How bad is a 3/4 ton truck off road?

[npaden]

I’d skip the Diesel unless you want to look cool in High School parking lots. If you’re truly using it for off-road it will suck. Much of that 2000 pounds more is over the front axle.

The diesel is actually only 897 pounds heavier than the gasser but it is mostly over the front axle. The gas HD truck weighs about 1,734 more than the 1/2 ton so that is where the big weight increase comes in. I'm still waffling a bit on the diesel but am very close to pulling the trigger on one that I've found that checks all the boxes I'm wanting.

 

[F250]

tzone - around 13 mpg towing a two horse with 6' living quarters. Towing my bumper pull 14' tandem axle cargo trailer with ATV and other gear is 12 mpg (damn thing pulls hard !). Around town empty truck is 15 mpg.

 

[tzone]

tzone - around 13 mpg towing a two horse with 6' living quarters. Towing my bumper pull 14' tandem axle cargo trailer with ATV and other gear is 12 mpg (damn thing pulls hard !). Around town empty truck is 15 mpg.

Thank you. So, like trucks used to be?

 

[tzone]

The diesel is actually only 897 pounds heavier than the gasser but it is mostly over the front axle. The gas HD truck weighs about 1,734 more than the 1/2 ton so that is where the big weight increase comes in. I'm still waffling a bit on the diesel but am very close to pulling the trigger on one that I've found that checks all the boxes I'm wanting.

"Only" is reletive. When it's all over the front you're going to sink it a lot quicker.

 

[jryoung]

Maybe a little late to this, but this year in WY we had two similarly classed 1-ton trucks, crew cab with long beds, and one 1/2 ton. The one tons were a 2009 Silverado 3500 the other a 2017 Ford F350 Super Duty, the half a 2015 F150 crew with standard bed. I was shocked at the difference in ride, between the one tons. Granted the chevy was 8 years older with an additional 100k miles on it, but the Super Duty rode similarly to the 150.

It got me again poking around the market again for another truck, the accountant in me says to get another 50k out of my tundra and bounce it off a few more trees, but a full size bed and cooled seats is pretty tempting.

 

[npaden]

I'm at 210,000 miles on my 2012 1/2 ton so I'm thinking I have come pretty close to getting my money's worth out of it.

Trying to decide on keeping it for my son who will start driving in a little over a year and a half or just take it to the auction and hope to get $9,000 or so out of it.

 

[TheJason]

I'm at 210,000 miles on my 2012 1/2 ton so I'm thinking I have come pretty close to getting my money's worth out of it.

Trying to decide on keeping it for my son who will start driving in a little over a year and a half or just take it to the auction and hope to get $9,000 or so out of it.

What would you buy then for your son? How is the vehicle's repair history? Buying used cars for kids is a crap shoot. We're three for four on used vehicles, with one breaking a timing belt and detonating the engine. If you feel good about the truck and aren't hurting for the 9K, I'd keep it.

 

[ImBillT]

Got checked by a GW who kindly offered me a ride to my pickup 5mi away. It was a big diesel. The ride was impressively smooth. I can’t go beyond that.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Drive/Tow/Hunt in a 2011 Duramax crew cab, long bed. Mirror what most everyone has said. Letting air out of the tires makes a real difference on the washboards and dirt roads in general, but rough pot holed roads are still brutal. I've been amazed at how well it's taken care of me when in 4WD low when on some gnarly steep/bumpy hills, along with mild snow (4-8") on Wyoming hunting roads.

Since it's a big decision, I think I figured how to upload a video of my duramax on a steep, dry, uneven road. Can't see in vid how steep it is as the phone is pointed a little down in the holder, but to me as a relative rookie, it was pretty pucker filled ride with my hood aiming at the sky unable to see the road. Got stuck for a sec right before the top on the steepest part, but luckily with a stronger throttle push made it over the top.

Rookie mistake though as I didn't air down tires before entering that area, as I didn't know how steep it was going to be. 70-front / 80 rear is FAR from ideal for traction. Barely made it but did:

I run the K02's in the tallest size that'll fit under stock suspension. Towing the mobile office/base camp (25' bumper pull, c. 9k lbs) is great!

If you have the backup of the sxs/atv for most times and the 3/4 ton for towing and general getting around, sounds like a darn good combo.

On the duramax forum they mention "sulastic shackles" for the back to improve the rough ride, but I know nothing about them or if they're any good.

Cheers

S

 

[TheJason]

Your video link isn’t working.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Your video link isn’t working.

Just tried fixing it. Should work now.

 

[406dn]

I have two Chevy K3500 Duramax pick ups. An 05 extended cab and a 17 crew cab. I will have a diesel truck for as long as I own horses, the plan is to have horses until I can't get on one.

I towed one horse with a half ton Suburban when I first bought a horse. One level ground, with minimal wind, it would handle it,,barely. Throw in any hills and a headwind and it was badly underpowered.

With either truck loaded with a slide in camper and towing three horses, I can set the cruise control at 67mph and it will go up and over any grade I've towed in the intermountain west, at that speed. The exhaust brake on the 17 makes coming down steep grades as stress free as climbing up them is.

You need room to turn either one of them around, more for the 17 crew cab.

I don't deal with mud much, but I deal drifted snow on frozen ground routinely. Where I board the horses it drifts over pretty badly. When feeding them, it is not uncommon to have to deal with several deep drifts. I haven't come close to having to walk out of there.

If you end up with a diesel, the first time you come to a steep grade while towing,,, a smile will come across your face.

 

[119bowhunter]

I work for a marina and spend a lot of time towing boats, we have always run Ford F-250 diesel trucks, I had always had a gas truck to pull my personal bass boat (which probably only weighs 3k pounds or so) but I live in the mountains of North Carolina so a lot of steep mountain roads. After working here and getting used to towing with a diesel truck all the time there's no way I could go back to towing with a gas truck, not that the truck isn't capable of doing so but its so much easier on the truck. Not to mention the difference in fuel economy with my 2001 Tahoe 5.3 (9.5 mpg) to a 2004 GMC diesel (16 mpg) while towing my boat. Your maintenance costs will definitely be higher with the diesel but I just don't think I could go back to towing with a gas truck unless I had to

 

[jabber]

Drive/Tow/Hunt in a 2011 Duramax crew cab, long bed. Mirror what most everyone has said. Letting air out of the tires makes a real difference on the washboards and dirt roads in general, but rough pot holed roads are still brutal. I've been amazed at how well it's taken care of me when in 4WD low when on some gnarly steep/bumpy hills, along with mild snow (4-8") on Wyoming hunting roads.

Since it's a big decision, I think I figured how to upload a video of my duramax on a steep, dry, uneven road. Can't see in vid how steep it is as the phone is pointed a little down in the holder, but to me as a relative rookie, it was pretty pucker filled ride with my hood aiming at the sky unable to see the road. Got stuck for a sec right before the top on the steepest part, but luckily with a stronger throttle push made it over the top.

Rookie mistake though as I didn't air down tires before entering that area, as I didn't know how steep it was going to be. 70-front / 80 rear is FAR from ideal for traction. Barely made it but did:

I run the K02's in the tallest size that'll fit under stock suspension. Towing the mobile office/base camp (25' bumper pull, c. 9k lbs) is great!

If you have the backup of the sxs/atv for most times and the 3/4 ton for towing and general getting around, sounds like a darn good combo.

On the duramax forum they mention "sulastic shackles" for the back to improve the rough ride, but I know nothing about them or if they're any good.

Cheers

S

I see you have the infamous GM dash crack in yours, also.

Good video

 

[nevada_stw]

The 3/4 ton will ride harsher but not unbearable. It like comparing your rzr to your half ton. I have a Tahoe, a can am, and a dodge 2500 Cummins and still take the dodge when it’s time to go hunting. As far as gas vs diesel, you’ll never make the gas engine do what the diesel can do as easy. It’s the old argument about 300 win vs 30-06. I can load my 300 down to a 30-06 but will never be able to load my 06 up to the 300. The gas engine may do just fine, but will never match what the diesel engine can do. For a lot of people the 06 is all they will ever need. I like having power to spare. The diesel has the power and makes it way more efficiently in terms of mpg. I can get better fuel mileage pulling that Ford tremor on a trailer, than the tremor will get empty.

 

[HONEYBADGER]

3/4 just don't do as well off road as 1/2 ton trucks. If you have a diesel, once that big heavy engine gets pointed in a direction its difficult if not impossible to stop the truck from going that direction.....great for towing though.

 

[npaden]

Picked up the new truck this afternoon. It had a whopping 4 miles on it when I picked it up.



I took a measuring tape just to make 100% sure it was going to fit in my garage. It did fit, barely...



Lots of bells and whistles to sort through, the cameras are pretty cool. It seems to ride about the same as my 1/2 ton on my gravel county road and driveway.

I may have to come up with a winter camping trip to come up with an excuse to pull the trailer somewhere.

It is one heck of a step up in there even for me. I’m getting some powered running boards on Thursday.

 

[Wyohunt]

The diesel is great when the substrate is hard. Look out in sand and mud. I have taken my DMx to places that would scare most People. In 4l it will climb anything. If I was smart enough to post pictures I could send some action photos. Hard substrate tho

 

[mxracer317]

Picked up the new truck this afternoon. It had a whopping 4 miles on it when I picked it up.

View attachment 166327

I took a measuring tape just to make 100% sure it was going to fit in my garage. It did fit, barely...

View attachment 166328

Lots of bells and whistles to sort through, the cameras are pretty cool. It seems to ride about the same as my 1/2 ton on my gravel county road and driveway.

I may have to come up with a winter camping trip to come up with an excuse to pull the trailer somewhere.

It is one heck of a step up in there even for me. I’m getting some powered running boards on Thursday.

Congrats on the new truck! I have a 16 Denali Duramax. You'll love it! Don't forget to adjust that tennis ball in your garage!

 

[eddytheeagle]

Lots of 3/4 & 1 ton trucks use the two tracks. You will be fine.

Not to talk you out of the diesel, but one thing to think about if you don't think you need it other then the towing. The gas engi8ne most OEM's offer in the heavy duty will pull the trailer just fine and today the upgrade option for the diesel is 7-10K, so you could save that money and put into upgrades like better tires, winch ect.

I would also see if they have fixed their CP4 injector pump issues. Three guys at work have or should say had 14 & 15's GM had to buy one back and the other two had about 8K repair bills when the pump grenades'.

The injection pump issue is fixed, and a couple of weeks ago they even release redesigned fuel filters.