truck

[knotflying]

One thing that's never discussed in these truck threads is what the vehicle will be used for other than towing. And what percentage of total time/miles driven will that be? A couple of years ago when I researched the topic the issue with the pollution control (i.e. use of DEF) on newer diesels was an issue for my intended use. Without the luxury of owning a truck solely to pull the boat, my truck also had to serve as my short, non-highway ride to work every day. Everything I was able to find suggested that problems with the pollution controls on diesel trucks almost always occur on vehicles that aren't driven enough to get hot for the regeneration cycle. So in my particular situation the choice was dictated by the 95 percent of the driving I'd be doing in the truck. Spend an extra 10 or 12 thousand dollars on diesel and have potential reliability issues with the pollution controls. Or go with gas and accept driving a little slower (and safer) when pulling the boat. As badly as I wanted a diesel truck it just didn't make sense.

Bottom line is that each individual has to figure out what works for them. No doubt diesel will pull the boat easier. But does easier necessarily mean better? Everyone has their own definition of that.

I am not sure if the local driving is really the issue with the sensors. I use my truck primarily for hauling the boat and the car when driving locally. I had the sensor problem 3 times. The truck is a 2011. That was the first year they came out with the DEF. I think the issue is that 2011 owners of any model were the guinea pigs.

 

[DreadKnot]

We have a 27' and regularly launch at Swantown in Olympia and tow to/from the house. Purchased the towable 27' so we can keep the boat close and not in the water 365 days per year. We've found the turbo diesel 4x4 required, particularly if you are retrieving at low tide, which sometimes cannot be helped due to tides, traffic at the dock, or work schedules. Without the right truck, the boat would not make it out of the water at a lower tide (less than 6'). Towing is one aspect that all have mentioned, launching and retrieval are another ball game entirely, particularly at some of the marinas in the local area here. Also mentioned was the tow/haul feature of the diesel engine. We regularly tow other trailers more heavily loaded than the Ranger/trailer combo, and the built-in capacities of engines with tow/haul features are incomparable and necessary in our opinion.

 

[Scuffy]

We have a 2009 Chevy 3/4 ton with a Duramax Allison transmission which is also pre def. I think there will be a big difference in fuel mileage in between the gas powered truck and the diesel. We tow with our truck in the manual mode set at M-5 and get better fuel mileage. The transmission works the same it just keeps it from shifting into 6th gear. On long pulls like the one coming west out of the Columbia river gorge we will hit the minus button and that drops it back into 4th. That lets you take your foot out of the throttle and puts less stress on the engine and transmission. It lets both the engine and transmission run a little cooler. In our travels I talked to another Dura Max owner who reports running Amsoil synthetic transmission oil has seen a 30 degree drop in transmission temperature. I think we will be trying that brand for everything from their engine oil, transmission and for the differentials and transfer case. Highly rated. One more item don't run your diesel low on fuel as the diesel fuel helps lubricate the fuel pump. As the fuel pump starts to fail then injectors get the chips as the fuel pump is after the fuel filters. The injectors will fail one at a time do to the metal particles and the verdict to finally change the fuel pump is expensive. I'm just saying.