DIESEL POWER!

[twistiron]

my  my father had 3 cummins, the shop i worked for had 3, 7.3l and a 6.0 power stroke and i have a duramax i have worked driven and played with all 3, the all have there us and downs.
-easest to make crazy power cummins
-best outta the box work truck powerstroke
-fastest duramax
-easiest to work on cummins
-most reliable tie cummins and duramax (fords had way to many fuel, electronic  and head gasket issues)
-best tranny allison ( who ever said that a dodge tranny can hang knows somthing i dont, my father is on his 5th tranny in a total of about 600000 miles on 3 cummins 95-99-04 we had and auto in the ford that STB at 72000 my allison has 130000 with no issues.
- most comfortable duramax
i could go on all day but we all know that any of the 3 could make a good truck just outline your true needs and buy what fits best, last months issue of diesel tech had a great write up on brand loyalty killing customers, basically it depends what year you buy your truck as to if your getting the best rig at the time. i would not ever buy an 03-04 6.0 for fear of the never ending headgasket and turbofailure. but i did buy a 02 duramax knowing i would have to do the injectors, i just had the dealer adjust the asking price when they found out it was outta warrenty. i have had great luck with my chevy and would buy another in a "heartbeat".

PS fellow duramax owners, if you are lucky enough to have the lb7 power plant 01-04 and it is within the 7 years since date of sale/ 200000 miles go have the dealer check you balance rates and get your injectors done before warrenty is up. And any owners that missed it and have bad injectors let me know i have done a few of them now and would not have a problem helping you out, will save you about 2000 in labor.

for the tacoma guy my dad drives one of thoes for his dd and toy and still swears the day the tundra comes out with its 8.1L HINO DIESEL he will buy one.

[6x6in6]

After reading ALL of the posts on diesels, and the complaints about mileage, I had to join in.  I've driving FORD diesel since 1986, and can't find room in my driveway for a Chevy or Dodge.  Although, the Dodge is second, and Chevy pulling in last (as usual), what most of you have said about mielage is directly related to differential gear ratios.  The Lower the number the better the mileage.  My  01 7.3 4wd supercab has 3.73 gears.  I generally get hiway mielage of 18-27, depending in the right foot position.  milelage started 22mpg on I-5, and improved some what as as the engine broke in.  Since it hit the 20,000 mile mark, NO babying.  It smokes tires really well, and no they aren't hi-way tread.  We get lots of snow and ice in the winter.  It is my daily driver, and I make quite a few trips to Vancouver.  Round trip 950 miles.  I drive it hard, but treat the maintaince with respect.  Stock was ok, but it's more fun now.
Mods are ok, and will increase mielage some, but gears make the mielage.

I think you might quite possible be the only person that has ever laid a claim out there for getting up to 27mpg out of a 7.3 PSD.  Sorry, you could have 3.55's under it and it still ain't gonna happen. 

[high country]

I bought my dmax on a whim because it was 18k below book, I figured I would turn it. I bought it and after driving it for a couple days I put a for sale sign in the dodge. I loved my dodge, I had a few troubles, but nothing too bad.....but better ride, brakes, transmission, interior and bigger cab was a no brainer. I used to be the single biggest trash talker of the duramaxi too.
 
I have had several powerstrokes as that is what my company would fleet purchase for me. nice enough truck, and took the weight well, but rode like crap, steered like a dozer and was about 200hp light for my taste. I used to spend a lot of time in the shop for stupid electrical issues with it too. I never in my life broke 20 mpg with mine. my dodge would almost every tank, my chevy will on road trips, mt ford would get me happy if it was over 17.....and I was not buying the fuel!

[twistiron]

I bought my dmax on a whim because it was 18k below book, I figured I would turn it. I bought it and after driving it for a couple days I put a for sale sign in the dodge. I loved my dodge, I had a few troubles, but nothing too bad.....but better ride, brakes, transmission, interior and bigger cab was a no brainer. I used to be the single biggest trash talker of the duramaxi too.
 
I have had several powerstrokes as that is what my company would fleet purchase for me. nice enough truck, and took the weight well, but rode like crap, steered like a dozer and was about 200hp light for my taste. I used to spend a lot of time in the shop for stupid electrical issues with it too. I never in my life broke 20 mpg with mine. my dodge would almost every tank, my chevy will on road trips, mt ford would get me happy if it was over 17.....and I was not buying the fuel!

your a wise man! what year is your dmax? let me know if you ever need work done on it? is it stock!

[high country]

I bought my dmax on a whim because it was 18k below book, I figured I would turn it. I bought it and after driving it for a couple days I put a for sale sign in the dodge. I loved my dodge, I had a few troubles, but nothing too bad.....but better ride, brakes, transmission, interior and bigger cab was a no brainer. I used to be the single biggest trash talker of the duramaxi too.
 
I have had several powerstrokes as that is what my company would fleet purchase for me. nice enough truck, and took the weight well, but rode like crap, steered like a dozer and was about 200hp light for my taste. I used to spend a lot of time in the shop for stupid electrical issues with it too. I never in my life broke 20 mpg with mine. my dodge would almost every tank, my chevy will on road trips, mt ford would get me happy if it was over 17.....and I was not buying the fuel!

your a wise man! what year is your dmax? let me know if you ever need work done on it? is it stock!

It is pretty much a stock 05' with an intake and a tuner. I have efi live coming.

[twistiron]

haha nice, i have promised myself to stay away from efi live until i build my trans . have you found duramaxforum.com? if you have not i reccomend it alot of great guys over there.

[jackelope]

K.I.S.S

straight six has something like 200 less moving parts in it. keep it simple stupid.  tried and tested.

Will your 6 ride my 3100 pound camper and pull my 5000 pound boat effectively? 

Yes it will.

[Special T]

And likely with out breaking a sweat while doing it... I semi-regularly move my truck and trailer across the pass at a gross weight of 25-26k lbs the truck weight is only about 8K lbs and i can tell you stock they can do much better than that... I know a guy that hauls over the pass with a gross of 40-50k lbs with his stock 1 ton 4wd dodge... they make plenty of power. 

[Skillet]

I know a guy that hauls over the pass with a gross of 40-50k lbs with his stock 1 ton 4wd dodge... they make plenty of power. 

Getting up tp the pass is one thing - stopping on the way down the other side is another entirely!  What kind of braking system does he have on that outfit??
Is there anyway that he's not going to jail if he crosses the scale in Easton? 

[Special T]

Triple axle goose neck with brakes, however his STOCK cummins exhaust brake does all his heavy lifting... I think he goes west empty and comes East heavy... 
Doing anything is illegal in this state! they change the rules on ya all the time and don't bother to tell you about it!

[twistiron]

if his truck is reg with a dot number then his weights might be legit otherwise  . an in line style motor is far supirior for low end torque then a v style. whats he hauling to get to 40-50K any way? crushed stone? that is a friggin load, i have had 25k or so with my fathers modified dodge 1 ton and its not a fun tow forget 40-50K.

[Special T]

It is a load, and what he is hauling is close to rock in weight... I'm pretty sure the GVWR for the truck and trailer is sufficient... I'm sure he is running the knife edge as far as bridge weight rating... The ratio of weight for the truck and the trailer... FYI

[twistiron]

correct me if i am wrong but isnt bridge weight the about of weight/amount of axels, hence why 18 wheelers and use a drop tag to increase there allowance? but either way your right he is walking the line, good times.

[C-Money]

The Cummins motor is as close to bullet proof as it gets! Now the truck around the motor.....

[Special T]

I agree with C money.. I'm not really a dodge fan... The dodge 1 ton deullays i own are just the frame and body made by dodge, everything else is designed and made by soem one else... I have the 6 speed stick and i believe it is made by alision... i thinks...