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Tow-rig shopping in 2020 with a 15-20K budget

Want a clean 2004 CCSB 8.1L, Zf6, 4x4 with 153k?

I average 11-12 unloaded. Flirted with 13 and low of 10.25.

Where you located?



​​​​​On the 2wd note, I don't think I could ever own one, I need 4wd almost daily just because of a slanted gravel driveway.

However, I've wondered about the profit opportunity of buying up clean 2wd trucks and converting them to 4wd. I know most of the ford's are the same frame and its just a matter of grinding off rivits and attaching the 4wd brackets.

For the Chevy, it might be easier/better to just fit an 05+ Ford 60 and suspension. WFO makes a kit that makes it super simple and can sit at about leveling kit height.

I know some of the newer stuff uses the same transmission weather it's 2wd or 4wd and can have a tcase bolted up with little or no mods.
 
Where you located?



​​​​​On the 2wd note, I don't think I could ever own one, I need 4wd almost daily just because of a slanted gravel driveway.

However, I've wondered about the profit opportunity of buying up clean 2wd trucks and converting them to 4wd. I know most of the ford's are the same frame and its just a matter of grinding off rivits and attaching the 4wd brackets.

For the Chevy, it might be easier/better to just fit an 05+ Ford 60 and suspension. WFO makes a kit that makes it super simple and can sit at about leveling kit height.

I know some of the newer stuff uses the same transmission weather it's 2wd or 4wd and can have a tcase bolted up with little or no mods.

Well, if it's anything like building a ford with a Cummins, or a 4wd van, on spec, forget about it. You'll spend too much time and money shopping for clean trucks, then clean parts, then doing the job right, then yakking about trucks on the phone all thru dinner and at the end figuring out that they just wanted to pick your brain so they can do it themselves.

or, if a buyer does show up, every single piece of the truck you touched gets gone over with a fine tooth comb. The same guy might spend 90 seconds under a 2wd Chevy, and 90 seconds under a 4wd ford with 200k miles each, but he's going to fucking nitpick the steering u joints in that ford 60 under a Chevy.

If you wanted one, do one yourself, keep the templates, and offer it as a service to convert someone else's truck. $xxxx and xx days

start to collect good used parts to shorten up your turnaround time

in reality, if you had a fab shop, and an online presence, you could do it, but you'd probably be better off rebuilding backhoe buckets and dump trucks for people a few steps above the general public

my humble opinion, after many hours wasted on dumb shits:laughing:
 
Well, if it's anything like building a ford with a Cummins, or a 4wd van, on spec, forget about it. You'll spend too much time and money shopping for clean trucks, then clean parts, then doing the job right, then yakking about trucks on the phone all thru dinner and at the end figuring out that they just wanted to pick your brain so they can do it themselves.

or, if a buyer does show up, every single piece of the truck you touched gets gone over with a fine tooth comb. The same guy might spend 90 seconds under a 2wd Chevy, and 90 seconds under a 4wd ford with 200k miles each, but he's going to fucking nitpick the steering u joints in that ford 60 under a Chevy.

If you wanted one, do one yourself, keep the templates, and offer it as a service to convert someone else's truck. $xxxx and xx days

start to collect good used parts to shorten up your turnaround time

in reality, if you had a fab shop, and an online presence, you could do it, but you'd probably be better off rebuilding backhoe buckets and dump trucks for people a few steps above the general public

my humble opinion, after many hours wasted on dumb shits:laughing:

I'd say an engine swap is a much larger can of worms than an axle swap. I do see where you're coming from, and I'm sure you're right. I'd think doing 95-03 7.3 trucks with stock shit would probably be your best bet. Maybe Cummins trucks also.

Getting a reputation and offering the service or a kit is probably a better money maker, and is pretty much what wfo does.
 
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