My son owns this truck and he is ready to throw it over the cliff…
He replaced the head gasket;(had the heads done by reputable shop), replaced the thermostat, replaced the radiator, the water pump, and the radiator cap. oh and the fan clutch. he did a complete flush of the whole coolant system. driving highway the temp is good and steady; driving in town the temp fluctuates toward the HOT side. The truck has not overheated (though son is) but he is concerned. any help would be greatly appreciated. he just passed his painting contractors test and is concerned about getting to and from the job… HELP!!!
See if the truck has a fan shroud and an air dam. The air dam should be under the radiator, although a pickup should have a big enough opening in the grille. He should make sure that his coolant reservoir is up to the full cold mark. If his front tires are worn on the sides, he may have to get an alignment. If the steering pulls he may have a stuck brake caliper. The thermostat may not be the right temperature for the truck.