Help me pick a truck, F250 or 2500hd

[Mikedoubleu]

So I need to replace my 1996 F150, 4.9L 5 speed 4x4

It has 330,000 KM's on it.
My only real complaints about this truck is that I'm over my GVWR not by much but it's still over.
I could use a bit more power and obviously load capacity.
I'm content with the fuel mileage I'm getting. 600 km / 100L
Sway bars would make things a lot better too.

I'm hoping to find a replacement for around $5000+

A newer style F250 is what I've been looking for.
An 8 foot box and 4x4 is a must.
I could probably live with standard cab or extended.
Definitely don't want crew cab.

Manual transmission would be nice but hard to find.
I also don't need any fancy stuff, just rubber floors and roll up windows.

It's been very hard to find anything in my price range with decent km. There's lots of good trucks around I just don't need to waste money on a fancy model with leather etc. don't really need diesel either.

So I've started to consider going to GM.

Help me with the pros and cons between the GM 6.0L and the triton 5.4 or the V10

I've heard lots of good things about the V10, also lots about the 5.4 minus the cam phasers and spark plug nonsense.

The biggest thing that has worried me about buying a GM truck is the fuel pump issue they have. I don't do any crazy offroading but am regularly way out of cell range for a fuel pump to randomly go.

Any advice would be great thanks.

 

[Sock Puppet]

Not interested in the Dodge? You should be able to find a 3/4 ton in your price range and you'd get the solid front axle instead of the IFS. Easy and fairly cheap to work on. Many are used by government and businesses so they shouldn't be too hard to find equipped like you want for a decent price.

 

[D45]

I guess decide if you want a solid front axle or an IFS, then the choice is easy

The V10 is nice, but loves fuel

 

[chevyexpotruck]

Nice truck. Very clean for a '96.

The biggest thing that has worried me about buying a GM truck is the fuel pump issue they have. I don't do any crazy offroading but am regularly way out of cell range for a fuel pump to randomly go.

Never had one go on the 15-16 or so GM trucks I have owned. I just pulled the fuel pump from my truck to rebuild the sending unit, but still put the original pump back in. Even though it is the original pump (13 years and still running).

Anything can happen. The fuel pump failure is not that common. Your ford fuel pump could die tomorrow too in the middle of nowhere. Or it could continue to run for the life of the truck. I wouldn't discount a truck simply because of one thing. If I did that, I wouldn't drive any trucks at all.

I would recommend at least an extended cab. I have drive way too many straight cabs and they do not have the room to hold your extra gear. Much more comfortable and if something should happen, you could always haul more people in it.

 

[D45]

Are you happy with the current truck?

What about a motor rebuild and some new HD rear leaf packs?

Would save a lot of $$$$

The 1996 4.9 in-line six produced 145 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 265 foot-pounds of torque at 2,000 rpm. It achieved a compression ratio of 8.8-to-1......not very powerful, at all.....but reliable and good with fuel economy

The Vortec 5300 LM7 (VIN code 8th digit "T") was introduced in 1999, and can be considered the "garden variety" version of the Generation III 5.3 liter V8's. The 1999 LM7 engine produced 270 hp (201 kW) and 315 lb·ft (427 N·m), 2000-2003 engines made 285 hp (213 kW) and 325 lb·ft (441 N·m). The 2004-2007 engines made 295 hp (220 kW) and 335 lb·ft (454 N·m), it has a cast iron block and aluminum heads.

 

[D45]

The Vortec 5300 L59 (VIN code "Z") is a flexible fuel version of the LM7. The 2002-2003 made 285 hp (213 kW) and 320 lb·ft (434 N·m), while the 2004-2007 L59s made 295 hp (220 kW) and 335 lb·ft (454 N·m).

L59 applications:
2002–2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2002–2006 Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon
2002–2006 Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL
2002–2007 GMC Sierra 1500

 

[D45]

LM4

The Vortec 5300 LM4 (VIN code "P") is an aluminum block version of the LM7, and had a short production life. The LM4s made 290 hp (216 kW) and 325 lb·ft (441 N·m), It should not be confused with the L33 described below.

LM4 applications:
2003–2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
2003–2004 Isuzu Ascender
2004 GMC Envoy XL
2003–2004 Chevrolet SSR
2004 Buick Rainier

L33

The Vortec 5300 L33 (VIN code "B") is an aluminum block version of the LM7, and was referred to as the Vortec 5300 HO in marketing materials. How ever it should be noted that the L33 uses a flat top piston from the 4.8L instead of the standard dish piston found in the LM7. This increased the compression from 9.5:1 to 10.0:1. Also the L33 had a specific camshaft not shared with any other engine, with lobe lift of 7.2 mm, valve timing unknown. As a result power increased by 15 hp (11 kW), to 310 hp (230 kW) and 335 lb·ft (441 N·m). It was only available on extended cab 4WD pickup trucks. Only 25% of trucks made in 2005 had the L33 engine.

L33 applications:
2005–2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD
2005–2007 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD

 

[D45]

Sounds like the 5.3L would suit your needs nicely......and it is a very smooth and powerful gas motor

 

[Kaisen]

If you're looking at a ~$5,000 truck, I'd open it up to any of them and just buy based on condition and availability. Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, GM, Ford....they all have their issues, but at $5K it's about which of those issues have been addressed when, and which still have ticking time bombs.

The Ford cam phasers didn't occur until 2005. Can you find a $5K truck as new as 2005?

My vote, just based on sheer numbers to pick from, simplicity, and relative pricing, would be a 2000-2004 Super Duty 5.4L work truck.

 

[contento]

The GM 6.0 is as reliable as a truck engine can get, and if it's in a 2500hd the truck around it is very stout/reliable as well. We have a 02 2500hd at work that's on it's original everything(everything! including brake pads) other than tires and one battery, it's an absolute rock.


On the other hand we had a 99 F-250 5.4l that made it to almost 300k, albeit with much more money sunk in(top end engine work, brakes, etc).

 

[Buliwyf]

The Ford Superduty and the GMC HD have nothing in common. NOTHING.
-
Not many Superduty fans are going to like the GM's, and vice versa. When I jump out of one of our fleet GM's and into a Ford, it's like getting on a plane in Argentina and getting off in Slovakia.
-
I'll chime in on the Ford and spare the GM bashing:
-the 5.4l is a fine engine. Cam phasers rattle at idle, but are harmless. Plug problems have been rectified and any DECENT Ford tech can fix that with his eyes closed (except for the scope step).
-the 6.8l is even better. The older weasy 2v models are one of the most reliable engines I know of.
-Manual floor shift xfer cases and manual hubs are the only Superduties worth looking at. Screw that dash switch rubbish.
-Big axles, big xfer case. No drivetrain worries if your lifting and locking.
-Replace the starter, battery, fan clutch, and engine alternator no matter what.
-Don't fear the gear. Modular engines love gear, and lose very little mileage in exchange. 4.10, 4.30. 4.56. 3.73 is for diesels!
-2008+ models have enormous wheel wells. 35" tires with just a f350 and a leveling kit. F250's need f350 rear blocks and a f350 specific leveling kit.

 

[Kaisen]

Just a reminder. He's talking about $5000 trucks.

No 2005-up cam phasers. No 2008-up wheelwells.

My advice, again:

Find a '00-04 F250/F350 Regular Cab 4x4 work truck (crank windows, floor-lever 4x4, maybe even vinyl seat/floor). If you find a nice XLT, don't pass it up just because it's "fancy", it'll be the same truck mechanically, and al we're really talking about is power windows, power locks, cruise, etc and those things don't fail often and aren't expensive to fix.

Just find the nicest Super Duty you can find for the money. Don't worry about miles (price commensurate), just condition. Don't focus on motor, V8 or V10 is fine. Don't worry about gering (as posted above). Just worry about condition, condition, condition.

I'd even consider buying one cheaper that may need common things (battery, blown spark plug hole, exhaust manifold noise, leaks, brakes, tires, etc) so that I had some money built-in to "reset those clocks" and do it right. That way you get to choose which tires, which battery, which brake pads, an how the common repairs are fixed.

For $5K, it's all about mechanical condition. Even a 200K mile truck that's been well cared for might be $5K, and I wouldn't be scared.

 

[Buliwyf]

$5k? Wow.

I've seen a few 2000 5.4L Fords for around that. They were beat pretty well though. Nothing that couldn't be fixed.

 

[Mikedoubleu]

Wow guys thanks for all the help.

As for the dodge, I don't like the tipm nonsense. I know how to prevent tipm failures, but the way I've seen dodge do stuff leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Dodges are very cheap around here, but I'll never own one.

There aren't any dodge fleet vehicles that I've seen. It's generally ford. Some GM.

I like my truck, it's simple to work on and never complains.
It has some computer issues that I haven't quite figured out yet. I doubt it's making the power it's supposed to. Revving passed 3000 rpm doesn't feel right, it dies off power wise at about 2800.

I paid $1500 for the truck, almost 4 years ago now and have only done age related parts. Rad, battery, alternator etc

The rear end is loose, there's a small crack in the frame, rust showing on the drivers side. Most importantly it's over gvw before I hook up my atv trailer.

With a current gvw of 6250lb maybe the newer F150's with the gvw of 7000lb would work for my needs.

I just haven't found a reliable source to find my empty weight and the newer f150 empty weight to see if it would work. I'm pretty sure my camper loaded is about 1000 lbs

But again a 3/4 ton would solve all that without question.

 

[Greggk]

I have a 5.3 in my Silverado that I am giving to my son when i get home from deployment. It is stone dead reliable gets pretty decent fuel mileage, and has good power. Definitely better than my wifes 5.4 in her 05 Expedition and the expedition literally has half the mileage.