Looking for a Tow Rig and Tow Trailer and was hoping you all could help out. I'm not picky as to what brand truck, not picky as to what style trailer just need something that is going to effectively pull my CJ5 as I don't want to get stranded on wheeling excursions should it $hit the bed or break badly. Here is what I'm working with that I need to find a tow rig for. 1979 CJ5 AMC 304 V8 D44's F/R Armor All Around (Front/Rear Fenders and Side Steps) Rhino Lined Interior/Undercarriage Probably looking at around 4000lbs (with the extra weight I added with the above parts). I don't know much about trailers but I've seen them weighing around 1500-2000lbs for the trailer so the way I'm looking at it, I need to be able to tow, at a minimum, 6000-6500lbs. What tow rig would you recommend and why? What style trailer would you recommend and why?
I can't speak for others but I towed 7000 pounds with my 5.9 Dodge without issue, since I was right at the 7,000 limit I just went ahead and got a 10,000 pound trailer because I like to error on the side of caution.
What did you pay for your trailer? As for tow rigs, I'm looking at the F-250's with the 7.3L Diesel. Haven't heard from many people here or the other forums I'm asking around at.
If I remember right, I paid somewhere around 3,200.00 or so. If you search my username and "trailer" you should find my post and pictures when I first got it.
Does anyone frequent this forum or is it typically quiet.....I thought I'd have tons of people wanting to brag about their Ford, Chevy, Dodge by now and this thread turning into a Brand War Anyway, if there are any of you out there that can chime in with your .02 cents I'm all ears.
Military Jeeper, your bringing back some great memeories for me. I had, in a former life, a '78 CJ7 Renegade, 304V8, AT with QuadraTrac. In hindsight, it was probably the best damn vehicle I ever had. Never found a place she wouldn't go, and never let me down once she got there. Now to your question, I pull a 7000# gvw 7x14 tandem axle enclosed trailer that typically weighs in around that 6000# to 6500# area. I figured a heavy 1/2 ton would work just fine. What I found (in late '01) was I could get a lot more truck for about the same, or even less, money. I ended up with a new F350XL, reg cab, SRW, 4x4, V10, AC, cruise/tilt, sliding rear window, cloth seat, factory running boards, mud flaps (4), set bumper, towing and plow prep packages, bed liner, and AT with 3.73s for about $23k. I've been very happy that I did get more truck than I originally figured on. I since have added a 2000# truck camper, and it still hauls everything without any issues. If I had it to do over, I'd have gotten duals and 4.10s. A diesel would be nice, but I just don't put enough miles on it per year (only has about 38k on her now) to justify the cost. Maybe someday... I was brand blind like you, and I did check out GM/Chev, Dodge, and Toyota (T100). The heavy 1/2 ton GM 4x4 similarly spec'd was closer to $27k. Local Dodge dealer wouldn't give me the time of day because I wouldn't buy something they had in stock despite not a one meeting my criteria. When I asked if they could do a dealer trade or order one, I was met with a very abrupt "No!" The 'yota I felt was just not as strong as the other 3, and you could only get it in either a completely stripped, or fully loaded version. Hope this helps...Oh, and yep, this forum is pretty slow as a rule, 'tho I don't know why.
Thanks for the info. I guess the thing I'm torn over is do I cough up the cash and get a diesel (used) or get a gasoline (used)? The diesel used are ranging the 2000-2003/4 year range and the gasoline used are raning from 2005-2007 range in regards to what I'm willing to spend. I really don't want to spend more than $15k on a tow rig. The opposite side is whether or not I'll benefit in gas from getting a diesel (will I tow enough to make it worth the extra cost) or will a gasoline be better off if I don't tow often (I realize a gasoline gets horrible mileage under tow vice a diesel under tow).
Unfortunately, I don't think I can help you much with that decision. Don't know if anybody but you can answer the diesel vs gas question. Given the years for a diesel, probably a Dodge would be the best bet in terms of the engine (at least according to most things I've read). I begrudginly have to admit (I used to have a 7.3 pre-PS that I loved) that Ford's 6.0 is considered somewhat less than desireable, although many people have had good luck with them, especially once the kinks were fixed. I don't know where the jury stands on the 6.4, but I think for the price point you're looking at, it pretty much rules out the 6.4. GM has had good luck with the D-Max, although they even had some issues with early versions. They're now in the process of re-tooling for the 4th or 5th iteration of that engine. Don't know what they keep tweaking, but it does make one wonder. Hell, even Dodge as gone thru a number of versions of the 5.9 Cummins, but I don't recall hearing anything bad about any one of them, transmissions yes, but engines no. I did a quick search on http://www.truckpaper.com/ for used $15k max diesels. The things that came up, at least for Dodge were almost all >150k miles. Probably find similiar mileage for Ford and GM as well. As far as gas engines go, if when you use the truck, even if you only use it occasionally as I do, you're primarily hauling and/or towing, I wouldn't go with anything less than the largest engine offered - i.e. 8.1 V8, 6.8 V10, or 8.0 V10 - by the respective brands. What you might try, at least on here, is when you find a truck that fits your criteria, post for opinions in the brand and engine specific forums. Might get more input that way.
