Truck Owners, towing and camper trailers.

[JustWood]

Wasn't trying to talk anyone into anything. Just sayin' I'm tired of being held hostage by the Ford garage/mechanics because I don't have specialized tools when all the work on OTR trucks can be done with basic hand tools.
Ford and the UAW can kiss my azz and keep their junk. I'll buy big and maintain myself for alot less. AND make money with my vehicle. %-P

 

[Highbeam]

I would NOT want a long bed on a ford crew cab truck. That would be way way too long. It's one thing if you live out in a farm town in the country where everything is built for semi trucks but for suburban driving to the supermarket or even into the city where the roads are built for Honda Civics you will be fighting every single inside corner with its sharp radius curb and every stupid parking lot isle that is 18' wide when your crew cab.long bad is 22' long. It's bad enough dealing with width when the parking stall is 10 feet wide when your mirrors are 9 feet apart.

The long bed on a dodge crew cab is more reasonable since the dodge crew cab is much smaller.

You will only break your window out if you deserve to break your window out and the short bed can easily haul 8' material if you set your tailgate down. Note that 6.5' plus the 1.5 foot tailgate gives you 8.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

I would NOT want a long bed on a ford crew cab truck. That would be way way too long. It's one thing if you live out in a farm town in the country where everything is built for semi trucks but for suburban driving to the supermarket or even into the city where the roads are built for Honda Civics you will be fighting every single inside corner with its sharp radius curb and every stupid parking lot isle that is 18' wide when your crew cab.long bad is 22' long. It's bad enough dealing with width when the parking stall is 10 feet wide when your mirrors are 9 feet apart.

The long bed on a dodge crew cab is more reasonable since the dodge crew cab is much smaller.

You will only break your window out if you deserve to break your window out and the short bed can easily haul 8' material if you set your tailgate down. Note that 6.5' plus the 1.5 foot tailgate gives you 8.

Yup, I agree with you there...my FIL old truck was a Dodge 2500 with an 8 ft bed...that thing was a beast to park. I don't need an 8ft bed, as I won't be hauling drywall/plywood, etc....I'm basically looking at the crew cabs (the ones with the doors that open from the inside and are hidden...and a 6 to 6.5' bed.

 

[Dune]

Dude! tow behind dump-roll off...drool. The local BFI had a 70,000# GVW Mack roll off with a flat bed and brand new rear springs that they wanted to sell me for $2500, running, driving. Still wish I'd bought it.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Drove by this one on the Thruway tonight...traffic was backed up for miles, luckily in the other direction. When I went by the first time, they were trying to pick up what looked like files all over the median. When I came back a few hours later, they had a skid steer filling a couple 25 yard dumpsters and they were driving a payloader out to finish the job. What a mess. That was a big trailer behind a pickup truck. I can only imagine what it felt like to have that trailer roll over and crush itself while still connected to the tow vehicle.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/four_injured_in_thruway_crash.html

 

[Highbeam]

So to be clear a crew cab means there are four regular doors with their own handles that all open independently the same direction so that you enter from the rear. This is good for many reasons. The rear seats are huge for regular people.

An extended cab is smaller than a crew cab and also has four doors but the rear doors can only be opened after the front doors have been opened. The rear doors have their hinges at the cab's rear. This sucks in a parking lot since to load gear into the back seat of the cab you need to have both doors open and when both doors are open you are stuck in the middle without access to the cart. An extended cab is a huge step better than a regular cab but is not nearly as good as a crew cab.

The regular cab is just a single. Old school. Two doors.

So you want an extended cab short bed? That's the shortest full sized 3/4 or one ton that you can buy. They only make regular cab short beds in half ton flavor. Finding an ECSB will be somewhat difficult since the ECSB is rare. Sure, they are out there but it is like finding a regular cab. Just not that common.

 

[Valhalla]

Choose your brand!

My choices in order are:

1. Chevy/GMC
2. Ford
3. Dodge

Love diesel, but it is your choice. I would not tow without a diesel.

Good luck, choose wisely and shop carefully!

 

[SolarAndWood]

I think the 3/4 ton Suburban is the shortest 3/4 ton you can buy with 4 doors. If you keep your utility trailer for wood hauling, you will have a tow vehicle capable of 8 passengers and you can put sheet goods in if you lay the back seat down. My wife doesn't mind driving it either.

 

[deck2]

Highbeem, GM Still makes 3/4ton reg cab in a long box and if you can find one a few years old in short box also.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

So to be clear a crew cab means there are four regular doors with their own handles that all open independently the same direction so that you enter from the rear. This is good for many reasons. The rear seats are huge for regular people.

An extended cab is smaller than a crew cab and also has four doors but the rear doors can only be opened after the front doors have been opened. The rear doors have their hinges at the cab's rear. This sucks in a parking lot since to load gear into the back seat of the cab you need to have both doors open and when both doors are open you are stuck in the middle without access to the cart. An extended cab is a huge step better than a regular cab but is not nearly as good as a crew cab.

The regular cab is just a single. Old school. Two doors.

So you want an extended cab short bed? That's the shortest full sized 3/4 or one ton that you can buy. They only make regular cab short beds in half ton flavor. Finding an ECSB will be somewhat difficult since the ECSB is rare. Sure, they are out there but it is like finding a regular cab. Just not that common.

You are correct...as I got my terms mixed up. I am looking for an extended cab, with perhaps a 6 1/2 bed or 7'...not sure what is made by who.
This vehicle is not going to be the primary people hauler....have the Honda Odyssey that takes care of that. I am trying to find a balance between room in the cab, and a decent sized bed...and the problem I see with the crew cabs is that if I go that route with a decent sized bed, its going to be like a bus to park. (I don't mind, but Mrs's will from time to time) Basically, I need to get down to a few dealers and just give a few a test drive to see what feels best for me.

 

[Dix]

What? I like parking in the "Outer Limits" of the parking lot, and then having to push a cart full of groceries, in slush, all the way back out to where I parked.

Atleast the suicide doors aren't an issue when I'm unloading that cart all the way over yonder.

;-P

Seriously, if a 6 footer works for you guys, that's awesome. For me, it wasn't going to cut it. The "beasts" job it to tow, and it does it beautifully.

I had 1/2 of a huge black cherry tree cut into rounds in it a few weeks ago, and didn't even have to put it in "tow/haul". Pretty sweet.

I will also recommend a bed liner. Other wise the bed gets scratched to hell from everything under the sun. Even bags from the supermarket :long:

 

[woodsman23]

Just go out and get a 95-99 F150 with 3.73 gears. This truck will out haul anything else in its class. The i6 4.9 is a workhorse (pre 1997)and will last forever. I tow all the time with my 4.6 4x4 5 speed manual and it just goes. 296xxx+ miles on it.

with 1 ton of pellets in back.

 

[Dix]

How was the "stopping" ?

 

[deck2]

Woodsman
She looks a little overloaded with the pellets on her!! Talk about a dangerous load, Where I am we have bluestone quarries all over and I see guys with ton+ loads in their half ton trucks and I hope I am not in front of them when they are coming down from the mountians in to town! hh:

 

[mbokie5]

Just go out and get a 95-99 F150 with 3.73 gears. This truck will out haul anything else in its class. The i6 4.9 is a workhorse (pre 1997)and will last forever. I tow all the time with my 4.6 4x4 5 speed manual and it just goes. 296xxx+ miles on it.

with 1 ton of pellets in back.

Completely agree. I have a 96 F150 4x4 that is as tough as they come. We went down atv and skidoo trails this past spring and it came out like a champ in every case. Climbed over trees, went through some deep puddles and the only time I got stuck was in a plowed field in a very low spot. Got out with plywood.

I did put one extra spring on the leaf springs and that improved hauling abilty by a lot. Things that used to cause the bed to rest on the axle are now around 4" - 8" above the axle.

IIRC, the '96 was the last of $127 ball joints. I use it rough, but I also look after it. It needs a new stabiliser arm on the drivers side and a new starter. I go through one starter a year, but it has a lifetime guarantee so it only costs the time it takes to replace it.

It's very hard to beat an older F150 for the price. I got mine with just less than 80k clicks on it.

 

[Flatbedford]

I'd say go with a 3/4 tons for any significant towing or hauling. You get bigger brakes (most important) higher rated tires, and a stronger drivetrain. A 3/4 ton being under worked will hold up much better than an overworked 1/2 ton. If you do go 3/4 ton and you go with a Ford, don't rule out Ford's best kept secret, the 6.8 V10. It makes almost as much power as the diesel without the noise and smell or the more complicated and expensive maintenance needs of the diesel such as many quart oil changes, water separating filters, and fuel gelling in the cold weather. My '00 F250 supercab with the V10 and auto is a towing and hauling beast. Fuel mileage is less than diesel, but if you aren't putting that many miles on the truck, the overall fuel cost versus the possible complications of the diesel my even out. I know that the diesel guys may not agree with me, but you did ask for opinions. The V10 may also be cheaper to buy than a diesel.