cheesy Posted October 9, 2023 Report Share Posted October 9, 2023 Back in August, I gave into my other half's whining about our pop up camper being too 'rustic' for her. Cramped, no potty, no A/C. So, we bought this hotel room on wheels. It had everything she wanted in it. Sigh. As we are handing over the cash, I casually mention that "I hope we don't have to buy a new truck to pull it." Yeah, we did. The 4.8L/292ci v8 in the Chevy was a bit lacking. It pulled it, but the 8/9 mpg and the constant shifting between 2nd and 3rd was annoying to me. I cringed every time it dropped into 2nd and the tach read 4500 rpm. I got her to agree to getting a different truck. I wanted a new Ram because I can still use my Dad's Chrysler Employee Family Discount. It does save a few bucks but I choked at the out the door price even with the discount. I talked to my Dad about it and he even said that he really couldn't recommend this generation of Ram trucks and to look at used. To make a long story short, we bought this 2020 Ford F150 XLT with the 3.0L/183ci V6 Powerstroke engine. Geez, it sips fuel. Quiet, comfortable, and even being an XLT, not overloaded with tech. It's about 30 hp down on the Chevy but with 155 lbs-ft more torque. And it does scoot. I've dealt with Cat, Duetz, Hatz, John Deere, Kohler, and Lambordini diesels for the past 30 years, this shouldn't be any different. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazyK Posted October 9, 2023 Report Share Posted October 9, 2023 Nice looking rig. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted October 10, 2023 Report Share Posted October 10, 2023 (edited) My neighbor has the gasoline powered version of that truck but he bought the TwinTurbo V6 gasoline engine. Ford is rebuilding all of those things under warranty because they were failures. Some people reported that the rebuilds are only lasting for 30,000 miles. They keep changing the parts that are failing so maybe they finally made some that last? The newest ones have a redesigned bearing cap for the front of the cams. So be happy you got the Diesel engine. Do not get water in the tail lamps. There have been horror stories reported where rusty tail lamp sockets caused all the same tier computer modules to start failing one by one, as bulb power back fed into the communications bus. Remember when a bad ground on a tail light was a simple thing to identify and repair? The basic tail lights are reportedly $1200 each without the circuit modules that go in them. One guy that had the late model with all the departure lane warnings and electronic sensing systems paid $5600 as I recall to help both tail lights and all the modules replaced, and it took a long time to do the diagnosis because of the “zipper failure” action of the electronic modules. When the first one burned out it took out the next one and that one took out the next one etc. When the cam phasers blew out on my neighbors truck he had to fight with Ford and wait months, but in the end, even though it was technically out of warranty, he got it all fixed by Ford. I don’t know if that means they replaced the heads with the newer model heads (which evidently solved the cam phaser problem.) My question to you, is do any of these modern diesel engines have variable valve timing on the cam? I am only used to working on Detroit diesel’s from the 1960s. I could rebuild one of those In my dreams, but don’t ask me to look at a Caterpillar! Edited October 10, 2023 by Ulu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper Posted October 14, 2023 Report Share Posted October 14, 2023 I got a new company truck about three months ago, Silverado 1500 with the 2.7L turbo motor. I had a Silverado 2500 with the 6.0L V8. I am surprised that the 4 banger seems to do fine power wise, not so much better on mileage though. I have no idea how it will tow, though it does have the factory tow package. I do not like the tow mirrors it has, blocks way too much of the view out the windows when I am looking for cross traffic at an intersection, been a few near misses there. I also dislike the lane keeping feature and the automatic braking. My BMW has auto braking and it is smooth, the Chevy is like an on/off switch. The lane keeping feature will fight you, got pulled over when the truck was real new for that, under 500 miles at the time. At the time I didn't know what had been going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesy Posted October 14, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2023 We're getting used to it. I'm liking the 24-27 mpg. I'm also liking that it's not loaded with bells and whistles like my wife's Fiat in Jeep clothing. No heated seats, no heated steering wheel, no lane sense, no adaptive cruise control. That everything else is kind of, sort of linked via CAN BUS does make my eyelids twitch. I still have nightmares of the CAN BUS equipment my outfit built that didn't work when it was delivered. My daughter has a 19 F150 with the 3.5L Ecoboost and to my knowledge, she's had no issues. Yet. Her kids call it "Mom's Rocket". My other daughters' hubs has a 19 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 VVT and it's looking at possibly a 3rd engine. My Ram owning SIL's Dad wants to trade in his Silverado 1500 for another one but is dead set against the I4. Like me, he wants to see how those little engines hold up to towing in real life. As far as VVT in my diesel, I don't think so. I haven't found any reference to it, but I haven't looked that hard either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted October 16, 2023 Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 Some nightmare examples here of new (expensive) trucks. My 25 yr old Cummins equipped truck keeps on ticking. You might imagine, I have little interest in upgrading it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldodge41 Posted October 17, 2023 Report Share Posted October 17, 2023 My rig. 2019 F150 4X4 Lariat w/5.0 V8 Coyote engine coupled to 10 speed auto transmission and 3.55 electronic locking rear. Camper is 2022 Coleman Lantern 286RK. I have Rancho shocks and Roadmaster Active Suspension on the rear of the truck and I use an Equalizer weight distribution hitch. The combo works well. That 5.0 Coyote is impressive. My plan when I bought the camper was to go to an F250, but for the towing I do this is just fine. If I were to go across country or something, I think I would want a heavier truck with a little longer wheelbase. I have scaled this setup and I am legal too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted October 17, 2023 Report Share Posted October 17, 2023 (edited) I’ll play along. My current rig. 1998 2500 Dodge with a Cummins 24 valve 2 cyl 5.9L diesel engine. Maintenance and repairs are done by me. i’ve owned it for 5 1/2 years. Engine is stock at about 190 hp if I recall. Lots of good usable torque, yet pales in comparison to modern diesels. Loud, skull-rattling stock engine clatter. But she’s pretty tough. Reliable and gets the job done. Towing package factory install including transmission cooler and extra rear leaf springs and block. Fuel economy is excellent when considering total weight that is rolling down the hi-way. Edited October 17, 2023 by keithb7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 17, 2023 Report Share Posted October 17, 2023 man....can't hide money....!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldodge41 Posted October 17, 2023 Report Share Posted October 17, 2023 My truck has that weird little knob to back your trailer as part of the tow package. I've never tried it, the stuff to set it up is still in the glovebox. It just seems weird to me..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldodge41 Posted October 17, 2023 Report Share Posted October 17, 2023 Uh, says the man with a shop full of great equipment and numerous project cars....................... Just sayin 39 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said: man....can't hide money....!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted October 17, 2023 Report Share Posted October 17, 2023 I like gas powered and no need to haul trailers. My brother has a 2003 Ford Diesel 3/4 ton lifted high off the ground, big tires on it .... I'm thinking it is a power stroke engine .... The truck is not a show queen, he just claims it will be the last truck he buys ..... said it was $15k just to have the engine rebuilt when he bought it. They are work horses and will get the job done ..... I figure if my 49 Dodge wont do the job, I probably should not either 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted October 19, 2023 Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 On 10/17/2023 at 5:19 PM, oldodge41 said: My truck has that weird little knob to back your trailer as part of the tow package. I've never tried it, the stuff to set it up is still in the glovebox. It just seems weird to me..... I have a 2020 F150 XLT with that same trailer back-up assist. I've never set it up. I learned how to back up a trailer a long time ago. My truck (actually a company truck) has the 3.5L Ecoboost engine. It has surprisingly good towing power, but it gets thirsty if you tow anything big. We currently only have a popup camper, but have been considering upgrading to a travel trailer some day. I just need to not get too big. I carry a fair amount of weight in the tool box, so I have to be conscious the tongue weight. I don't want to exceed my GVRW too much. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldodge41 Posted October 19, 2023 Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 Merle is right. Tongue weight is the limiter. I scaled at a CAT scale and I am ok on all my weights. Close, but ok. Payload (on the yellow sticker on the door) is the greatest concern on these trucks. You will typically exceed payload before any other weight rating. The more premium accessories on the truck, the lower the payload per the door sticker. As the GVWR stays the same and the weight of the truck goes up with accessories the lower the payload rating becomes. Once you add people, fuel and other to the cab or bed it eats up payload quick. My payload rating is 1838 lbs.. I have heard of ratings in the 1000 - 1200 range on some premium trucks. And then if you add big wheels, tires, bed caps, floor mats, anything, it adds up against payload. They like to advertise these trucks as being able to pull great weight (GCWR), which they will, but tongue weight will exceed payload long before you reach GCWR in most cases. I have studied this hard, because I wanted to be legal, but I wanted a big trailer without having to go to a 250 or 2500 series truck. By the way, there are times I miss my popup. My wife doesn't miss it, but sometimes I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted October 24, 2023 Report Share Posted October 24, 2023 On 10/19/2023 at 7:09 AM, Merle Coggins said: I have a 2020 F150 XLT with that same trailer back-up assist. I've never set it up. I learned how to back up a trailer a long time ago. My truck (actually a company truck) has the 3.5L Ecoboost engine. It has surprisingly good towing power, but it gets thirsty if you tow anything big. We currently only have a popup camper, but have been considering upgrading to a travel trailer some day. I just need to not get too big. I carry a fair amount of weight in the tool box, so I have to be conscious the tongue weight. I don't want to exceed my GVRW too much. You need an old COE with a Cummins 5.9 dropping in it I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted October 25, 2023 Report Share Posted October 25, 2023 21 hours ago, ggdad1951 said: You need an old COE with a Cummins 5.9 dropping in it I think! Sounds good to me. Are you going to build it for me? I don’t have the space for that type of project anymore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper Posted November 1, 2023 Report Share Posted November 1, 2023 On 10/17/2023 at 5:57 PM, Los_Control said: I figure if my 49 Dodge wont do the job, I probably should not either A man's got to know his limitations 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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