New truck towing capacity

[Rick]

Currently I've got a 2007 Ford F350 with a 6.0L thats been giving me fits while towing. I've spent too much money trying to get it running right and I'm ready to be done, trade it in and get something else.

The biggest thing I tow is a fishing boat, probably 9,000lb's or so and its mostly just from Shelton to westport. Occasionally I make a trip up to Lapush or Neah bay but thats maybe twice a year. Other than that I have a small camp trailer, its light and my Toyota Tacoma can haul it, so not worried about that.

I really have been leaning towards getting a Dodge with a Cummins, but I'm thinking I really don't need the towing capacity of a Diesel pickup. I know a gas engine will do just fine for what I want, but I wanted a little feed back.

If I go gas it would either be a Chevy, or a Toyota Tundra. Does anyone on here have experience towing much with a Tundra?

Should I just go with a Cummins and not worry about it?

I've seen your boat. Its probably heavier than my 26' Duckworth. The issue with a Tundra isn't the power. Its the 1/2 ton suspension.

If you want a gas truck,I'd get a 3/4 ton Ram with the 5.7 Hemi. Don't be afraid of the RPM and it'll tow your boat fine.

[jackelope]

Tundra, then you won't have to listen to that dang rattling diesel. 

I am putting a supercharger in mine that will give any diesel out there a run for the money!! 5 grand power on demand...

If you go diesel I would go dodge.

You still have to be able to stop and/or be able to hold the load you're hauling. You may have the HP's to beat a diesel in a race, but you don't have the brakes or suspension to haul the load that diesel is going to haul. Who cares how fast a diesel truck is. That's not the point of one.

[Buzz2401]

If your worried about maintenance cost of a diesel one thing to consider is the new diesels require oil changes only every 7-10k miles unlike gas engines. The other maintence costs are there but they are negligible...

9k lbs is too much to tow with a tundra in my opinion, just cause the sticker says it will does not make it safe or good for your truck. Get whatever you want but know what you are getting and what it is designed to do so you are not disappointed.

Good luck!
H&F

Gas engines are also 7500 mile or more oil changes with half the amount of oil and way less fuel filters. Diesels are easily twice the maintainence costs of a gas engine, that power comes at a substantial cost.

[jrebel]

If your worried about maintenance cost of a diesel one thing to consider is the new diesels require oil changes only every 7-10k miles unlike gas engines. The other maintence costs are there but they are negligible...

9k lbs is too much to tow with a tundra in my opinion, just cause the sticker says it will does not make it safe or good for your truck. Get whatever you want but know what you are getting and what it is designed to do so you are not disappointed.

Good luck!
H&F

Gas engines are also 7500 mile or more oil changes with half the amount of oil and way less fuel filters. Diesels are easily twice the maintainence costs of a gas engine, that power comes at a substantial cost.

When considering the cost of maintenance I think it is overlooked that the diesels will last 3-4 times as long as a gas truck.  Yeah you pay more for an oil change and fuel filter, but you save in overall cost of the vehicle as you won't be replacing it as often.  Include the payment of a new gas vehicle when you could just be maintaining an older diesel and I think it is pretty much a wash. 

At least that is how I looked at it.  I also have lifetime free LOF so the $100 every 4,000 miles doesn't apply to me.   

[Buzz2401]

I totally agree with you BUT most folks don't keep their vehicles that long, I like to keep mine till the wheels fall of but most guys like getting a new rig every 5-8 years

[coachcw]

Nothing tow like a smoker, the Cummings a great engine but it's in a dodge truck, Buy a hd2500 dumax with the Allison trans , run a muffler delete and a edge tuner . you will get a nice ride and the chicks will dig it. the other option is to buy a tundra and have your buddy with the smoker tow your boat , hell your taking him fishing 

[jackelope]

If your worried about maintenance cost of a diesel one thing to consider is the new diesels require oil changes only every 7-10k miles unlike gas engines. The other maintence costs are there but they are negligible...

9k lbs is too much to tow with a tundra in my opinion, just cause the sticker says it will does not make it safe or good for your truck. Get whatever you want but know what you are getting and what it is designed to do so you are not disappointed.

Good luck!
H&F

Gas engines are also 7500 mile or more oil changes with half the amount of oil and way less fuel filters. Diesels are easily twice the maintainence costs of a gas engine, that power comes at a substantial cost.

When considering the cost of maintenance I think it is overlooked that the diesels will last 3-4 times as long as a gas truck.  Yeah you pay more for an oil change and fuel filter, but you save in overall cost of the vehicle as you won't be replacing it as often.  Include the payment of a new gas vehicle when you could just be maintaining an older diesel and I think it is pretty much a wash. 

At least that is how I looked at it.  I also have lifetime free LOF so the $100 every 4,000 miles doesn't apply to me.   

What on Gods green earth are you driving that costs $100 every 4k miles to service?

[Rick]

Gas engines are also 7500 mile or more oil changes with half the amount of oil and way less fuel filters. Diesels are easily twice the maintainence costs of a gas engine, that power comes at a substantial cost.

Maintenance between a gas and diesel truck is a wash.

The Tundra the OP is asking about holds 8qts of 0w-20 which is almost impossible to find in anything but synthetic.

8qts x $7 is $56 every 10,000 miles.

The Cummins he was asking about takes 12 qts of 15w-40. Rotella,Delo,or Mobil is about $13 a gallon. 3 gallons of oil every 10,000 is $39,add a $15 fuel filter every 10,000 and you're at $54.

[Mudman]

45$ oil change every 5k-10k depending on use.  35$ fuel and air filter 10-20k.  So max is about 75$ every 10k miles.  Seems cheap enough.  Wheres the huge maintenance cost??  No o2 sensors, egr garbage, caps, rotors, plugs, wires, coils or mufflers and cats! Honest my old chevy 350 cost me much more to maintain.

[jackelope]

Gas engines are also 7500 mile or more oil changes with half the amount of oil and way less fuel filters. Diesels are easily twice the maintainence costs of a gas engine, that power comes at a substantial cost.

Maintenance between a gas and diesel truck is a wash.

The Tundra the OP is asking about holds 8qts of 0w-20 which is almost impossible to find in anything but synthetic.

8qts x $7 is $56 every 10,000 miles.

The Cummins he was asking about takes 12 qts of 15w-40. Rotella,Delo,or Mobil is about $13 a gallon. 3 gallons of oil every 10,000 is $39,add a $15 fuel filter every 10,000 and you're at $54.

You're assuming the guy is servicing the truck himself and apparently not replacing oil filters. ??
You're also forgetting DEF every 5k or so. Throw in another $40 for that +/-   

[rtspring]

Tundra, then you won't have to listen to that dang rattling diesel. 

I am putting a supercharger in mine that will give any diesel out there a run for the money!! 5 grand power on demand...

If you go diesel I would go dodge.

You still have to be able to stop and/or be able to hold the load you're hauling. You may have the HP's to beat a diesel in a race, but you don't have the brakes or suspension to haul the load that diesel is going to haul. Who cares how fast a diesel truck is. That's not the point of one.

So you want everyone to spend 60K to be able to come to a stop??? You must be joking right?  He isn't hauling this thing across the country full time.. Trust me I drove every diesel made three months ago plus many gas rigs. 

For the price I would go gas..  Thats my whole point. I see a ton of my friends whose 1/2 ton stops just fine and it didn't cost them 60k..

[bear]

If you don't need a diesel, buy a gasser.  Financially it makes sense unless you just love the diesels.  That being said, I pull heavy loads consistently so I drive a diesel.

[jackelope]

Tundra, then you won't have to listen to that dang rattling diesel. 

I am putting a supercharger in mine that will give any diesel out there a run for the money!! 5 grand power on demand...

If you go diesel I would go dodge.

You still have to be able to stop and/or be able to hold the load you're hauling. You may have the HP's to beat a diesel in a race, but you don't have the brakes or suspension to haul the load that diesel is going to haul. Who cares how fast a diesel truck is. That's not the point of one.

So you want everyone to spend 60K to be able to come to a stop??? You must be joking right?  He isn't hauling this thing across the country full time.. Trust me I drove every diesel made three months ago plus many gas rigs. 

For the price I would go gas..  Thats my whole point. I see a ton of my friends whose 1/2 ton stops just fine and it didn't cost them 60k..

No. I'm not joking. I've read a couple posts from you today about drag racing a diesel truck and supercharging your truck to give the diesels a run. I was mostly just saying.... You're comparing apples to oranges. They don't stop just fine with 9k pounds stuck to the rear end. 1/2 ton suspension doesn't do what 3/4 or 1 ton suspension does either. Your tundra can't do what a heavy duty diesel truck can.
ps I drive a 1/2 ton gas truck. I have no use for a big diesel.

[demontang]

Ive played this game last year and ended up getting a 7.3 smoker. I have used gas rigs to tow 6-8k. It bugs me that all yhe gas motors had to sing to tow grades, the 6.0 chevy made me nervous when I pulled a 22ft north river up vantage. It had to keep pretty high in the rpm range to hold speed, the 5.4 ford same load was a little slower to speed but held lower rpm at the same speeds. The 5.7 dodge seem to be like the 6.0 chevy high rpms. Jump up to the 3/4 ton v10 dodge lower rpm but way less mpg, v10 ford lower rpms and better the dodge on gas. The 8.1 chevy was the same as the v10 but seem to eat it self at low milage when towing   step in to a diesel and the world changes. 7.3 pulls strong but isnt a speed demon stock, 6.0 needs a few mods if you dont leave it stock. (See lots of them with 300k and no problems) tried out a newer dodge and they pull very strong but so do the fords and chevy. 
Breaks are a big part of towing ive lost trailer breaks on heavy loads and a half ton makes you pucker a little when some jack waggon slams on the breaks. 

[rtspring]

Tundra, then you won't have to listen to that dang rattling diesel. 

I am putting a supercharger in mine that will give any diesel out there a run for the money!! 5 grand power on demand...

If you go diesel I would go dodge.

You still have to be able to stop and/or be able to hold the load you're hauling. You may have the HP's to beat a diesel in a race, but you don't have the brakes or suspension to haul the load that diesel is going to haul. Who cares how fast a diesel truck is. That's not the point of one.

So you want everyone to spend 60K to be able to come to a stop??? You must be joking right?  He isn't hauling this thing across the country full time.. Trust me I drove every diesel made three months ago plus many gas rigs. 

For the price I would go gas..  Thats my whole point. I see a ton of my friends whose 1/2 ton stops just fine and it didn't cost them 60k..

No. I'm not joking. I've read a couple posts from you today about drag racing a diesel truck and supercharging your truck to give the diesels a run. I was mostly just saying.... You're comparing apples to oranges. They don't stop just fine with 9k pounds stuck to the rear end. 1/2 ton suspension doesn't do what 3/4 or 1 ton suspension does either. Your tundra can't do what a heavy duty diesel truck can.
ps I drive a 1/2 ton gas truck. I have no use for a big diesel.

At some point in the topic we were discussing power. Thats where the side by side racing came up.  Im not spending 60k so I can stop a little better and have stiffer spring that make it ride like a tank.  Again, there are thousands of 1/2 tons that get the job done. Would a diesel be better? Sure but cost wise I would argue all day long against it.  Unless you are pulling a trailer all day ever day you dont need a smoker. 

They have trailer brakes for stopping, and springs well I dont think for 9000 pounds he needs 3/4 ton or 1 ton springs to carry his load. 

Diesel, ride sucks! Bigger Maint Costs, price tag to high. 

Gas, all kinds of power, better ride, cost is way cheaper..

Just my thoughts..