To the OP, I use mine all the time for short trips, biggest problem is battery use, starting takes a lot out of them just for short trips. Take the extra set of keys with you and lock the doors with it running while you do short tasks. That way the batteries can recharge longer.

but..... I blessed to live in a small city that has one of the lowest crime rates in the whole state of IL, so I feel safe doing that.... Car theft is a front page story here, because it happens so infrequently.....

 

I had a '86 with the NA 6.9, the deisel that sounds like a BB ford..... No glowplugs = no start. that was annoying........

 

I never said we're running 70MPH down the Interstate with it. We only haul the tractors when the place we need to get to is too far to drive them. The heavy one (JD 4520) only sees the trailer twice a year, and when it does, Dad drives the truck, I run in front with my flashers on and his fiance does the same in the rear. Top speed on that haul is about 40 MPH.

 

Ya but isn't the GCWR is based on braking ability. The truck will no doubt pull the load but I would be most concerned with the "stock" brakes heating up and becoming useless. I also would have to assume the trailer itself has brakes so prolly no issue!!

 

Family is everything whether you never see the man or not. Your uncle is doing what anyone who knows about family would do if they were in the position too. Never mind the truck get to know your uncle better so you can learn some life lessons.

 

The biggest thing that you are assuming is perfect situation. Everything is going as good as it can go. If there is an emergency that requires you to take appropriate measures, you may not be so lucky, even only going 40.

I have seen people do a lot of dumb things on the road when I am hauling and they have no concept of what a truck hauling a load needs. You might not have an issue at all, but you are playing russian roulette. I have had to pound the brakes only a handful of times, had I not had good brakes, Tow/Haul engaged, TBC going I might have continued through the dummy driver in a Civic and imagine what I would have to live with depending on what happened to the driver of that Civic.

This situation reminds of seeing that Wrangler haul a little u-haul trailer doing 80 and the tires were only rated for 40. That rating was posted everywhere on that trailer, I counted 5 times in big bold yellow and black. He almost lost control one time traveling on I-40. Now that guy was speeding versus you not speeding(at least by what you are saying anyway), but he was still not paying attention to limits, which is what I'm reading here in your post.

 

you have a truck that will not cost anymore to operate than a gas powered machine

 

keep the truck,keep maintenance up on it and enjoy. mine has been a dependable truck and id buy another in a minute. excellent gift. thank your uncle and keep the truck. you wont be dissapointed

 

Those old 300 cid " six bangers" we used to call them would run for 2 to 300,000 miles they were an excellent engine. Where I used to work we had an old post office stake body truck with one in it and it had over 300,000 miles and was still going. you had to spin it over for about a minute before it would start due to low compression but it still ran great. I think those would fire two pistons at a time, that is what gave them good power.

 

One thing I really remember for the ole beast that my grandfather had(which after he died became my first truck for high school) was that it would rattle the teeth out of your head, but it would pull like no tomorrow. I wish I still had it, just for old times sake.

 

People today complain about engines only having 300 h.p., back then a 351 engine in a pickup only had 168 h.p. with all the pollution crap and the timing chain retarded and we got the job done with those trucks. Todays engines run smoother, burn less fuel and have more h.p. and are way better engineered. What would they say if they had to drive one of those older trucks? Remember the old ford 3 spd. on the column with no power steering and a steering wheel about 24 inches in diameter, and an interior that consisted of no headliner and two small plastic door panels and and a plastic dash cover and the rest bare metal that was my first truck. I really appreciate my 2008 250 xlt with all the comforts today.

 

Oh don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that it would be stock. There are a few turbocharger kits on the market for the 6.9 and I'll probably do some custom interior work as well. Custom gauge cluster and all that. I'd probably put more into it then it would be worth, but I wouldn't have planned on selling it either if I was going to do all that.

 

All you had to say was you are towing the weight, which you did. Speed is of no concern here. I guess you think accidents don't happen at 40 mph or less.

The fact is you are being careless. I just hope you don't end up learning the hard way the limits of your truck. And if you do, I hope nobody else suffers the consequences.

Sorry for coming off like a d!ck, but seeing more than one preventable towing accident will do that to you.

 

It's ok. I understand your point of view, and respect your input on the situation.
I guess the point I was trying to make, is that (for it's size) the 5.4L in the truck we have has been hell for stout, and a darn good engine to us that's taken on every task we've thrown at it. That's all.

 

I say you keep it, Every Gas drivers biggest argument over diesel is the initial cost over the gas engine. You will not have that, for that matter the argument swings completely to your advantage. This gives you the opportunity to gain every benifit of the Diesel and for the things you mentioned (Tranny and injectors) just save for em. I would save for the Trans first. Hell the injectors might be GTG.

for short trips All my truck does is short trips once every so often it gets a few extra miles put on it.