Best truck under $10k?

[lman]

No road salt (winter) equals no rusted frames. The one thing I have issues with are the steel brake lines that American manufacturers like to use. They all eventually rust out (salt or no salt) from moisture splash. I've replaced brake (hard lines) on a couple vehicles now and in the process of re-hard lining another. Don't know why domestic builder don't use nickel copper alloy hard lines like European builder do. They last the life of the vehicle, are much easier to work with and not as expensive as the pre bent steel lines.

I can't think of a bigger safety issue than no brakes. My wife was driving our 97 F150 when a brake line gave out. She called me and said the brake went to the floor when leaving work. I told her to use the emergency brake. She was able to make it home using the emergency brake. I replaced the brake lines with copper-nickel lines.

 

[RoyJackson]

I guess the better question is... what would you buy?

First question would be if you need a full-sized pickup, or will a compact work?
Secondly, 4WD or will 2WD do the job?
I've had a lot of trucks throughout my life. Although some were full sized, most were smaller...like a Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma.
I have a 2016 Tacoma crew cab and 4WD... when it comes time to trade, I'd go for another Tacoma

 

[MossRoad]

Toyota replaced the frames of those affected with the rust problems, was a time you could see stacks of frames behind dealerships that had been replaced.

A friend of mine has a son that works for a Toyota dealership. He made some decent deals on those and got a few for family members, all with the replaced frames.

 

[arto98607]

No road salt (winter) equals no rusted frames. The one thing I have issues with are the steel brake lines that American manufacturers like to use. They all eventually rust out (salt or no salt) from moisture splash. I've replaced brake (hard lines) on a couple vehicles now and in the process of re-hard lining another. Don't know why domestic builder don't use nickel copper alloy hard lines like European builder do. They last the life of the vehicle, are much easier to work with and not as expensive as the pre bent steel lines.

He should look for European build pickup truck............

Just kidding.

 

[5030]

I can't think of a bigger safety issue than no brakes. My wife was driving our 97 F150 when a brake line gave out. She called me and said the brake went to the floor when leaving work. I told her to use the emergency brake. She was able to make it home using the emergency brake. I replaced the brake lines with copper-nickel lines.

Planned obsolence especially up here in road salt country. At least there is an alternative and they can be easily replaced with the right (flaring and bending) tools and the correct couplings. Besides, replacing a pre bent steel hardline with many bends would most likely be a nightmare anyway. First thing car restorers do is replace the steel hardlines with copper alloy lines.

 

[MossRoad]

Planned obsolence especially up here in road salt country. At least there is an alternative and they can be easily replaced with the right (flaring and bending) tools and the correct couplings. Besides, replacing a pre bent steel hardline with many bends would most likely be a nightmare anyway. First thing car restorers do is replace the steel hardlines with copper alloy lines.

I got pretty good at bending new brake lines to match the old ones. It’s not that hard of a skill to master with inexpensive hand tools. I replaced the ones on our 93 Suburban.

 

[5030]

At least the older stuff is a double standard flare. Most european vehicles are double bubble flare. I use a Rigid flaring tool myself. and the cheap HF pliers style bender. Ni-Cop is easy to work with, glad of that and it never corrodes. The Rigid tool does all the flares. What I did with my wife's van is I re-routed the lines along the frame rail instead of up and over everything and secured them with nylon cable stays. that way there was little to no fitting of anything plus they are out where I can see them. Ni-Cop lines make that easy to do. I left the steel lines intact under the hood as the were fine (not corroded) and just switched to Ni-Cop underneath where road spray had corroded them. Nice thing about the Rigid tool is you can flare steel lines too. One time deal. The van will corrode away before I need to be concerned with the hard lines again.

Gotta love road salt up here...lol

 

[Rebeldad1]

I guess the better question is... what would you buy?

depends what its going to be used for

 

[not2old]

No road salt (winter) equals no rusted frames. The one thing I have issues with are the steel brake lines that American manufacturers like to use. They all eventually rust out (salt or no salt) from moisture splash. I've replaced brake (hard lines) on a couple vehicles now and in the process of re-hard lining another. Don't know why domestic builder don't use nickel copper alloy hard lines like European builder do. They last the life of the vehicle, are much easier to work with and not as expensive as the pre bent steel lines.

I bought my 1990 F250 new, so I know what has been done to it. About three years ago, I had to replace the brake line to the rear because it had rusted to failure. Apparently the warning lights were not working and I didn't find out about it until a routine check of fluids. For light use, the brakes worked OK. When the time came to do the front brakes at 440,000 KM I noticed a problem with a caliper and decided that because the flex lines were original, I should change them too. Of course the steel lines refused to disconnect without damage but at that mileage and thirty-one years of age I felt that I got decent value for those parts.

 

[5030]

He should look for European build pickup truck............

Just kidding.

Considering that a huge percentage of parts and assemblies on domestic trucks are sourced offshore anyway, might not make a lot of difference.