Trucks with well over 4000# payload...

[Deleted member 9101]

The 6.2L is also lighter but fact is the 7.3L is only needed if you are maxxed out towing. For the OPs application, straight truck with a camper, no trailer, the 6.2L is a great choice.

Kind of like do you want an old Vette with a great handling 350? or an old Vette with an overweight 454 that handles like a pig.
Which is a better, more fun car to drive up the coast highway, a Shelby GT350 or a Shelby GT500.

Lol... The 6.2 and 7.3 weigh about the same and get similar fuel economy.

While I'm a 6.2 fan (I have one in my work truck) I'd take the 7.3 any day for an RV. The 6.2 will definitely get the job done... But it will do it noticably slower.

The 6.2 is also a more complicated motor with more parts to fail.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Kind of like do you want an old Vette with a great handling 350? or an old Vette with an overweight 454 that handles like a pig.
Which is a better, more fun car to drive up the coast highway, a Shelby GT350 or a Shelby GT500.

As someone who use to Auto-X a 74 Firebird with a 455 shoved under the hood I'd take the Vette with the 454 any day. Toss on aluminum heads and intake and the weight drops while the HO/TQ goes up substantially. ;-)

 

[WindFromTheWest]

By the looks of these replies I should definitely be looking at newer trucks, I have noticed quite the jump in payload specs in the more recent years.

I'm going to have to go back to work... ?

 

[Betarocker]

We (company I work for) bought a truck from Driving Force. Minimal inventory now in the 1.5 - 2 ton trucks now; just a couple Fords and a Ram, but all 3 are diesel.

 

[WindFromTheWest]

We (company I work for) bought a truck from Driving Force. Minimal inventory now in the 1.5 - 2 ton trucks now; just a couple Fords and a Ram, but all 3 are diesel.

I have looked at their inventory probably a dozen times over the last 6 months, but I just haven't been able to pull the trigger and decide what model truck I wanted. But I always eyed up the driving force trucks when I was working up north. Definitely a good option for well maintained work truck when its not covid times

 

[1000arms]

... For the OPs application, straight truck with a camper, no trailer, the 6.2L is a great choice. ...

... The 6.2 and 7.3 weigh about the same and get similar fuel economy.

While I'm a 6.2 fan (I have one in my work truck) I'd take the 7.3 any day for an RV. The 6.2 will definitely get the job done... But it will do it noticeably slower.

The 6.2 is also a more complicated motor with more parts to fail.

By the looks of these replies I should definitely be looking at newer trucks, I have noticed quite the jump in payload specs in the more recent years . ...

A 2021 Ford F-350 XL Single Rear Wheel (SRW), 4x4 Regular Cab Long Bed (RCLB), 7.3L gas engine, has a payload of about 4900 pounds (at least the US version does). (With the right options, including 18" rims for tires needed for the payload.)

The above truck with the 4.30 gears, can bumper tow 15000 lbs, as can the 6.2L gas in the same truck, but, the GCWR with the 7.3L gas is 4500 pounds greater than with the 6.2L gas. 27,500 pounds versus 23,000 pounds.

The DRW I mentioned in another post, with the 7.3L gas engine, has a maximum bumper tow rating of 20,000 pounds and a GCWR of 28,000 pounds.

The 6.2L gas would work quite well. The 7.3L gas would work "even more quite well".

I suggest you look in to the differences and similarities. The 7.3L gas and the 6.7L diesel are engine choices for the F-450, F-550, and F-600 chassis trucks, but, the 6.2L isn't.

 

[Regcabguy]

With that heavy a camper get a dually and steer it with one hand.
The stability improvement is impressive.

 

[cbattles]

Kind of like do you want an old Vette with a great handling 350? or an old Vette with an overweight 454 that handles like a pig.

I see where you're going with that, but we're talking about probably 12k+ lbs of vehicle.

Even IF the weight difference between the 6.2 and 7.3 were actually substantial, I'd be shocked if the handling difference between the two were even perceptible, especially by the time the truck is loaded.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

By the looks of these replies I should definitely be looking at newer trucks, I have noticed quite the jump in payload specs in the more recent years.

I'm going to have to go back to work... ?

Yeah... Old trucks are cool and all... But newer trucks blow them away in terms of performance, economy,and reliability.

 

[billiebob]

As someone who use to Auto-X a 74 Firebird with a 455 shoved under the hood I'd take the Vette with the 454 any day. Toss on aluminum heads and intake and the weight drops while the HO/TQ goes up substantially. ;-)

Having owned an LT-1 Vette in the 1970s and driven a friends L88 Vette, on a race track, the small block is far more driveable, fun to drive, and faster unless the front straight is long. Owned a 455SD Trans Am 4 speed, wow was that car painful. I'll take a small block everytime.... unless we are talking towing, maxed out with a truck.

And I'll take everyones advice that the 6.2 and 7.3 are the same weight. Agreed, if it is a truck handling is not a factor. Even gas mileage might not be a factor. But I know there is a price bump and unless you are towing, why bother..... altho I find it hard to believe the 6.2 and 7.3 Ford trucks weigh the same. I'd buy the one with the best price unless I was towing.

 

[Tex68w]

Sadly the Fuso is going the way of the Dodo, it's a bummer for sure.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

altho I find it hard to believe the 6.2 and 7.3 Ford trucks weigh the same. I'd buy the one with the best price unless I was towing.

The 6.2 is DOHC and the 7.3 has the cam in the valley, thus making it a lighter design. The 7.3 is also physical smaller than the 6.2 and was designed specifically for commercial vehicles...the 6.2 is a relic from Fords modular V8 days...lol.

 

[rruff]

One important consideration... 1 ton (3500, 350) and under Ram and Ford have very stiff boxed frames. Over 1 ton, the frames are noodily C channel. It's isn't a subtle difference. On the flexible frames you'll need a pivoting subframe of some kind which adds weight and $$$, and usually increases CG. On the 1 tons you can can hard mount to the frame without worries.

I'd go for the F350 with 7.3 and 4.3 gears. Add 37" tires and good suspension.

 

[GeorgeHayduke]

Bad choice, Mitsubishi Fuso is gone from North America and in 5 years support of existing Fusos is gone too.

Mitsubishi Fuso to discontinue new truck sales in North America - Truck News

LOGAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America (MFTA) has announced it will discontinue new truck sales, and shift to a service-focused business.

www.trucknews.com

I wouldn't necessarily let that be a showstopper. It's not like they're still making the old vettes that people were talking about racing and modifying up thread. Plenty of third party companies provide parts long after OEMs discontinue a model and the knowledge of how to service a common vehicle doesn't disappear over night.

EarthCruiser is still selling their CORE truck that's based on the Fuso and plenty of people are building campers on discontinued LMTV cabovers. The OP is a welder and I assume reasonably good at working on their vehicles. Might even be able to pick up a Fuso at a discounted price given news that they're being discontinued.

 

[john61ct]

I had a '65 Vette

yes cool factor but man

that thing drove like a truck