Need help on picking a 3/4 ton

zooroadbaja

Adventurer
I’ve been doing some research on the inter web. Hoping someone can give me insight on my decision and narrow it down. Looking for what maitnece I should be looking at on both vehicles and at what miles. Like the title says I’m wanting to build a 3/4 ton Ram or F250 with a slide in bed camper. Looking to spend $15k or less on the truck. Leaning towards a diesel. Any gasser motors worth noting? Any good places/forums to look besides Craigslist, autotrader? I feel like everything on Craigslist is a mystery bag on what you’re getting.
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
Diesel, 3/4 ton, and slide in camper don't go together unless it's a 'lil FWC.

Gas 3/4 ton, or diesel 1 ton with any hard side camper. Even the light ones.

On a tight budget. A traded in white work truck might be your best option. A 6.2l gas Ford is my recommendation as well.
 

zooroadbaja

Adventurer
Diesel, 3/4 ton, and slide in camper don't go together unless it's a 'lil FWC.

Gas 3/4 ton, or diesel 1 ton with any hard side camper. Even the light ones.

On a tight budget. A traded in white work truck might be your best option. A 6.2l gas Ford is my recommendation as well.

Confused on what you’re saying. A 3/4 ton diesel won’t handle a hard side camper but a 3/4 ton gasser will?
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
My gas 250 has 3100# cargo capacity. CCSB.

Diesel f250 has 1900# cargo capacity.

Gas 350 is often around 4000#.

Diesel 350 is 3200# or less.

Diesels are fat pig engines. Every pound counts with slide ins. Even if you add springs to a F350 level, now you have to pay attention to tires. And some tires, Goodyear for example, can't handle the weight ratings they say they can. I recommend you stay under 10,000 pounds total for a single wheel truck to maintain confident handling, and decent off road tire selection.

So for campers over 3000#'s, I'd get a DRW. And try to stay off the overload springs unless you want to rattle the camper to bits. Beware the online calculators, every brand rigs those #'s with a freak light truck.

Option packs, bigger tanks, dual batteries and such will quickly eat up your GVWR as well. Small hardside campers with no extra width or rear overhang, are about 2000#. Expect 1000# for 2 people and cargo.

Diesel 250's aren't well suited to slide in campers. We are getting hit for being over sticker. Especially georgia's fair and professonal highway patrol. 150's with 5'ers are their preferred victims.

Some years, the Ford 250's were identical to 350's except for a 2"rear block instead of a 4", and of course, the door sticker.
 
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zooroadbaja

Adventurer
My gas 250 has 3100# cargo capacity. CCSB.

Diesel f250 has 1900# cargo capacity.

Gas 350 is often around 4000#.

Diesel 350 is 3200# or less.

Diesels are fat pig engines. Every pound counts with slide ins. Even if you add springs to a F350 level, now you have to pay attention to tires. And some tires, Goodyear for example, can't handle the weight ratings they say they can. I recommend you stay under 10,000 pounds total for a single wheel truck to maintain confident handling, and decent off road tire selection.

So for campers over 3000#'s, I'd get a DRW. And try to stay off the overload springs unless you want to rattle the camper to bits. Beware the online calculators, every brand rigs those #'s with a freak light truck.

Option packs, bigger tanks, dual batteries and such will quickly eat up your GVWR as well. Small hardside campers with no extra width or rear overhang, are about 2000#. Expect 1000# for 2 people and cargo.

Diesel 250's aren't well suited to slide in campers. We are getting hit for being over sticker. Especially georgia's fair and professonal highway patrol. 150's with 5'ers are their preferred victims.

Some years, the Ford 250's were identical to 350's except for a 2"rear block instead of a 4", and of course, the door sticker.

Thanks for the feedback. I figured that’s what you were referring to. I was going for something like this setup https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/1999-ford-f250-4x4-diesel-with-lance-camper.198629/
But short bed and hopefully a camper that doesn’t hangover
I’ll do some more research. The 6.2 is the newer Ford motor that replaced the older V10?
 

Regcabguy

Oil eater.
I've been hauling my 1800# popup around with two diesels and nearly 20 yrs now.
I couldn't imagine hauling this camper around with a gasser. This thing effortlessly moves out.
Gobs of lowend power. This is the last diesel for me but it's been a good 20 yrs and two trucks.
 

Buddha.

Finally in expo white.
Thanks for the feedback. I figured that’s what you were referring to. I was going for something like this setup https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/1999-ford-f250-4x4-diesel-with-lance-camper.198629/
But short bed and hopefully a camper that doesn’t hangover
I’ll do some more research. The 6.2 is the newer Ford motor that replaced the older V10?
The 6.2 replaced the 5.4 v8 and 6.8 v10, except the the class a and class c ford chassis motor homes that still use the v10 I believe.

There’s rumor of a bigger v8 coming for the super duties.
 

Explorerinil

Observer
I’ve been doing some research on the inter web. Hoping someone can give me insight on my decision and narrow it down. Looking for what maitnece I should be looking at on both vehicles and at what miles. Like the title says I’m wanting to build a 3/4 ton Ram or F250 with a slide in bed camper. Looking to spend $15k or less on the truck. Leaning towards a diesel. Any gasser motors worth noting? Any good places/forums to look besides Craigslist, autotrader? I feel like everything on Craigslist is a mystery bag on what you’re getting.
I got a friend that always buys older trucks, he flys down to a place in Texas, I think it’s north Texas auto outlet or something like that. They have hundreds of rust free heavy duty trucks. He has bought 4 or 5 dodge trucks from them and has done well. That may be an option for a place to look.

I’m not a ford person by any means, after managing a fleet of them I began to hate them, along with everyone I work with. I will say the 6.2 has been the most problem free of any ford we have. One 6.2 with 10k on it lost the transmission, it was a plow truck, but the other 4 with 6.2’s have been solid. If I was forced to own a ford vehicle it would be an f350 with a 6.2.
 

Wilbah

Adventurer
I'm a GM fan but I think one key for anything used in that price range is a western truck (which may be easy with your handle? Not sure where you are?). And (at least around here) the premium diesels are getting I would think you would get more for a gasser as well. I will echo the work truck idea too, will be more basic generally (so not sure what you want for options), but white and similar colors wont attract the attention of kids which might be a good thing.
 

zooroadbaja

Adventurer
I’m in SoCal. Looking at dodge or ford for the solid axle. For my price I’d only be looking at the 7.3 or Cummins. Did a quick search but couldn’t find any used 6.2 for that price and if I bump it up to $20k they have 100k+ miles. I’ve owned a built LX450, then a built 3rd gen 4Runner which couldn’t handle its weight now im in a newer half ton but I want to try a slide in camper with all the amenities. Kind of over packing everything in the truck or building an suv to basically have a slide in if that makes sense. Thought about a trailer but towing something just doesn’t seem practical. The 3/4 ton should handle the off-roading I expect to do mostly fire roads.
 

plainjaneFJC

Deplorable
Thanks for the feedback. I figured that’s what you were referring to. I was going for something like this setup https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/1999-ford-f250-4x4-diesel-with-lance-camper.198629/
But short bed and hopefully a camper that doesn’t hangover
I’ll do some more research. The 6.2 is the newer Ford motor that replaced the older V10?
That truck is waaay overloaded, probably has horrible road manners. Don't do something like that please for everyone elses safety.
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
$20k goes a long ways towards a brand new truck. That's more than half my OTD cost.

I just did a local search. Wow! Clapped out trucks with 200,000 miles are selling for half the cost of new. Forget that.

I was thinking fleet trade in. But those also need all the front axle joints, all fluids, timing chains, plugs, trans filter, and tensioners replaced. Basically, everything in the manual that was supposed to be done between 0 and 200,000 miles that's not an oil change or rotation. That can be a hefty bill. $15k+5k repairs+5k mods??? No way I'm spending $25k to get a olde truck on the road when a brand new XL is $40k, and just needs wheels and tires, maybe shocks.

Make this guy an offer:
https://www.expeditionportal.com/fo...ilt-1999-7-3l-f-250-fwc-hawk-for-sale.201588/
 
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plainjaneFJC

Deplorable
Quick search online shows 2011 f350 ext cab 4x4 6.2 gas motor 111k miles asking 15900.00. Probably get it under 15 and its twice the truck as an old 99 f250 with leaf springs.
 

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