Am I crazy for wanting an older truck as a tow rig?

My older tow rig, specs in sig line. Thought about selling it, but will probably just keep it since it is paid for and I am in the middle of building a house right now.

 

i recently purchased a 1994 ford f150 5.0 auto it pulls my trailers and race cars very nicely.

 

Ben's 0.02

I think your decision on what kind of truck to buy depends on how much you will be using it. If you have a different daily driver and you are only towing every now and then for short distances the old gasser would be just fine. However, if you will be driving the tow rig as a daily driver as well and/or towing over long distances I would have to agree with Bobby and say go for a newer rig (either diesel or gas) just because of comfort and reliability.

 

My favorite is the Army CUCV 5/4t dually shelter carrier. We had a bunch in Ft. Stewart, they were some of the best looking of these body styles I have ever seen, and well taken care of.

Like a M1028 with the duallies. I didn't see them in other places, just in Ft. Stewart. Might have been a smart motor pool sgt who did some worthy upgrades...

 

That's like my unit at FT Bliss, TX. For some strange reason, quite a few of the Hummers had advanced timing and higher than stock fuel rate. Wish I knew how to do the fuel on the M35A2, and M900 series A1 & 2 when I was in.

 

I think there is nothing wrong with having an older truck for a tow rig and better yet less of a payment.

 

From what we gathered, there were some high altitude versions, maybe that was it. Being a Ft. Carson reflagged 4th ID from Carson to Hood in 96, it is possible some of them made their way to Bliss. I had a motor pool sgt show me on the M35A2C, mine would spin all 8 rear tires from 1-2 shift... WITH my 4000 lb Avionics shelter on it. Wish I remembered how to mod them up! It ran like a scalded ape!

I just bought a 99 LT Sub 454 K2500, 119K miles, $6400 and nearly every option possible (454, no diesel, wish it did....). I am all for PAID for trucks! I paid cash and have title in hand. That is the only way in my book. I'm avoid debt as much as I can these days...

 

In my option I think the 454 is better than a 6.5

 

I'm no 6.5TD expert, but the tow ratings on the 6.5TD are always less than the 7.4/454/7400. It makes more torque than the 454 (410 vs 430), so why would it be rated less towing?

 

Go for it! I had a '91 F-350 diesel that I LOVED... except I wanted more power and I do more towing than it sounds like you do. Military... moving horses with us when we move.

So I have a payment soon...

If you can handle lower power, then go for it.

 

I dont know my truck tows better than similar trucks w/ 454s that I have driven. And I get double the gas milage that a 454 gets while towing.

 

A friend of mine sold his 95 F250 Diesel, 5 sp w/4.10's. Talk about a monster pulling machine. He thinks it had been rebuilt, but honestly we don't know, but it put my friends 2002 7.3L TD F350 to shame. I wish I could have bought it from him.

We just picked up out "newest", a 99 K2500 Suburban LT with 3.73's and 454. It runs pretty good. MPG is in the 13 range so far, which for the exact same driving is what our 96 burb got with the 350 and 3.73's. It is just so much easier to drive with the big engine...

Last of the OBS, or Old Body Style Burbs.... Another end of an era in GM trucks.

 

i haul my race car and trailer with a 1994 f150 and it pulls it very well. my old 91 f150 with the same 302 was a dog. im' not sure what has been done other than headers and i suspect a chip etc. but it pulls very well.