot camper. I have pulled it with my F250 and a duramax both diesels never saw where there was not enough go when needed or braking when needed. Towed that camper for over 300 miles with both. He wanted bigger because he has a atv he likes to take with him. YMMV
By the way the first vehicle I learned to drive was what today we would call F650 hay truck drove it for years, you learn real fast what it means to be able to stop and how to even start from dead stop, none of off the line high speed ****.

[Lloyd Smale]

used diesels? My son in law runs a big diesel repair shop up here and this is what he says. STAY AWAY. Most of them are not ran by guys who know it takes extra maintained to keep them running right. There owned by guys who pull campers not by over the road truckers. He buys them because he can find what he calls abused ones cheap and knows hows what the weaknesses of each manufactures diesels are (and they all have weaknesses) But if you have 10 k to throw away and don't mind feeding your mechanics family and paying 30 percent more at the pump have at it. But its only tim the tool many taylor types that think they actually need a 1000 foot lbs of torque to move a camper. 15 years ago it was tough to find a semi that had that kind of torque. Brakes. What did people do since the pickup was designed and campers were first pulled. I had trucks in the 60s and 70s and believe me the 4 wheel discs on my half ton have 3 times the braking power those old drums did. Were you afraid to drive your impala to the store in the 60s because of drum brakes. Power? a 400 hp gas motor (all the big three make them) has as much power as a 1980 3/4 ton with TWO v8s. More power then ANY muscle car of the 60s or 70s. Id have to guess plenty enough to pull any camper ever made. Probably your average 20 foot camper with a 20 foot boat hitched on the back of it. But then you wouldn't impress everyone at the camp site with your new shinny power stroke diesel or be able to do your walter middy trucker imitation. By what you want but don't try telling those who know better you bought it out of practicality.

[Idaho45guy]

I'm facing the same question. My daily driver now is a 2005 GMC Yukon with a tow rating of 7500lbs. Borrowed my dad's 2003 24' RV camper with a loaded weight of around 6500lbs and with the equalizer hitch and brakes, it was not bad, but not something I'd want to try and pull a lot of grades with. Lots of hills and mountains here and the Yukon could not maintain the speed limit without hitting the rev limiter.

I normally tow a little steel utility trailer and a UTV. Maybe 2000 lbs max of weight and it does fine.

But, I anticipate buying a larger RV trailer; at least 24', and would like a truck with an 8' bed so the UTV can fit in the back.

A half-ton with a tow package and upgraded suspension could handle it. Toyota and Ford both make a 1/2 pickup with an extra cab and 8' bed. Both no frills trucks run about $42k at the dealer.

Dodge doesn't even have the option of an 8' bed with the quad cab and my last 2014 Ram 1500 had rear coils so soft that 900lbs of building supplies seriously overloaded it.

But that truck was perfect as a daily commuter and towing a smaller trailer.

I rode in the 3/4-ton, crew cab diesel version of my truck with a friend a few months ago in Seattle and it was eye-opening. That's a heck of a lot of truck to be running errands in and the ride was pretty punishing.

So I figured I could get by with the 6'5" bed and a supercab or quad cab.

But I still wanted the 3/4-ton.

Shopped and compared the Fords to the Dodges. Fords run about $5k to $7k more at the dealer for similarly equipped pickups. And the Ford XL and the Ram Tradesman are their bottom line models with no frills. But the Ram comes standard with AC, cruise, and power windows/doors. You have to pay an extra $1500 for that in the Ford.

Then it came down to powerplant options. Gas or diesel.

Diesel will tow better; no question about it. It will get you better gas mileage and the torque on the new ones is insane. However, it's about a $9k option. In daily driving with the diesel, it gets maybe 3-4 mpg better than the gas motor. If you drive an average of 12k miles a year, as I do, then it would take 39 years to realize any savings on fuel costs.

Plus, the diesel requires much more expensive oil changes, and when something breaks, it will be insanely expensive.

My dad's 2005 Chevy Duramax lost a head gasket at 120k miles. He shopped around for the best price to replace it and a couple of injectors and he ended up paying over $10k for the repair.

So, my next truck will likely be a 3/4-ton quad cab, 6.5 bed, 4x4, Ram with the 6.4 hemi motor. I can find them all day long on local dealer lots for $37k. That's cheaper than ANY F150 or Tundra I've been able to find.

My old 2014 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi averaged 17mpg in daily driving, with a lift and larger tires. That's better than my current Yukon with over 100 less hp and tow capacity.

[Mal Paso]

used diesels? My son in law runs a big diesel repair shop up here and this is what he says. STAY AWAY. Most of them are not ran by guys who know it takes extra maintained to keep them running right.

Huh? I just got out from under my 04.5 Dodge/Cummins. Finally had to replace the clutch after 200,000 miles and it wasn't even the clutch, the throw out bearing went. The clutch frictions could go another 100,000. The stainless exhaust system could go another 600,000. There is Almost No Maintenance, change oil, check fluids, and CHECK the valves at 75,000 miles. This is the Strongest, Lowest Maintenance truck I've EVER SEEN!

Guys around here that have the spare time to look, find the older Dodge/Cummins with mechanical injection at 100+K and run them to 400,000 miles

[Lloyd Smale]

so in law is on 300k on his. But hes put a fuel pump or whatever you all it in them. Two transmitions (autos) rebuilt the front end totally 3 times. Front pumkin blew the gears out and one turbo. Granted it has 300 k on it and he uses it as a truck not a grocery getter, but he sure seems to borrow my truck pretty often and hes a mechanic. I find it hard to believe if you really used that truck for what it was designed for it went 200k on a clutch never had suspension work done never had a front or rear blown especially with a stick because there much harder on them then auto are. Only a throw out bearing. Either you drive it like a grandma or are the luckiest man alive. How much does an oil change cost you. How many filters need changing on it. Gas truck. Easily do 300 k if taken care of. Jiffy lube can do the oil change for under 50 bucks (well under) no valves to adust. No glow plugs, much simpler injection system, stainless exhaust on mine too.

Granted the original dodges were about the most trouble free of the bunch but they broke too. Just like anything mechanical. Then when they do break your average grease monkey at you local yoko car repair place doesn't have a clue about the idiosyncrasy's of that motor or what normaly causes the problem your having so you pay him to start replacing parts or you take it to the dealership and pay BIG BUCKS because you need it back this month. That's the old simple ones like you have. No add the high tech diesels all three of the auto makers have and good luck finding a mechanic. they didn't get a 1000 ft lbs of torque by putting on a set of headers and craking up the boost.

Cant see the fuel economy argument either. So you get 20 mpg with a 3/4 ton. My brother in law has a new 6.4 hemi dodge 3/4 ton and he took it to Detroit and back and got 19.5. My Silverado will do an easy 22 on a trip. Yup the desiel does better WHEN your towing that camper MAYBE once a month and for the other 29 days you pay 30 percent more for fuel and get no better. Sorry but you just wont convince me the average guy is better off with a diesel. Especially when they cost 10k more. If your towing a camper all around the USA and plan on doing it for the rest of your retirement then maybe. I can about guarantee you if one guy bought an new cummins ram and the other bought a 6.4 either one of them could EASILY pull any camper on the road and you with your desiel will never recoup that 10k especially with 30 percent higher fuel costs. Who needs them? Maybe farmers, contractors, delivery services and MAYBE 5 percent of the other people who buy them. Breaker Breaker they don't make you a trucker. Buy what you want. I never feel I have to justify what I buy but don't pretend your one of that 5 percent. Add to all of it if my 5.3 does wear out I can buy a whole new long block for less then the price of a head for a cummings.

[snowwolfe]

Let’s see a show of hands. My Ford gasser is rated to tow 15,000 pounds. How many people here routinely tow more than that and need the performance of a diesel?

[Lloyd Smale]

you could probably knock 10k off that question and still hear a pin drop.

[AnthonyB]

I agree with Lloyd on the “buy what you want” idea. I have a 2008 F250 Power stroke. It doesn’t have a sunroof or GPS, but I think I checked almost every option box. Only 75k on it and I think it has been used to tow three times. I have absolutely no use for the truck’s capabilities but love driving it. Ordered on the tail end of my last tour in Iraq because I had always wanted one. There is nothing like daily rocket, mortar, and small arms attacks to help make the decision to buy something you don’t need but have always wanted make perfect sense....

[lightman]

Let’s see a show of hands. My Ford gasser is rated to tow 15,000 pounds. How many people here routinely tow more than that and need the performance of a diesel?

I do! I've tried to stay out of this thread but.........

I regularly pull a 32ft gooseneck rated at 24,500#. Most of the time I have a tractor and bush hog on it. The trailer, tractor and bush hog weigh a little over 15000#. Sometimes I'll have a disc (1000#) or several super sacks of grain (1600-2000# ea) on the front of the trailer. A heavy truck with a gas engine would pull it. I've done it before. But I also suffered with 9 or 10 MPG when the truck was not pulling the trailer. My F-250 with the diesel pulls that trailer and gets around 10.5 mpg and it gets up to 19 mpg when empty.

The newer diesels are not as durable as the older ones. But, they also have more power. More electronic stuff to fail, light weight components, ect. The oil companies are also removing more and more sulfur from diesel, the stuff that provides lubricant. I just spent $12,000 on mine due to fuel injection problems that Ford probably knows about.

The first diesel that I had got 5 mpg better than the gas burner that I replaced it with and diesel was 30 or 40 cents cheaper. The expensive option actually paid for itself! And it was trouble free for 200K miles. Now the diesel option is a lot more and so is the fuel.

I've already mentioned expensive repairs. I guess I need to mention expensive service too! 15 quarts of oil, a large oil filter, 2 fuel filters ( you better change them too), a large air filter all add up to a rather pricey oil change!

So, what do you do? If you pull a heavy trailer, do you take a chance on a diesel? Do you suffer lousy gas mileage with a gas engine?

By the way, my F-250 is also my daily driver. Its the nicest truck I have ever had and is a pleasure to travel in. It rides ok on decent roads but its pretty rough on farm roads. And it will run like a scalded dog if you want it to! As far as reduced payloads due to the diesel, thats not the case according to the owners manual that came with mine.

[lightman]

Let’s see a show of hands. My Ford gasser is rated to tow 15,000 pounds. How many people here routinely tow more than that and need the performance of a diesel?

Not trying to argue here but I'm just curious. What model truck do you have and what engine? And what mileage do you get? I'm probably going to buy one more heavy truck before I get rid of my tractor and trailer.

[snowwolfe]

Not trying to argue here but I'm just curious. What model truck do you have and what engine? And what mileage do you get? I'm probably going to buy one more heavy truck before I get rid of my tractor and trailer.

2019 F250 4X4 Crew Cab Super duty Lariat short bed, 6.2 gas motor (came stock with the truck) 4:30 gears. Average around town is 13. One trip under my belt running 65-68 and averaged 15. Motor has all the power and speed I need. Tow a 5k boat/trailer often and average 11.5 to 12.
A F250 is overkill for me but my last truck was a 2017 F150 with the 10 speed. Ford ended up buying it back under the Lemon Law. The reason I jumped to the F250 was simply because I did not want another 10 speed.

Here is something that will surprise you. If you go to Fords web site and build comparable F150 and 250 trucks with the Lariat option (or higher) the prices will be within $1k of each other.

Ford has announced a new 7.3 gas motor for the Super Duty line in 2020. Could be a real game changer for buyers undecided between a gas and diesel. No HP/Torque numbers have been released yet.

[lightman]

Ok, Thanks for the reply.

[Lloyd Smale]

Now heres an honest man. No chest thumping or trying to fight a loosing battle justifying it.
I agree with Lloyd on the “buy what you want” idea. I have a 2008 F250 Power stroke. It doesn’t have a sunroof or GPS, but I think I checked almost every option box. Only 75k on it and I think it has been used to tow three times. I have absolutely no use for the truck’s capabilities but love driving it. Ordered on the tail end of my last tour in Iraq because I had always wanted one. There is nothing like daily rocket, mortar, and small arms attacks to help make the decision to buy something you don’t need but have always wanted make perfect sense....

[Lloyd Smale]

you were right when you said a gas motor would pull it. Some forget were talking v8s with 400 hp and over 400 ftlbs of torque. NOT the 200 hp slugs we had a decade ago. Put a set of 410s in the rear and you can pull what a semi could in the 60s and 70s. Yup your fuel economy will no doubt be 25 percent better in a diesel. But that diesel costs about 25 percent more (then you have to buy that injection additive that new diesels need) . Now if I pulled what you pulled even every week id probably look at a diesel but if I did it once a month or less not a chance. Actually the 1/2 ton diesels hitting the market make more sense then the big ones. The big ones get about the same fuel economy as a gas motor empty and better loaded. The 1/2 tons get almost 8mpg better empty or pulling which probably more then offsets the price at the pump. They also only cost about 3k to upgrade to vs 10k or more. Nope they wont pull a 15000 lb trailer every day but they will pull about any camper made. They might almost come close to saving you money or at least breaking even. But then they lack in that tim the tool man taylor GRUNT GRUNT that so many are willing to spend big bucks for.
I do! I've tried to stay out of this thread but.........

I regularly pull a 32ft gooseneck rated at 24,500#. Most of the time I have a tractor and bush hog on it. The trailer, tractor and bush hog weigh a little over 15000#. Sometimes I'll have a disc (1000#) or several super sacks of grain (1600-2000# ea) on the front of the trailer. A heavy truck with a gas engine would pull it. I've done it before. But I also suffered with 9 or 10 MPG when the truck was not pulling the trailer. My F-250 with the diesel pulls that trailer and gets around 10.5 mpg and it gets up to 19 mpg when empty.

The newer diesels are not as durable as the older ones. But, they also have more power. More electronic stuff to fail, light weight components, ect. The oil companies are also removing more and more sulfur from diesel, the stuff that provides lubricant. I just spent $12,000 on mine due to fuel injection problems that Ford probably knows about.

The first diesel that I had got 5 mpg better than the gas burner that I replaced it with and diesel was 30 or 40 cents cheaper. The expensive option actually paid for itself! And it was trouble free for 200K miles. Now the diesel option is a lot more and so is the fuel.

I've already mentioned expensive repairs. I guess I need to mention expensive service too! 15 quarts of oil, a large oil filter, 2 fuel filters ( you better change them too), a large air filter all add up to a rather pricey oil change!

So, what do you do? If you pull a heavy trailer, do you take a chance on a diesel? Do you suffer lousy gas mileage with a gas engine?

By the way, my F-250 is also my daily driver. Its the nicest truck I have ever had and is a pleasure to travel in. It rides ok on decent roads but its pretty rough on farm roads. And it will run like a scalded dog if you want it to! As far as reduced payloads due to the diesel, thats not the case according to the owners manual that came with mine.

[snowwolfe]

With a gasser gears are the key. The Super Duty comes standard with 3:73's. Only option are the 4:30's. Dealers that stock a gas truck with 4:30's are rarer than hens teeth.
These gear choices are debated often on the Ford forums but the general opinion is the lower gears do not hurt your gas mileage and in fact may help it. About the only time the 3:73's are a better choice is if the owner is running 75+ on the interstates the majority of the time.

Not knocking diesels, I owned a 2002 F250 with the 7.3 for 11 years when I was towing 10K of boat weekly in the summer. It was the right truck for me at the time. Diesel option was like $3,300 and the calculations showed me would have to drive 100K miles just to break even. With the diesel option costing $9,200 its almost impossible to make it work. If you want a diesel, and can afford it and the upkeep and repairs, go for it. Just don't kid yourself into thinking you need it.

[lightman]

So, what do you do? If you pull a heavy trailer, do you take a chance on a diesel? Do you suffer lousy gas mileage with a gas engine?

My Wife actually has the answer to this. She wants me to get rid of the tractor and trailer!

I use the tractor to mow at deer camp. And the loader makes moving a deer stand pretty easy. I also host a Dove Hunt in September and use the tractor to work up and plant the 10 acres ( 30 acres in the past) of Sunflowers and I mow the levees at my youngest Sons Duck Club. I actually mow 2 deer camps and the levees at 2 duck clubs.

Health issues are probably going to ground me someday but I plan to keep the tractor long enough to need at least one more heavy truck. I have to admit, it might be nice to ride around on the Polarus drinking and watching the others work!!!

[8mmFan]

Whatever you do, take my dad’s advice and don’t ever buy a truck with a 5’ box. Get a full-size. Wish I had taken his advice every time I want to put a topper on my F-150 and use it to sleep in the back instead of a tent on hunting trips.

8mmFan

[Lloyd Smale]

I guess when your talking a 50-70k truck spending another grand to swap out gears if you cant find one on the lot is pretty trivial.
With a gasser gears are the key. The Super Duty comes standard with 3:73's. Only option are the 4:30's. Dealers that stock a gas truck with 4:30's are rarer than hens teeth.
These gear choices are debated often on the Ford forums but the general opinion is the lower gears do not hurt your gas mileage and in fact may help it. About the only time the 3:73's are a better choice is if the owner is running 75+ on the interstates the majority of the time.

Not knocking diesels, I owned a 2002 F250 with the 7.3 for 11 years when I was towing 10K of boat weekly in the summer. It was the right truck for me at the time. Diesel option was like $3,300 and the calculations showed me would have to drive 100K miles just to break even. With the diesel option costing $9,200 its almost impossible to make it work. If you want a diesel, and can afford it and the upkeep and repairs, go for it. Just don't kid yourself into thinking you need it.

[Idaho45guy]

I met a guy at work the other day who has a 2018 F250 STX crew cab with the 6.5' bed and 6.2 V8. His is completely stock; even still has the factory tires.

He also has the camper package and snow plow package. His only complaint was how high it sits because he had to add side steps. I asked about his gas mileage and he told me that the best he gets is 15 mpg on highway trips and averages 13-14 mpg.

My Ram got over 20 on road trips and averaged 17 mpg on my daily commute. It had the 5.7 hemi with the cylinder shut-off option. That was with a lift and 34" tires.

Found an interesting website that shows real world fuel mileage based on actual owners tracking their mileage.

http://www.fuelly.com/car/ram/2500/2019

The 2019 Ram 2500 gets an average of 13.16 mpg.

The 2019 F250 gets an average of 13.5 mpg.

I looked at that site's data on the 2014 Ram 1500, which I owned, and it shows an average of 18.2 mpg, which is about exactly what I observed with mine.

Based on 15k miles a year of driving, going from 18 mpg to 13.5 mpg would cost an extra $65 a month for fuel costs.

[Lloyd Smale]

yup nothing comes free. If spending an extra 65 bucks a month 12 months a year and the extra cost of the truck and maintaining it is worth it to you to tow your camper a few times in the summer then have at it. ME? ill drive a bit slower with my 1/2 ton. Like ive said if you use it as a work tool its a different senerio all together but few who own them actually NEED them.

[snowwolfe]

You want good gas mileage then buy a Prius. No one ever claimed a 3/4 ton truck that can carry 3,000 pounds and tow 15,000 will get great mileage. Besides, it isn't even fair to consider what a half ton does compared to a 3/4. Totally different animals. Most half tons are glorified cars. My Tundra for example, put 500 pounds in its goofy 5.5 foot bed and the entire rear of the truck was sagging. I can swing by the feed store and pick up 20 bags of corn in my F250 and barely tell they are in the bed.

I don't need a F250. Only reason I bought one was because Ford Lemon lawed my 150 due to issues with the 10 speed. Swore I wouldn't buy another 10 speed until they fixed them. And as I said before, the F250 stickered roughly at the same price as a comparable 150.

[Idaho45guy]

You want good gas mileage then buy a Prius. No one ever claimed a 3/4 ton truck that can carry 3,000 pounds and tow 15,000 will get great mileage. Besides, it isn't even fair to consider what a half ton does compared to a 3/4. Totally different animals. Most half tons are glorified cars. My Tundra for example, put 500 pounds in its goofy 5.5 foot bed and the entire rear of the truck was sagging. I can swing by the feed store and pick up 20 bags of corn in my F250 and barely tell they are in the bed.

I don't need a F250. Only reason I bought one was because Ford Lemon lawed my 150 due to issues with the 10 speed. Swore I wouldn't buy another 10 speed until they fixed them. And as I said before, the F250 stickered roughly at the same price as a comparable 150.

Yep. Loved my Ram, but was surprised at how much the rear would sag with just a few hundred pounds of load.

I could always make an F150 with the 8' bed and 3.5 ecoboost work by installing air bags in the back. Would probably be fine with my UTV in the bed, but that's over 1000lbs. Plus, add the weight of a 5-6k lb RV and you are still within 1/2-ton capability.

But yeah, the downside is the 3/4-ton will get worse gas mileage due to increased drivetrain drag due to more mass, but it's ironically cheaper and more capable.

[Idaho45guy]

Oddly enough, I went to the Ford website and built a 2019 F150 XLT with the 8' bed and supercab, 4x4, and tow group, which includes the 3.5L Ecoboost motor. $46k. Did a search within 100 miles, which is the max distance it allowed, and not a single truck, in any color, with that configuration.

In fact, not a single F150 XLT with the 8' bed. Amazing! I guess people don't use the F150 as a truck anymore.

[Idaho45guy]

Went to the Toyota site and built a Tundra with the SR5 package, 5.7L V8, extra cab, 8' bed, and it was $41k. And there were two within 15 miles of me in the exact color I wanted.

But, the Toyota site was difficult to navigate and didn't specify a tow package option. Weird.

[Lloyd Smale]

ya the days of 8 foot boxes on 1/2 tons is about gone. As are the short box standard cabs I liked so much when I was young. If you want an 8 foot box you are about going to have to step up to a 3/4 ton. that's said I like a back seat and any truck with a club or crew cab and an 8 foot box is HUGE and just maneuvering and parking it in tight quarters is a job. You have to really need the capacity to put up with one day to day.
Oddly enough, I went to the Ford website and built a 2019 F150 XLT with the 8' bed and supercab, 4x4, and tow group, which includes the 3.5L Ecoboost motor. $46k. Did a search within 100 miles, which is the max distance it allowed, and not a single truck, in any color, with that configuration.

In fact, not a single F150 XLT with the 8' bed. Amazing! I guess people don't use the F150 as a truck anymore.

[Lloyd Smale]

You want good gas mileage then buy a Prius. No one ever claimed a 3/4 ton truck that can carry 3,000 pounds and tow 15,000 will get great mileage. Besides, it isn't even fair to consider what a half ton does compared to a 3/4. Totally different animals. Most half tons are glorified cars. My Tundra for example, put 500 pounds in its goofy 5.5 foot bed and the entire rear of the truck was sagging. I can swing by the feed store and pick up 20 bags of corn in my F250 and barely tell they are in the bed.

I don't need a F250. Only reason I bought one was because Ford Lemon lawed my 150 due to issues with the 10 speed. Swore I wouldn't buy another 10 speed until they fixed them. And as I said before, the F250 stickered roughly at the same price as a comparable 150.

don't know about the jap trucks because ive never owned one and never will but a new 1/2 ton today would make a 3/4 ton truck made 20 years ago look silly. It will out pull out break out handle out perform and do it on a 1/3 of the fuel that old truck used. Only thing you might possible win at is dumping sand or gravel in the back till it squatted. Thing is those old 3/4 ton trucks road so terribly that people put weight in them just to keep from rattling there brains apart. Im not one that all that hung up on the fuel economy. If todays trucks performed like they do and still got the 12mpg they used to id still say they were a bargain. Bottom line is fuel today with cost of living isn't a bit more expensive then it was in the 70s and if they made a truck like my Silverado back then that got only 12 they still couldn't have kept them on the lot. No what I think is a waste is the tiny trucks. Like the old rangers and s10s toyotas ect. The didn't get one bit better fuel economy then the big ones and 10 cement bricks that I could probably carry in the trunk of an old impala made them squat.

[blackthorn]

In 1954 (or so) Dad and I bought a 1949 Chev 1/2 ton 9two wheel drive of course) with a 6 foot box. I got my driver's license using that truck and years later I drove it to BC when Dad was finished with it. Now, we lived on a rough dirt road 4 miles off pavement. My dad put two wooden boxes of sand in the box for weight. I liked to drive fast and I could not figure out how Dad always knew I was going a lot faster than he told me was top speed I was allowed for our roads. One morning (after I had been out really late) I happened to see Dad checking in the truck box and I saw him move the sand boxes back against the tail-gate HA! After that every time I went out, when I got home I moved those tattletale boxes back where they belonged, smoothed out the skid marks, and no more complaints. After I brought the truck to BC I used it to haul all the material for my cabin (300+ miles) and some loads where front-end light. Great little truck. Now I drive a 2006 Tundra with a short box and it does what I need. Sorry for the thread drift.

[Geezer in NH]

To me keep your daily and rec separate from your work truck. You will be happier and so won't your accountant.

Keep work separate in financials. Seriously get a good Accountant and adviser. You will thank me when you do.

[Cast_outlaw]

I will chime in here with 3/4 ton as my 2500 gm has a higher towing capacity than the 1ton in its year and being the diesel it has the same drive train as the one ton just lighter frame etc witch frees up more capacity for towing rated at 16500 on a ball and 24000 on an inbed hitch while the 1 ton is rated to 16500 on a ball and 23000 on the inbed that is what my research found when I did it in 2011 2012