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Modern 3/4t Gassers

DocRamsay

DocRamsay

Not a Doctor
ST4x4
Joined
Apr 24, 2023
Member Number
6390
Messages
60
Time to figure out my next daily, I've been stealing the family ranch truck/trailer to tow things over the years but it's an inconvenience to everyone.

Problem is I live 1.7mi from work in Montana where we have aggressively cold winters. My tahoe barely gets up to temp by the time I pull into work in 40* weather, so it seems that a diesel might not be a super happy fun time. Would like to be able to tow the yota to/from Moab/Mojave/Fordyce once or twice a year without hating life or being terrified.

Been looking at a P Wagon, seems they hold their resale value reasonably well, but our local dealership has them going for $20k over MSRP and I just can't. I've also heard of trans headaches, but I feel like everyone says that about everything that isn't a T56, NV4500 or ZF6.
Other thought has been a used GM 2500HD since they don't seem to hold their values, but it's hard to find a gas truck that isn't a base model work truck. I'm a fancy boy that needs creature comforts.
Final thought is to have a separate dedicated diesel tow rig and dd something else, but I'm running out of parking spaces in the suburbs.

Does anyone tow regularly with a gas truck? Any regrets?
 
DocRamsay said:
Final thought is to have a separate dedicated diesel tow rig and dd something else, but I'm running out of parking spaces in the suburbs.
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110%

DocRamsay said:
Does anyone tow regularly with a gas truck? Any regrets?
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Are you used to Diesel torque and power while towing ? If yes, then yeah it'll be disappointing.
But it'll do the job just fine.
 
I am seeing Power Wagons with discounts off MSRP, if you want one, don't be afraid to travel to get it.

I also have an F350 with the 7.3 gasser that does fine for all the towing and hauling I do with it...

But, I DD a car and not the 350 for a reason
 
Gas tows just fine. Even the small motor in the 3/4T any flavor will do what you need.

For only a handful of times a year, the oldest you can get with whatever comforts you like with the worst body gets my vote.
 
Wait a couple months and dealers will be giving discounts and rebates on trucks. All the local dealers lots have been filling up with new trucks and they don't seem to be moving all that fast due to the current intrest rates and massive inflation.

I'd bet in a month or so the same dealer will be begging you to buy that Power Wagon for below sticker....
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
Wait a couple months and dealers will be giving discounts and rebates on trucks. All the local dealers lots have been filling up with new trucks and they don't seem to be moving all that fast due to the current intrest rates and massive inflation.

I'd bet in a month or so the same dealer will be begging you to buy that Power Wagon for below sticker....
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maybe... with the folks walking off the KY SuperDuty plant, maybe not...
 
What are towing? If it's just a wheeler on an open trailer, a 1/2 ton gasser will do just fine. 3/4 ton even better.

I typically tow with a 7.3L Powerstroke van (geared on 37s). One trip this year we towed with my buddy's Raptor. I'd say it was almost as good as my van. This was a 4 hour tow from 0 to 5500ft elevation pulling a 1ton JK on a 10k carson trailer.

I've also towed with modern Powerstrokes and Duramaxes, and they're a little better than my van, but not significantly.

Edit: the above is my opinion/experience when towing ~8k. I’m confident that if you increase the weight, the newer diesels significantly outperform older diesels and gassers.
 
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Jeffh555 said:
I've also towed with modern Powerstrokes and Duramaxes, and they're a little better than my van, but not significantly.
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No


I have both a 97 7.3 and a 22 6.7 truck and to say the 6.7 is "a little better" than a 7.3 van is laughable. You have some kind of special edition hot rodded 7.3 in that thing? :lmao:
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
No


I have both a 97 7.3 and a 22 6.7 truck and to say the 6.7 is "a little better" than a 7.3 van is laughable. You have some kind of special edition hot rodded 7.3 in that thing? :lmao:
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I have stage 1.5 injectors and a chip, but I wasn't specifically talking about power. IMO the 7.3L makes enough power to tow a moderate load (or light depending on who you're talking to). My experience (driving my buddy's 6.7L once with a trailer) more power from a 6.7L doesn't make the towing experience significantly better. Yes, the 6.7 will beat me in a drag race hands down, and if I was hot-shotting 20k over the Rockies it would be a different story, but pulling a Jeep on a trailer, at reasonable speeds (60-70mph) to go wheeling a few times a year, it's not a huge difference.

Edit: A buddy has a stock 97 7.3L and rode with me to Fordyce once, and he was blown away how much faster mine is than his up the grades, so maybe there is something. I was told it was stock when I bought it, and put the injectors and chip on it myself.
 
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ANGELO said:
6.2 ford seems to be the way to go.
no way a modern diesel is worth the hassle unless your pulling something that actually needs one.
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I have a 13 F-250 with the 6.2. 180k miles of towing all over the country. Max load has been 18k. Majority of the time 10-12k. It drinks fuel and you have to keep the rpm’s up. No comparison to a diesel but a gasser will get you there just fine.
 
Jeffh555 said:
I've also towed with modern Powerstrokes and Duramaxes, and they're a little better than my van, but not significantly.
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No way.

I've been lucky to try towing with a brand new Ram dually 6.7 HO. 2 heavy buggies in a big ass enclosed. Give or take 15k. Cruise control at 80 and it doesn't care if you're going up or downhill, it stays at 80.

This is not remotely possible with a 7.3
 
I have had 2011, 2013, and 2014 6.2 Superduties in my personal fleet and several 6.2 Superduties in my work fleet ranging from 2011 to new. I have also owned and ran several 2001-2013ish Duramax trucks. The 6.2s are no diesel, but they are adequate and get the job done. Stick to within the advertised weight/tow ratings and the gas trucks are fine. If you are going to grossly overload it and still expect any sort of performance, get a diesel.

I personally do not plan to own a modern diesel. Too many headaches. If I were looking for a new or couple year old truck, it would be a 7.3 gasser Superduty.
 
Bebop said:
No way.

I've been lucky to try towing with a brand new Ram dually 6.7 HO. 2 heavy buggies in a big ass enclosed. Give or take 15k. Cruise control at 80 and it doesn't care if you're going up or downhill, it stays at 80.

This is not remotely possible with a 7.3
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You’re the second person to call me out, and you’re right. With a big load the new diesel’s are going to dramatically outperform a 7.3L or gasser. That’s not what my post or this thread is about. I’ve never driven a semi, but I bet it isn’t a significantly better experience towing 8k with a semi or a 6.7L.

My friend had a 6.7L [edit: Cummins], I drove it a few times empty, and I hated it.

OP said he was going to tow his Toyota, I assume it’s not a Cummins swapped Land Cruiser on an equipment trailer that somehow weighs 15k, and also assumed it’s not in a toy hauler. For his use, I don’t think he’ll get significantly better performance with a new diesel than a gasser or 7.3L, but the 7.3L would be a pain to daily drive.
 
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What is your current benchmark for capability? Just a yota on a car trailer isn't a big deal for any truck built in the last decade or so
 
Under 10k newer half ton, under 16k 3/4 ton anything over dually. Newer diesels aren’t worth it with all the emissions controls unless you are working them 100% of the time and even then you hear a lot of horror stories.

I pull 15k a few times a year with a gas f250 and don’t have any complaints. It will up shift and slow down on long hills but being able to throw a long block in it for 5k makes for easy pace of mind.
 
I had an 04 Ram 2500, 325/600 engine, went to a 6.6L gas Chev, tow a 5K TT, which is probably comparable to a Yota on a car trailer. Chevy was hands down nicer to tow with - 6 speed vs the 48re was much nicer for the terrain I travel on. Small hills, lots of 50mph secondary roads. Was a pain with my gearing in the Dodge to keep the convertor locked, otherwise the noise level was a bit much for the fam. Only complaint was the Chevy was way more sensitive to tongue weight.
 
Kunker said:
I had an 04 Ram 2500, 325/600 engine, went to a 6.6L gas Chev, tow a 5K TT, which is probably comparable to a Yota on a car trailer. Chevy was hands down nicer to tow with - 6 speed vs the 48re was much nicer for the terrain I travel on. Small hills, lots of 50mph secondary roads. Was a pain with my gearing in the Dodge to keep the convertor locked, otherwise the noise level was a bit much for the fam. Only complaint was the Chevy was way more sensitive to tongue weight.
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I also switched from a 3rd gen cummins to a Chevy 6.6 gasser. The gasser tows everything better than the 3rd gen turd.

FYI the 24 chevy gasser gets the 10spd allison.

Honestly I dont have many complaints out of the 6spd. Gets about 18mpg empty and 10-11 towing, same as my cummins. Towed my buddys bass boat to michigan and back and averaged 15mpg.
 
YJ4Rox said:
I also switched from a 3rd gen cummins to a Chevy 6.6 gasser. The gasser tows everything better than the 3rd gen turd.

FYI the 24 chevy gasser gets the 10spd allison.

Honestly I dont have many complaints out of the 6spd. Gets about 18mpg empty and 10-11 towing, same as my cummins. Towed my buddys bass boat to michigan and back and averaged 15mpg.
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Same experience here - literally the only complaint was that the Chev would bounce with the same trailer load out that the Dodge didn't mind. Move some stuff back in the trailer to get the weight off the tongue and it was fine, and I'd gladly deal with that over the rest of the 3rd gen issues (yay rust belt and cheap wiring).
 
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