Looking for some opinions here...

I'm considering an '02 diesel superduty vs. an '03 Dodge heavy duty. I like the Hemi in the Dodge but am concerned about the relaibility and resale. The Ford have been out for a few years and seem sot have proven themselves very well.

Has anyone out there had much experience with the new Dodge? Or has anyone had problems with the Ford Superdutys?

If you are looking for a TOW rig why are you thinking about the Hemi motor instead of the Cummins. To me comparing the Powersmoke to the Hemi is apples to oranges. If I were going to get a tow rig (wish I could afford one :( ) I would get a diesel for sure. As for which brand, ask 10 people and you will get 10 answers (I like the new Chevys myself).

The Towing forum is the best spot to ask this.
are you looking at diesel or gas?
3/4 or 1 ton.
standerd, super or double cab???

i am looking at trucks right now too. i am most likely gonna get a Ford with PSD, just because my dad has always had fords and never had any problems with them. Ford also has a new Diesel coming out in Spring of 03, it is a 6.0 V8 with about 40 more HP and 35 more Torque than the current 7.3, it also has 32 valves instead of 16. they are also coming out with a new 5spd auto trans only available with the new 6.0, its called the torqshift, and it has a Tow/Haul mode, which sounds nice. i dont know if i want to wait for that or not. FORD all the way though.

This really belongs in the Tow Rig forum if you want good answers, but I'll give you my thoughts on it.

It really depends on what you are looking for, like Harry said, you need to get the diesel.

The new Dodge with the improved diesel seems to be a good choice, they finally got some HP out of the Cummins (305 and 555 ft/lbs torque) and they finally made a crew cab (even if it is just a slightly larger extra cab with the doors turned the other way). It also has the looks of the 1500, but with a better frame. The only bad thing is that Dodge is playing catch up in the HP wars.

The Ford is a great truck and has proven itself in the 4 years it's been out. The Powerstroke has 275 HP and 505 ft/lbs torque. The new Powerstroke is a 6.0 and it will have 350 HP and around 375 ft/lbs torque.

The Chevy already has 300 HP and 510 ft/lbs torque. It is a lot more like a luxury vehicle than the others. It comes with the optional Allison tranny (as does the new Dodge) which has a real tow mode.

Sorry about the forum messup -

A little more background....I'm definitely looking at a 3/4 ton 4 door, shortbed truck and want to tow the Jeep and a boat. The wife will also be a occasional driver so that pushes me toward an Auto, which Dodge hasn't got around to mating up with the HO Cummins, and with its numbers I'm also intrigued by the Hemi/5 spd auto combo.

Just looking for any experience you guys have with the '03 Dodges and if there are common problems, etc. with the Ford/PSD combo.

Pretty soon I'm going to be flipping a coin to decide, so I appreciate input.

We use the PSD's at work, various years, we've got an 88, 92, 95, and 99 f250-f350's, all that haul close to their 16,000lb GVW rating on the plates and barely pass scales, these are our semi tire service trucks with huge utility/cargo boxes on the rear, compressors and pto setups, all standard transmissions...

All i can say is the only decent on out of the bunch is the pre turbo 88 we have, the other ones are junk, the trucks are holding up but the engines have no power...our new 2002 duramax with the allison flat out moves fully loaded, you can barely tell there is a load on it at all!....

I getta drive all the new trucks that come out

Drove the hemi in crew cab 2500 long bed a couple weeks ago- it felt like 4.7 in a 1500 dodge - really wasn't impressed with it

Haven't drove a new cummin's but there about as quite as the duramax

The 525 FT LB PSD is fun to drive if it been chipped - otherwise bottom end torque seems to suck


The duramax seems like a gas powered truck with out any real bottom end power its kinda slow on takeoff but really goes after that. The allison trans program doesn't like hauling stuff when its not in the tow/ haul mode- has to relearn how to shift afterwards from what ive heard

Best thing to do would be is too buy a truck then mod it - don't see why not, since you can have better mileage and more power..

I know this thread is geared towards the diesels, but does anyone here have a Superduty with the 5.4 gas burner?

How does it pull?

My wifes "car" is a crew cab SD with the 5.4 and an automatic, it does ok moving itself, but it doesn't appear to have any EXTRA power. It might do ok on flat ground, but I am wondering about any kind of grade.

Originally posted by 350 Samurai
The new Powerstroke is a 6.0 and it will have 350 HP and around 375 ft/lbs torque.



Your figures are a little off on the 6.0 PSD - 325 hp, 550 ft/lb torque see
http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=708&press_subsection_id=421&make_id=92

Originally posted by nobody20


Your figures are a little off on the 6.0 PSD - 325 hp, 550 ft/lb torque see


Yea, I guess I should have looked it up. I was going off of earlier estimates from www.Ford-diesel.com. Shoulda known they never end up with as much as they estimate. Still it isn't too shabby.

i have drove the powersmoke auto...i was not impressed.
i have towed my jeep with a 02 dodge 1 ton with the cummings and 6 speed (nv5600) i love the way this truck pulls!

I-6 is the only diesle IMO.

Originally posted by Snake47720
We use the PSD's at work, various years, we've got an 88, 92, 95, and 99 f250-f350's, all that haul close to their 16,000lb GVW rating on the plates and barely pass scales, these are our semi tire service trucks with huge utility/cargo boxes on the rear, compressors and pto setups, all standard transmissions...

All i can say is the only decent on out of the bunch is the pre turbo 88 we have, the other ones are junk, the trucks are holding up but the engines have no power...our new 2002 duramax with the allison flat out moves fully loaded, you can barely tell there is a load on it at all!....

Yea yea yea, What the fawk ever! Now we got to go through this bullshit again????????????????

(someone post the "beating the dead horse" picture)

Whats wrong with the Chevy HD, but between the Ford vs. dodge Id go with the superduty, those things are real work horses.

Nothing is wrong with the Chevy, just a preference issue and I don't care for them.

The Fords seem to be preferred as the better truck and the Cummins as the better engine. I'm leaning toward the Ford since along with towing, I'll be using it as my DD. Plus Ford has 0% financing or $2K cash back on the '02s.

Still looking for anyone with experience in an '03 Dodge...come on guys, they've been out for a good 3 weeks now.

Originally posted by 87YJ
The Fords seem to be preferred as the better truck and the Cummins as the better engine. I'm leaning toward the Ford since along with towing, I'll be using it as my DD. Plus Ford has 0% financing or $2K cash back on the '02s.

Still looking for anyone with experience in an '03 Dodge...come on guys, they've been out for a good 3 weeks now.


Dodge has 0% on trucks too but not the 03's?


I should be driving a new cummins pretty soon since everyone seems to put a spray in bedliner in one

Originally posted by 87YJ
Nothing is wrong with the Chevy, just a preference issue and I don't care for them.

The Fords seem to be preferred as the better truck and the Cummins as the better engine. I'm leaning toward the Ford since along with towing, I'll be using it as my DD. Plus Ford has 0% financing or $2K cash back on the '02s.

Still looking for anyone with experience in an '03 Dodge...come on guys, they've been out for a good 3 weeks now.

well if that's how you feel i've got just the truck for you. The link is in my sig, if you're interested PM or email me and i'll make you a much better deal than ford will.

-Steve

go woth the power joke, i am a chevy fan all the way.i work at a ford dealership and have driven a lot of superdutys and towed with them and thay are awsome.my buddy at work has a rock crawler and competes in erocc and he has a super duty and we blow the rest off the road.

Originally posted by rockdawgfj40
go woth the power joke, i am a chevy fan all the way.i work at a ford dealership and have driven a lot of superdutys and towed with them and thay are awsome.my buddy at work has a rock crawler and competes in erocc and he has a super duty and we blow the rest off the road.


:shaking: Smoke less crack, man. Really. Or take an english course.
On the 'net, you've got to make it so that other people can figure out WTF you're saying.

Originally posted by Flipper
I know this thread is geared towards the diesels, but does anyone here have a Superduty with the 5.4 gas burner?

How does it pull?

My wifes "car" is a crew cab SD with the 5.4 and an automatic, it does ok moving itself, but it doesn't appear to have any EXTRA power. It might do ok on flat ground, but I am wondering about any kind of grade.

My tow vehicle is a 2002 F150 with the 5.4 and Auto (3.55 gears). Works pretty well for pulling my light weight Willys and trailer (about 4500 lbs total) But you are right, up hills it slows down. I would imagine it's even worse in a SD since they weigh more.

Before you buy anything... please do what I DIDN'T and read ALL that you can on ford-diesel.com and the other sites. I learned about all the problems with the PSD AFTER I bought mine. Wouldn't have purchased had I known before.

I just dumped my PSD... I'll never own another ford.

Originally posted by rockota
Before you buy anything... please do what I DIDN'T and read ALL that you can on ford-diesel.com and the other sites. I learned about all the problems with the PSD AFTER I bought mine. Wouldn't have purchased had I known before.

I just dumped my PSD... I'll never own another ford.

Can you be a little more specific about the problems?

How about some search terms for ford-diesel.com

I'm about to buy a new PSD and need to know what I am getting myself into. Buy the way it'll be a 6-spd XL. I like rubber floor mats instead of carpet and no shit-on-the-fly.

I have a 2000 Powerstroke I purchased in August of 2001 with 23k miles on it.

By August of 2002 I had put over 30k miles on it. Many long trips (7 hours+) while towing my rig.

I found one of those Hypertech Power Programmers on ebay for $100. Supposed to add 48hp and 108 ft. lbs of TQ, as well as tighten up your shifts (on autos). Hands down, the best $100 I've spent on any vehicle. Woke that truck up!

The only problem I had was a rear pinion seal that was fixed under warrenty. Since then I have had no problems.

The reason I picked the Ford was that The Chevys had just come out and were very expensive. Since I use my truck as a DD as well, I didn't pick the Dodge because I couldn't stand the interior an the seats. I wasn't very comfortable. Yeah, yeah, yeah, its a truck, I know, but when I am driving for any period of time, I want to be comfy.

As long as you keep the vehicle (whichever you choose) maintained, it should last you a long time.

Originally posted by CoryL
I have a 2000 Powerstroke I purchased in August of 2001 with 23k miles on it.

snip....
I found one of those Hypertech Power Programmers on ebay for $100. Supposed to add 48hp and 108 ft. lbs of TQ, as well as tighten up your shifts (on autos). Hands down, the best $100 I've spent on any vehicle. Woke that truck up!

snip...
As long as you keep the vehicle (whichever you choose)
maintained, it should last you a long time.


Thansk for the chip tip... ive been contemplating one of those... Now i might. Wanting a little better shifting power good for what i do....


And BINGO on the maintenace.!!!! What ever you get you'll get dragged into these "mine is better" debates.... Just maintain the damn thing and it will give you years of good service....

Ive got an 01' PSD Auto with 35k (since last august) and its never given me any trouble todate... Bigest thing with the autos is NOT to race or do jack rabit starts with em. Torque is at about the limits of the tranny... byond that from what others had indicated ~100k on the tranny is good plan on a rebuild anytime after that... Im lazy and love my auto.... -yag

I have a 02 PSD I use to pull my 6000+ lb. m-715 and my kid's odyssey on a way too big for what I need goose neck trailer. Never had a problem with lack of power. The crues control got stuck one time when my wife was driving and she was able to stop the truck safely. great brakes. When I need to move my 715, my buddy's zebra truck(see usa6x6.com home page) and my other buddy's Toyota/chevy/contraption all at the the same time I use a 03 fr8liner. now THATS the kingof all tow rigs.

Originally posted by CoryL

I found one of those Hypertech Power Programmers on ebay for $100. Supposed to add 48hp and 108 ft. lbs of TQ, as well as tighten up your shifts (on autos). Hands down, the best $100 I've spent on any vehicle. Woke that truck up!



What sort of performance gains do the chips give 6-speeds?

i was totally disgusted with my )@ PSD up until the dealer finally replaced a bad PCM, even though it had gas ran through it there are no ill sign's of damamge to the motor! with teh newest PCM installed, and a custom burned 80hp 185ft.lbs chip stuffed in it :D this new PCM is a full 275hp 525tq unlike most all auto comps @ 235 and 505, so my new 355 and 710 was sweet :D


i ran from WA down to calroc's and back weighing 19,640 and pulled every grade up I80 at 65mph+ in OD! at about half throttle 825 degrees on the exhaust, 23psi of boost 175deg's on the tranny, and i am running 35's with 3.73 gears and an auto...



as far as a dodge, passed several with less load than me, but don't know how hard they were driving, what mod's if any were done etc... everyone's got they're personal choices... i personally do not like how the dodge's drive/ride/look

Ford!

Buy a 99 or 00 Dodge CTD 6 speed quad cab 4x4. So I can trade you for my 99.5 Ford PSD 6 speed extra cab 4x4.:flipoff2:

Went with the '03 PSD Crew Cab. Love the beast and I've only had it a couple of days. Ford seems to have the better truck & engine combo and their incentives right now make pulling th etrigger less painful.

Can't wait to actually get it out for a long run!