The Truck/Tow thread

[alexanderig]

I'm in the market for a truck. More then likely a diesel f350 or chevy mid to late 90s. Either way I'd like to see what everyone else uses to tow and their set ups. If this thread is dumb just close it. Pics would be cooL, but I want to make this thread for general discussion of trucks and tow vehicles

[Corbic]

240sx is 2,700lbs, a trailer is around 1,000lbs


You don't need a F350.

[roboticnissan]

Maybe he has hopes of an enclosed trailer and keeping tools with a box on him.

Good thread. Although i have nothing to contribute since i drive my car to and from the track.

[alexanderig]

id like to have a diesel because of the mileage they offer on long hauls. after my research and pricing i prefer to go with a diesel over a gas truck. also my father has a car that he would like to trailer also and he is investing in a closed car trailer so that would help. i also know a few locals both made the same trip one spent 140 on normal gas v8 f150 and the other on a diesel dually (cant remember make right now) used 80 worth in gas. mind you the f150 had a trailer with a tire rack so im sure that had some effect

[orion::S14]

A little savings due to fuel mileage is FAR offset by the maintenance required when owning a diesel.

Oil change for the F-150 you mentioned? $20

Oil change for a diesel? $90

Fuel/water filter - $60-100, every year at least. Don't have to worry about that on a gas engine.

How about if an injector goes out?

$50-60 for a gas engine, $300 for a diesel...and they are much more prone to failure, as the diesel will absorb water...corrode the injector, etc...

...

If you want a diesel truck, go for it. But don't buy one because it'll save you money, it WON'T.

- Brian

[alexanderig]

That's not the reason I'm going for it. I simply stated the pros to owning a diesel. I have done my research and will be buying a truck soon hopefully if all goes well. Another cool thing about diesels is Frybrid Vegetable Oil Fuel Systems

[lewisfk]

Dude I started a similar thread but it was for my Ford ecoboost. My trailer is closer to 2000 pounds if not mistaken with my 240sx weighing 2200 or so. My trailer is an open car hauler but its pretty stout. An enclosed weight is about 3500-4500 pounds depending on the length and extras. With all this said I would by a dodge 2500 disel truck 2003. It has the best fuel.economy with towing. My max towing for my truck is 9500 pounds, I can get more with a goose neck setup or weight distribution hitch. But for now I'm happy with my current setup.

[Corbic]

Originally Posted by orion::S14

A little savings due to fuel mileage is FAR offset by the maintenance required when owning a diesel.

Oil change for the F-150 you mentioned? $20

Oil change for a diesel? $90

Fuel/water filter - $60-100, every year at least. Don't have to worry about that on a gas engine.

How about if an injector goes out?

$50-60 for a gas engine, $300 for a diesel...and they are much more prone to failure, as the diesel will absorb water...corrode the injector, etc...

...

If you want a diesel truck, go for it. But don't buy one because it'll save you money, it WON'T.

- Brian

Don't forget the initial buy in cost. Diesel is almost always $10,000 more to buy and Diesel fuel is almost always 50-70 cents more a gallon.

[driftrkp]

unless your pulling 10,000+ lbs everyday go with a 1/2 or 3/4 ton gas. if you go gm make sure it has the 5.3 or the 6.0l. 98 99 and 2000 maybe 2001 chevy had two body styles with the newer body with 5.3 and 6.0 and the older body style with the 5.7 tbi. the tbi motor has very little power and shitty gas mileage. any truck you pick, make sure there is NO trans problems and look into how to make that trans stronger ( trans coolers shift improvers).

[alexanderig]

Originally Posted by lewisfk

Dude I started a similar thread but it was for my Ford ecoboost. My trailer is closer to 2000 pounds if not mistaken with my 240sx weighing 2200 or so. My trailer is an open car hauler but its pretty stout. An enclosed weight is about 3500-4500 pounds depending on the length and extras. With all this said I would by a dodge 2500 disel truck 2003. It has the best fuel.economy with towing. My max towing for my truck is 9500 pounds, I can get more with a goose neck setup or weight distribution hitch. But for now I'm happy with my current setup.

This is info I'm looking for in this thread thanks contributing

[s14>integra]

i say go diesel, sure it may cost a little more for those maintenance parts and fluid changes. But my friends have lifted chevy diesels and i just helped my friend rebuilt his allison. Now it's putting out around 1000tq and 700whp. Its fucking crazy. And that truck is a runner too. It takes a lickin' but keeps on tickin'. He beats the shit out of it but it takes it all in strides. Plus being able to smoke out your whole neighborhood in thick black smoke is amazing.

[alexanderig]

Thanks guys to reiterate this isn't a diesel vs gas Just a thread for general info and questions and to show off

[s14>integra]

here's what my friends truck looks like.



I like how the exterior looks. The wheels are meh. But i will say his interior plastic pieces and moldings are falling apart and im not real impressed with the interior in general. But it haulds just about anything and you don't even feel as if there is a trailor behind you.

-btw I'm no truck expert, but i'm just trying to help.

[turbobrick]

I'm probably no help because my 240sx on a small trailer is the heaviest thing I ever tow. But when I do I borrow my dads 95 toyota land cruiser. Its not the most powerful vehicle, having a 4.5L 6cyl, but it always gets the job done. Its also the most reliable vehicle we've ever owned, over 200k miles and nothing major has ever gone wrong.

this

[harrypotter]

I like to stick with Nissan!

[pacotaco345]

Here's a pic of the car/trailer/truck setup I use. Tuck and trailer are my parents (I got a scholarship for college so guess what my college fund got dumped into). Its a 2010 King Ranch F150, 6 spd double overdrive tranny with a huge cooler, 5.4L SOHC V8. Pulls that 2000 pound trailer + my car or our mustang without any problems.

[Felipe]

my cuzin had a early 2k F250 TD... hauls horses and shit. turbo gave out twice on him. switched over to a Dodge Cumings strait 6 TD with some mods.

im more of a chevy/nissan guy...

[boosted27]

I have a 2011 F-150 ecoboost, I hauled my friends 240 on an open trailer and had no issues at all.



I have a 24" enclosed trailer and don't have an issue hauling it while its empty, put a car in there and it's a different story. The truck has no issues pulling the trailer but with out a weight dist. hitch the front of the truck gets light and towing more then 50-60 mph is no good. My trailer

[Big Zee]

I have a 2012 frontier CC pro4x 4x4. hoping it pulls around my 240 with a tandem trailer lol. no trailer yet though, saving up still.

if I had to get a one ton, it would be a F350 dually with a 30ft gooseneck trailer.
they are anal here in bc about your GVW's and hitches get you tickets, DOT told us at work that goosenecks or 5th wheels let you carry more weight without scales worry.

[fyneyoungstunna]

Ive been thinking about this for a while since I drive highway in the car and up in the mountains. So a support/tow vehicle would be nice.

Im pondering right now an older land cruiser or a wagoneer just for the tire hauling space. I was gonna swap in a ls5 or other CBB a little tinkering and it should be sufficient for towing/hauling. otherwise i was gonna get a lifted Chevy scottsdale or k10

[Fred Allen Burge]

Originally Posted by harrypotter

I like to stick with Nissan!

I'd like to replace my Silverado with a Titan some day.

I think if you'll strap your coupe a couple feet farther back on the trailer it won't squat the Titan so much and will pull better for you.

[orion::S14]

Originally Posted by alexanderig

That's not the reason I'm going for it. I simply stated the pros to owning a diesel. I have done my research and will be buying a truck soon hopefully if all goes well...

OK...it just sounded like you were thinking the diesel saved on fuel...which might be true, but people seemt o always overlook the other costs, or assume they are similar to a gas engine.

Just making sure you looked at all the angles.

Originally Posted by Fred Allen Burge

I'd like to replace my Silverado with a Titan some day.

Titan's are OK, but be aware of the weak rear axles. It's an issue, if you plan to tow.

Originally Posted by Fred Allen Burge

I think if you'll strap your coupe a couple feet farther back on the trailer it won't squat the Titan so much and will pull better for you.

I think the best thing you can do for many 1/2 tons...is spend $200 on a supplemental air-bag setup.

Adds 2 bags over the leaf springs, and eliminates the squat. Also greatly improves the stability - One bag on each side of the truck's frame acts like an anti-sway bar.

Here's my Titan, towing +5000lbs...with no squat at all:


(that ITA racecar was a fucking blast to own...sold it last year )

- Brian

[boosted27]

Originally Posted by orion::S14

I think the best thing you can do for many 1/2 tons...is spend $200 on a supplemental air-bag setup.

Adds 2 bags over the leaf springs, and eliminates the squat. Also greatly improves the stability - One bag on each side of the truck's frame acts like an anti-sway bar.

I was thinking about adding some air bags to my F150 along with a Weight dist. hitch to help with the enclosed trailer and my 240.

[ryandriftingfat]

Anybody towing with a 97 - 03 Dakota with the 4.7?

open trailer, stripped s13, tires, tools blah blah blah.

[TheWolf]

Originally Posted by orion::S14

A little savings due to fuel mileage is FAR offset by the maintenance required when owning a diesel.

Oil change for the F-150 you mentioned? $20

Oil change for a diesel? $90

Fuel/water filter - $60-100, every year at least. Don't have to worry about that on a gas engine.

How about if an injector goes out?

$50-60 for a gas engine, $300 for a diesel...and they are much more prone to failure, as the diesel will absorb water...corrode the injector, etc...

...

If you want a diesel truck, go for it. But don't buy one because it'll save you money, it WON'T.

- Brian

You know I can get you those injectors cheaper brian...


I think the best most under-rated truck was in 1993-1994 Ford made a F250/350 with a 7.3L IDI Turbo motor.

Now a set of injectors for that is about $190 for a set of 8.. very simple engine and simple to maintain. Can run veggie oil

If you don't want that then get a 2000-2003 F350 with a power stroke.

[silviaguy240]

Originally Posted by ryandevilhorns

Anybody towing with a 97 - 03 Dakota with the 4.7?

open trailer, stripped s13, tires, tools blah blah blah.

you could do it, but they get shit gas mileage as is so idk why you'd want to make it worse.

if going diesel i'd go 96-01 Ram 2500 though.

[TougeLove]

I wouldn't tow with a dodge, let alone drive one. I've known too many farmers who buy dodges for hauling and trannys break all the time.

[Forte EXE]

Anyone here tow with the newer Tundras? I see them come left and right at my dealership with no issues at all, but wondering how they do with towing things?

The prices on them are going down a bit now too with the earlier models IE 07. But maybe the V8 06+ 4Runners or the older generation Tundras with the V8.

[Marcus]

the thread is a cool idea.

i use a lifted 2006 v6 4wd tacoma on 35s (not re-geared). it struggles a lot. uses an entire tank of gas to go 200miles. (my house to WSIR, door to door)

otherwise, i use my dads 2001 extended 15pass. E350 v10 van. works great and doubles as a sleeper.

Originally Posted by Corbic

240sx is 2,700lbs, a trailer is around 1,000lbs


You don't need a F350.

it is definitely not needed. but, also add 1000lbs of tools, tires, jacks, stands, ramps, gas, parts, coolers. oh and another 600lbs if you bring 3 other dudes/chicks.

hmm, also my trailer weighs like 1800lbs. (but then its not strictly a car trailer)

[Guitar Nut]

Originally Posted by Forte EXE

Anyone here tow with the newer Tundras? I see them come left and right at my dealership with no issues at all, but wondering how they do with towing things?

The prices on them are going down a bit now too with the earlier models IE 07. But maybe the V8 06+ 4Runners or the older generation Tundras with the V8.

I havent tried towing a car with mine (no tow hitch yet) but I do haul over 1 ton of sand and a few extra bags of cement (100lbs each) for work and it starts to squat but you can still drive fine. I think its kinda good to tow and I will be using it to tow my s13 and fc once I have a hitch and my cars are track ready.

I have the smaller V8 tundra but it works fine, I love that truck. Its the new model one, 08 I believe.