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I miss having a truck...

benjy

benjy

Rarely wrenches
Supporting Member
Location
Moab
Hickey said:
Guess I touched a nerve there eh? Im surprised you remember that thread.

There are tons of flatbed trucks running around that are totally hideous. Most examples are too wide or too square cut for the truck they are mounted on. That being said, I occasionally see examples that look just right.
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You sure did :rofl: I was thinking about that thread last night as I was taking the plasma to my corner guards :-\

I agree, flatbed can look decent done right.
 
Greg

Greg

Strength and Honor!
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
SLC97SR5 said:
Greg, here is another vote for a 94 F250 IDI. I DD my F350 CC LB. It is comfortable and super reliable. The IDI's burn nearly any fuel you can cram down the nozzle. I think a CCSB would be sweet with a ZF5.
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I'll keep your opinion in mind, thanks!


Fester said:
I had this Dakota with a Ford D44, radius arms, 37's, etc. like you mentioned. I forget the guys name that built it.....worked at 4WP at one time or another. This truck was comfortable and rode almost as good as stock on road, and better on gravel roads (probably needed a sway bar, but it wasn't bad). If I'd have kept it I would have taken the 3" body lift off, trimmed, etc. but I bought a Taco instead.
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I love how good that thing looks... was it a 4.7l V8? I'd love to hear more... what R&P gear ratio, what kind of MPG's did you get?


Hickey said:
It seems you would be most happy with a 97 powerstroke. The IdI's get better mileage but don't pull very well IMO. I had a friend tow my CJ5 to Moab once and was astonished at how much that little Jeep dragged his truck down. He has a 1994 F250 ext cab longed with an ATS turbo kit and it would only pull soldier summit at 45. It was a real clean truck though. Id get a 97 f350 crew and put a flat bed on it. The 97 has a different cps which is less than $30 to replace. It also has a bit more horsepower. The short bed trucks are 18" shorter in wheelbase and it is all taken out of the front of the bed, so both long and short beds have the same departure angle. I'd build a 7' flatbed to improve the departure. You can't beat the versatility and usability of a flatbed.
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Interesting info, seems like all the 4 door F350 IDI's are pretty pricy and not far off in price as a Powerstroke truck.


sixstringsteve said:
chevycrew, didn't you say your buddy had a colorado with a 4.3 in it? Would that handle towing duties?

Greg, are you set on a solid front axle? Would it be more for strength or for articulation?

And how set are you on a diesel? I'd think you could find a gasser that'd be cheaper overall to operate than a diesel (including MPG). Don't get me wrong, the idea of a diesel mid-size truck is killer. But I think a gasser could fit the bill quite nicely.
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I want a solid axle for trail capability & strength... IFS is great for most high speed stuff and I respect that, but for hell sakes... I live 90 min from Moab. ;)

I don't HAVE to have a diesel, but I'd really like one of 2 things.... good MPG's or good amounts of power. The FZJ offers neither, I could understand having one or the other. In my mind, a decent turbo diesel offers good power AND mileage. That's my draw... I want power when I'm high up and oxygen is getting thin and I want enough MPG's that can spend plenty of time on the trail.


sixstringsteve said:
Greg, I found the solution for ya.

7.3L E350 on 37s. Ford D60 sas, 4" U-joint offroad lift, and fender trimming. You can fit your bikes in the back, sleep in the back, tow with it, and still get 20 MPG.



This van belongs to Chris, the owner of Ujoint offroad. 6.0 diesel, 6" lift, 38s, sterling rear end, arb's

[YOUTUBE-HD]L67tKs4Qj_Y&start=180[/YOUTUBE-HD]


Here's one I photoshopped back when I was thinking about a diesel van:

bigblue.jpg
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:rofl: Nice and perhaps some day when I'm touring South America, but at this point I just want a plain old truck with a decent bed.
 
Chevycrew

Chevycrew

Well-Known Member
Location
WVC, UT
Yeah its pretty wicked, Around 30k. 4 door with room for adults in the back, only bad thing is the bed is only about 4 1/2 feet long.

He is planning a 6' bed swap.
 
Greg

Greg

Strength and Honor!
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
T

Toad

Well-Known Member
Location
Millville(logan)
You got me excited with that red ford at the start. I am partial to those trucks(I own a super clean f-250 crew cab 7.3 so I am a little biased.) a dana 60 swap with superduty springs, shackle reverse, and you would have room for 37's. It would take a weekend to get it done. No crazy project build that ends up costing double or triple what you planned on. Again your wife will thank you. Parts are easy to get. Very reliable drivetrain.
 
Greg

Greg

Strength and Honor!
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Toad said:
You got me excited with that red ford at the start. I am partial to those trucks(I own a super clean f-250 crew cab 7.3 so I am a little biased.) a dana 60 swap with superduty springs, shackle reverse, and you would have room for 37's. It would take a weekend to get it done. No crazy project build that ends up costing double or triple what you planned on. Again your wife will thank you. Parts are easy to get. Very reliable drivetrain.
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:greg: I agree with you... still thinking about that one.
 
Greg

Greg

Strength and Honor!
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
kobyhud said:
isn't there a bolt on chevy small block upgrade for your cruiser that would be cheaper and fix your problems?
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Nothing really bolt on, per se. I could swap in the latest high tech GM truck engine and accompanying transmission, using an $800 adapter, plus all the needed parts and end up with a SUV that now gets 14 MPG instead of 11. Not enough gain to justify all the work and cost, IMO. At least it would have the power of a V8, but honestly my current FZJ is too valuable as it is. Plus, you'd loose the factory reliability that Toyota is famous for and that's a big deal.
 
iamsparticus

iamsparticus

Take your Rig to the Edge
Location
Ogden,Ut
i put another vote for a 7.3 ford or a t100. I like the t100 option they are bigger but not too big and you could have robby swap you in a 4.7 V8 out of a tundra:)
 
K

KWight

Active Member
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Greg said:
Yeah, I've looked at several T100's.... amazingly, they hold their value quite well. And that one is BEAT... yet still expensive for an old, outdated Toyota. :eek:

I actually saw one today here in Fruita that was on 33's with a camper shell on the back, it looked great. I like the size, bigger than a mini truck, but still nowhere near fullsize.
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Greg,

If you are thinking about getting a T100 I would be happy to let you try mine out for a day/weekend. I am able to fit sheetrock or plywood between the wheel humps and put overload springs on to haul wood pellets or landscaping supplies. I have loaded it down heavily for hunting/camping/overlanding trips and have done Black Bear Pass several times much to the amazement of the out of state tourists who would only think of taking Jeeps on that trail. I am thinking of regearing to help pull my trailer faster over the mountain passes but the gas mileage I am getting when not towing is hard to beat.

Kevin
 
Caleb

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
Rot Box

Rot Box

Diesel and Dust
Supporting Member
Location
Smithfield Utah
Steve, A 4BT would be decent for towing imo, but like Caleb said the S10 not so much. They are under powered right out of the box, but like its big brother it is not hard to get decent HP and Torque reliably from the B series. I'd bet a 4BT with an upgraded turbo, intercooler and more fuel would out power my V8 IDI, and it has plenty of power for my needs :)
 
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