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Old 07-16-2021, 07:47 AM   #41
jxnbbl
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I've own a number of trucks in my life mainly for 'construction tasks' generally bought them for mpg. Three of them have been diesel - vastly different - (dating myself) 1981 Datsun 720 at 40+ mpg, 2016 Ram ecodiesel at mid-20s and the current Ram 2020 Cummins.


Mainly due to covid, the latest had a premium placed on it...dealers wouldn't swap out stock with other dealers, etc Anyways even given the dealer I used had about 6 trucks (none with the options I really wanted) and gave me pricing on a gas as well as a diesel I worked them to something that made the delta between those options to be reasonable...nowhere near the $9k option price.


On the trade in I couldn't believe the trade in allowance on the eco diesel and that was after fiat/chrysler had sent me a check months earlier for $3k in a class suite settlement (like VW there was some miscalculation in mpg).


The ONE big advantage my current truck has now is diesel brakes....I don't know how I lived without them when towing. I suspect it will save a few brake jobs over the lifetime of the truck.
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Old 07-16-2021, 07:50 AM   #42
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5.7 Hemi will outpull a 3.5 Ecoburst any day of the week.
In my yoot we would recreate in Central Oregon. And in Central Oregon we used to started every outdoor fire with a cup of gasoline. I think you would have fit right in with our crowd. LOL!
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Old 07-16-2021, 07:54 AM   #43
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The ONE big advantage my current truck has now is diesel brakes....I don't know how I lived without them when towing. I suspect it will save a few brake jobs over the lifetime of the truck.
I was waiting to see if someone would mention engine braking. That's the one think that's not available on gasser and believe me, at 26,080 lbs. total weight, that's a good thing to have!

Our semi has a 3 stage engine braking system and it's a pleasure to have, not to mention a necessity on long, steep downhill grades.
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Old 07-16-2021, 09:38 AM   #44
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My half ton wanna be truck is badder than your half ton wanna be truck. Really? If you are serious about dragging a serious camper one ton is the right answer. Gas vs diesel? We have been through this exercise a zillion times. Run what you brung.
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Old 07-16-2021, 09:49 AM   #45
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Reminds me of what passes as a hotrod today and sounds like my mother's Singer sewing machine on high... obnoxious high-pitched noise.
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Old 07-16-2021, 11:28 AM   #46
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I could go all-day reading everyone's opinions but just to let you know of my personal dealings, I have a Chevy 3/4 ton Duramax diesel and pull a 38 ft. Keystone Impact TT toy hauler and there's been times I'd have to watch out that I'm driving to fast for towing. I would have to set my cruise control and not worry about it. Granted now a days with the Fuel prices going thru the roof on Diesel, I love the power it has to get me thru the Mountains. Plus the Motor compression braking is great too going down hill
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Old 07-16-2021, 01:54 PM   #47
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I bought a 2006 F250 with a 6.0 diesel and it has sat in the shop at Ford for 5 weeks this camping season twice. My 800 mile trip this week was cancelled as I dont feel comfortable with it. I yanked it out after three weeks to find another diesel shop since Ford doesn't have a clue but love throwing $700 worth of sensors at it to stop the surging. They said we are waiting for an engineer in Detroit to chime in. With all of these diesel problems I'm still looking for a diesel for our 38' TT. I'm definitely leaning Chevy, GMC, or a Ram. Anything that doesn't have the check engine light going off every other month.
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Old 07-16-2021, 02:17 PM   #48
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Zero issues towing our 2021 Montana High Country 295RL 34 ft 5th wheel with a loaded weight of 12 5 k & pin weight of 2800 lb pin weight with my 2015 6.4 Hemi Ram. Just couldn't justify the 10 k upfront & required maintenance cost of a diesel engine for the amount of towing i do. Average 9.5 hand calculated mpg pulling the hills in the Texas Hill country. Nephew has a 2019 F350 in his shop with 180K miles with a contaminated fuel system due to fuel pump failure . Cost of repair = 17,000.00 . On the Newer Chevy, GMC's and Ford V8 Diesels the Cab needs to be removed to perform any major repair jobs vs the 6 cylinder 6.7 Dodge diesel that does not require cab removal. With that being said if i were towing in the Mountains or decided to go with a 5th wheel longer than 35ft.or more the 12,000 lbs empty weight i would go with 1 of the Big 3 1 ton Diesel
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Old 07-16-2021, 02:35 PM   #49
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I bought a 2006 F250 with a 6.0 diesel and it has sat in the shop at Ford for 5 weeks this camping season twice. My 800 mile trip this week was cancelled as I dont feel comfortable with it. I yanked it out after three weeks to find another diesel shop since Ford doesn't have a clue but love throwing $700 worth of sensors at it to stop the surging. They said we are waiting for an engineer in Detroit to chime in. With all of these diesel problems I'm still looking for a diesel for our 38' TT. I'm definitely leaning Chevy, GMC, or a Ram. Anything that doesn't have the check engine light going off every other month.
You need a good deisel shop that deals with older trucks. No offense but that engine was built 15 years ago and the Ford 6.0 was not a "stellar work of engineering " to be kind. Unless the techs have experience with "bullerproofing the 6.0" they likely haven't worked on one before. They can be made into a great engine but it ain't cheap.
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Old 07-16-2021, 03:28 PM   #50
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Shovel, "& required maintenance cost of a diesel engine" maybe expound on that a little for us if you will please.
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Old 07-16-2021, 05:21 PM   #51
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One thing that I learned is to stop at Auto Zone or any other parts store and they hook up
a trouble code monitor to your truck and they can tell you what your problem is for free.
One trip from South Dakota my "Scare the S@#! out of me" light can on while Towing and it turned out to be 1 glow plug went bad. No big problem till I got home. You can also buy a Monitor for a pretty decent price also to have around to check "THE LIGHT" your self so you can see if you are going on Vacation to the Hills/Lake or the Shop. I change my Plug for $18, sorry more because I changed all of them. One goes the others are not far behind.
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Old 07-16-2021, 07:40 PM   #52
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Originally Posted by Cessna206 View Post
One thing that I learned is to stop at Auto Zone or any other parts store and they hook up
a trouble code monitor to your truck and they can tell you what your problem is for free.
One trip from South Dakota my "Scare the S@#! out of me" light can on while Towing and it turned out to be 1 glow plug went bad. No big problem till I got home. You can also buy a Monitor for a pretty decent price also to have around to check "THE LIGHT" your self so you can see if you are going on Vacation to the Hills/Lake or the Shop. I change my Plug for $18, sorry more because I changed all of them. One goes the others are not far behind.

The OBD2 monitors that a parts store have on hand are not much more than you can buy for $10. Ford specific codes need Ford specific software and a scanner with that software is big bucks. The auto parts store can't give you a code on a Ford if you have a WRENCH come up. These are pretty much Ford Specific. There is very low cost software called Forscan that you use your phone via interface cord to monitor that CAN pick up ALL codes. The cheapest scanners can't even pick up all codes that cause a CEL but a little higher end scanner can.
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Old 07-18-2021, 05:55 PM   #53
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My 16 f250 is 79 inches tall with the airbags at 5psi.
Chevy lists their 2500 at 80 inches tall.
If one fits in your garage the other will. A standard garage door is 84 x 108 standard trim takes it down to 82 x 106, you will have to fold in your mirrors on either truck.

The newer F250s are taller now. I had dealers bring trucks over just to try and the F250 won't fit. The Chevy 2500 squeaks by with about 3/8 to a half inch clearance. I looked at Chevy's specs and the 3500 is taller and won't fit based on Chevy's specs.
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Old 07-18-2021, 06:03 PM   #54
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Not sure what the specs are for your existing truck - engine size, towing package, rear axle ratio. Very important. If you go with a diesel, you are going way over what you really need, and likely you can't justify it. I know several people who have eco-boosts pulling trailers your size. Yes, they have the bigger v-6 and the best towing axle available. The 3.5L with 3.73 axle is one of the best (there are a few better combinations). Raton Pass and going up I-70 pass will mean you will be going slower than other trucks for sure. Slowing down is not so bad really. It really is up to you. The diesel is double the price and has double the power. Of course at a significant reduction in fuel economy.

I have a 2013 F150 Ecoboost (larger size ecoboost / steel body) with the 3.73 rear end and the tow package. The Raton Pass was down to one lane when we went over and the transmission warning light came on just as we crested. So I nursed it the whole rest of the trip. We left the trailer in Southfork when we day tripped over Wolf Creek Pass. There is zero way I would have tried Wolf Creek Pass towing the trailer. I'm certain I would have caused engine damage.



We averaged single digit gas mileage the whole trip maybe higher single digit on flat roads. I'm figuring out that if you want the RV experience you get the best truck option you can and then chalk gas mileage up to the "cost of doing business"



It's fair point about the newer Fords being more robust and certainly lighter being aluminum bodied. I have no doubt a newer ford f150 would do better than my 130,000 mileage 2013.
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Old 11-28-2021, 02:42 PM   #55
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Thanks to all who responded to my original question months ago. I ended up with a Chevy 2500 HD diesel short bed and with a little garage re-arranging, I am able to back in and fit the whole truck in the garage. I have a little over 1K miles on it now and towed the trailer once to the dealer to have the hitch adjusted to the new truck and the whole set up tows like a dream. Planning the big spring trip now and maybe a jaunt further south in the next few weeks.
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Old 11-28-2021, 07:39 PM   #56
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Just traded in my 2006 F250 for a 2013 Chevy 2500 diesel HD. When the F250 sat at the ford dealership for thirty days without knowing what to do it was time to say bye bye.
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Old 12-11-2021, 05:27 PM   #57
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Originally Posted by Winnie2020 View Post
I have a 2013 F150 Ecoboost (larger size ecoboost / steel body) with the 3.73 rear end and the tow package. The Raton Pass was down to one lane when we went over and the transmission warning light came on just as we crested. So I nursed it the whole rest of the trip. We left the trailer in Southfork when we day tripped over Wolf Creek Pass. There is zero way I would have tried Wolf Creek Pass towing the trailer. I'm certain I would have caused engine damage.



We averaged single digit gas mileage the whole trip maybe higher single digit on flat roads. I'm figuring out that if you want the RV experience you get the best truck option you can and then chalk gas mileage up to the "cost of doing business"



It's fair point about the newer Fords being more robust and certainly lighter being aluminum bodied. I have no doubt a newer ford f150 would do better than my 130,000 mileage 2013.
FWIW I pulled Wolf Creek Pass both directions. I hit about 220F at the top heading east. 2019 F150 3.5 EcoBoost with a 6500 GVWR trailer.
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Old 12-11-2021, 08:21 PM   #58
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I get 14 mpg in my 2006 dodge 3500 diesel towing a 37 foot 5th wheel at 15k. I get about 22mpg hwy not towing.
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Old 12-12-2021, 09:43 AM   #59
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I get 14 mpg in my 2006 dodge 3500 diesel towing a 37 foot 5th wheel at 15k. I get about 22mpg hwy not towing.


Yea Ha. You should go over to the "2020 Duramax mileage" discussion and post this.


I love mileage discussions.
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Old 12-16-2021, 11:58 AM   #60
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I currently have a gasser, but I am a previous diesel owner. One of the things I really liked about the diesel was being able to fuel in the truck lanes at truck stops, especially when towing a large trailer. They rarely have gas on that side of the truck stop and sometimes getting into the passenger side of the truck stop with a large trailer or gasser motor home can be a nightmare. Now I have to look for the Flying Js with the RV lane.
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