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2003
Western Diesel PickupTruck.com Diesel Shootout, Part 1 of 3
By:
Tom
Keefe © PickupTruck.com, 2002
Posted: 11-18-02 00:00 
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[1] [2] [3]
In
response to reader demand for precision instrumented and documented
diesel pickup performance testing after our review of the
2003
Ford F-Series Super Duty, this is the first of three articles
that will detail what we hope will become an annual event
- the 2003 Western Diesel PickupTruck.com Diesel Shootout.
Special
thanks to our primary sponsor Western
Diesel, maker of high performance accessories for diesel
pickups, and Ricardo,
a provider of
vehicle and powertrain engineering services.
This
time around we got the trucks, we got the gear and we got
the data. Enjoy!
Part
2: 7% Grade
Test
Part 3: 15%
Grade Test
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For
most of us, pickup truck performance is measured by how far we travel
without stopping for fuel, or by how quickly we get to the top of
the hill.
Not
so long ago, I remember looking for an 18-wheeler so I could draft
behind it while towing a trailer. I would tuck in behind one of
those big rigs and ride along watching the vacuum gauge trying for
every ounce of speed and fuel economy.
Every
downhill that came along, I would get 'that look' from my co-pilot
while racing down the grade in an effort to build up momentum to
make it to the top of the next hill at least at the minimum posted
speed.
Today
it's a totally different story. While only one truck can win the
shootout, the real victors are those of us who drive pickups for
work and play. Today’s trucks are more powerful, fuel efficient,
and fun to drive than anything even imagined just a few years ago.
We
contacted Dodge, Ford and General Motors to test the latest and
greatest full size diesel pickups they had to offer.
This
was our test fleet for one week in Michigan.
2002
Chevrolet 3500 Heavy Duty
Extended Cab 4x4 dual rear wheel, Duramax diesel 6600 6.6-liter,
6-speed manual transmission, 3.73 rear axle ratio and a curb weight
of 6970 pounds
2003
Chevrolet 2500 Heavy Duty
Extended Cab 4x4 single rear wheel, Duramax diesel 6600 6.6-liter,
Allison 5-speed automatic, 3.73 axle ratio, and a curb weight of
6950 pounds
2003
Dodge Ram 3500 Heavy Duty
Quad Cab 4x4 dual rear wheel, Cummins High Output 5.9-liter
diesel, 6-speed manual transmission, 4.10 axle ratio and a curb
weight of 7927 pounds
2003
Ford F-250 Super Duty
Crew Cab 4x4, single rear wheel, Power Stroke Diesel 6.0-liter,
6-speed manual transmission, 3.73 rear axle ratio and a curb weight
of 7188 pounds
2003
Ford F-350 Super Duty
Crew Cab 4x4, single rear wheel, Power Stroke Diesel 6.0-liter,
TorquShift 5-speed automatic, 3.73 rear axle ratio and a curb weight
of 7250 pounds
In
a perfect world, all of the vehicles would be exactly the same size
and weight, and have the same tire size, cab configuration, and
rear axle ratio. What we got is pretty much what you would find
if you went shopping for the right truck.
Keep
in mind also that we put this test together in just over two weeks.
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