Do You Like Trucks?



JTE83

JTE83

Member
Jan 28, 2004
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For a long time I never saw a need for a truck in my life, and it made me wonder why people use these to get groceries when they’re such a gas hog. But looking into the RV world, I guess the best way to tow that RV trailer is a good truck. Now, if I could afford it, I don’t need a big RV trailer, maybe just a 22’ to 25’ trailer or maybe the shortest adequate 5th wheeler. So I wouldn’t need that 6.7L diesel F350 that gets 16 mpgs. The truck that gets me going is a decked out F150 3.5L ecoboost with Max Tow package in the Platinum or Limited editions… But for a few bucks more you could get that F350!

My only gripe is that Ford lies about their tow capacity. When the Toyota Tundra came out and boasted 10800 lbs towing capacity, the next year’s Ford F150 model magically had better tow capacity numbers than the Tundra. Check out this review where the 2009 5.4L F150 came out last: http://www.edmunds.com/dodge/ram-pickup-1500/2009/comparison-test.html

Right now I still like the F150 because of the 3.5L ecoboost engine and because of it’s looks, interior, and features. The Dodge RAM is 2nd place to me, I don’t know much about the current Tundra. But having a truck is only something I’d consider if I won the Lotto and had an RV, otherwise, I don’t need a gas hog 6000 lb F150.

So if you got a truck what is it and what do you use it for? Do you tow with it and what do you tow? If you don’t tow anything then why do you drive a truck? If you wish you had a truck what would it be?

If you’re a truck expert what do you think the best truck is?

Now, if I had a truck, it’d rarely get driven because it’s a gas hog. My 2005 Dodge G.C. SXT gets 12 mpg city and 25.6 mpg hwy at 70 mph, so I rarely drive it for city use. In the 1 year I’ve owned it I only drove it a total of 1250 miles! I’d probably have to give the truck an occasional drive to charge up the battery, but my 2005 SXT has a direct 12V plug to battery which I connect a 15W solar panel to keep the battery charged… I can go a month without driving and the battery will still be topped off. I even occasionally just go into my minivan just to listen to music from cds in it.

Now when I drive or bike anywhere I pay attention to the trucks I see, and those modern trucks sure look gigantic! I never saw an F450 live yet that was used as a personal tow vehicle. Maybe I should visit a Ford dealer!
 
Sure, living a densily populated area and having to protect my self from noise and polution meaning that I cant open my ****** window all day long because the heavy traffic, I ****** love trucks! The noisier and the dirtier their exhausts are the better. You are a cyclist but if you look whos driving these things usually...

Btw, if I needed something to carry alot of stuff -and- had a mid-life crisis at the same time I would get a sporty hatchback. Like this one:



These at least are still categorized as cars, not trucks. Because of that they need to pass safety requirements for an automobile which is supposed to carry people and not pigs. More about that here:





Ofcourse if I could afford the RS6 then I could probably also afford to live here:



and the worst thing the sporty exhaust would do would be to scare the crows from around. Not wake up an entire neighbourhood. Or make the buildings around yellow-gray after a year they been painted. But who is really interested for things like that since "this is the way things are!" ****** love trucks..... ****** need one to carry my other smaller truck who is carrying a truck to drive them through the ****** city to go and load some ****** beer from the super market...

****** love trucks, crazy about them!
 
Trucks...Hell yeah!

I own a couple pickups, a Jeep Cherokee and a sport ute.

The Eco-Boost is OK, but it still isn't a work motor. It's great for using the truck as a station wagon. If you're towing a 25' 5th wheel travel trailer you want a 3/4-ton minimum and if you are towing with any regularity or doing big miles over mountains, get the diesel. You get all the heavy duty towing **** to match the power. Heavier springs, anti-sway, larger brakes, tans cooler, diff cooler, larger radiator, bigger alternator, heavy duty transmission, etc.

Once in a blue moon use? Yeah, you can get away with the 1/2-ton, but I would still want a V-8 engine.

[SIZE= 16px]But for a few bucks more you could get that F350![/SIZE]

Get the 1-Ton and be done with it. Since you say you have other vehicles you won't mind a few tanks at 15 MPG and the Eco-Boost when worked hard doesn't do too well on gas.

It will do the work you want to do and do it more safely while holding its resale value better. Plus, think of the fun you'll have driving over lesbians in their Subarus.

What do I tow? Diesel farm tractors, implements and equipment. Loads of hay on a flat bed tri-axle. Fence posts and wire. Building materials. Harleys. Large garden tractors. Livestock. Feed, seed and fertilizer.
 
my step-dads brother has an F-650, not kidding it has a little CAT engine straight 6 diesel. its a dump truck.

my step-dad has a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 5.3V8 gas, gets 20-22mpg highway. Its clean and quiet for a truck mostly use it for hauling stuff like the riding mower or pulling a trailer.

I had a 2003 Chev S10 i still own it but dont drive it is in storage the little 4cyl can't do much but gets 28.7 MPG on avarage and is very quiet. i can put roughly 800 lbs in it and it won't complain. rated at 1500lb tow capacity with a 300lb tounge weight but i wouldent try it.

All MNFs overstate tow capacity to sell the rig, i mean **** do you believe that tundra ACTUALLY pulled the endevor over that bridge i dont, it was a publicity stunt i bet the trailer that the endevor was on had electric motors in the wheels.

keep in mind that a truck is currently the most effective way to get your food from the dock / train station to the store you buy it at. or the tires you use on your bike, or anything else you buy. train to truck to store to you. or boat to train to truck to store to you.

as they say- if you got it, a truck brought it. no other way. even if your food all comes from a farmers market that farmer probly brought the food there in a truck.
 
Originally Posted by Zerosven .

as they say- if you got it, a truck brought it. no other way. even if your food all comes from a farmers market that farmer probly brought the food there in a truck.
Click to expand...
You guys must be living in a very very trippy place...

Have you ever seen one of those? :



Its called the "Van". This is how food is transported to shops around here. Trucks are mainly used like this:




Or since they are categorized as farming equipment, some farmers are buying them to load livestock. Some others buy them because they get them tax-free and they can get a 30k vehicle for 20k. Some are also getting them for free because they are sucking the Eurozones funds and they need a receipt for agricultural equipment.

But really, I dont see a use for a pick up truck to be honest. Unless you are a farmer. Towing is probably best done with a Caravan saloon. The word "Eco" doesnt have much sense in a 3.5litre engine in a vehicle with 2 seats... Where is it "Eco" exactly? In Chernobyl??? If you are serious about getting a pick up maybe you would want to get a real one like the one on the video below. The F150 is not a real pick up truck, its a "camouflaged" drag racing vehicle which has little of road use. Nevermind used on farming.








Quote: Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB .

Plus, think of the fun you'll have driving over lesbians in their Subarus.

Now that is legitimate reason to drive one, but why buy one? Unless you live in Brighton which would make it an investment over renting...
 
Well, that F150 is the #1 selling vehicle in America, but for $55,000 you will get a decked out Limited with all options. In the same price range I’d rather get a Dodge 3500 Ram 6.7L Cummins Turbo diesel MegaCab 4x4, which would probably tow twice as much as the F150.

http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-best-selling-vehicles-for-2012.html
http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/towing_guide/?section=light_duty

Maybe if I won the Lotto I should try renting an RV and Truck, like from here:
https://www.hertzequip.com/herc/rental-equipment-all-equipment/trucks-&-trailers+pickup-trucks+3.4-ton
http://www.enterprisetrucks.com/truckDetailsPickup.html

I really don’t have a need for a truck 99% of the time unless I towed an RV, and most of the time I feel I don’t need an RV either. Renting both of these would introduce me to this world. But I’ve looked for RV campgrounds near Chicago and NYC and they were very impractical to visit the city, as they were so far away [past Elgin in Chicago]. Houston has good RV campgrounds close to the city. And mostly you can’t visit many city places driving a big truck towing that 25’ RV trailer, plus it might be hard to turn that setup in typical city streets.
 
Here's what I'd get, given the unlimited funds caveat:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Silver-International-CXT-4X4-Lots-Extras-Dump-Bed-Excellent-Condition-/190821955581?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2c6ddff7fd
 
Here is a RV with a car inside...: /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif
 
Upgrade and take the car (and boat) with you!

Yes, you really CAN take it all with you when you go!



We used a similar rig to go up to Sturgis a few years ago. The tractor's wheelbase was longer and it had a side lift to load three Harleys behind the sleeper cab. Towing a 28' trailer it turned about 7 MPG, but it didn't even know the trailer was back there. Almost no sway or pull, stabile in high winds and enough room for three guys with gear to relax up front or in the trailer.

You think you're going in style until one of our friends whips in with a $1 million dollar plus Prevost conversion bus pulling a trailer with 6 hogs stacked 3-over-3 and a complete tool bay in it!



No toy shall be left behind!
 
 
How about this one?

It can probably haul stuff and its also mine-proof! An essential comfort to any journey... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif
 
"Campybob - is that your Volvo Big Rig towing that 5th wheeler + a Jeep toad?"

No. We used a friend's International semi tractor conversion. My largest rig is only a 460 C.I. gas engine...damnit! I'm looking for a diesel Pete, KW, IH or Volvo now. We found a nice Mack, but it has some issues that need addressed.

Here's an idea of what things run, money-wise: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/3801336351.html That one is priced high, IMO. You should be able to get into the Class A game for closer to $40K-$50K, depending on the level of luxury required.

For a 'work truck' level puller you can buy in much cheaper. I've seen good million-mile rigs sell for as low as $10K during the height of the recession and watched a perfect candidate for conversion bring only $17K a couple months ago...about 400K miles IIRC.

"How much did the Volvo and 5th wheeler cost?"

Nose around here and on your area Craigslist: http://www.truckconversion.net/forums/ For the cost of the $65K King Ranch dually you can get a very nice semi with more room, more pulling power and more toy capacity.

"What do you do for a living that you could afford that?"

Aerospace engineering. I know farmers and factory workers that own truck conversions. It's all in what you want out of life.





You can stay in a lot of motel rooms for the cost of a toterhome, but with these things you don't need to take along your black light and luminol.



America...hells yeah!

It all depends on how much you tow & go. The more miles you pile on, the nastier the mountains, the more toys you bring or if you are retired and living on the road...the more truck you need. A diesel pickup will work fine for some folks and that Eco-Boost F-150 can be made to work for limited runs and light payloads. Just don't over-do it. Safety first.
 
"How about this one?"

Damned nice! But, I'm on a "Buy American" kick today, so...Oshkosh, By Gosh!

http://www.oshkoshcorporation.com/

Severe Duty...for a dangerous world!!!



I can save a few thousand off the option list. I already have a Ma Duce for the turret. I wonder if the hippies at Yakima make a roof rack for the MRAP?
 
Originally Posted by JTE83 .

Campybob - is that your Volvo Big Rig towing that 5th wheeler + a Jeep toad? How much did the Volvo and 5th wheeler cost? What do you do for a living that you could afford that?

That ebay Int Harvester truck is weak. See the 210 to 260 hp engine: http://www.ehow.com/list_7696166_specifications-international-dt-466-engine.html
Click to expand...
You missed the part about 800 ft-lbs. of torque. No, you're not going to run 100 MPH down the interstate pulling a 20K lb trailer with it, but with 800 ft-lbs of torque, you won't know that 20K lb trailer is back there, even from a stop. Not to mention, these engines are easily tuned for more power and torque in the aftermarket. Plus, they can be plated such that there's no need for a CDL to drive them. Of course, if the moolah isn't the issue, then you could drop in a much larger and more powerful engine for $20-30K.

I drive a friend's '90 International 4900 dump truck as a plow truck in the winter. It has a very tired DT466 in it (190 HP from the factory, burns a bit of oil now, so probably 2/3 of that now at best), and it still gets the job done, even when I have to pull a trailer with a Bobcat on it (always fun on unplowed roads!), it's just not fast. As for plowing, I always lose traction long before I run out of power to push a pile of snow--and we had a couple very heavy, wet snows this winter to show that.

But, if you want the ultimate towing rig and don't mind getting a CDL-A, then CBob has the ticket with the used semi suggestion.
 
Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB .

"How about this one?"

Damned nice! But, I'm on a "Buy American" kick today, so...Oshkosh, By Gosh!

http://www.oshkoshcorporation.com/

Severe Duty...for a dangerous world!!!



I can save a few thousand off the option list. I already have a Ma Duce for the turret. I wonder if the hippies at Yakima make a roof rack for the MRAP?
Click to expand...
Looks good. But I am worried that it might not have enough wheels for my needs... I was thinking more on something like that:



It looks very handy for the beach!
 
Over-priced at $49,500...would sell in the $35K range in my area. Sleeps 5...9-10 MPG (more like 7, loaded and running the speed limit). Corian counter tops.




This would pull a travel trailer or toy hauler with multiple stacked vehicles. A still drive over Soobaroos like a Hummer goes over a speed bump.
 
Originally Posted by JTE83 .

Campybob - all those big rigs to tow an RV is fancy but overdone. If I won the Lotto, I'd probably get the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited or the Porsche Cayenne - both have the option for a 3.0 L diesel, and both will get 30 mpg hwy unloaded. Maybe they'd get a dreamy 20 mpg towing a lightweight R-Pod trailer.

See:

http://www.jeep.com/en/2014/grand_cherokee/capabilities/

http://www.forestriverinc.com/rpod/default.aspx
Click to expand...
Ahhh, the Porsche Cayene and the Jeep Grand Cherokee... A classic popular of newly rich people around here. Ofcourse after the economy here collapsed you dont see them on the street anymore, at least not with local licence plates.

If you wanna get a good deal in one of those you might wanna check around here. The used car shows are full with them. Especially for the Cayene since the factory that makes them is closer and the prices are probably lower around here. The Jeep you might get cheaper in the US since its a US company if I am not mistaken. Then all you need is to pay like 300euro to load it into a ship and transfer it there. It takes a month or something but its probably worth it.

As far as I know both of these cars are rather thirstly in comparison with euro-standards. You dont see many vehicles here with an engine over 1.4l... But the gas here costs 1,6euro per litre. Its not just that they have big engines. There is a rather big problem with the aerodynamics of these cars. Since they have a larger cross-wind area they require more force and gas to pull forward. But at least I think that both of these cars are real of-road vehicles. The Cayene is pretty good on the road too I think.

I dont get it, why do you want an off road car for towing? Its not like the RV is gonna be off-road too...
 
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