7.3 idi F350 for towing small fifth wheel
 

We are thnking of getting a small(ish) 5th wheel camper to do some traveling. By small, I’m thinking no larger than a 28 foot camper and I don’t plan on anything even close to 10k in weight. We will be looking at used trailers and don’t need any frills on it. We aren’t trying to be cheap about it, but don’t require a lot.

With that said, I am looking for a tow vehicle. My current pickup is a 2009 v6 half ton and not even close to being up to the task. I love the OBS f350s and I love everything I’ve read about the 7.3 idi diesel engines in those. I love that they can be so reliable, cheaper to maintain, easier to maintain, all mechanical, and still get the job done towing.

I am fully aware of the fact they they won’t match the towing speed or strength of the newer PSDs, but I would rather give up a little performance in favor of the smaller price tag and maintenance.

I would probably eventually look into putting a turbo on an idi if I couldn’t find one that already had a turbo installed, but that might come later since turbos still cost around $2k new for the whole setup.

I would probably buy one and then spend as long as needed working on it getting it ready for the road as needed. Since I could probably save a little money on an older truck, I would be able to put a little more into upgrades and new parts as needed.

I’m wondering if others would hesitate to get a 25+ year old truck to be their tow rig, from a reliability stand point, as long as you went into it knowing what to expect from a performance standpoint.

What year truck are you looking for? The 94.5-97 OBS trucks had the 7.3 Powerstroke and they will do great towing under 10,000 lbs, and there are many upgrades for them, the 94 and older are the IDI trucks, they can tow the size camper that you are looking at also but they aren't quick by any means, I think I would rather tow with a 460 gas engine than an old IDI.

We love our 2000 7.3. Although, it is not quite the same as the OBS 7.3 though.

We first towed a 10K lbs travel trailer. Then we towed a 12K lbs 5th wheel. Now we are towing a 10K lbs 5th wheel. We don't get to the top of the grade as fast as the others do, but I own my truck, not the bank and we can still work on it if needed.

You can put a couple of thousand into the truck, and do just fine. Look into a T4/Borg Warner SX-E turbo kit. I just bought one with the 364.5 for $2400. The OBS truck is nothing to discard when considering a reliable and proven towing platform.

The OBS would need more parts and work to get it ready for the road, but once ready it would be good to go. Because they are older, every problem they will ever have is known. To answer your question, I would not and did not hesitate to purchase an older truck to get the job done. We travel the country with our truck and trailer and do just fine. The seats are not air conditioned in my truck, but if something happens to my truck, I can more than likely fix it with the tools I have in the back. I have a total of about $15K into my truck and get 18.5 MPG unloaded, 13.5 MPG with the trailer, 75 gallons of fuel on board and a 7.3 that is a beast.

I don't ever see myself getting a loan for another vehicle, ever... I learned my lesson about that many years ago.

You have to do what is right for your situation though. Sometimes that is a nice shiny new 6.7, other times it is not.

Thanks for the reply. I completely agree - I would rather just be able to buy the truck instead of making payments on a new one, which is why we are looking at older ones. I don’t care that much if we can’t accelerate to the top of a hill like a brand new truck as long as we still get where we are going.

6-8K isn't that much weight, and is there a reason why you want an IDI over a Powerstroke? The Powerstroke is superior to an IDI in my opinion, and if you want an old diesel with no electronics, that can still make good power get a 12V Cummins.

Personally, I would shy away from anything over 10-12 years - and would never consider something that old.
Obviously YMMV.

I disagree a well maintained vehicle over 10 years old will still be reliable, and cheaper to fix if anything does break.

True in the Gasser World. ABSOLUTELY..... heavily worked Diesel.......eh... remember, if the work order says "Diesel", it costs 3x as much.

my 2017 6.7 is actually cheaper to run then my 6.0 was...and that was just really routine maintenance. Yes, really...I pay less for my $$$$$$$ 2017 truck in monthly payments, then I was keeping the 2005 6.0 truck alive in maintenance.

The original poster was asking for personal opinions and that's what I provided.
Another of my personal opinions is those old diesels are noisy AND stinkers, may they RIP.

It's true in the Diesel world too especially if you do your own work. 10-12 years old puts you in 6.0 and 6.4 territory, I would much rather have an older 7.3, they are cheaper to buy, maintain, and work on, and more reliable.

That is because you bought a 6.0... I have $15K total into my truck including tires, purchase and fluid changes when I first bought it. The truck runs like a top, and will be even better when I get the Borg Warner SX-E turbo installed, which is included in the $15K price tag. There is no comparison between the 20 year old trucks and the trucks of today. But, there is also no comparison in the prices either.

My dinosaur of a truck travels the country and I can have a normal volume conversation with the passenger. To each their own, but there is no way anyone can say a $500 a month payment on a newer truck is cheaper than a well maintained 20 year old truck. Not a chance...

OP, do what your heart tells you to do. At least if you get an older truck you will be able to pocket the $500 a month payment you would be making with a new truck. Silly how much these things are costing now adays...

^^^Completely Agree^^^ no vehicle payments for me, if I can't pay cash for it then I can't afford it.