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Jeanie no longer wants to drive the 6-speed manual trans on our 2001 Dodge Cummins H.O. so the search is on for another truck to haul our new Northstar Laredo SC for a short bed pickup. After a long look at Chevy/GM, even as good as the Duramax/Allison lashup has been, I’ve decided the front suspension/steering/strength/design is just not there for offroad; plus the plague of that D.E.F. tank hanging down under the passenger seat. I think we’re done with diesels. So how about a gas engine? The GM gasser is just not up to the task of hauling a camper with any sense of power or economy. The Dodge RAM offerings of a hemi gas V-8 built as a car engine with not much low end torque is not up to the task either. There is plenty of power and economy with an empty truck, but drop a 2 ton camper on there and the mpg and power drops like a rock. So, that leaves Ford as the surviving mfgr. that has a chance to carry the load. Luckily, Ford has a new 7.3L gas engine built from the ground up as a truck engine with considerable low end torque and longevity; at least on paper. I’ve scoured the net trying to find actual consumer reviews of the product and found little beyond some thinly disguised promos and a few amateur videos. This is where you come in. Do you have any links to actual user reviews, or own one yourself? I did find out a lot about the imaginary truck I’m looking at, namely an F-350 XLT, SRW, 7.3 gas, 10 speed autotrans, 6.75 foot box, supercab, Tremor package, Camper Package 4.30 diff gears, 11,400 GVWR, 4320 payload, 220 amp alternator, and power mirrors ought to cover it. What say ye? jefe
2020 Ford F-350 XLT FX4 4WD SRW SB SC 7.3L Godzilla Gas TorqShift 10R140 397 amps dual Alt dual batts Frnt Dana 60; Rr Dana M275 E-locker 4.30's 4580/4320/4066# payload 7243# curb wt. 11,300# GVWR 5-er prepped. 2020 Northstar Laredo SC, 12v compressor fridge, cassette, 320w Solar sub zero insulation.
I haven’t seen any yet, but our dealer has them in the F250s on their lots so it shouldn’t be long. We are interested, but will hold off at least a year to see how it actually does using some others as “beta testers”. Would want the F350 version. 🙂
Steve and Andra
2012 F350 6.2 gasser SRW LB
Fab Fours front and rear in case we run into a rhino
2019 Northstar Laredo SCI was afraid of this. Looks like no one on here has jumped into a new Ford 7.3 gas. Maybe it’s just too new. That’s fine, I’ll bide my time and see how it works out.
jefe2020 Ford F-350 XLT FX4 4WD SRW SB SC 7.3L Godzilla Gas TorqShift 10R140 397 amps dual Alt dual batts Frnt Dana 60; Rr Dana M275 E-locker 4.30's 4580/4320/4066# payload 7243# curb wt. 11,300# GVWR 5-er prepped. 2020 Northstar Laredo SC, 12v compressor fridge, cassette, 320w Solar sub zero insulation.
Your right about reviews for the Ford 7.3 gasser, but I did came across this video on YouTube…
I only have a couple comments. First, it sounds like a nice truck. There is an article in Truck Camper Magazine about a guy who dumped his diesel in favor of a new 6.2 gasser, if you have not read the article yet, take a look, you might like it. The new Allison is a 10 speed, essentially it’s like mine with 5 lower gears. Providing Ford went down the same path, the lower gear ratio’s would allow you to choose a higher R&P gear for strength. When I was into Jeeps, the trails I wanted to run required a tow vehicle and a heavily modified 4×4. From what I have seen in your post’s, it sounds like you have been there and done that. These days it sounds like your happy to run the trails that take you back where the real fun begins. I think a new gasser with an auto and a rear Detroit along with a winch combo like Mike is running will serve you well.
For a host of reasons, the search for user reviews and then obtaining a new Ford F350 gas 7.3 is cancelled. I realized that the entry price, both for a power plant with no user history and the truck itself with the Tremor package is not worth it….for the time being. Then there is the registration fee in CA which has gone through the roof. This was all compared against our current sled, a 2001.5 Dodge 2500 HO-CTD with a lot of stuff. A LOT of stuff you can’t see. We paid cash for the new truck and, of the 45 or so autos we’ve owned, including 6 diesels of all kinds, it has worked out to be the most reliable motational device we have ever owned: even more reliable than our 1983 Peugeot 5 speed 505s turbo diesel. As an ongoing project to upgrade, it’s right where we want it…except for Jeanie not wanting to manually shift those 6 gears anymore. She is fine when we are on the open road through the southwestern deserts, but driving through Chicago or LA is a challenge.
So, thanks for your interest in this proposed truck shift, and I’m hoping one of you will finally purchase the new Ford F350/gas 7.3/Tremor and find out if it’s as good in real life as it is on paper.
jefe2020 Ford F-350 XLT FX4 4WD SRW SB SC 7.3L Godzilla Gas TorqShift 10R140 397 amps dual Alt dual batts Frnt Dana 60; Rr Dana M275 E-locker 4.30's 4580/4320/4066# payload 7243# curb wt. 11,300# GVWR 5-er prepped. 2020 Northstar Laredo SC, 12v compressor fridge, cassette, 320w Solar sub zero insulation.
Jefe, I been trying to get the contact number for a fella in CA who has this very truck and carries a Lance, but have yet to do so… If anything develops I’ll post it here…
Phil
As an ongoing project to upgrade, it’s right where we want it…except for Jeanie not wanting to manually shift those 6 gears anymore. She is fine when we are on the open road through the southwestern deserts, but driving through Chicago or LA is a challenge.
jefeHave you looked into what it would cost to have the clutch and manual tranny replaced by an appropriate rebuilt automatic tranny?
As a related question, how long / many miles ago was the clutch last replaced? How soon do you think it’s going to be before you need to do that, and what do you think THATS going to end up costing?
Wonder what you could sell the six speed manual for to help defray the costs . . .
Regards
John
I don't like to make plans. They cause the word "PREMEDITATED" to get used in court!
DON'T FEED THE VULTURES!
My Body is a Temple! Ancient, Crumbling, Probably Cursed . . .Well, I finally spoke to the illusive fella with the new Ford V8, and got some specifics but unfortunately not quite enough because he just now got the truck and it is in the shop being upfitted to carry his Lance…He seems a real nice fella and this is what I know…
He special ordered the new Ford and it is a F-350 4×4, LB, CC, SRW, with tow package, and though he wasn’t sure about the axle ratio, he said that he did not upgrade it and believed it was the standard ratio that came along with the tow package…
His previous truck was a 06 Ford LB extended cab with a V-10, but was stolen, so he needed another to carry his existing Lance model 1030 (non-slide) with a est. loaded weight of about 3,800-3,900 lbs…
He also mentioned that he’d put a ton of miles on his former truck including trips cross country, Canada and Alaska, part of the time towing a 1,500 lb boat and said he’d never felt the need for a diesel, though his traveling-camper buddy had a 06 Ford diesel, and was typically advantaged when going up the hills.
A retired LEO, he now works part time at a Ford dealership, and has driven multiple Fords with the big V8 and said that it has much more power and lower end torque than his former V-10, which is a good sign!…Sounds like the motor might well be up to the task.
That’s all I can report at this time, and hopefully I’ll be able to get a better report after his first one or two trips…
Phil
Hello Jeff, there’s is a lot of talk about the new 7.3 gasser at the FTE website…
Alex, the Ford Truck website looks to be anticipation and speculation rather than user reviews.
I’m now out of the game anyway.
jefe2020 Ford F-350 XLT FX4 4WD SRW SB SC 7.3L Godzilla Gas TorqShift 10R140 397 amps dual Alt dual batts Frnt Dana 60; Rr Dana M275 E-locker 4.30's 4580/4320/4066# payload 7243# curb wt. 11,300# GVWR 5-er prepped. 2020 Northstar Laredo SC, 12v compressor fridge, cassette, 320w Solar sub zero insulation.
I know you said you are out of the hunt now for the 7.3 Jefe4x4 but I can tell you that I absolutely love my 6.2. More than enough power, highly reliable and there is not anything I don’t like about it. Yea sure, I would like to get 30 mpg but who wouldn’t? I am getting 12.5 combined through 40k miles so I am not complaining as these trucks, and especially with the campers on them, are about as aerodynamic as a brick going down the highwy.
If you get back into the hunt, I would not hesitate to look at the 6.2.2017 F350 Super Duty 4x4, CCSB, XLT Premium Package, 6.2 gas, 3.73 rear end, GVWR 11,300 lbs, Payload 4226 lbs, Silver Ingot, Camper Package, Split bench front seat, Upfitter switches, LED Box Lighting, Rear Step Tailgate, Air Lift 5000 Ultimate Airbags with Air Lift WirelessAIR on board compressor kit and remote, Torklift Upper Stableloads, Torklift tie downs w/ Fastguns
2017 Northern Lite 8.11 QC SE
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