Bumpers

iTrader: (10)

Ok guys not a pissing match over ford, dodge, or chevy even though 90% of this site is chevy fans. But looking for some info as to what the best diesel trucks are in 3/4 ton say 2003- 3/4ton trucks. Prefer opinions to have some actual experiences with the vehicles and not just random info that you heard from unreliable sources.


Discuss

wheeliE-maxx

F-250-larger body and solid front axle. Had to block off the egr on an '07, but it runs ok for a crew cab on 35's (innovative tune and turbo back). Now has an on-power surge from stuck turbo vanes. Avoid 6.0/6.4

AKlowriderZ71

iTrader: (22)

DURAMAX OR DIE!!!

J/K man, they all make me a ton of money, from a shop owner's standpoint. Pick your poison.

CC05

iTrader: (2)

Ok, I could go on for days about the 90's Dodge 5.9's or the newer 6.4 Powerstrokes, but I'll leave it at the fact that early 00's Powerstrokes (99-03/the 7.3's), would be your best bet, IMO. Dpf/egr delete on the 08+ 6.4's makes them much more reliable trucks, and you can daily a 310 tune, despite what others say. Know two guys that daily 310's and my dad daily'd a 270 on his 6.4 before he sold it. You don't need head studs/bolts, and you can do a 350 on occassion on the 6.4's. EFI Live is what most diesel guys swear by, but me, my buddy's, and my family members have had much better luck with Ford diesels than Chevrolet's, when dealing with heavy tuning. Seen a few LMM's take a dump on their owners with PPE/EFI Live serious tunes. I'm a Chevrolet guy, but I'd buy a Ford diesel before I would anything else, unless it was a mechanical 5.9 Cummins from the 90's. No pissing match, just my personal experiences.

xchevyx24

I have always heard about how the 7.3's are the best diesel engine. About a year ago i bought a 02 F250 2wd 7.3 truck for work had 100,000 miles on it. Within the week the "tone ring" in the rear end came off causing the rear end to go. $1500 later truck was good as new.
About a week later the truck wouldn't start when it was cold and when it would start it seemed like it was running on half the engine. Come to find out it was the wiring harness inside the valve cover had come apart another $1000 later the truck ran like new again.
Soon after the truck started sputtering really bad so i sold it before it broke again. Had it less then a month not saying there bad trucks but I would never buy one again.

I have 4 friends with all different years duramax
2002 single cab 4x4 6 speed with PPE blew the transfer case at 200k after a tug a war with a ccsb Cummins (but he won lol)

2007 ccsb 2wd completely stock babied truck. tranny lines started leaking at 20k (under warranty)

2009 cclb 4x4 dpf delete PPE carries 2000lbs in the bed at all times never one problem except u joints 150k miles and he beats on this truck.

2004 eclb 4x4 cut off exhaust stock otherwise, no problems 250k

AKlowriderZ71

iTrader: (22)

2006 Duramax in the shop today, had leaking trans cooler lines, bad left front outer cv joint, a bent crossmember needed straightened, and a transmission service(both filters). His bill was $975, the truck had roughly 75000 miles on it and was actually in pretty good shape. Nothing else leaking, and the drivetrain & front end were solid.

Big trucks, big bucks.

silver-mod-o

iTrader: (15)

Come by my shop and see what has a cab in the air at any given time.... 90% of the time it's a 6.4 powerstroke getting a shortblock or head gaskets. I have put motors in some to the point that yes, I do think they're complete junk. The Dodge has it's fair share of problems too and while the engine seems to do well, the trans and the rest of the truck go to hell way early. The Duramaxes in my experience have been a little better than hit or miss, one you see will go to 400K with just maintenance, the next one has been overhauled 3 times and probably scrapped by then...

From my knowledge of the diesel world and being a trans guy, I'd stick to a clean 7.3/4R100 or a low mile 6.0/5R110 (Torqshift) truck and EGR delete it and stud it. From my experiences, with a couple mods the 6.0's are just as reliable as the 7.3's.

The Ford 6.7 is proving to be a good engine as well and makes stupid power, but they're back to having trans problems on those trucks... And I don't see how, the 6R140 that's in them is as big as a 55gal drum and the shafts look like baseball bats. The main issues I've seen are valve body and solenoid problems.

BLACKND

iTrader: (5)

I would never buy another 6.0 powerstroke after all the issues we've had with my wifes 07 F250.

1slow01Z71

iTrader: (36)

06-07 LBZ trucks are the most reliable out there overall. Absolutely loved mine and regret selling it every day. Wheelbearings and tie rods are the biggest thing with them, and you can get lifetime warranty wheelbearings fro 150/piece, and kryptonite makes a badass steering setup.

7.3s are slow and old, 6.0s who knows what youre going to get, the cummins is wrapped in an ugly *** truck with a crappy 4 speed til you get into the newer trucks and they still have a lot of suspension problems like the fords.

Solid axles are great for brute strength but they have just as many hub bearing and steering linkage problems as the dmaxs.

Depends on your price range too. What are you going to use it for? If I were buying mid 2000s it would be an 06-07 dmax or an LMM if you dont mind deleting the emissions BS. If I was buying new Id get a cummins.

Bumpers

iTrader: (10)

eh im not sure on budget i wouldnt want to spend a fortune but i will pay for a nice truck if i want prolly mid 20s dont really wanna break 30k at all...

for a powerstroke i would want a 06 model 6.0 from what ive read they fixed the headbolt problem and with the right upgrades they are just as reliable as the 7.3. Ive never driven a 6.0 truck but i have driven 7.3 trucks and they always seem underpowerd to me. and i doubt i could afford a 6.7 truck

on dodge idunno what i would want i guess 03-04 but i still just dont like dodge but the cummins seems to be great engine as i have a few friends with them and they seem to do great and never give any problems and they are higher mile trucks

chevy/gmc i would want a lbz from what ive been reading... but the 2500hd still looks like a halfton truck and would be the same interior wise as my last 4 trucks. lbz is what 05.5-07 classic? I dont like the nnbs trucks really one bit and ive seen a few lmms bite the dust after being tuned for a while.


Im just wanting a truck i can drive on trips and such and still get decent mpgs and also haul stuff... Plans would be tune exhaust maybe intake as far as performance goes really just anything that will help with mpgs and maybe alittle increase in power... also would get rid of any problematic unnesecery equipment.





Im just doin some research and looking around seeing if i really want a diesel... one thing ive noticed is the diesels are a good bit more expensive up front but the resale holds alot higher on them too