Tow rig Poll!

[BLUCRUZ]

I came here to vote but couldnt find the Toyota Tundra Turbo iFORCE Power Diesel and I also do not see the Nissan Titan with the 5.6 liter Twin Turbo VK56DE Diesel option in your poll.........





Seriously, Both Nissan and Toyota have plenty of Turbo Diesel experience, so what are they waiting for? They both came out strong attacking the heart of the Full Size Truck industry here, so where are their towing vehicles!!  They need to get down to business and build 'em

I'd love it toyota came out with turbo diesel for the states, Id be all over it. but 

[TacoRunner]

I will never buy a chevy product.  I have heard to many horror stories about them, I ve to friends buy diesel trucks, one was chevy one was dodge. the chevys tranny went out three times in two years. The dodge is fine has far as the engine and tranny go, but everything else is falling apart.    GO WITH THE FORD.

[79coyotefrg]

lets not forget you can get a 5500 chevy/GMC with alison and a inline 6 caterpillar,  i know the service trucks we had  have the 3116 cat with allisons or 6 spds,  on a 5500 chassis

[BLUCRUZ]

lets not forget you can get a 5500 chevy/GMC with alison and a inline 6 caterpillar,  i know the service trucks we had  have the 3116 cat with allisons or 6 spds,  on a 5500 chassis

That's great but not entirely practical for a DD/tow rig. Would be a little overkill

[dj]

the cummins is no doubt the better of the engines but the truck it will come with is a total piece of , Isuzu has made diesel engines for many years, and knows what they are doing but, the first thing gm did to thier work of art was make it cheaper to mass produce, this caused a few problems most of which have been resolved, but it is not as proven out as the ford or the cummins.
Personally I would go with the Ford, truthfully I hate Fords with a passion, but thier diesel trucks have the least problems.

[alwayzbroken]

Cummins all the way! The only problem is you have to buy a dodge to get it. damn. I wouldn't recommend a chevy for really heavy use. Twin City Wrecker Sales out of the Minneapolis area has told customers that they will not build a new tow truck with a duramax in it because they have had such poor results with reliability. Even if the customer wants a duramax, they still will not sell the truck as long as it has that motor in it. That is not saying that the chevy is not a good choice for 99% of the people out there, it is just not good for extreme conditions. Buy a Peterbuilt and be done.

[79coyotefrg]

That's great but not entirely practical for a DD/tow rig. Would be a little overkill

but i thought we was talking T O W rig its only a 8 liter engine

also the next size up from the dodge cummins is a 8.3 cummins

[alwayzbroken]

What is not practical about a Peterbuilt? If you think about it, you can haul anything you need to the trail, live in the trailer at the trail, and haul stuff to and from the trail for money. How does it get any more practical?

[reklund5]

Buy the Dodge, buy the Ford, but whatever you do get a MANUAL transmission.  Automatics are failures waiting to happen.

Oh, and BigMike, just wait for a year or two...Toyotas got something brewing you're sure to like.  I promise 


Ryan

[mudguts]

This is a good thread 

[BLUCRUZ]

but i thought we was talking T O W rig its only a 8 liter engine

also the next size up from the dodge cummins is a 8.3 cummins

Ok let me clarify, I don't need a truck that you need a Class B license to drive. I have a Class A and have been driving freightliners, Volvo/Whites & Kenworths with everyting from allison autos to 18 speed fullers for 20 years. I don't need something like that to pull my car trailer or travel trailer around. Yea it would be cool but totally overkill for most situations.

[guywithuglyyota]

Do not go chevy, my step brother sells them and has more turned in for repair than oil changes. I have mostly driven the f-250- the trucks with the dana 50 front ends have hub bearing problems if using an offset rim. They are non servicable and 500 bucks a pop when they fail. The ford auto trans has had a few issues, a service bullitin had mechanics changing the diameter of the cooling lines, but the bullitin failed to have them upgrade the fittings, resulting in cooling line clogging and transmission failure. In mid november 2002 ford put dana 60 front ends in all its f-250's due to running out of the dana 50 supply. Avoid vin numbers on fords starting with a "3" as they were assembled in Mexico.  Search the boards and e-bay and you will find many 6.0's for sale, lots of issues with computers etc...maybe they have the bugs worked out this year. Some Dodges have trans problems but I question if this is owner inflicted, upgrading exhaust, chips, propane etc.. will wreak havoc on a stock torque converter. The cummins is rated as a heavy duty commercial motor, and the Navistar powerstroke rated at medium duty, but both engines last forever-especially the cummins. The Powerstroke is not rebuildable but who rebuilds a diesel??? The Duramax is an isuzu engine but really Kicks butt. Some die hard diesel guys sway from it because if its alluminum head design. Im no mechanic this is just what I have found in my searches, I will be looking for a used powerstroke, Ford builds trucks still, nice and heavy, still overbuilt. And everyone has got to admit they look awesome lifted! One last observation! I do see many many many fords pulled over with trailers on the mountain passes around here, always with the hood up.... not a great yardstick to measure reliablility but its so common I really wander what gives!

[kneedownnate]

Guywithuglyyota, you beat me to it about the duramax/isuzu diesel while I was typin.  I was just gonna say that it's kinda funny that I don't think any of the big 3 run their own engines; chevy/isuzu,  ford/cornbinder,  dodge/ford.  What you say, the cummins isn't made by ford?  Well, I've heard from several different sources ever since they first started using it that it was actually designed by ford.  Not too sure of the validity, but they were all sources that didn't know each other and most had something to do with the trucking/heavy equipment industry.
  And BigMike, patience, both companies you mentioned didn't become so big by sitting back and taking it easy, they took risks to become so big and will undoubtedly take this little risk.  I'm still lookin for a 83ish toy diesel to play around with.  Also, the landcruisers overseas with diesels get something like low 30mpg at worst, up to 42, so think what a Tundra with the diesel would get?  And what about the axles they would slap underneath?  They've made up to 15" before, so I'm sure they have no shortage of big axles.

[guywithuglyyota]

I read that the Powerstroke was a joint design by Ford, and Navistar, but like you said lots of sources say different. Does ford own cummins? I think the f-550 trucks run the cummins??  I wish ford had that contract, with the allison! They would have an awesome combo! Good luck on the decision, as loyal toyota owners, we all understand that unfourtunately buying a domestic truck is always a gamble, but they have made many improvemements I think.

[gotrocks]

OK OK I have to put my input on this one.  I've just finished reading this post and I didnt' find anyone talk about how Ford actually owns most of Cummins Diesel.  My friend is an diesel mechanic and we were actually talking about this issue the other day.  He was telling me that so many people (as I've seen on this board) rag on the powerstroke because its not that great of an engine.  He was telling me that dodge is about to loose their contract with cummins because ford is tired of having compitition with their own company.  I personally don't have any problems with the dodge except that it has next to nothing in the back or leg room.  I am currently using a 03 6.0 ford and have loved it every since I drove it off the lot.  My dad and I share the truck and we bought it after having a 03 GMC 2500HD for 6 months.  Now the downfall for teh chevy was taht he bought the 6.0 gas instead of the desiel.  I had been trying to convince him of buying the diesel but it just wouldn't because he hated the sound of them and thought that if you owned one you were just a wanna be trucker.  I used it to tow my rig across eastern washington (which is all flat for those who dont' know) and got 4 MPG with a open flat bed and my Jeep that I had at the time.  When I went to fill it up at teh gas station I only had .6 gallons left (yes not even a Gallon).  After that my dad was convince that he chose the wrong truck.  He was pissed because he got it when there was 0% financing and it was only 6 months old.  We looked around town and just couldn't find a deisel we wanted.  We didn't mind which brand (even though we haven only owed GMC trucks).  The ford dealership happen to have a F250 Lariet and had the 6.0 in it.  When he first drove it after I was ranting and raving how much I thought it was awesome he just couldn't belive how awesome the power was.  He went out of town and I told him it would be getting a mild lift with 35's  Well I got a 6.5 lift and 37's on it to give it a little more aggresive look.  I can say with the correction of the speedometer I am getting 16 MPG.  yeah that might not be "awesome" but remember thats with 3.73 gears and 37's SSR's.  I used it to go to Moab last year and got a consistant 14 MPG with 2 dirtbikes in teh bed all our gear and my 4runner on a trailer behind.  I'm not sure how much weight we had but it pulled past anything in the slow lane without hesitation.  Empty I only turn 1500 RPM at est 60.  I have had only one problem with it and it was solved by the recall that all the 6.0's got last year.  If I spooled up the turbo and unloaded it really fast it actually stalled the engine twice on me.  That was fixed after they updated teh computer.  I'd have to say the tranny is AWESOME and I have absolutly no complaints.  I especially love how much room they have inside.  Dodge said they're going to make a ex. crew cab in the next year or so and they would help out in a better back seat but I'd ahve to say having driven all 3 of teh choices I'd choose the Ford hands down.

[gotrocks]

OH yeah and no more problems with the D50 in the front of the Fords all of them are 60's since 03.  And one other note on the cold starting.  I lost a bead on the truck taking it on a snow adventure in november at my Girlfriends house in the Colorado Rockies up at 9000 Feet and I had to leave my truck over night in -15 degrees F. and it started right up for me the next morning when I got back to it even tough I had to go through the passenger door because my door was covered in litterally and 1" of ice in places. 

[mr4x42u]

ford does not own a controling share of cummins,,so I doubt dodge will be loosing any contract..There contratct was up a year if not more ago..I have not seen anything on how long the next service contratct is for..the ford 550 and up are available with a cat,powerstroke or a cummins and a load of trans options as well..

The powerstroke is not a bad engine,,none of them are really bad..I just don;t like working on a cluster flop of stuff..The cummins is nice and easy to work on..I also get a huge parts break with cummins throughmy work..so for me it was a no brainer..

[FATB0Y]

I'd have to say having driven all 3 of the choices I'd choose the Ford hands down.

You tell em'    FORD RULES!!!

If ya don't beleve me than how come Ford has been the #1 Sellin' truck 13 years in a row and holds it's resale value BETTER than Dodge or Chevy
Dodge Quit making a Truck when they Stopped making the Power Wagon   That has 2 Be the toughist EVER made

[freds40]

The Ford "F" series is the #1 selling truck. That is 150-350. The 150 is the better part of those numbers. Most people who purchase the Dodge, don't end up reselling them within the first few years of owning it like the Ford guys. The Dodge is a great building block so why get something new when you can throw minimal cash @ your current truck (which you might already have paid off) and get a whole lot more truck than the newer models. And on the power wagon being the last great Dodge, I greatly disagree, the PW never came with a Cummins. My '97 is used hard and has not given me 1 problem.

BTW, if you want to do some research on the Dodge trucks and their Cummins powerplants, check out www.turbodieseregister.com Great site and if you do purchase a Dodge, the best place to get ALL your information. From Tune up stuff to how to build some SERIOUS power from your truck.

[freds40]

Heres a good post going on Pirate right now get a broader perspective. www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332261o 

[79coyotefrg]

OK OK I have to put my input on this one. I've just finished reading this post and I didnt' find anyone talk about how Ford actually owns most of Cummins Diesel. My friend is an diesel mechanic and we were actually talking about this issue the other day. He was telling me that so many people (as I've seen on this board) rag on the powerstroke because its not that great of an engine. He was telling me that dodge is about to loose their contract with cummins because ford is tired of having compitition with their own company.

ford does not own any part of cummins    

[79coyotefrg]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332261o

[freds40]

Yeah I just redid it , thanks.

[79coyotefrg]

 
Fact Sheet



Cummins is a global power leader that designs, manufactures, sells and services diesel engines and related technology around the world. Cummins serves its customers through more than 680 company-owned and independent distributor locations in 137 countries and territories. Cummins also provides service through a dealer network of more than 5,000 facilities in 197 countries and territories.

General information

Company name: Cummins Inc.
Corporate Headquarters: Columbus, Indiana
Stock Symbol: CMI (traded on NYSE)
Founded: 1919
2004 revenues: $8.4 billion
Employees: 24,000 worldwide; 14,000 United States
Chairman/CEO: Tim Solso (joined Cummins in 1971, in current role since 2000)
Company structure/operations

Corporate structure: Company consists of four complementary business units: Engine Business, Power Generation, Filtration and Other Business, International Distributor Business.
Major products: Heavy-duty engines for on- and off-highway applications; exclusive supplier of diesel engines for Dodge Ram pickups; power generating systems and standby generators for commercial and consumer use; engine filtration and aftertreatment products; industrial silencers; turbochargers; engines and related products for mining, oil and gas, agricultural and marine markets.
International presence: Worldwide operations, with nearly half of sales generated outside the United States. A leading maker of diesel engines and related products in China, India, Brazil, United Kingdom and Brazil.

Notable:

Cummins is named for Clessie Cummins, an auto mechanic and inventor who, with the financial support of Columbus banker-investor William Glanton was among the first to see the commercial potential of diesel engine technology.
The Cummins Foundation celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004, making it one of the oldest corporate foundations in the United States.
One of a handful of companies to be named to Business Ethics magazines list of "top corporate citizens" every year the list has been compiled. Cummins was No. 2 (out of 1,000 largest U.S. companies) in 2003.
Cummins helped create and supports the only all-women's engineering college in India.
Cummins' "firsts:" diesel-powered ferry boat, fire truck, diesel powered boat (U.S.), diesel powered bus (U.S.).
Former Chairman J. Irwin Miller helped transform Columbus into the "Athens of the Prairie" with his support for world-class architecture in the city.

Contact:

Mark Land
Director - Public Relations
Cummins Inc.
(317) 610-2456 (office)
(812) 350-9678 (mobile)

[BLUCRUZ]

I never imagined that his thread would light up this much discussion. This is great Lots of very usefull information, Thanks everyone for confusing the out of me

[FATB0Y]

I never imagined that his thread would light up this much discussion. This is great Lots of very usefull information, Thanks everyone for confusing the out of me

Just buy a ford and the only thing you'll be confused about is why you waited so long

[Willy Mammoth]

Save some money and buy a 2003 or older with a 7.3, you won't be sorry you did. They have a 100k warranty on the engine and the 7.3's don't have the problems the 6.0's have had. Go back to my first post and research the 7.3' and 6.0's.

I luv my 2001 F350 7.3. I pull a 24' 10k lb trailer without any trouble and getting around 14 mpg at 75 mph loaded.

[freds40]

Not really pertaining to your question but a few vids of what you could do in the future. 

Diesel drags and pulls. http://www.dieseldynamics.com/videos.htm

[Willy Mammoth]

That's just crazy, but way cool

[reklund5]

I went way oldskool and picked up a 92 Ford F250 with the International IDI motor.  No electronic nuthin, no turbo, but still hauls my junk around like theres no tomorrow. 

I'd own a new Dodge in a heartbeat if I had the big bucks to drop on a new one tho...

Ryan