Here I am

Anybody read/see a direct comparsion to 3/4 -1 ton diesels to the new 7.3 Ford gasser?

Attention: TDR Forum Junkies
To the point: Click this link and check out the Front Page News story(ies) where we are tracking the introduction of the 2025 Ram HD trucks.

Thanks, TDR Staff

Recommended 5th Wheel Hitch Vertical Range

Make 12v plug in rear seat always hot

Status
Not open for further replies.
woof.... tell us how you really feel...:rolleyes: I will never have a gas truck to pull my trailers and have no issues using my trailer brakes and EB correctly and effectively.

Nothing says STOOPID as loudly as causing a jam-up on an ascent or descent

exactly and COM drivers are not exempt.. running 3 wide 30mph below speed using all available lanes taking 15 miles to pass one and other....
 
Can you provide more detail like the 7.3's MPG and use (loaded, towing, etc.)? What capability is it lacking in it's current use? We are all ears when a Diesel comes out ahead in TCO!


Have to first adjust the price of fuel. MPG doesn’t mean anything otherwise. A 17-MPG diesel is a 13-MPG gasser, sorta.

Then, the diesel up-charge at purchase. Insurance and tax and overhead. Makes the gap worse.

Diesel doesn’t pay unless the vehicle is being worked to spec.

What’s the Hemi redline? Never did wear out a Detroit carb’d big block “screaming” at WOT for minutes on end in grade ascents. Family sold them at about 190k or 12-years after crossing USA, Canada & Mexico.

An engine that gets worked lasts longest (don’t exceed 80%).

Gear it and go.
 
woof.... tell us how you really feel...:rolleyes: I will never have a gas truck to pull my trailers and have no issues using my trailer brakes and EB correctly and effectively.



exactly and COM drivers are not exempt.. running 3 wide 30mph below speed using all available lanes taking 15 miles to pass one and other....


Doubtful statements. You’ve not answered questions posed.

Here’s another: what reduction in stopping distance from 35-mph did your combined rig exhibit over the solo laden truck?

And don’t put words in my mouth about lousy drivers in commercial vehicles. I don’t exempt them. I plan for them.
 
Kinda careless with your assumption TDR members can't drive, aren't you? This pretty much mirrors most of your comments.


Shoe fits? (You chose to read me that way; wasn’t written that way; read again).

I’ll gladly say the same to you in person of it makes you feel better you’re having made that choice in seeing yourself described. And I can promise you don’t want me along for the check ride.

The days of assuming drivers of pickups, farm/ranch rigs, RVs are “good drivers” is 25-years and gone. In 120-140k miles per year I might see 6-12 instances of truly good driving. More than the occasional courtesy.

I don’t drive in the regional bubble.
I’ve been crossing the country by vehicle since 1962. Used to be one could make reasonable assumptions based on vehicle type. Co-operation was in force.

99% stoopid (morons, whatever ) is accurate. Stupidity for many, selfish for the rest. No effective difference.

You one of the ones hauling a tractor on a gooseneck at 75+ ? Horses? Yearlings going to the sale barn? Never used to see this and now it’s a constant.

I know what distance — the number — I need to come to a full stop with 42,000 in the box. My question is, why don’t you?

You might not “like” the way I phrase things. So what? Take note that NO ONE ever answers the questions. (“Oh, but I am a skilled driver!”).

Unlike their fathers and grandfathers who had some respect for the built-in shortcomings of a pickup this respect is gone, now. Facts don’t matter, only feelz.

Ametican roads are better today than they’ve ever been. The vehicles are also better (given the type). But when things go wrong, they go completely wrong. Driving a 1T like a moron in a Camry ain’t excusable.

So, your last trip hauling something somewhere on the Interstate: never had to pass anyone, right?
(Running 62-64/mph I’ve averaged 700-800/miles between passes west of the Mississippi and 400 east of same).

Everyone believes themselves to be “good drivers. They also consider themselves to be smart.

Neither is true.


Asked for fact-based testing (driving), there is none. Why is this group special? Mama said so?.

Whatever virtues TDR possesses its now down to a small membership. The echo chamber effect is in force (every online forum suffers from it).

Skills-based driving ain’t part of it. Also as with every other forum.

Despite very good tech advice, note that there’s next to no effort to understand Average MPG (which correlates DIRECTLY to Engine Life). All the tools are available. Not rocket science . . .

. . so we should believe “good driving” is an exception to generally abusive operation? How do you separate that?

Why does a blow-by test get done, but never braking tests? Evidence exists or doesn’t.

.
 
Last edited:
A farm truck. Right.

How many feet in distance required to come to a controlled emergency stop from 80-mph?


You’ve tested it, right?

— Also, you ever in the Interstate passing lane with traffic barely ahead and directly behind you while “passing”?

—Act as though “overtaking” is “passing” by remaining in the passing lane after a pass is safely completed? Illegally use the passing lane for travel?
(“Gee, there’s slow guys up ahead”).

— Thereby implicitly blocking access to the passing lane for those who have right-of-way? (Only the travel lane has ROW).

Those who screw things up for everyone else (too high a speed for vehicle design; failure to adjust speed to conditions; tailgating; and blocking ROW) shouldn’t be surprised it someday doesn’t work out.

I’ve been hit three times this past year by the type. Minor. Took a sheriffs deputy or DPS to explain to the stoopids how the road works. Right-of-Way.

The day I have some SWIFT driver comes off the shoulder at the wrong moment (happens more regularly now) the vehicle illegally in the passing lane is the one who’ll have to do emergency braking.

He doesn’t care he ever gets home.
This Kenworth and I will .


.

Answers to your questions/comments:
1. No
2. 1/2 mile or more.
3. Yes
4. Yes, at low speed, low speed, heavy traffic
5. No
6. No with thoughtful sarcasm
7. Not me
8. Nope
9. Sorry you got hit...

So, you assume a lot, maybe I could do better by saying I always drive according to driving conditions, including weather. traffic, quality of road. etc. I've never had a wreck or caused a wreck in 47 years of driving.

EDIT: Just read your post no one answers your question after just posting this. Something you don't hear a lot... I'm a defensive driver.
 
Friends,

I added another post versus editing/ adding to the my previous post:

There's not much I care about Europe, but the one thing I do like is stricter driving laws and aggressive enforcement of them. You can only pass in the passing lane, no passing on the right, entering highway, no passing while entering.

Just thought I would add since the thread kinda took safe driving side road.

Cheers, Ron
 
What’s the Hemi redline? Never did wear out a Detroit carb’d big block “screaming” at WOT for minutes on end in grade ascents.

6,400 RPM. :eek:

They have wound up gas engines RPM since the '90's. It's no longer the ~4000 RPM redline of the past. The "Low RPM Big Block Torque" is gone. It's all high RPM now. You couldn't hardly kill a gas sucking GM 454, 7.4L, towing. That, and other OEM, Big Block's were king back in the day. The 8.1L V8 is something else if you can find one used.

As an example: The A/C compressor is ideally lubed at 2,000 RPM. Automatics like to reach for Redline on a grade ... Sustain 6400 RPM and the A/C compressor belt will depart. Well it did on my GM 6.0L LS2 (6500 RPM redline) engine we used towing the parts route. Then you have the transmission having to gear down all that RPM. Yup, high RPM screamer only made it a week before the transmission burned up. The RAM 4.7 V8 rental did a lot better aside for it's love of fuel when towing. (Vs. other bigger RAM V8's that do better MPG towing.) Good riddance to that 4.7L.

Don't forget resale of "Who wants a Hemi with over 100K on it?" vs. "Shut Up And Take My Money!" for a used Diesel.

The cost of Diesel and gasoline have been near the same here for a few years. It's only recently now different, but, likely due to broken legs trying to raise fuel prices fast enough.

Shortcomings of a pickup... (Yeah, should be known.) But don't be overlooking the 5th wheel towing configuration is the same hook up and axle placement as a Big Rig. But you keep missing the "Bigger container wins" with the "99% stoopid (morons, whatever ) is accurate." Also: Drunk, Extreme DUI, higher than a kite, stoned, Passing out drugged/drunk behind the wheel and becoming D E A D (Before or after the wreck is hard to pin down), age problems that should no longer be behind the wheel ... is common here. To that I also suggest running a dash cam. Hell they can't even fix the pharmacy building damage from the last Blue Hair gas/brake screw up before the construction workers are running for their lives as another vehicle attempts to "Drive Through" the damn building from a parking spot. They finally put up cement poles ... took them long enough.
 
If a First Gen owner who's driven all the generations is allowed to comment amongst the fourth, here's my two cents.

I was once told by a tandem-gasoline tanker driver that he could "outhandle" my sports car in an empty truck and out-stop it loaded. Let him go right on ahead, then ran some numbers using Road & Track data and my own testing. He was quite optimistic.

The gas option for my truck was a 190-hp 360, and GM's 454, the last carb'd big-block, already had fuel injection for a couple of years. I drove one of those TBI 454s in a three-speed auto dually, empty, alongside an F-350 w/a four-speed auto towing 82% of its rated load and couldn't keep up w/the Ford. At 3200 rpm it made enough heat the alternator backed off, pinging ensued, etc.

With a first gen I can only use temperatures and boost to know my engine load. I'm not certain if "work to spec" is power required, GCWR, a combination, etc., but at least I had a choice of gearbox and 3.55 or 4.10:1. Can any of us "work to spec" an engine built for 66,000GCW or whatever it is?

My exhaust brake has been effective for me even without a trailer in the rain, four wheeling, and for warm-up. Can't say if it's cost-effective as I haven't bought any brakes yet. I can't speak to ITBC and newer trucks, but using my exhaust brake does engage boat-trailer surge brakes, so we breathe it on the long grades and keep the truck brakes relatively cool. And they have a temperature gauge.

Space required is speed-dependent...I can't answer.

My descent speed leaves 600-800 rpm above.

I've passed traffic on an ascent at a 100-mph delta not towing, towing at a 30-mph delta. Never saw the passed vehicles again, but I'll wear the cone hat.

My truck won't do 80 mph. I do know stopping distance (minimum feet, under control) from 70 mph. I get no reduction in stopping distance at 50 mph (35mph unknown) adding a trailer, but it only increases rear axle weight by ~15% and neither truck nor trailer has antilock brakes.

I've been in the passing lane with traffic barely ahead and directly behind when the right lane is closed and I'm trying to keep construction/rock chips to a minimum. Otherwise I drive right (even when bumpy)/pass left, so in a car I am in and out of the fast lane like a fart in a colander.
 
I really question how 10000lbs is the minimum for an exhaust brake. Really, that is indeed quite a statement. Let's assume total brake failure on a CTD vs Hemi empty all going down the same mountain pass. Not towing anything.

Which truck do you want your family in? I know my choice....
 
yep... 192 K when I traded out my 04 with the PacBrake PRXB, never put service brakes on it in the over 100k miles I drove it (and it wasn't slow!) I did do a clutch..:D
 
Brake failures on a todays truck with four oversized vented disc brakes are pretty rare.
They are a thing of the past IMHO.
 
At 3200 rpm it made enough heat the alternator backed off, pinging ensued, etc.

Don't get me started about GM's cooling systems inability to cash the power check the engines write. It's one big reason I bleed GM Orange but Drive a RAM Cummins.
 
Tell that 10 k and over before needing an exhaust brake to my brother in law . Pulling a 7k tow trailer thru hwy 2 in N CAL . down a forever 7 to 8 % grade . Fried the brakes screwed up the anti lock . On a 2000 2500 Ram with 430 gears and a V 10 gasser . I will keep my 6.7 and save the brakes . His fuel mileage is really bad when towing between 7 and 8
 
Tell that 10 k and over before needing an exhaust brake to my brother in law . Pulling a 7k tow trailer thru hwy 2 in N CAL . down a forever 7 to 8 % grade . Fried the brakes screwed up the anti lock . On a 2000 2500 Ram with 430 gears and a V 10 gasser . I will keep my 6.7 and save the brakes . His fuel mileage is really bad when towing between 7 and 8

I am guessing , so don't quote me on this but I would think the new Ford would out perform any gasser after 21 years .

Not too many comments on the new 7.3 :rolleyes:
 
Tell that 10 k and over before needing an exhaust brake to my brother in law . Pulling a 7k tow trailer thru hwy 2 in N CAL . down a forever 7 to 8 % grade . Fried the brakes screwed up the anti lock . On a 2000 2500 Ram with 430 gears and a V 10 gasser . I will keep my 6.7 and save the brakes . His fuel mileage is really bad when towing between 7 and 8

Auto or manual. Back in 2000 most autos would unlock the torque converter when the throttle was released to increase fuel mileage. The dealer installed exhaust brake on the Cummins was a manual only option until about 2005 when the ecu programming changed to allow the exhaust brake to keep the tc locked.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top