GMT 400 vs 90s Ford OBS

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grey wolf

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I always hated Fords, and I liked working on them even less! They seemed to like doing everything differently compared to other auto makers, and not always in a good way. I just never liked the way any of their vehicles looked either, trucks or cars. I always remember going into a local Ford service department many years ago to borrow a tool or something (I worked at a GM dealer at the time). It was quiet, except for the occasional sound of tools and random technicians yelling "F*CK!" all over the shop. Seemed like a miserable place to work. Sure, GMs have their issues too, but if you ask me, they're much better built and way easier to work on, particularly the GMT400. Then again, I'm definitely biased, and I admit it! haha
 

Jeepwalker

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That's an interesting question the OP poses.

I guess a guy has to define what "OBS Ford" means to them. Some say 86-96 ..because they looked similar with the round wheel wells. But they were technically 8th gen & 9th generations (respectively). Those two generations were built on the 1980-up pickup chassis (7th gen) when Ford completely redesigned the truck. I don't hear anyone referring to 1997 and later trucks as OBS. So OBS in Ford terms spans different generations.

Those 7th generation pickups were the trucks that pushed me over to GM trucks for good! LOL. I was buying and selling trucks back then. Once they'd get to a certain age, the same things would fall apart: TTB yoke would get sloppy, Front drive shafts would wear out, brake issues, Seat back frames would break and get flimsy (broken welds). Engines would become oil-burners fairly quick. I bought and sold many and would see the same problems. I like the looks of the 1980 on up trucks but they didn't hold up as well as the GMs compared to the GM 4x4's I was buying back then.

But that was back in the day. Now that time has past, it would be really intersting to do a fair side-by-side comparison. My brother is an OBS Ford guy and 2yrs ago bought a nice 1996 XLT 4x4 with a 351. It looks great. I myself like the GMT400's. I think they look great, drive great, and good ergonomics. I personally like the looks a lot better than the boxy fords.

I'll have to take his for a drive one of these days and see how it drives out and compares to the GM's.
 

Jeepwalker

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Couple interesting Ford 300 I-6 stories:

1) My brother knows an old guy who drove his ford truck 300, for a couple years with no coolant in it! He eventually went over to his house and put some into it. I suppose being an older guy he didn't drive too fast or long distance.

2) A young guy we hired years ago, worked at Toyota before we hired him as a technician. His job at Toyota at the time was to 'kill' vehicle engines when they were traded in on the 'Cash for Clunkers' car program in 2010, or whenever it was. He said they had several Fords they had to pour the can of 'engine kill' into them (to go solid) and the only engine they could never kill, according to him, was the Ford 300.
 

Jeepwalker

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Even though it wasn't brought up, Dodge made a heck of a pickup truck statement in their 1994+ Gen II pickups. Solid axle 4x4's. If those are considered OBS they would do well in, say, a Ford-GM-Dodge OBS comparison. Of course they had the benefit of a later design.

Someday the 4th gen Dodge Ram's will be a classic pick-up. It's the longest-running pick-up generation in recent history if not ever: 2009-present (with a 2013 refresh). If a guy has an early Tradesman, they're a lot like an OBS GM pickup. Simple, well-built, pretty easy to work on, very comfortable with coil springs all around. And they made a bazillion of them.

They're about 20% larger than Ford or GM OBS trucks, which can be considered a bonus or a negative by some. A lot of guys I know think trucks today are just a little too large. Must be the older crowd I hang around with ....lol
 
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L31MaxExpress

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I always hated Fords, and I liked working on them even less! They seemed to like doing everything differently compared to other auto makers, and not always in a good way. I just never liked the way any of their vehicles looked either, trucks or cars. I always remember going into a local Ford service department many years ago to borrow a tool or something (I worked at a GM dealer at the time). It was quiet, except for the occasional sound of tools and random technicians yelling "F*CK!" all over the shop. Seemed like a miserable place to work. Sure, GMs have their issues too, but if you ask me, they're much better built and way easier to work on, particularly the GMT400. Then again, I'm definitely biased, and I admit it! haha

I hate working on then too. A simple oil pan replacement turned into a nightmare once on a well rusted fuel injected 351W Econoline. Coworker shoved his finger through a rust bubble on the pan like an idiot. Two days later the pan replacement was done. The freaking intake had to come off to get the engine elevated enough to pull the pan. That and replacing the head on one EFI 300 I6 was enough for me. Lest we forget dang near pulling an engine to change a steering rack on a SHO Taurus.
 
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L31MaxExpress

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Even though it wasn't brought up, Dodge made a heck of a pickup truck statement in their 1996+ Gen II pickups. Solid axle 4x4's. If those are considered OBS they would do well in, say, a 1996 Ford-GM-Dodge comparison.
Had a 94 Ram 2500. 8.0L V10. Other than the dash falling apart into tiny pieces, a radiator leaking, a water pump leaking and two front ends in 150K it was dead reliable. Sold that truck in like 2012 and to my knowledge still had the factory R134a charge and would still cool to 35°F going down the road. Truck had the best ac I have ever experienced in a R134a vehicle. Oh and I forgot had to put a pair of headlights on it. They were cloudy and yellow, but driving down the highway one day the whole headlight lens blew off one side.
 
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454cid

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Even though it wasn't brought up, Dodge made a heck of a pickup truck statement in their 1994+ Gen II pickups. Solid axle 4x4's. If those are considered OBS they would do well in, say, a Ford-GM-Dodge OBS comparison. Of course they had the benefit of a later design.

Those things rust terribly. I always wondered why I'd see them with completely rusted bumpers. Well, I bought 3 rear bumpers cheap at the city auction, one year. A black GMT-400, a gray Ford "OBS", and a chrome Dodge bumper. The Ford was the heaviest even though it didn't have brackets. I can't remember if the Chevy bumper had brackets or not.... maybe it had inner ones? The Dodge had everything, brackets, trim and was by far the lightest, but got me the most money.... probably becasue they rsuted out so easily and guys were looking to replace them.
 

Gmule

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This is great subject. I own both a 2002 F-150 4x4 with 5.4 and auto transmission and a 1999 Chevy Tahoe 4x4 with a 5.7 and auto transmission.
Power wise they are about the same
Ride wise they are both really good. The interiors are are also comparable I prefer the Tahoe seating it’s mor comfortable. That could be the difference from a mid grade equipments XLT vs the LT trims.
They both tow my 5,000 pound trailer well. The f-150 feels more stable but I think that I’d the difference between wheel bases and that the F-150 is a few hundred pound heavier.
Fuel mileage is definitely better in the Tahoe my commute to work is mountains, hiway and some city driving. Tahoe averages 15.999 and the F-150 is a solid 13.0 miles per gallon.
I love them both for different reasons both of them are great trucks
 

someotherguy

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As much as I hate a 700r4 or 4L60E they were worlds better than the AOD or the later electronic version of it 4R70?. The OBD1 Furds are a royal pain with goofy junk like EGR valve position sensors and that stupid cigarrete pack shaped frequency MAP sensor. I still have the tool to change those TFI modules that make the GM HEI modules look absolutely reliable. The suspension on ALL Fords is JUNK. I cannot even begin to count how many times you would be driving behind one of those hoopties even 25 years ago and the thrust angle was off so far that riding in the passenger seat going down the road behind one, you were looking at the whole driverside and all 4 tires.
Oooohh that TFI module. The one that when it goes bad, often a symptom is a really high idle, like 1500 RPM.

Surely a piece of anecdotal evidence, but comparing GMT400's to similar-era Fords, as much as Ford claims to be #1 selling truck and blah blah blah for all eternity, how many of those Fords do you still see on the road? A lot less, IMO. And trust me I'm looking for them because on the rare occasion I do see one, I'll text my Ford-loving buddy just to break his balls about it. "Hey I finally saw another old Ford and it was actually running!"

Ford engineered things to be purposefully difficult to service, there's FAR less interchangeability between years and models, just ask the guy who's tried to build one of the engines and has parts sitting around from a few different years. Sure, you could find those examples in GMT400-land too, but not nearly as many.

I'm not 100% brand-loyal - I've owned a lot of vehicles, and yes, most have been GM (mostly Chevy/GMC, couple old Cadillacs), but have owned several late model Mopars, a couple classic BMW's and a Jaguar (Chevy-powered), but never.. NEVER.. owned a Ford. and never will.

Richard
 

b454rat

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I don't care how good a Ford is I'll never own one. I drive alot, see all kinds of vehicles broke down on the side of the road, only ever seen a few GM's. New Fords, Dodges, if it is a GM it's a new one with I'm sure is electrical......

Ford makes better parts lol, but then they aren't Ford, but spec'd by them made by Dana....
 
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