Ok, I have a very tricked out 76 Blazer that I set up for pretty hard core off-roading and a family Expedition. I am planning on selling both and getting either a F-15,F-250, or F-350. The kids are nearly grown, I am older and don't do the hard core off-roading I used to, and we don't need the ability to carry 8 people around anymore. Whatever rig I pick up I plan on putting a mild 4" or 6" lift on it, 35" or 37" tires, a new bumper with winch, and a shell on the back but that is about it for modifications.

The use of the truck will be for camping, off-roading, local trips, and hauling stuff for home projects. I want a rig that will carry a full load of camping gear up and down the various highways through the Sierras as well as steep trails off road. I am leaning towards a diesel rig as I don't really care about high speeds but want a lot of hill power. I want a short bed and am looking at either the full four door super cab or the crew cab.

I'd like some comments on the pro's and con's of the various models. Will the F-150 suffice or should I go with the F-250 or F-350? I prefer the straight axle front end over IFS if possible but would consider the IFS. Comments on gas versus diesel? Is the diesel engine going to outlast a gas engine? How about availability of diesel fuel versus gas? I am probalby going to go used and am looking at various years from 2003 to about 2007. Difference in model years I should be aware of? Any years or models I should avoid?

Thanks for any help you can render.

 

u dont want to be putting 37" tires on a IFS F150 front end...

stick to a 250 or 350 for sure...

 

Why not just get a Dodge Power Wagon?

 

Hey Rat,

It really comes down to are you gonna tow...if so how much and how often.

The new 150's are nice...I have a pal of mine who went out and bought the King Ranch 150 (got rid of his Cherokee) last year and loves it. Now he's bought a 32 ft TT and is looking at upgrading to the 250 because of the better towing options.

Joe

 

Look for an 05 thru 07 crew cab short wheelbase. Carries five people and is manageable in parking lots. Try to find a V10 since it will have 4.10 or 4.30 gears and this will be better with larger tires. You don't really need the diesel for what you do. Manual transfer case and hubs are a bonus.

 

I can't really offer any input on a diesel, but even with the draw backs of the 6.8 I can tell you that it's pulled it's weight for me nicely. I've had the box (8' with a Leer Canopy) loaded to the top of the canopy with wet pressure treated lumber and a 20' trailer hooked up at the same time with a substantial load of various lengths of 5/4x6 deck material and I was very impressed with how well my truck handled in every catagory. Impressive braking (with trailer brakes), decent acceleration and held straight and strong even through cornering.
Diesel is obviously a great option for you also. I've just never been a fan of the diesel sound and smoke.

Rick...

 

I don't plan on towing much at all. I am looking more at the diesel for the hauling of gear out camping. Is the diesel overkill for that? Would the V-10 or even the 5.4 be more than adequate for steep hill climbing with a full bed of gear? I don't mind swapping out gears and had pretty much planned on putting 4.56's in anyway.

 

Also, is it worth looking for the 6.4 diesel over the 6.0? Is there a big difference between the two if I choose to go diesel?

 

Lots of big differences between the 6.4 and 6.0 Completely different engines, and they have different problem areas.

The 6.4 is what I'm most familiar with. Seems to have less problems than the 6.0 did when it was launched, and most problems seem to have to do with the DPF or the radiator.

All Powerstroke trucks have a 6 year, 100,000 mile engine warranty, gas trucks don't.

BUT I strongly suggest you stay away from the diesel for your purposes. They're HEAVY! My truck weighs 8,000 lbs empty, over 2,000 lbs more than my F150 I traded for it, and this thing's only 10" longer than my F150! That diesel engine add at least 600 lbs to your front axle, and will be your worst enemy off road, in my opinion.

Test drive the 5.4, it should be more than adequate for your needs. If there's any doubt, the V10 is a great engine. Either engine is more reliable than the diesel, and will last at least as long, if not longer than the diesel would.

I would certainly stay with the Super Duty trucks if you're planning on lifting it, as the solid front axle and heavier driveline will handle the abuse better. If you can do without the lift and huge tires, the F150s are REALLY great trucks! I loved mine, and there are lots of guys in the '04-07 F150 forum with well over 100,000 great miles on their trucks.

These are NOT heavy duty diesels that'll go a million miles, here. They're relatively light duty units that can be expected to last about as long as the truck, which is the same you can say for the gas engines. Navistar puts the B50 life of the 6.4 at 375,000 miles, which is the point where 50% of the engines will make it to before requiring rebuild. There are MANY cases of modular V8s and V10s going this long without problems.

Don't get me wrong, I love my PSD. I bought it to tow 10,000 lbs across the country. Would have stayed with my F150 if I thought it could handle it, but I'm very happy with my new truck!

 

X2... I would have offered the same advice.

 

Very objectve advice Crazy001... I'm impressed considering that you own a PSD!

 

Thanks!

6 years of addiction to FTE, as well as my '07 F150, gave me tremendous respect for the modular engines, as well as the PSDs. Each has it's strong points, and there's no "one size fits all" engine here.

 

I agree with the above comments. If you're not towing 10K one of the gas engine will be a better and cheaper choice.
I think the F-250 crew cab short bed will be your best bet

 

Yes I agree with Crazy

I'd say if the F150 is enough it would be my choice as long as you didnt want to go more than 33-35" tires. Thats one reason I went to SD. I wanted my next truck to be the one I keep for a lifetime and I thought long and hard about it, didnt really need the SD but there was a good chance I'll buy a nice camper sometime (5th wheel perhaps) and/or bigger boat. Plus I'd like some bigger tires. And I really wanted a crew cab without having to give up the 8' bed. Plus I wanted the stick shift and manual hubs. The SD just had all the features I wanted, even though most get em for towing I probably wont do that very much (at least for a while). The extra in bed hauling capacity is usefull though as I do frequently haul firewood, topsoil, perhaps gravel now I have a gravel drive, etc. And it seems the price of the 150 has gone up so much in the last few years they are the same price practically. Back when I first started shopping for a SD it was almost $2k cheaper than the closest comparable F150 since the 150's were still new and didnt have good rebates. When the purchase finally came I think I was only $1k higher than the closest F150 since the rebates caught up to equal.

As for the diesel vs gas, for me I chose the V10. I didnt need the diesel although it would be nice if I got a big 5th wheel camper, bigger tires, etc. but the V10 will deal with those loads just fine, just gets a bit worse mpg and you have to rev it a little more. So what. Most of the 6.4 owners dont report very good mpg either. The main reason I didnt want a diesel was becasue I plan on keeping this truck until it falls apart and it seems like the diesels just have too high a failure rate and cost a lot more to fix and just regular maintanence. If it was something I was going to trade in a few years by all means get the diesel and ext warranty. It seems like the current gen of V10 is pretty tried and true and I feel confident driving it for many years with hopefully a minimum of unscheduled maintanence.

 

I can live with 35" tires and I see those commonly on the F-150. Sounds like I might want to post up in the F-150 forum and see what those folks have to say. I do like the straight axle front end, but if I stay with 35" tires, the IFS should be able to handle it with a lift kit. Since I'm not planning on towing anything, perhaps the diesel is overkill for my needs.