Okay, boys and girls. I've been reading, I've been observing - and the
recent question about trucks for hauling hits a point where maybe I can
offer some input.
My company runs a pair of medium-duty trucks (26,000 # GVW) about 125,000
miles/year each. Take a look at them at www.infodestruction.com if you'd
like. We haul medical waste, confidential documents, and an occasional
motorcycle. What I've learned is: DO NOT BUY A PICKUP TRUCK, no matter how
carefully you spec it, if you're going to haul anything bigger than 4x8
plywood! You'll waste money if you do!!
That is: we drive all over our territory in a pair of "medium-duty"
trucks - a '93 F-700 and a '99 C6500. The Ford has a Cummins 5.9L "B"
turbo, the Chevy a Cat 7.2L 3126Bs. Both, in case you're not familiar with
their nomenclature, are diesel motors. The Ford has about 450,000 miles on
it (I say about 'cuz the odometer has broken several times - the hour meter
shows around 11,000 hrs, which at 40 mph/average is about where I think it
is); the Chevy has 125k miles on the clock. The Ford has never been opened,
save for one front head gasket at about 350k miles. The Chevy is still
untouched.
Both were intended to haul cargo around Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and were
ordered with 18k-26k gross loads in mind. Each has a straight six-speed,
but the Ford has 4.33 gears, the Chevy 3.73's. Both run 10R22.5 radial
Group IV tires. Both trucks have delivered about 11 mpg since new, as
expected for the way I've got them set.
Keeping all of this (and 'way more) data in mind, I would certainly suggest
buying a trailer-hauling vehicle in the MID-size range, such as these,
rather than a pickup that's pushed to the max. Here's why:
These trucks can be built specifically for the job. When spec'ing the Chevy
I talked to the Caterpillar engineers to let them know what body I'd be
using, which engine rating, which tires, and so on - and they told me, after
checking with their computer program, what my fuel mileage would be. So I
could therefore re-design the truck to maximize the economy (or, as it
turned out, other parameters which were of interest to me).
How could this be of help to a race team? Well, imagine that you could,
first of all, build a hauling truck that you knew would do your job for
years and years - not just one or two seasons? Second, think of being able
to spec a hauler truck that had the air-suspension seats that you've always
wanted - at a cost that's less than "Captain
Chair's" in a custom pickup? Or a crew cab with enough room. Think about
ordering with gearing that'd let scoot down the highway and still tug out of
the glop when it has rained.
Then there's the thought of a "real" truck engine. No "indirect"
combustion, there are low revs to save wear and tear, and there's the idea
of not having to trade in every couple of years.
How about ordering a "low-profile" mid-size truck with the engine, gears,
cab, and everything else you want? Exactly - - no compromises!! The cost
will be darn near the same as a "fancy" pickup; the life expectancy will be
at least a handful of years or longer, and you'll be able to design your own
truck without padding the pockets of the "pickup truck" factories. You'll
save money over the long run -- and your truck will do the job 'way better.
I'll defend my statements at your request.
Jon
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