Honest opinion, please
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,881
Likes: 84
From: Wake Forest, NC
Okay, I went and looked at my towing guide. This is for 2002, my CrewCab SRW 4x2 circled in red...
IF you have 4.30 gears ina V10, you can tow 400 more lbs. than me on the fiver. Put in 3.73s like mine, and I have you by almost 3000 lbs... And that's because the GVWR is the same if you have 4.30s, but I outweigh you, so I lose the 400 lbs in towing capacity. So, if somebody wants to knit-pick specs, there they are. I still wouldn't want to pull 13k+ with a V10 for long distances.
EDIT: I wouldn't want to pay the fuel bill for a V10 with 4.30s, especially pulling 13.6k...
IF you have 4.30 gears ina V10, you can tow 400 more lbs. than me on the fiver. Put in 3.73s like mine, and I have you by almost 3000 lbs... And that's because the GVWR is the same if you have 4.30s, but I outweigh you, so I lose the 400 lbs in towing capacity. So, if somebody wants to knit-pick specs, there they are. I still wouldn't want to pull 13k+ with a V10 for long distances.
EDIT: I wouldn't want to pay the fuel bill for a V10 with 4.30s, especially pulling 13.6k...
That's what wasn't cool about this tangent starting. He was stating rated facts and you just backed that up.
It's not nit picking, it's LEGAL.
The weight of the diesel takes away from the available GCVWR. If you needed all of that available to be in a trailer you could get it with the gasser but you'd be overweight towing the same one in the diesel.
That's not to say that the diesel couldn't do it, or do it better, but it has nothing to do with big rigs or anything else, it just comes down to weight.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,613
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff, Arizona
The "book" only states what the V10 can "legally" tow with GVWR. It says nothing about how WELL it can handle the load! It's a very capable engine yes, but in comparison to the Diesel....it's apples to oranges 
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
I can give a real world comparison out of my own experience.
My wife and I bought our 2003 Cedar Creek 36RLTS and drove it off the lot with a 1995 F-250 460 V8 4x4 stock tires 4:10 rear axle with a Banks header, cat delete, and 3.5" exhaust.
It would, at best, get 6 mpg and be down into first gear on 6% grades grinding up the hill at 25mph.
Got my current truck; a 1999 F550 7.3 4x4 six speed with 4.88 rear axle.
Same trailer, different truck, stock tuning. I now go up that same hill at 45 mph in third or fourth gear.
Mileage is a little better, if I stick to 65 towing then I get better than 9mph. Go 70, then it drops to 7.5.
I hope this helps.
My wife and I bought our 2003 Cedar Creek 36RLTS and drove it off the lot with a 1995 F-250 460 V8 4x4 stock tires 4:10 rear axle with a Banks header, cat delete, and 3.5" exhaust.
It would, at best, get 6 mpg and be down into first gear on 6% grades grinding up the hill at 25mph.
Got my current truck; a 1999 F550 7.3 4x4 six speed with 4.88 rear axle.
Same trailer, different truck, stock tuning. I now go up that same hill at 45 mph in third or fourth gear.
Mileage is a little better, if I stick to 65 towing then I get better than 9mph. Go 70, then it drops to 7.5.
I hope this helps.
Snowboard season cometh..
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,406
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Coast of Florida
So how is this BS????
That's what wasn't cool about this tangent starting. He was stating rated facts and you just backed that up.
It's not nit picking, it's LEGAL.
The weight of the diesel takes away from the available GCVWR. If you needed all of that available to be in a trailer you could get it with the gasser but you'd be overweight towing the same one in the diesel.
That's not to say that the diesel couldn't do it, or do it better, but it has nothing to do with big rigs or anything else, it just comes down to weight.
That's what wasn't cool about this tangent starting. He was stating rated facts and you just backed that up.
It's not nit picking, it's LEGAL.
The weight of the diesel takes away from the available GCVWR. If you needed all of that available to be in a trailer you could get it with the gasser but you'd be overweight towing the same one in the diesel.
That's not to say that the diesel couldn't do it, or do it better, but it has nothing to do with big rigs or anything else, it just comes down to weight.
Anyway, I rarely tow, but when I do, I don't want to have to worry about weight so much. Big thing for me is reliability. Historically, diesels have greater longevity, and the last thing anyone wants is a breakdown.
To the OP I would say "do the math" at first. Meaning, figure out what you'd save in fuel, and balance that against what it would cost to buy the truck you want. The "proof in the pudding" will be if you can borrow or go along for a ride with someone in a truck similar to what you want, and see how it does pulling that load.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: wyalusing, pa
Thank you for your opinions. I've read all the manuals and gcvw charts. My truck is rated to tow 400lbs more than a duramax just like the ford gassers. I understand the legal weight issues. My manual says I can tow a 15400lb goose if I want to. As far as handling, the truck hardly knows it is there. It does slow down on a big/long enough hill though. I had just heard so many bs stories about "My diesel gets 40mpg towing 40k through Colorado" that I wanted some honest facts about it. I think I got some real honest opinions and I thank you all for that. I will probably just stick with what I have for now unless, as some of you say, I can find a nice 7.3. I always thought Ford went the wrong way by trying to get more power out of less displacement. I have known a couple of people with the 7.3 and no one has had an ENGINE problem. Only issues twith them were that automatic trannies they put behind them as far as I can see.
Anyway, thank you all for your input.
Jim
Anyway, thank you all for your input.
Jim
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
Likes: 423
From: Long Island USA
Since you seem to have gotten your answer, I'll close this thread now.
Too bad I was not on much this weekend.
Between the 8.1 gas GM engine, and a Ford diesel, you WILL see an improvement in MPGs.
POWER? Dunno... I'd think the 6.0 would outshine the 8.1 easily, but the 7.3 might not be as big a bump as you'd think.
Thread closed.
Too bad I was not on much this weekend.
Between the 8.1 gas GM engine, and a Ford diesel, you WILL see an improvement in MPGs.
POWER? Dunno... I'd think the 6.0 would outshine the 8.1 easily, but the 7.3 might not be as big a bump as you'd think.
Thread closed.
