Recommend a good half ton truck in 15-20k range

[mzdspd]

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If you buy a Dodge that’s more than 6 months old be prepared for the constant tick tick tick of the leaking header gaskets.

I’m a ford guy, but for your price range id have to recommend the GM’s with the 6.0. That engine is bulletproof.

The 6.0L is bullet proof but also suffers from leaking exhaust manifolds (broken studs).

I would go for a 2013+ ram with hemi (8 speed if possible) and probably in sport or well equipped SLT. Should be doable for 20k.

[asp integra]

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Do you need crew cab? If you can get away with the smaller cabs, you save lots because you aren't competing with family guys like me.

Yeah I will be getting a crew cab, wife + 2 kids so will need the 4 doors.

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How heavy is the tongue on your boat? It's a big wake boat, right? Dodge half tons drive great, and that 5.7L and 8-speed combo is sweet. But some (or maybe all) dodge half tons have very soft rear suspension, which sucks for towing.

But dodges are cheap, so maybe just throw air bags in?

Mine is more a ski boat, not one of the big wake monsters. Boat is 2900lb dry and trailer is ~1200. Total weight is around 4,400 with gear/gas so the tongue weight is around 450lb.

[Tik-Tok]

If you don't need to haul sheets of plywood on a regular basis, the Crapalanche with 6.0L or even better, the Crudillac EXT with the 6.2L.

The 5.3 in mine is ok, but I need more powah, and it's not ideal with the stupid DOD and AFM. Will cost a small fortune to upgrade the cam.

They're also 6" shorter than a normal full sized truck,big garage space is an issue. Which is the entire reason I got mine.

[ExtraSlow]

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Mine is more a ski boat, not one of the big wake monsters. Boat is 2900lb dry and trailer is ~1200. Total weight is around 4,400 with gear/gas so the tongue weight is around 450lb.

Boats seem to have weird load distribution, some have the weight a long way back, some are far forward. I assume the v-drive wake boats have low tongue weights, no idea about ski boats. But a couple hundred pounds more of tongue weight, plus four adults, plus a few beer and bikes in teh bed, and you are over the payload rating on a lot of trucks. Lots of people are over the payload ratings, and live their lives just fine, but it's worth knowing about ahead of time.

My family plus gear in the bed while camping is 900 lbs, Then add in the tongue weight. You probably don't have as much junk going to the lake as I take camping, but still . . . .

Also yeah, big engines are nice.

[littledan]

I have a 6.0l gasser and I can attest to how awesome these things are imo. Love the cold start up exhaust note, nice to have power and can rack up the kms.

[SKR]

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Also yeah, big engines are nice.

I still take your refusal to buy an 8.1 at my insistence as a personal insult, by the way.

[ExtraSlow]

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I still take your refusal to buy an 8.1 at my insistence as a personal insult, by the way.

You are also ugly, how's that for an insult?

[SKR]

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You are also ugly, how's that for an insult?

I'm busy living big block life, who cares