Occasional Tower - 6.2 or 6.7?
#62
Well, guys; I have had both and will reiterate the same as alway.
If you want a job while towing, get the 6.2 gas.
If you want to go on vacation while towing, get the 6.7 PSD.
Either will do the task, but how you want to feel at the end of a long day pulling is your choice.
And get the 350!
If you want a job while towing, get the 6.2 gas.
If you want to go on vacation while towing, get the 6.7 PSD.
Either will do the task, but how you want to feel at the end of a long day pulling is your choice.
And get the 350!
Last edited by Desert Don; 04-04-2018 at 08:32 AM. Reason: add comment
#63
I've owned 4 diesels
'86 Isuzu
'89 F350 7.3L IDI
'01 E350 7.3L PS
'06 F350 6.0L
And I have an '11 F350 with 165K miles on a 6.2L Gasser with 3.73 gears. Towed frequently with all the rigs, most recently a 10K lb Nash TT. Towed at 70-83mph most of the time going to and from weekend races. And towed over all the big passes in CO.
My diesels were all problematic at times, no-starts, problems out of the blue, expensive and time consuming repairs once beyond warranty (and even before warranty expired..), my 6.2L gasser has been bomber.
My new '18 F350 6.2L with 4.30 rear end gets here next week.....
'86 Isuzu
'89 F350 7.3L IDI
'01 E350 7.3L PS
'06 F350 6.0L
And I have an '11 F350 with 165K miles on a 6.2L Gasser with 3.73 gears. Towed frequently with all the rigs, most recently a 10K lb Nash TT. Towed at 70-83mph most of the time going to and from weekend races. And towed over all the big passes in CO.
My diesels were all problematic at times, no-starts, problems out of the blue, expensive and time consuming repairs once beyond warranty (and even before warranty expired..), my 6.2L gasser has been bomber.
My new '18 F350 6.2L with 4.30 rear end gets here next week.....
#64
2017 CCSB FX4 6.2 with 4.30
I for the life of me don't understand what some of you mean when you say a gasser is work and the diesel is vacation....I pull 10,000 lbs regularly and my truck pulls hills or whatever I throw at it, and it begs for more... Not one yet I couldn't maintain, or exceed speed limit on... even passed others on some hills. I'm sure the power and torque of a diesel will do even more... but I've not felt disappointed with my truck yet.... 21,000 miles and no issues... yes, it drinks... but I knew it would.
Get a 6.2 with the 4.30 and turn it loose.
I for the life of me don't understand what some of you mean when you say a gasser is work and the diesel is vacation....I pull 10,000 lbs regularly and my truck pulls hills or whatever I throw at it, and it begs for more... Not one yet I couldn't maintain, or exceed speed limit on... even passed others on some hills. I'm sure the power and torque of a diesel will do even more... but I've not felt disappointed with my truck yet.... 21,000 miles and no issues... yes, it drinks... but I knew it would.
Get a 6.2 with the 4.30 and turn it loose.
#65
2017 CCSB FX4 6.2 with 4.30
I for the life of me don't understand what some of you mean when you say a gasser is work and the diesel is vacation....I pull 10,000 lbs regularly and my truck pulls hills or whatever I throw at it, and it begs for more... Not one yet I couldn't maintain, or exceed speed limit on... even passed others on some hills. I'm sure the power and torque of a diesel will do even more... but I've not felt disappointed with my truck yet.... 21,000 miles and no issues... yes, it drinks... but I knew it would.
Get a 6.2 with the 4.30 and turn it loose.
I for the life of me don't understand what some of you mean when you say a gasser is work and the diesel is vacation....I pull 10,000 lbs regularly and my truck pulls hills or whatever I throw at it, and it begs for more... Not one yet I couldn't maintain, or exceed speed limit on... even passed others on some hills. I'm sure the power and torque of a diesel will do even more... but I've not felt disappointed with my truck yet.... 21,000 miles and no issues... yes, it drinks... but I knew it would.
Get a 6.2 with the 4.30 and turn it loose.
#66
It boils down to basic psychology. Having to slow down a bit drives some people insane, while others are perfectly happy to get over in the right lane with the trucks and enjoy the scenery as it goes by. Same way with transmissions down shifting. Some people it drives them nuts when their truck drops a gear in a grade (Not sure what these people are going to do when they start putting 10 speeds in trucks), others feel that a transmissions JOB is to downshift to keep the engine in its powerband. I fall in the latter camp on both points. Thats why there is a 6.2 with 4:30 in my driveway. I put 110,000 miles on a Duramax, and have towed with a newer 6.7 SRW, but I still do not see a point in a diesel in a SRW truck. Just basic differences in how each of us is geared.
#67
2017 CCSB FX4 6.2 with 4.30
I for the life of me don't understand what some of you mean when you say a gasser is work and the diesel is vacation....I pull 10,000 lbs regularly and my truck pulls hills or whatever I throw at it, and it begs for more... Not one yet I couldn't maintain, or exceed speed limit on... even passed others on some hills. I'm sure the power and torque of a diesel will do even more... but I've not felt disappointed with my truck yet.... 21,000 miles and no issues... yes, it drinks... but I knew it would.
Get a 6.2 with the 4.30 and turn it loose.
I for the life of me don't understand what some of you mean when you say a gasser is work and the diesel is vacation....I pull 10,000 lbs regularly and my truck pulls hills or whatever I throw at it, and it begs for more... Not one yet I couldn't maintain, or exceed speed limit on... even passed others on some hills. I'm sure the power and torque of a diesel will do even more... but I've not felt disappointed with my truck yet.... 21,000 miles and no issues... yes, it drinks... but I knew it would.
Get a 6.2 with the 4.30 and turn it loose.
Two, the extra shifting, higher RPM's (which is what it's designed for), and more throttle movements are more 'mentally strenuous'. So that can 'take a toll' on the driver as well.
I've towed the same 10k load with a 5.7L Hemi 3/4 ton automatic....and with my current diesel Ram 6-spd in my signature. Apples to Oranges given the different transmissions...but I noticed no difference in how I felt after a trip. I would almost give the nod to the Hemi, as I didn't have to worry about EGT's, what gear I needed to be in. the exhaust brake, etc...
Like "99150" said above...10k is childs play for a modern diesel...but that also goes for the 6.2L, which has more HP/TQ than the diesel trucks of the '90's/early '00's.
Once you get it through your head that a gasser is supposed to shift and rev...then all the worries go out the window and you can enjoy your drive.
#68
All trucks from all the Big Three are in a new territory now; one we'd not even considered a decade ago.
A properly equipped F150 (5.0L or 3.5EB) can tow just about as much as my 2006 Dmax CCLB. That was inconceivable 10-12 years ago.
Hence, what a gasser 6.2L SD can do today is FAR beyond what we would have thought long ago. But ...
A diesel SD today is so freakishly capable that most of us won't ever tax it's true capabilities. An F450 properly equipped is on the high-side of 15 TONS of towing capability!
So we have to keep things in perspective. Towing even 15,000 pounds for a 6.2L 4.30 SD is pretty darn easy nowadays. However, if you want to pull 20,000 or more, a diesel is a must. At 10,000 pounds or less, all SD engines will consider towing child's play.
So much of it comes down to tolerance of other considerations:
- noise levels
- maintenance plans and costs
- vehicle costs to purchase
- reliability concerns in both short term (inconveniences during warranty coverage) and long term (costs after warranty expires)
- resale value as a % back of what was spent (not total values, but relative net % lost)
When I finally get rid of my Dmax, it will be for either an F150 5.0L of F250 6.2L. Too much complexity for me in the new diesels. Naturally aspirated gas engines are still fairly easy to work on; a big consideration for me.
A properly equipped F150 (5.0L or 3.5EB) can tow just about as much as my 2006 Dmax CCLB. That was inconceivable 10-12 years ago.
Hence, what a gasser 6.2L SD can do today is FAR beyond what we would have thought long ago. But ...
A diesel SD today is so freakishly capable that most of us won't ever tax it's true capabilities. An F450 properly equipped is on the high-side of 15 TONS of towing capability!
So we have to keep things in perspective. Towing even 15,000 pounds for a 6.2L 4.30 SD is pretty darn easy nowadays. However, if you want to pull 20,000 or more, a diesel is a must. At 10,000 pounds or less, all SD engines will consider towing child's play.
So much of it comes down to tolerance of other considerations:
- noise levels
- maintenance plans and costs
- vehicle costs to purchase
- reliability concerns in both short term (inconveniences during warranty coverage) and long term (costs after warranty expires)
- resale value as a % back of what was spent (not total values, but relative net % lost)
When I finally get rid of my Dmax, it will be for either an F150 5.0L of F250 6.2L. Too much complexity for me in the new diesels. Naturally aspirated gas engines are still fairly easy to work on; a big consideration for me.
#70
LOLz, my 6.2 is way too silent towing. I'm actually considering using a smaller muffler and getting rid of the resonators. I don't see how it could be louder than the annoying turbo whistle and clatter of the diesel.
If you like diesel, just say so. Don't make up lame excuses like "it's too much work to lock out a gear and use the cruise control". That just sounds silly. "Oh ta noes, the RPM gauge moved again, darn it"
Diesel isn't needed for 8000-9000 measly pounds. Nor is the 6.2 even going to be working hard at that load. 10,000 occasionally, is nowhere near enough to be worth the risk of the diesel engine fragility and expense. When they're 6BT, or 7.3L reliable again.....maybe.
If you like diesel, just say so. Don't make up lame excuses like "it's too much work to lock out a gear and use the cruise control". That just sounds silly. "Oh ta noes, the RPM gauge moved again, darn it"
Diesel isn't needed for 8000-9000 measly pounds. Nor is the 6.2 even going to be working hard at that load. 10,000 occasionally, is nowhere near enough to be worth the risk of the diesel engine fragility and expense. When they're 6BT, or 7.3L reliable again.....maybe.
#71
LOLz, my 6.2 is way too silent towing. I'm actually considering using a smaller muffler and getting rid of the resonators. I don't see how it could be louder than the annoying turbo whistle and clatter of the diesel.
If you like diesel, just say so. Don't make up lame excuses like "it's too much work to lock out a gear and use the cruise control". That just sounds silly. "Oh ta noes, the RPM gauge moved again, darn it"
Diesel isn't needed for 8000-9000 measly pounds. Nor is the 6.2 even going to be working hard at that load. 10,000 occasionally, is nowhere near enough to be worth the risk of the diesel engine fragility and expense. When they're 6BT, or 7.3L reliable again.....maybe.
If you like diesel, just say so. Don't make up lame excuses like "it's too much work to lock out a gear and use the cruise control". That just sounds silly. "Oh ta noes, the RPM gauge moved again, darn it"
Diesel isn't needed for 8000-9000 measly pounds. Nor is the 6.2 even going to be working hard at that load. 10,000 occasionally, is nowhere near enough to be worth the risk of the diesel engine fragility and expense. When they're 6BT, or 7.3L reliable again.....maybe.
#73
I cant tell you what a relief it is to not worry about a truck anymore. I had way too many problems with diesels (2006 F350 6.0, 2015 F350 6.7 and 2017 Ram 3500 6.7) and I'm just plain done with them. To each his own but I'm finally at peace with the decision and couldn't be happier. The hardest part was being honest with myself on what my true needs were. I tow the tractor about 3-5 times a year and that's 30 miles combined at best @ 6-7K tops. Other than that, I take the UTV into the mountains a few times a year and that's 3k in tow. The rest is occasional utility trailer duties for the farm and that's it.
#74
#75
This is similar to how I felt although I had very little problems with my '12 F-250 PSD. My '12 which had an 11/11/2011 build date had the ceramic turbo bearings, plastic oil pan, 1st gen Garrett turbo ,aluminum driveshaft, and some kind of plastic up/down pipe[not sure] that they changed. I used to put 2-3oz of PowerService grey bottle in each tankful to help lubricate the hpfp. I drained the fuel/water separater once a month religiously. What I really didn't care for was while driving down the Interstate and wanted to stop and get something to eat/fuel it was always "sorry honey I have to let the oil temp cool down to 195* before I shut it down, I'll be in in a minute." After I was out of warranty there was always this little voice in my head about potential expensive problems and it was wearing me out. Don't get me wrong, I loved that truck but I'm gonna give my 6.2l a chance now as our trailer weighs in at 9200lbs. With all the new upgrades on the current 6.7l, I think it's probably a very reliable platform. I'll be going back to diesel when I retire and we get our new 5th wheel.