Looking at buying a 92 7.3 IDI how well will it tow?

Keith Krawczyk

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Im looking at upgrading to a bigger truck. i currently use a 86 f150 with a 300 straight 6 4 speed with 4.10 gears to pull my tractors around with. I have found a 92 F350 crew cab dually with the 7.3 IDI 5 speedcfor 5500 in good condition with new injectors in it. truck runs well. I just wondering if ill be happy pulling the trailers with it. loaded the trailer (20' 5ton tag-along)with the tractor is 6k to 7k. my biggest concern is towing hills. the truck i currently have moves the weight ok just hates the hills and I'm worried the IDI will be the same way. I'm also looking to upgrade to a 25'+5' gooseneck to help move hay. any thoughts on how this setup will do? I mostly pull locally within 30 miles of my house but with a bigger truck i will be pulling the tractors on the interstate about 150 miles and up Fancy Gap in the VA mountains.
 

Tristan

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It should handle that weight better than a F150. You can always add a turbo later if you aren't happy :D
 

FordIDIot

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youll love the difference. but be warned a unloaded NA idi is much faster than loaded. if you get a nice free flowing y-pipe and proper exhaust with a free flowing muffler you will gain top end revs and keep your bottom end power. dont let people tell you any diesel does not need a muffler. a NA diesel needs a muffler just like a gas engine. the zf5 is a close ratio so as long as the revs are up youll be OK. itll be slow but shouldnt be dangerous.

check gear ratio. most likely 4.10 but COULD be 3.55. the zf5 in a diesel has a tall first gear 4.14:1 which isnt so much of a issue as the reverse is 3.79:1 so yes you can technically go faster in reverse than first gear. makes backing big trailers kind of a pain. a 3.55 zf5 2wd truck will buck when backing up a heavy load.

late model obs powerstrokes got a different zf5 with a granny first and reverse. hard to find.
 

Sidewinded_idi

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5500 is steep for a non turboed Truck. My 92 7.3 idi with the banks kit hauled around 12-13klb trailers and could always maintain 55. For that budget I would get one with a turbo
 

Keith Krawczyk

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5500 is steep for a non turboed Truck. My 92 7.3 idi with the banks kit hauled around 12-13klb trailers and could always maintain 55. For that budget I would get one with a turbo
around here that is a decent price for an IDI. I just saw one that was beat up go for about $6000. A PSD will start around $8000 for a really beat up one. prices around here have just gotten crazy the last few years with everyone and there brother buying diesels to go to home depot on the weekends....
 

FordIDIot

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for 5500 it should have maintenance records. i paid 5k for mine and it has a turbo/intercooler and other goodies (but i made $700 hauling something up to go get it)
 

Thewespaul

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You’ll love the upgrade, if you feel it’s a good deal go for it, only someone that sees the market in your area can tell you if that’s high or low, I drive 200 miles from my shop and pay 40% less for these trucks, some areas they still go for a lot of dough. These trucks are going up in value lately
 

jwalterus

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Those weights, with 4.10's it'll be much better, if it's got a 3.55 rear it'll tow the same.
Buy it, swap gears if needed, or get a PSD.
 

Keith Krawczyk

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You’ll love the upgrade, if you feel it’s a good deal go for it, only someone that sees the market in your area can tell you if that’s high or low, I drive 200 miles from my shop and pay 40% less for these trucks, some areas they still go for a lot of dough. These trucks are going up in value lately



there is a 96 PSD I'm also looking at asking $3500 but wont cold start so it will probably need injectors its about 100 miles from me. I'm still searching and waiting to see if the prices come down any. I'm see too many people around here grab them up just because they are diesel and they are "cool" and never use them for there intended purpose of being work/haul trucks which has driven the prices up. most people just want them to be able to say they have a diesel.
 

franklin2

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Im looking at upgrading to a bigger truck. i currently use a 86 f150 with a 300 straight 6 4 speed with 4.10 gears to pull my tractors around with. I have found a 92 F350 crew cab dually with the 7.3 IDI 5 speedcfor 5500 in good condition with new injectors in it. truck runs well. I just wondering if ill be happy pulling the trailers with it. loaded the trailer (20' 5ton tag-along)with the tractor is 6k to 7k. my biggest concern is towing hills. the truck i currently have moves the weight ok just hates the hills and I'm worried the IDI will be the same way. I'm also looking to upgrade to a 25'+5' gooseneck to help move hay. any thoughts on how this setup will do? I mostly pull locally within 30 miles of my house but with a bigger truck i will be pulling the tractors on the interstate about 150 miles and up Fancy Gap in the VA mountains.

You will not be impressed if it does not have a turbo. You will be in the slow lane holding up traffic with that truck and a trailer. I have been through there before. The diesel may be a little faster than the six, but not much. If you commit yourself to adding a turbo, then it all changes. Really this is your best scenario, unless you like playing with computers and wires on the newer diesel trucks. I drive a 09 f350 at work, and it does have the power you are looking for, but you can't even see the engine when you lift the hood.
 

franklin2

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there is a 96 PSD I'm also looking at asking $3500 but wont cold start so it will probably need injectors its about 100 miles from me. I'm still searching and waiting to see if the prices come down any. I'm see too many people around here grab them up just because they are diesel and they are "cool" and never use them for there intended purpose of being work/haul trucks which has driven the prices up. most people just want them to be able to say they have a diesel.

If you don't care about it being a diesel, and you are only going to travel locally and do not mind the fuel mileage, a 460 would do the job with no modifications.
 

Keith Krawczyk

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If you don't care about it being a diesel, and you are only going to travel locally and do not mind the fuel mileage, a 460 would do the job with no modifications.
Ive looked at 1 with a 460 but the motor needed a full rebuild. I'm not oppesed to it bit I havent seen any with the 460 for sale around my area.
 

Sidewinded_idi

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The psd that won’t cold start you should go check out. They have a block heater, ask to plug it in for an hour and if it fires right up you know it just needs glow plugs which are easy
 

Keith Krawczyk

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The psd that won’t cold start you should go check out. They have a block heater, ask to plug it in for an hour and if it fires right up you know it just needs glow plugs which are easy
Its on my list to go look at its just and hour and a half drive to get there so trying to make the time to go look at it.
 

Keith Krawczyk

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the 3 requirements i have right now are 1 ton 4 door and manual transmission other than that im open to any of the fords
 

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