Tow rigs

shawn said:
Oh yeah. You didn't know that? It's *easy* to hit $70k on a new truck. Hell, you can hit $60k with options on an F150, or $45k for a 4dr Jeep Rubicon.
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I bought my 2dr JK rubicon 3 years ago for 23500. Had a warn 9.5ti on it and jeep accessories bumpers on it. Had 46k on it and came with a 100k warranty. Its my issue with buying a used truck for the same price with triple the mileage on it.
 
Hell a single cab 2x4 base truck in a 3/4 or bigger starts at 25-30ish add 1000-1200 for 4x4 and a diesel motor might as well spend the next 20-30 thousand to get 4 doors and bells and whistles
 
Bought my first truck in '85. It was a 1985 model, with 6300 miles. Loaded, every option, 2wd. Paid 7500.

BUT....trucks today are a far cry from a mid-80's C/K.
 
Loganwayne said:
Hell a single cab 2x4 base truck in a 3/4 or bigger starts at 25-30ish add 1000-1200 for 4x4 and a diesel motor might as well spend the next 20-30 thousand to get 4 doors and bells and whistles
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My first thought when i started to look into this was reg cab/long bed, 6spd manual 2500 that was 4wd.... $38k. Found some 2015 4 doors with an auto for $39-40k. That included power windows and doorlocks, keyless entry, and a AM/FM radio with aux port. Most have the chrome grill and chrome clad wheels. Ive never used the 6 disc indash CD player in my rubicon since my music is on my phone. Im only 5'7" so the back side of my knees stick to leather seats. Only thing i really want to check into is if ill still have the privileges of a Disabled Veteran tag if i have weighted tags. Since I'm 100% disabled through the VA the DV tag wavies the registration fee.
 
On break I just "built" a ford plan Jane regular cab 2016 with a 6.7 bare minimum on everything it was 38 something a fully loaded 4 door lariet with all the bells and whistles leather seats heat and cooled front and rear, goose neck ball and every option I wanted was 64. I'd rather pay the 64 personally. I also found a couple 08-10 that were in 20-30 range with around 50,000-75,000
 
How long will it really be until you NEED a diesel tow rig? Im with alot of the others on here. Just buy a 1/2 ton truck for right now. It will tow a stockish Jeep just fine. This will also give you plenty of time to research what tow rig you really want. I tow my 4k# rig to Harlan with my 07 Tundra. Never felt the need for anything more.
 
If this is to be the "last truck you buy for a long time", and you have a family, plan to, or plan to tow doubles, don't even think about a regular cab. Even if it's just for towing doubles, where's everyone going to sit when you and your buddy both want to bring passengers?
 
LBarr2002 said:
If this is to be the "last truck you buy for a long time", and you have a family, plan to, or plan to tow doubles, don't even think about a regular cab. Even if it's just for towing doubles, where's everyone going to sit when you and your buddy both want to bring passengers?
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THIS. When my extended cab tow rig was down it was annoying as hell having to use the regular cab truck when I needed to take the kids anywhere.
 
LBarr2002 said:
If this is to be the "last truck you buy for a long time", and you have a family, plan to, or plan to tow doubles, don't even think about a regular cab. Even if it's just for towing doubles, where's everyone going to sit when you and your buddy both want to bring passengers?
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That's my reasoning to wanting a crew cab, and I'd rather have the power of a diesel to easily pull a 2 car trailer if I ever have too or if I just end up going that route because it's easier for a buddy to do that. Have it and not need it than need it and not have it. No family yet but one day more than likely. If it was only short trips like an hr or two I could see a gasser but since everything is 200+ miles away from where I am and I do plan on going back to Cali to wheel every now and then, I've got a few friends in victory valley 4 wheelers. Just seems more logical to have something that's without a doubt sufficient enough to do the job, then getting 5mpg towing with a 6.0 2500HD.

Btw how so y'all like Big Tex trailers? That's the brand of my buddies 2 car goose neck. He got it for a really good deal, I want to say around $4500 new a few years ago.
 
Never mind new those damn things are expensive as hell, saw the price of the ones rob mentioned... Sounds like a good route to go. Who runs a winch on their trailer? I know it's not a must have but something I think would be a good idea at some point.
 
I've got a bigtex 20' car hauler with all the extras, it's a badass trailer. Whenever I go to pick a up car people usually want to talk about how nice the trailer is. We've got a warn 8000i mounted on it with a deep cycle optima in a custom built box. We shucked out close to $3500 for the trailer without the winch set up, we added that. I could've bought one much cheaper but no where near as nice. We load $100+k cars on it from time to time and didn't want to look like a bunch of hacks pulling up to haul one. For towing jeeps/rigs whatever I'd just buy a Kauffman or a Kraftsman.
I bought my 01' CTD dually 6spd in 2006 with a fresh motor built by Cummins Atlantic for $14k, the truck had 133k on it and someone had it "turned up" with no EGT gauge and cooked it. I've put 100k on it since I've had it and have done literally nothing to it except brakes and PM. I doubt I'd take 12k for the truck now.
 
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9500 superwinch on my T&W trailer

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2014 T&W Trailer
$2500 without winch or tool box
18', slide in ramps, led lights, removable fenders, winch mount, 7k frame with 5200lb axles, brakes both axles, 16" wheels.

I would have added more stake pockets and a rub rail
 
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Tax return I'll probably use to get a trailer, January or February at the latest I'll get a truck.
 
BigClay said:
It sounds like your mind is made up about getting a nice new tow rig, so if it were me, and I am spending your money, here is what I would get:

3500 GMC Denali 4wd with Duramax and Allison 6 speed = $75,000

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Eff that noise. I'll just pitch in my two cents. I have a '99 PSD 7.3L. The sum bitch pulls. Will it outrun a chipped up rig, hell no but (knock on wood) I've yet to suffer a major mechanical breakdown. I did the balljoints myself and that's the biggest repair I've made. I change the oil frequently (5k) and plop a new fuel filter in every 3 oil change. I'm closing in on 200k and although it's not a beauty queen by this point in life it's the most dependable vehicle in my current fleet. You can pick up a 4x4 version for around $12-15K. When it dies I'm looking for another.
 
Diesel truck prices are stupid right now! I have a 95 F-350 extended cab dually with the turbo'd 7.3L. It has 353k miles on it and still runnin' strong! (FWIW, I'd sell it for $4k)

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Jody Treadway said:
7500 miles on it now, trouble free. Hand calculated 17 mpg average empty and 12 towing 9k pounds.
24' because you'll never wish you had less trailer, power or beer.
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Murrica' why the 6spd instead of the auto?
 
Jody Treadway said:
Because I used to rebuild Dodge automatics and this is one I'd have to pay for. Worse case is I replace a clutch every 100k for under $600.
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That's my thinking too but I'm not sure if I feel like driving a stick for a tow rig too. 68REs are that great either huh?
 
Jody Treadway said:
IF you want an auto, go straight for the Aisin. You'll have to step up to a 3500 but you can get it in a Tradesman.
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Which means leaf springs out back too. Is it just the dually or the single rear wheel 3500s get it to?
 
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