What do you drive for a truck?

[sixdogs]

Had either an '07 or '08 as a company truck at my last job. Worst truck I've ever had. Don't even get me started...

I don't want to get you started but you tell a little bit on why the 2019 Tundra was a worst truck?

 

[paulsharvey]

Well, my "truck" is a 2006 Dodge Caravan cargo van. I do mobile mechanic work in addition to my regular postal job. It works better than a pickup truck for hauling tools and parts around and it will tow up to 3600 pounds. I gave about $1400 for it at the postal vehicle auction, only 74K miles when I bought it almost five years ago.

So, back in around 2012, I sold my Chevy 4x4 2500HD, and wife's Dakota. I didn't have the money to fix the 2500, and replaced it with a Impala. Then, I was gifted a 2002 Toyota Highlander, (step-dad went to trade it in, and they offered him $750, he told them he'd give it away or push it into a lake before he gave it to them for $750). That 7 years or so, without a truck, I used the heck out of that highlander, and a 5x10 trailer. Sure, I wanted a truck, but the highlander was a good vehicle, even if a bit of a grocery getter. I think the most weight I ever pulled with it was about 3400 lbs, a pallet of quikcrete on that trailer.

After that 7 years, the highlander needed just rear shocks, 4 tires, and I had hit a deer, so, front driverside headlight, and bumper cover was zip tied on.

My point was, sure I prefer a truck, but when push comes to shove, a small trailer and a small cheap SUV does work.

 

[ponytug]

2019 Ram 1500 Classic 4x4, Bighorn, 5.7L, crew cab, 6 ft 4 in bed. Does everything I want/need.
It's very similar to 2 different work trucks I've had in the past, both which ended up getting auctions as-non runners after lifters didn't oil and scored the crank.
My understanding, the 5.7 Hemi is fine, just don't idle it for hours on end. A work vehiclebis gonna run 6+ hours per day, and much of that at idle. I make sure I don't idle my personal truck more than maybe 5-10 mins,

FWIW: My experience is that I don't know of any diesel engine that does well at idle due to the imprecision of the fuel regulation. (Perhaps the newer DEF based engines are different; I have no experience with them). I almost bought a FL70 with 40k miles on it that had a new engine at 38k miles. Apparently the seller's son was a bull rider in the Pro rodeo circuit, and he had left the CAT3126 idling for hours whenever he was in the truck at rodeos.

Diesel engines are run in a fuel limited operating model, so always very lean, except at idle. Loading a diesel engine up increases the temperature in the combustion chamber and the pressure on the rings, helping to keep everything "clean, and tidy".

All the best,

Peter

 

[TN8Man]

2021 Ram 1500 Big Horn 5.7 hemi VVT (No eTorque for me) 4x4 quad cab with tow package 3.92 Rear Axle Ratio

 

[LDR812]

2002 Silverado extended cab 5.3 2wd. Bought it new. My kids were young and we raced go karts. Used it haul a 20x8.5 v nose box trailer. Almost too much trailer… did that the first couple years about every weekend. Was glad when the kids more or less grew out of that. Didn’t really have the money to be competitive… tires are costly.
Truck now has 205k on it. Put a starter and an alternator, unjoints and drive shaft bushing (2 piece drive shaft) maybe 5 window motors and a door lock or 2. Had one of the aluminum ac lines rot through so fixed that, replaced the sprier and vacuumed / charged. Oh yea - 2 fuel pumps and of course breaks several times. Also did front wheel bearing at about 130k miles. It’s my daily. Around town parking is a drag - that year they had the widest turning radius of the 1/2 ton trucks. I’ve got used to it after 20+ years!
2 things that irritate me about it. That amwas the first year they offered a 4 door extended cab and it has always been noisy. My buddy had a 90 something 3 door that was much quieter. And the other thing is the steering wheel isn’t centered to the seat. On longer trips that gets to me. The 5.3 and automatic 4le60 work real good together. Since I got the property I tow about once a month - usually the car hauler (5k axles) typically just building materials, but occasionally a tractor or digger etc. Also have a 1990 K3500 - old city dump truck. 454, turbo400 and 4.56 gears. That truck is a hoot! I use it to hall rock and stuff.

 

[m7040]

F350 platinum 2014

 

[Oaktree]

I don't want to get you started but you tell a little bit on why the 2019 Tundra was a worst truck?

The one I had was either an '07 or '08 (forget which), don't have any experience with a '19, though I don't believe there was a big difference between those years.
Cliff Notes version: For one thing it really sucked off-road. I worked maintaining communications equipment, a lot of which were co-located on cell towers. Trails my personal truck handled easily, this one struggled with. Similar tires on both. The TC on this would kick in at the most inopportune times, often as not sucking me into a ditch.
It also seemed that there was always something broken. I was lucky to get 50k on a set of wheel bearings. The 4WD was problematic, not just in its abilities, but it was often reluctant to go into or come out of it without some fiddling. There was a hose (don't remember what it went to, either transmission cooling or PS) that was positioned so it rubbed and wore thru leaving me stranded.
Ended up with this because the guy I replaced had, for some reason requested this; my colleagues had Silverados (mostly) or F-150s, both of which were much more trouble free and capable.

The irony is that when I left, the company didn't even want it back! On my last day I asked how they wanted to handle my turning it in, was told they'd get back to me. About 2 weeks later got a certified letter with the signed-over title inside. No I didn't keep it.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

What I drive most often.

What I put the most miles on.

 

[Runner]

2004 F350XL V10 4:30, camper and snow plow package, automatic, manual hubs, about 9,900 original miles. Bought new. Tow a boat, 20 foot flatbed and haul firewood, etc.

 

[deserteagle71]

2004 F350XL V10 4:30, camper and snow plow package, automatic, manual hubs, about 9,900 original miles. Bought new. Tow a boat, 20 foot flatbed and haul firewood, etc.

Wow! That's less than 500 miles a year! So you don't tow a boat or flatbed or haul firewood very often. Back when I was burning firewood, about 500 miles is what I would put on in a day going to get the wood!