trucks

[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.

[Bareback Jack]

Lets go easy on the 6.0. I absolutely love mine (04 F250, XL, EX Cab, LB, 6 Speed, 4X4, oh yeah!!) I got back two hours ago from TN (1200 miles each way in one shot) and it runs like a champ!! I'd love to get another exactly like it to work with. The DT466 is a super good motor, I expect you would be very happy with it. I have one in my 4700 and I like it.

As far as the pupose of this thread, I'm curious too. I've been contemplating a flat bed but I think I'd get better use out of a utility box. Right now my jobox and crossover toolbox are filled up to the brim and I still have stuff piled up in the cab. The utility box would be pretty handy for that. However, the ease of loading and versitility of a flat bed is unparalelled. What do ya'll think?

[MintSScout]

Lets go easy on the 6.0. I absolutely love mine (04 F250, XL, EX Cab, LB, 6 Speed, 4X4, oh yeah!!) I got back two hours ago from TN (1200 miles each way in one shot) and it runs like a champ!! I'd love to get another exactly like it to work with. The DT466 is a super good motor, I expect you would be very happy with it. I have one in my 4700 and I like it.

As far as the pupose of this thread, I'm curious too. I've been contemplating a flat bed but I think I'd get better use out of a utility box. Right now my jobox and crossover toolbox are filled up to the brim and I still have stuff piled up in the cab. The utility box would be pretty handy for that. However, the ease of loading and versitility of a flat bed is unparalelled. What do ya'll think?

The 6.0 is a great motor if you can get one that isn't problematic. If I can find one that doesn't have the big problems I would love to have it.

[Eric Carroll]

I bought a 06' gmc 5500 in nov. and I really like it.I hate diesel but I had to step up from my 04 f-350 with the v-10.I have 10,000 miles on my truck and the only complaint is it vibrates to much on the interstate.I bought this truck over a f-550 because I liked the turning radius (very tight)and the bigger cab.I know lots of people that have all brands of trucks and they all have their quirks.

[HMW]

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.)

I think we are talking about 2 different trucks. The trucks we have with the Dura-max are 5500 series trucks[19,500 GVW] not pickups. They do not have ball joints, they have king pins on a straight front axle. As far as people wanting "bigger" injectors for the 6.0 ford I dont think that is possible. The electronic injector that is in there will do more than is programmed into the factory ECM. Most people I know get different programs [a chip] that changes fuel delivery and boost parameters. As far as replacing the injectors on 6.0 we changed a bunch. I still think the Ford performs well, it runs good, very strong. But I would not buy one because of the 6.0 maintenance cost. Not knocking anyone that has one, but we have lots of both trucks so its easy for me to make a realitsic comparising. I said before I think Ford and Chevy make great trucks. They [Ford]even have a new program out now, from the dealer, that cycles the injectors when you shut the engine off, funny clicking sound when shut off.

[HMW]

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

No dealings yet Steve. We did not buy any vehicles in 06' [no diesels] so I have no experience yet. I just know they are coming. My area has about 45 new vehicles on order for this year 07' with about 30 of them diesel, so we should get some. Oh, I forgot to mention, the utility I work for has a fleet of over 1800 vehicles. My region ,[there are 4 regions] which i am responsible for has a 448 vehicles with 98 of them being bucket trucks. We have 11 mechanics and do our own warranty work for GM and Ford. Our service territory is all of the Eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia and half of Delaware. Just a little back ground info on me.