Ford 7.3 vs. Dodge V-10

[lone_star_dsl]

My business partner and I each picked up a Bobcat S300 last weekend to do some snow removal. I figured this was the perfect time to do a little un-scientific tow comparison.

My Truck: The one in the sig. Weighs about 8800-9000 with a full aux tank.

His Truck: 2004 Dodge 2500, crew cab, long bed, Laramie, 4.10 gears. I am sure his truck is about 1,000 pounds lighter but he did have a lot of tools in the bed, so I think the weights of both trucks were fairly similar.

The Test Track: I-25 from milemarker 139 to milemarker 161. The elevation gain in those 22 miles is about 1800 feet.

We each had identical trailers and identical machines on them. I think those Bobcats weigh about 7,000 lbs.

On ramp to the interstate:

He was able to get off the line better than I was. I was staring at his taillights before my boost came online. Once the boost hit, it was a dead heat with me about one truck length behind until we hit about 55 mph.

On the interstate:

After 55 mph, I started to catch him. Once we hit 60, my truck started to walk away. We were talking on the Nextels the whole time and he said that once it shifted into O/D, his truck would just bog down. The same thing would happen with my truck when it went into O/D. My rpm's would drop down to 1600-1700 and I couldnt quite hold the speed without my egt's getting up to 1,000*.

On the flatter parts of the drive, he was able to kick down and take his rpm's much higher than I could get and start to catch me.

Once we started to get to some of the longer hills, his truck just wouldnt compare. The whole drive, he would kick down a gear and run 4000-4500 rpm's and really gain on me, but once we hit the hills the diesel torque really showed what it was all about. He would drop from 65 mph to 45 mph fairly quickly. Where as my truck would drop from 65 mph to 55-57 mph.

After all was said and done, we concluded the V-10 would be a great engine if you lived in the flat lands.

Honestly, for as little as he tows, his operating costs are still slightly lower than my costs. That V-10 works great for him and he really likes it.

I tow this machine almost on a weekly basis and I am very pleased with my truck.
It may not have the monster hp numbers that the newer engines are making, but it gets me where I need to go.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by lone_star_dsl

...would happen with my truck when it went into O/D. My rpm's would drop down to 1600-1700 and I couldnt quite hold the speed without my egt's getting up to 1,000*.

You should never get down below about 1,800 RPM when towing on the highway. If you need to climb a grade and you can't maintain at least 1,800 RPM, then downshift to direct drive and take the grade at over 2,000 RPM.

And 1,000º pre-turbo EGT is not even getting warmed up yet. When in hills or mountains, ignore anything less than 1,200º. Try not to let it go over 1,250º, and be sure it doesn't go over 1,300º. In Colorado, I can maintain about 1,200º to 1,250º in direct drive climbing a 7 percent grade at about 55 to 60 MPH. If it begins to crowd 1,250º, then I back out of the go pedal a hair to maintain less than 1,250º.

[lone_star_dsl]

Yeah, I know that 1250 is the cutoff point, I just use about 1000* as my downshift point. I dont see any sense in running higher than that when I can down shift and bring the boost up and temps down. Around here, you are constantly shifting in and out of O/D depending on how big the hills are.

Heck, I cant even hit 1,250. I am running stock programming.

It was just a fun test with two nearly stock trucks at 2 o'clock in the morning with no traffic to deal with.

[AggiePSD]

I thought 02 or 03 was the last year for the V-10?

[lone_star_dsl]

Originally Posted by lone_star_dsl

His Truck: 2004 Dodge 2500, crew cab, long bed, Laramie, 4.10 gears. I am sure his truck is about 1,000 pounds lighter but he did have a lot of tools in the bed, so I think the weights of both trucks were fairly similar.

My bad, it is an 03

[OMCUSNR]

If its an 03, he doesn't have a true crew cab, as the "mega-cab" didn't come out till late 05. It has 4 doors, but its basically an extended cab. I gotta wonder about the "long-bed" too. I thought Dodge sacrificed bed space for the cab. It may be possible that they had a long bed in 03, but they are VERY rare if they did. Most I've seen with the quad cab, were in the 6 1/2' length.

I'd say your comparison was pretty accurate. Gassers are going to be pretty good trucks IF you're under 4,000', and/or under a 5% grade. Over either of those is where a turbo diesel is really gonna shine. I don't have an exhaust gauge, but with my 6 speed, I can hold 6% @ 2500 rpms (62 m/h) with ease, and usually have room to go to 65 - 70 (up about 3,200 @ 70). Fuel consumption goes out the window, but it do have power.

I wonder what his economy figures are like? At 62 towing 6k, I can get 14 pretty easy. If I'm up at 70, it'll drop to 11.5. Unloaded @70 I'm right at 18. I had a 99 F-250 with the V-10 in it. It got 12. Period.

OMC

[Ben97]

Those bobcats are right at 8,500 lbs without attachments, they're a little heavier than you would think, I know i dont wanna pull much more than our T250 on our 30ft gooseneck with my truck, that thing gets pretty heavy.

[lone_star_dsl]

Originally Posted by OMCUSNR

If its an 03, he doesn't have a true crew cab, as the "mega-cab" didn't come out till late 05. It has 4 doors, but its basically an extended cab. I gotta wonder about the "long-bed" too. I thought Dodge sacrificed bed space for the cab. It may be possible that they had a long bed in 03, but they are VERY rare if they did. Most I've seen with the quad cab, were in the 6 1/2' length.

I probably should have put crew cab in quotations. He does have four doors that open towards the front, but your right, there isnt much room back there. As far as the bed is concerned, it is a long bed, definately not a short bed.

Originally Posted by OMCUSNR

I wonder what his economy figures are like? At 62 towing 6k, I can get 14 pretty easy. If I'm up at 70, it'll drop to 11.5. Unloaded @70 I'm right at 18. I had a 99 F-250 with the V-10 in it. It got 12. Period.

OMC

Well for this trip, I averaged about 12 mpg. He is lucky to see that unloaded. He said he averaged 8 while pulling the skid.

[parkers30]

Originally Posted by OMCUSNR

If its an 03, he doesn't have a true crew cab, as the "mega-cab" didn't come out till late 05. It has 4 doors, but its basically an extended cab. I gotta wonder about the "long-bed" too. I thought Dodge sacrificed bed space for the cab. It may be possible that they had a long bed in 03, but they are VERY rare if they did. Most I've seen with the quad cab, were in the 6 1/2' length.

8' with the quad cab are readily available, but less common. They may be more common out here in the flat land, who knows.

[OMCUSNR]

Those numbers sound about right. I never had a chance to tow anything with my V-10 - I was between the boat & the trailer.

I just haven't seen any Dodge long beds around here. None. Dealers don't seem to like em.

[Packard8]

Originally Posted by OMCUSNR

Those numbers sound about right. I never had a chance to tow anything with my V-10 - I was between the boat & the trailer.

I just haven't seen any Dodge long beds around here. None. Dealers don't seem to like em.

The Dodge Quad Cab is smaller than the Ford or GM crew cab, but larger than the Ford or GM extended cab. The Dodge megacab is larger than the Ford CC (too big IMHO, and you can't get it with a full size bed).

I think Ford has it right on the CC cab size...not too big, not too small. The Dodge QC's have always been available with a full 8' bed. Around here it is about 50/50 between the 6.5 and 8 foot beds.

[Snowman269]

I understand you are both stock, which makes for a great comparison.

But intake, Chip & exhaust makes a huge difference with the 7.3, then he wouldn't have a chance. He would have a difficult time increasing power & retaining reliability.

Days like you had can be too much fun!

[brotherxbo3]

I find if you keep rpm's at 2K to 2500 your 7.3 will eat those hills up.

[TXiceman]

I had a similar experience with a fellow and a 25' to 26'TT (Probably about 6000#) and a 1/2 ton dodge HEMI (shoot that Hemi can pull anything). I was toting a 36.5' 5er at close to 13000# and was close to 21,500 GCWR (I know, over my GCWR). He could walk away on the flats...but I could pass him going up a grade. But he had to hit the fuel pumps more often... about 7.5MPG to my 10.5 to 11 mpg running 70 mph where I could....which was more often than he could. Truck is in the signature.

He was in second gear a lot and I was out of OD a bit, but I think never below 3rd. My 7.3 like to roll at 2200 RPM. Never had any EGT problems.

ken

[massbadass]

DODGE- Really expensive Cummins shipping crate. lol