John White
Gold Member
I don' t want to start a truck kicking contest. But I have a few question on a 1994 HD 3500 with a diesel engine, (6.2 I think) For over 30 years all my bread and butter trucks have been Fords, from my Ranger to F450. All have been used when purchased and that was what was available at the time of purchase and have served me pretty well. I do have a Chev 5500 low prow with a dump on it and a GMC septic pumper which I like. When I started out in the towing business years ago I found that the F350 were lacking braking ability. Even empty, just marginal and you get a big car on the hook, it made your hemroids pucker up. I went to F450 with rear disc brakes and seemed to have good braking ability, loaded. I got out of the towing a business a few years ago, semi retired and got into the ecv. business. My first little dump was a F350 again. Rated at 10,000 gvw and when fully loaded just didnt have the brakes needed to be safe. I later got a F450 (they have rear disc brakes and I understand F350 have rear disc after 1998) and it was rated at 15,000. I could haul about 18,000 and still have pretty good brakes. I later got a Chev 5500 for a dump. My question is, I now have a 1997 F350, 73 diesel with a Reading utility bed on it to haul all necessary tools. It is rated at 10,000 GVW. The brakes have been thourghly checked out and are ok. The brakes are just barely acceptable in a emergency. I pull a 12000 GVW trailer. (I am told that over 10,000 in our state you need a cdl, but they dont seem to enforce it as long as you are pulling with a 1 ton) I pull a small back hoe which weighs about 9000 making it about the max GVW on the trailer. The 7.3 handels it fine. I just hauled a dozer from Okla. got good fuel milage and could keep up with the traffic on hills fine. The brakes on the trailer work excellent but just marginal on the truck. And in a real emergency, panic, lock up, I wonder if the tuck would stop. I have a chance to purchase a 1994 HD 3500 Diesel with a Stal utility bed (the newer style with rounded sides) The truck seems to have every option on it, Elec door lock, windows, cruse, power seats, curse, tilt, and the HD has rear disc brakes. It is so nice inside it makes me feel guilty using it in my business. My F350 has 180,000 miles on it and I have no idea how many these 7.3 are good for. But I do know it is heck of a engine and I have never had any trouble out of any of the 7.3 I have had... The Chev I am looking at has 119,000 miles on it and a contractor is liquidating. Question, What is it worth. and some have told me to stay away from the older Chev diesels. I think this would solve by braking problem as it would be a slightly heaiver truck (I dont know the GVW Rating, probably around 14k or 15, got to check it out, may put me into cdl, pulling trailer) but some have told me to stay away from the Chev diesel. How many miles can I expect out of this engine , ( I have heard some horror stories) and will this engine have enough performance to pull my trailer and back hoe? How will it compare to the 7.3? Both trucks are standared trans. My Ford is a 1997 and I probably just get enough out of it to purchase the 1994 Chev. Like I said, I have had to buy used and what was available and a price I could afford. I think I could work this deal out, but have questions on the Chev diesel with enough power and the durability of it. Any one with HD 3500 diesel knowledge or other opinon, jump in, just no truck war. ( yeh I know who dont you just get a F450) I would if I could afford it) (sorry Dodge with cummings, I left you out)
