Complain about modern pickup trucks

[Steve]

I miss that true bench seat. Is a seat like that even an option nowdays?

Yes. You can still get some pretty basic pickups.

 

[alfack]

They are too light-weight. Everything is made out of aluminum. Too easy to dent and scratch. Also, they don't get good traction in the snow. Almost impossible to work on. Need to take half the wiring harness off just to get to the spark plugs.

 

[IffykidMn]

In June 1968 Dad used the money made from a good trapping season to buy a new Ford F-100, Inline 6 cyl, 3 on the tree, 2x4
In June 1978 He used the money made from a good trapping season to buy a new Ford F-150, Inline 6 cyl, 4-speed, 4x4. It was as plain as you could get no AC, no power brakes, crank windows but by God it had power steering. The radio was AM only
In 1999 he bought a new F-150 2x4 but it was an auto with a small V-8
The 1978 and 1999 are still here. The 1968 is gone.

Power steering was the only thing I really wish my 74 Ford had when making an 8-point Uturn on a grassy two track.

My wife was rather miffed when I lifted the suspension and added taller tires to my 4runner and removed the running boards for ground clearance, I did add grab handles so she had something to pullllllll herself up into the seat.

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Yes. You can still get some pretty basic pickups.

Yes sir. Almost ready to complete a simple wood truck from the tires up. Just need a few little odd n ends, paint, primer, clearcoat:

1968 k20 with m1031 cucv drivetrain conversion, pulled from a cucv that had 14,000 miles. The m1031 has:
4:56 gears, 14bolt rear with detroit locker, dana 60 front with trac-lok lsd, hydro boost brakes, powersteering, np-205 transfer case with power take off. Will run the pto to a rear winch for skiddin logs.

Built NV 4500 5 speed from long range gear. This one will have the 6:31:1-1st gear ratio.

Built 292 chevy inline 6. Forged .060 overbore high-compression pistons, gm HEI, harland sharp roller rockers, Clifford intake and headers, Howard's high-torque camshaft, Motorcraft 2100 carburetor with Brennans Garage offroad goodies.

Very stressful building from scratch, but I just want a simple gasoline back-up to my F-350 crew cab with 7.3 powerstroke. Pure madness getting it started in below zero interior alaska temps.

I should be shot for parting out a mint, complete m1031 cucv. But I'm a 67-72 chev guy.

 

[full chizel]

2022 GMC Sierra 2500 AT4. No complaints

 

[redline4]

They are too light-weight. Everything is made out of aluminum. Too easy to dent and scratch. Also, they don't get good traction in the snow. Almost impossible to work on. Need to take half the wiring harness off just to get to the spark plugs.

Old trucks can have poor traction too...

 

[cookies]

New trucks skimp on metal, their frames are no longer made as heavy and strong built to handle well beyond their rating
New trucks are over burdened from epa emissions programming, exhaust modifications and cylinder deactivation technology
Modern truck engines are being built to poorer standards using the cheapest products possible resulting in lifter, camshaft and oil consumption failures. Manufacturers are claiming longer oil change intervals that simply are not sustainable beyond 120k miles.
Modern truck transmissions put too much pressure on torque converters using them as a half gear shift between every gear burning them up, burning valve bodies up and burning the fluid up in the process of adding 1/3 of a mpg.
Modern trucks have far too many computers, on average over 12 per truck with some over 20. they use data lines that when a issue happens it takes down every computer that shares that line...it can be 8 or 10 on that circuit sharing that line resulting in dozens of codes and no where to start diagnosis.
I'm not suggesting carbsand 3 speeds but damn lets cut out all of the goofy crap and make strong dependable inexpensive trucks for us

 

[redline4]

I find it interesting that many are saying that the newer trucks cannot handle a payload that the older trucks could.

A 1993 Chevrolet 1 ton, single rear wheel with a 7.4 had a towing rating of 10K. Small by todays standards front disc brakes and large drum rear.
A 2024 Chevrolet 1 ton has a 22K conventional towing rating, 32K 5th wheel and 36K gooseneck.
If the frame, axles and suspensions are weaker, and with more stringent highway safety laws, how is this then possible?

And a completely down data circuit is actually not that difficult to diagnose.

 

[Steve]

I don't necessarily agree.

Look at an 80's f150 frame compared to a 2025 f150. The 2025 is damn near an 80's f250 frame.

200,000 miles is now the new 100,000 miles.

A 2003 7.3 psd was about 500 ftlbs. Most all light duty diesel pickups are now close or over 1000ftlbs all while no smoke or smell out of the exhaust. I'm not a left wing hippie tree hugger but it is nice to do a bit to help the air quality. Our 6.7 psd has just shy of 300k on it with all the original after treatment. Replaced the egr cooler, a few egts, one def header and one nox sensor in 300k. Seems pretty reliable in my opinion.

A downed can line is about the most easy thing to diagnose. Most of them I've ever had problems with where a 15 minute ordeal to get back on line and get a good idea where to concentrate further diagnosis.

 

[Steve]

I find it interesting that many are saying that the newer trucks cannot handle a payload that the older trucks could.

A 1993 Chevrolet 1 ton, single rear wheel with a 7.4 had a towing rating of 10K. Small by todays standards front disc brakes and large drum rear.
A 2024 Chevrolet 1 ton has a 22K conventional towing rating, 32K 5th wheel and 36K gooseneck.
If the frame, axles and suspensions are weaker, and with more stringent highway safety laws, how is this then possible?

And a completely down data circuit is actually not that difficult to diagnose.

I think we hit reply at the same time Ed.

 

[full chizel]

Look at the power the L3B 2.7L turbo 4 banger in the 1/2 ton GM makes.

 

[Catfishclark89]

Too much plastic and luxury comforts. Prime example here. 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Lower steering column shaft bearing housing is made of plastic. Well the plastic junk broke allowing the shaft to wobble and rattle around everytime the steering wheel was turned. Talk about a headache job. Getting all the wires disconnected and connected back without breaking more plastic junk was the challenge.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

I don't necessarily agree.

Look at an 80's f150 frame compared to a 2025 f150. The 2025 is damn near an 80's f250 frame.

200,000 miles is now the new 100,000 miles.

A 2003 7.3 psd was about 500 ftlbs. Most all light duty diesel pickups are now close or over 1000ftlbs all while no smoke or smell out of the exhaust. I'm not a left wing hippie tree hugger but it is nice to do a bit to help the air quality. Our 6.7 psd has just shy of 300k on it with all the original after treatment. Replaced the egr cooler, a few egts, one def header and one nox sensor in 300k. Seems pretty reliable in my opinion.

A downed can line is about the most easy thing to diagnose. Most of them I've ever had problems with where a 15 minute ordeal to get back on line and get a good idea where to concentrate further diagnosis.

Ford has one of the best emissions systems on the market. They also don't burn a lot of def, plus the get excellent fuel mileage.

Not to mention, -20F cold starts are not a problem at all. The 6.7 powerstroke handles the cold like a champ. If you have the right oil they will start at -30 to -40 as well without being plugged in.

 

[cookies]

Ford has one of the best emissions systems on the market. They also don't burn a lot of def, plus the get excellent fuel mileage.

Not to mention, -20F cold starts are not a problem at all. The 6.7 powerstroke handles the cold like a champ. If you have the right oil they will start at -30 to -40 as well without being plugged in.

The ford 6.7 has main bearing issues thanks to a huge air space in the pickup tube, oil pan and block the pump must fill before the lower end gets oil on start up. They also suffer upper oil pan leaks from the factory. All manufacturers are required to have warranties on the emissions systems to the 100k mile mark....making excuses for emissions garbage is funny to me as folks spend thousands to change out coked up parts, engines and sensors instead of fighting the good fight to have that crap removed because it only alters the pollution and causes vastly more pollution manufacturing it and its failures.
Cam phaser issues, cam shaft failures, lifter failures, ring failures are all caused by attempting to meet epa standards costing us billions meanwhile the chinese, indians, passenger jets, cruise ships and militaries cause over 85% of the air pollution while the us consumer and commercial truckers pushes under 3%. We are being hobbled on purpose, we are not the problem. The shift in the last 8 years has resulted in the majority of electronics, sensors, headlight housing and body parts and wiring manufactured in china by the big 3 and its easy to see the quality fell dramatically plus huge problems with counterfeits entering their supply chains. The modern weight capacities are much higher than yester years but see what happens when you go 20% over that weight in the bed or on a gooseneck vs the old stuff. Manufacturers are skimping on the steel mixes hence the extra fast rusting out, plastic oil pans and crappy clips holding everything together vs a metal screw or bolt that does not break from a simple bump, more and more one time use bolts on everything from head bolts to engine mounts creating more trash and expense.

 

[Steve]

The ford 6.7 has main bearing issues thanks to a huge air space in the pickup tube, oil pan and block the pump must fill before the lower end gets oil on start up. They also suffer upper oil pan leaks from the factory. All manufacturers are required to have warranties on the emissions systems to the 100k mile mark....making excuses for emissions garbage is funny to me as folks spend thousands to change out coked up parts, engines and sensors instead of fighting the good fight to have that crap removed because it only alters the pollution and causes vastly more pollution manufacturing it and its failures.
Cam phaser issues, cam shaft failures, lifter failures, ring failures are all caused by attempting to meet epa standards costing us billions meanwhile the chinese, indians, passenger jets, cruise ships and militaries cause over 85% of the air pollution while the us consumer and commercial truckers pushes under 3%. We are being hobbled on purpose, we are not the problem. The shift in the last 8 years has resulted in the majority of electronics, sensors, headlight housing and body parts and wiring manufactured in china by the big 3 and its easy to see the quality fell dramatically plus huge problems with counterfeits entering their supply chains. The modern weight capacities are much higher than yester years but see what happens when you go 20% over that weight in the bed or on a gooseneck vs the old stuff. Manufacturers are skimping on the steel mixes hence the extra fast rusting out, plastic oil pans and crappy clips holding everything together vs a metal screw or bolt that does not break from a simple bump, more and more one time use bolts on everything from head bolts to engine mounts creating more trash and expense.

I have no idea your experience in any of this but it sure sounds like you just googled and regurgitated a bunch of information to fit your agenda. I can argue all of your points with decades of experience in automotive and light truck repair but I really feel your best bet is to write your Congressman. I'm sure they will correct all your grievances with expensive taillights.

 

[bigbadbob]

https://www.drivingline.com/articles/avoid-the-dreaded-25-000-cummins-engine-replacement-in-your-19plus-ram-heavy-duty/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGi7nJleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQAAAX6wlbvMwEdtFwSUlAlq1cjSrWHUydzWmB0TbF8DP9NARxo7efztoF6dUGHAUsi7BTm_aem_yMXj9U7HyRbXv3kjxsVcgg

I had a 99 with 53 block,, cracked.
Now got a 08 dirtymax for *s-words n giggles
Some junk is better than other junk

 

[cookies]

I have no idea your experience in any of this but it sure sounds like you just googled and regurgitated a bunch of information to fit your agenda. I can argue all of your points with decades of experience in automotive and light truck repair but I really feel your best bet is to write your Congressman. I'm sure they will correct all your grievances with expensive taillights.

24+ years of auto repair under my belt....the next 4 years will be interesting

 

[Hinerman]

The ford 6.7 has main bearing issues thanks to a huge air space in the pickup tube, oil pan and block the pump must fill before the lower end gets oil on start up. They also suffer upper oil pan leaks from the factory. All manufacturers are required to have warranties on the emissions systems to the 100k mile mark....making excuses for emissions garbage is funny to me as folks spend thousands to change out coked up parts, engines and sensors instead of fighting the good fight to have that crap removed because it only alters the pollution and causes vastly more pollution manufacturing it and its failures.
Cam phaser issues, cam shaft failures, lifter failures, ring failures are all caused by attempting to meet epa standards costing us billions meanwhile the chinese, indians, passenger jets, cruise ships and militaries cause over 85% of the air pollution while the us consumer and commercial truckers pushes under 3%. We are being hobbled on purpose, we are not the problem. The shift in the last 8 years has resulted in the majority of electronics, sensors, headlight housing and body parts and wiring manufactured in china by the big 3 and its easy to see the quality fell dramatically plus huge problems with counterfeits entering their supply chains. The modern weight capacities are much higher than yester years but see what happens when you go 20% over that weight in the bed or on a gooseneck vs the old stuff. Manufacturers are skimping on the steel mixes hence the extra fast rusting out, plastic oil pans and crappy clips holding everything together vs a metal screw or bolt that does not break from a simple bump, more and more one time use bolts on everything from head bolts to engine mounts creating more trash and expense.

I have no real experience with the current diesels; and I have almost 0 mechanical skills. My truck is a 2012 Duramax that has had problems with the DEF system; replaced twice, deleted the 3rd time.

However, I am going to agree with you. For what new trucks cost, they should be bullet proof and trouble free, for a long time. Some get lucky and have good experiences. Those that aren't so lucky spend a fortune in repairs. The cost of repairs is insane; if you can even get your vehicle repaired correctly.

 

[Ketchup]

#1 complaint with new pickups: PRICE!!!
#2: Screens.
#3: Bad visibility over the hood
#4: MPG still sucks
#5: DIY maintenance nightmare
#6: Global manufacturing and supply chains
#7: Shrinking cargo beds
#8: Goofy bed dimensions
#9: Price!
#10: Price!
#11: Price!

 

[cookies]

FYI if you own a ford 6.7L diesel you better change out the cp4 hpfp to a cp3 as preventative maint...or end up with a really ugly repair bill north of 10 grand...when the cp4 pump fails it throws a glitter party through every injector.