When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I originaly bought this truck because I was keeping 3 horses on a property 20 miles out of town on the Front Range of Colorado. Needed to be able to pull a 4 horse gooseneck (hey, who knows, might just buy another horse) up and down the Divide. My old half ton was having a hard time with a two horse, let alone the dang 7 tons of hay I had to haul to feed the pasture ornaments.
She did a fine job, pulling my Circle J 4 horse with a full load and camping gear over the mountains on many an excursion, getting 15 mpg and passing more than a few Dodge Cummins on the grades.
But, I had more demanding work for her. We tend to get a fair amount of snow at 7500 feet, and I had already gone through 2 full sized Broncos (wore one out and burned another to the ground) trying to keep the 2 miles of private road out to the county road open.
Mounted a Western MVP Plus 8 1/2 ft V plow on her, had to put another 1,000 pounds of ballast in the bed to balance the load. Plowed the road, and broke and plowed for a few others who were too foolish to keep up (best not to let more than a foot to fall here before making a a pass). Sometimes busting 3 foot of settled snow on an unmarked road.
We've since moved down to the Flatland, though still a mile high. All, but the youngest, of our horses have gone on to finer pastures. I still train and care for horses, though on another old cowboy's spread.
The old 2002 F350 is showing her age, a bit of arthritis and such. But, she's a good ole gal, done well by me. With a bit of loving care she'll outlive me!
Unlike those two red Bronco whor*'s I sincerely wanted to dynamite, but settled on sending to the killers (found some dang fool to salvage)!
Last edited by Colorado Horseman; 06-15-2016 at 02:11 AM.
Reason: spelling
I love it "in the sticks", I was pretty much raised there. I avoid cities like I avoid gasoline pumps - there's nothing in it for me.
I have had a couple of experiences where fork lifts were stuck in the mud/snow, and none of the 1/2 tons could get them out. Drop it in 4 low, ease to a high idle, and there was no argument from either fork lift. The part that tickled me was the second fork lift - they sent somebody searching all over the plant for me specifically to get the fork lift out.
I've pulled a number of vehicles out of the ditch in the winter as well. It never ceases to amaze me how with the right tires, these rigs are like tanks for traction.
Beautiful pics!!!. Looking at that snow and waiting to hear how much it's going to cost me to fix my new to me Mercruiser out-drive has me pining away for those winter months.
...I've pulled a number of vehicles out of the ditch in the winter as well. It never ceases to amaze me how with the right tires, these rigs are like tanks for traction.
Our road was gravel. During snow season I would plow with shoes so as to leave 1/2" to freeze hard. This kept the plow from tearing the road base up and into the ditch.
Even with all that extra weight, I ran chains on all four to push anything deeper than 8" or so.
Don't like walking home, and typically there was no one to help if she did get stuck.
06-14-2016, 11:12 PM
