# RE: Anyone using a Nissan Titan for a work truck . . .



## firefighterjake (Dec 6, 2010)

Thinking about getting rid of my 4Runner SUV and going with a pick up . . . specifically looking at the Titan. Anyone have one . . . likes/dislikes?


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## mayhem (Dec 6, 2010)

Couple guys here have Titans and like them...I've never sat my butt inside one so I can't say from personal experience.

When you say work truck, what are you doing with it?


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## firefighterjake (Dec 6, 2010)

Tow ATVs.
Tow snowmobiles.
Haul and tow fire wood.
Haul lumber.
Put a low-weight plow to plow.


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## lukem (Dec 6, 2010)

Titan is a good truck, but it really comes down to personal preference.  Any modern half-ton truck is going to do what you have in you list.  

I'm not a fan of plowing with a half-ton, but if you get a light plow and aren't doing it commercially you would be OK.

I was shopping half ton trucks last year and drove and researched all the major brands.  Here is my OPINION on them:

Chevy/GMC - Not a bad truck but didn't care for the ride quality / steering feel.  Good price.

Dodge - I don't think the quality is as high as the others.  Felt plasticy, tinny, cheap.  Seats were uncomfortable for me.  Small engine was a dog and the Hemi is THIRSTY.

Toyota - Great drivetrain but they cheaped out on the rest of the truck.  I saw the video of it driving over washboard and the bed about flew off.  Expensive.

Nissan - Liked it.  Sounds like a hot rod (plus).  Not the best payload/towing ratings.  A little on the expensive side.  Thirsty.

Ford - Least powerful according to the numbers...but didn't feel it when driving.  Great ride and fit and finish.  Best price.

In the end I bought the F150 and don't have any complaints.  I can pull 5k with ease and haul a half cord of wood in it (not at the same time btw). 

Go drive them all.  Pick the one you like.  As I said before, today's half tons are just as capable as a 10 year old 3/4 ton...they'll do what you need them to do.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Dec 6, 2010)

+87K on TheTruckChick's here

Sugest http://www.titantalk.com/ it's a great resource.

Since mine is an '04 I've got all the original problems. Not sure how many have been corrected on the one yer looking at.

In 04 they were bigger/badder assed than the Tundra. The next year Toyota upsized. The Titan is GREAT at playing 'Haul people around in snow Luxuriously'. I think you will find the cab cavernous compared to any other 4-dr 4WD available.

Few dealers. Nissan parts tend to be expensive. The original tires (Rugged Trails) are about $300 a piece :wow: There is so much rubber there (Assumes 'off-road' package with 17" instead of 'street' with 18") that you can drive it with no air in one of the back tires and barely notice.

The short bed will hold about +1/3 cord. Plenty of power, though trucks like the Tundra now have more.

Generally a good truck, but make sure you read about the typical maintenance issues! You could save yourself some money!

Jimbo


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## firefighterjake (Dec 6, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> +87K on TheTruckChick's here
> 
> Sugest http://www.titantalk.com/ it's a great resource.
> 
> ...



Ah, just the type of response I was looking for . . . thanks . . .

Incidentally, I did stumble across TitanTalk and actually registered to ask a few questions . . . very good reading there.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Dec 6, 2010)

Lol, ytou can read of some of my 'challenges' there :roll: 

One thing I noticed on re-read of your OP . . . snowplowing . . .

Paved or un-paved?

Last I knew, the only plow 'designed for the Titan' is a "homesteader" a/k/a Very Expensive Pretzel. We bought a Boss (not sure of model#) that is designed for Chev/Ford/Mopar. The mount hangs down too far for serious off-roading. But it's a real plow, and should be able to be transfered to one of the aformentioned American Trucks

If you need an engine, let me know. I have two waiting for reassignment :zip:


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## CTburning (Dec 6, 2010)

I worked for Nissan for 5 years and can offer a little insight.  While I highly recc the Nissan Frontier, Especially the older ones with the 3.3 liter, I have a hard time reccommending the Titan.  The front brake issues, rear ends blowing up because they weren't vented properly, and transmission cooler lines were just a few of the issues that come to mind.  I would stay away from the 04/ and 05's as they were new to Nissan and Nissan had serious quality control issues.  Renault came in 10 years ago as a bailout and Nissan put out some serious crap for a while.  The axle seals leak and PITA to fix.  The dealer will charge you a fortune and their is a good chance the local shop will install it wrong or misdiagnose it.  Nissans are quirky and have a lot of "insider knowlege".  I can't tell you the number of times people including other techs, would describe a condition and I would have to listen to a 3 minute description when I knew the problem after 10 seconds.  I notice this more with Nissan than with the other makes.  


The truck does pull 9600 lbs or something like that and the ride is nice.  I prefer chevy trucks and even my old 95 Ram with a 318.  The Ram had some big parts break (previous owner fixed them) but it was easy to work on and parts were cheap.  Also they are thirsty.  All the Nissan trucks before 05 were thirsty.  The VQ engine was put in the Frontier in 05 and is better on gas.  Don't expect to get more than 15 mpg and 13 was the average with the Titan.  My 95 Ram did that as well but wouldn't tow as much.  I think the Titan is more of a show truck and one that a builder would drive around in from jobsite to jobsite or to haul a boat on the weekends.  I think you would be better served by a domestic truck if you plan on using it like a work truck.  Just my advice.


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## CTburning (Dec 6, 2010)

ps. Only remember one or two guys putting a plow on one.  Not really set up for that.


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## firefighterjake (Dec 6, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> Lol, ytou can read of some of my 'challenges' there :roll:
> 
> One thing I noticed on re-read of your OP . . . snowplowing . . .
> 
> ...



Fisher has a new light-weight steel plow . . . HT2 series.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Dec 6, 2010)

Seriously, unless the only thing you will plow is a 50' long paved driveway, I would not do a *lightweight* plow.

Once TheTruckChick gets home tonight I have to put the plow on and clean up a bunch of lake effect snow. Prolly too dark for pics though . . . I'll see what I can do


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## firefighterjake (Dec 6, 2010)

CTburning said:
			
		

> I worked for Nissan for 5 years and can offer a little insight.  While I highly recc the Nissan Frontier, Especially the older ones with the 3.3 liter, I have a hard time reccommending the Titan.  *The front brake issues, rear ends blowing up because they weren't vented properly, and transmission cooler lines *were just a few of the issues that come to mind.  I would stay away from the 04/ and 05's as they were new to Nissan and Nissan had serious quality control issues.  Renault came in 10 years ago as a bailout and Nissan put out some serious crap for a while.  The axle seals leak and PITA to fix.  The dealer will charge you a fortune and their is a good chance the local shop will install it wrong or misdiagnose it.  Nissans are quirky and have a lot of "insider knowlege".  I can't tell you the number of times people including other techs, would describe a condition and I would have to listen to a 3 minute description when I knew the problem after 10 seconds.  I notice this more with Nissan than with the other makes.
> 
> 
> The truck does pull 9600 lbs or something like that and the ride is nice.  I prefer chevy trucks and even my old 95 Ram with a 318.  The Ram had some big parts break (previous owner fixed them) but it was easy to work on and parts were cheap. * Also they are thirsty*.  All the Nissan trucks before 05 were thirsty.  The VQ engine was put in the Frontier in 05 and is better on gas.  Don't expect to get more than 15 mpg and 13 was the average with the Titan.  My 95 Ram did that as well but wouldn't tow as much.  I think the Titan is more of a show truck and one that a builder would drive around in from jobsite to jobsite or to haul a boat on the weekends.  I think you would be better served by a domestic truck if you plan on using it like a work truck.  Just my advice.



What do you think of the 2008 . . . I see they changed a few things in that year with bigger brakes, larger and new axle and a few other changes . . . to be honest I'm looking at a 2007 SE and a 2008 XE. Having owned a mini-pick up when Nissan just called them "hard bodies" (pre-Frontier days) I don't mind buying or driving a stripped truck if the parts are a little more reliable . . . the XE also has 25,000 or so fewer miles and comes with a warranty since it is certified.

From what I could see I would probably do the differential modification (running a line up with a filter on it) to keep the purge system in good order and not build up any pressure to avoid expensive rear seals . . . as for it being thirsty . . . that doesn't bother me so much since my 4Runner only gets 2-3 mpg better than the Titan and is pretty gutless when it comes to towing . . . plus quite honestly this will not be a daily driver.

Thanks for the info . . . again . . . just what I was looking for . . . would love to hear what you think about the 2008 XE vs. 2007 SE though.


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## firefighterjake (Dec 6, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> Seriously, unless the only thing you will plow is a 50' long paved driveway, I would not do a *lightweight* plow.
> 
> Once TheTruckChick gets home tonight I have to put the plow on and clean up a bunch of lake effect snow. Prolly too dark for pics though . . . I'll see what I can do



Is this for any 1/2 ton pick up . . . or just the Nissan?

Driveway is probably about 50 feet . . . unpaved . . . hard gravel.


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## TX-L (Dec 6, 2010)

Check out this link:  

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Full-Size-Pickup-Trucks/


Personally, I wouldn't take much stock in the final rating numbers for this review, as they weight the interior and exterior styling the same as reliability and safety (which are far more important to me than making a fashion statement).  When I'm looking for a truck, I'll take reliability over a new "SYNC" system any day (not picking on Ford, just an example).  

2 co-workers of mine have Titans, and they have each had some of the problems that were mentioned earlier in this thread.  The Tundra is the only truck in this review with a score of 10 in reliability, that is what I would pursue whether it was for a work truck or not; this would be the most important factor for me.  

Reliability and capability are the only things that define what a truck should be, at least for me.  I drove my '94 Toyota Land Cruiser for 248,000 miles before a Dodge Minivan hit me head-on on snowy roads 2 years ago.  The Cruiser was still idling afterwards; it looked like a bomb went off in the minivan.  Build quality on that machine was unsurpassed, and that was demonstrated everyday with big mileage numbers building up.

I've owned both Toyota (6) and Ford (4) trucks; the Toyotas were far superior.  In all fairness, I haven't owned a Ford since 1997 or so, but they were quite awful back then.  Over the years I've gotten to drive service trucks at work with each of the big 3 being represented, and none have been what I would call good as far as reliability, with Dodge being the worst.

So there you go, a completely meaningless ramble on the merits of trucks.  Everyone can and will draw their own conclusions from personal experience, these are just mine.


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## thinkxingu (Dec 6, 2010)

Funny how different people have different perceptions.  I think Chevy drives the best (my brother has a Silverado), Dodge is most powerful and pretty close to most fuel efficient (the big Hemi does the shutting down cylinders thing and rates out close to 20MPG, just below the Chevy--BIL has 1500), Toyota is bulletproof, but not all that powerful or 'cool' (two friends of brothers), and Nissan is fairly solid overall, but a pig on gas (other brother and best friend own 2006/2007).  No experience with the Ford other than a rental F-150 with the honkin' Tritan engine a couple years back and it was awful.  Downright awful--didn't like the cold, skipped on bumps, etc.

Anyway, having owned a Frontier for 8 years and having a brother and best friend own both Frontiers and Titans, I'll say that other than the brakes (Nissan's brakes suck) and a couple known issues, they've been super solid.  I'd have no problem buying either--and I shan't when I do next month. The Titan would easily do what you want to do, have plenty of space, and drive as good as the best.

S




			
				lukem said:
			
		

> Chevy/GMC - Not a bad truck but didn't care for the ride quality / steering feel.  Good price.
> 
> Dodge - I don't think the quality is as high as the others.  Felt plasticy, tinny, cheap.  Seats were uncomfortable for me.  Small engine was a dog and the Hemi is THIRSTY.
> 
> ...


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## mayhem (Dec 7, 2010)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> ISeeDeadBTUs said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You'll be fine with a Fisher Homesteader.  7'4" is the only size recommended for the Titan...any smaller and you won't be cutting a path wide enough for your tires to roll behind the swept area when the plow is angled.  Toss a couple hundred pounds behind the back axle when plowing and it'll make a big difference.

Domestic half tons often have gotten by with using the ligher duty steel and poly plows at about 7'6"...but lately with trucks getting hevier and more makers going for comfy ride versus front payload capacity, the recommended plow size (and weight) has been shrinking for the half ton trucks...lots of crew cabs don't help as they add several hundred pounds of curb weight over the front wheels, thus reducing your payload capacity even further.

Everything else you've outlined is just fine for any half ton truck on the market.  Just be sure to educate yourself on the unique issues you're likely to encounter with the Titan and you'll be in good shape I think.

I'm one of those guys that finds an online forum for anything I find interesting (how the heck else would I bere her, right?), so I'm a long standing member at plowsite.com.  There's an import truck section there where I think you'll find a fair bit of info about this issue if you dig.  

http://www.plowsite.com/forumdisplay.php?f=31


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Dec 7, 2010)

_


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Dec 7, 2010)

mayhem said:
			
		

> You'll be fine with a Fisher Homesteader.



So, you've used a 'Homesteader' to plow an unpaved road regularly?!? 'Cause this poor fireman is about to plunk down good coin (my Boss was 3.5K back in 04) and he's gonna have a busted up pretzel.  Unpaved roads will make a full-weight plow hop a foot off the ground in 1st gear. How many times you recommend he do that with a 'HomeSteader'??

If I were buying new today I would check out Hiniker. They have a great attachment system and most pros around here use them on 3500's. I have no idea if they have one that will work on the Titan.

One thing about having a snow plow . . . sooner or later you *will* end up plowing some other driveways, even if it's just to help someone out. Word gets around. And plowing snow on unpaved roads is hell on pickups.


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## mayhem (Dec 7, 2010)

He's got a 50' unpaved driveway, not an unpaed road.  Have you personally used a homesteader to plow an unpaved 50' driveway regularly and ruined the plow because of that?

I plow my unpaved 400' driveway with an 8' Fisher HD blade on a 3/4 ton truck and the only time it gets even close to a foot off the ground is when I raise the lift piston.  If a plow that heavy is hopping that high there is something seriously wrong wiht the surface or the operator is not using the equipment properly.  I wouldn't want to drive my truck on a surface rough enough to throw a plow like that.  I wouldn't recommend anyone plow a surface like that till they fixed it by filling and grading it at least reasonably smooth...its going to wreck your plow and your truck quick.

Would I put use a homesteader for my driveway with my truck?  Hell no.  If I had a Tundra?  Sure, if all I had was a Tundra...but I'm not about to buy a Tundra because all they have to offer are light duty half ton.

I agree that you may feel inclined to help someone out too, hasn't happened to me yet, been using my plow for 5 years now...I've even offered and been turned down.

No, I don't use a homesteader plow, but they are widely used by homeowners for exactly this sort of application...small driveways and light trucks.  If he doesn't act like a fool and beat the heck out of it, he'll be fine.  A man local to me uses a homesteader on a 3/4 ton Subburban to plow his driveway and several people on his small route...he still has the same plow after years of use.  Note that I do not advocate using a homesteader on a heavy truck like that...just pointing out an instance of known use.

My mother in law's ex had a Homesteader mounted on his older style Tundra (the old smaller one) and used it to plow a 2000' unpaved driveway successfully for several years.  They sold the property when they divorced, I don't know if he kept the plow or not, but it was still 100% functional.  The key, in my opinion, is to know your equipment and take care of it properly.  If Fisher sells a 7'4" homesteader for a Tundra then you can be sure its going to work in the homeowner applications its was designed for...they're in the business to make money, not throw it out the window by making inadequate products and dealing with class action lawsuits.

FWIW I would not ever advocate buying a new snowplow.  I'd go on the hunt for a decent used one.  Few years old and they've lost half their value.

No matter what, new used or whatever, check your local area and find out what brands have dealers in your area.  Don't buy a plow that you can't get parts for locally or in a timely fashion...eventually something will break on it and it WILL happen in the middle of a storm...make sure you can fix it quickly.  There are links to all the major manufacturers at the top of the page I linked...each one has a plow configurator that will tell yuo exactly which plow they recommend for your specific truck...figure out what dealers are in your area and then shop for a plow.


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## CTburning (Dec 7, 2010)

By 2007 Nissan's quaility control had been restored.  I quit working for Nissan in 09 and don't remember any problems with the 07 and up models.  Little stuff but not the repeat repairs like on the first couple years of that truck.  It makes sense, most models improve significantly after the first model year and get better after that for the next two to three years.  My information is a couple of years old now, but nobody plowed with a Titan.  One or two guys had them on their trucks and it was for only for their own driveways.  Maybe they have more options now.  I would check the forums and see how people are doing with the different plow setups before you make your decision.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Dec 7, 2010)

mayhem said:
			
		

> .  If a plow that heavy is hopping that high there is something seriously wrong wiht the surface or the operator is not using the equipment properly.  I wouldn't want to drive my truck on a surface rough enough to throw a plow like that.  I wouldn't recommend anyone plow a surface like that till they fixed it by filling and grading it at least reasonably smooth...its going to wreck your plow and your truck quick.


LOL you sound like the other people that travel my road :lol:  But seriously, cobles and field stone buried in a road base will surface and will bounce an HD blade that high. Yup, I need to 'do some work' on this road, but it slows peeps down.



			
				mayhem said:
			
		

> No, I don't use a homesteader plow,



Without trying to be a jerk . . . . um, neither do I, nor should Jake



			
				mayhem said:
			
		

> FWIW I would not ever advocate buying a new snowplow.  I'd go on the hunt for a decent used one.  Few years old and they've lost half their value.



Very true. Just wait till summer to look if you want a decent price.


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## mayhem (Dec 7, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> > No, I don't use a homesteader plow,
> 
> 
> 
> Without trying to be a jerk . . . . um, neither do I, nor should Jake



No jerkiness perceived...just two different opinions here.

If you don't use one, how do you know it won't hold up to plowing a 50' driveway?

The core issue I see here is that buying a Titan is limiting the available options for a snowplow.  Boss, Fisher and Western list only their homeowner grade ploy plows for use on a Titan.  Checked Hiniker's website and can't find a configuration matrix, but under homeowner they list only a 7' poly plow.


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## firefighterjake (Dec 8, 2010)

Not to add too much fuel to this fire . . . but a co-worker with a Tacoma and a poly plow has been using this plow to do his 100 foot driveway for the past three or four years without issue.


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## firefighterjake (Dec 8, 2010)

CTburning said:
			
		

> By 2007 Nissan's quaility control had been restored.  I quit working for Nissan in 09 and don't remember any problems with the 07 and up models.  Little stuff but not the repeat repairs like on the first couple years of that truck.  It makes sense, most models improve significantly after the first model year and get better after that for the next two to three years.  My information is a couple of years old now, but nobody plowed with a Titan.  One or two guys had them on their trucks and it was for only for their own driveways.  Maybe they have more options now.  I would check the forums and see how people are doing with the different plow setups before you make your decision.



Again, great info to know . . . I've pretty much limited my search to 2007 and up . . . thinking pretty hard on a 2008 EX . . . not a lot of options, but I'm a simple guy so a simple truck may work well for me . . . plus the fact that it has low mileage and is certified is pretty appealing. Thanks for the reply.


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## ironpony (Dec 8, 2010)

I would compare it to any tool
if you know its limitations and
stay within them, it should work fine
granted using it commercially would ruin it
I would have to say if you damage it on a
driveway you did something bad
I use a 4wd kubota with a 5" grader blade to
keep 400+ feet clear and have made some oop's
and the blade is still straight, very suprisingly


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## ironpony (Dec 8, 2010)

oh, I forgot to mention I keep a titan in the bed of the dodge for back-up

J/K

if they would put a diesel in the titan I'd buy one


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## ProfessorGT (Dec 16, 2010)

I have no experience with that truck, but after doing an engine job on a Nissan Altima, I would NEVER get a Nissan myself, nor will I ever work on one again! EVERYTHING about doing the engine job was a real PITA! EVERYTHING was hard to get to, lots of sharp edges everywhere, and it was impossible to get the engine out the top! After fighting with it for  too long, had to get it to a shop with a lift so I could take the whole cradle out the bottom to do the engine swing. 

It's just as bad as having to remove a cab on a Ford truck to do a turbo or any other major engine work. The manufacturers just don't seem to give a damn about those who want to do their own repair work. I like  Ford Trucks, but would never buy and of the newer ones because of the rediculous requirement of having to pull the cab to do engine work. AND, ever since they "Updated" the 7.3 in 1998 the diesel has been a POS, which was made even worse when the 6 Litre came out. 

A '97 7.3L Diesel was one of the best trucks they ever made, but it still had one major flaw (the auto trans) and since then Ford has still not gotten the anal craniotomy necessary to design anything even remotely desirable for those of us who like to do our own work. The problem with the E4OD trans (better know as the E4-Oh-No!) is that it was a modified C-6 (3-speed) that was doomed from the start by extremely poor design. It was never really fixed until the aftermarket took it upon themselves to rectify the situation. So, a properly rebuilt one will solve this trannys ills, but beware the mods necessary are extensive. The pioneer on this one was Jim Galatioto of ATO transmissions in California - Jim is one of those rare auto tranny wizards who really knows his stuff. After he's done with an E4OD the operating temp stays safely in the 150 degree range. Before Jims work these things normally run in the 250 degree range and are doomed to failure by design! 

I do not apologize for my frankness because I'm just stating facts!

We need a durable, tough diesel truck that can work!, and work hard without wimping out. We don't need some sissy thing that goes fast but can't pull a wet noodle out of its own ........., and constantly breaks down in the process. You get the idea!

Let's see, who else is there?

Chevy/GMC? Well the Duramax (Isuzu engine) with the Allison Automatic is a great drivetrain, but I can't say I have much repair experience with them, and traditionally the Chevy part of the equation has not given us great vehicles. The Allison trans is unquestionably the best automatic trans on the market, and, as long as you beef it up (if you hot rod the engine) - no worries. In stock form, as long as the engine is stock as well, they are basically bulletproof.

Toyota Trucks ......... that's a real Oxymoron! No real man drives a Toyota, let alone one of what they call a truck! Calling one of their vehicles a truck is just an insult. Try hauling anything of any significance with one of those heaps and sorry, but it just won't do it, and that is if the brake calipers don't sieze up first, or the frame rails don't rot away from under it! They do a good job of "buying" owner loyalty by paying for out of warranty repairs, but when I need to do a job I just can't see trying to do it with the wrong tool: In other words, you don't cut a 24" diameter tree down with a coping saw, so why would you do anything but get a few bags of groceries with a Toyota "Truck"?  Just not a good choice of equipment!


Dodge?

Hmmm, the Cummins engine is phenomenal, but up until only the most recent few years, the quality of the truck was horrendous. Basically the truck would fall apart around the engine! Since about 2006 things have gotten much better and I might even consider one if the price was reasonable! The only remaining "issue" is the auto trans. Dodge doesn't seem to be able to build an automatic that works (How many years have they been building Caravans?, and the auto trans in those things is still a P.O.S. that doesn't hold up). They've had the Ford disease with respect to truck trannys, seemingly up until the new automatic they are using behind the Cummins. It (an Allison copy) is supposedly a good trans, but again I have no experience with them.

So, what is the answer? If what you are looking for is a real work truck and not just a wuss-mobile you basically have to either fork over a boat load of money, for something new with a long warranty in an attempt to protect yourself from expensive breakdowns (and forget about doing your own service) or build it yourself!

It's getting harder & harder to find a nice clean late 90s vintage Ford or Dodge (Cummins with an inline injection pump), but that's a good starting point. My preference is the Ford, but even a beefed-up E4OD tranny (automatics are the ONLY way to go), is a compromise. The better plan is to invest the money you would have spent on the E4OD, into an Allison 2000 series trans swap.

(continued)


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## ProfessorGT (Dec 16, 2010)

The best way to do the Allison swap into a Ford is to find a used International school bus to be used as the donor vehicle. The engine is the same 7.3L as is in the Ford pickup, so all the hardware to bolt it up is there. Take the harness and the control computer (Allison calls it the TCM - Trans Control Module), and away you go. The trans will last forever, assuming you run synthetic oil (Transynd - by Castrol) in it.

This trans is only available as original equipment in the GM pickups because Allison (which used to be owned by GM up unil 2007) was forced into a no-compete contract by GM when this trans was developed. This basically meant that Allison could not offer this trans to any manufacturer that would put it in a vehicle that would directly compete with the GM pickup! If not, Allison would not have been given the funding to develop this tranny. This is also why you will see this trans in vehicles like Ford F-450s and higher - (because thy don't compete with the GM pickups).

So, the Ford F-250, or better yet the F-350 Super-Duty with the 7.3L and the Allison becomes the best choice, and one that the average mechanic can still service with no major issues. If you look, you can still find some good copies that are in decent shape for less than $10K. My dream truck is the 350, crew cab, dually 4X4 with an Allison conversion. 

To make things even better, on top of that a waste veg oil conversion (not Bio-Diesel), solves the fuel expense issue, while at the same time makes things more environmentally friendly! (I've been running a Mercedes 300D on straight veg oil for 3 years now with no issues, and I can't wait to do  a Ford truck).

Well, nuff said!

Happy Truckin! ;-)


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## OhioBurner© (Dec 16, 2010)

Professer, wow thats a mouthfull! I agree with just about everything. I'd love to have one of the older 7.3's but in my last truck purchase since this is a daily driver the only hauls occasionaly I needed more reliability and not so much grunt so I went with a newer gasser. Lots of both smokers and gassers on the families farms, but the gasser made far more sense for me. I've done some calculations and talked to other folks who have contemplated the same decision and have determined that a new diesel you'd have to be putting way more miles on it per year than I do to make it cost effective, or be using it for work daily. And then you still have the worry of the ticking timebomb under the hood. I've heard some horror stories of just the turbos costing more than rebuilding the entire V10 motor. The one thing I disagree about though is the auto's, and I think that comes down more to preference, but I went way out of my way to get me the 6-speed even though the modern torqueshifts are probably as good as the allison. I have several trucks, and the only one with an auto is a 78 bronco (and I plan on doing a ZF swap someday). Again as a daily worker, I could see the auto being easier to use obviously, but even most the daily workers I know still have the 5 and 6 speeds.


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## EKLawton (Dec 16, 2010)

I have the '04' 4 door loaded, Had a new ford at the same time, still got the Titan!  I get about 18 mpg, Yes you guys can come read the screen it has to do with the way you drive. Ihave not had any real trouble with the truck, its got 84000, one set of tires, new brakes on the front. I will have to get tires in the spring/summer. the next truck i buy will be the same.


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## OhioBurner© (Dec 17, 2010)

EKLawton said:
			
		

> I get about 18 mpg, Yes you guys can come read the screen it has to do with the way you drive.



Not that I dont believe you but a couple points... That 'screen' your reading is probably not accurate, verify with hand calculations over a long period to see. I have yet to see one that actually reads true. Another thing is the milleage itself is usually not perfect either, most spedometers read a tad high from the factory meaning it looks like your traveling further than you really are (but only by a couple percent typically).

EPA rates the Titan at 17mpg hwy anyhow, so yes if you are driving it for highest economy you could actually beat that number since the newer epa tests are suppose to be more realistic than in the past. However if your saying you get 18mpg driving around the city I'd say your screen is way off. Just for reference my 2500# heavier F350 with the 6.8 V10 can get in the 15's if I dont have it loaded, but my true AVERAGE is much less (including hauling, winter driving, those trips to the city, etc) which is in the 13's. Overall I'm satisfied with the mpg considering its a big heavy gasser. 

Everyone always says they get XXmpg and usually it is the single highest number they saw 1 time, on the highway, with a tailwind, going downhill. Just something to be aware of. I have a spreadsheet on my phone I record every fillup since the truck was new, both hand calc and on the screen numbers, yeah I admit to being a bit of a nerd. But atleast I can post the graph and screen shots and folks can make thier own opinion.

My biggest reason for not going foreign is I want an 8 foot bed and a crew cab, and you can only find that on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks and they dont have any. And my further preference is solid axles, manual trans and transfer cases, and manual hubs, again, they dont have it. Yeah you could call me a control freak, I dont like anything automatic. More rugged and if I do happen to break it, I can fix most of the mechanical stuff easier, and usually cheaper. I didnt really need the big tow rating but the payload rating does come in handy when hauling firewood, thats something to think about. Its nice to be able to haul a cord of wood in the bed and still pull a trailer with a small tractor and gear and more wood (ok, I might have been a little bit over the rating, but just a little).


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Dec 17, 2010)

EKLawton said:
			
		

> I have the '04' 4 door loaded, Had a new ford at the same time, still got the Titan!  I get about 18 mpg, Yes you guys can come read the screen it has to do with the way you drive. Ihave not had any real trouble with the truck, its got 84000, one set of tires, new brakes on the front. I will have to get tires in the spring/summer. the next truck i buy will be the same.



The TruckChick's Titan consistently gets 16 MPG.

84,000 . . . 

10)If you have not already changed the battery, do so today! The OEM batteries just suddenly go bad. Do not attempt to jump it.They short inside and a jump can make the dash start to smoke!
2)As soon as you notice rough running or a check engine light, consider replacing the cats. When thay come apart, the pieces lodge in the resonator. Even though replacing cats is expensive ~$1600, it's cheaper than replacing the engine.
3)Have you repaired/replaced the rearend yet?

Jimbo


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## Manatarms (Dec 18, 2010)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> Thinking about getting rid of my 4Runner SUV and going with a pick up . . . specifically looking at the Titan. Anyone have one . . . likes/dislikes?



I've had several different pick-up trucks over the years...ranging from 4 banger 4x2 toyotas (had that truck 10+ years)..moved on to through the sizes on up to a 2005 Titan, 2002 F-150 on up to F-350 diesels. I'm not a fan of the Titan...or any "full size" Japanese truck for that matter....come to think of it...I don't like any 1/2 ton trucks much at all.   They're just not built as tough as a 1 ton.  The Titan and Tundra are more weekend warrior trucks....cool looking and sounding...drive like cars...excellent engine power and off the line punch (I smoked a lot of people at stop lights in the Titan : )    

However, if you want to use it like a TRUCK....i would look elsewhere.  I've poured more money into repairing 1/2 ton trucks than I care to mention...they are just not built that tough.  The Titan was in the shop a dozen times...Everything broke...rear diff, brake rotors (multiple times), bedliner peeled off, rear shock tower disconnected and punched a hole it the bed...you name it...it was a comedy of crappy construction.  

If you want a TRUCK...I would go 1 ton (3500 or 350).  They cost about the same to purchase...get the same mileage...but I never seem to spend as much fixing them.  Granted, they're not as fast, and they don't handle or drive like the 1/2 tons...but you can beat the hell out them (plow, tow, etc.) far harder than any 1/2 ton.  

Just my take.


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## EKLawton (Dec 22, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> EKLawton said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I have not done any of that, the truck is well kept. the only thing that needs fixed is the GPS and at 1500 just for the part foget it! When I bought our Altima I got the bumber to bumber warrenty so that wont happen again. The numbers for MPG are acuret, I dont drive in the city that much. Last week we were in DC and gotaround 15 mpg. I do run 5/30 mobil 1 and k&n air filter, plus my tires are at 40 psi witch helps alot.


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