The Light truck market

[woofie2]

The main bearings are unlikely to fail on the V6 if you use 5w40 oil, which is what the manufacturer intended. Chrysler tried to coax better EPA numbers out of the truck and specified 5w30. That didn't work so well. They've since switched to 5w40.

Been using Rotella T6 synthetic 5w40 (with minimal troubles this far. dealer said synthetic blend, I went full synth) every 8k miles (book mileage for biodiesel blend fuel 10k oil changes for full D2 diesel)
I have noticed the engine has an odd clatter when no load rolling at times, (only heard windows down on the road at idle passing a bridge or building)
I drive past a concrete wall coming up to a stop sign on my way home, hear almost metallic clunking, but do not feel or hear anything in the drive train. acceleration quickly takes away the noise. the sound is different from the no fuel injection idling.

 

[kjclow]

Even with the switch in oil, there are still some reported low end failures. No one really knows the real numbers unless you're buried somewhere deep within FCA.

 

[oilhammer]

Now that the same engine is in Wranglers, we'll see how well they stand up to abuse in short order. The Jeep crowd can tear stuff up quickly.

 

[kjclow]

It will be interesting to see how the engines stand up to rock crawling. Saw an interesting you tube on the Nikola Badger today. All electric or elecrtic and hydrogen fuel cell for longer (600 miles) range. At least it looks like a truck. It will also be interesting to see the range pulling an 8000 pound trailer.

Wow, that was a whole lot of use of "interesting"!

 

[turbobrick240]

I'll be pretty surprised if Nikola ever manages to manufacture anything. Or, if they do, if they can get beyond the Tucker/DeLorean progress phase. Rivian or Workhorse have much better odds, imo.

 

[kjclow]

Rivian might be an option I'll consider. The Workhorse looks like it's based on the Canyon/Colorado/Ranger size and only 80 mile range. It may be big enough but not enough range for a retirement travel vehicle.

 

[Pat Dolan]

If I were to want to waste a LOT of money (i.e. buy a new pickup to replace my '97 6.5TD K1500) I would definitely prefer to roll the dice on a D-Max inline. But, since I am such a cheap base turd, I needed to have a DD/farm chore truck that didn't have ANY risk of failure of any likely kind, so I bought a 2003 3500 Ram SRW with a NV5600 that needs a 5th gear syncro some day. It was a long way from cheap, and is a bit rusty but since it belonged to my best friend since new and I have maintained it, I know it very well. It also came with very low miles (240k kms = 145k miles), aluminum bull bumper with 12k Warn, forged 19.5s running 245/70 rubber. It spent much of it's life towing 12 horses and will pull the kinds of weight I usually do with my 450 but can't pull the same trailers (need open deck and 5th wheel for them). Have put a couple dozen tanks of fuel through now, and when running light, I get 12ish in the 450, 16 or so with the K1500 but easily break 20 with the 24V common rail. I compare towing with wife's Q7 (TDI of course) and expect similar from a new inline Chiverlay. That means closer to 30 USmpg light and far, far better fore economy and ability than my 6.5 with 3 tons or so tagged on the back. Now, the moral of this long and winding road is that the old 3500 was replaced first by a K1500 gasser for a few months - as the LIGHT towing ability and fuel consumption were absolutely horrible (far, far worse than the 1500 Ram 3.0 that shares that driveway) so best bud went back to a new DMax 3500 SRW crew cab and gets BETTER light load fuel mileage than anything else on this page except our Q7. It will also tow Ram 3500 and F450 7.3 size loads with ease and at similarly impressive fuel consumption. I can say I have often had a truck that wasn't enough for the jobs we do, but I have seldom had a truck that was too much. The big difference is that at today's level of technical development, the big diesel can come very close to the small gasser in fuel efficiency, but if you ever want to see STUPID writ big, just try towing with an ecoboost 150.

 

[Tom in PT]

My Ford F250 6.7 diesel 4x4 supercab has been a fantastic vehicle for me so far. Bought new, now has 48,000 miles, vast majority towing a 27 foot travel trailer.
Just one software recall, no trips to the dealer to fix anything, easy to maintain myself, everything works like new. Its actually more truck than I really need but the exhaust brake is really handy for the long descents on mountain grades where I live.
MPGs have been fantastic. Hand calculated since new: empty: freeway low 20s, towing the trailer at or below 65 mph average is about 14.5 (trailer is an Airstream so fairly light and slippery).

The 2011 models had some turbo issues, but the 2012 and later years are pretty solid and bulletproof if maintained.

 

[oilhammer]

Yep, I like those... but the lack of a proper transmission option won't see one in my driveway ever. And yes, I know, the slushbox works perfectly fine, yada yada yada, I still prefer to row my own gears, thanks.

 

[Tom in PT]

I was not aware of any manual transmission options then or now in 3/4 ton and up trucks nowadays. The 6 speed in mine has a manual mode where you can shift when you want but this transmission is so good at gear selection I never use it. In tow haul mode it moves the shift points up a bit and holds gears longer, another good feature, as well as downshifts early to hold the truck and trailer back. All in all, I could not be happier with how it performs. I have not driven the newer 8 or 10 speed transmissions in these types of vehicles and don't understand the need for more gears given how great the 6 speed is. Maybe they add a bit more fuel economy? My truck with a 3.31 axle ratio and 2 overdrives does not need anything taller that is for sure.

 

[kjclow]

I had a new F150 for a rental that had the 10 speed tranny. In normal city and light highway use, under 50 mph, the truck was continually searching for gears to the point that I thought the tires were slipping on the damp roads. I've not noticed the same issue with my Ram 1500 and the FCA 8 speed.

 

[Mozambiquer]

We do a lot of work on 6.7 powerstrokes. that's what our service truck is, and I'm kinda impressed with them. I wish they were manuals though, but with their variable vane turbo, it's not optimized for a manual. (Ever driven a 6.0 or 6.4 with a manual?)
Still, it works, but...
I'll keep my older ones for now. One of my next projects is swapping a 12 valve into a half ton Chevy with a nv4500. That's the good old ones...

 

[oilhammer]

The Ram HD with the Cummins engine was the last gear rower available here, and they went away in 2020 I believe. There was actually a slight surge in sales of those trucks at the very end, and oddly enough FCA ran out of parts for them before they were slated to leave the build line. I suspect there will be more conversions in years to come, as there has been some complaints about the Aisin (which honestly surprises me).

A "manual mode" on an automatic is NOT the same. Although I do find them useful for helping to keep the stupid transmission in high gear on the highway with some applications (usually gassers). I have to do this with my 1.8t Passat pretty much every time I drive it.

Ford's new 10 speeds do not even use all their ratios all of the time. Yet they still seem busy and overly confused most of the time.

 

[taleAwaggin]

Add another here who would would buy a manual small diesel truck if it were available. I did end up buying an automatic 03 Sprinter because it was the closest thing I could find to a small truck with good economy at the time. I have been satisfied with it so far. I haven't read through this whole thread, but if it hasn't already been mentioned.. Sprinter is a good option for an economical trucky diesel hauler thing.

 

[oilhammer]

Yep, Sprinters are fantastic.

 

[taleAwaggin]

Diesel pickup resale is to the point it got me considering getting a 535d to try as a tow beast. Straight six turbo diesel with 400 foot pounds, you would think it would do well right. That or the 4 banger 328d wagon with 280 torque... For a 90% commuter 10% tow pig it actually makes a lot of sense. At least in my head.

 

[garreth5]

My Ford F250 6.7 diesel 4x4 supercab has been a fantastic vehicle for me so far. Bought new, now has 48,000 miles, vast majority towing a 27 foot travel trailer.
Just one software recall, no trips to the dealer to fix anything, easy to maintain myself, everything works like new. Its actually more truck than I really need but the exhaust brake is really handy for the long descents on mountain grades where I live.
MPGs have been fantastic. Hand calculated since new: empty: freeway low 20s, towing the trailer at or below 65 mph average is about 14.5 (trailer is an Airstream so fairly light and slippery).

The 2011 models had some turbo issues, but the 2012 and later years are pretty solid and bulletproof if maintained.

I own Ford F250 6.7 diesel also and I must say that exhaust braking is awesome. I haul a trailer from time to time. My rig is currently stock except for the new american force wheels and CAI.

 

[KITEWAGON]

Diesel pickup resale is to the point it got me considering getting a 535d to try as a tow beast.

Why not an X5d that is actually set up to tow? Or better yet Touareg or Q7.

 

[taleAwaggin]

Yes that would work too. Just prefer the chassis which delivers better fuel efficiency, the whole 90/10 thing.

 

[crazyrunner33]

How much do you need to be able to tow and carry in the vehicle? The 535d has the power and stability to be an incredible tow pig with the right mods(trailer brake, good hitch, potentially helper bags). But it's extremely limited by the low GAWR its given. Its rear GAWR is 2,900 lbs, but I'm not sure how much of that is taken up by the curb weight on the rear in stock form.

 

[taleAwaggin]

Excellent point. That is something I had not considered. Looked at that way I guess the additional power of a 535d over a 328d or even a TDI might net out to zero advantage in [legal safe] towing.

 

[crazyrunner33]

Correct on the legal aspect. I'd assume with the size of the 535d, it'd likely be more stable. Wear and tear would be low on the 535d, it likely uses a very similar axle, suspension, and brakes as the X5 that has a significantly higher rating.

I've struggled to find details on the weight over each axle of the various vehicles, but I'm guessing it's right around 2000 on the 535d, leaving you 900 to play with. If you pay attention to how you balance your load, you could probably conservatively tow 4,000 and remain legal(I say this assuming there'll be a passenger in the rear and stuff in the truck).

The X5 35d has a significantly higher GAWR. When taking the additional weight into consideration, it likely has around an extra 400-500 lbs of capacity remaining over the rear. If you think you'll need to tow more than 4,000 lbs, the X5 35d would be a wise choice. Throw on a class 3 hitch and a trailer brake and you'll be set.

Whichever you go with, be sure to check the door sticker of each vehicle. Various trims will drop the GAWR due to the tire options from the factory.

 

[truman]

My B5,5 wagon with 310k is still my daily driver. I wanted another vehicle with a bit more utility with efficiency and a nice ride. I elected for a used 2020 Honda Ridgeline. On a recent trip to Naples from mid MO and back I averaged 25mpg on RUG, driving 75-85+. Modern diesel options are too complicated for my tastes and I really don't need a real truck. I'm not into warranties, but everything is complicated today. On this one I did buy a Honda 7/120 zero deductible warranty for 1360, which seemed reasonable- hope it's a waste of money.

 

[mannytranny]

I'd personally steer towards Ford for now. Have had bad luck with even some basic finding parts for my 2002 Duramax. Also not terribly impressed with some of the build quality I've found on that truck over the years as compared to my F150 from the same year. Got a chance to poke around a new diesel 1/2ton Sierra and didn't like the dash layout at all. Father in law has one, gets 27 mpg tops. Learned that the oil pump is driven off of a belt that requires changing at 150k. You have to yank the trans to get to it. Boo.

Haven't heard much either way about the diesel F150. Looking for an electric one myself someday.

 

[taleAwaggin]

What is the verdict on the Italian Dodge Diesels? Ah I see there are previous posts about this. I will read up later.. The idea of a 3ish liter Diesel appeals to me, may be one in my future one day.

Also wonder about that 2.8 Cummins 50 state crate motor deal. Have not kept up on how that one is doing.

R2.8 Turbo Diesel | Cummins Inc.

Not all engines are crated equally. When critical components such as fuel pumps, filters, accessories, starters, and flywheels aren’t included in an engine package, you have to piece together these components from various manufacturers, hoping for the best. For the vehicle specific components...

www.cummins.com

 

[kjclow]

I'm sitting around 45k miles on my Ram and still hae a lifetime average of around 22 mpg. The short trips and no commute due to Covid really hurt the mileage on this beast. Got my EGR cooler recall done and am waiting on warmer weather and vaccines to start some road trips.

 

[crazyrunner33]

I'd feel more comfortable with the 3.0 Ecodiesel than the others. It's the frenemy we know, they had a lot of time to refine that engine and work out the bugs. The newer Ram trucks and Jeeps are also built pretty well, and VCDS like software is avaliable to be able to diagnose issues related to almost any module.

The 2.8 Cummins is also decent, but I could never justify spending that much money on an engine swap that can't legally be swapped into a vehicle newer than 1999.

 

[Mozambiquer]

The 2.8 Duramax and 3.0 power stroke have been around a long time overseas already. The power stroke is changed a bit, but it has been made by Ford for land rover applications for some years, the first ones had big problems with failing oil pumps and breaking crankshafts, if you look up the discovery 4 tdv6 that's what the engine was, but I understand that Ford changed the crankshaft and a few other things to make the one they have now.
Personally I kinda wish they put the 3.2 i-5 engine in the pickups, I've heard it was pretty good.
The 2.8 Duramax has been used in the isuzu kb280dt overseas for years. I used to drive one of the older ones, and it was a tough engine and ran great!

 

[oilhammer]

The price of all the Ford, GM, and Dodge/Ram diesels in the used market has gone bonkers lately. I thought I'd like to snag a nice, clean, 3/4 ton manual truck before they are all trashed or lifted or become some trailer queen status, but I may be too late.

Chrysler's ever changing ownership and its transplantathon powertrains and computer systems has me not having fuzzy feelings for them lately. They certainly have decent curb appeal, but Ford seems more reliable and conservative in their approach to a lot of that stuff... aluminum bodies notwithstanding. Seeing fist sized rust holes in GM trucks that probably are not even paid off makes me sick. GM must have scoured the Earth to find THE WORST metal and paint to use on those things. Including things like brake lines. Seriously. Brake lines. I have Volkswagens that rolled off the assembly line in the '70s and their brake lines are still perfectly fine.

 

[Mozambiquer]

The price of all the Ford, GM, and Dodge/Ram diesels in the used market has gone bonkers lately. I thought I'd like to snag a nice, clean, 3/4 ton manual truck before they are all trashed or lifted or become some trailer queen status, but I may be too late.

Chrysler's ever changing ownership and its transplantathon powertrains and computer systems has me not having fuzzy feelings for them lately. They certainly have decent curb appeal, but Ford seems more reliable and conservative in their approach to a lot of that stuff... aluminum bodies notwithstanding. Seeing fist sized rust holes in GM trucks that probably are not even paid off makes me sick. GM must have scoured the Earth to find THE WORST metal and paint to use on those things. Including things like brake lines. Seriously. Brake lines. I have Volkswagens that rolled off the assembly line in the '70s and their brake lines are still perfectly fine.

That's for sure! I've been seeing the market and it's crazy! And to get a manual truck, you're talking even crazier!