Ford F-250 or Dodge 2500???

[spl170_btc]

I am planing on buying a newer used truck in the next few months. I am undecided between a 94-97 Ford F-250 xtra cab longbed with a 7.3 turbo, or a the same truck but a Dodge with the V6 cummings. I know the Ford will put out more power for hauling but what about the fule milege? Will I see a huge increase with the 7.3 compaired to the V6 Cummings? What does everyone think about the Ford or Dodge Diesels?

Thanks

 

[NVR FNSH]

First of all the Cummins is an Inline 6 - not a V-6. It is very easy to get more power than you could ever need out of a 94-98.5 (12 valve, mechanical injection) Dodge Cummins. 20mpg out of the Cummins is pretty standard. Check www.turbodieselregister.com for more info. When I was looking for a new truck in '95 the Dodge was clearly the better overall package IMO. The Ford's are nice trucks, the Dodge is just better except for no manual hubs on a 4wd. If you were looking at newer Fords - '99+ SuperDuty it would be a much harder decision.

Brian

 

[Highbeam]

The cummins is a straight 6, the powerstroke is a V8. The cummins can put out at least as much power as the powerstroke. Fuel mileage is nearly the same if the vehicle is similar. The cummins is noisier than the powerstroke. I prefer the body style of the dodge. Both diesel engines will outlast the truck if you perform the required maintenance. Since you are looking at a used diesel, it is very important that the previous owner treated the truck properly.

 

[bsmith]

Honda or Yamaha;)

I have the Dodge. I wouldn't get a 94 or even a 95 because of the changes in the body style. I had a 96 and it was a great truck, you should expect your milage to be between 14 and 21 depending on what your doing.
FYI the Dodge is a stright sixer and the pulling power is almost a mute point.
IMO

 

[spl170_btc]

So your saying that the cummings I-6 will produce just as much if not more then the Ford 7.3 Turbo? I have always been a Ford fan but I like the Dodges too. The interior of the Ford is much better in my opinion but I am also looking to get decent fuel mileage.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Take a look at TDR - there are daily driven 12V trucks that are putting out >500Hp/1000ft*lbs on straight #2. Yeah, I'm saying the Cummins I6 can produce as much if not more than the PowerStroke. The '94-'98.5 12V is a mechanical controlled engine that is very easy & inexpensive to get a lot of power out of. The earlier Powerstrokes are not aftercooled and this can be problem for the EGT if you push too much fuel thru the engine. You can add an aftercooler to the early PowerStrokes but it's an aftermarket set up. The I6 Cummins is very easy to work on compared the PS.

I like the SuperDuty Fords - '99 & later - except for the dash. I just don't like it. I could live with it but I still think the Dodge is a better overall package for the pre '99 model years.

Brian

 

[KDX220rm]

Take a look at the frame of both trucks. If you want a truck that can haul something go with the Ford. The Dodge is 1/2 unibody. Farmers around our area are twisting and bending the frames using them for general farming while the ones with F250's haven't had a lick of problems.

I have both a 2000 and a 2002 F250 PSD and they both ride like my mom's cadillac.

 

[OldMaiconut]

I can chip in on the Dodge frame problem. In my business we ran a fleet of 1 ton trucks with 14 foot reefer bodies on them. We used Ford Super Dutys with the 460 gas motors, and also had the same in a Powerstroke. We decided to try the Dodges for a change and got 2 96 Cummins. One day one was pulling into the yard empty and as the driver was backing in to the dock, the rear window exploded. The frame had bent right behind the cab, allowing the box to come in and take out the window. We looked at the other one and the top of the frame rail was brginning to buckle. Dodge wouldn't stand behind them. We had to find a frame shop that would staighten and plate them to reinforce the weak frames. I later looked at a Ford and a Dodge chassis side by side.... No comparison! The Ford is built like a truck, the frame at least twice as thick as the Dodge. Talking to the frame shop, he said the Dodge problem was well known. Said the guys using them for tow trucks had them bending the other way! I just bought an 02 F250 Power Stroke last week. I never considered the Dodge.

 

[spl170_btc]

Well I thank you guys for the input. If I could only get a F-250 with the cummings motor!!! lol. I don't plan to do much to the motor other then maybe a power chip and anything else that will increase fuel mileage for cheap. The frame issue scares me, I can have something like that happen to me and thats why I am still favoring the Ford.

 

[NVR FNSH]

kdx220 - Can you show me the uni-body part of my Dodge 2500? I guess I just missed it.

Oldmaiconut - are you comparing apples to apples with the reefer bodies on the cab/chassis trucks? Ford has offered F-series pick-ups with higher ratings than Dodge for years. Look at the older gen F450 SD (beam front axle 2wd) & the newer 450/500 Super Duty models. You can get a new 550 with a GVWR of ~19k - Dodge does not offer a comparable truck in the US. I'm not sure if the 4500/5500 Dodge PUs in Mexico are comparable to the 450/550 chassis.

Most of the tow trucks are built on the bigger Ford chassis/cab platforms. Most ambulance/tow truck up-fitters won't work with Dodge trucks because they are not rated for that severe of duty.

I don't think I've read anything on TDR regarding frame failures and some of those guys grossly overload their trucks on a regular basis. Hotshotters grossing 36k on a daily basis - I guess the guys that make their livings with their trucks don't know a thing.

For most day to day stuff that you would be using the truck for a 3/4 or 1 ton truck will suffice and there isn't that big a difference between the two.

Brian

 

[OldMaiconut]

They were 94 to 96 F450 Super Duties 15,000 lb. GVW. I delegated the purchase of the Dodges to another guy. We found out after we had the problem that the Dodges were only rated 11,500 GVW. As we outfitted the trucks, it left us a 5,000 lb. payload on the Ford, and about 300 lbs on the Dodge. My main problem with Dodge is that the dealer knew what we were doing with the trucks, they worked with the box and reefer people to set the trucks up for us, and then when we had problems, didn't stand behind their work. I think the Cummins motor is a good one....Heck Ford owns Cummins!! I don't know why they don't use the motor in their trucks. The Power Stroke is an International motor. International builds good stuff.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Got to watch those ratings - they will bite you in the butt. Sounds like your problem is with a Dodge Dealer NOT the Dodge product. Did you go after the dealer under 'fit for a particular purpose'? If you were relying on the dealers expertise (yes, I use the term loosely) then they have an obligation to stand behind their recommendation.

Brian

 

[KiwiBird]

Actually, Ford doesn't own Cummins but uses their motors in their larger trucks.

Click here to hear it from Cummins

 

[OldMaiconut]

It was a problem with the dealer, but it is also true that the Ford frame is built a lot stouter than the Dodge, or at least it was back in 96. I think arguing the virtues of trucks is about the same as arguing about politics or religion. Everyone has strong opions, and everyone thinks they are right.;) I own a Dodge pickup too! I like it because of the cool Ram head hood ornament!

 

[NVR FNSH]

Got to agree with you about trucks being like politics or religion:p My only point is that the Ford 450 was not a comparable truck to the Dodge at the time. Even now, the Ford 450/550 trucks are not in the same class as a 250/250 SD or 2500/3500 Dodge.

And I'm still looking for the uni-body part of my truck:eek:

Brian

 

[KDX220rm]

Sorry NVR, I meant the 1/2 ton trucks were built on a unibody design, not the 3/4 ton.

Our neighbor up the road farms 6,000 acres and they have 4 trucks, 2 F250's and 2 Dodge 3/4 2500's. Both the Dodge's frames buckled just by hauling 2400 lbs big round bales of hay on the back and the F250's haven't budged an inch. Our neighbor filed a complaint with the dealership as they wouldn't stand behind the warrenty saying they exceeded the GVW. Lets see the truck weights maybe 7500 and the hay was 2400 = 9900 and the GVW was listed as like 13,000. Go figure????????????

I do like the Cummins diesel as its one of the best engines.

 

[NVR FNSH]

KDX220rm,
I'm not sure but I don't think the 1/2 tons are a unibody either. I believe Dodge vans are a unibody but not the trucks. I'll have to take a peek under my buddies '97 1500 4wd.

The 2500 Dodge has a GVWR of 8800 lbs. I think the F-250 may be a 9000lb GVWR. Neither of the 3/4 ton trucks has a GVWR anywhere near 13K. The 3500 Dodge (dually) is a 11,000lb GVWR, I believe. I had ~3500lbs of busted up concrete in the bed of my truck (11000lb gross - 7300lb tare) and had no problems. I also didn't realize I had that much weight in the bed. I tow a 36ft/14k gvwr 5th wheel - upwards of 2500lbs of pin wt - w/o any problems.

There was a neat picture in one of the 4wd mags P/U Truck of the Year tests back in '95/96. It showed a Dodge 2500 (second gen) & a F-250 (pre SuperDuty) crossing the same ditch. The Dodge showed very little mis-match between the cab & bed - suspension doing the work & the Ford had a large mis-match between the cab & bed - frame flexing. The implication was that the Dodge frame was stronger between comparable trucks. Note that this was NOT a F450. I'd love to see some pics of failed Dodge or Ford frames.

Brian

 

[spl170_btc]

I remember that test, and I remember something about the Ford was ment to have some flex in the frame between the cab and the bed. Maybe I am just a retard but I think I remember something like that. Could someone please tell me what the hell the difference is between a normal frame like the Ford and a unibody frame? I have no idea.
Thanks

 

[NVR FNSH]

A standard frame - like a pick-up - uses a 'ladder' type structure with side rails and crossmembers that the body is bolted to. You can literally remove the cab & bed and still have a rolling chassis. The body is not a stressed member for the most part. A uni-body - VW Bug is a common example & most sedans these days - use the body structure (riveted or spotwelded sheetmetal structures) to provide the mounting points for the running gear & engine. You won't see frame rails running the ENTIRE length of the vehicle. You may see 'sub-frames'. There is nothing inherently wrong with a unibody chassis as they work very well. You just don't see too many trucks built on a unibody chassis.

Hope that helps,
Brian

 

[spl170_btc]

Yes that does help thank you, I don't think I have ever seen anything like that on a Truck. I am no expert but that sounds kinda halfassed for a truck. If this is true about the Dodge, no wonder they have issues with bending and tweeking frames. My 89 Ford Ranger and 90 Bronco full sized are both full frames.

 

[rollingp]

censorship

 

[spl170_btc]

Wow, I con't belive they would do that. It sounds to me like your not a Dodge fan anymore? Magnesium in a truck? I can understand a dirtbike crank case but not on a truck, for one its not very strong, and two its a fire hazzard. Good luck with your Chev

 

[IBWFO]

Growing up on a ranch I can tell you that in our experience the Older Dodge trucks don't perform or last as long as the fords. We have a 99 Dodge 2500, 2000 F 250 PS and a ford 1997 F350 diesel. The 97 is not a turbo, has 300k miles and runs like a top. The ford f 250 has 90k and we put a chip in it. It gets about 21 on the hwy. The dodge gets about 17-18 and we have gone through a transmission. I like the dodge and other than the tranny it runs fine. As far as comparing the "new" ford to the "new" dodge, I think it's a toss-up. Dodge (Cummins) has made some huge inprovements to the engine.
The International speaks for itself.

 

[bsmith]

Rolling,
That must have been a pretty sad truck. I had a 96 Dodge that I used to evacuate a flooded group of houses, the water was just up to the doors, I went through the water about 10 times. My bumpers never rusted :think

In doing this I ended up causing a severe short, to the point it pretty much melted the fuse panel. The dealership had about $2500 in parts and labor by the time they were done. They never asked how it happened or anything, thus it was all covered by warranty. one month later my wife was hauling horses from Spokane WA to San Diego CA and laid on the horn in LA, well evidently the horn body was the cause of our original shortage since it was submerged in water, thus causing an all out electrical shortage once again. Some dealer in Escondido did the work all over again and it was covered under warranty.

I would say you got a lemon, check the lemon laws in your state
(if indeed it was a lemon), don't slam a truck based on your experience, and I must say after 3 dodges(93,96,00) I have yet to do that much damage.

spl170_btc, make you decision based on what your doing, rolling doesn't mention if he even has the diesel. I'll be the first to suggest not getting a Dodge 94-96 V-8 with an auto, they were weak transmissions. I'm no expert, but at least try and give you a positive note to work of of :D
Also stay away from the Dodge 2000 6 speed if we are slamming trannies.

BTW(Volkswagon blocks are magnesium) and their farfrompuken :p

 

[NVR FNSH]

I have the 6spd in my '00 Dodge & it has been replaced under warranty:(

Between my dad & I we have had two '96 Dodge 2500 4wds - one 360 V-8/auto & one Cummins/5spd - and a '00 Dodge 2500 4wd Cummins/6spd. All three trucks combined haven't had 1/10th the problems rollingp had.

Brian