Farm Truck people, need your advice and opinions please!

[rebelcowboysnb]

First if the chevy had a swap from desel to gas its not a hard swap an should still be a good truck with easy to find parts. All those trucks parts are pretty much interchangable. They may have a carb on it an not fuel injection but that is a plus to some people.

As far 80s diesels being junk. I drive an 84 chevy suburban with a still factory 6.2 diesel that is still running strong an getting 19 mpg. Thats 19 mpg an room for 8 people. I checked it when I drove it to DC an back in 27 hours the first of last year. There not as strong as some of the newer ones but they still out pull the gas engines of the same size.

 

[baltimoreharps]

Thank you. Seriously thank you for that post.

 

[booker81]

When I was young, we had a '84 Chevy 1 ton dually quad. That thing went through EVERYTHING. It even survived a tornado and being flipped around. Sold it and it's still around town. It's that old two tone color - pee yellow and poo brown. Can't miss it. It was my first "car".

Parents bought a 92 or 93 Chevy 1 ton dually extended cab new, and had more issues with it that you could believe. Tranny went out, AC went out, everything. It lived in the shop. Finally got to turn it back under lemon laws or something.

They wanted another Chevy since Dad was GM, but they couldn't get one for months. Finally went to a Ford dealer, and got a 1 ton dually quad. That ran forever as well. We would haul from MI to KY or through Canada with the Shires and a custom trailer. I drove it a lot as well.

Some years are good, some are bad. All of ours were gas, mom didn't like diesel.

They also had an early 80s Chevy dually that I don't remember, that also caught fire regularly. Seems to have been a common problem with those.

ETA: If you're looking to make long drives with passengers, riding in an extended cab for 8 hours SUCKS. We kids were so happy when we got the quad cab. I still don't like extended cabs for passengers.

 

[Talihofarms]

For farm work you can't beat a diesel.
I own both Chevy Duramax and Ford Powerstroke dieses.
Not only our Farm operations but two construction businesses.

The Ford power strokes will cost less to operate than any of the Chevy Trucks we have.
The Chevy duramax is quiet, the Fords last forever.
Maintenance cost are less on the Fords.
The diesels will eat stock transmissions up every 80-120K.

The main cost in a 4x4 is keeping the front end tight, Ball joints and hubs.
We have Fords from 1998 that have over 400k on them . The only major expenses have been trans.
The maintenance has been about 30% higher on our GM trucks.
The only GM producks we are keeping are the Yukons that we have.
Phasing out the Trucks. Not cost effective.

This is not a Ford vs GM thing.
This is what we have experianced with maintenance costs on over 60 trucks.


Just our experiance forwarded to your post.

Maintenace is what keeps trucks reliable.

 

[Katy]

We have 3 farm PUs and 3 large grain trucks.
A 1979 chevy 4x4 that we bought new and it's hauled more cattle and other stuff than you can shake a stick at. It's still going...although we don't use it to pull cattle trailers with it anymore.

I've got a 1994 Chevy 4x4 that we bought as a rebuilder and I pull a cattle trailer with that and have put probably 130,000 miles on since we got it.

We also have a Dodge 2001 Diesel 4x4 that you can go down the interstate at 70 mph with a full cattle trailer and not even know it's there.....it's the husbands baby but he does let me drive it once in awhile. We bought it used about 4 years ago. Diesel engines have more pulling power but add a lot to the price of a truck and for what you're describing wanting a truck for it probably wouldn't be cost effective for you.

I agree with talihofarm that maintanace is what keeps a truck going. A truck that's been taken care of can go a long time.

4x4s are nice and we need them for what we use our trucks for, but it can also be a source of additional expense......it adds more on to the purchase price and can be expensive to repair so that might be one place you could look at cutting costs and just go with a 2 wheel drive.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

As for money savings an saving on maintenance on a 4X4. Invest in locking hubs. All 4X4s had them back in the day. No point in the front axle gears turning all the time. Now most 4X4s come without them. No one wants to get out an lock hubs in any more. You can still shift in an out of 4X4 but most of the gears are still turning creating wear an killing fuel mileage. Most trucks you can go buy the parts an put real locking hubs on them an they will pay for there self in a few miles.

 

[mamawolf544]

I am a FORD girl through and through. But for a farm truck you need a 4x4, so I would go with the Chevy.

 

[Relheok]

Brand doesn't matter for a Farm Truck. Find the best deal on a 4X4 pickup in the best shape you can. You DON'T want a $2000 truck that has pulled gooseneck's it's hole life. You want a truck that was not used for heavy work and was taken care of.

 

[baltimoreharps]

Quote:
And this is what happened today. We saw this truck a few times on cl, but haven't had the time to drive out there and look. Dh went today and we are now the proud owners of a 1973 F100.

It has 96,000 original miles, has had regular maintenence, interior is in excellent shape, no body damage, original hubcaps and very, very little rust spots. It has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs and is in fanastic shape. It's had regular maintenence and has been well taken care of. Has been owned by the same family since '73. The son had to let it go because they just bought a Tahoe a week ago for family use, 5 person family, and the tranny went out so the Ford has to go to repair the transmission in the Tahoe.
It is not 4x4, but has a STRONG motor and transmission! For a starter, it's perfect for us until we know more what our loads are going to be on a weekly/daily basis. The biggest plus to me is that it has the extended owners manuel that has the instructions for each things to maintain, changing oil, spark plugs,etc. I worked on my Dad's '73 and know what to do for it, and have a back up for things I've forgotten.
I've learned a ton on this thread about 4x4's and what to expect realistically as far as performance on each different type of farm truck. Thank you ALL for replying, it's been invaluable to me!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]