6.5L tow rig?

nekkidhillbilly said:
best bang for the buck is the psd 7.3 if you ask me there cheaper than the cummins but solid as hell
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I would have to agree with this. If you wanted a dedicated tow rig get a decent 01-up dually 2wd 7.3l. There's a ton of them so they can be had at a good price if the time is right.

A 12v Cummins is a superior engine, but everyone wants an arm and a leg for an older Cummins. Plus the trucks they came in are absolutely hunks of crap. Bad transmissions, cracking dashes and shit.
 
slicksierra said:
4.10's or 4.30's and a 4180e. Done
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4l80e swap is a pain in the dick, i would need new drive shafts, move/make a cross member, retune the truck, new torque convertor, not worth the time and effort to me.

Charlie said:
I thought you already had 2 trucks?
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i have the OBS, but thats a project, currently sits in the barn unregistered.

09WhiteHD said:
the 454 and the 6.5 that i drove seemed similar but the 6.5 did make better milage and the turbo helped it tow a little better but the 454 was a solid performer
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Thanks.

okbeast said:
Not to thread-jack, but if not a 6.5L what do other ppl recommend for a good tow pig? Old, good power, decent on the wallet?
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exactly, I have been looking at 7.3's and cummins, but everything that has them in my price range is beat to complete shit. like the bed looks like it was attacked by an elephant.

Horns said:
I would have to agree with this. If you wanted a dedicated tow rig get a decent 01-up dually 2wd 7.3l. There's a ton of them so they can be had at a good price if the time is right.

A 12v Cummins is a superior engine, but everyone wants an arm and a leg for an older Cummins. Plus the trucks they came in are absolutely hunks of crap. Bad transmissions, cracking dashes and shit.
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Trust me, ive been looking at them too, but to find one thats not rotted out is another battle.
 
09WhiteHD said:
my 454 did good with a load it made 10-13 consistantly. and i found it towed just as good as a stock 6.5L...... if i would go diesel tow rig it would be an old dodge with a cummins.
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I would have to agree with this, I rode with my cousin when we hauled some cabinents with his 6.5L, ok a shit load of them, filled his 28 foot enclosed car trailer and it did pretty good. He had a 97 454 3/4 ton RCLB before he got into diesels and he had his 93 6.5L 3/4 ton RCLB. This was a trip from Northwood, IA(center of the IA/MN border) to Rockford, IL. Used a little more fuel than his Dmax he had with similar loads but still pulled great.
 
Yea it seemed to pull it pretty good. I wasn't driving but it sounded like the engine was working as hard as it could, big hills we did slow down a little running up them but it wasn't bad and it wasn't yanking the truck all over hell. Good trailer brakes helped alot when we into town in Rockford, until one started locking up at every stop light.
 
I've driven one 6.5 and spent a lot of time around the other I've been around. Truck one was a 1994 GMC extended cab z71 6.5 diesel that had 245k miles on it when sold and was used as to tow a 31' fountain king mackeral boat, and had no problems with load. Truck never had any problems. Truck 2: 1997 Cheyenne 3500 dump bed, this truck has 210k and was used as a landscaping truck and has a hard time starting if it hasn't been cranked in a while. Sometimes we have to crank it on a rag to get it to start. Once it gets hot it's fine though, both trucks got/get pretty good MPG too. I also think I've read after 95' or 94' where the better of the blocks, not sure though.
 
Tylers88 said:
Yea it seemed to pull it pretty good. I wasn't driving but it sounded like the engine was working as hard as it could, big hills we did slow down a little running up them but it wasn't bad and it wasn't yanking the truck all over hell. Good trailer brakes helped alot when we into town in Rockford, until one started locking up at every stop light.
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sorry for the late edit but i meant to say it sounded like the engine wasnt working as hard as it could, seemes like it could have hauled more
 
My brother has a mid 90s gmc crew 3500 with the 6.5 its got 214,000 miles and still runs great. He's selling it for $3700 cause we dont use it.

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I drove a 2000 (obs) GMC 2500 4x4 with the 454 in it around the farm back in march. truck has like 120k on it and honestly the truck is a piece of dog shit but it still pulls like a brand new truck. Even with the motor about to blow. I pulled a 20 ft flatbed around with 2 330 gallon water tanks (full) and one in the bed (full) and it struggled a little when in higher gears but had no problem getting up and moving from a stop.

here's the truck
2012-08-07_20-21-10_267.jpg
 
I doubt you will find a 7.3 that isn't beat to complete shit for 4000 or less. I sold our 2000 F350 CCLB Dually with 259k on it for 2500. It was rusty, ran like shit, needed a couple injectors, trans was gone... literally would not move. Glow plugs were gone too, interior was all ripped to hell and permanently stained.

If I were you I'd look for a 90-93 Dodge before they switched the body styles. Still has the Cummins but a lot cheaper than 94+ easy as hell to work on plus I really like that body for some reason. But most don't. lol

6.5's are dogs. My neighbor has one and doesn't like towing with it and he hates how it has no power at all.
 
I was just browsing for relevant posts and I happened to stumble upon yours. Thanks for the useful information!
 
Cornell said:
I doubt you will find a 7.3 that isn't beat to complete shit for 4000 or less. I sold our 2000 F350 CCLB Dually with 259k on it for 2500. It was rusty, ran like shit, needed a couple injectors, trans was gone... literally would not move. Glow plugs were gone too, interior was all ripped to hell and permanently stained.

If I were you I'd look for a 90-93 Dodge before they switched the body styles. Still has the Cummins but a lot cheaper than 94+ easy as hell to work on plus I really like that body for some reason. But most don't. lol

6.5's are dogs. My neighbor has one and doesn't like towing with it and he hates how it has no power at all.
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7.3 psd is the 92-97 fords too you can find them for around that price or a few more as long as you dont plan on getting anything more than a work truck package. just make sure you looking at a 7.3 psd and not the 7.3 id both where offered those years.
 
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This 6.5 had a hard time pulling this load in 5th gear on mostly flat ground besides overpasses and bridges. Truck has been sitting for a while and has hard time starting though and has 210k on it.
 
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