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Message
Diesel Truck Engine Recommendations
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:00 am
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:00 am
I’ll be buying a diesel truck in the next few months for towing a travel trailer RV, not settled on the size of the trailer yet, but probably something between 28-32 feet, not interested in 5th wheels, will probably be a bumper pull. Are there any diesel engines I should avoid? I’m not sold on anything except that the truck will not be a Dodge. Thinking F250 or 2500. I seem to remember reading on here in the past that there was a diesel engine to avoid, but I can’t remember the details. I have zero experience with diesels, I’ve had a Tundra for quite a while, and I’m not 100% sure the Tundra would be a safe option, I know it will pull it, more worried about stopping it!! Also, was watching a YouTube video of a family that RVs for months at a time, and they were towing in the Rockies, and on the way down a hill, they engaged an “exhaust brake”. Question is, do these come standard with diesel trucks or is it an aftermarket item?
Thanks in advance OB!!
Thanks in advance OB!!
11
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:14 am to IMATIGERFAN
Get a gas burner 2500. I have a Ram diesel and love it but see that you don't want it. I traded my Ford diesel for the RAM. Diesels will have an exhaust brake and should also have a built in controller for trailer brakes.
This post was edited on 7/29/20 at 11:17 am
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:16 am to IMATIGERFAN
If you are dropping the coin for a RV and a new 3/4 ton truck....I would be going 5th wheel, or at least goose neck with some sort of goose box.
Is there a particular reason you don't want a goose neck or 5th wheel?
Pulling/stopping comes down to one thing. Weight.
What is the dry weight of the camper? What is the towing capacity of your truck?
I would assume at 28-32 foot of camper; you will be reaching the mechanical limits of a half ton truck. I wouldn't so much be worried with stopping, you will have trailer brakes for that.....but transmission temps, stability at hwy speeds, etc is what would worry me.
Ford and GM are both good buys.
The power stroke and new Duramax L5P are great engines.
Both trucks will have their pros and cons, but I wouldn't say "one is better than the other".
It will come down to personal preference.
Exhaust brake is a factory option these days. No aftermarket stuff needed.
Is there a particular reason you don't want a goose neck or 5th wheel?
Pulling/stopping comes down to one thing. Weight.
What is the dry weight of the camper? What is the towing capacity of your truck?
I would assume at 28-32 foot of camper; you will be reaching the mechanical limits of a half ton truck. I wouldn't so much be worried with stopping, you will have trailer brakes for that.....but transmission temps, stability at hwy speeds, etc is what would worry me.
Ford and GM are both good buys.
The power stroke and new Duramax L5P are great engines.
Both trucks will have their pros and cons, but I wouldn't say "one is better than the other".
It will come down to personal preference.
Exhaust brake is a factory option these days. No aftermarket stuff needed.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:25 am to southern686
quote:
If you are dropping the coin for a RV and a new 3/4 ton truck....I would be going 5th wheel, or at least goose neck with some sort of goose box.
Is there a particular reason you don't want a goose neck or 5th wheel?
Sorry I didn't specify, but I think I would probably go with a used diesel truck, something 3-4 years old. While I wouldn't completely rule out a fifth wheel, I don't like having the hitch always sitting there in the back of my truck, I know you can remove them, but the rails are usually still there. I also don't seem to be able to find a 5th wheel with a king sized bed for some reason. Thanks for the quick reply.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:29 am to IMATIGERFAN
quote:
I don't like having the hitch always sitting there in the back of my truck,
Get a turnover ball.
LINK
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:34 am to IMATIGERFAN
I had a fifth wheel and went back to a bumper pull. No doubt the fifth wheel towed better but I like having the bed of the truck for bikes, ice chests etc. I had the B&W companion hitch that fit the ford factory mounts and it was great as I could take the hitch out myself since it came apart easily into two pieces about 70 lbs each. Previously I had a Reese slider hitch and that thing was a bear and took two people to remove and install plus I had the trails that stayed in the bed.
I have a 2012 Ford F-250 diesel and when the time comes to replace I am leaning towards the ford 7.3l gas engine in a single rear wheel f350
I have a 2012 Ford F-250 diesel and when the time comes to replace I am leaning towards the ford 7.3l gas engine in a single rear wheel f350
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:36 am to IMATIGERFAN
quote:
I’m not sold on anything except that the truck will not be a Dodge. Thinking F250 or 2500.
Lol. You’ll get a bunch of Dodge recommendations on here. They have a good engine but personally I don’t care for Dodge.
Are you buying new or used?
That being said, between an F250 or 2500 Chevy/ GMC I’d go with an F250 if you are buying new. I have a 2018 F250 w/ 6.7 and it has been an awesome truck. I pull a heavy boat a good bit and a small dozer back and forth from our properties in NELA to SELA.
I’ve been really impressed by the 6.7 and I’m happy Ford finally has a really good Diesel engine again. After they stopped putting the 7.3 in their diesels in 2002 it wasn’t until the 6.7 they had a good engine. Everything between that period was for the most part shite IMO. They went to a 6.0 in 2003 - 2007 which was turd, then a 6.4 2008 - 2010 that I didn’t like too much either. In 2011 they started using the 6.7 and it has been good but in 2017 they did some upgrades to the 6.7 and it’s just a great truck all around.
This is just my opinion. Different people have different taste and have had different experiences. To me the F250 with the 6.7 checks all the boxes. Dependable and a damn good looking truck. I think the GMCs look ok as well and like I posted above Dodge has had some great Diesel engines they put in their trucks. Whatever you do, don’t get a GAS burner in a super duty or HD truck.
ETA: Pics below. The new ford front ends are growin on me. I like the 2016-2018 front ends better. The GMC is a good looking truck. That new Chevrolet front end is an abomination. Hideous.
This post was edited on 7/29/20 at 11:50 am
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:42 am to IMATIGERFAN
quote:
I don't like having the hitch always sitting there in the back of my truck, I know you can remove them, but the rails are usually still there.
Yes, when removed the rails will still be there but they aren't huge or something that gets in the way really.
You could go with a traditional goose neck and run a "goose box" on the camper. This would net most of the benefits of an actual 5th wheel. This setup would also just use a goose neck ball instead of the rail system. B&W makes a great setup that allows you to flip and completely tuck the ball away when not in use. It's flush with the bed floor as well.
28-32 foot isn't bad at all. Bumper is fine.
If it were me and I was leaning towards 32 foot or maybe longer; that is when I would heavily lean 5th or goose neck. Worth your time to read into if you do end up going longer IMO.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:45 am to EveryoneGetsATrophy
quote:
Get a turnover ball.
He is speaking about a 5th wheel hitch.
They take up tons of room if left in the bed.
A ball is different. It's considered a goose neck.
Most people don't use that for a camper unless they run a special box on the camper.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:47 am to IMATIGERFAN
I'm sure the engine you are referring to to avoid is the 6.0L they put in F250s from 03-07. Had major issues.
I have a 6.7 Cummins and love it, not sure why you want to stay away from dodge as they are widely considered to have the best engines, although a few other items are suspect, specifically their auto transmissions (which is why mine is a stick G56). All 6.7 Cummins come standard with exhaust brake, do not believe the others offer that, but I could be wrong.
I have a 6.7 Cummins and love it, not sure why you want to stay away from dodge as they are widely considered to have the best engines, although a few other items are suspect, specifically their auto transmissions (which is why mine is a stick G56). All 6.7 Cummins come standard with exhaust brake, do not believe the others offer that, but I could be wrong.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:53 am to bayoudude
quote:
have a 2012 Ford F-250 diesel and when the time comes to replace I am leaning towards the ford 7.3l gas engine
But why? I am hearing that the new 7.3 gas burner is a good engine but curious why you wouldn’t want another diesel?
Posted on 7/29/20 at 11:57 am to IMATIGERFAN
quote:
Are there any diesel engines I should avoid
New? I would stay away from the 2019+ Cummins for a while, it had some major changes with the new body style that need vetting out.
Used?
2014 and older Ford 6.7
Ford 6.4
Ford 6.0
2011 and older dramamax
In general, any diesel that has a DPF but does not use urea.
quote:
“exhaust brake”. Question is, do these come standard with diesel trucks or is it an aftermarket item?
Standard on anything made since about 2011
quote:
have zero experience with diesels,
I strongly recommend sticking with a gas truck, particularly a Ford 6.2 gasser with a long bed so you get the 48 gallon fuel tank. Cheaper to buy, cheaper to own.
If you're set on a diesel you need to be aware of what you're getting into, especially if you think it will be a Ford. They use CP4 fuel pumps which are ultra sensitive to water and contaminates. You need to be religious about draining water separators, buying good fuel, and staying on top of filter change intervals. They are pulling monsters and in 2020 began coming with a 10 speed auto which makes them even more impressive. A new Ford diesel will snatch the axles out of anything you hook to it, but you need to learn how to take care of them. A wiped fuel system is a $10k repair job on that truck. You'll see lots of failures and horror stories on the internet, those are almost always attributable to operator error and most are from 2011-2014. In 2017 they improved the fuel filtration and the failures are near non-existant on properly cared for trucks.
GM made some changes to their diesel recently which seems to be going well. Their current truck is very boring in a good way. It isn't the fire breathing monster that the ford is, but they're reliable and ride a little better. I wouldn't hesitate to own one.
In general, everything on a diesel is expensive. Overall Ford has the best 3/4 ton truck on the market right now. Good engine, badass transmission, huge fuel tank, and great optional features.
Do you have any specific questions? I just went through this a month ago.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 12:00 pm to Theboot32
quote:
All 6.7 Cummins come standard with exhaust brake, do not believe the others offer that, but I could be wrong.
I know fords do come standard w/ exhaust brake now. Not sure about GM. I’d imagine they all do now.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 12:01 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
You pretty much answered everything, appreciate your time.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 12:04 pm to Batman Chalupa
quote:
Whatever you do, don’t get a GAS burner in a super duty or HD truck.
This is horrible advice. A diesel pickup is a horrendous financial move for the vast majority of people.
Have you driven a gas 3/4 ton lately? They can outpull and outlast diesels from just 10 years ago and do it cheaper than any new diesel.
Unless you are pulling very heavy daily, you will never see any tangible benefit from a diesel pickup.
I own one because I want one, but to say a gas HD truck is a bad choice is wrong. Far more often than not, a diesel is the wrong choice.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 12:04 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
DownshiftAndFloorIt
You ended buying the ford or what?
Posted on 7/29/20 at 12:05 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
If you're set on a diesel you need to be aware of what you're getting into, especially if you think it will be a Ford. They use CP4 fuel pumps
This was my next point. Seems you put it better than I would've
Posted on 7/29/20 at 12:06 pm to Batman Chalupa
quote:
imagine they all do now.
They do. Anything with a variable geometry turbo will have it.
Posted on 7/29/20 at 12:13 pm to Batman Chalupa
No, I bought a 2018 ram that I got a good deal on. I really like that generation Cummins engine, its a very mature design with a CP3 fuel pump.
I have a friend who failed a HPFP on his Ford and they would not warranty it due to water in fuel. The rail had rust in it so it definitely had water intrusion. He had owned the truck since new and never put DEF in the fuel and did all the right things, he just lost the truck lottery.
He paid $9800 for a fuel system at 50k miles. The WIF light never came on. The fact that the light never came on and their refusal to work with him was something I personally couldn't get past. The truck has water separation and water detection, with no WIF warning the system should not ingest water. IMO it should have been a warranty job.
That said, the filtration system on the new trucks looks much more substantial than the system on his truck did. I was close to signing the papers on a Ford when I found that Ram.
I have a friend who failed a HPFP on his Ford and they would not warranty it due to water in fuel. The rail had rust in it so it definitely had water intrusion. He had owned the truck since new and never put DEF in the fuel and did all the right things, he just lost the truck lottery.
He paid $9800 for a fuel system at 50k miles. The WIF light never came on. The fact that the light never came on and their refusal to work with him was something I personally couldn't get past. The truck has water separation and water detection, with no WIF warning the system should not ingest water. IMO it should have been a warranty job.
That said, the filtration system on the new trucks looks much more substantial than the system on his truck did. I was close to signing the papers on a Ford when I found that Ram.
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