Best work truck?

[mdrohman]

Hi everyone,
I don't own an IDI but my dad used to have a 93' 250 4x4 diesel that he used for his lawn care company and I am familiar with these trucks. I am going into the lawncare business too and will need a work truck. These IDI engines are so simple and reliable, getting one of these trucks seems almost like a no brainer (I wont be running any races with it either) but I had a few questions:
- I want an automatic - I'll be driving from neighborhood to neighborhood and will almost never see the freeway. It seems like I want a C6 - bulletproof right?
- There were quite a bit of small improvements from the 6.9 to 7.3 if I'm not mistaken (bearings, fuel system, glow plugs, head bolts, etc). So it also seems like I want a 7.3
1) From my research, the C6 was in these trucks untill '88 and the 7.3 started in 88'. I may be wrong but is the '88 year truck the only year with the 7.3 and C6 combo?
2) Are there significant problems with the 6.9 engine? Do the things that they changed going to the 7.3 fail early? Are parts for the 6.9 hard to find?
3) My dads 4x4 7.3 had front tires that looked like this / \ from the front. It also had death wobble at 70 mph unless the tires were warm and three shops told us it couldn't be aligned. The suspension was not up to the task of dealing with the 7.3 (130,*** miles, never with a snow plow or anything). Is this a problem with the 2x4? This truck will only be driven in the summer and the simplicity of a 2x4 seems way better.
4) Final question. I'm interested in your guys' opinions on this question: Is a 2x4 IDI C6 Ford the best work truck? Is it as simple and reliable as I figure it is? Are parts cheap and available because it uses a medium duty truck engine in a chassis that was used for 16 years? Would I loose any of these benifits with a 6.9 C6 combo? Obviously a 2011 6.7 F450 4x4 would be a better work truck but considering budget, if you were looking for a diesel 2x4 automatic truck, would you be looking at 7.3 C6 trucks or should I be looking at something else (My plan is to get one over the winter and fix it up for the following summer - bearings, tires, brakes, paint, etc)?

Long post, Jeez, Thanks for any input,
Matt

 

[Rot Box]

Sounds like you are on the right track

A 6.9 with a C6 is a great reliable combo however on one hand you are stuck with 4.10 gears and a no overdrive so anything over 55mph is really going to drink the fuel and create a lot of interior noise on the other you might get 3.55 gears which is great for the highway but typically has no power when pulling The 85.5 and later F350 4x4's don't suffer from the / \ camber angles the way the F250's do because of the front axle design.

Whether it be a 6.9 or 7.3 I would go with whichever you can find in good shape/working order for a decent price.

 

[fx4wannabe]

In my opinion the ultimate work truck is a 93-94 IDI Turbo diesel F350 4x4 5spd reg cab. Of course you can get the other years and add the turbo and change the front clip easy enough. By getting a F350 you get the D60 and get rid of all the front end issue a F250 has. I personally would never own an auto tranny if I didn't have to so a manual is my choice. Manuals hold up much better to work than a stock auto. Of course if you build a strong auto thats another story. I have had a couple of these trucks and I love them. Down the road I am going to look for another F350 reg cab dually with a flat bed to haul material but for now I am happy with what I have.

 

[sootman73]

sounds good to me. i would def go with c6 cuz you can rebuild those for like $150-300 and do it yourself. and make it strong. find a good running motor and even if the trans is junk like i said they are very cheap to rebuild and can be done by the average guy with a good rebuild manual.

since its gonna be a neighborhood cruiser i would go with 4:10's but make sure thats what you want the truck for because it will be worthless anywhere else.

 

[towcat]

you fail to mention what part of the country you live in.
this plays a major influence in whether you need 4x4 or not.
Shops saying your dad's truck could not be aligned is full of ****.
Either they didn't have the intelligence to deal with the TTB axle or your dad didn't want to pay accordingly to make it right. I suspect the earlier statement is right since noone even really cheap ******** are willing to live with deathwobble.
give me more info.
BTW.....'88 did come with 7.3/C6/3.55's combos stock. I just sold one. I wouldn't have if I knew it was a 3.55 truck. I thought it was a 4.10 truck just by default.

 

[SparkandFire]

You are on the right track.

FYI, as far as I know, the later (85+) 6.9 engines are fine, and they tend to not suffer from the cavitation problems that can plague the 7.3.

The engine (and the rest of the truck, for that matter) is only as good as the maintenance that's been done on it.

I looked at buying a truck one time that had oil as thick as grease on the dip stick... I ran from that one!

The issues with the camber problems are a result of tired components (i.e. springs, bushings, ball joints, etc.) The camber can be made right, but your going to be spending time and money doing it. If you track down a F350 4x4 with the Dana 60 front end, then your camber worries will be no more, my friend!

Having drove both IDI and PSD service trucks, I would HONESTLY without question drive the IDI over the 6.7 ANY day of the week! If your not looking for a ton of power, and you are paying the repair bills outta your own pocket, the IDI is a wise choice.

 

[Goofyexponent]

I only got one argument. I have 3/55's in my truck, and although I don't do a LOT of towing, I do some. I find that the 3.55's worked just fine on my latest trailer excursion across country and the hilly terrain inland, where I had to go last weekend. Going uphill, I did have to knock it out of O/D and REALLY find the floor with my foot occasionally, but it got the job done all the while getting 15.5 MPG with a 1976 tandem axle camper on board.

I would get a 6.9, and convert to a 7.3 glow plug setup. Apparently the early 6.9's had GP controller issues, but were switched to the 7.3 controller and plugs later on.

A dana 60 if FAR superior to the D50 (D44HD) that I had, and can be added anytime down the road. One from an F350 (1987 - 1997) will bolt right in with ease.

 

[NapaBavarian]

You sound like you are on the right track, as far as engines, 6.9s pop head gaskets, 7.3s suffer from cavitation of the block, so pick what you want to deal with! The c6 is great around town, it wouldn't hurt to take the old girl on a 30 minute drive on the highway once a month to avoid too much gunk building up in the engine.

 

[The Warden]

FYI, as far as I know, the later (85+) 6.9 engines are fine, and they tend to not suffer from the cavitation problems that can plague the 7.3.

Justin touched on a good point here...personally, I would argue for a 6.9l over a 7.3l because of the potential for a 7.3l to cavitate. Beyond that, I think you're on the right track if you're going to be almost exclusively in-town and not on the highway much, 4.10's might be better...if you were cruising on the freeway all the time and weren't going to be heavily loaded, I would opt for 3.54's.

Just some quick thoughts on my way out the door to work good luck!!

 

[dyoung14]

7.3idiguy's truck is a 89 f250 4x4 7.3 c-6 3.55 gears

 

[69oiler]

i have an '89 with a C6

it works well as a work truck. i agree you probably want an F350 for the solid front axle. i personally would not want a 2wd for a work truck.

 

[grog85]

You're on the right track as far as simple goes,and reliable. If it is only going to be a summer rig, I'd go for 2wd, even simpler, cheaper, and more reliable.

 

[NapaBavarian]

If it will never go off the road, just a run around town the 2wd will be better, closer to the ground for entry, egress, and loading the bed, besides being cheaper to purchase and easier to locate

 

[Goofyexponent]

I know that a 2WD has all that BS gone that can potentially cause problems, but the reverse gear is a little steep, even with 4.10's for backing loaded trailers up inclines, or through soft ground.

I use my transfer case as a reduction box all the time when backing into ackward or tight places...that way you aren't hammering the fuel to mive 3 inches, then pounding the brakes, then back on the fuel....you get the point lol. I just drop it in 4 low, an leave the hubs unlocked. It works GREAT.

Plus if it DOES get too sticky...just lock the hubs in and you are geared!

This whole 7.3/6.9 debate brings up the 7.3 sleeved down to a 6.9 argument again....I lost sleep over it last night lol

But I think you hit the nail square on the head!

 

[u2slow]

IMO, the 6.9L/C6 is an ugly combo.... just like a 6.2L TH400, or a 5.9CTD/727. Not especially impressed with the E4OD in my E350... but not much choice in a van.

2wd F250/350/Superduty, 4x4 F350, or a 1st gen Dodge CTD are all stout work trucks.