Ideal Farm & Ranch Truck

[Bernard]

I don't THINK this question has been asked exactly like this before, at least I didn't find it with a 'search'. If it has, I apologize, but...

If you can only have one, what is the "Ideal Farm & Ranch Truck". It'll have to travel from town to the place almost daily (40 miles r/t) and occasionally pull a 14 x 6 steel trailer. Not necessarily the make (yeah, I know; we're all diehard Ford/Chevy/Dodge or something fans), but really everything else. What size, fuel type, cab style, motor, transmission, rear end, 2 or 4 wheel drive, factory or custom bed, bumpers, hitches, add-ons or special equipment? And, anything else that's important!

 

[skyeagle]

One with no payments.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

My pick would be a Ford Supercrew with a 5.4 V8, 4X4 and towing package, or the equivelant in your favorite brand if it is not a Ford. Talked to a guy today that has a brand new one and he's averaging 15-16 mpg with the above features. You have room for the family or friends, plenty of power for the occasional tow duty, and a comfortable, good looking truck. The 4X4 comes in handy at times.

 

[cattle_gal]

If your using this as a dual purpose go with a 3/4 ton. And a 350 (or equiv) engine.

Personally a pickup should not have a automatic tranny. But with a small trailer as yours it should be just fine. Get a towing package- transmission cooler - put in if you get a automatic. And you can up grade the size of the trailer with a 3/4 ton. Also the rear end ratio's could play a roll in power/torque versus speed. For example a 4:10 is geared low. I don't even know if you can get that in the newer 3/4 tons. The 1 tons yes. But don't get too high geared of rear end for the towing purposes. I wouldn't go with a 1/2 ton pickup.

Having a 350 engine gives you good(about 16-18mpg) gas mileage when not towing, but will give you worse gas mileage towing (about 8mpg) than if you had a 454 (Chevy's big block).

The big thing now in pick ups is diesel engines. But that's up to you.

4 wheel drive is an option for you. For us up here it is a must. But if you will be hauling in muddy conditions opt for the 4 wheel drive, even though the 2 wheel drive will give you better fuel economy. But if you get stuck you much won't care about fuel economy at that moment.

Cab option. If you have lots of stuff to haul around and have other people with you an extended cab wouldn't hurt, but if you don't then it is cheaper to get a regular cab.

Beds. Since this is a dual purpose you may be using the bed to haul things that will shift around thus the factory bed would hold that in. A flat bed would be excelent for goosenecks. Goosemecks pull better than bumpers.

Age. If you can buy a good condition used one that would be great. Watch for miles on the engine and tranny. Check around for values of certain makes. Some don't hold any and this will tell you how good of a make it is.

 

[Bernard]

Thanks, Cattle_Gal:

You made a lot of good points!

 

[Texan]

My opinion will likely generate some dissent from the big operators. Oh, well....... ;-)

If you want to be a successful cattleman, go with something paid for and fuel efficient. Forget about things like good looks, creature comforts and towing ability. You can almost always hire your hauling done cheaper than you can do it yourself.

If you've got a 40 mile round trip, go with the fuel efficiency over everything else so that you never have an excuse not to check your cattle. The determinant of a successful cattleman is not what kind of pickup and trailer he can park at the salebarn or coffee shop, but how many tracks he makes across his place. JMO

 

[Craig-TX]

My opinion will likely generate some dissent from the big operators. Oh, well....... ;-)

If you want to be a successful cattleman, go with something paid for and fuel efficient. Forget about things like good looks, creature comforts and towing ability. You can almost always hire your hauling done cheaper than you can do it yourself.

If you've got a 40 mile round trip, go with the fuel efficiency over everything else so that you never have an excuse not to check your cattle. The determinant of a successful cattleman is not what kind of pickup and trailer he can park at the salebarn or coffee shop, but how many tracks he makes across his place. JMO

Very sound advice IMO. Paid for is best for at least two reasons: 1) It's paid for, and 2) if it's old enough to be paid for you won't mind getting it dirty and/or scratched. If you are afraid to get your pickup dirty and/or scratched you're not driving a ranch truck. Texan's also right about the hauling. Having your own trailer and pickup is great for convenience and independence but is very difficult to cost justify unless you need it a lot and you need the tax help.

Craig-TX

 

[sandblaster]

One with no payments.

RIGHT ON!

 

[Herefordcross]

one that runs and is paid for!

 

[KenB]

I don't THINK this question has been asked exactly like this before, at least I didn't find it with a 'search'. If it has, I apologize, but...

If you can only have one, what is the "Ideal Farm & Ranch Truck". It'll have to travel from town to the place almost daily (40 miles r/t) and occasionally pull a 14 x 6 steel trailer. Not necessarily the make (yeah, I know; we're all diehard Ford/Chevy/Dodge or something fans), but really everything else. What size, fuel type, cab style, motor, transmission, rear end, 2 or 4 wheel drive, factory or custom bed, bumpers, hitches, add-ons or special equipment? And, anything else that's important!

Are you sure what you want is an "Ideal Farm & Ranch Truck". It'll have to travel from town to the place almost daily (40 miles r/t) and occasionally pull a 14 x 6 steel trailer. It seems what you are wanting is something to commute with.
If all you are pulling or hauling is occasionally a 14 x 6 steel trailer. (it depends on what is going to be in the trailer).
You don't need much of a truck to use as transportation.
Why not get a econo. car for transportation, and get an old 3/4-1 ton 4WD rig and leave it parked untill you need a Truck.

 

[JHH]

You can almost always hire your hauling done cheaper than you can do it yourself.

We always had someone else move and take stuff to the sale for us but it gets old waiting on someone to do it when you could have already had it done. I agree with it just so much easier with trailer.

I agree with Ken B buy something to commute with and leave old truck sitting. JHH

 

[dj]

don't know that it's the best situation
'82 f-150 302 auto 4x4 pulls a 6 x16 with 5-6000 lbs(5 cows) of hamburger to the closest sale barn 20 miles away. Or to a different pasture if I'm moving them for the FIL. The trick is paying attention to stopping. And up till last year the commuter was a '90 Geo Metro 3cyl standard no air. But would make your trip on less than a gallon of gas. 1000 miles a week from 11-02 till 4-05. And you'd be surprized what you can load in a hatch back. Do people laugh? I'm sure they do, but it lets me pay my bills.
By the way I remember running across the panhandle of Texas on ice in the winter get a 4x4.

 

[cfpinz]

 

[FROGHOLLOWFARM]

I have an 84 3/4 ton 4x4 flat bed chevy 350 with a flat bed I use for towing,got a good deal on it.I have an f150 for running around,but am getting rid of it for a smaller older 4x4 4cyl because of gas mileage.

 

[skyeagle]

4x4 is a must if you go past the driveway. But I also feel
the need for a Limited slip rear end. it makes a big difference
in traction!

 

[milesvb]

You can almost always hire your hauling done cheaper than you can do it yourself.

The local auction barns here will pick up for free. Hard to beat that price. The same guy that hauls for the barn will pick up a load of heifers or sick animal and haul to the vet and back for a lot cheaper than maintaining a large trailer and pulling truck you have to feed gas to everyday.

 

[J. T.]

My pick would be a Ford Supercrew with a 5.4 V8, 4X4 and towing package, or the equivelant in your favorite brand if it is not a Ford. Talked to a guy today that has a brand new one and he's averaging 15-16 mpg with the above features. You have room for the family or friends, plenty of power for the occasional tow duty, and a comfortable, good looking truck. The 4X4 comes in handy at times.

I agree. I would add, however, that an XL (no frills) is the way to go. Vinyl seats, rubber floors, crank windows, painted bumpers, manual door locks. Less to tear up and hose it out when it's muddy.

 

[Crowation]

well everyone has differant situations..
I grew up on a dairy farm. now we are into beef herds.
for me i like having 2 trucks.
both 2 wheel drive. if it gets stuck theres always a tractor that can pull it out. I don't wanna pay extra $ out for gas just to have 4 wd & use it 2 times a year.
s 10 chevy ..4 cyl. cheap on gas & can haul mostly anything i need 50 weeks of the year.
the other is a half ton chevy.long bed. 1976..350 .it pulls/hauls anything i need & if it cant then theres always the old dump truck lol. 1 way or the other it's gonna get hauled or pulled.
i drive that s 10 almost everywhere. I normally look me up another 1 ever few years when the 1 i got gets wore out & repairs cost more than its worth

 

[cmjust0]

I saw my version of the ideal farm truck at an estate auction a few weeks back.. It was a 1984 Ford F150, flatbed, 4x4 (solid front axle and manual hubs 8) ), 4-speed manual tranny, and a 300-6 under the hood. Only had 105K on the odometer, and was in remarkably good condition for a 22 year old farm truck.

They had two auctioneers going -- one selling farm items and the other selling household items. For whatever reason, the truck was parked closer to the house than the barns, and while I was over near the barns participating in the farm items sale, the guy who had been auctioning the household junk walked right over and auctioned the doggone truck to a crowd comprised mostly of old women.

Consequently, it brought $550.

I don't think I was the only one kicking myself that day (or wanting to kick that 2nd auctioneer), so I guess the consolation is that if it had sold with the farm stuff -- as it should have -- I probably would have gotten outbid anyway. That auctioneer sure didn't do himself or the family any favors, though, by letting someone steal that truck.

 

[dj]

I saw my version of the ideal farm truck at an estate auction a few weeks back.. It was a 1984 Ford F150, flatbed, 4x4 (solid front axle and manual hubs 8) ), 4-speed manual tranny, and a 300-6 under the hood. Only had 105K on the odometer, and was in remarkably good condition for a 22 year old farm truck.

They had two auctioneers going -- one selling farm items and the other selling household items. For whatever reason, the truck was parked closer to the house than the barns, and while I was over near the barns participating in the farm items sale, the guy who had been auctioning the household junk walked right over and auctioned the doggone truck to a crowd comprised mostly of old women.

Consequently, it brought $550.

I don't think I was the only one kicking myself that day (or wanting to kick that 2nd auctioneer), so I guess the consolation is that if it had sold with the farm stuff -- as it should have -- I probably would have gotten outbid anyway. That auctioneer sure didn't do himself or the family any favors, though, by letting someone steal that truck.

watch the classified it might come up for resale