What's a good truck to tow a camper for around 5K?

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > What's a good truck to tow a camper for around 5K?

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

If you can't work on one, psd things can get up there fast, esp if you manage to cook the thing. That said keep the filters, fluids, and glow plugs fresh. Two gens of psd, the latter having more emissions equipment, power, and regarded as a better engine all around. But you'll pay for it.

IDIs are slow and cranky in the cold but itll get you there. 93 optionally came with a bunch of revisions and were turbocharged.

Automatic? Hahah gently caress that. 30 year old tow truck trans would leave me scared that it would take a poo poo in the middle of buttfuckistan.

That said the 6.0 gas 2500 would do you well. I found a 8.1 2004 2500 locally and am very tempted to grab it.

# ¿ Jan 30, 2016 16:49

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# ¿ May 10, 2024 10:15

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

angryrobots posted:

8.1/Allison is what I'd like, but they are hard to come by, and I haven't seen one listed within 200 miles that was under 14k asking price

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/5401629403.html

Its Far from you, but it seems absurdly cheap

# ¿ Jan 30, 2016 19:52

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

digger_smolkin posted:

My company work truck has the Chevy 6.0 gasser. It gets 9 mpg around town empty, maybe 12mpg highway with a good tail wind. Many other non-drivetrain issues, mostly electrical and HVAC-related, way too many for a 10-yr old truck with 180K miles.
MY personal vehicle is a 94 F250 with the turboed 7.3 IDI. 17 mpg city, 19 highway, 198Kmiles. So much more comfortable and easier to repair. Of course, I have to do the repairs myself! Luckily, the internet exists and there are some excellent sites where insane IDIots (like me) can help.
The old Ford IDIs need more love. It is a real tragedy that most shops have lost the proper tools and expertise to repair them (notably, injection pump timing meters and septagenerian mechanics) They are insanely simple and reliable, and with a turbo they can be pretty fun. The IDIs will burn biodiesel/waste motor oil like no one's business due to the lower injection pressures (around 2000psi) also. Most problems people have with them are cold start-related and there are well-documented ways to fix them. They are old-school workhorses that have soul and were designed by a farm implement company in an era when bushes and sports cars were still huge.
I've owned 3 ('84, '90, '94) and would purchase another if I had room in the driveway.

This is pretty much why I am after a IDI. But holy poo poo the prices have creeped up on em. Can you even get the proper tools for em anymore?

# ¿ Jan 31, 2016 22:31

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

V10s hate sparkplugs and rod bearings. In short; no.

When they do run, you gotta wind the gently caress outta them too.

# ¿ Feb 1, 2016 03:26

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

philkop posted:

For real though, any easy test? Finger in the muffler?

Thats what I did when I was husband shopping.

E: clearly you need a Yellow Gillig DT743.

cursedshitbox fucked around with this message at 02:51 on Feb 4, 2016

# ¿ Feb 4, 2016 02:48

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

I hear these leopard print buses come with 5.9s and automatics. I bet you can turn them up for some good times.

# ¿ Feb 4, 2016 03:11

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

philkop posted:

A friend of a friend works on diesel trucks. He's going to check it out for me for a few rounds of beers.

http://fresno.craigslist.org/cto/5432579487.html

How about a 2003 6.0. Bet your buddy would looooove you forever.

# ¿ Feb 4, 2016 18:00

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

FatCow posted:

Honestly the 6.0l issues are overblown. A high mileage truck is unlikely to lift a head if it made it that far on the oem bolts. Oil cooler can be tested with an android phone and 15 minutes on a highway. FICM issues are mostly keeping batteries around for too long. Change your oil regularly and only use Motorcraft filters.

A lot of the other issues like HPOP, turbo longevity and injectors seem to just be facts of life with a diesel of that vintage. As far as I can tell the transmission and chassis are rock solid on these trucks.

2004.5 and newer would be the best bet though.

Mine just hit 222,222 yesterday. I've owned it for 7k miles and the only work I've done is 3 glow plugs, new fuel regulator (old one leaked) and an oil change. One plug is throwing a code still so it may need the upper harness or a new glow plug controller.

I bought a 07 6.0 super cheap ($1500) with 6.0 things wrong with it. after fixing it was a sweet sweet truck. I'd totally own another but I've problems.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2016 02:20

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

Picked this fucker up for 4,000.

90' 7.3 Idi, ZF5, Kingpin 60 front, 10.25 rear. 134,000 miles.

# ¿ Feb 16, 2016 00:49

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

Ferremit posted:

So why are you guys all posting pictures of cars then?

Work truck- 33,000lb in the truck, 5500lb in the trailer, 7700lb in the backhoe on the float.

If it aint got air brakes, it aint a truck.

Well if you're gonna pull that card.

Air brakes, tandem drive, non syncro 15 speed, and a GCVWR of 80,000lb.

# ¿ Feb 23, 2016 17:23

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# ¿ May 10, 2024 10:15

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

Big K of Justice posted:

The one Class A Motorhome that won't blow up into a million pieces of wood and fiberglass in a accident.

Blue bird?

Part Gillig, part custom build for Paramount pictures.

# ¿ Feb 26, 2016 19:52

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > What's a good truck to tow a camper for around 5K?