3/4 ton 4x4 recommendations

[mtmuley]

Bumping this thread. I have 175k on my 2nd gen Tundra and am entertaining getting something newer and potentially a 3/4 ton. Might be pulling an 18 foot equipment trailer with a 6,000 lb piece of equipment on it for some volunteer projects, so towing 8-9k lbs a few trips year plus any hunting where I'm pulling my 6x10 enclosed aluminum trailer.

Things I've been considering:

Diesel - I don't think my needs require diesel, probably 25% of total miles at most will be towing. Diesel would be nicer sure, but generally the increased upfront cost, the more expensive fuel, the more expensive maintenance, and more potential problems all remove diesel options from the equation.

2500 Gasser -
To me the Ford 7.3 and the Ram 6.4 Hemi are the only options available. 7.3 is really enticing, but expensive, has it's own set of issues (tranny and lifter issues), it's a big truck that will just barely fit in my garage, and it sounds like it's a pretty rough riding truck, even with the tremor package.
The 6.4 hemi is a proven engine, the ZF 8 speed transmission is one of the best, it runs a little higher RPMs than the 7.3 when loaded, but rides better, is a bit of shorter wheel base, has better offroad packages available, and the hemi tick (which was a substantial lifter issue) has seemingly been remedied by Ram as those issues have dramatically reduced from several years ago. Both Ram and Ford have a pretty good power train warranty behind each of these trucks and performance by most metrics is pretty similar as well. So it comes down to price and better fitting my needs. Ram is getting the ever so slight edge for me here.

1500 - If I'm staying in a half ton, the gen 3 Tundra is the only option for me. It's one of the best 1500s suited for towing with the twin turbo and the way they have the 10 speed configured. I have some bias for toyota. Yeah they're spinning main bearings on about 1% of their production, but in my experience Toyota has always taken care of me if there's a problem. I've had really positive experiences working with Toyota and with my local Toyota dealership. Plus, I think they've got the problem identified and a new fix is supposedly being announced this spring. So, I would expect 2027's to be completely remedied (potentially). I would be comfortable buying a 2025+ Tundra and knowing if I blow a main bearing, I'll get a new engine with the fix. Still a PIA to deal with, so I'm still debating the 2500 options.

Go drive a Chevy/GMC with the 6.6. mtmuley

 

[Mountain Man]

Bumping this thread. I have 175k on my 2nd gen Tundra and am entertaining getting something newer and potentially a 3/4 ton. Might be pulling an 18 foot equipment trailer with a 6,000 lb piece of equipment on it for some volunteer projects, so towing 8-9k lbs a few trips year plus any hunting where I'm pulling my 6x10 enclosed aluminum trailer.

Things I've been considering:

Diesel - I don't think my needs require diesel, probably 25% of total miles at most will be towing. Diesel would be nicer sure, but generally the increased upfront cost, the more expensive fuel, the more expensive maintenance, and more potential problems all remove diesel options from the equation.

2500 Gasser -
To me the Ford 7.3 and the Ram 6.4 Hemi are the only options available. 7.3 is really enticing, but expensive, has it's own set of issues (tranny and lifter issues), it's a big truck that will just barely fit in my garage, and it sounds like it's a pretty rough riding truck, even with the tremor package.
The 6.4 hemi is a proven engine, the ZF 8 speed transmission is one of the best, it runs a little higher RPMs than the 7.3 when loaded, but rides better, is a bit of shorter wheel base, has better offroad packages available, and the hemi tick (which was a substantial lifter issue) has seemingly been remedied by Ram as those issues have dramatically reduced from several years ago. Both Ram and Ford have a pretty good power train warranty behind each of these trucks and performance by most metrics is pretty similar as well. So it comes down to price and better fitting my needs. Ram is getting the ever so slight edge for me here.

1500 - If I'm staying in a half ton, the gen 3 Tundra is the only option for me. It's one of the best 1500s suited for towing with the twin turbo and the way they have the 10 speed configured. I have some bias for toyota. Yeah they're spinning main bearings on about 1% of their production, but in my experience Toyota has always taken care of me if there's a problem. I've had really positive experiences working with Toyota and with my local Toyota dealership. Plus, I think they've got the problem identified and a new fix is supposedly being announced this spring. So, I would expect 2027's to be completely remedied (potentially). I would be comfortable buying a 2025+ Tundra and knowing if I blow a main bearing, I'll get a new engine with the fix. Still a PIA to deal with, so I'm still debating the 2500 options.

I decided to go with a 2024 Ram 6.4 Hemi and it has been great to me so far except for the gas mileage, but I knew that going in. I pull a 28 ft camper 6-10 times a year so diesel didn’t make sense for me either.

I looked at both Ford and Chevy 3/4 tons before going with Dodge. I’ve only ever owned Ford F-150s so Dodge was a surprise winner for me.

 

[brocksw]

What percentage of your miles will be towing the machine?

25%

Go drive a Chevy/GMC with the 6.6. mtmuley

I’ll admit out the gate I’m stubborn. But the last time I bought a Chevy….well I can just say I haven’t forgiven GM for it yet. Plus, my FIL worked at a Chevy shop and I’d go in and use their spring compressor and other stuff once in a while. it was absurd to see all the issues they were dealing with on brand new vehicles. That has only reinforced my stubbornness. Their performance in a lot of areas is great and I get it, I’m sure a lot of people have great experiences with them. But I just can’t.

I decided to go with a 2024 Ram 6.4 Hemi and it has been great to me so far except for the gas mileage, but I knew that going in. I pull a 28 ft camper 6-10 times a year so diesel didn’t make sense for me either.

I looked at both Ford and Chevy 3/4 tons before going with Dodge. I’ve only ever owned Ford F-150s so Dodge was a surprise winner for me.

What trim did you get if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[MTLabrador]

Personally I wouldn’t be afraid of 9,000 or so with the Tundra occasionally, especially if you beef up the leaf springs with a heavier duty leaf pack, RAS, or airbags. Towing it a lot I might go to a 3/4 ton.

For a new gas 3/4 ton the Ford 7.3 is the way I’d probably go. My coworker’s dad has one and tows a lot of heavy equipment and horses with it. They love it. I wouldn’t get a diesel unless I was towing 10,000 plus all the time and not doing much off road driving. I’d also go 1 ton if getting a diesel.

 

[Nostromo]

I decided to go with a 2024 Ram 6.4 Hemi and it has been great to me so far except for the gas mileage, but I knew that going in. I pull a 28 ft camper 6-10 times a year so diesel didn’t make sense for me either.

I looked at both Ford and Chevy 3/4 tons before going with Dodge. I’ve only ever owned Ford F-150s so Dodge was a surprise winner for me.

It's a lot like a rifle. Whichever one fits you is the right choice.

Safe travels!

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

as a truck mechanic of going on 40 years now,,i really dont know what has the least amount if issues,,i would say out of the new diesels to go ford 6.7,,,or the 7.3 gasser ford,,ram2500 w 6.7 cummins,,and no duramax chevys.what you would be better off doing is get a 20 year old dodge ram 2500 cummins 2004.5 to 2007 5.9 diesel and replace/rebuild componets as needed,,or the old ford 7.3 diesel up thru 2002.all the new rigs really have alot of design and computer issues.i personally would not even think about trading off my 2004.5 dodge cummins 2500,even for a brand new $80000-$100000 new truck,,no way.they just dont make em like they used too.

 

[mtmuley]

as a truck mechanic of going on 40 years now,,i really dont know what has the least amount if issues,,i would say out of the new diesels to go ford 6.7,,,or the 7.3 gasser ford,,ram2500 w 6.7 cummins,,and no duramax chevys.what you would be better off doing is get a 20 year old dodge ram 2500 cummins 2004.5 to 2007 5.9 diesel and replace/rebuild componets as needed,,or the old ford 7.3 diesel up thru 2002.all the new rigs really have alot of design and computer issues.i personally would not even think about trading off my 2004.5 dodge cummins 2500,even for a brand new $80000-$100000 new truck,,no way.they just dont make em like they used too.

The Duramax has been in production for 25 plus years. So what is wrong with it? mtmuley

 

[Nick87]

25%

I'd say that warrants a 3/4 imo.

 

[brocksw]

The Duramax has been in production for 25 plus years. So what is wrong with it? mtmuley

Depends on the year, but lots of issues with pumps, injectors, etc., and that’s in addition to the normal emissions challenges with diesels. Plus, the head gaskets…every time I would visit the FILs shop there was at least one duramax with the cab off to work on head gaskets. Happened to my dad’s 2nd duramax, that one left him stranded several times.

 

[mtmuley]

Depends on the year, but lots of issues with pumps, injectors, etc., and that’s in addition to the normal emissions challenges with diesels. Plus, the head gaskets…every time I would visit the FILs shop there was at least one duramax with the cab off to work on head gaskets. Happened to my dad’s 2nd duramax, that one left him stranded several times.

We have Dodge and Ford in addition to GM where I work. Crapshoot. Pick the one you like best. mtmuley

 

[brocksw]

Crapshoot. Pick the one you like best. mtmuley

it seems like that’s becoming more and more true…

 

[jimh406]

The Duramax has been in production for 25 plus years. So what is wrong with it? mtmuley

It depends on what year it is.

Common Problems by Generation/Type:

• Early Models (LB7):
  Notorious for fuel injector failures, leading to misfires and rough idling, plus common water pump and head gasket issues.
  
  
• • LLY (2004.5-2007):
    Prone to overheating due to smaller radiators, exacerbated by towing or modifications.
    
  • LML (2011-2016):
    The CP4 high-pressure fuel pump can fail catastrophically, contaminating the entire fuel system.
    
  • L5P (2017-2024):
    MAP sensor issues, faulty water pumps, injector problems, glow plug failures, and clogging DPF/emissions systems.
    
  • LZ0 (3.0L Inline-6, 2020+):
    Recent reports highlight thrust bearing wear, causing knocking/rattling (Code P06DD), oil leaks (rear main seal), and timing chain concerns.
    

Universal & Emissions-Related Issues (2007.5+):

• • EGR & DPF: Clogging Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) and failing sensors (NOx, EGT) are frequent, stranding owners.
    
  • Water Pumps: Common across many years, causing coolant leaks and potential overheating.
    
  • Glow Plugs: Failures can hinder starting and performance.
    
  • Fuel System: Besides the CP4, other fuel delivery issues and injector problems persist.
    

Symptoms to Watch For:

• • Knocking/Rattling: Especially from the bellhousing (LZ0) or fuel knock (LB7 injectors).
    
  • Check Engine Lights: Often linked to emissions or oil pressure issues (P06DD).
    
  • Coolant Leaks/Overheating: Points to water pump or head gasket problems.
    
  • Rough Idling/Poor Performance: Can signal injector issues.

 

[jimh406]

We have Dodge and Ford in addition to GM where I work. Crapshoot. Pick the one you like best. mtmuley

How many miles/years before they swap them out? What kind of driving do they do?

 

[Nick87]

Truck threads always bring out the best lol. Good luck with your search @brocksw. I say go 3/4 or put airbags on the half ton and if you spring for the air bags you might as well buy the on-board compressor. You'll appreciate it.

 

[Dan O]

I looked for a Ford 3/4 or 1 ton with the right options I wanted. I test drove a f-350 with the 6.7 HO 500 hp and 1200 foot pounds of torque. It went 0 to 100 like my old 71 Chevelle with the 454. It was more than I needed but would have been fun. I located a 2022 F-250 XLT with 25k miles and all the options I wanted and had the 7.3 gasser with 4.30 gears. It hauls my 29 foot 1/5 wheel very well, even on the passes (McDonald). Mileage a little over 10 towing and 15 -16 empty. Since August I've close to 8000 miles on it and so far it's been great. For me the seats are more comfortable than our Yukon XL Denali. But the ride is much stiffer, but I knew that from past F-250's and 350's.

A friend has a 2022 Chev 2500 with the 6.6 gasser. He has had good luck with it and it's a nice truck. In the winter he has a plow on it. He hasn't used it much this year so far.

Unless your hauling a huge trailer on a regular basis I think the gas engines properly geared will take care of you. Cost wise the gasser will be a lot cheaper to run.

 

[Mountain Man]

What trim did you get if you don’t mind me asking?

I can’t remember all the specifics, but I went for function over style. It is the bighorn level with cloth seats, off-road package, and I think the technology package to get the bigger screen, which was a big difference from the step down.

There weren’t many models available for exactly what I wanted, which was between basic models and Laramie and up.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

all dura max chev are prone to breaking the front of the crank,,pin instead of a harmonic balancer keyway,{daves has a youtube video on it}takes out the entire engine usually

 

[gwhunter]

Bumping this thread. I have 175k on my 2nd gen Tundra and am entertaining getting something newer and potentially a 3/4 ton. Might be pulling an 18 foot equipment trailer with a 6,000 lb piece of equipment on it for some volunteer projects, so towing 8-9k lbs a few trips year plus any hunting where I'm pulling my 6x10 enclosed aluminum trailer.

Things I've been considering:

Diesel - I don't think my needs require diesel, probably 25% of total miles at most will be towing. Diesel would be nicer sure, but generally the increased upfront cost, the more expensive fuel, the more expensive maintenance, and more potential problems all remove diesel options from the equation.

2500 Gasser -
To me the Ford 7.3 and the Ram 6.4 Hemi are the only options available. 7.3 is really enticing, but expensive, has it's own set of issues (tranny and lifter issues), it's a big truck that will just barely fit in my garage, and it sounds like it's a pretty rough riding truck, even with the tremor package.
The 6.4 hemi is a proven engine, the ZF 8 speed transmission is one of the best, it runs a little higher RPMs than the 7.3 when loaded, but rides better, is a bit of shorter wheel base, has better offroad packages available, and the hemi tick (which was a substantial lifter issue) has seemingly been remedied by Ram as those issues have dramatically reduced from several years ago. Both Ram and Ford have a pretty good power train warranty behind each of these trucks and performance by most metrics is pretty similar as well. So it comes down to price and better fitting my needs. Ram is getting the ever so slight edge for me here.

1500 - If I'm staying in a half ton, the gen 3 Tundra is the only option for me. It's one of the best 1500s suited for towing with the twin turbo and the way they have the 10 speed configured. I have some bias for toyota. Yeah they're spinning main bearings on about 1% of their production, but in my experience Toyota has always taken care of me if there's a problem. I've had really positive experiences working with Toyota and with my local Toyota dealership. Plus, I think they've got the problem identified and a new fix is supposedly being announced this spring. So, I would expect 2027's to be completely remedied (potentially). I would be comfortable buying a 2025+ Tundra and knowing if I blow a main bearing, I'll get a new engine with the fix. Still a PIA to deal with, so I'm still debating the 2500 options.

You said you weren't considering GM, but I absolutely LOVE my 2025 AT4XHD 3/4 gasser. I also only tow 15% of the time so I dont need all the upfront cost and maintenance of a diesel. My mileage SUCKS but those massaging seats and stock lift are soooo nice.

 

[mtmuley]

How many miles/years before they swap them out? What kind of driving do they do?

Construction company. mtmuley

 

[Forkyfinder]

@brocksw have you towed with the Ecoboost or new turbo 6 from Toyota?