Need help picking my first tow pig/dd !

duggan98tj

Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2011
Location
jacksonville
Ok guys I received orders to japan, for June of next year. While I'm gone my jeep will be getting some updates. So when I return I will be looking to get a diesel tow pig /dd, and just use my jeep every once in a while on the street and try to dedicate it to trails and Sunday rides. With that being said I have never owned anything other than jeeps. I have and am doing my own research on the forums, but I'm getting overwhelmed with bs mpg and towing numbers and huge bashing on certain trucks. I will be using this truck as a daily driver and to pull my jeep on a double axle trailer so I figure around 9k lbs at most. I looked at cummins mega cab 4x4s and really like them for the space, but I a not against any one brand truck. The truck must be a 4 door and 4x4 and may also be a dually. I'm looking for real world owner input on mpg loaded and unloaded. And cost if ownership, ie regular repair such as injectors pumps transmissions and things like that. I would like a newer truck 03 and up if possible. Any info would be great! :confused:
 
I don't have the Big truck, & diesel experience, personally, but a lot will depend on how much $$, your willing to spend, & new or how late model. Financing? You might get a payment for new, close to used!
Dodge/Cummins, will probably edge out Ford/Powerstroke, & most will tell you to stay away from Powersrtoke 6.0. So that limits the used Ford market. I have nothing against Chevy-GMC/Duramax, buy it's
not as trusted as much as the other two. Just my take on it!
 
For occasional towing of up to 9k don't rule out 3/4 and 1/2 ton options.

Sent while I should have been doing something constructive...
 
I've had about every diesel there is and prob have to say a duramax is the best I've had for daily driving and towing and they seem to stay together better with less maintaince, trucks now days are about all the same pretty much just preference
 
A TJ is a light rig, why not a 1/2 ton or a large SUV gasser? I tow my pig of a XJ with my Hemi Commander and it does fine even here in the mountains.
 
I had an 06 Mega Cab with the 5.9 Cummins. I got around 15 mpg average mixed driving, and around 8 towing my 32ft gooseneck. Anything on a diesel truck will cost more to fix than on a gas. I had one injector line crack, it was 70 bucks to replace. Oil changes were 50 bucks a pop doing it myself, close to 100 if I decided to take it anywhere. Only had one problem with the trans (a solenoid went bad) but I always knew it would be 5k to replace it if it ever did crap out on me. Don't rule out a gas truck, either 1/2 or 3/4 ton for towing your jeep though. I will say, I LOVED the Mega Cab! If I ever buy another truck, it will be a Mega Cab, no questions asked.

Duane
 
i dont want a gas truck we towed using my buddies 2011 chevy 1500 4 door 4x4, on a 18' all steal car trailer i rented from my base. we drove from jacksonville nc to windrock park in olive springs 500+ miles and it got 10.9mpg all the way there and back not pushing the truck at all 65-70 never faster. i got the same mpg from jacksonville to gulches in sc.
 
That oil burner will be nice, but if anything goes wrong, any fuel savings, will be Way gone! Price of diesel seems to stay around 50 cents higher than Regular!
If I towed, hauled, or used my truck for business, then I would buy diesel. But not for a once a month tow.
 
duggan98tj said:
i dont want a gas truck we towed using my buddies 2011 chevy 1500 4 door 4x4, on a 18' all steal car trailer i rented from my base. we drove from jacksonville nc to windrock park in olive springs 500+ miles and it got 10.9mpg all the way there and back not pushing the truck at all 65-70 never faster. i got the same mpg from jacksonville to gulches in sc.
Click to expand...


10.9 isn't bad, and if you expect more from a diesel you will probably be disappointed. Like rodney said, factor in the extra cost of diesel plus the added costs of repairing a diesel, and I wouldn't rule out a gasser, especially if you plan on DDing it. If you're set on towing with a diesel, I would look for an older one in decent shape and get something fuel efficient to DD. I sold my Mega Cab and now I DD a Honda and I bought a CTD to swap into my 85 Dodge for towing duty.

Duane
 
So I finally got my tow rig 06 Cc sb 4x4 5.9 go cummins Laramie 141k miles when I bought it but know 145k and climbing.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    139.7 KB · Views: 333
duggan98tj said:
So I finally got my tow rig 06 Cc sb 4x4 5.9 go cummins Laramie 141k miles when I bought it but know 145k and climbing.
Click to expand...
Looks good. Auto or manual? Hope you got a good deal on it and have some money left over, cause now you gotta buy stacks and a bunch of Cummins stickers:smokin:
 
7.3 4x4 Excursion. LOVE MINE! Fits 8 of your buddies, doesn't require a weighted tag, and I get 17mpg towing my 18' deckover and ZJ, adding up to about 7500lbs without all the gear in the truck. You simply can't kill the motor.
 
Back
Top