New Pick em up Trucks

[Diamondpilot]

The request for pictures has been addressed.

Attached are a couple of pictures from this weekend at the camp located deep in the woods, and on a nice river.

The driveway is 200 yards long, and has not yet been plowed for the winter.

Put the truck in 4x4 low and crossed my fingers... We were pushing snow.

The second picture is me blowing out the driveway so the rest of the family could come over and enjoy the holidays.

Regards,

Yooper Dave

Nice looking truck Dave. Looks very similar to my 2007 Super Crew.


Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

Not quite true. They are heavier and get worse mpg.


Kyle

You are wrong about that. My 2004 F-250 and my 2006 F-350 with the same box and cab configurations and the same engine, tranny, and rear gear get the same mpg. The F-350 is only 100# more and that is just due to the higher options list and slightly heavier spring package.

I disagree with Builder on about 50% of the stuff but me and him see eye to eye on the 1 tons SRW. They are the best keep secret in trucks. I drove a GMC dually for work for about 2 years in the late 90's and hated it. It was the worst vehicle I had ever driven on snow and ice and those big fenders just got in the way for day to day operations like at banks and parking lots. That being said if I were towing 15,000# daily and did not have to use the truck for other task it would be a dually. They have there place but after owning 2 3/4 tons and 3 1 ton SRW trucks I can tell you the 3/4 tons were a waste of money for me when I found out like Builder did you can get a 1 ton SRW for $500 to $600 more than a 3/4 ton and have 1000# to 1500# more payload with the same size truck. When it comes to towing 12,000# or more the 3/4 tons take a hurting but the 1 tons SRW still feels stable and safe.

Your assumption of a 1 ton SRW weighing more and get worse mpg is a myth just like a 1 ton cost 4 times more to insure than a 3/4 ton.

Chris

 

[farmboy12]

You are wrong about that. My 2004 F-250 and my 2006 F-350 with the same box and cab configurations and the same engine, tranny, and rear gear get the same mpg. The F-350 is only 100# more and that is just due to the higher options list and slightly heavier spring package.

I disagree with Builder on about 50% of the stuff but me and him see eye to eye on the 1 tons SRW. They are the best keep secret in trucks. I drove a GMC dually for work for about 2 years in the late 90's and hated it. It was the worst vehicle I had ever driven on snow and ice and those big fenders just got in the way for day to day operations like at banks and parking lots. That being said if I were towing 15,000# daily and did not have to use the truck for other task it would be a dually. They have there place but after owning 2 3/4 tons and 3 1 ton SRW trucks I can tell you the 3/4 tons were a waste of money for me when I found out like Builder did you can get a 1 ton SRW for $500 to $600 more than a 3/4 ton and have 1000# to 1500# more payload with the same size truck. When it comes to towing 12,000# or more the 3/4 tons take a hurting but the 1 tons SRW still feels stable and safe.

Your assumption of a 1 ton SRW weighing more and get worse mpg is a myth just like a 1 ton cost 4 times more to insure than a 3/4 ton.

Chris

Your right, it was an assumption. I should have done my research on that first. Thanks for making it clear.


Kyle

 

[Builder]

Not quite true. They are heavier and get worse mpg.


Kyle

There's virtually no difference in fuel mileage between a SRW GMC 3500 & SRW 2500.
A 50 lb heavier driver or different quality tires would make a more significant change in fuel economy.

 

[Builder]

You are wrong about that. My 2004 F-250 and my 2006 F-350 with the same box and cab configurations and the same engine, tranny, and rear gear get the same mpg. The F-350 is only 100# more and that is just due to the higher options list and slightly heavier spring package.

I disagree with Builder on about 50% of the stuff but me and him see eye to eye on the 1 tons SRW. They are the best keep secret in trucks. I drove a GMC dually for work for about 2 years in the late 90's and hated it. It was the worst vehicle I had ever driven on snow and ice and those big fenders just got in the way for day to day operations like at banks and parking lots. That being said if I were towing 15,000# daily and did not have to use the truck for other task it would be a dually. They have there place but after owning 2 3/4 tons and 3 1 ton SRW trucks I can tell you the 3/4 tons were a waste of money for me when I found out like Builder did you can get a 1 ton SRW for $500 to $600 more than a 3/4 ton and have 1000# to 1500# more payload with the same size truck. When it comes to towing 12,000# or more the 3/4 tons take a hurting but the 1 tons SRW still feels stable and safe.

Your assumption of a 1 ton SRW weighing more and get worse mpg is a myth just like a 1 ton cost 4 times more to insure than a 3/4 ton.

Chris

I actually think the SRW 1-ton is about the best kept secret in pickup trucks.
They're great for anyone who basically needs a 3/4 ton, but must constantly have some kind of ambient or constant load, like a trailer, utility body, etc. that "steals" your payload.

 

[Ryan03]

I drove a GMC dually for work for about 2 years in the late 90's and hated it. It was the worst vehicle I had ever driven on snow and ice and those big fenders just got in the way for day to day operations like at banks and parking lots.

Chris

Yes that was the case with my Ford dually to. It did good in the snow as long as the roads did not have wheel paths beat into them yet, but once they got well traveled, it seemed almost impossible to keep all 6 tires in the wheel path, and from that point on it was a constant struggle to keep it on the road, regardless of whether it was in 2 wheel or 4, loaded or unloaded. Banks and parking lots were also a big P.I.T.A. I once got it crossed up in a Get GO car wash, I did not line up correctly and ran over the pipe rail to keep you lined up with my pass. side rear duals, placing the guide pipe right between the pass inner and outer dual. It took almos 15 min of 4 lo forward 3 ft,back 3ft to get loose, as I could easily move, but the frontend just plowed against the opposite side pipe gaurd. In hindsight, I probably just should have got out and deflated the outer dual to lessen the squeeze factor, but when you are embarresed and become the main attraction at the car wash, you don't always think that way, at least I can laugh about it now. Thank you Chris for triggering that horrible memory that I had worked so hard to repress.

 

[Diamondpilot]

No problem. Yes, that dually I was driving was a white GMC, about a 1996, 454 4 wheel drive truck. I started driving it in April 1997. It did have a nice Boss V Plow on the front of here but sucked in the snow, even in 4 wheel drive. It seem like here in Indiana we always get 1/4" of ice or more followed by 8" of snow which makes for some fun driving. Like you said, I hated the dually for daily driving and in the snow it could not decide on what tire to let follow the fronts. It was either the inner rear or the outer rear and never the same for more than 10 seconds.

I had a buddy who had a F-350 with a plow and he would take the outer rears off in the winter for pushing snow. He called the tires "Pizza Cutters". At that point in my life, much younger, I figured big fat tires were the best on a truck. He could go through any snow with the skinny tires cutting through the snow and ice and getting down to the dry pavement.

Chris

 

[gemini5362]

I actually for years drove a F350 SRW. As a matter of fact it is still parked in my field and I occasionally start it in case I ever decide I want a truck to play with on the farm. I dont know about insurance costing more because I had teenagers that drove it and insurance could not have been much higher. But I do know that in Arkansas it cost more to license it. I had to pay a higher assesment for taxes and the plates had to be commercial plates. In arkansas no matter what you use the truck for 1 ton and larger have to have commercial plates. I am sure that it cost more to register it. When I first got the truck they registered it as a regular pickup the second or third year I went to assess the clerk said is this a F350 and I said yes. She informed me that I had to register it as a commercial vehicle and everything went up. For all I know commercial insurance might be higher. I know my tractor with my insurance agent cost 480 dollars a year to insure. I checked with Farm Bureau and it dropped down to 140.00 a year. When I asked my insurance agent about the difference he told me that he had to insure it as a commercial vehicle it was the only way his underwriters would insure it. Now 480 might not be 4 times as much but it is not far from it.

 

[PapaPerk]

If ya want a gasser I would look hard at the Toyota Tundra (the new big ones). Very nice trucks!

Personally I like diesels but not sure how they are doing now that they have the emission controls on them. I have a 2004.5 Dodge Cummins and I wouldn't trade it for $45K! The new Duramaxx looks pretty nice though...

 

[Builder]

If ya want a gasser I would look hard at the Toyota Tundra (the new big ones). Very nice trucks!

Personally I like diesels but not sure how they are doing now that they have the emission controls on them. I have a 2004.5 Dodge Cummins and I wouldn't trade it for $45K! The new Duramaxx looks pretty nice though...

The best gas truck right now is the Ford Superduty V-10. No other gas truck can match it's torque curve & heavy duty features. GM scrapped their 8.1L gasser in '06 which was just sick for torque, had a 6 speed ally & 11.5" G-80 rear.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

...but after owning 2 3/4 tons and 3 1 ton SRW trucks I can tell you the 3/4 tons were a waste of money for me when I found out like Builder did you can get a 1 ton SRW for $500 to $600 more than a 3/4 ton and have 1000# to 1500# more payload with the same size truck. When it comes to towing 12,000# or more the 3/4 tons take a hurting but the 1 tons SRW still feels stable and safe.
Chris

I pretty much agree with the 1 ton SRW sentiments expressed by Builder and MU-300 pilot. I don't think 3/4 tons are useless though. Although 1 ton SRW Dodges weren't available in 1995 when I got my last new truck, I essentially turned it into a 1 ton (or better) by adding Firestone air helper springs. I would start to worry about stability and tire loading though if towing up in the range they are talking about. That's a lot of weight on only 2 rear tires.

If you ask me, it is 1/2 ton pickups that are useless. Yooperdave's photo validates this. For a vehicle the size of a full-size pickup, it should START with a payload of 1500-2000 lbs. A 1/2 ton is great if you want to carry a full load of ping pong balls or rigid styrofoam insulation. The manufacturers have finessed the suspensions to the point that even 1 ton duallies ride pretty good.
A japanese kei mini truck will support almost as much as a full size 1/2 ton.

 

[Diamondpilot]

You validate my point. You spent the money to add bags when you could have gotten a SRW 1 ton for about the same money and had a better resale and a truck you would not have had to modify with bags.

Good catch on the MU-300. I also fly a NA265-65 and a C-525 for jets. The list is long for the Turbo Props although I have not been in one since 2000. The NA265-65 should keep a few stumped for awhile.

Chris

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I only added the air springs when I got the Sooner 3-horse with LQ. Couldn't get a 1 ton SRW in 95. Wasn't interested in a duallie.
Because the LQ made the trailer front-heavy, I needed them. My previous trailer was a bigger 4 horse head-to-head, but without LQ, I didn't need the helper springs for it.

If you want to believe it , or not, according to the Sooner dealer who sold me the trailer, if I had a "new" 1 ton SRW or duallie, I'd still need the air helper springs. He says all the new trucks, even duallies are under-sprung, and benefit from them. He wasn't trying to sell me springs because that is not part of his business.
Weren't Sabreliners the first purpose-built bizjets? Or was that the Jetstar?

 

[Diamondpilot]

The Sabre/Jetstar fight will go on forever. I see you know your flying machines.

Chris

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

The Sabre/Jetstar fight will go on forever.

Oh no, not another Gear vs. HST debate!

I see you know your flying machines.

Luv 'em!

 

[slowzuki]

I was pretty shocked when I started looking into the load and towing capacities in light trucks these days. A few differences in options means the difference in towing 3500 lb or up to I think it was 7000 lb+ with an F-150.

The 250 vs 350 debate is pretty complicated too, as when optioned a certain way, all you get in the 350 is slightly heavier rate springs and worse ride. The 250 with airbags may be the better way to go if you drive it every day.

The trucks from today are quite a different story from the 70's. Back then some half tons came with spindly little axles while some 3/4 tons came with what were 1 ton rear axles in the next decade. The 1/2 tons back then all came with terrible brakes.

No doubt some of them where sprung stiff enough to take a load, but the flexy frames, weak brakes etc certainly wouldn't be up to it long term.

 

[Builder]

I was pretty shocked when I started looking into the load and towing capacities in light trucks these days. A few differences in options means the difference in towing 3500 lb or up to I think it was 7000 lb+ with an F-150.

The 250 vs 350 debate is pretty complicated too, as when optioned a certain way, all you get in the 350 is slightly heavier rate springs and worse ride. The 250 with airbags may be the better way to go if you drive it every day.

The ride is actually almost identical in most 3/4 & 1-ton SRW's F-250/F-350.

The reason is because of the helper on top on a 1-ton. The helper on top of a 1-ton spring doesn't touch the overload pads until the truck has at least 1,500lbs on it. The 3/4 ton springs don't usually have the upper overload springs. So empty, they ride almost identical. Now when they're loaded heavily, the 1-ton helper touches the overload pads and helps stabilize the load. The standard 3/4 ton spring just flattens out and errodes the handling quality of the truck.

 

[asylum575]

Heywood wrote:
"If you ask me, it is 1/2 ton pickups that are useless. Yooperdave's photo validates this. For a vehicle the size of a full-size pickup, it should START with a payload of 1500-2000 lbs. A 1/2 ton is great if you want to carry a full load of ping pong balls or rigid styrofoam insulation."

I disagree, the 1/2 ton trucks work well with a do-it-yourself homeowner kinda guy. They're great for picking up materials at a home store or loading firewood. I have a 3/4 ton and have only had one time in the last two years that a 1/2 ton would not do what I needed. A 1/2 ton can tow up to 7000lbs, not that I would go that high with one.
If your're in business, doing real hauling or plowing snow, no way. You have to go to a HD and then youe might as well go for the 1 ton for the small difference in price.
They sell alot of 1/2 tons and if they weren't up to the task, the manufacturers would stop making them before performing all the warranty work. Most 1/2 ton buyers won't take it anywhere near the max performance ratings. Anyone who might push it, are smart enough to know to go for a bigger truck.

 

[shvl73]

If you ask me, it is 1/2 ton pickups that are useless. Yooperdave's photo validates this. For a vehicle the size of a full-size pickup, it should START with a payload of 1500-2000 lbs. A 1/2 ton is great if you want to carry a full load of ping pong balls or rigid styrofoam insulation. The manufacturers have finessed the suspensions to the point that even 1 ton duallies ride pretty good.
A japanese kei mini truck will support almost as much as a full size 1/2 ton.

I would think it would depend on the desired use whether it is a 150, 250, or larger that is needed. For a truck that is, for the most part a commuter vehicle, our F150 certainly meets our needs. It pulls the horse trailer, hauls the wood pellets (full pallet), hay and shavings and still has a car like ride with good interior room and reasonable fuel mileage for what it is. To each his own I guess.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

They sell alot of 1/2 tons and if they weren't up to the task, the manufacturers would stop making them before performing all the warranty work. Most 1/2 ton buyers won't take it anywhere near the max performance ratings. Anyone who might push it, are smart enough to know to go for a bigger truck.

I would hazard a guess that most 1/2 ton P/U buyers almost never put anything in the back. Many are bought because for years that was about all you could buy if you wanted something with a big throaty V8 and rear wheel drive. For occasional use picking up building supplies or throwing some firewood in, you can do the same thing with a 4x8 box trailer towed behind a Saturn, or at least a compact pickup. My point was really, that for the physical size of a vehicle such as an F150, it should have better standard payload.