BigGameHoundsmen.com

do ya'll hunt out of a full size or compact? And why? Someone talk me into selling my v10 f250(9mpg) and in to getting a small truck, I need a compromise between gas mileage and space I also have a '05 z71 but it only gets 13mgp and I don't need two truck payments, should I keep one? Or get rid of both and get something else?

I'd say it depends on how you hunt. Where I hunt in N. Idaho a small pickup can get around pretty good. The only thing is the lack of respect that "people" have for public and private ground has resulted in more and more gates and tank traps. Therefor, wheelers and sleds will do a guy a lot more good so a full size pickup to pull a trailer with machines would work good. I'd prefer an 05-06 Dodge Crew Cab with the 5.9 Cummins. Factory they get just as good a fuel mileage as a small pickup and with some minor tuning and mods will push 30mpg and can pull whatever you put behind it.

In the future when I'm rich I will build a custom pickup. It will be a late 80's crew cab Mazda or Toyota, shortened 1ton axles, a quality custom lift, Cummins 4bt motor infront of an NV4500 5speed and twin NP tcases. I'd run 35 or 36in tires and with the correct gearing and engine mods I'd be looking at around 40mpg and be able to pull whatever I want. The custom flat bed will have room for a dog box and lots of storage (I'd probably do an overhead roof rack that is removable). Theres a lot of fab work and time involved, but thats what I'm into and it would be a vehicle that meets every demand I need: compact, fuel economy, power to pull, 4wheelin, dogs, storage and the fact that I could puke black smoke in some ricers window with a 500ft-lb tourque 300hp small jap pickup.

lol you Sound like me and my dream rifle, you know 4lbs scoped,shoots like laser to 1000 yards, enough ass to take down elephant but makes as much noise and recoils like a .22lr.
I don't hunt with an ATV but do like being able to get 3 or 4 hunting parts in the back seat, just hate turning it around on the mountain, or the creek bottom or the woods or anywhere other than a 40 acer field lol

If thats the case, I'd look at the crew cab Tacomas or Tundras. Not sure if Nissan makes a crew cab but they are good rigs too. The Toyota Tundra, although sold by a jap company, is more made in the US than any Ford, GM or Mopar.

If you dont need a v8 or a 4door look at a t100 they got enough power to cruise 70 down the high way thru the mountains and get pretty good gas milege in the woods

I have both full size and "compact" trucks. I have a 2001 F259 7.3L and a 1984 Toyota reg cab with a Vortec V6 instead of the stock 22R or 22RE for more power and better gas mileage.

I hunt out of both depending on where I'm going. One definitely gets better gas mileage than the other, but one has WAY more room if I take people with me. Also the dog box on the Toyota only really had room for my hounds and maybe one or 2 of someone elses, the ford has a bigger box so the house dogs can come with even if I take someone else's dogs with.

If your hunting off logging roads and skid roads, a smaller lighter truck comes in handy in a pinch for a shimmy down a brush covered road. A full size is for more heavier traffic off road trails or gravel logging roads.

I love both of my trucks for different reasons. Having both is nice!

What kind of fuel economy do you get with the 4.3? Do you run factory gears and tire size?

I have stock Toyota axle but put 529 gears with 37" Toyota Open Co M/T's. I roughly got 13mpg with the stock 22R ( never got around to putting in any fuel injection) and now I'm getting roughly 18-20mpg, just did the engine swap 2 months ago, still tweaking on the computer to get it running the way I want. So I didn't gain A LOT of MPG, BUT the amount of HP gained along with no more carburator(woohoo!) It was worth every penny.

Not bad for being a "chick" huh?

Hhmmm....I like what I hear I just pulled the head off the 2.6L in my mazda pu and it was cracked in 3 places.....I was getting 18-20 on the highway but it should be getting mid 20's. It's a great woods rig especially for being factory w/IFS but I want at least an extended cab, a solid axle and more power/efficiency. How bad was the wiring for the computer and other engine stuff?

The wiring was the easy part...finding the sensors for the engine that were bad was the difficult part.

that is awesome that you did that to your truck. I was thinking of putting a newer tacoma engine in my 90 yota. Did you look into that at all. Jw why you went the way you did and looking for ideas.

i picked up a '05 crew cab chevy colorado for a decent price, put 3 inch body lift and 33x10.50 toyo m/t on it and i am very pleased with the way it gets around. plenty of room for 3 or 4 guys and your huntin stuff in the cab. only down fall so far is the 5 foot short bed. i can get 6 dogs in my slide in box but when i finish my rail mount box im pretty sure i will be able to squeeze a few more in. still gettin 19-21mpg even with the 33's. just my two cents though.

I went the Vortec route for HP reasons...we are into off roading besides hounds so having the extra HP was practical..Taco doesn't have the HP Vortec does..Also GM parts are easier to find in my area at wrecking yards or bulk parts store(where I have "life saving" accounts with!) Taco parts are $$ and harder to come by for odds and ends.

Another key reason is because I had a transmission that bolted up to the GM already IN the truck..AND I got a super hot deal on the engine. It was completely rebuilt, had 10k miles on it, it literally came with EVERYTHING..wiring harness, computer, radiator, fuel tank with pump, air comp unit etc, for $1200. How could I possibly pass that up! Plus..the stuffed burrito sounds meaner than a Taco ever could..

I'd steer clear of the Titans...they're great for a street truck that gets off road every once in a while, but not so great as a huntin rig. Father-in-law blew up the front diff going up a mediocre hill in 4wd with less than 15k on it. I researched it some and it seems to happen pretty often, but Nissan won't cover it. I have nothing but good things to say about both Toyota pickups and and the Dodges!

[quote="YSHBHounds"]I have both full size and "compact" trucks. I have a 2001 F259 7.3L and a 1984 Toyota reg cab with a Vortec V6 instead of the stock 22R or 22RE for more power and better gas mileage.

I have considered this swap with my 93 toyota. The rice burners v six is a dog. I have drove the chevy vortec v six and they are so spunky that I never got any mileage while I was driving.

Im guessing the best bet would be to find a wrecked chevy and transfer everything over? Is it possible to make the vortec engine mate with the toyota tranny?