Diesel Trucks - GM, Dodge, Ford

[Khalil.e]

I'm looking to pick up a truck in a few weeks - and I'm not too sure which diesel trucks are best.

I'm looking at pretty much only '07 diesel trucks.

Does anyone have experience with Dodge, GM, and Ford trucks?

This truck will be used for construction work and towing - and I'm not sure which engine is the best to go with.

Cummins Dodge?
Duramax GM?
---- Ford?

I'll be towing up to 12,000 lbs at times, and the truck will be driven daily to construction sites etc.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

[Sharpie]

Duramax FTW!

[Khalil.e]

Originally posted by Sharpie
Duramax FTW!

That's what I've heard - if that is the verdict, then that's what I'll be going with!

[Graham_A_M]

Well, my older brother has an F-250 with 920,000km's on it, it doesn't even burn a drop of oil. The only thing that was replaced on it was the transmission, but thats after trying to tow a 10 ton front end loader on some rough forrestry roads. :nut:
Not bad for a rig service truck all its life:thumbsup:

I'd be very happy with any of them, except for the '08 F250 & F350, as its beyond hideous to me at least. But as far as longetivity, any of the above are just awesome trucks. :thumbsup:
I havn't heard one bad thing about any of them from anybody thats owned them. If I remember right, the gas powered new Silverado's can pull 16,000 pounds with a 5th wheel hitch, so I dont know if your really set on diesel, but thats some thing to consider.

[Sharpie]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
Well, my older brother has an F-250 with 920,000km's on it, it doesn't even burn a drop of oil. The only thing that was replaced on it was the transmission, but thats after trying to tow a 10 ton front end loader on some rough forrestry roads. :nut:
Not bad for a rig service truck all its life:thumbsup:

I'd be very happy with any of them, except for the '08 F250 & F350, as its beyond hideous to me at least. But as far as longetivity, any of the above are just awesome trucks. :thumbsup:
I havn't heard one bad thing about any of them from anybody thats owned them. If I remember right, the gas powered new Silverado's can pull 16,000 pounds with a 5th wheel hitch, so I dont know if your really set on diesel, but thats some thing to consider.
Do not go gas if you are pulling you will burn a hella more amount of gas than diesel

[Khalil.e]

hmm... I think the vortecmax 6.0L gas engine is capable of 10,000lbs..
but if you'r right @ 15,000lbs - I may consider it - but I am definately in favor of diesel

[TomcoPDR]

The new diesel passenager trucks (any of the above) are so so much quieter than the diesels even 5 years ago. Plus with the added stuff they put into the padding in the interior to quiet outside noise.

:thumbsup: for newer diesel trucks

To OP, Bow-Tie FTW

[mikemechanic]

As the diesel guy at the Dodge dealer I am a bit biased. Take the new Cummins 6.7L with the 6 speed Alison automatic out for a ride, you will not be disappointed.

Mike

[Darkane]

Originally posted by mikemechanic
As the diesel guy at the Dodge dealer I am a bit biased. Take the new Cummins 6.7L with the 6 speed Alison automatic out for a ride, you will not be disappointed.

Mike

Can you tell me about the Regeneration cycle and what exactly it does? My friend has a new 1ton 6.7 and he has to regenerate it or the carbon will dump back into the engine and he ends up doing oil changes every 3000km. :dunno:

DFP filter or something I think he was saying. I can't pull up to much on google other than it's a emmisions thing or something. Reduces Soot on cold runs or something.

[mikemechanic]

Originally posted by Darkane


Can you tell me about the Regeneration cycle and what exactly it does? My friend has a new 1ton 6.7 and he has to regenerate it or the carbon will dump back into the engine and he ends up doing oil changes every 3000km. :dunno:

DFP filter or something I think he was saying. I can't pull up to much on google other than it's a emmisions thing or something. Reduces Soot on cold runs or something.
The regen system is basically a catalytic convertor (called a diesel particulate filter) which collects all the soot/ash from combustion. Once it gets to a certian level it should raise the temp inside the filter and burn it off. When the overhead console says it's 80% full a good highway run for about 45 minutes should burn it off. They have released new ECM software as they were finding the filter was filling up too fast and not doing the regeneration, we are finding with the new software it seems to be doing what it is supposed to do. The 6.7 is emmision certified up to 2010 standards, very clean running engine and seems to be as bullet proof as the 5.9

Mike

[Maxt]

We have GM diesels and a ford diesel in our company, and I have a dodge diesel myself. The best mileage is by far from the Cummins. The lowest rpm power is also the cummins.
The duramax drives like a gasser truck more so then the other diesels,the cummins is a workhorse, the ford is not a bad truck, if you go older and get the 7.3, or newest the 6.4, dont even think about a 6.0...

Just for kicks check out this picture.
http://www.fordcummins.com/connecting%20rod.jpg

[svtlight]

I would get a dodge if you want to go through transmissions on a yearly basis.

Anyways, Chev/GM LTZ 2500 for interior.. ford for raw towing power.

[Maxt]

Mines a 94 , still on the stock transmission.. Alot of it has to do with not being a dipshit with the truck..

[sxtasy]

Originally posted by Khalil.e
hmm... I think the vortecmax 6.0L gas engine is capable of 10,000lbs..
but if you'r right @ 15,000lbs - I may consider it - but I am definately in favor of diesel
I towed just over 16,000lbs to and from Vancouver island with only chip and exhaust on my 6.0L Good engine, but yes diesel is better


Originally posted by mikemechanic
As the diesel guy at the Dodge dealer I am a bit biased. Take the new Cummins 6.7L with the 6 speed Alison automatic out for a ride, you will not be disappointed.

Mike
I've heard of a lot of problems and bugs with the new cummins and tranny

As far as diesels go I just bought one and have been doing a lot of research over the last couple of months, drove all of the 3 new diesel engines. Power wise I would say it goes duramax ->Cummins->powerstroke

However I would recommend buying a one year old diesel, because of all the new emmision laws all diesels have changed in the last six months. As a result lots of them have bugs and expensive filters that need to be replaced. As well as your pretty much SOL if you want to do mods like exhaust. Happy hunting, I love turbo diesels, I would say go for the LBZ duramax

:drool:

[downtime]

For those of who own diesel trucks how many kilometers to a tank are you getting on average with and without towing???I to am thinking og going diesel truck,how about used trucks say 99 to 2004 which are best?

[b_t]

All three of the Ford diesels at work (F550s from years between 2003-2005) have had serious electrical problems and have been in and out of the shop numerous times, all this within the first 50,000km. Being an expensive diesel picker truck they are maintained better then any of the other vehicles in the fleet but still break down more often.

Everyone at work who drives a diesel truck drives a Dodge. They have the best motor, but the new Chevrolets are the best truck and probably have the better motor now as well. The current Dodges are too old and badly need a redesign to bring them up to par with the new Chevys, ESPECIALLY in the interior. Even the top end Dodge interior is terrible.

[ScottysZ]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Maxt
[the ford is not a bad truck, if you go older and get the 7.3, or newest the 6.4, dont even think about a 6.0...
[QUOTE]

Bingo. The old 7.3s run forever, but dont make much power compared to the new diesels, and the 6.0s go through a lot of injectors from what i hear ($$$). Dont know much about the new 6.4 TT.

I dont know much about the new Dodges, but those older 5.9 Cummins' have amazingly sturdy internals. But like most people here, id say take the duramax. My uncle uses one up north for haulin around rig equipment and hes been on the same duramax for about 3 years. In comparison, before the chev he had 2 different fords, and went through a combined 2 motors and i think about 4 transmissions in a couple years. The druramax is quiet too and i think the chevs have the nicest interior. Just my $.02. :thumbsup:

[DuramaxHD]

It all depends what you'll be using the truck for...

If it's going to be a work horse, I'd stick to the Ford. If it's going to be the daily driver (including many trailer camping trips), get a GM LBZ. And just from experience (very bad ones) stay away from the Dodge.

I own a 2007 GMC 2500HD LBZ and I've chipped it using the Diablosport programmer. The thing comes stock with 360 hp and you can add up to an extra 120 hp. The tank is small, it holds about $75 and lasts about 650 km city/750 km highway. Super fun truck to drive (big balls power).
As for towing, I drove to and from the Okanagan passing cars going up mountains with the 26 footer hooked up, the fuel mileage didn't suffer and the engine barely broke a sweat.

[mark4091]

Heard good things about GM, I really like the Dodge though, the 97 I've been driving is such a nice truck.

[Ashers]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet... but in my experience, Ford Diesels really, REALLY dislike cold weather. An absolute pain to get started if they aren't plugged in, and still pretty difficult if they are. We had a 1995 Ford SuperDuty 7.3 on Vancouver Island... and it was alot of fun to start once it hit -10.

[JRSC00LUDE]

^

Definatley. When I was working out there last winter there were 3 trucks on the crew, all 3/4 ton diesels. A chev, ford and dodge (megacab). As soon as it got much below zero, if you didn't plug the ford in you were fucked.

The chev was most definately the pussiest truck out of all three, not to mention the most expensive and the most uncomfortable. I really liked the dodge, I think it was the nicest truck overall. The ford was chipped and due to that, it definately had the most power, it was crazy.

My ranking of the three was Ford, Dodge, then Chevy. And I don't like ford vehicles much at all. If the ford hadn't have been chipped and done up it wouldn't have outranked the dodge though imo.

There really wasn't anything good about the chev at all I didn't think. It was smaller than all the rest (cabwise) way less power and for a brand new truck with less than 10,000km on it, everything in it fucking rattled and creaked. Built like shit.

[svtlight]

Oh ocme on, ford diesels start even if it's -40. That's ridiculous.

[JRSC00LUDE]

^

Based on what experience? None that I have used do. Leave them unplugged in the cold for more than a few hours and you'd better have booster cables. That was a pretty common problem where I was working (north o' slave lake). It was the only one that ever needed boosting and it needed it EVERY time someone forgot to plug it in overnight or during the day. The owner of it bitched about it all the time, they had replaced the battery, checked it over etc. etc. all on warranty and nothing would help.

[redx2nv]

The "battery"? haha, almost all diesels have two.

Aswell, i had both chevy and ford service trucks. Both good, but chevy IFS falls apart in the rough shit.

Both started in -40 no problem, and no i dont plug them in.

[Unknown303]

So October 2007 Diesel World Magazine did an article called "Which New Truck is Best?"

It was a comparison between the 2007 Chevrolet and Dodge and the 2008 Ford Diesels.

As far as final ratings went it was:

2007 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 6.6L Duramax (LMZ): 478 Points
2007 Dodge Ram 2500HD 6.7L Cummins: 468 Points
2008 Ford Superduty 6.4L Powerstroke TT: 449 Points



A little info about them:

The Chev has the 6.6L Duramax coupled to the Allison 1000 6-speed which has proven to be a solid powerplant and very durable transmission. Considered the hotrod of the Big 3 with a 1/8 mile acceleration of 14.697, a 0-60 unloaded of 7.187, and a loaded 0-60 of 20.69. It had the second best observed mileage of the three of 14.643.

The Dodge has the legendary Cummins engine 6.7L coupled to the 68RFE which is a new 6-speed auto to contend with the Allison. So far the transmission has got great reviews. The Dodge has slower times compared to the Chev but faster than the ford. Its average MPG was a fraction higher than the Chev at 14.47.

The Ford has the 6.4L Powerstroke which gets its boost from a compound turbo setup, still producing the least power/torque of the three. It has the 5-speed TorkShift putting it behind the 6-speed contenders. It has the slowest times out of the three and the worst MPG at only 11.062 average.


The HP/Torque of the three according to Dyno testing:

Chev: 327/583
Dodge: 321/582
Ford: 274/539

Probably the only other notable difference would be the design of the front suspension. Chevrolet continues to use the IFS front end with Torsion bars which has proven to be an exceptional ride for long tows and can hold its own offroading. Dodge continues with the Live axle quadra-link with coils, and Ford has the Twin-coil monobeam design with stabilizer bars.



I drive an older 02 Duramax its the first generation Duramax (LB7) and once broken in can get over 20 MPG. I personally would go either Dodge or Chevrolet. Both are solid trucks it pretty much for me comes down to style between the two and what kind of mood i'm in when i start looking for my next truck. I really enjoy the IFS for driving on roads and highway driving, but for offroading and lifting a truck the SFA setups have a history of being strong.

Starting a Diesel in the winter has definitely improved in the years and the 2007 and 2008's fire up no problem.

Hope that info helps.



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On a tank of diesel (110L) I can go from Calgary to Dawson Creek, BC and will probably be close to empty. Thats how far i made it the last time i did that trip.

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Also to this:

Originally posted by mikemechanic
As the diesel guy at the Dodge dealer I am a bit biased. Take the new Cummins 6.7L with the 6 speed Alison automatic out for a ride, you will not be disappointed.

Mike
Dodge doesn't make/use the Allison. I believe the new 6 coming for the Dodge is called the "Aisin" and thats not the 68RFE which is the current 6-speed.

[cancritter]

regen is cause of most probs with the 6.7...what they dont tell ya is the dpf uses diesle to burn of the soot...kinda counter productive re emissions..auto tranny issues as well...getting a good truck is hit and miss..understand most issues worked out with 08 models re dpf...most folks are putting egr and dpf delete kits on and getting rid of the emmisions garbage

[diggity]

If its going to be high milage take dodge off the list, but both Chevy and Ford are good for lots of Km's.

I have a 2001 Ford F-350 crewcab 7.3L v8 with 394,000 clicks on it and has never seen a new transmission or engine rebuild, Still runs like a charm and I haul my 31' 5th wheel camper with it every summer. It's also seen it's fair share of abuse.

My vote goes to Ford.

[b_t]

Originally posted by svtlight
Oh ocme on, ford diesels start even if it's -40. That's ridiculous.

No they don't. Every single Ford we have here needs a big boost to start even if its only -20. If it is -40 it needs a boost even if its plugged in... unless it wasn't plugged in, in which case it just won't start no matter what.

[MackDawg]

Go to Jack Carter Chev Old, and talk to Roy Tupkal.