DBL-R

Ok so am looking to get a Diesel Truck
I have spent loads of time trying to find the best one for me
And I still can decide between Dodge, Ford or GM.
Can anyone help? Looking for honest opinions of these trucks.

Btw am looking to get a ‘05 – ’07.
All suggestions are welcome

thanks

bullfrog5.9

well for me if it wore chev and ford i go with chev fast allison trans indepent front so nice ride but for long long life for motor wise it be dodge

DBL-R

thanks

To help narrow it down a little:
Am going to tow a dump trailer (5+tons/11,000+lbs) about once a week,
And use a 8’ plow for our Canadian Winters.

How will the trans, body, suspension etc. hold up to plowing/towing?

meathook07

I would say from my experiances being a tow truck driver and talking to service managers..... Go with Dodge 5.9 or Newest Dmax in Chevy both seem to be good decisions.... I Personally made the Decision to go with Dodge because Cummins 5.9 has been around for a long time and are proven to be very reliable... I was a hard core Chevy fan and switched just for that.... I haden't yet heard much on the latest d-max...

Dartmouth 12V

There are several tradeoffs that you are going to need to make. Each person has to decide for themselves what is the most important.

Engine- The 6.0 powerstroke has had a terrible track record although it did get better starting in '05 but they are still not good. The 5.9 cummins in the dodge is a great engine and the duramax is a great engine as well. The duramax drives more like a gasser in feel, that can be good or bad but it will get the job done just as well as the cummins. Both the duramax and cummins start well in the cold but the powerstroke does not.

Transmission- If you are looking at a stick, the G56 in the dodges is better than the zf6 in the fords. You probably won't find any chevy sticks. If you are getting an auto, the allison(chevy) is the best, the torqueshift(ford) is the next best, and the 48re(dodge) is the worst. If you are planning on power upgrades, all of these trannies would need to be upgraded.

Front end- The dodge and ford have a solid front axle while the chevy has independant front suspension. IFS rides a lot better but it will sag a lot with a plow on it. Supposedly you can now put timbrens on the front of a chevy to help with plowing but I don't know how the ride is without a plow.

Then there is personal taste. Some people feel certain seats are more comfortable or that one truck looks better.

TreeFarm

Small things make a difference, too. When I looked at '05s, the Chevy didn't have an assist handle on the passenger side, which got a big thumbs down from my wife.

rich

all i do is tow and the ctd has ben the best option for me it gets better mileage and has more tourque then the 2 duramax's that i have used. the chevy has a way better ride but the mileage is about 2 to 3 less then the dodge have never even considered a ford since 2000

FAY

I wanted a working unit; otherwise, I would have bought a gasoline engine in a vehicle. The inline six cylinder configuration is a working engine with a crankshaft throw stroke that can pull stumps at low engine rpm. A V8 configuration, even in a diesel, has a shorter stroke and it is a higher speed engine that needs a higher engine speed to develop any useful torque. That is why the Duramax operates so well in front of an automatic transmission. The slip in the automatic lets the engine speed up before the load resistance is taken up by the engine through the automatic. The Cummins can grunt down at low engine speed. With no experience, I do not know how good the new Dodge 6 speed automatics are, but I have not hear anything bad yet.

DBL-R

Decisions Decisions Decisions
Am defiantly looking for an automatic, our main Highways are very Congested (Toronto)
Thanks a lot guys.

Number47

my only grudge against the dmax is alot of people (i personally know 4) that has had one or 2 melt down on them no check engine light, nothing. plus with the inline engine config. you have 30% or more, less moving parts over the v8

duratothemax

popcorns ready. I love these threads.

ben

Lary Ellis (Top)

OK I am confused by your comment...You personally know 4 people that have had 1 or 2 melt down on them?

If I am reading this wrong, please correct me...But it looks like just an attempt to flame the Chevy's. I don't own one myself, but know a lot of guys that do and they are very happy with the Isuzu power plant in them.

Granted there are some advantages to an I6 over the V8 diesel in a pure work truck scenario, but for an average driver that only works his truck occasionally, I think it would be silly to ignore the success of the newer Duramax trucks.

The overheating issues were dealt with a long time ago, or at least that is my understanding.

(on Edit: I used the word occasionally above and even that is not a fair assessment on my part. I think they are much more capable than that, I simply mean that if I used the truck to pull for a living, I would want the I6 engine. Other than that, I think they are a very capable and solid truck)

wcbcruzer

Dodge and Chevy are both good (notice I didn't mention Ford). I would think the front end of a Dodge can handle/tolerate the plow a little better.

austin1972

Ha, I know a guy that plows with a handshaker. His left leg and right arm are out of porportion with the rest of him beacuse of the snowy winter we've had!

My main Edit about the DMax is that the windhield/roofline is too low (I'm 6'3"). I can't see stoplights if I'm first in line unless I hunch waay down. Other than that, I quite like them. I chose the Dodge because:

1. The Cummins. I'm really impressed by this motor. The DMax is nice but I consider the Cummins a *real truck* diesel. I could be wrong.
2. I got a good deal. 2006, loaded up, 9K odo for a tick under $30K.
3. It's primary use is farm work. The Chevy's IFS is a nice ride but considering the terrain I go across, I was worried about failures.
4. I like the Ram look Much better than the Chevy (subjective, I know).

I guess I think the Chevy is a great street hauler but if it's gonna get beat on with stuff like plowing, it makes the choice a tough one.

Ford is out because the Powerstroke is too problematic to me. If you're making a living off your truck, reliability is a huge consideration in your decision.

If I were you, I'd look for a Ford body with a Cummins engine and an Allison tranny.

Good luck! Let us know what you end up with and why.

RickG

The towing won't be a problem for either . hey can easily handle that weight . Your main concern is getting the best truck for plowing . You might find good info here . http://www.letstalksnow.com/forums/index.php?
I just looked through that forum and saw posts about a lot of trucks Chevy , Ford , and Dodge with cracked frames . Supposedly they can add gussets to the Chevy for $250 that will prevent cracking . I'd say think twice about putting a plow on . The expenses may be more than the revenue you bring in .