Anyone tow a 30 footer with 1996 or 1997 F-250
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02-25-2013, 05:03 PM
#34
Started out with Hypermax 4" exhaust, Hypermax intercooler, Hypermax chip, Hypermax stage 2 injecters, a diesel site fuel and oil system. Truck ran exceptionally strong. The next step would have been head studs, big turbo, and stage 3's, would of been over 500 hp and 1000 ft tq. Thanks Bob
02-25-2013, 05:10 PM
#35
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1+ And its freaking sweet!
1996 or 1997 F250 or 350 7.3 is what I plan on buying next. I need a bigger truck before I get a bigger boat. I plan on restoring one because if I buy a new Diesel it will take way too much money out of the new boat fund. I figure I can buy an older one and restore it for around 20k (doing the work myself) vs paying 50k for a new one. I first had a 1985 F350 dually to pull my boat when I bought it (overkill but got a great deal). It was 460/C6, if it was diesel I never would have got rid of it.
1996 or 1997 F250 or 350 7.3 is what I plan on buying next. I need a bigger truck before I get a bigger boat. I plan on restoring one because if I buy a new Diesel it will take way too much money out of the new boat fund. I figure I can buy an older one and restore it for around 20k (doing the work myself) vs paying 50k for a new one. I first had a 1985 F350 dually to pull my boat when I bought it (overkill but got a great deal). It was 460/C6, if it was diesel I never would have got rid of it.
02-25-2013, 05:26 PM
#36
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I rather tow with an older 3/4 or 1 ton Ford rated for 10k vs a new 1/2 ton rated for 10k. Its night and day difference. My boat might be around 5k total load. I had a 1985 F350 crew dually when I bought it that was rated for 10k, never even felt the boat behind it and it also did not even drop the suspension from tongue weight. I now have a 2011 Ram crew 4x4 with the 4.7 V8 (not Hemi) and its rated for 8k. It works hard to pull my little 24 and the boat pushes it around like a little B&^tch and the tongue weight drops the suspension down a few inches. Just putting a dressed BBC engine in the back of it for a trip to the dyno shop drops the suspension way down (and dented the floor of the bed).
02-26-2013, 07:24 AM
#37
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I rather tow with an older 3/4 or 1 ton Ford rated for 10k vs a new 1/2 ton rated for 10k. Its night and day difference. My boat might be around 5k total load. I had a 1985 F350 crew dually when I bought it that was rated for 10k, never even felt the boat behind it and it also did not even drop the suspension from tongue weight. I now have a 2011 Ram crew 4x4 with the 4.7 V8 (not Hemi) and its rated for 8k. It works hard to pull my little 24 and the boat pushes it around like a little B&^tch and the tongue weight drops the suspension down a few inches. Just putting a dressed BBC engine in the back of it for a trip to the dyno shop drops the suspension way down (and dented the floor of the bed).
and really if you take a new half ton they are not much lighter than old diesels, only by a 1000 pounds or so. And the 97 7.3 had 225HP 450 Torque where the Ecoboost has 365HP and 420 torque
But in the end it is what you need and use it for. If your talking just a tow vehicle that brings your boat 30mins to an hour a way and you want the extra vehicle then sure the diesel isnt a bad idea. But something that old I wouldnt be driving it around the country. And if your truck is a daily driver and you tow less than an hour and your load is 10k or less a half ton can easily get the job done.
Last edited by soldier4402; 02-26-2013 at 02:12 PM.
02-26-2013, 11:25 AM
#38
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I dont know if you have towed with a new half ton that has one of the bigger motors. Those smaller V8s can be dogs specially with towing something over 5k. You start talking max load options and tow options it is a lot different than a base model with a smaller engine.
and really if you take a new half ton they are not much lighter than old ones, only by a 1000 pounds or so.
But in the end it is what you need and use it for. If your talking just a tow vehicle that brings your boat 30mins to an hour a way and you want the extra vehicle then sure the diesel isnt a bad idea. But something that old I wouldnt be driving it around the country. And if your truck is a daily driver and you tow less than an hour and your load is 10k or less a half ton can easily get the job done.
and really if you take a new half ton they are not much lighter than old ones, only by a 1000 pounds or so.
But in the end it is what you need and use it for. If your talking just a tow vehicle that brings your boat 30mins to an hour a way and you want the extra vehicle then sure the diesel isnt a bad idea. But something that old I wouldnt be driving it around the country. And if your truck is a daily driver and you tow less than an hour and your load is 10k or less a half ton can easily get the job done.
02-26-2013, 03:29 PM
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The eco-boost Fords are nice a friend of mine has one. But your still around 40k for a new truck. I bought the Dodge because it was cheap, got it for 25k new. It does the job now but my boat is small. If I buy an older Ford for 5k and drop another 15k maybe less for restoration plus a few months of hard work in the garage, I will have a basically new truck for 20k that will easily pull the next boat I buy. Plus I like the look of the OBS Fords. And a rebuilt 7.3 is going to last longer than a gas engine that is worked hard from towing.
