What are people towing their G23 with?

[bharris6]

7.3 will pull anything you want in a very good fashion. Have a lot of friends that have them and swear by them. Arguably the best motor ford has put in there trucks. If you think the 7.3 is load you ought to hear a older 12 valve cummins. You have to turn the truck off if you want to talk to somebody.

[jsta281]

Not to derail any further I have a 7.3 and love it, pulls like a champ. Not the fastest but a programmer or juice/attitude wakes it up alot with out worrying about nuking the trans. They are loud, especially with any aftermarket filter system and exhaust.

I would not trade mine for anything when it comes to pulling/longevity.

Of course any of you G owners will not be looking to buy a 10+ year old truck. Personally I would not buy any diesel truck that does not have a solid front axel.

As far as the OP question obviously how far and what kind of terrain will impact what you can tow with.

[Ride Lab]

2012 RAM 2500 Mega Cab Cummings

[BrennanK]

Personally I would not buy any diesel truck that does not have a solid front axel.

250,000 on my 05 2500HD IFS (independent front suspension) and haven't replaced a part yet. I guess it depends on what you want to do. I don't drive off road farther then gravel roads in a diesel truck. I use a real off road vehicle for that. Sorry to be a bugger, but nothing grinds my gears more then the people who push GM trucks to the side because of the front axle. The only people that have problems are the ones who abuse the truck or run oversize tires and lifts.

If you think the 7.3 is load you ought to hear a older 12 valve cummins. You have to turn the truck off if you want to talk to somebody.

I drive a 97 second gen 12 valve for work. It is a fun tuck to be obnoxious in that is for sure. I enjoy putzing around town in it. But I would hate to load the family in it and drive for anything over 10 miles. It gets old fast on long drives.

If I was to go for a new truck it would be a hard choice between the Ford 6.7 or the GM LML. The are both amazing engines.

[jsta281]

BrennanK did not intend to offend, sounds like you have had great success. I'm a Ford fan, but involved heavily with clubs that are GM fans. Lots of reports of front end failures/premature wearing if parts ect. Most of my GM Friends with GM cars that hate Ford drive Dodge diesels. Regardless, I don't see the point, rice quality is better no doubt but if buying a heavy duty tow rig I'd want a heavy duty front end. Ride quality is not that bad even in my old 7.3, Even my GM friends that have GM diesels, given the option would all have chosen a solid front if given the choice.

Too bad too because the duramax Allison combo is awesome.

[AirTool]

I currently have a 2004 F-150 5.7L Triton (I think that is what it is called).

I think it is only 5.4L

Hopefully you have the lower gear option in the back.

Oops...click click....deleted.

[jsta281]

I'm going to qualify my previous statement a tad after consulting my GM diesel brothers and the front end parts issue is referring to the pitman and idler wearing out, on leveled and lifted trucks.

I will also say that in my opinion if you are are pushed off or drive off the highway at highway speeds towing a heavy load you would be substantially better off with a solid front axel.

[Zach@n3]

7.3 will pull anything you want in a very good fashion. Have a lot of friends that have them and swear by them. Arguably the best motor ford has put in there trucks. If you think the 7.3 is load you ought to hear a older 12 valve cummins. You have to turn the truck off if you want to talk to somebody.

My 96 12v with 400k on it was music to my ears. They get pretty quiet at highway speeds. They get even quieter when you run valve lash that probably hasn't been set for over 350k miles!! You Cummins guys know the belt squeek when you shut it off. Even with that many miles it would squeek every time you shut it down. All original pumps and transmission(5 speed nv4500). 22 mpg unloaded and 20 mpg pulling my boat. It was turned up to around 350ish hp its whole life. Oil was blacker than night even after a fresh change. Ziebarted so it still looked almost new.

Our bus has a 7.3 and it runs like a champ. Low miles but no engine problems thus far.

Ride lab is making me jealous with that new Ram!

A lot of my "redneck" friends in college would beat the pants off Duramax trucks and they took it all day long. Ford has always been the sore point in diesel technology other than the 7.3.

[jsta281]

Zach, I concur with the analysis of the Ford diesel tech minus the 7.3 L diesel. I understand the new generation is pretty solid as well. Avoid a ford 6 L diesel like the plague!

One more note on the GM diesel front suspension "issue" I understand that GM made some geometry/suspension upgrades to beef up the front suspension on the 2011 and newer diesel trucks, To address some of the front end failures in the older models

[WakeNSurf]

Pulled my G23 450 from White Lake Marine all the way to Charlotte with my Tundra. Had no complaints with power or braking, but gas mileage on the other hand is a different story. lolol

[Zach@n3]

Every truck has its quirks. They get their butts worked off and problem areas will show. 4x4 Dodges eat u joints/ball joints. Ford diesel sucks. Chevys don't have solid axles. Just the nature of the use of the vehicle. If properly maintained things last much longer. Everyone talks about poor Dodge transmissions. My best friends dad always ran Cummins trucks. His last 2005 had about 260k of highway/towing most days and on job sites on it before the trans let go. Thats not bad considering all the same it would have required another transmission 520k miles. Manuals are a different story. Dodge got it together with the 07.5 on transmissions.

Haven't had enough experience with high mileage Fords and Chevies to know the interval in which the trans requires a rebuild.

Most all my "redneck" friends with Chevies were lifted and they performed the proper modifications to the front suspensions to prevent the common problems.

Personally I like to leave 2500-3500 suspension the way it was so it will do what it was designed to do best. Tow.

[mike32]

Im not tracking a 5.7L engine for ford that year.... likely you had the 300hp 5.4L? if so, yes thats a little on the light side...

Tundra. 5.7L 390 HP... averages a meager 6-9mph while towing, and can maintain 70-75mph on flat highway reasonably and comfortably without down****fing unless you hit decent hills. I can get 8-10mpg if I use quality pure gas and feather the pedal. If I hammer it and in a hurry it I am at 5-6mpg ish. It IS a heavy tow and you DO feel decent kickback from the load when hitting bumps and such. with the 2 axel trailer I would decribe the braking as normal/adequate....it IS a heavy tow with the Tundra and you know it. You definitly need 4x4, as the rear tires are wet pulling it out and you will spin wheels even on a reasonable ramp incline pulling 8000lbs out of the drink. I would rate it a solid B for such a heavy load. If I could do a quick and easy swap... on great terms with trade, i'd jump to a GM or Ford diesel now. Did you just compare a tundra against an f150 for towing......wow. You haven't "driven a ford lately" huh?

did you just compare a tundra against a f150 for towing? You haven't "driven a ford lately"

[nyryan2001]

Not sure what you are getting at. I wouldn't consider a Ford unless us was a newer diesel or the 6.2l. When I bought, all they had was the 5.4L. Not sold on the V6 ecoboost. I wouldn't consider a Ford 1/2 ton, not for me.

last nite I walked the Ford lot after they closed:

F250 diesel nicely equipped with leather, Nav etc: $60-63k msrp
F250 diesel less equipped with cloth seats $55-57k msrp

[perry386]

2012 RAM 2500 Mega Cab Cummings

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22031[/ATTACH]

WOW...thats a sexy truck

[Woody_tobius_jr]

Not sure what you are getting at. I wouldn't consider a Ford unless us was a newer diesel or the 6.2l. When I bought, all they had was the 5.4L. Not sold on the V6 ecoboost. I wouldn't consider a Ford 1/2 ton, not for me.

last nite I walked the Ford lot after they closed:

F250 diesel nicely equipped with leather, Nav etc: $60-63k msrp
F250 diesel less equipped with cloth seats $55-57k msrp

You wouldn't be disappointed with the ecoboost, I have an '11, pulled my buddies X-Star with his gear in it, plus I had my stand up jetski in my box plus all our gear for a weeks holiday plus the family ( 4 of us). in the 14000 lb area, and I could pull out on the passing lanes in the mountains in BC and be up to 70mph without having the pedal in the carpet. I won't hesitate to buy another one of these trucks. The fuel economy isn't what the Ford propaganda states though,I get about 15mpg with mine.