Best diesel for 1995-1998

[donbrown]

I am looking around for a diesel pickup

Haul toys

4x4

hold 6 people for short trips ... hold teenagers for an hour.

Why 95-98 money and smog.

California is smogging anything 98 newer and all those mods will cause them to fail.

So far I have heard any year 7.3 litre Ford crew or ext 94-99
Dodge ext cab 97-99
Gm 6.5 stay away.

I have been leaning to a Dodge solely because of gas mileage.

Comments?

 

[theultrarider]

If you ever end up having to ride in the back seat, you will wish you had the Ford crewcab! I have a 96. Not going to win any drag races. Not going to ouot pull the new stuff. But, still running great at 200xxx miles and going strong. Given your criterea, and reasons for wanting one, I think the Ford cc is the clear winner. The Dodge will have more power, and better milage, but the Ford is a much better all around truck.

 

[donbrown]

If you ever end up having to ride in the back seat, you will wish you had the Ford crewcab! I have a 96. Not going to win any drag races. Not going to ouot pull the new stuff. But, still running great at 200xxx miles and going strong. Given your criterea, and reasons for wanting one, I think the Ford cc is the clear winner. The Dodge will have more power, and better milage, but the Ford is a much better all around truck.

Which ford crew cab do you have? Dually?

What are real world mileage experience?

 

[theultrarider]

Which ford crew cab do you have? Dually?

What are real world mileage experience?

96 f350 non dually crewcab. 7.3 turbo. I rarely run it empty. Gets about 14mpg when I do. Most swear closer to 20 but I have never seen that. My truck spends alot of time with a cabover camper on it. 11.5' bigfoot. Then a 6000 boat in the summer, or a race trailer behind it. In the fall and winter it's a open 4place with either wheelers or sleds. In any of the above combos, I generally see about 9mpg. We do pull alot of good size hills here and never are able to punch a cruise and go. Key to getting decent milage is to keep the r's under 2000rpm. It's hard for me to do that. Either I'm climbing, or when I do hit the flats, it's hard to drive 60mph. 60=2000rpm in my truck. If you accept the mileage, it's a great truck. The dodges get better mileage for sure, but their back seat is a joke. So are the front ends in them. Like you said in your original post, the chevys of that vintage are pure junk and even the hardcore chevy guys will tell you that.

 

[LiveAlaska]

I own a 96 F350 CrewCab 4x4, 5-speed manual with 410 gears. Summer mileage 17.5 runnin between 60-65 empty (Hwy). Add the camper plan on mid 13's. Winter 15 runnin empty or a sled in the back. Add the 3 place loaded 12-13 again 60-65 (again Hwy). 240K miles still runnin strong. Solid truck, my first one was a 1990 naturally asperated 7.3 sold it with 340K on it. Not near the power with that one and no better mileage with an automatic and

 

[Braaap12]

if you go ford watch out for the 7.3 non powerstroke turbos, dont buy one of those. If you get a ford make sure its the "Powerstroke". The dodges are great trucks too

 

[Rotax-Guy]

Ive got a 97 cummins with a 5spd, has been a great truck just turned 190,000 miles. I have put some coin into it for more power but #'s dont lie! Hp at the wheels was 394 and trq. was 875 ft lbs. Been running this combo for quite some time, no problems. I also have a wife and kids, the x-tra cab sometimes can seem small. Have been looking at the 2010 dodge. Love the true crew cab, but not a lover of DPF! For the money a older dodge is hard to beat!

 

[Megadeth]

If you ever end up having to ride in the back seat, you will wish you had the Ford crewcab! I have a 96. Not going to win any drag races. Not going to ouot pull the new stuff. But, still running great at 200xxx miles and going strong. Given your criterea, and reasons for wanting one, I think the Ford cc is the clear winner. The Dodge will have more power, and better milage, but the Ford is a much better all around truck.

How is the Ford a better truck?


Find a 5sp 12V extended cab (if you can) and never look back.

 

[Ford428CJ]

I am looking around for a diesel pickup

Haul toys

4x4

hold 6 people for short trips ... hold teenagers for an hour.

Why 95-98 money and smog.

California is smogging anything 98 newer and all those mods will cause them to fail.

So far I have heard any year 7.3 litre Ford crew or ext 94-99
Dodge ext cab 97-99
Gm 6.5 stay away.

I have been leaning to a Dodge solely because of gas mileage.

Comments?

A 1999-2003 7.3 Ford would be a good one! They are a little more efficiency on fuel because of the injectors they used for those years. Tried and true. Dodge has a good engine BUT its the rest of the truck you have to worry about.... JMHO

 

[donbrown]

If I get this right the Ford will have more cab room.

The Dodge will have less cab room

The ford has a crew cab which means 4 doors.

Did Dodge make a Ford type crew cab with 4 doors?

It seems the Ford extended cab (2 doors with a bench seat in back) is larger than a Dodge extended cab?

Is there a place to see actual dimensions?

A ford 95-98 stock is very reliable.

So a Ford Powerstroke 7.3 liter 4x4 with 4.10 gears gets 16-18 freeway under 2000 RPM.

Pullin gets 10-14 MPG.

A Ford manual or automatic gets the same mileage.

A Dodge ext. cab is smaller than Ford and not able to hold 6 people. Gets 20+ MPG and 15-20MPG pulling. Has a weak front end suspension.

Is this correct?

Is there a way to get more MPG out of a Ford?

If the drivetrain was changed from 4.10 gears to 3.55 will it help the HWY miles? Keeping the RPMS under 2000 RPM?

 

[donbrown]

A 1999-2003 7.3 Ford would be a good one! They are a little more efficiency on fuel because of the injectors they used for those years. Tried and true. Dodge has a good engine BUT its the rest of the truck you have to worry about.... JMHO

I would like to get a newer truck BUT then I have to smog it every 2 years and I am protesting the "new" tax.

 

[Ford428CJ]

If I get this right the Ford will have more cab room.

The Dodge will have less cab room

The ford has a crew cab which means 4 doors.

Did Dodge make a Ford type crew cab with 4 doors?

It seems the Ford extended cab (2 doors with a bench seat in back) is larger than a Dodge extended cab?

Is there a place to see actual dimensions?

A ford 95-98 stock is very reliable.

So a Ford Powerstroke 7.3 liter 4x4 with 4.10 gears gets 16-18 freeway under 2000 RPM.

Pullin gets 10-14 MPG.

A Ford manual or automatic gets the same mileage.

A Dodge ext. cab is smaller than Ford and not able to hold 6 people. Gets 20+ MPG and 15-20MPG pulling. Has a weak front end suspension.

Is this correct?

Is there a way to get more MPG out of a Ford?

If the drivetrain was changed from 4.10 gears to 3.55 will it help the HWY miles? Keeping the RPMS under 2000 RPM?

3.55 would help in that department. Also chipped, a good cold air intake with a straight 4" exhaust (turbo back) helps out big time in mileage! I know guys who get 18 to 20mpg empty. That also depends on where you live too.

I would like to get a newer truck BUT then I have to smog it every 2 years and I am protesting the "new" tax.

That is totally understandable!

 

[donbrown]

A 1999-2003 7.3 Ford would be a good one! They are a little more efficiency on fuel because of the injectors they used for those years. Tried and true. Dodge has a good engine BUT its the rest of the truck you have to worry about.... JMHO

Is there an off the shelf fuel injector for the 95-97 diesel 7.3 that will increase gas mileage?

Injectors are about $100 each with no core return for these older models?

 

[Ford428CJ]

Is there an off the shelf fuel injector for the 95-97 diesel 7.3 that will increase gas mileage?

Injectors are about $100 each with no core return for these older models?

You can buy aftermarket injector for a 7.3. If you do buy them, make sure they are a matched set!

 

[opel]

Dodge has a weak front end and or suspension? Take a look at the COIL and LINK suspension on an 05 and up SD Ford. Very similar... I have seen the dodge put though their paces and chasis is solid. Body not so much, but the dana 60 front,dana 80 rear,spicer 241dld, nv 4500 are tough.

 

[Braaap12]

the older and newer 7.3 powerstrokes shouldnt be to diffrent, not enought to worry about anyway I dont think, If I remember right the rear seats in the older extanded cab fords are right on the floor and they suck( If my memory serves me right). If you can find a 5spd crew cab ford that would probably be the best bet IMO. Those trucks just never die

 

[76xlt]

if you can put a cummins in a ford crewcab your set, ive run both and prefer cummins to powerstroke hands down but i prefer the ford truck minus engine hands down. if building isnt an option i say find the best buy/best truck out of either a ford or dodge x cab 96-early 98 p-pumped 12v.

 

[Coxy]

It should be no surprise that dodge do have sub par front ends, through the Dana days, and into the budget AAM days. The auto's are junk unless built, if you find one thats not pooched, you can get some time out of them with a converter and valve body, but keep the change put aside for one, not that the older ford trans are a godsend either tho... The cummins is good tho. If you need to haul more then 2 guys, you probably should entertain the crew cab ford, because its not pleasant riding in the back of a ex/cab at all. Run the Ford, and if you have a desire for more power, build it, swap it, or just get into one of the newer choices later.

 

[donbrown]

I have owned Ford trucks before.

On those I have owned , regular cabs and extended cabs the ride gets very bumpy above 55PH.

It is especially bumpy on the extended cab ... and more so in the lanes frequented by 18 wheelers.

Is there a way to reduce the "bounce" besides staying out the trucker lane?

 

[Ford428CJ]

I have owned Ford trucks before.

On those I have owned , regular cabs and extended cabs the ride gets very bumpy above 55PH.

It is especially bumpy on the extended cab ... and more so in the lanes frequented by 18 wheelers.

Is there a way to reduce the "bounce" besides staying out the trucker lane?

I feel that the Crew Cab rides better then the X-Cab. My buddy has a 99 X-Cab 7.3 and I feel it rides rougher then my Crew Cab. I'm sure that having the right shocks could help out but not sure....JMHO