Used Trucks

[True Grit Farms]

This is the first truck that I've been able to adverage 20+mpg. It's a single wheel long bed crew cab 4x4 3500 with 3.42 gears. To get 20k lbs moving you start off easy then once you get to 10 mph it's race on, I'm very impressed to say the least. But my 2011 dually with 3.73 gears adverage 14 mpg and 17+ on the highway.
cfpinz you must have a 4.10 gears and a flat bed bed? I can relate to the 7 mpg pulling heavy. Towing 30k I get 8 mpg and 25k 9 mpg wind drag kills my fuel mileage.

Is yours an automatic or manual? Dad bought a '15 single cab long bed 3500 srw manual and it's got the 3.42's, I hate that thing. Seems like it'll run 70 in reverse.

Mine has the 3.73's, just about ideal for the engine but I wish the transmission had a little lower 1st and reverse was cut by at least half. And yes, it's a steel flatbed. If you let the rpm's get too low in 4th gear and mash it, it'll break the stock clutch loose. Pretty impressive engine, just wish they'd put it in a real truck.

Yes mines an 68rfe automatic transmission. My dually was a 6 speed manual and towed a load smoothly compared to the automatic. If Ram would make the 6 speed with a granny first and reverse they'd have something. Between my two Ram trucks since 2011 I've put 215,000 miles on them and never brought either one in for service or all the dang factory recall notices. The one I have now I replaced the water pump at 87,000 miles though.

 

[Nesikep]

3.42's are definitely not towing gears, though a bit of that depends on transmission gearing as well.. In my truck with the NV5600 I think I have it perfect with 3.54's since the transmission has a really low first and reverse.. empty it doesn't complain about starting in 2nd at all, and with any downhill at all it'll start in 3rd, yet I have enough gear I can do highway speeds nicely now

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

I hear a lot about these new gassers. How much can you really tow reasonably with them? Say a ton dually with gooseneck.

I have a 2012 6.0 Vortec and my mother has a 2014 6.0 Vortec. The only real difference is cab length and hers has the high speed rear end. Both have heavy duty suspension and breaks. We have had numerous Duramax Dullies. I loved the Allison tranny for towing, but replacing set after set of injectors was just getting ridiculous. I pull a 28X8 aluminum stock trailer with 12k axels, about once a week on average. I have hauled as much several 2K pound bulls at a time, and as little as a few goats. Loaded down, I get about 13.5 MPG. Empty trailer 15.5 MPG. Running down the highway with no trailer, close to 20 MPG. Mine is on the road with a trailer often, and the rest of the time, it is running back and forth to my night job. Mines closing in on 60K miles, with no input beyond fuel, oil change (6K on synthetics), break pads (only replaced once so far since new) and tires (first set of two new backs this winter since new). I wouldn't trade it for another truck.

 

[saltbranch]

Looking at potentially getting a different farm truck. Our current one is acting up quite a bit. Would love to go the new or barely used route simply because I could get something that would last. However, current finances don't allow that. Anything to be wary of when looking for used trucks, particularly work trucks. I would be getting a dually. Trying to make sure, as best possible, whatever I end up going with is not going to turn into a money pit.

Unless I missed a post, I did not see any details on weights it will haul, trailers it will pull, average miles per year, need 4x4 or will 4x2 work? Your mechanic ability to work on/fix etc.....all good details to help suggest options.

 

[ddd75]

You can tow as much as you can with a diesel, you just can't do it as fast.

hook up a 28' trailer for of cattle to your gas truck and let me know how it goes.

 

[True Grit Farms]

You can tow as much as you can with a diesel, you just can't do it as fast.

hook up a 28' trailer for of cattle to your gas truck and let me know how it goes.

Torque makes a big difference in towing. I towed 12k with a new GM gas burner, it did alright besides all the down shifting on even a small hill, the high engine rpm's and with the electric cooling fan running most of the time it was loud.
The 6 liter gas engines of today, will pull more than my big blocks could in the 80's.

 

[DLD]

You just have to get used to the idea that it takes more rpm' for these gassers to get in that torque range. Like True Grit said, it makes a little more fuss, but it gets it done. I'd have no concerns hooking on to a fully loaded 28' cattle trailer with my 6.0 Chevy (sorry I can't say I've done it, ours are all 24').

 

[littletom]

I was wondering on 15k plus gooseneck loads.

 

[ddd75]

i run a gooseneck w/ trailer weight @ 15-18k lbs all the time with my gas 5.4: f250.. and it does it and does it fine.. i've blown the trans seal 2 times though.

i ran a lot of miles in my neighbors cummins with the same loads and it did do a lot better job but not much.. the hills and the highway was the main difference.. OD on the highway was nice... the fuel mileage was twice as good towing.

my old truck is about half the hp and tq of these new gas engines so i guess i should keep my mouth shut until i try one out.. i'm sure they'd pull big loads pretty good. i was thinking of one of the newer 6.2l ford gas trucks. gonna keep my old one to have a spare. have to wait a few more years though

 

[RanchMan90]

Whenever I get new truck fever I consider would I rather have the truck or the money? Maybe just me but I would rather have the money

 

[ddd75]

Whenever I get new truck fever I consider would I rather have the truck or the money? Maybe just me but I would rather have the money

i heard that