OT: Diesel pickup truck recommendation
 

Retirement is getting closer...
Once we get there we plan to travel the country with a trailer.
The one we are eyeballing is around 8,000 lbs., a little more than what my current diesel SUV can handle.

I am a car guy but know nothing about p/u trucks.
Given their cars' reputation, I'd probably rule out anything from Chrysler/Stellantis, which leaves Ford and GM.

I assume asking for opinions on those 2 ends in something similar to a Shimano vs. Campagnolo debate ;)

The best info I got so far is from my neighbor's dad who runs a hobby farm.
He swears by older Fords. He got 3, all one ton and he insists I shouldn't get anything smaller. He also mentioned that the older models (pre-2006 I think) are preferable due to a less complex emission system.
This makes sense, but I would like to gauge the trade-off carefully as someone who cares about the environment. I also assume that MPG of a modern truck is significantly better than what you get from a 20 year old engine?

That's all the info I got so far, lots of research on the web is next, but since I know that we have quite a few folks with trucks on here, I thought I'd check.
4WD is a must.

Any input is appreciated and thanks in advance.

8,000# is really not that much weight.

It totally depends on what your budget is. If the sky is the limit, the new 2500 Silverado with the gas engine and forget you ever heard the word diesel. No need with a trailer that light.

You could certainly do the job with a bigger engine 1500 too.

Thats a good way to look at it :banana:
Granted like Angry suggested at 8000lbs (is that dry weight or loaded?), most big SUVs or 1/4ton (F-150/Chevy 1500) trucks could tow it. I know my Expedition with the max tow package will pull 9300lbs and the trucks a bit more. What gets you on the 1/4ton and SUVs is the payload getting "full" on the truck before hitting max trailer weight, and the gas engines sucking down more fuel than a diesel would.

We went through something similar on the Tahoe vs the Expedition, and from what my buddies with big trucks say the brand values seem to hold strong across the line. GM will have the only diesel in 1/4ton trucks, with a more "closed in" and plasticy interior. The Fords tend to have better fit and finish in the trucks, and try to be more "high end" but it comes down to personal preference. The big diesels are their own world and require a lot of special maintenance (think like you're buying Super Record) to keep them running but they are truly incredible on the road and get great gas mileage when towing. I doubt you'll even notice 9000 lbs much behind one. That said, don't sleep on the big gas V8s in the Fords - it saves you around $10k and is a monster of a truck motor. I've had a few friends go that way for their personal trucks, after seeing big corporate fleets move that way from diesel, and other than gas mileage when towing you don't give up much on the road and have much less maintenance on the motor..

At the end of the day, figure out what the true loaded weight you'll have in the trailer and stuff in the car, give yourself at least a 25% safety factor (ideally a bit more) on the vehicle, and drive a few different options to see what works for you. I'd definitely lean towards new due to the ease of support if anything goes wrong, you can just pop into any local Chevy or Ford dealer and they should know a good bit about your truck.

You should check out these guys on YouTube: TFL

They do loads of real world testing with all types of trucks and should give you a good overall view of what you’re asking about. Enjoy the travels when you get there!

Have you thought about a class B/B+?

I've towed a 10k lb trailer x-country twice, now I'm in a class B. Not only is it way easier to drive both on highways and surface streets, dragging a lump around is costly too (more tires to blowout, more wheel bearings, any every toll costs you 3x). It's also way safer in the plains, where crosswinds can be strong enough that it's undriveable with a light trailer.

Better do a cost/benefit analysis on the diesel engine premium. It's going to take a long time to pay back that price premium.

No reason to rule out the Dodge with a Cummins. AFAIK, all three mfrs make good trucks. I'm in sticker shock at all of them, so I'd suggest a test drive of all three and getting pricing.

GM used to have a better ride than Ford d/t the front IFS. Will you notice? Some people do, some don't.

Ram's air suspension = cool. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Kw...nnel=JBReviews

I have owned all three from new at some point in the last 20 years. If I was buying today I'd have to try them all first.

I pull a 9500-pound travel trailer with a 2020 F 250 with the 6.7L Powerstroke Diesel. 8000 pounds is within the advertised capacity of most half-ton pickups. A few things, what will the gross weight of the trailer be when fully loaded, tongue weight with relation to payload, payload includes the people and stuff in the truck. Some dealers will suggest a towing package for a half-ton, which changes the gearing and beefs up the suspension, impacting the non-towing mileage and ride.

My F-250, with its ten-speed transmission, will get 22 mpg without a trailer. I get around 13 with the trailer. Ford makes two good gas motors for their Super Duty trucks, either of which would be more than adequate for my trailer. I like having 7000+ pounds of truck pulling my trailer, especially in crosswinds and steep descents. Gas or diesel wouldn't matter; they come with the ten-speed, so engine braking is easy. A gas Super Duty isn't much more than a well-equipped half-ton.

I retired from full-time work in 2022. We take the travel trailer to our property in Wyoming, May to August. It is our summer home. We also take it to Yellowstone and numerous state parks all summer to flyfish. I put a 2" receiver on the rear bumper for my Kuat rack to bring bikes. The back of my truck has my tools, a generator, pancake air compressor, and my bike stuff.

I know, Campy v Shimano. There is good a reason why Ford has the best-selling pickup truck for the last almost 5 decades.
The idea of a light duty truck for trailer towing might work for small trailers on flat terrain, but the Super Duty truck with the diesel offers advantages for long distance and especially mountain towing. The turbocharged engine works much better at high altitude and the Ford offers engine braking for descending.

Buy a gas Ford 7.3. Tows 8k no problem. Diesels have DEF to deal with, complex emissions systems, and a turbo etc. They are nice, but expensive to maintain. 15 qts of oil, 5k intervals on mine.
The big gas Ford makes its peak torque at highish rpm (4k) so the transmission logic is quite different from a diesel.
Ford's diesels have all had their issues. The latest, the 6.7. seems better but go cruise the used market on FB or somewhere, there are a TON of reasonably low mileage 6.4's dirt cheap that "need motor".
Dodge? Great motor, in a truck that falls apart (at least they used to, no current knowledge).
GM's are nice, drive more like cars but pull like trucks. But any diesel will have 2x the general upkeep cost of a gas truck.

Not to rain on a parade, but maintenance is, or should be, a primary concern.

Trucks as they are these days are wildly expensive and loaded with more maintenance and repair potential than not too many years ago.

Too numerous, complex systems and features, most of which are not that practical. Granted, some are indeed nifty, but some are, well, really, do I need that?!

And the reality of once simply locating the problem fairly quickly, and swapping-out the part, usually on your own in the driveway, any more it’s full-blown diagnostic equipment involvement, and then replacing the problem with a system-component, probably at the dealer, of course, which in itself, is typically eye-opening once they hand the keys back to you.

Diesels are even MORE maintenance heavy, which obviously translates to more cost in ownership, on down the road. Stuff adds up.

It seems the days of shade-tree, easy to work on cars and trucks - especially trucks - are slip-sliding away. And again, just outright, ridiculously expensive! Jeez!

Sorry to sound like a curmudgeon, but vehicles in general are kinda getting out of hand anymore, and the joy of ownership, once that shine wears away, is sobering and I bet, oftentimes regretful. I worry that vehicle ownership is becoming rapidly unsustainable. Especially for the younger folks coming up.

A 2015 to 2019 Chevy 2500hd with the 6.0 v8 can pull 8000 pounds no problem. Make sure it has the 4.10 gears.

I never thought DEF was that big of a deal. The low level warning comes on at 500 miles remaining. When I travel with the trailer, most of the gas stations with pull-throughs have a DEF pump next to the Diesel pump. If I was in Arizona year round, my oil change would be 5K miles but my truck spends the hot months in Wyoming, so I stick to the 7500 schedule. I had a high pressure fuel pump failure on my 6.7, but Ford covered it all. As soon as my warranty expires, I'll install the disaster kit to protect the fuel system.

I agree with the Dodge statement. A great drivetrain wrapped in a Chrysler. We are a two diesel family, my wife drives a 2007 2500 with a 6.6 Duramax. Her truck has 325K miles.

We have a 1.5L Ford Escape for anything that doesn't require a truck.

Diesel ProMasters are now starting to go out of warranty. Multiple people are paying $5k-$8k for DEF/emissions related failures... The vehicle's ECM goes into complete shutdown if you ignore the service light for too long. Hasn't happened to me, but it's a concern. Don't know if any pickups are having the same general issue.

This is really important.

And remember that the tongue weight of your trailer comes off the payload.

And...get that payload number from the yellow door sticker.

Not what the brochure or the salesperson tells you it is.

SPP

At 8000 pounds trailer weight I would stick with a 3/4 ton gas engine. The emissions systems on diesels have made them way to unreliable. It is also about a $10,000 cost premium to buy the diesel plus the added maintenance cost.

As others have said watch the payload rating. Many 1/2 ton trucks are advertised as having 12-13 thousand pound trailering capacity. With a payload typically between 1200 and 1500 pounds for a 1/2 ton you can really eat into that with a tongue weight of up to or over 1000 pounds.

I am using a 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500 with a 6.6 gas engine to tow our 7000 pound trailer. Today is only the second time I have towed with it but initial impressions are really good. Plenty of power, and a comfortable ride. Downsides would be fuel mileage looks like it is going to be around 10 mpg towing. It is also a big truck when you are in a parking lot. Not the ideal daily driver but a real beast of a tow vehicle. Previous tow vehicle was a 1 ton Chevy van.

Ford vs Chevy vs Ram, yep just like Sram vs Shimano vs Campy. Ford 7.3 had initial great reviews but are getting reports of camshaft failures. Ram has cylinder deactivation on their gas hemi which has also caused cam and lifter failures. Chevy 6.6 gas had reports of early engines burning excessive amounts of oil. Each can have their issues. I only have a little over 2000 miles on my truck but so far it hasn't used a drop of oil and I have had no complaints.
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