Full time overland rig - Tundra or F-150

[thalooch]

I'm in the market for a new vehicle. I've been on the road for about a year now, meaning that I've primarily lived out of my vehicle, a 2014 Honda Pilot, until it was totaled.

I've settled on a pickup truck with a camper shell, given my budget and what I like to do. I am not trying to do any serious off-roading, but in my travels in my Pilot I did frequently encounter roads where I wish I had more clearance/off road capability. I will be traveling around the northwest and southwest united states. Basically anywhere with some mountains and that's where I feel most at home. I think I can pull this off for at least another year, maybe two, before I need to settle in somewhere, unless I can figure out a way to generate income while on the road.

I'll be buying a vehicle used, looking at 2011-2015.

I've been approved for 21K loan, which means there are a few Tundras out there which I can buy, but a lot more F-150's.

I'm leaning towards the Tundra based on my research, for reliability, better clearance and presumably better off-road capability. But I could save a few thousand by getting an F-150.

Anyone have any strong feelings on one or the other?

 

[DevilDodge]

RAM

 

[thalooch]

RAM

Ram 1500? Enlighten me? I can expand my horizons.

 

[MMc]

I have good friend that’s lives 30 miles away from a pave roads in Baja. He has had Toyota’s and US trucks, he’ll tell you to go US trucks, the Toyota don’t last as long. His road is washboard rotted pretty hard.
I also have a friend in AK that services the pipeline with a fleet of trucks, he’ll tell you the same.
I have had both Toyota’s, Ford’s and Rams, they all have served me well.

 

[DevilDodge]

Mopar Introduces The Ram Rebel OTG Concept For SEMA:

Mopar has introduced its 2020 Ram 1500 Rebel OTG (Off The Grid) Concept for the 2019 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show this weekend. For people who thought that the all-new 2020 Jeep® Gladiator Rubicon was the ultimate Overlanding pickup, you haven’t seen what’s capable of the...

5thgenrams.com

This will get you started

 

[DevilDodge]

Sorry. Just noticed you are looking 11 to 15.

A RAM 1500 in those years you would probably want to look 14 and 15. You will want the Part time transfer case. You can get RamBox for some extra storage. The Crew Cab has some slick RamBins in the floor. 5.7l Hemi and 8spd trans are bulletproof...unless you read the internet...then you do have to concern yourself with Hemi tick.

The Outdoorsman trim is a pretty great option.

The 3.6l v6 is a tried and true engine also. It just uses a weaker 8sp trans but is still bulletproof.

There is a great bit of aftermarket support and the platform is still in production. Started in 2009 and you can still buy a 2021 classic.

 

[PonoAdventures]

I love my F-150, but reliability long term I still can’t comment on. It’s a 2018 with 53k miles so still early.

Other Toyota’s I’ve owned lasted forever but I can’t say about tundras.

Tundras has a lot of aftermarket overland stuff, while F-150 has decent but not nearly as many options.

One thing I can say for sure is that you won’t find too many decked out F-150s out there compared to Tundras

 

[DevilDodge]

I want to see the Rams

I want to the rams! Preferably 1500s but it doesn't matter. Here is my '14 Ram 1500 lonestar 5.7 4x4 crew cab with the 5'7" bed (the only thing I dont like about it) 20x10x -24 wrapped in 35x12.5x20 2" leveling kit Body armor bumper and lights Cowl induction hood Led headlights Tuned I have...

overlandbound.com

 

[RoarinRow]

I would go for the Tundra for reliability and aftermarket support.

 

[LostWoods]

F-150 without question. My Gladiator has a comparable payload to a Tundra (better than some, actually) which IMO is just not acceptable for a full-size pickup. The Toyota will be more reliable but that generation of F-150 with the V8 is a pretty solid truck.

 

[LONO100]

Personally, I am absolutely loving my F-150 with the 5.0 L Coyote engine. This thing has all the power you can ask for. I love the Tundra too, but driving it compared to 2015 and up F-150 it just feels old and tired. The F-150 also gets better mileage. And don't sleep on Ford reliability. Between 3 Fords I have owned, I have racked up a combined 430,000 miles, and my newest one of those three only has 6000 miles on it. The biggest repair I've had to make between these vehicles was replacing a thermostat and housing.

Maybe I've just been lucky with the Fords but I have had nothing but great experiences with them. My advice is drive both of them and see which one fits you better.

 

[4Wheelexplorer]

I have the 2014 Ram 1500 with the 3.6, plenty of power and the 8 spd works well, been solid for over 100K so far and the only thing I have replaced have been the tires, belt, both pretty much on schedule, and the factory battery gave up after 6 years. The issue I find for the Ram of this vintage is a lack of gearing and no lockers, so changing the tire size has a power price involved. They are also very prone to service recalls, 9 recalls in the time I have owned it, none that had impacted te truck, which is a plus, but a lot of Chrysler dealership trips.

 

[4Wheelexplorer]

I have the 2014 Ram 1500 with the 3.6, plenty of power and the 8 spd works well, been solid for over 100K so far and the only thing I have replaced have been the tires, belt, both pretty much on schedule, and the factory battery gave up after 6 years. The issue I find for the Ram of this vintage is a lack of gearing and no lockers, so changing the tire size has a power price involved. They are also very prone to service recalls, 9 recalls in the time I have owned it, none that had impacted the truck, which is a plus, but a lot of Chrysler dealership trips.

You can search windshield pics to see where I take the ram through.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I'd pick a Ram, too...

 

[Shakes355]

I cant in good conscience recommend an f150. There are too many of my customers (work/DD) that have had bad experiences with them. The 5.4 has valvetrain issues. I've done a water pump on every customer's 5.0 that we service- all before 50k miles. The rear has severe axle wrap in stock trim and the 9.75 rear ends burn through carrier and pinion bearings regardless of how often they are serviced. And I'm not even going to touch on their vacuum hubs.

Many folks have good luck with them, as you'd expect, but I will never personally invest my money in one with as much work as we do.

 

[MidOH]

I'd get a 250/350, and then try to get a camper nicer than a simple shell. Way beefier than a half ton.

Cash. How can you full time with a loan?

 

[thalooch]

I'd get a 250/350, and then try to get a camper nicer than a simple shell. Way beefier than a half ton.

Cash. How can you full time with a loan?

I've got savings. I live pretty frugally. Gas/Food is about all I need.

 

[thalooch]

I'd get a 250/350, and then try to get a camper nicer than a simple shell. Way beefier than a half ton.

Cash. How can you full time with a loan?

I did look into that, but to get a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck plus a truck camper.....its a bit out of my range on what I can afford. Plus that seems even more long term, and not sure I want to live on the road for many more years.

 

[MidOH]

Consider used fleet F350's. Gas only. Should be cheaper than civvy trucks and 150's by a pretty wide margin.

Even without a camper, that front dana60 is priceless.

 

[mikeD1Esel]

I've owned nothing but Toyotas, and I'll say this....at the end of the day its about how comfortable you are in the driver's seat and does the vehicle accomplish what you need it to. If the Tundra is comfortable and has everything you "want" then buy it, if it's the F150 then I would get it. Toyotas have more options in the overland community in terms of mods/support, but that is only one factor of your decision making.