warriorgirl09
Well-Known Member
my favorite is to ask for a radiator cap and thermostat for a '69 superbeetle XD
Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge if ya really want to include them
- Thread starter duneracerweston
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my favorite is to ask for a radiator cap and thermostat for a '69 superbeetle XD
Gen1Pat
Well-Known Member
Okay guys, I work on this **** for a living. And, in this order: ford, dodge, honda, toyota, and european. Now, I don't work on these mfgs because they make up the majority of vehicles where I live. It's simply beacause they seem to require more repair than most others. I am a GM man to the core, and will agree intirely the 6.5 is a pos. However, every now and then there is one 6.5 that stands out form the rest and has been an awesome engine. That being said, I used to work for a company that ran the dodge diesels. I WAS NOT IMPRESSED with the cummins at all. The way everyone talked about it made it seem like it was the cats meow for towing. All 3 trucks struggled to tow 26' deck, duel wheel, tandem axle goosenecks; with skid steer, attachments, so on an so on.
I will say that the 7.3 was the best diesel ford ever had. That was a stout bitch. But, ford has the worst automatics in the industry, period end of story. I could pull up the service history on every ford trans we've done and I garuntee last year alone we rebuilt over a dozen units. I can count on 1 hand the gm units we've done. 2 700r4's, 3 4l80e's, 2 4l60e's and 1 allison. And that's over a period of ten years!
Now, we've only done 4 dodge transmissions that I can think off, but, most people run sticks in the cummins. Comparing the frames side by side the gm has more cross members then either ford or dodge. I just did alignments on 3 2012 gmc sierra's. 2 2500hd's and 1 3500hd. All 4wd, all with leveling kits installed (hence the need for alignment). The 2500hd's had 13 (if mem serves) cross members, the 3500 had 3 more. A customer of ours has a 2010 f550 4wd and it only has MAYBE 9. I have not had the chance to compare to a newer dodge.
Comparing my truck (01 2500hd reg cab 8' bed, 8.1L allison 4wd) to an 01 dodge 2500 4wd cummins ext cab 8' bed, my truck has 12 cross members, the dodge 7. Compared it to a custs 01 f350 4wd powerjoke, still beat it by 4. Keep in mind I am taking into account for tow hitches and gooseneck hitches. Don't bs me and say that's not a cross member, it certainly is. And fyi all of those trucks have both types of hitches.
As for solid axle or ifs. There is no benefite to either as far as towing is concerned other than preference. My gm hauls 9 tons of equiptment without a prob, no I'm not exaggerating. And I use it to tow my horses all over the east coast. Biggest prob I have is light assend and can't keep tires aired up without trailer, otherwise centers get eaten up, no big deal really. Also, the solid front axle fords can be a mother fucker to do alignments on. If those upper ball joint bushings don't wanna come out, you have to completely dissassymble the steering knuckle to get to em. Atleast dodge keeps camber and caster pretty much fixed. And replacing ball joints on both those trucks are an extremely commin thing. I probably do b/joints usually twice a month on either of the 2.
Frames: ford has the worst, until within the last 3-4 yrs, when they started to box em in (again doing this from memory, might have started sooner). If you're gunna make a heavy duty truck, atleast box in the frame, don't use c channel. And make it rigid. Take a look at a ford chassis from the cab back and you'll see it look like the blue ridge mtns, up down up over the axle back down again and to the bumper.
I will say cudos to dodge for having fully boxed frames. They atleast did that right. All gm's have fully boxed frames (until over the rear wheels and to the bumper on 01-10 where it is channel, maybe 2.5' worth), but in their defense it is nearly 11 inches tall. All new gm's have FULLY boxed frames, and the front section is hydro formed. I don't know enough about ford and dodge to accuratly say if theirs are hydro formed.
I do like the Duramax A LOT, but... I would not own 1. Hell, I'd never own a diesel. 1 bad batch of fuel and you're probably replacing injectors, doesn't matter what mfg, period. I get a bad batch of gas and most like I don't have to do anything but drop the tank, replace the fuel filter and maybe do an injector service. And best part, my gasser will still run with crappy gas. May run like ****, but it'll run. Get a bad batch of diesel and see how far you go. But hey, if you like your ride and it has treated you right who cares what it is.
So there it is, my .02. My 2 very LOOONNGG cents! I'm now going to bed, which I should have done 3 hrs ago. Been fun chatting all, keep those wheels a turnin.
I will say that the 7.3 was the best diesel ford ever had. That was a stout bitch. But, ford has the worst automatics in the industry, period end of story. I could pull up the service history on every ford trans we've done and I garuntee last year alone we rebuilt over a dozen units. I can count on 1 hand the gm units we've done. 2 700r4's, 3 4l80e's, 2 4l60e's and 1 allison. And that's over a period of ten years!
Now, we've only done 4 dodge transmissions that I can think off, but, most people run sticks in the cummins. Comparing the frames side by side the gm has more cross members then either ford or dodge. I just did alignments on 3 2012 gmc sierra's. 2 2500hd's and 1 3500hd. All 4wd, all with leveling kits installed (hence the need for alignment). The 2500hd's had 13 (if mem serves) cross members, the 3500 had 3 more. A customer of ours has a 2010 f550 4wd and it only has MAYBE 9. I have not had the chance to compare to a newer dodge.
Comparing my truck (01 2500hd reg cab 8' bed, 8.1L allison 4wd) to an 01 dodge 2500 4wd cummins ext cab 8' bed, my truck has 12 cross members, the dodge 7. Compared it to a custs 01 f350 4wd powerjoke, still beat it by 4. Keep in mind I am taking into account for tow hitches and gooseneck hitches. Don't bs me and say that's not a cross member, it certainly is. And fyi all of those trucks have both types of hitches.
As for solid axle or ifs. There is no benefite to either as far as towing is concerned other than preference. My gm hauls 9 tons of equiptment without a prob, no I'm not exaggerating. And I use it to tow my horses all over the east coast. Biggest prob I have is light assend and can't keep tires aired up without trailer, otherwise centers get eaten up, no big deal really. Also, the solid front axle fords can be a mother fucker to do alignments on. If those upper ball joint bushings don't wanna come out, you have to completely dissassymble the steering knuckle to get to em. Atleast dodge keeps camber and caster pretty much fixed. And replacing ball joints on both those trucks are an extremely commin thing. I probably do b/joints usually twice a month on either of the 2.
Frames: ford has the worst, until within the last 3-4 yrs, when they started to box em in (again doing this from memory, might have started sooner). If you're gunna make a heavy duty truck, atleast box in the frame, don't use c channel. And make it rigid. Take a look at a ford chassis from the cab back and you'll see it look like the blue ridge mtns, up down up over the axle back down again and to the bumper.
I will say cudos to dodge for having fully boxed frames. They atleast did that right. All gm's have fully boxed frames (until over the rear wheels and to the bumper on 01-10 where it is channel, maybe 2.5' worth), but in their defense it is nearly 11 inches tall. All new gm's have FULLY boxed frames, and the front section is hydro formed. I don't know enough about ford and dodge to accuratly say if theirs are hydro formed.
I do like the Duramax A LOT, but... I would not own 1. Hell, I'd never own a diesel. 1 bad batch of fuel and you're probably replacing injectors, doesn't matter what mfg, period. I get a bad batch of gas and most like I don't have to do anything but drop the tank, replace the fuel filter and maybe do an injector service. And best part, my gasser will still run with crappy gas. May run like ****, but it'll run. Get a bad batch of diesel and see how far you go. But hey, if you like your ride and it has treated you right who cares what it is.
So there it is, my .02. My 2 very LOOONNGG cents! I'm now going to bed, which I should have done 3 hrs ago. Been fun chatting all, keep those wheels a turnin.
