What's You Ride?

[TheTugistheDrug]

Hey Fellas!

I'm looking to replace my well used '91 GMC Dually (454 gas) and would appreciate opinions from current owners of trucks that they are running.
I really like the dually for my 11'6" Camper and I will be towing a 21 foot boat and am looking for info like MPG, amount of power and over all comfort. I'm thinking diesel is the way to go, but have not owned one and am concerned about some of the reliability issues coming up with some of the newer models.

Any advice from current owners would be appreciated. Make is not too big a deal, just looking for the best value.

Thanks in advance,

Leo

 

[trophywife]

dodge 5.9 ctd 06 mega cab 6 speed manual, (programer)edge with attitude, bamf cold air, 5" turbo back and yes i still run a muffler, air bags, i love my tow rig for the mileage it can get(level one) and the comfort with the family, if take people out anywhere (road trips) and some of the buddies are big dooods they love the backseat. Level 5 is scary and not good for my clutch. stay away from auto's if you have power adders in mind. avoid dpf exhaust or get a delete kit.. chevy more comfort cushy/ ford we won't mention unlees you go brang new and it has a cummins

 

[casper5280]

Just got a 2008 Dodge Ram Quad Cab Laramie 4x4 diesel(new one jury still out on it) So far love the truck the thing just loves to pull and TONS of power. Can't wait to pull the new rig once she is ready to go(23 Hourston)

 

[spring fever]

I haul with a 2001 gmc 1 ton dually-with the Duramax. Truck never moves that it's not hauling something. Used to drive a dodge with the cummins-great engine crap transmission. blew mine maybe better now. I love the duramax with the allison tranny-needed new injectors at 170k-known problem-gm fixed even though truck was long out of warranty-very quiet comfortable ride-I would think long and hard about getting a dually again-I would get a 1 ton-you really should have a good reason for getting a dually such as a heavy camper-they do have their drawbacks. Love to drive a new duramax, but I suspect I couldn't even afford the cost of a test drive LTYP

 

[TheTugistheDrug]

SpringFever, thanks for the info.
What drawbacks does your dually have. Mine is 19 years old and other than its' age I love it. The only thing I didn't like about it was the extra tires you have to buy when the time comes. My camper is abot 3k lbs loaded and I tow a 4500 lb boat. Don't know what it would be like with a single rear wheel truck.
What sort of fuel mileage do you get with that Duramax?

 

[spring fever]

Cost of the extra tires-problems with changing flats-pretty much stuck with the stock size tires unless you want to purchase expensive new rims. Extra width at the rear wheels and those damn humps making it difficult to see. Nice in a cross wind when towing though> Mileage22 on the highway not towing and with a cap. 12 to 14 depending on wind and hills when towing. I usually haul a fully loaded Orca (8-9000 lbs) or a trailer around 10000Lbs

 

[richmake]

I'm driving a 2001 f-350 longbox 4x4 with the 7.3 diesel
I love the truck and the motor is bomb proof
The only draw backs about the trucks are the front ends...wheel bearings and ball joints

 

[Rockfish]

2001 Chev Silverado 2500 HD Crew cab, long box, 4x4 with the 6 liter vortec and the 5 speed manual overdrive transmission. Very well built reliable truck, but very long, especially with the big bush guard bumper and the 10000lb Warn Winch out the front. This thing is longer than some motor homes and not much fun to shoe horn into the little car parking sports in the city and not great on gas at city speeds. On the plus side you can fit your family and gear in the cab, put a full size long box camper on it and would not have difficulty towing your 21 foot boat. Got it off the Govt Auction site a number of years back and besides the winch and bumper, it came with some nice factory options, duel batteries, skid plate package etc.

 

[Halilogger]

2007 2500HD Chevy Silverado Duramax 365hp, 660 torque..Crew cab, short box, 4x4 ...........Allison 6 transmission this trany is what separates the men from the boys.
Chevy, Dodge, and Ford all have good deisels, not so much when it comes to trany's I've had all 3 and i'll stick with Chevy because of the trany.
Truck rides real nice and has been very reliable with no issues to report after 3 years and 42000k.

 

[Halilogger]

Forgot at 100k 21mpg

 

[directmule]

I've got two trucks, both dodge 1 ton dually's and both with std. trannys......won't own an auto for heavy pulling but do agree with others that have the "Allison" is good and the only auto in my opinion that will stand up.

Started out over 40 yrs ago with the gas pots and in '86 ended up putting a mitsubishi diesel from Simpson Power in a 76 F250 4x4. Rated at 160hp got around 18mpg but not enough torque. In 1990 I bought a W250 Dodge diesel 4x4, std. tranny & 3:54 gears. Would get 27mpg running empty (in the summer) and knocked it down to 14mpg fully loaded. When I say fully loaded, it was, 21,500lb, truck, camper & 4 horse trailer + all the gear for a 4-5week hunt. In 1995 the scales at Hunter Creek were closed, so I weighed it, 8640lb on the drivers of the truck (just the two back wheels) The legal weight for the entire truck was 8500lb. When we got back I ordered a '96 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually 4x4, std. tranny with 4:11 gears, still have it with 485,000kms showing. Only a few things done to it, front engine gasket replaced, (leaking), alternator (this year) and rad replaced. Brakes have been done twice, clutch is original. Truck gets 25mpg (empty) in the summer and 15 - 16mpg fully loaded (again I'm talking fully loaded) Had an exhaust brake added and was well worth it.

In the fall of '07 I ordered a 2008 Dodge Ram diesel 3500 4x4 dually, 6 sp. std. tranny, 3:73 gears. It has the new 6.7 Cummins as the other two had the 5.9 The truck is still new, I only have 10,400kms on it in 3yrs so it's not really broken in yet. Lots of power and the factory exhaust brake is equal to the ones on the big rigs. 19mpg running empty and 13 - 14mpg loaded. Smarting up in my old age, my loads run around 15,000 - 16,000 now days. Truck, camper & 20' hewescraft searunner. Mileage should get a little better with a few more miles on it but this new bluetec pollution crap on it only time will tell.

OK, everyone is wondering why have two trucks, simple, I wouldn't have got anything for a 12yr old (starting to rust) pushing 400,000km beater and if I use it every day for work I have 90,000+kms on it and not on the new one, hence the low mileage on the 2007.

 

[danthewire]

Just bought a 2006 Ford F 350 fully loaded diesel.
Just couldn't say no to the price.
Couldn't find a descent Chev Diesel (till last week oh well)
Its the first diesel I have ever owned and I won't be going back to a gas truck.
We'll see how it goes but so far very impressed.
Dan.