Hi guys,

As you can tell from my username, I have a landscaping company.

I have been a diehard diesel guy since I started driving, my first truck being a 7.3. I currently have a 6.0 modded diesel. I love my truck but with my current business plan I am not sure if a diesel is my best option for the situation I am in. Between the cost to purchase and the fact that when I decide to get a new truck after this one I will not be selling it, it will be handed down to my landscape lawn mowing crew.

I want to buy a 2015 F350 crew cab vinyl short bed with the 6.2 and 4.3 rear end.

I want the 4.3 because I will be towing a couple times a week around 12k and when the landscape maintenance guys get it a few years down the road it will be towing 6k 6 days a week all year when it is not plowing snow.

EDIT: I should mention when it is my truck it will be a truck that hauls a 13k load a couple times a week with an 11k skid steer and 2k trailer. I very rarely tow long distance on the highway. Most of the time it is on 50-60 mph roads. but lots of accelerating, which is why i LOVE my 6.0 over my 5.4
in my situation would the 4.3 gears make it a good substitution for the 6.7?

For the last two years I have had my heart set on the diesel, but lately i have really been thinking about the gas engine. I feel it is a better fit for the business.

I should also mention that if I get the diesel it will be a regular cab and saving the money with the gas engine i can get what I really want/need in the crew cab since when I have it it will be used to tow the skid steer and do landscape projects with a few employees that would not fit in a regular cab. It will double as a family vehicle..

I am really confused as to what to get.

What do you guys think?

 

If it were only ever going to be my personal vehicle and I had money to spare, I would get the diesel, but where money is a huge part of my decision, I feel a gas is the better option rather than trusting employees with a diesel. Who knows if they will give it the proper warm up and cool down times. Gas seems a lot more forgiving in this aspect.

 

If the highest percentage of you're driving is short trips I'd probably go gas. However, I've never towed over 8K lbs. with my 6.2, which it tows fine, but I don't have any input about the weight you'll be towing. I can understand wanting a diesel, those 6.7's are monsters.

 

Thanks for the info!

How many people tow around or over 12k bumper pull with the 6.2 and how does it tow?

I know I will get a little less performance than my tuned 6.0 but as long as it is better than my 5.4 which is a dog and almost unsafe with how slow it is with a load..

 

Not a bumper pull but my fiver is just shy of 11k per the scale. And I have 3.73's (soon to be 4.30's)

 

I pull a 30' gooseneck trailer that weighs 7,600#s with a tractor that weighs 9,000#s 300 miles one way, a dozen times a year. I get along just fine with my 6.2L and 4.30 gears. I've have a lot of friends and family that had a lot of problems with their PowerStrokes, this made my decision to buy a gasser instead of a diesel. Plus, a gasser is a lot cheaper to maintain and should last decades if properly cared for.

 

I absolutely agree with you there. I have a 2002 f250 5.4 that was bought brand new on 02, it now has 210k hard miles on it and have had almost 0 problems outside of routing maintenance. Just very under powered.

So you tow 16,600 thousand pounds with the 6.2? If so that is impresive. Have you ever owned or towed that much with a 5.4? I would love the diesel but would be very happy if I can get along with the gasser.

I appreciate any input you guys can give me

 

I really wish a dealer would have both of the axle ratios in stock and they would let you tow during the test drive. That would really help me make up my mind.

I have heard there is not much mpg dofference, is that true? Very interested if anyone with the 4.3 gears regret going with them

 

Get the 4.30 gears and you`ll be fine. There isn`t that much if any in mpg between the two.

 

I might be wrong but of people who have posted in these threads that tow any loads I think that nobody who has 4.30's ever wished they had had 3.73's but most people with 3.73's wished they had 4.30's.

RubiconRod above with his truck in Red Rock Canyon is validation of my theory.

Joe

 

It's thirsty, but other than that it's great.

 

I tow a 16K 5th wheel all the time and not just short distances because we live in our trailer 8 months out of the year amd travel the country. We gross 24K and it never has let us down its always what we have asked it to do. When I was in business (refrigeration and electrical)I ran gas motors because it was cheaper and less down time compared to diesel, I also pulled trailers off and on during a weeks time, my truck also weighed 9600 before i even hooked on to a trailer. I wouldn't even consider 3.73 gears 4.30 is the only way to go if your going to work it.

Denny

 

I also land scape and mow, although I am still solo. I traded my 7.3 in for an 11 350 reg cab with the 6.2. I have 3.73 and I am still happy with the performance. I tow similar weights daily and it is great usually around 10 mpg less depending on the load. I have towed my 32 foot fifth wheel with no problems. The truck has been plowing this year with a boss 9,2 vxt, and a 1.75 yds stainless sander. The guy at the pit thinks he is doing me a favor when he puts over two yards of wet sand in...but you know what the truck handles it. Between the plow and sander it is probably close to 6k. If you are questioning the diesel let me just say this, listen to your gut.

 

I've towed a lot of smaller trailers with a 5.4L, but it was with a 1/2 ton with 3.55 gears, and yes, it was a dog. 4.30s should come standard on all heavy duty gassers. I honestly don't know why any one would choose the 3.73s over the 4.30s. If the truth would be known, you probably get worst gas mileage with3.73s because the motor has to work harder.

 

I have the "dreaded" 3.73's!
That said, I pull a 10,000lb fifth wheel with my truck.
It will not pull like a diesel.
I think the key is getting used to the higher RPM power band and the gear searching 6 speed tranny.
The 6.2 will do the job easily, but in a different way.
The engine is pretty much trouble free, and MUCH cheaper to own and operate.
Gotta drive one brother.
Good luck!