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Decisions to be made
After moving full time to my little slice of paradise, I got hit with some late winter weather and was stuck for most of the first two weeks I lived here, not yet having anything resembling a four wheel drive truck...I then bought a plow for my quad, but by the time I got that semi operational, the fallen snow was so packed and iced, that it was near impossible to plow effectively.....I thought I had all summer to get ready for winter, but winter had other plans...
Anyways, I need to get a 4x4 of some kind.....I currently have a 2001 chevy service van (1/2 ton), and an 85 ford F350 stakebed (460ci)....Both are terrible on gas mileage, which needs to be a concern for me (for obvious reasons).....I am a general contractor and electrician....so I need a 'work' truck of some kind....currently I use the van for this....I had been kicking around the idea of getting a newer 1 ton van (extended), having it converted to 4x4, setting it up for camping (I do live in paradise now, and will also be working out of town from time to time), and then setting up a trailer with all my work tools/materials, etc...possibly getting a dump trailer to replace the stakebed, and to use as a hauler should I ever get to where I can buy me a 'real' tractor too.....then I could by a little rice burner of some kind to use for general transportation when weather permits and cut down on gas costs...
Another option would be to convert the stakebed to 4x4 and use it as a work truck, and get the dump trailer, travel trailer and rice burner.....or I could get a 3/4 tom pickup (4x4) a camper, and then set up the work trailer and dump trailer,,,and get a rice burner...
Or, I'm wondering, are there 'any' 4x4 vehicles/light trucks that get decent mileage and will pull a travel trailer, work trailer, pontoon boat, or dump trailer? Obviously, I don't want to so underpower things so that the tow vehicle is dust in two or three years....Do the mid sized 4x4 trucks (ie V6 ford ranger, toyotas, nissans, etc...) have enough power to haul around trailers up and down mountain roads?....can they be used for plowing? Or would this duty be too hard on them and wear 'em out...
I want to try and keep it to two vehicles for insurance and maintenace reasons (but I'm dreaming of adding a harley to the mix at some point ..)....
what would you do if you were in a similar situation.....the less I have to spend getting this all going the better as moola is tight and I'm in the middle of starting to build my house....Any of you been in the same situation? What worked for you...I have to resolve this by december/january when the harder weather stars up again....my house should be done by then, so I should have a little more money, but not a lot...
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Hey..that's not a bad direction to look either....do the haulers come with shower/toilets (or can they be added easily)?
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Do any of these rice rockets have enough power to pull a small trailer or boat and still get decent mileage over a pickup pulling a boat?...if so, I might sell the stakebed amd get one of those right away...
by small trailer, I'm thinking about 10' long with loads that would be of a 1/2 ton or less...and the boat I have right now, is a little 15' fiberglass tri hull with an 80 hp merc outboard on it....
or is this too much to expect out of one of those things?
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04-21-2006, 10:34 
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