towing with older diesel trucks

[mhawk4]

Good day people, I am in the process of looking for a pick up truck with a diesel engine (older model), also looking to not break the bank with the purchase. I will still have my excursion to tow my TT (my sig). Would not mind to have a diesel to tow as second vehicle.

Question for the members towing 1998 to 2003 5.9 cummins or 7.3 power strokes. How much weight are you towing or towed in the past with these types of trucks. I have never owned a diesel before.

Yesterday i was looking at a 1998 dodge DRW with a 5.9 cummins, how much will be able to tow with a truck like that?

please keep it civilized...thanks

[lightning_drive]

mhawk4 wrote:


Well, here is. My first diesel truck. Thank you for all the advice and info given; but is not over yet.

Now,I understand and i like to stay with the motorcraft brand for oil and fuel filters. What about oil? Rotella? Syn or conventional? (there are no oil leaks so far on this engine).
Repair manuals, haynes manuals? What about a book for the engine?

About the CPS and the 10mm wrench; thanks a bunch. I found one of those sensors behind the rear seat, now i need to carry the wrench.

I am still personalizing the truck, you know, the kid with the new toy.

I used Rotella 15-40 in both my diesels

[FishOnOne]

justafordguy wrote:
Congrats, that's a great looking truck.

X2... Very nice and looks very well taken care of. If we saw this truck we would have been all over it.

[MFL]

Nice!!...That is a manly lookin truck...big...strong...square shoulders. It looks to be in excellent shape, hope you get many years of service from it.

Jerry

[justafordguy]

Congrats, that's a great looking truck.

[Stefonius]

Nice truck. Welcome to the family of Ford Diesel owners!

[mhawk4]

Well, here is. My first diesel truck. Thank you for all the advice and info given; but is not over yet.

Now,I understand and i like to stay with the motorcraft brand for oil and fuel filters. What about oil? Rotella? Syn or conventional? (there are no oil leaks so far on this engine).
Repair manuals, haynes manuals? What about a book for the engine?

About the CPS and the 10mm wrench; thanks a bunch. I found one of those sensors behind the rear seat, now i need to carry the wrench.

I am still personalizing the truck, you know, the kid with the new toy.

[lightning_drive]

mhawk4 wrote:
We finally made the decision and got the new to us 1997 F350. First diesel for us, already been studying the owners manual and maintenance schedule making notes of the things i can tackle on my own. Thanks for your feedback and input.
I will post a pic as soon as Rv.net or my internet access stop acting up.

Without pics it just didn't happen. :W

[jerem0621]

Try posting your pic through this forum portal...your login and password is the same.

https://forums.goodsamclub.com

The RV.net portal doesn't like my links from Photobucket so I have started using the new portal which replaced the old Woodalls portal I use to use.

Congrats on the truck! I love those OBS trucks.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[blofgren]

Congratulations, that's a great truck and the OBS trucks are beautiful looking! I had a 1996 F-250 S/C 4x4 7.3L that I bought new that I still kick myself to this day for selling.

[cummins2014]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

mhawk4 wrote:
We finally made the decision and got the new to us 1997 F350. First diesel for us, already been studying the owners manual and maintenance schedule making notes of the things i can tackle on my own. Thanks for your feedback and input.
I will post a pic as soon as Rv.net or my internet access stop acting up.

Do yourself a favor and buy an original Ford CPS and a cheap 10MM wrench and put it in your glove box. You will thank me latter. :B

I just wonder about this , most 7.3's have probably had that original CPS go out fairly early on . Mine did in about two years, was changed out to the upgrade so to speak, and went the next 14 years without an issue. But as you say I guess its not a bad idea to carry one, I did for 14 years. I assume its still in the glove box :B

The second piece of advice is educating yourself where that CPS is, and how to get to it.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

mhawk4 wrote:
We finally made the decision and got the new to us 1997 F350. First diesel for us, already been studying the owners manual and maintenance schedule making notes of the things i can tackle on my own. Thanks for your feedback and input.
I will post a pic as soon as Rv.net or my internet access stop acting up.

Do yourself a favor and buy an original Ford CPS and a cheap 10MM wrench and put it in your glove box. You will thank me latter. :B

[Stefonius]

Congratulations! I can't wait to see pix!

[mhawk4]

We finally made the decision and got the new to us 1997 F350. First diesel for us, already been studying the owners manual and maintenance schedule making notes of the things i can tackle on my own. Thanks for your feedback and input.
I will post a pic as soon as Rv.net or my internet access stop acting up.

[colliehauler]

BigToe wrote:

transferred wrote:
What engine in that 2-ton, lightning driver? A 7.3 PSD? I'm confused due to the V8 badge on the fender. It can't be the little 5.4L triton can it?

Beautiful rig btw

In the "early 99" model year (the Ford Super Duty trucks built in 1998), the 7.3L PSD badge was fender mounted. Notice how there is no 7.3L Powerstroke badge on the door? That is one way to distinguish an early 99 from a 99.5 7.3L Powerstroke... fender badge versus door badge.

I wondered if my 99 7.3 was early or late 99 now I know, door badge.