trucks

[MetalCrafter]

I looking to purchase a new truck for my Ironworking buisness. I recentley took over my Father's buisness which he had for 35 years. The current truck we have is a 89 ford f250 WOW!!!!!!! He is finally letting go of it. I'm looking at F350 9ft. open utility bodies or 11ft. flatbeds but their are pros. and cons. I would like some of your opinoins on this. Oh I also wanted to know if a miller trailblazer would fit in the bed?

Thanks.

[terry welds]

trucks

metalcrafter. i have look at the utility beds and the welders well fit. if they dont have the steel hood that slides between the boxes. but they have to set in the very back of the bed to be handey to get to. the boxes are realy handey.as far as the flatbed you can set them up however you want.i would go with the 350. if you are anything like me i try to put anything and everything on it. good luck with your fathers buisness

[MetalCrafter]

I'm looking to set it in the bed right behind the cab.

[Bert]

I'm guesing cost of gas isn't a problem, eh? Gas or Dielsel? F350 is SWEET! Bigger the better, more to carry and tow.
good luck
bert

[MintSScout]

If you are at something new look at the 08' F450's. They are only couple of grand more than a 08' F350. You also get the new 6.4lt Powerstroke.

[Darmik]

Trucks

This is the kind of truck that you should be looking at

[admweld]

My setup

Here,s a few pics of my rig it may help with your decision and give you some ideas.It,s a 04 f-550 6.0 pwr stroke diesel/4wd/6spd stick.I built the deck if you didn,t notice that already.

[HMW]

The Fords are very good trucks, however i would check out the 4500/5500duramaxs from Gm and see what the difference is. This is coming from someone who works on both. We have Ford F550s with the 7.3 and the newer 6.0. The 6.0 has not been good to us. Injectors are about 300 each and several have had whole sets. Also several sets of head gaskets. The older 7.3 seems to do better with very few just normal issues. The duramax 6600 diesel has been outstanding, with no major repairs on a fleet of about 50 of them. Gm finally got it right by trashing the old 6.5 and letting isuzu build them a diesel engine, dont know why they coudlnt build a good one.

just my 2 cents worth. No one knows what the new Ford 6.4 will be like. i hope better than the 6.0. On another note the 6.0 performance is great, I just wouldnt want to pay the up keep

[SkidSteerSteve]

Just to add my $.02 on the truck subject. I'm still getting the $ together for my next truck. I'm looking at getting a used International 4700 (or whatever the newer version of that workhorse is) with about 100K miles on it, DT 466E and 6 or 7 speed. Just depending on what I can find. Take that platform, put some lo-pro 22.5 rubber on it and don't look back for another 200-300K miles. Parts are everywhere, and the engine is proven. Personally, I wouldn't touch a new diesel for the next few years until all the emissions and Ultra Low Sulfur mess has settled down and see what's left of all the new engines that are coming out. Get ready for 2010 with the next round of emissions!! Looks like diesel may be going the way of the steel mills if the EPA has their way. But that's just my opinion. SSS

[HMW]

Your right on the money skidsteer! The DT466 is very proven and parts are not hard to find. Your right about the emissions too 2010 is gonna be bad. How about having to take your catalytic convertor out and having its cartridge replaced ever so many miles. $$$$$. You can replace a gas engine for the cost of a set of injectors in the 6.0 Ford. For my money, if its a 3/4-1 ton truck I think I would go with a Gas engine. Very reliable, and get many miles out of them now. Especially if you do not tow much or do alot of highway driving where you might need the torque in the mountains.

[MintSScout]

The Fords are very good trucks, however i would check out the 4500/5500duramaxs from Gm and see what the difference is. This is coming from someone who works on both. We have Ford F550s with the 7.3 and the newer 6.0. The 6.0 has not been good to us. Injectors are about 300 each and several have had whole sets. Also several sets of head gaskets. The older 7.3 seems to do better with very few just normal issues. The duramax 6600 diesel has been outstanding, with no major repairs on a fleet of about 50 of them. Gm finally got it right by trashing the old 6.5 and letting isuzu build them a diesel engine, dont know why they coudlnt build a good one.

just my 2 cents worth. No one knows what the new Ford 6.4 will be like. i hope better than the 6.0. On another note the 6.0 performance is great, I just wouldnt want to pay the up keep

It's kinda funny how my brother has the same complaints about the Dmax. The 7.3 strokes are diffently better than the 6.0s tho. Also no turbo problems.

The Ford 6.4 and the the new Cummins are built for the 2010 emisions change. The Dmax is going to have to change tho.

You can always buy a beat up Ford 6.0 and swap it out for a Cummins engine.

[HMW]

I'm not really a fan of any brand. I like what works. I think they all make good trucks, Ford, Chevy and Dodge. Our trucks in the fleet are probably used differently than most. They run all day for one, as they run PTOs that operate aerial equipment. Also they run with a load 100% of their life. Most are 19000lb chassis and belive it or not are over weight at times. We have about 50 Duramaxs and we have replaced [3] injectors. Thats all and thats tons of use. In the Ford 6.0s we've put many, many injectors in them. I think we're buying the dura-maxs again this year. Biggest problem we have had with the 4500/5500 duramaxs is instrument clusters. Almost all have had at least one cluster, some have had 2. Other than that they have been good. Your right about the turbos on the 6.0. We just changed one Friday. The Cummins seems to be good although we have none so I can't compare.

[MintSScout]

I'm not really a fan of any brand. I like what works. I think they all make good trucks, Ford, Chevy and Dodge. Our trucks in the fleet are probably used differently than most. They run all day for one, as they run PTOs that operate aerial equipment. Also they run with a load 100% of their life. Most are 19000lb chassis and belive it or not are over weight at times. We have about 50 Duramaxs and we have replaced [3] injectors. Thats all and thats tons of use. In the Ford 6.0s we've put many, many injectors in them. I think we're buying the dura-maxs again this year. Biggest problem we have had with the 4500/5500 duramaxs is instrument clusters. Almost all have had at least one cluster, some have had 2. Other than that they have been good. Your right about the turbos on the 6.0. We just changed one Friday. The Cummins seems to be good although we have none so I can't compare.

I would wait on getting any new Chevys. My brother has already replaced all of the ball joints on 7or8 2007 Chevy trucks that only had a couple of hundred miles on them and Chevy didn't warrent the balljoints cause they a perishable item. I don't know anyone that is actually happywith there Dmaxes.
I don't knew anyone that had to replace the injectors on there 6.0. (They always wanted bigger injectors.)

[SkidSteerSteve]

HMW,

Have you had any dealings with the new exhaust scrubbers and the whole auto/manual soot burn off procedures? Just curious how those contraptions are working in the real world now that they have been out a few months. SSS

[MintSScout]

HMW,

Have you had any dealings with the new exhaust scrubbers and the whole auto/manual soot burn off procedures? Just curious how those contraptions are working in the real world now that they have been out a few months. SSS

Are you talking about the particulate filters? If you are I absolutly hate them. The only thing I like about them is the problem that the new 6.4 Powerstrokes with them shooting out flames. They are bulky and you can't change for an aftermarket exhaust you also can't change the tips on them. By 2010 all of the diesels will have them.