7.3 obs or SD, or just move up to 6.0

[jeremiahmercier]

Okay, I love the way the obs trucks look, and if I can have as many modern comforts in it, than that would be the way I'd go, but I'm faced with a delima. In the next few years we hope to upgrade from using my parents 31 ft travel trailer to buying our own fith wheel, which means moving from about 8,500lbs to probably around 15,000lbs. My delima is I'll want a crew cab truck and maybe even a dually, but would like to keep it SRW if possible, any ways, do I find another obs crew cab, and upgrade to SD axles, suspension and seats for braking and ride quality, and of course if I go 7.3 I'll probably go with 238/100s, a gated BASB, T500 etc... Or do I go ahead and just get a SD 7.3, or if I'm gonna get a SD do I just go ahead and get a 6.0 and do all the bullet proofing and few power mods and call it good, pros of going 7.3 are my familiarity with the platform, but pros of a 6.0 are newer trucks, and future support for aftermarket...

As I mentioned above, if I go 7.3, it will get same mods as my 96, except larger injectors and I'll do studs... Also, either way I go, I want 4X4 and an auto, which leads me to my next question, I know if I go 7.3, trans needs to be built, and if i go obs, I'll switch to 4r100 and a SD PCM, but what will the stock 5r110 hold to, or does it need to be built as well?

And if go 6.0, What are yalls pros for doing so

 

[RoadWarrior]

IMO it sounds like you should stick with the 7.3 since you know it best. They pull fine. Cheaper to fix than a 6.0. Shouldn't have to build the tranny unless you plan on hot rodding it a lot. You can pull dang near anything on a stock tranny as long as you run good oil and keep them cool. Probably go with a 7.3 SD. Look around and try to find a lariat with all the bells and whistles.

Personally I own both a 6.0 and 7.3 SD. Love them both equally. 6.0 has been bulletproof and slightly tuned and pulls 18-20k everyday with no problems. 7.3 has pulled some questionable amount of weight in the past. Bit I would choose the 7.3 SD over anything else just due to reliability and cost.

Hope this helps.