Want to haul a camper and pull boat as well. Camper weight to be around 2400 lbs. and as large of a boat as possible. Something probably around 8,000 lbs. including the boat trailer. Thinking dually. Am I out of line and should I be getting V-10 or Diesel? Dealers seem to tell you what you want to hear. I seem to have more faith in the answers here then anywhere else. Thanks for imput.

 

Your on a V10 forum so I would have to say V10, a DRW with 4.30 gears would work great for that load . With that big a boat make sure it has its own brakes. I have 2 V10s one work and one play, best motors I have ever owned. The play is a DRW and pulls a 15K 5ver with power to spare.

Denny

 

I would recommend the diesel, but then again I own one. In the end it all comes down to personal preference. The V10 is less expensive at the start and the diesel is less expensive to operate per mile because of the mileage. Drive both and get what you prefer.

 

I would also say go with the diesel . I think over the long haul ( pun intended ) you'll be happier with it's performance . It will cost more in the begining but when you sell or trade it will be worth alot more than a like truck with a V10 . The diesel will go an easy 350000/400000 miles with proper care and although the V10 may go that far it will have used alot more fuel and probably an overhaul or two . But remember this is a totaly bias opinion .

 

I'm assuming with the payload you're talking about that you're at least looking at an F350 dually.

 

I have a 2000 F250 CC with V10 and 3.73's. I have a 5th wheel that is 8000 pounds gross and approx 950 pin weight. The 2400 pound camper is a non factor for any Super Duty. An 8000 pound boat won't be any problem for even the 5.4, assuming the boat isn't one of those huge cabin cruisers that sit 12 feet high on the trailer.

 

Skylaneman...I have a Ford 250 super duty 4 x 4 extended cab 2000. According to what I am reading here for the past couple of months. I cannot pull anything with a 2400 lb. camper due to all the gross weights and all that good stuff. Anyone else that wants to respond is welcome as well. Thanks to all of you.

 

Thebillsmith1 , look at your trucks data tag on the driver door/post , it will tell you GVW ( gross vehcle weight ) and GCVW ( gross combined vehicle weight ) . Weigh the truck empty and subtract that weight from the GVW that is the weight you can put in the bed of the truck . Now weigh the truck with the camper on it and subtract that weight from the GCVW that is the weight of the trailer you can pull ( and stay within Ford's rating ) . Make sure when you weigh the combination that you have everything you normaly take with you so you get a pretty good idea of the true weight packed and ready to camp . I would bet 90% of the trucks carrying / pulling campers are over weight and their owners don't even know !

 

As fuel prices continue to rise the diesel starts to look more and more attractive.

Generally, diesel is less expensive than regular gas - though from time to time it does fluctuate to being as high as premium.

Unloaded, most of the 6.0 L PSD guys are getting in the 17 to 19 mpg on the highway with some reporting 21 mpg. Mixed city highway mileage varies considerably on your definition of city and highway and with terrain. I get around 13 mpg driving 4 miles each way to work with a 400 ft hill climb each way.

Most of the reports I've seen so far on the '05 V10 mileage are in the sub 12 mpg for city/highway and not much better at all on the all highway driving.

Towing is where the biggest difference in mileage will show up between the diesel and the V10. If your fuel mileage is 10 or 12 towing a trailer with the diesel and 7 to 9 towing the same thing with the V10, that starts adding up a the pump quickly.

At $2.50 per gallon you'll pay off the diesel pretty quick.

The diesel makes much more torque thoughout the majority of its rev range than the V10 but the V10 does make more overall power when rev'd above 3900 RPM or so - and at sea level. Once you get to 4000 to 6000 ft, the power output of the V10 will have fallen off to where it no longer makes more power than the diesel anywhere in its RPM range - the diesel is not as affected by altitude.

So for all around power and driveability while towing I think that the diesel is better.

Then for $400 you can add a tuner and really boost the output of the diesel to scary fast numbers. My truck went from doing a 16.0 s 1/4 mile to a 14.33 s 1/4 just by loading the new program.

And the tuners actually help fuel mileage while towing too - its an amazing win win situation.

Bottom line though is that the V10 will tow the kind of loads you are talking about just fine and you'll never be wanting for power. The diesel will do a bit better job of it and save money at the pump and over the long run if you keep the truck long enough.

 

I agree with Darylhunter.Ive been looking to get a superduty. I was leaning towards the V-10 but now Im seriously considering a diesel. Everybody I talk to that has a diesel insists that I get one they just love theres. Yeh $5,000 is a lot more for a diesel but in the long run you will proablby get that back and more. The better mileage and the better resale at the end will make up for the initial cost. I notice alot of used v-10s on the lots with few miles. Probably got a diesel. It gives me a clue that I should buy a diesel.100,000 miles later that diesel will sell easily the v-10 might be a different story. The fuel prices havent seen there peak so if you think its bad now.

 

Yeah, you should buy a diesel because its cheaper. Diesel fuel is 2.15 compared to 1.89 for gas, but the increased mileage of the diesel makes it cheaper, if you ignore the 5K increase in initial price and increased maintenance costs.

 

The only increased maintenance costs are more oil at an oil change and fuel filters. There is no other increased maintenance.

 

Having owned a 2001 V10 and pulling a 9000# trailer it was very painfull (wallet wise)
Now pulling with a 7.3L diesel not near as bad. The big gain though is not when you pull the trailer but just normal driving. Some weeks up to 17mpg in City, some weeks 15mmpg. But with the V10 never more than 11mpg in normal driving.
The towing power of the diesel is heads above than towing with a V10. Although if the gas price had stayed around a $1.00 a gallon I would still have it.
Hope this helps
fknipfer1

 

Get a diesel and you can't go wrong. Just look at the resale values of each. I don't pull with my diesel put I do enjoy to drive it. But YOU are the one making the payments not us. Good luck.

 

One thing I didn't see mentioned here. Altitude may not affect diesels, but cold does! Diesel fuel is pretty thick to begin with, add cold, and PRESTO! No start condition. No I doubt with towing a boat, cold is gonna be an issue for you, but in case you live in the norther tier, or in the mountains, a gas engine will be a bit easier to start as gas vaporizes a bit better than diesel. If you aren't going to have to deal with regular temperatures below freezing, then the diesel is far and away better than the gas. One other consideration, gas IS easier to FIND than diesel. If you are gonna stay on the beaten path, no problem. If you plan LOTS of 'way the heck in the middle of nowhere" trips, get REALLY good at figuring your mileage. Lotsa places will have gas when they don't have diesel.
JMHO!