Half ton vs 3/4 ton pickup?

[Av8r3400]

If you watch for a "program" vehicle, they are about giving away the HD trucks right now. The dealer demo's and program vehicle market is very soft, and deals can be had if you watch for them.

(Wife's uncle just bought a crew cab HD2500 Chevy with the 6.0 V-8 and 4000 miles for $15k less than sticker.)

 

[jcmseven]

My experience is that one can get into a 3/4 ton truck for not too much more than many of the 1/2 ton trucks these days. When I was first looking for a full size truck I went with the 3/4 ton because it seemed like much more truck for not a lot more money. The big question will be the powerplant. Adding a diesel really jacks up the price, and running the numbers, it is difficult to justify doing it unless one is really driving a lot and pulling most of the time. That said, most owners get and want the diesel for resale reasons, among others. That would be a decision for you individually. The differences in pulling and operating plows, etc. would be large between the two duty trucks and honestly the 3/4 ton trucks these days ride great and handle like the smaller trucks. I have not regretted for one moment getting a 3/4 ton truck and likely would buy another one when I am ready. Good luck with your purchase.

John M

 

[MarkV]

Pete, I believe you are the type that when you find the truck you want you will be inclined to drive it as long as it is dependable. The reason I say that is my Father in law had a company that ran a fleet of 120 trucks in a seven state area mostly just to move people and small supply loads to and from jobs. When I ask him why he spent the extra money on ¾ ton trucks for such light loads he told me that they cost him less in the long rum due to less repairs. The heavier basic components just held up better for him with the high mileage use his trucks got. That was enough to move me into ¾ ton units and it sure is nice to have the extra capacities when the need arises.

MarkV

 

[midlf]

When you go diesel you take a whack on payload. The chassis is rated for so much load. If the engine is heavier, you loose payload. Check this out, the mfr don't make this info easy to find.

 

[SnowRidge]

I bought a new diesel Dodge 2500 late last year. One of the reasons I used in justifying the diesel to myself was the potential for being able to obtain biodiesel in the future. With the world the way it is, gasoline shortages are something that may occur due to disruption of oil supplies. While large scale biodiesel production is some distance away, I plan to keep the truck a long time. In the future, it may be easier/cheaper to buy fuel derived from farm products than from petroleum.

For lower power requirements, flexible fuel vehicles that can burn either ethanol or gasoline are starting to make sense, too.

My $.02.

 

[JJT]

If it were me, I'd keep the truck and simply take smaller loads. Who says you need to fill that 400 gallon water tank to capacity or fill the bed to the top of the cab with firewood? Save your money and your truck.

 

[osprey]

<font color="blue"> In the future, it may be easier/cheaper to buy fuel derived from farm products </font>

Gasohol maybe ?

 

[SnowRidge]

Here is a page that discusses E85, which is what the flexible fuel vehicles are designed to burn.

 

[JeffRey30747]

My daily driver vehicle is a Toyota Tacoma but when I need a real truck, I use my old F-350 flatbed dually. It has spoiled me with the things it can do that my little compact cannot. A full-size 1/2 ton will do a few things that a compact won't but not many and the HD trucks excel in those same areas. If I replace the old F-350, I would look for a newer model with 4WD and a crew cab and probably go with a diesel engine as well. Might as well go all the way up to a 1 ton. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Jeff

 

[Boondox]

Okay, so I've done some investigating of options and think a half ton will do me. First, I have 500# of ballast in my truck bed to offset the weight of the plow. It gives me such good traction in snow I just leave it back there even when the plow is off. But that 500# has my leaf springs completely flat. I pulled up next to a brand new 1500 4x4 Silverado on the dealer's lot and transferred the sandbags; the new truck hardly sagged at all. So maybe my suspension is just tired first from the salt spreader the original owner had in the back and next from the loads I've been carrying.

I test drove a 2500HD overnight and was very impressed. It handled well, even over our nasty dirty roads. Rock steady in severe cross winds that have my half ton wandering all over the place.

This morning I took the 3/4 ton back and checked out a half ton extended cab Z71 overnight. Well, that was the plan. It wallowed like I was driving on balloons! I made it about five miles to the post office, then turned around and took it back. Hated the way it handled!

Instead I checked out for the night a regular cab longbed Z71. Basically my present truck in a new form with more bells and whistles. Stiffer suspension. Nicer interior. Nerf bars, aluminum wheels and fender flares. Push button gearcase, power windows and doors and mirrors. Same engine, same rear end ratio, but slightly better claimed mileage. Best, it's brand new so has no history of abuse, and all my add ons (timbrens, snow plow, studded snow tires) would fit just fine.

So we're run it thru its paces tonight and see if it's enough truck for us.

As for the water tank, my lovely and sage bride pointed out this morning that trading our 400 gallon water tank for a 200 gallon tank would cost a lot less money than buying a 3/4 ton gas guzzling monster truck! (Though it might not be as much fun!)

Pete

 

[scott_vt]

Hi Pete,
Until your last post I was just kind of monitoring this thread. Dont get me wrong, there is a place for every kind of vehicle.

I bought a new 4x4 Dodge Ram 1500 in 2000. I had the same concerns that you had. So I ended up getting a 1/2 ton truck that was beefed up in not only suspension, but snowplow package, gearing 4:10 rear, transmission cooler and all the other goodies, including electrical upgrade. To date the truck has 83,000 miles over the past 6 years and other than the power steering pump letting go, still under warranty I have had very good luck with it. The truck hauls wood, amognst other things and occassionally tows tractors. I couldnt justify buying a 1 ton pickup to use it the way I do. Other than poor gas milage around town, 5.9 L gas /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif it does the job for me.

scotty

 

[Egon]

Why trade the water tank. Just don't fill it as much!

You have a 1/2 ton now. It could be upgraded suspenion wise to what the new one you have been driving.

Many of the 1/2 - 3/4 ton have the same powertrain so milage is a sorta iffy.

Bells and stuff - well - thats kinda like taking the little car on a challenging road! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Just short of yelping tires!

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RonR]

Pete, this is part speculation and part fact, but you might be running into what "appears" to me to happen.

Over the years, I've owned ford pickups: 72 F100 2WD, 85 F100 2WD, and 91 F150 4WD. I borrowed an 05 F150 4WD for awhile. Each has improvements for mileage and bells/whistles. But also, I think the GVW of each has been MORE than the previous one.

If that holds true for your comparison, just going up a few years might get you a higher cargo capacity, and not so much that your suspension is shot.

Might be worth checking.

Ron

 

[RobertN]

Because a partially filled water tank makes a more dangerous load. Unless it has baffles, the water will move on you as you accelerate, brake, and turn.

This is why most areas in the US require a tanker endorsement for Class-A and B licensed drivers(commercial).

 

[HGM]

Pete,
One question.... Will you be happy with another regular cab?

I had a Ranger regular cab for a while years ago, when I wrecked it I needed some wheels while it was in the shop.. To make a long story short, I bought a '94 F-150 Super cab 4x4.. To this day, I dont think I would ever be satisfied with a regular cab again, even though they have more room than they used to.. I even bought a Super Cab Ranger when I needed fuel economy..

Maybe you didnt drive the other one enough /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif, but if your getting the new truck for you, your wife, and dogs and it doesnt put you in a financial bind, my vote would go for the 3/4ton Super Cab(or Crew Cab would be my next /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif).. Its hard to beat the extra room they provide, plus they are more stabil and smoother riding.

Good luck either way, hope you enjoy the new truck..

 

[ToadHill]

Boondox. I have a situation like yours. Have an F150 that I put a heavy load on now and then. I bought a helper spring kit from a company called RoadMaster. It bolts to the spring plate and runs to the back shackle with a coil spring. It only works when the spring is compressed, the rest of the time you have a normal ride. I bought the helper kit designed for the F250, one size above my trucks normal rating, and have been using it for 4 years. I load about 1 face cord of wood on the truck to haul from the farm to my home in the city. For me it has been a very good system.

 

[Boondox]

Egon -- I did the half load of water in the tank thing and it was a pucker-generating experience! With the tank half full, every bump in the road got the water to sloshing...and every slosh made the entire truck wallow like a stricken freighter in high seas. If I stay with a half ton I'll sell the 400 gallon tank and go for a 200 gallon model so it could be filled all the way.

I took a 1500 Silverado 4x4 regular cab longbed home last night for an overnight test. It's essentially the modern version of the truck I already have. A few more HP, some tweaks for better mileage, and more creature comforts. Tuppence and I drove up to Morrisville on the bumpiest road around, and it handled it better than my '02, but nowhere near as well as the 2500HD.

And I just like the regular cab. Partly because it lets me have that wonderful 8 foot bed for hauling hay, but also because the extended cab models just don't feel trucklike to me. Subjective, I know, but there you go.

At first I was thinking the bigger engine in the 2500HD would result in a huge difference in gas costs annually, but after computing it I think the difference will only be about $550 per year. I could live with that.

Pete

 

[Boondox]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Because a partially filled water tank makes a more dangerous load. Unless it has baffles, the water will move on you as you accelerate, brake, and turn.

This is why most areas in the US require a tanker endorsement for Class-A and B licensed drivers(commercial). )</font>

Yeah, what Robert said! It felt like I was on the verge of losing control with half a tank!

Pete

 

[Egon]

My mistake on the water tank. Spent too many years around oilfield tank trucks to even think about no baffles. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Vehicle choices are a very personel thing for most of us.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RobertN]

This is all my personal preference, of course.

From growing up till about 9 years back, I was always around regular cab trucks. My Grandfather had them as did my Dad, and then myself.

About 9 years ago, I moved from a regular cab F250 4x4 to a x-cab F250 4x4. The thing that really sold it for me, was when we put our sons carseat in the back, he had his own window he could see out of. When we test drove it, he just sat there grinning at us through the window as we got in to the truck. He told us to get the truck! The dogs loved it too. And, we could haul all of our kid stuff ect inside, out of the weather. Only bummer, it was an '89 with no back doors.

Since then, we have sold that truck, and have this '01 we got new. It is a Dodge 2500 xcab longbed 4x4. Same thing, the kid fits, the dogs(golden retriever and Aussie Sheperd) fit, and we can put gear inside to keep it dry, or locked up. It gets used a fair bit since we're involved in Scouts too.

It does make my truck a bit long. I am a firm believer in a long-bed. But, I still go where I need to go, whether in the woods or in the parking lot(sometimes it takes a bit of manuevering in parking lots).

I could never go back. It is just so handy to have.

We do have both Dodge styles, the '01 is the quad-cab type xcab(with the small suicide doors), while my wifes '04 1500 is the quadcab 4-door. I am fine with the sorter xcab compared to the crewcab style(even though the crew type quad cab is smaller than most full crewcabs).