What truck pulls you to the fort?

[rdaniel911]

I use my F150 to pull our 25' Fleetwood, does a great job, fair fuel mileage. The 5.4 just does the trick. I am a Capt with our county fire dept. I've riden ambulances for years, and can tell you with the beating we give them the Fords hold up well, we don't have any yet with the latest Ford diesel and haven't heard much about them yet. Chevy has a good package with thier Allison tranny's and isuzu built Duramax, Isuzu historically has built a good engine. Dodge with the cummins is a proven engine, but I still worry about thier tranny's (long history in our service of failures, but that is in our extreme driving). I am a Ford man at heart, but can say with the products our there, if you take care of it and don't drive it like a fire truck or ambulance you should get good service.

 

[rdaniel911]

Oh and I forgot to mention, all but one of our Fords has well over 200,000 miles on them and they are still going strong, and they are on the road more than our Freightliner ambulances.

 

[WannaBeImagineer]

I've got a 2004 Chevy 2500 4wd, with the 6.0L, it pulls pretty good but now days its mostly a daily driver and only gets about 11mpg in town, which is rough. Before that I hauled horses with an overloaded 93 chevy 1500. The folks however are on their second Chevy Duramax, the first was a 2500HD, (2001 I think) they put about 150K on it then had to upgrade to a 2004 1 ton dulie duramax to handle the new horse trailer. They've hauled with it all over the US and currently have just a little over 200k on it, and I'd say about 75% of those miles were hauling miles.

Now I should tell you the second duramax had some injector problems, it should of been a pretty easy fix, but the local dealer complicated things with some poor repairs, but once everything was straightend out with GM and the truck was taken to another dealer (GM wasn't very happy with the first dealership) the truck was finally fixed correctly and it's still hauling. Matter of fact it hauled to Wyoming over the summer with no problems. Like someone else on here said any truck can have a problem at any given time, I for one still love GM and my next one will be a duramax!

 

[ORLCampers]

Currently using a 2008 Suburban with 6L with 4.10 Gears to pull our 29' Jayco Jay Feather which is approx 6100lbs loaded. Much better than our old Suburban with the 5.3L and 3.73.

 

[Solamom]

We tow a 33ft. Passport (weighs about 5200) w/ a Suburban 1/2 ton. DH says it tows OK for Florida flat lands but a bit concerned about taking it to the Mtns....so we may be looking to upgrade as well. He is more worried about how the Suburban controls the Trailer since it is well w/in our tow capacity.

Ideally we would like a Heavy Duty 3/4 Suburban but would consider a nice HD truck.

He did look at a used Ford HD a few weeks ago but it was an extended cab and was too small for the family but I think he is leaning to the Chevy side of things.....

 

[starbuc71]

I have had no complaints with my 2008 5.7L Toyota Tundra 4x4. It has a large towing capacity over 10,000 pounds and is strong as a bull. My only downside is my daily gas mileage which will run about 12 in the city and 14 on the highway. Usually any vehicle will run you 8-9 when your towing though. I was always a chevy guy until I got upset with itmes breaking when your truck turned 36,001 miles when the warranty was done

 

[SinceDay1]

I have a Dodge Diesel /Cummins and it pulls my 37ft 5er without a problem... I asked a similar question on here before I got my new truck and I agree, the imput and help is great, makes me enjoy coming the site and as well, being a part.... Good luck and I hope you find the exact truck you like....

 

[dblr]

We pull our 39' 5th wheel with a 05 F350 dual wheel truck, did put air bags to soften the ride and also a trailair hitch on the 5th wheel helps alot. If I was not so set on a Freightliner or Peterbilt I would look @ a the new Fords. I would look @ the 450 but I think the 250 would be a great choice and room to move up to a larger tt or 5th wheel later, Just in case.

 

[njcamper95]

I pull with a 08 2500 hd chevy 6.0 gas my tt is 32' and dry weight of 6348 lbs gets the same around town or pulling tt about 11 mpg being i drive 5-10 minutes to and from work i just couldn't see the money of the diesel you are talking somewhere in the $8,000 to $12,000 range and that buy's lots of gas and the short trips around town wouldn't justify the expense we only usually only make 1 trip to the fort a year i have had both dodge and chevy 1/2 ton and 3/4 tons and both have been good never had a ford so can't help in that dept. happy shopping and good luck

 

[Barney Fife]

2009 F350 with the 6.4L diesel. It's pictured in my sig. Great truck. Rediculously strong pulling power. Rides very nice and I always love the Ford interiors best.

But it drinks fuel so much loaded or not, I'd stay away unless you get a killer deal.

 

[thegooftroopfla]

2010 f250 diesel 4x4. asked the same question on here when i bought it. i pull a 31 ft sprinter bhs. f250 pulls it great. also started with a 150 and upgraded. my gas mileage is about 15-16 around town. somehow i have no idea how because everyone else i talk to is getting crappy mileage. i did nothing to upgrade the motor after talking to a mechanic. he said alot of the problems are people who are upgrading the motors alot. however i love the whole package. actually had a little better deal on a dodge, but did not like the look or the interior. and it wasnt a much better deal.
the 2011 i hear are awesome though

 

[FortWildernessFan]

We have a 1999 Sierra 39.5' Travel Trailer with 2 slides. It weighs 9270 Pounds. I tow it with a 2007 Dodge MegaCab 1500 2wd with the 5.7 Hemi, 3.73 Rear end gears. I also carry my 2002 Club Car Gas Golf Cart in the bed and my wife, daughter and 2 sons. It gets ok gas mileage around town at 14mpg and 19mpg highway. I get 8.5 mpg towing but I also keep the speed at 70mph or below. I have made this trip to the Fort 4 times already and will be leaving for my 5th trip this Friday 10/1/10 The Hemi tows very well. I was worried that I would be disappointed compared to my old Powerstroke. It is not as powerfull but very surprising.

Before the Dodge I had a 1999 F250 Superduty Crew Cab 4X4 long bed with 7.3 Powerstroke Diesel and Auto. I got 15 around town and 21mpg solo on the highway. Towing the same trailer and golf cart I got 11mpg. This truck pulled this trailer very well with approximately 25 trips to the Fort. I put over 300,000 miles on this truck before I traded in on the Dodge.

 

[rock_doctor]

I'm going to be the odd ball out (nothing new there) but if all you all you are doing is pulling to Disney once a year and then using it for a short distance driving as a daily driver (dd) i would get yourself a gas 3/4 ton or 1 ton. Diesels do not like to be used as a short distance dd and do not like to sit. In addition the maintenance costs for a diesel are 2 or 3 times that of a gas engine plus diesel generally costs more then super unleaded so there is very little mileage vs fuel cost off set. Gone are the days of diesels getting good mileage (you can thank the EPA and the tree huggers for that)... The 6.7 ford does do a little better mileage then fords previous clean burn diesels but that added benefit is offset by having to use urea. Even then i doubt you will see better then low teens in the city and high teen on the highway. I would really look at a gas truck but if you are dead set on a diesel the 6.7 has not been a bad set up and the 6.4 wasn't either. Personally, i would get the 6.4 since it is the last of the international engines. This means you will be able to get parts for it from international and ford. How long will Ford supply parts for the 6.7 (the engine they build themselves) once they dump the 6.7 and move on to something else?? I own a 6.0 diesel and a 6.4 diesel and both have been problem free so i can only speak about ford trucks... By the way if you want great mileage you need to get a diesel 7.3, no emissions and best mileage of the lot (mid teens and low 20s on the highway). <All mileages are empty> Go in to your local dealers and look at the fit and finish and overall build quality of the three trucks and your choice will be obvious. The build quality is dramatically different from one manufacture to another...

 

[clkelley]

I pull a 16 foot 2,000 lb T@B with a 2009 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, 4.6 V8. It doesn't even know it's back there .

I get 12 - 14 towing on the highway and 12-14 city. I get 20+ not towing on the highway

We use ours for 5-6 trips to WDW per year and then 5-6 100-300 mile weekend trips per year, then a 3.5 mile commute to work.

(Let's put it this way, the truck is only 18 months old and has 32K miles on it)

 

[LONE-STAR]

I'm going to be the odd ball out (nothing new there) but if all you all you are doing is pulling to Disney once a year and then using it for a short distance driving as a daily driver (dd) i would get yourself a gas 3/4 ton or 1 ton. Diesels do not like to be used as a short distance dd and do not like to sit. In addition the maintenance costs for a diesel are 2 or 3 times that of a gas engine plus diesel generally costs more then super unleaded so there is very little mileage vs fuel cost off set. Gone are the days of diesels getting good mileage (you can thank the EPA and the tree huggers for that)... The 6.7 ford does do a little better mileage then fords previous clean burn diesels but that added benefit is offset by having to use urea. Even then i doubt you will see better then low teens in the city and high teen on the highway. I would really look at a gas truck but if you are dead set on a diesel the 6.7 has not been a bad set up and the 6.4 wasn't either. Personally, i would get the 6.4 since it is the last of the international engines. This means you will be able to get parts for it from international and ford. How long will Ford supply parts for the 6.7 (the engine they build themselves) once they dump the 6.7 and move on to something else?? I own a 6.0 diesel and a 6.4 diesel and both have been problem free so i can only speak about ford trucks... By the way if you want great mileage you need to get a diesel 7.3, no emissions and best mileage of the lot (mid teens and low 20s on the highway). <All mileages are empty> Go in to your local dealers and look at the fit and finish and overall build quality of the three trucks and your choice will be obvious. The build quality is dramatically different from one manufacture to another...

All valid points but I love diesels ( I miss my 7.3 )

 

[ntsammy5]

I'm partial to an M-113

 

[figmentfan1]

We have a 2009 F-350 Laredo Diesel as well. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It pulls our 26' TT like nothing is there! The interior is huge and spacious. The kids love it. December will be our first trip to the fort in it. Can't wait!!

 

[rock_doctor]

All valid points but I love diesels (I miss my 7.3)

Yea i know how you feel. Our first ford diesel was an 02 excursion with a 7.3 but it was destroyed in a accident in 04. Still miss that truck. We now have an 05 Excursion with the 6.0 and i have an F250 with the 6.4. Both are just fine, no problem and if i drive like grandma i am actually happy with the mileage. Something about diesel fuel. Once you start using it you can't force yourself to go back to gasoline.

 

[LONE-STAR]

Something about diesel fuel. Once you start using it you can't force yourself to go back to gasoline.

That's exactly how I feel. I know a V-10 would now be cheaper to own and operate. But after owning 4 different diesel trucks (2 dodge 2 FORD) I just cant imagine buying gas.

 

[MadFF]

We pull with a 2008 F250 crewcab 2wd 5.4 gasser with 3.73 rear. We go on 10+ weekend camping trips a season, usually within an hour or two of home. We went to Fort Wilderness in 2008 (4 months after buying the truck), and the truck was flawless.

With family, definitely get a crewcab -- the extended cab just doesn't have enough room, even if you think it does. The Ford superduty crewcabs are really big and roomy. The Dodge Megacab is great, but it cuts down on your bed size. I almost bought a megacab from a friend.

I average about 9 mpg towing our 21' TT, and just under 16mph empty on the highway.

I had a 2000 7.3 F250 previously, and honestly just got tired of the diesel. Although diesel is a lot more common these days, every once in awhile I would get caught running low and having to pass a lot of gas stations looking for diesel. I found maintenance costs to be a lot more expensive. The engine may very well last for 500,000 miles, but it better after spending so much money on it. 4 gallon (not quart!) oil changes of more expensive oil, replacing fuel filters (when was the last time you had to replace a fuel filter on a gasser?), draining water from the fuel filter (I had never heard of this before), being paranoid about the antifreeze/coolant (not just anything, but whatever is the most expensive at the parts store, if they have it), plugging in the engine block heater in the winter, waiting for it to warm up in the winter (neighbors love that), waiting five minutes at idle for the engine to cool down after driving (or you can cook the turbo), and more. And now diesel is averaging 40cents more a gallon than regular gas at the pumps in my area.

I got about 12-13mpg towing with it, and almost 21mpg empty on the highway.

I did like the truck, but just got tired of it. Doing just one or two long trips a year, that is hard to justify a diesel, especially at ~$8,000 more than a gas engine.

A friend bought a used Chevy with the Duramax. It is a great engine, very smooth, and REALLY quiet for a diesel! That is the best way to do it, I think -- if you really want a diesel, and don't have an unlimited budget, take your time to find a good used one.

Otherwise, buy a F350 Crewcab King Ranch! Yea Baby!