What is the best truck for homesteading?

Yep i got a buddy that just bought one off Ebay.I forget the year but i remembered the fuel mileage.Think it is a 6.5 engine,4x4, with a 160k on it gets 23 miles to the gallon.I'm still scratching my head.
I'm a Ford man but after hearing the differences in fuel mileage and the major cost difference of parts.If i buy a diesel it will be a Dodge.How ever I'm sure hoping to find a F-250 gas burner i can afford.I sure don't like the idea of having to plug up the diesel.Heard they really sucked the juice to.

If only i didn't have to have a four door truck.Man them other two doors cost a fortune!

I had an '01 2500 Auto Dodge Cummins, and '03 6 spd 3500 Cummins, and now I have an '06 F-350 Ford 6.0 Powerstroke. All good trucks. The '01 got great fuel mileage and each truck I've bought since then has gotten progressively worse mileage. If I had it to do over, especially at today's fuel prices, I'd buy a decent small 4-banger for all the general running and light hauling and I'd buy and older heavier truck for the occasional trailering I do.

We have a 72 ford f-350, one ton dually flat bed, with a hoist, we paid about two thousand for it and had the bed put on it. The 'ol girl will haul lumber, grain, feed, fire wood, livestock, fuel, and hay; pull a trailer behind it and we haul some serious hay. Combined with a Subaru for all the little missions it can't be beat. I bet you could find one for three grand.

I have an 06 Chevy Tahoe 5.7 gas burner with a 14' trailer to haul behind. Great ala around vehicle. I've hauled just about everthing in the trailer: forklifts, mini X, livestock, you name it, it's been in there. When hauling is done, unhook the trailer and we have a great family vehicle. ZGood for long or short trips, gas mileage aint great but it's a 4 wheel drive and we need it up here in the great Canadian North, not to mention I live on the highest mountain on mainland Nova Scotia.

Several things to consider about a diesel. Right now, the diesel costs more than gas. Repairs are generally higher and finding someone that can work on a diesel that knows how to "fix" one can be a hassle. I had a '97 Ford F-250 powerstroke. 2nd year I had it, I had to replace the fuel pump on the top of the engine. The truck would die when I was sitting at a light or stop sign. It would start right back up but was getting worse. I finally had to trade the truck off, had only 60,000 mi. on it. I couldn't find anyone here that could fix it. Took it to three different diesel shops and none could tell me what was wrong with it. All of them wanted to "try this or that" at the cost of around $1000 but couldn't guarantee that would fix the problem. Just a couple of things to think about.

'Small' Dakota must be a relative thing, mine is a 92 4x4 5-manual V6 with 8 foot bed & tow package (mostly stouter tires....). It's 90% of a 1/2 ton pickup, gets 19-20 mpg. Pretty nice machine, I've towed 5500# many times, works great.

For what you mention, a trailer would be the right way to go.

However, you must be looking for a 3/4 ton pickup. Which, generally, need a trailer behind them to use the capacity - hard to fit the weight inside the box.

--->Paul

All my trucks are ancient or obsolete. Just keep repowering/replacing parts and they keep going. Just dropped a new 300 six gas banger into the '69 F-350. It gets about 17 mpg with a 4 speed manual tranny. I have pulled everything with it for many years and hauled much more weight than I should have. I went to 300 cid sixes several years ago in both trucks and have had very adequate power. Looking for a Suburu or Isuzu small diesel for my big generator and another for the Ranger.

I guess it depends on what purpose the truck is used for. If it's for hauling, get a 3/4 ton and put some overload springs on it, even a half ton will do the job. If you want to pull, make sure your motor size is bigger than 300 and with a manual transmission. Automatics tend to burn up even with a tranny cooler. (speaking from experience). I have 3 trucks currently and all run good. My best is a 73 Dodge Club Cab with 318 bought in Yuma, Az with 81,000 original miles. It has 115,000 now and it almost hauled everything to build a 1500 sq ft house going 300 miles round trip every weekend. Also have a (t)rusty 73 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 with a Meyers Power angle plow that I scrounged around for and total cost for the rig is 1100 bucks. Beat that! Used only for plowing snow out of a 300 yd driveway. Doesn't get used much but if needed, it's really needed. The other is a 77 Dodge used for beating around the farm and fencing and running into trees now and then. All have a purpose and all are easily worked on. 2 of them I don't even register or have insurance on. They are truly homestead trucks that have put out to pasture until dead. All trucks newer than 77 have their positives but to me the negatives are far more when it comes to fixing things by myself.

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We have now officially entered the twilight zone.