Using A Light-duty V6 Truck As A Work Truck... No Problem?

2ndGen

Oh...the topic...

I have a '97 Ford E-250 Van with a 4.2 V-6. It's "adequate" for now, but I've always used big block V-8 trucks (pick-ups, rack trucks, etc...).

My first truck was an '85 Ford f-150 with full ladder racks, 2WD, a 5 Speed stick and an inline 300 6 cyliner engine (that coincidentally had the same torque as a 302 V-8 with less weight to push around). Loved it!

But my next truck will have to be a Diesel. It's the common sense engine choice for a contractor.

No matter what, if you do things right, you will grow and you will need a bigger truck. The difference in gas between a small truck and a bigger truck doesn't work itself out.

You'll either have to use your bud's truck anyway or you'll have to rent out another truck to carry big loads or pay for deliveries that you could've made had you had a big truck.

If you do anykind of work, go with a full size truck. Plus there are safety concerns...what's safer? You 8'X stock sitting "inside" your bed? Or propped up on the tailgate? You'll lose so much storage also by having to carry your stock on the tailgate.

My advice, bite the bullet and get yourself a good fullsize truck (a nice '97+ F-150 would be ideal) and try to get a V-8. The gas expense is not that much (maybe 20 or 30 dollars a week more).

Is safety, convenience and capacity worth the extra $120. a month?

Little trucks have their place as satellite vehicles (for example, if you have a large truck already), but as an only vehicle, not good. You'll beat it into the ground.

I worked out of my '92 Explorer for a couple of months and one day, it took me a whole day and 4 trips to take all my stuff home from a job. All 4 trips, it was loaded to the roof inside, almost flattened on the ground from the weight on the roof and it killed me on gas.

If I had had my van then, it would've been just one trip, one gas run.

Besides all that, it was safer for me to have a large vehicle to carry all my things.

And...a bigger motor is always safer to get a loaded vehicle under way when loaded.

It's always better to be prepared for something you rarely need than to need it and not be prepared.

Plus...it's an image thing.

dougger222

Are you thinking diesel? 2000 was the last model year that Navistar put forged rods in the Powerstroke, pretty stout motor. IMO, 99.5 and 00 Powerstrokes are the cream of the crop. The next best would be a 03 7.3 if you can find one, that motor though has powder coated rods but it still good for 400 hp.

I've had great luck with my PSD's. The 99 F250 was bought at 40K miles and now has 253K miles and runs like a top. The 99 F350 was bought at 120K miles and now has 135K miles, it's a dually and really pulls the dump trailer nice. The 00 Excursion which my wife drives 85% of the time was bought with 104K miles and now has 184K miles. The fuel mileage was good before the ULSD 15 fuel and the Winter blend. Get the crew cab long bed it will ride the best with the lift and big tires.

Know a few poeople with lifted 04 F350's. One was running 40's until he got pulled over a bunch of times and had to remove the massive lift. The other has a 6in lift with 37's.

My wifes Aunt's daughter just totalled out their 01 2500 Cummins and there on the hunt for a 99-03 7.3 Super Duty. Trying to find them a 2000 F350 Lariat LE crew cab long bed dually 4x4 7.3 auto.

2ndGen

Great info on the Powerstroke, will definately take it into account when making my next purchase. I heard that as well, that earlier Powerstrokes were superior to latter models.

For me it was between a 7.3 Excursion (for family reasons) or exactly what you suggested...a long bed crew cab. I'm going for the crew cab (SuperCab at the very least). It's something I could turn into a toy later on and maybe send it to my beach house in Puerto Rico as my island vehicle.

And ideal version? XLt/King Ranch (if possible in 99-00 models), crew cab/8' bed, 4x4 of course, auto, leather, 7.3 as a starter vehicle. Use it for work as my personal vehicle. Then, build it up later on (Supercharger, exhaust, gears, chip, lift, functional body adornments, all diamond plating, etc...).

My first monster had a 12" lift/42's. It was a joy. But this time, I'll want to keep it as legal as possible.

IWork4Food

EZ,
I have a 01 chevy full size cargo van 4.3L vortech engine and I pulled a 6 by 12 cargo trailer with no problems. truck was always over loaded, trailer was always grossly overloaded and gave me 147,000 trouble free (well almost) miles until I got my 07 and then no longer needed the trailer. I travel for my job extensively also. I've even trailered through the Sierra Navada and Rockies mountain ranges many a times with it- 6 and sometimes 7% grades. Pulling trailer, don't be in a hurry to get up grade, watch your braking down. level roads no problem. You'll be fine. Major head winds can be problematic, at least was for me always heavy, trying to keep speed up. I got 20 mpg with no trailer and well, sh** gas mileage with the trailer
I only get 17 mpg with the 07 with a v-8 and sometimes wish I still had my v-6, especially with gas hovering the $3 buck mark Some wouldn't notice the 3 mpg difference, but I can pull my tallys from 06 and then compare with 07, a very noticeable difference. I average about 25- 30 thousand miles a year btw.

The trailer also had no brakes. If I could have, I would have installed them but I been told many a time there are no single axle trailers with brakes. I say they should have them if carry alot of weight. Sometimes stopping on a dime was so much fun
Hope this helps

__________________
Jeff

EZ Mode

IWork4Food, thanks a lot for the response. And thanks to everyone else, I got lucky and found the exact Nissan Frontier (black, crew cab, supercharger, long bed, cap) i was looking for from a dealer a state away. I actually live 50 miles from my GF and most of our work which is why i was stuck on the 6-cyl. it's done fine hauling material so far... gotta' start somewhere. thanks you guys for all the responses!

Michaeljp86

Get a full size chevy with a 4.3L v6, as far as Im concerned this is the best engine ever made. Its a 350 with 2 cyl chopped off. Mine has almost 200,000 on it with no trouble and has enough power for most jobs. I pulled over 20,000lbs once. I got it up to 35mph and could have gone faster but the wagon was all over the road. Its not the most powerful engine but you do get good mpgs but its slow for hauling but will do it.

I also have a truck with a 6.5 diesel, its got 253,000 on it and is also a great truck.

__________________
I am just a vessel from which genius flows -Homer Simpson

Global warming is a myth, like evolution and the metric system.

NRV2

I have 2 04' chevy 1500 long box with the 4.3 v6. BAD IDEA. They are way under-powered with only 500lbs of tools and material in them. The mpgs are no good either. You'll end pushing the truck harder to make it work, resulting in worse mpgs. IMO

Michaeljp86

Thats true depending on your driving habit, if you drive a 350 or 454 then hop in somthing with a 4.3 youll put it to the floor and get worse mpg then the 350. If you go easy on it and dont mind taking your time the 4.3 is the way to go.

Id like to build a 4.3 some day with headers, better intake, etc. Try ro make a decent mpg rig with about the same power as a stock 350.

With my 4.3L I can get anywhere from 23mpg to 15ish. This engin is very picky when it comes to driving. Im surprized what you say about only 500lb, I could see it with maybe 1000lb. Might be your gear ratio screwing you up.

__________________
I am just a vessel from which genius flows -Homer Simpson

Global warming is a myth, like evolution and the metric system.

Teetorbilt

I have 3 '03 Chevy Express vans w/ the 4.3 on the road. All have performed flawlessly with the exception of 2 recalls (seatbelt clips and fuse box cover).

Mi. is 12 in town and 18 on road trips. All of these trucks are fully loaded for business.

One thing that I have noticed is that I had to rotate the tires every 10K with Fords. You don't have to do this with Chevy's. I'm an old car guy and know what tire wear looks like, it's not happening on these trucks.

__________________
You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

2ndGen

You mean...like this? 265HP

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

Michaeljp86

Hell yeah, I seen a pulling tractor with a twin turbo 4.3L. It was like 450hp, probably snorting crack.

I think a turbo 4.3 would be a great engine, decent mpg but has the nuts if you need it.

__________________
I am just a vessel from which genius flows -Homer Simpson

Global warming is a myth, like evolution and the metric system.

john5mt

Does anyone use the dodge w the cummings on this site. It seems where i am it is the staple of contractors

__________________
1st Gen tradesman
My summer job in college became my profession

Michaeljp86

With diesel at $4.72 a gallon I think a gasser looks better.

__________________
I am just a vessel from which genius flows -Homer Simpson

Global warming is a myth, like evolution and the metric system.

john5mt

were only at 3.94 and i thought that was bad

__________________
1st Gen tradesman
My summer job in college became my profession

Michaeljp86

Where do you live, in dubia? gas is like 3.94 here and diesel is pushing $5.

__________________
I am just a vessel from which genius flows -Homer Simpson

Global warming is a myth, like evolution and the metric system.

dlcj

gas $3.18 and diesel $3.94 hear in central Alabama. My diesel stays parked most time. May sell it

Michaeljp86

Im going to load up some barrels and take them down there and fill them up. Im thinking about selling my diesel too.

__________________
I am just a vessel from which genius flows -Homer Simpson

Global warming is a myth, like evolution and the metric system.

AtlantaLawn.com

02 Dodge Ram V6 short bed, works fine, tows 4k no problem..

07 Chevy Silverado Long bed 8', same tows 4k no problem related to this, but truck have other probs not related to working

__________________
http://www.Atlanta-Bobcat.com / http://www.Atlanta-Sod.com / http://www.Atlanta-Gutters.com / http://www.ATL-Siding.com

bcradio

There's what I'm talkin about

I don't understand all those crazy people in this thread saying to buy a diesel... All I can say is hell no

I'm sticking to my v6 dodge 1500 full bed.... good enough for me

workswithwood

had to chime in when i heard you were gonna pull a trailler with a frontier. I have (had, trading it in tues) a 04 nissan frontier, towed a 4x8 trailler loaded with tools. I asked the dealer about towing it, they said no proeblem. i bought this brand new, and began working with it. no loads too heavy (ok a few big loads to the dump)
at 18000 miles the rear end let go, was replaced under warranty, but they said the cause was towing the trailler. i didnt have an option but to keep using the truck to tow the trailler. now at 101000 the rearend has blown out again. this time not under warranty. 1600 + labor to fix. trading it in blown rear end and all and im still getting 6500 for it. they hold their value, but not their own weight.
also, the width between the wheel-wells is 42", not 48, so dont plan on toting around any sheetrock in it.
for a light work truck, go 1/2 ton at least, save some headaches.