magnumdust
Well-Known Member
what about a D250 w/ the cummins? No smog, should get better mpg, and you have a wider range of years to choose from
Thinking about buying a "newer" truck - any advice?
- Thread starter ESP47
- Start date
-
Woods74
Broke Senior
Have you thought about smaller trucks like the:
Mid 90's Ford Ranger
Nissan Hardbody
Chevy s-10
Toyota T-100
Jeep Cherokee and/or Dakota?
Mid 90's Ford Ranger
Nissan Hardbody
Chevy s-10
Toyota T-100
Jeep Cherokee and/or Dakota?
bluetrane
Well-Known Member
the 6.0 and the 6.4 are pretty much the same problems. ford says the fixed everything with the 6.7....... sure. considering the legendary status of a cummins diesel, why would you even consider a ferd or chebby ?
ramenth
Gratis persona
When I bought my '89 F150 from a friend on here I had someone ask me why I bought a Ford. If it was ten to twenty years newer I would have walked away. As a former Ford tech, I can list some of the things wrong with 'em.
I've seen rods go eggshaped and take the crank out.
Aluminum control arms that seize to the ball joint. Not a deal buster, but a ball breaker to R&R.
Replacing seals and pumps on transmissions with less that 20,000.
Four wheel drives with rather small for the size front half shaft splines and pass throughs. Seen more than one of 'em break.
I'd rather replace the plugs on the three valves versus replacing the plugs on the older two valves. The cab forward design makes it fun to get to the back four plugs and the fuel regulator over #7 means having a special shallow wobble socket in the tool box. There's not a Ford tech out there who doesn't have one in his box taped to a long extension.
Instrument clusters going out left and right. I R&R'ed and flash programmed seven in one week.
Fuel pump drivers bolted to the frame right above the spare tire. Guess what gets nailed with salt and road grime, rotting out and loosing connection, meaning loss of signal for the pump at the worst times?
The lack of parts interchange between the Windsor and the Cleveland engines.
The older trucks used a strapped around the wheel TMPS sensor, not one in the valve stem. If your tire shop isn't paying attention they're very easy to break and even if they don't break, very easy to loose signal. Not a deal breaker if you don't mind looking at a light on the dash all the time. (I hate lights on.)
The three valve plugs aren't that hard if you follow a few simple rules. Bring the engine to operating temp and while still hot, crack 'em loose. Don't take 'em out. Spray a very small amount of your favorite penetrating oil into the holes and walk away until the engine cools down to where it's warm to the touch. Take 'em out. I was the only tech at Whitcomb Ford/Mercury/Hyundai who could take 'em out without breaking 'em. By the way, it's the ground strap on the plug which presses into the head when you tighten 'em down that likes to stay pressed in the head. Don't wiggle 'em to get 'em out, that's how you break the porcelain and cause nightmares.
Breaking exhaust studs left and right. The worst ones to replace were the damned V10 manifolds in -450's and -550's. Having one (or more) of the studs break off in the aluminum heads on the V8's is never fun to replace when you have 'em seized in there. Drill a hole, an easy out, and just the right amount of torch heat usually does the trick, but if you don't have the right touch you're pulling the head.
Speaking of the 4.2... coil packs liking to crack with no visible signs. I've seen guys chase misfires all over the place only to find out, if they'd inspected the coil pack to begin with, they could have had the truck up and running in less than 15 minutes.
Ford's PATS is all over the place. I've had more than one Ford towed in on a no-start all because the engine didn't fire "almost" immediately or they let the battery run down and didn't wait for it to take a full charge before trying to start it. The next thing they knew everything is dead because the security system locked 'em out. Takes 15 minutes for the IDS to connect to the PATS to be able to reprogram everything.
The damned IMRC's going on out on the 4.2. Expect to take a day to get the manifold out of the way and use a mirror to replace a broken plastic clip holding the IMRC's and the butterflies together.
Wheel bearings going bad, making you think there's something wrong with the ABS system. Nope, it's not the ABS, it's the windings in the bearing that's broke. Nothing wrong with the bearing itself, it's still mechanically sound, but the ABS is now messed up.
As far as Dodge, my time to those are limited to my aftermarket shop. Couldn't stand working on 'em with the bullshit problems and lack of aftermarket support and all the packages made parts a nightmare. This package takes "these" parts, this package takes "these" parts. Just build a freaking platform and use it across the board.
Big Horn front struts with front struts going bad prematurely and the bottom bolt getting seized into the control arm. The bushings are DOI so being able to burn the bolt out wasn't an option.
Dodge's insistence of putting everything EVAP under the truck where it takes a beating.
The older Magnums were good for breaking the exhaust manifolds. Seen 'em crack right in half, just before the collector.
The 9.25 liking to chew up and spit out axle bearings.
Used my former business partner's '07 Hemi Ram to haul an empty shell from PA. On the hills coming up 15 the Hemi was underpowered. Immediately afterwards the tranny started giving issues. This truck had never seen any kind of heavy towing or hauling, yet in one trip started crapping itself. And an empty shell is hardly what I consider heavy towing. And I was responsible for the maintenance on the truck, so I knew it was in top shape from the get go.
The "older" 3/4 and one tons with the damned pressed on rotor with the wheel bearing. Take a long extension and a socket, place it on one of the bearing bolts, crank the truck, and use the power steering to bust it all loose. The tool companies sell a special tool for this.
The ever ubiquitous death wobble in the 4x's.
Chevy's have a good engine in the LS, but the constant wear on idler and pitman arms. Every time I'd put one on the lift and went to move the tires to check for wear... sure enough...
Transmissions suck.
I can't even begin to guess how many axles I've either rebuilt or just out and outright replaced.
Constant wheel bearing issues.
Speaking of wheel bearings: same issue as the Ford's in premature ABS activation. Except you clean the rust or accumulated dirt off the tone ring.
Chevy's insistence on using an HEI module for the V6's... Still the same problem... get's too much heat and fries out.
The one large injector on the 4.3's.
GM's injectors absolutely, positively hate the damned ethanol being forced on us. As a result the cats like to clog and/or come apart.
I've seen rods go eggshaped and take the crank out.
Aluminum control arms that seize to the ball joint. Not a deal buster, but a ball breaker to R&R.
Replacing seals and pumps on transmissions with less that 20,000.
Four wheel drives with rather small for the size front half shaft splines and pass throughs. Seen more than one of 'em break.
I'd rather replace the plugs on the three valves versus replacing the plugs on the older two valves. The cab forward design makes it fun to get to the back four plugs and the fuel regulator over #7 means having a special shallow wobble socket in the tool box. There's not a Ford tech out there who doesn't have one in his box taped to a long extension.
Instrument clusters going out left and right. I R&R'ed and flash programmed seven in one week.
Fuel pump drivers bolted to the frame right above the spare tire. Guess what gets nailed with salt and road grime, rotting out and loosing connection, meaning loss of signal for the pump at the worst times?
The lack of parts interchange between the Windsor and the Cleveland engines.
The older trucks used a strapped around the wheel TMPS sensor, not one in the valve stem. If your tire shop isn't paying attention they're very easy to break and even if they don't break, very easy to loose signal. Not a deal breaker if you don't mind looking at a light on the dash all the time. (I hate lights on.)
The three valve plugs aren't that hard if you follow a few simple rules. Bring the engine to operating temp and while still hot, crack 'em loose. Don't take 'em out. Spray a very small amount of your favorite penetrating oil into the holes and walk away until the engine cools down to where it's warm to the touch. Take 'em out. I was the only tech at Whitcomb Ford/Mercury/Hyundai who could take 'em out without breaking 'em. By the way, it's the ground strap on the plug which presses into the head when you tighten 'em down that likes to stay pressed in the head. Don't wiggle 'em to get 'em out, that's how you break the porcelain and cause nightmares.
Breaking exhaust studs left and right. The worst ones to replace were the damned V10 manifolds in -450's and -550's. Having one (or more) of the studs break off in the aluminum heads on the V8's is never fun to replace when you have 'em seized in there. Drill a hole, an easy out, and just the right amount of torch heat usually does the trick, but if you don't have the right touch you're pulling the head.
Speaking of the 4.2... coil packs liking to crack with no visible signs. I've seen guys chase misfires all over the place only to find out, if they'd inspected the coil pack to begin with, they could have had the truck up and running in less than 15 minutes.
Ford's PATS is all over the place. I've had more than one Ford towed in on a no-start all because the engine didn't fire "almost" immediately or they let the battery run down and didn't wait for it to take a full charge before trying to start it. The next thing they knew everything is dead because the security system locked 'em out. Takes 15 minutes for the IDS to connect to the PATS to be able to reprogram everything.
The damned IMRC's going on out on the 4.2. Expect to take a day to get the manifold out of the way and use a mirror to replace a broken plastic clip holding the IMRC's and the butterflies together.
Wheel bearings going bad, making you think there's something wrong with the ABS system. Nope, it's not the ABS, it's the windings in the bearing that's broke. Nothing wrong with the bearing itself, it's still mechanically sound, but the ABS is now messed up.
As far as Dodge, my time to those are limited to my aftermarket shop. Couldn't stand working on 'em with the bullshit problems and lack of aftermarket support and all the packages made parts a nightmare. This package takes "these" parts, this package takes "these" parts. Just build a freaking platform and use it across the board.
Big Horn front struts with front struts going bad prematurely and the bottom bolt getting seized into the control arm. The bushings are DOI so being able to burn the bolt out wasn't an option.
Dodge's insistence of putting everything EVAP under the truck where it takes a beating.
The older Magnums were good for breaking the exhaust manifolds. Seen 'em crack right in half, just before the collector.
The 9.25 liking to chew up and spit out axle bearings.
Used my former business partner's '07 Hemi Ram to haul an empty shell from PA. On the hills coming up 15 the Hemi was underpowered. Immediately afterwards the tranny started giving issues. This truck had never seen any kind of heavy towing or hauling, yet in one trip started crapping itself. And an empty shell is hardly what I consider heavy towing. And I was responsible for the maintenance on the truck, so I knew it was in top shape from the get go.
The "older" 3/4 and one tons with the damned pressed on rotor with the wheel bearing. Take a long extension and a socket, place it on one of the bearing bolts, crank the truck, and use the power steering to bust it all loose. The tool companies sell a special tool for this.
The ever ubiquitous death wobble in the 4x's.
Chevy's have a good engine in the LS, but the constant wear on idler and pitman arms. Every time I'd put one on the lift and went to move the tires to check for wear... sure enough...
Transmissions suck.
I can't even begin to guess how many axles I've either rebuilt or just out and outright replaced.
Constant wheel bearing issues.
Speaking of wheel bearings: same issue as the Ford's in premature ABS activation. Except you clean the rust or accumulated dirt off the tone ring.
Chevy's insistence on using an HEI module for the V6's... Still the same problem... get's too much heat and fries out.
The one large injector on the 4.3's.
GM's injectors absolutely, positively hate the damned ethanol being forced on us. As a result the cats like to clog and/or come apart.
ramenth
Gratis persona
Oh, and having said all that, there's the reason I bought the '89 Ford. Parts are cheap and plentiful from good used to aftermarket not like the same year Dodge (and I loved my '89 Ramcharger) and for the money of buying it and building it I get the truck I want for a helluva lot cheaper than "new/newer," leaving money for other projects.
alleyoopmgv
Well-Known Member
I would have bought a Dodge with the 5.7 Hemi around the same year as my Ford, but I just couldn't ignore all the rod issues they been having with them. (I work at a Chrysler dealership). And around here you can't find one without rusted out boxsides. Sorry, just saying.
I think they all have there problems. I researched the 5.4 Triton and knew about the bad plug design going in to buying it. I figured it was better then the alternative. I guess that's why I bought my Ford with a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty, (knock on wood). Hopefully I will trade it in within 2 years.
I think they all have there problems. I researched the 5.4 Triton and knew about the bad plug design going in to buying it. I figured it was better then the alternative. I guess that's why I bought my Ford with a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty, (knock on wood). Hopefully I will trade it in within 2 years.
No Smog Swinger
Well-Known Member
ESP I've been driving Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Toyota through your town (Antioch to Lake Tahoe) for many years, never had a problem with any one of these, for me it comes down to the following: Toyota Tundra overpriced, reliable and terrible gas mileage (V8): Ford F150 well priced, reliable and decent gas mileage: Dodge Ram (5.7) well priced, reliable and good gas mileage (not the 4.7 good motor but I got better mileage with hemi that turns into 4 cyl): Dodge Dakota well priced, reliable and decent gas mileage (best buy is the V8): Chevy well priced, reliable and good mileage, just as ugly as a truck could possibly get (getting better looking). If you need to carry people in the back the Tundra, F150, Chevy and Dakota Quad Cab is your best bet if you get the full size doors, a full size back door Ram is very expensive and gas mileage usually drops significantly. If back seat passenger comfort is not important I recommend the Ram Quad Cab with the Hemi (I believe 2004 is when the V8 dropped to a V4 under light to medium load. If you want a diesel I'd go for the Ram, if money is a big factor a pre 2004 Ram Diesel can be had for fantastic deals. Test them all and have fun, you'll find something that makes you happy!
-
