# Wish someone else would build light trucks?



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I do. I look at John Deer's XUV and Kubota's RTV and wonder why they wont give a full size truck a whirl.

The competition would do a world of good.

What if John Deere built a 1-ton diesel truck?

International???? I dont know what theyre waiting for. Light trucks bring amazing profits. I know they tried about 5 years ago to build a hum vee like truck, but we need another viable full size, farm tough brand of truck.

It amazes me Toyota wont do it. They already build Hino trucks.

Its as if the big 3 are paying othe potential competitors not to get into the full size truck arena.


----------



## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

John Deere would just pay GM to build it then paint it green.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Teslan said:


> John Deere would just pay GM to build it then paint it green.


It's a great color....the leader in this country.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Teslan said:


> John Deere would just pay GM to build it then paint it green.


Funny! 
But seriously, I'd like to see Deere build a truck with a Deere mill under the hood, or Toyota or IH. Just somebody new.


----------



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Teslan said:


> John Deere would just pay GM to build it then paint it green.


 That's funny, my grandparents were talking about trading there car in the other day and my grandmother said the only color she wanted was gunmetal gray......the salesman asked me what color I liked and I said JD green.....the look on his face was priceless.


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Not me. Would be green and twice the price....................


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Living in the auto state and working in an automotive related industry, I can tell you it takes big money BIG NONEY to launch a new vehicle and then (like the Hummer) it might be a flop.

Consumers are a fickle group.

The not so big 3 have established lines. A new kid on the block has nothing. Good parallel is CAT with their heavy truck line. It's not doing much because the competition is fierce.


----------



## Chessiedog (Jul 24, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> I do. I look at John Deer's XUV and Kubota's RTV and wonder why they wont give a full size truck a whirl.
> 
> The competition would do a world of good.
> 
> ...


International made pickups sometime ago . We had a couple different used ones . Stopped in the seventies I think .


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

So did Studebaker in Fort Wayne.


----------



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I think a International 1 ton truck with a flatbed would be great but then again you would have all the tier 4 emissions junk to have to deal with on a diesel.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Chessiedog said:


> International made pickups sometime ago . We had a couple different used ones . Stopped in the seventies I think .


Yeah my dad had them, too. 
I don't think there's enough competition. 
I like how FIAT now owning Dodge brought us a diesel 1/2 ton back to the 1/2 ton buyer.


----------



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Has anyone seen a realistic price on one of them?


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

JD3430 said:


> Yeah my dad had them, too.
> I don't think there's enough competition.
> I like how FIAT now owning Dodge brought us a diesel 1/2 ton back to the 1/2 ton buyer.


There is another example of a launch flop... The Fiat 500. Might be sliced bread in Europe but here, it's yesterdays fish.

I'm not overly fond of any Chrysler or Chrysler/Fiat prroduct. Lets just say I know whats under the sheetmetal.


----------



## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

International made an effort in recent years. MXT or RXT can't remember any more. Pretty sure it had the VT365 in it.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Gearclash said:


> International made an effort in recent years. MXT or RXT can't remember any more. Pretty sure it had the VT365 in it.


yeah but it wasnt really a pickup, it was more of a hum vee knock off.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I've heard bad things abut that new dodge 1500 diesel, one guy said it sounded like a weedeater, idk, haven't seen or heard one yet.....


----------



## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Not sure but isn't the light duty diesel that Chrysler/Fiat is using a european design? The Cummins, parent bore common rail is the one to have, with an Allison behind it. From what I understand from talking to a couple owners is the fuel mileage isn't too good and it don't improve with age either.

Diesels are popular in the European market. Ford has one they use extensively. I asked my BIL who is a design engineer at Fords, why they don't use the euro-diesel in domestic platforms and his comment was because Americans don't like diesels which I find interesting in as much as VW can't keep their euro-diesel cars in stock at dealerships.

I'd like to have an old VW Rabbit with the 4 banger turbo diesel. They got 50 plus.

I friend just got a new 250 Ford diesel pickup and opening the hood, you can't find the engine. It's just loaded with emissions related stuff.


----------



## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

I don't understand why the companies think the US market is still anti-diesel either. VW is cleaning up with their new tdi's, we just traded the wife's 11 for a 14, and the sales guy was telling me they are selling more and more diesels to first timers then ever.


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Probably because a lot of old farts, like me, haven't forgot what GM put out about 30 years. Made a diesel out of gas engine. I'm all for diesel these days but you can blame that lasting stigma on GM IMHO.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Grateful11 said:


> Probably because a lot of old farts, like me, haven't forgot what GM put out about 30 years. Made a diesel out of gas engine. I'm all for diesel these days but you can blame that lasting stigma on GM IMHO.


I hear ya, but that old sentiment needs to be let go. Yeah the Oldsmobile 350 diesel was a boat anchor, but its time to move on. GM builds a very nice duramax diesel that's been a pretty proven diesel for about 12 years now.

Deere builds great tractor diesels, surprised they can't build a diesel truck to go around one.
I always thought it would be kind of cool to have a 16-24 speed power shift in a diesel pickup, too.


----------



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

ARD I will take a rabbit too. 50 mpg was when it was old and my brother drove it. When that was the new family car (4 kids) when I was a youngster it got 60 mpg. I remember many a 2 hour trip where me and my brother sat in the hatchback.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Back in the leather football helmet days, I used to work for a farmer that had a Toyota diesel pickup. Thing got stoopid fuel mileage, but I bet it wasn't much more than 50HP


----------



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

For 95% of my driving 50hp will do. As long as it gets stellar mileage. My lil Saturn does ok. Low to mid 30s. Best $2800 investment I can think of. It has paid dividends since. Cheap and reliable.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Sounds crazy, but remember the days when you could use a jeep to help on the farm out in the fields? Didnt they even have a optional PTO on the back?
Why wouldn't someone build a utility truck, Diesel engine, fairly basic with a PTO that has the ability to gear down and pull a rake, wagon or Tedder?

Tractors have road speed to make them fast and diesel pickups have low range to slow them down Seems like we are a rear PTO away from a truck that could work in the field. 
I would love to have my truck nearby with tools and cold AC to pull a rake, Tedder, manure wagon, or other rear PTO attachment. 
Might save the smaller hay farmer some money.


----------



## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Well you can buy a Unimog, but they are big money. Some companies in Europe still make a truck/tractor hybrid.


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> Back in the leather football helmet days, I used to work for a farmer that had a Toyota diesel pickup. Thing got stoopid fuel mileage, but I bet it wasn't much more than 50HP


My grandfather had one of those, would run for EVER on a few gallons of fuel.


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Grateful11 said:


> Probably because a lot of old farts, like me, haven't forgot what GM put out about 30 years. Made a diesel out of gas engine. I'm all for diesel these days but you can blame that lasting stigma on GM IMHO.


My uncle had one of those, what a piece of crap. Gutless wonder that was completely unreliable. Everytime he started it cold made you want to take cover as it sounded like a rod was going to come right out the fender well.

Ford had ones in their pickups at one time as well that rattled pretty bad at an idle, worse than a cold Cat 3208 even.

Neighbor a mile south of us has one, joke around the farm is anytime you hear a strange noise it's Victor cold starting his ford pickup.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Really? Ford put 350 diesels in their pickups? 
I thought their first diesel was the 6.9L IH ?
I had one of those as a work truck. 160HP, but it was cool because it had a push button starter and manual glow plugs lol


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

mlappin said:


> My uncle had one of those, what a piece of crap. Gutless wonder that was completely unreliable. Everytime he started it cold made you want to take cover as it sounded like a rod was going to come right out the fender well.


Those Dodge Cummins in the early 90's would make you want to take cover too.....they were the loudest most obnoxious rattlers I have ever been around.

Regards, Mike


----------



## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

Teslan said:


> John Deere would just pay GM to build it then paint it green.


Then who knows what the cost would be. :mellow: Might be scary.


----------



## cmd (Oct 26, 2012)

JD3430 said:


> Really? Ford put 350 diesels in their pickups?
> I thought their first diesel was the 6.9L IH ?
> I had one of those as a work truck. 160HP, but it was cool because it had a push button starter and manual glow plugs lol


No, the castrated (atleast with a 4spd) 6.9 was first for ford pickups.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

cmd said:


> No, the castrated (atleast with a 4spd) 6.9 was first for ford pickups.


Thats what I thought.

When I had mine, I thought it was way cool..lol


----------



## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Neighbor has a chevy one ton with a 6.5 jumps in it in the dead of winter as soon as its running he puts it to the floor. Man does that thing hammer and rattle and growl as it goes by......now he says the engine is about junk....i could only wonder why...


----------



## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Come on guys. be nice to the old 6.5. I have a 98. Its the one with all the updates. I have actually had zero problems with it. Bought it at 140K its got 220K on it now. I think I got a good one. Its a good truck for hauling stuff in the bed, but a 9K trailer is all she wants. I didnt realize how loud it was till I got my duramax. That old 6.5 really does rattle. But hey, bought it in 03 for $9,500 when I was fresh out of school. Any other brand was twice the money back then....


----------



## cmd (Oct 26, 2012)

PaMike said:


> Come on guys. be nice to the old 6.5. I have a 98. Its the one with all the updates. I have actually had zero problems with it. Bought it at 140K its got 220K on it now. I think I got a good one. Its a good truck for hauling stuff in the bed, but a 9K trailer is all she wants. I didnt realize how loud it was till I got my duramax. That old 6.5 really does rattle. But hey, bought it in 03 for $9,500 when I was fresh out of school. Any other brand was twice the money back then....


Former neighbor of mine is or was into flipping a pile of those 6.5 trucks.. He knew quite a bit about them. His personal one was crew cab 3/4 ton which he said he did a few hundred dollars in improvements and it really rolled out for what it was. I know he towed a 30+ foot bumper pull wedge trailer with two trucks like it on back several hundred miles home with his 6.5, automatic at that... Thru the mountains and all, I was shocked.


----------



## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

cmd said:


> Former neighbor of mine is or was into flipping a pile of those 6.5 trucks.. He knew quite a bit about them. His personal one was crew cab 3/4 ton which he said he did a few hundred dollars in improvements and it really rolled out for what it was. I know he towed a 30+ foot bumper pull wedge trailer with two trucks like it on back several hundred miles home with his 6.5, automatic at that... Thru the mountains and all, I was shocked.


Umm...I like the 6.5 but even thats a stretch....

I like to refer to them as a 5/8 ton. Its no 3/4 ton...

The one short coming on mine is still the cooling system. Pulled about 8k trailer up over a mountain (route 501 at pine grove for any locals). Had to run wide open in 3rd gear. Started out at 160 degrees. Peaked the hill and the temp was just out of the red at around 230 or so...dont know how you would make it up with a 30 foot trailer... unless it was empty.

I will say I almost like the sound of them more than the duramax and the sound of the cooling fan(or what ever that noise is)


----------



## cmd (Oct 26, 2012)

PaMike said:


> Umm...I like the 6.5 but even thats a stretch....
> 
> I like to refer to them as a 5/8 ton. Its no 3/4 ton...
> 
> ...


He was keeping the trailer at my place so I seen it leave empty and come home with the trucks, I was floored myself.


----------

