School me on Ford Diesel Engines 6.0 vs 6.4 vs 7.3

**NoPostholio** · 06-17-2017, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by Snow Dog

Nice setup but the truck is probably overloaded. The GVW for an F350 SRW is 9,900 and the camper weighs 3,000 dry. A friend has newer GMC dually (12,500 GVW) and he's over his GVW with his non-slide Arctic Fox camper. Just sayin' -- make sure the tires, rims, and axles are up to the task.

Thx - yeah I worried about that when starting to look at heavier campers, but this guy was pretty thorough on replacing a lot of stuff in both the camper and truck. I know it has 16 ply tires with larger steel rims, air bags and solid timbren type bump stop and added leaf spring, front and rear sway bars and the Rancho shocks with some kind of adjustment to stiffen if needed - they are original owners of both, so he has done a lot of traveling with it since 2009 (camper purchase) - he also pulled a nautique wherever they went so at least from their perspective it was up to the task. I did a lot of window shopping on rv trader, and there were quite a few 990s on srw trucks - time will tell though.
Hopefully I won't need to start a destruction thread about some epic highway failure.
Glad this thread is here to bump for intel as there is a wide knowledge base for us non motor heads.

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**Kailua_Boys** · 06-17-2017, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by snowaddict91

There's this one in SLC.
[url]http://www.diesel-deals.com/mobile/mdetails.aspx?VID=263918289[/ur]

People are insane paying that.

I can buy a new ram 2500 4x4 Cummins mega cab for 50k OTD here in California. What's the point in buying a truck that old for that price? Yeah the 7.3l is nice, but I don't see the appeal.

My parents have a 97 2wd x cab f250 with the 7.3l and a six speed. They bought it used in 2007 for 12k with 120k miles on it. Nice truck and drives awesome. But it's still 20 years old and has the problems that come with age.

**Snow Dog** · 06-17-2017, 05:15 PM

Sounds like the previous owner did all the right upgrades. Around here (BC) you can't exceed the GVW on the door jamb. Commercial vehicle inspectors have popup inspections stations and will nab overloaded half tons w/ campers.

**NoPostholio** · 06-17-2017, 05:35 PM

If you want to lol, search truck camper in Portland and seattle to see some of the TC set ups where the camper overhang is like 6 inches off ground and rear fender covering a third of the tire.

In 'merica it is your gawd given right to own and operate a dangerous piece of equipment.

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**TAFKALVS** · 06-17-2017, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by NoPostholio

If you want to lol, search truck camper in Portland and seattle to see some of the TC set ups where the camper overhang is like 6 inches off ground and rear fender covering a third of the tire.

In 'merica it is your gawd given right to own and operate a dangerous piece of equipment.

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I got airbags, it's fine.

**NoPostholio** · 06-17-2017, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Snow Dog

Sounds like the previous owner did all the right upgrades. Around here (BC) you can't exceed the GVW on the door jamb. Commercial vehicle inspectors have popup inspections stations and will nab overloaded half tons w/ campers.

What is the deal with the ranges shown in this screenshot - 9900-11,200 gvwr compared to the payload # - changes with different suspension options?

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**El Chupacabra** · 06-17-2017, 07:00 PM

Depends on a lot: single, extended, crew cab, short or long bed, diesel or gas motor, 2WD or 4WD, SRW or DRW.

**snowaddict91** · 06-17-2017, 07:30 PM

^yup. Your driver's door jamb will tell you what your truck's is.
If it were me I would get your setup weighed. You are certainly over GVWR but I would at least want to compare my actual weight to tire and axle ratings just to be sure I was good there.

**NoPostholio** · 06-17-2017, 08:16 PM

Front 4900-5200
Rear. 8250

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**Snow Dog** · 06-18-2017, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Depends on a lot: single, extended, crew cab, short or long bed, diesel or gas motor, 2WD or 4WD, SRW or DRW.

Exactly. 9,900 is an F350 SRW and 11,200 is a DRW. Snow plow prep package usually bumps the GVW a little. Diesel engine bumps it a little. Vehicle options can add up [weight] and take away from the payload. The fully optioned trucks can weight 500 pounds or more than a basic truck.

**Snow Dog** · 06-18-2017, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by NoPostholio

Front 4900-5200
Rear. 8250

Don't forget your tires. A typical load range E truck tire is 3,200#. A big advantage of a dually is the 4 tires supporting the load.

**NoPostholio** · 06-18-2017, 10:02 AM

It has 16 ply which I guess is H rated at btwn 5-6k per tire. That with the steel rims (19" I think) is a little redundancy and improvement of the weakest link. If I get it to west coast, I may sell and upgrade to a dually if I am smitten with camper, or downgrade to lower price and nimbler unit.

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**highangle** · 06-18-2017, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Kailua_Boys

People are insane paying that.

I can buy a new ram 2500 4x4 Cummins mega cab for 50k OTD here in California. What's the point in buying a truck that old for that price? Yeah the 7.3l is nice, but I don't see the appeal.

My parents have a 97 2wd x cab f250 with the 7.3l and a six speed. They bought it used in 2007 for 12k with 120k miles on it. Nice truck and drives awesome. But it's still 20 years old and has the problems that come with age.

There's still a strong aftermarket, and the OBS is on its way to becoming the deHavilland Beaver of Detroit.
In 5 years, that spartan, roughridin' 97 will be a recognized classic automobile, and worth classic car insurance costs. In 10 or 15, a rusty junker will be worth restoring.
Tell your folks to stay after it, and work the piss out of it every chance they get. 10 years on $12k - that truck probably doesn't owe them a cent at this point.

**TAFKALVS** · 06-19-2017, 12:32 PM

Welp, my Chevy sold, so I think I'm going to move forward with the 6.4 Ford. I test drove it a few nights ago and I think we agreed on a solid (for the market) price. Any final thoughts from the powerstrokers?

Or should I be cummin'?

**Kailua_Boys** · 06-19-2017, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by highangle

There's still a strong aftermarket, and the OBS is on its way to becoming the deHavilland Beaver of Detroit.
In 5 years, that spartan, roughridin' 97 will be a recognized classic automobile, and worth classic car insurance costs. In 10 or 15, a rusty junker will be worth restoring.
Tell your folks to stay after it, and work the piss out of it every chance they get. 10 years on $12k - that truck probably doesn't owe them a cent at this point.

What's amazing is my Dad beats the piss out of the truck and it just keeps going. He's the type of person that would kill a work van every 5 years and this SD just turns on and keeps going. The body is surprisingly good shape for being parked outside next to the ocean for the last decade.

So I see the appeal in it. I guess it's mostly jealously from my end. Especially when 10 years ago you could still get good deals on them but now they're becoming classics like you pointed out. And I'm skeptical of the newer diesels due to all of the emissions systems. I'm sure they run better with the emissions removed but that's not possible where I live in California.

**Mazderati** · 06-19-2017, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Leavenworth Skier

Welp, my Chevy sold, so I think I'm going to move forward with the 6.4 Ford. I test drove it a few nights ago and I think we agreed on a solid (for the market) price. Any final thoughts from the powerstrokers?

Or should I be cummin'?

How important are four doors?

**TAFKALVS** · 06-19-2017, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by Mazderati

How important are four doors?

Pretty important.

**MagnificentUnicorn** · 06-19-2017, 06:08 PM

Long bed crew cab is gonna suck everywhere but cruising down the highway. You'll have a hard time turning it around in your driveway.

**XXX-er** · 06-19-2017, 06:39 PM

I believe the super LWB ^^ affects traction in snow as in how far you will get up a snow covered forestry road even with 4x4?

**highangle** · 06-19-2017, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by Kailua_Boys

What's amazing is my Dad beats the piss out of the truck and it just keeps going. He's the type of person that would kill a work van every 5 years and this SD just turns on and keeps going. The body is surprisingly good shape for being parked outside next to the ocean for the last decade.

So I see the appeal in it. I guess it's mostly jealously from my end. Especially when 10 years ago you could still get good deals on them but now they're becoming classics like you pointed out. And I'm skeptical of the newer diesels due to all of the emissions systems. I'm sure they run better with the emissions removed but that's not possible where I live in California.

I can understand not being able to justify one. I've got no business with a 20 year-old truck, really. I can pimp whatever I want.
But not only did Ford knock it out of the park with that engine in that truck, it ain't broke yet.

What a fkn redneck, huh?

**TAFKALVS** · 06-19-2017, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by AaronWright

Long bed crew cab is gonna suck everywhere but cruising down the highway. You'll have a hard time turning it around in your driveway.

It's not going to be my daily driver. Pretty much just to haul the camper and tow stuff.

Originally Posted by XXX-er

I believe the super LWB ^^ affects traction in snow as in how far you will get up a snow covered forestry road even with 4x4?

I have a lifted/locked land cruiser for that.

**snowaddict91** · 06-19-2017, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by highangle

I can understand not being able to justify one. I've got no business with a 20 year-old truck, really. I can pimp whatever I want.
But not only did Ford knock it out of the park with that engine in that truck, it ain't broke yet.

What a fkn redneck, huh?

Yup on all counts. Have thought about buying a new truck, but don't fix what ain't broke, right?

**XXX-er** · 06-19-2017, 08:30 PM

So we were out at the Hankin/Evelyn back country ski area where a local had managed to get her VW van up to the p-lot on a sketchy road which impressed me

what didn't impress me was that on the way down we passed a 350 crew cab long box 4x4 parked at the bottom of the last set of hills and somebody in our 4x4 truck said yeah those things don't that well on slippery roads

a buddies 4x4 crew cab long box cummins dodge PU is the same way ....something to be aware of

**highangle** · 06-19-2017, 08:40 PM

LWB is better on snow & ice than SWB. Long, heavy 4x4 diesel pickup trucks rule winter roads.

Sleds are way better on wintered-in logging roads than SUVs.