OT: Towing vehicle

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willy

Re: OT: Towing vehicle

Post by willy »

Anbother possibility for you to consider thinking about is to contact either Uhaul or Ryder. They usually have vehicles that they are replacing.

Uhaul truck sales
http://trucksales.uhaul.com/

Ryder Truck Sales
http://www.usedtrucks.ryder.com/cgi-bin ... /index.jsp

-willy-
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Fred_V
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Re: OT: Towing vehicle

Post by Fred_V »

last yeari had an '89 Dodge ram 250 ful size van pulling an 18'Airstream. i got about 8 MPG. lots of room for stuff and pulled well.
this year i have a 2000 model Ford F150 (5.4 liter V8) pulls just as well; less room for stuff and gets about 10 MPG.
fred v
Fred V
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Tel
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Re: OT: Towing vehicle

Post by Tel »

you blokes keep buying these dodgy things 'cos you can't afFORD a decent truck??????????????
Tel
Anonymous

Re: Only one "Dodge"

Post by Anonymous »

Jesse I was wondering how you are squeezing 21 miles per gallon out of your Dodge, the maxiun I ever got out of mine was about 18, I still think this is good and I love that truck
Chris_W
Posts: 153
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Location: San Diego

Re: OT: Towing vehicle

Post by Chris_W »

Good on ya,Tel! I'll take my Ford Super Duty diesel any day. Gotta admit I do like the 5.9 Cummins, I just don't care for what they wrap it up in! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif"%20alt="[/img]
UnkaJesse
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Re: OT: Towing vehicle

Post by UnkaJesse »

Listen up Pilgrims! The world speed record for pickup trucks is, (you ready for this?) a fraction over 222MPH. (Yes, that is two hundred twenty two Miles Per Hour). [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/shocked.gif"%20alt="[/img] This speed record for all you Ford and GMC guys, was made with a DODGE CUMMINS DIESEL. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif"%20alt="[/img]

Engine had a "few" alterations done by Banks Turbo people and was placed in a DODGE Dakota. Banks says it also pulls trailers very well.

Now, I done bragged about Dodge all I feel that Will is going to let me do, so I hereby withdraws from this discussion and you Ford lovers like TEL etal can berate my choice of tow vehicle all you want to without fear of reprocussions from good old,

Unka (Dodge lover ) Jesse [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smirk.gif"%20alt="[/img]
"The same hammer that breaks the glass, forges the steel" Russian proverb
UnkaJesse
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Re: Only one "Dodge"

Post by UnkaJesse »

Anonymous, My 1993 Dodge 2500 2 wheel drive has a 3.54 rear end and I usually cruise at about 60+ to get the good mileage. Pulling the Jayco 5th wheel knocks it down to 10.9 MPG or so and this was determined on a 5000 mile trip to tour the Northwest states. The whole trip averaged out at 16+ MPG because part of the time the trailer was parked while we did our sightseeing. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/cool.gif"%20alt="[/img]

Unka Jesse
"The same hammer that breaks the glass, forges the steel" Russian proverb
Anonymous

Re: Only one "Dodge"

Post by Anonymous »

Jesse my truck is equipped with the H.O diesel , six speed transmission and 3.55 gears , but its a 4x4 and i suspect thats why my mileage is slightly lower that yours. This is my first Diesel and so far i am impressed , buy the way I model steam engines also and some how we got off that subject.
willy

Re: Only one "Dodge"

Post by willy »

Did you see the part in the header of "OT"???? That means off topic. If you dont like it, dont read it. Also?? Moderator??? What happened to not allowing Anonymous postings? (the annoyance of last board)


-willy-
Karl_Losely
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Location: Ohio, Lake County

Re: OT: Towing vehicle

Post by Karl_Losely »

I have to put in a plug for my wonderful Chevy. It is a '02 (couldn't let that 0.0% financing go by!) 2500 HD crew cab short bed (with a cap) 6.6L Duramax diesel with the Allison automatic tranny. General cruising and also with my Allen Mogul in the back with all the traveling supplies I get 18 MPG running at 70-75 mph. Pulling a 16' cargo trailer weighing about 5500 pounds at the same kind of speed in the hills of northwest VA, the milage dropped to the 9-10 MPG range, but the truck never came out of overdrive. Purchase price was 42K, but the engine, tranny combo was 12% of that.
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ALCOSTEAM
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Re: OT: Towing vehicle

Post by ALCOSTEAM »

Karl, don't push that Chevy too hard. I am told the normal chevy shenanigans of making the public into guinea pigs has come back to bite them. Seems the Duramax diesels are blowing headgaskets under heavy use. This is for the more recent aluminum head, iron block units. The earlier all iron engines of the later 90's are doing ok. I was looking at a '97 1 ton Chevy van with the early all iron engine in it, but being a mostly Dodge man myself I just couldn't bring myself to buy the van no matter how good of a deal it was.
The Ford/International diesel is a pretty good unit but given the same care the Cummins should outlast the Ford diesel by 100K or more. Few people are concerned about mileage out that far into the 300K+ range so then its just up to your likes. I can say on the Ford/International V8 Diesels you HAVE to maintain the coolant properly. I worked on one guys 7.3 Ford that he had changed the coolant himself at about 65,000 miles and at just under 90,000 the block was ruined from not having the proper PH in the coolant. The correct name for the action caused by this escapes me, but it causes microscopic holes in the cylinder linings. Looking at the cylinder it appears to have been sandblasted in tiny spots. As you can imagine when a hot engine is shut off it leaks water into the cylinder, the next time you go to start the engine you have a cylinder full of water.
The Cummins is by far going to be the most reliable and I would go for manual trans as I am leary of newer Dodge automatic transmissions. I know of one guy that uses his Dodge to haul a gooseneck trailer with a backhoe and will get 17 and 18mpg hauling loaded and 20+ unloaded.
My personal diesel truck is a 1991 IH 2554 with a 225hp DT466 and Allison 5speed automatic. I just bought it a few months ago and it will be awhile before I know what kind of mileage it gets. True diesel power is more in the torque output than in the horsepower rating.

tim
Karl_Losely
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Location: Ohio, Lake County

Re: OT: Towing vehicle

Post by Karl_Losely »

Being the cautious kind of guy I am and knowing that the Duramax engine was only a year or two in production, I purchased the extended powertrain warranty. If it does have a problem, it will bite someone else in the wallet.
I previously owned a Ford box van with the 7.3L non-turbo diesel and was generally not impressed. Nothing major with the engine, just a lot of little engine related items that made the truck a less than reliable pain in the rear. Traded it after three years for a Chevy box van with the 350 V-8 which is still going strong.
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