28 replies to this topic

[fishguyaz]

I rode with Charlie Campbell last year in his Cummins. You couldn't even feel his trialer behind him. I'm looking for a Duramax to be honest. I'm a chevy kinda guy. Thanks everyone for the input!!

A.J
do the research w/o brand loyalty and see if anything used compares to either a ford with a 7.3L or a dodge with the 5.9 cummings for reliablity and MPG.

the newer diesels( i think around ~05 and onwards), having to meet tougher emissions do not get the same mpg that the trucks from prior to ~'04.

[JayF]

03 Cummins 2500 here and it has zero problems pulling my open trailer with 161K on the clock. I jam it into 6th gear over 40mph and get 21mpg around town during the week. A buddy just got a brand new 2011 dually with the 6.7L and man is that thing NICE compared to mine (both are Laramies).

Your buddies setup is like a rolling hotel. That was a beautiful rig he has going there.

[AJ Roderick]

A.J
do the research w/o brand loyalty and see if anything used compares to either a ford with a 7.3L or a dodge with the 5.9 cummings for reliablity and MPG.

the newer diesels( i think around ~05 and onwards), having to meet tougher emissions do not get the same mpg that the trucks from prior to ~'04.

I think your right about the newer trucks having tougher emissions, just doing some more research before I buy one

[AJ Fisher]

Does anyone tow with a Jeep?

[Dan Cooper]

Dennis (an SMer here in the SF Region) tows his car on a dual axle open trailer with his Grand Cherokee. Not sure what the trailer weighs but it looks fairly robust. He also brings quite a few wheels/spares with him to the track so I don't think he worries too much about weight.

[NV Racer]

I have a '07 Dodge 3500 with the last of the 5.9's. I have to tow over the Sierra Nevadas to get to California. Diesel is the only way to go if you have to tow over passes. With my former gassers I could bearly maintain 50 with an open trailer. Now with my diesel and my 25' enclosed trailer I could go 70+ without pushing it. Pulling the enclosed I get about 14 mpg with my old open I could get 17+ mpg.

Dennis

[Mike Colangelo]

I have a '07 Dodge 3500 with the last of the 5.9's. I have to tow over the Sierra Nevadas to get to California. Diesel is the only way to go if you have to tow over passes. With my former gassers I could bearly maintain 50 with an open trailer. Now with my diesel and my 25' enclosed trailer I could go 70+ without pushing it. Pulling the enclosed I get about 14 mpg with my old open I could get 17+ mpg.

Dennis

I used to tow with a 2003 Ford SVT Lightning (Supercharged F-150). That thing could pull an open trailer like nobody's business. I was passing cars going uphill!

[Mike Colangelo]

Speaking of smaller trucks, has anybody towed with a Nissan Xterra? Kind of small with a short wheelbase but seems like a good truck/SUV for many other purposes.

[wreckerboy]

I've used a 2002 (first gen) for towing and can heartily recommend that you not use one of those for pulling. Although I was well within the 5,000 lb. rated capacity of the trucklet, I found that the same things that made it very capable off-road (short wheelbase, lots of suspension travel, comparitively soft springing) are what made it a white knuckle ticket for towing. I also found that the limited space inside the thing made carrying spares, tires, etc., merely a concept.

I cannot speak to the second gen trucks, and don't know if Nissan made them more civilized.