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6.2 for towing

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big4x4ride

1/2 ton status
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Feb 11, 2004
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Corpus Christi, TX
I( am going to be building a tow rig out of an 87 suburban 3/4 ton 4x4 10B front/14 bolt rear. I need to get and engine, tranny/case co,mbo for it and am debating going 6.2/700r4/np208 anyone have any input on using this setup to tow with? I will be towing a Jeep Wrangler on 44/60 axles, 36's and v8 swap done WIll use a 16' trailer for this.
 
:haha: :haha:

6.2 is fine, I really like mine...but I wouldn't give it much consideration for towing.

I wouldn't run a bbc for towing either, unless you only tow short distances. Nothin like single digit fuel mileage to put a hurtin on your wallet.

I'd look for an older Dodge with a CTD, or a Ford with the 7.3 PSD. If you're budget allows the Dmax/allison rigs are great too...but the Dmax is 2001 and newer so it's not like you're gonna find an 'older' one yet.

6.5 TD is marginal IMO, might be OK if you're not towing a ton of weight.

Rene
 
I hear ya, my dually is really fun to drive unloaded, hauls asses (me included..hehe) But for towing...well.

An example- same route, same trailer and load (11000 lbs)

6.2/ Banks= 1 hour 53 minutes
CTD (Bombed)= 57 minutes
 
Prolly on par with using a mild 350 for towing. When my Jimmy was the tow rig for our 21 foot camper trailer the total weight was pushing 11,000 lbs and it was slow as hell too.

Rene
 
so maybe I should just go with a stock 350 instead?? budject only allows me to get this burban going so gotta decide on an engine/tranny combo
 
350 or a 6.2 will be pretty much the same for towing...so if those are the choices I'd go with the 6.2. It'll get better mileage while being just as slow as the 350 :D When not towing it'll easily double the mileage of the 350 though.

It's not like the 6.2 won't do the job...it's just that it won't do the job like any of the newer turbo diesels out there. As long as you know that and are cool with it you'll be fine. Don't forget a really big tranny cooler.

Rene
 
This rig is not going to tow on a weekly basis, just once a month, every other month or something along those lines. Basically its a rig to tow with for the next year and a half or so and then im done with it. I just need to do something because my explorer, and trailblazer are not up to the task of towing my rig
 
If your only towing that often go with the 6.2 and maybe turn the fuel pump up a tick.

With my 6.2 I pulled 20 MPG often when I wasnt pulling a load. Thats 2 MPG better then what my SBlazer gets
 
I have both a 6.5 with a banks kit (used to be a 6.2) in a 88 burb, and a 6.5 with a blower in a 95 burb. They tow like a warmed over big block. Both of them pull well with forced induction, but were pretty unimpressive without.
 
Did some research. I can run a 6.2/sm465 combo and some 3.23 gears in my axles, at 70 mph Id be at 2300 RPM. That would be right in the powerband, and the lo 1st gear would make up for the crappy gears when trying to get moving. ANy input on this?? I have a 6.2 readily available, and a 465 available, I guess maybe its just a gear ratio dilema??
 
You wouldn't even need 'low' to get moving unless it was while towing. 2300 at 70 is decent...

I ran the SM 465 behind my 6.2 for almost three years and loved it. My freeway rpm's at 70 mph was just shy of 2700 rpm though.

The only flaw I see with your plan is if you were hoping to find a used set of 3.23's...they're not very common.

Rene
 
I got an '83 K30 with 6.2 Diesel 1 year ago and have used it for towing duty off and on. Slow is right. It does get a bit better mileage than my 454 powered Crew Cab, but for heavy loads or if I'm feeling impatient, I'll drive the 454 at 7mpg rather than the 6.2 Diesel. My 6.2 wasn't getting much better than 12 or 13mpg anyways.

On it's own or doing really light towing, it does ok, but thats still with 4.10s and 33's and a top speed of under 60mph.
 
big4x4ride said:
Did some research. I can run a 6.2/sm465 combo and some 3.23 gears in my axles, at 70 mph Id be at 2300 RPM.
Click to expand...
I run that combo on my DD Burb. (Actually 3.21 in 14bFF) I don't think you could do the 2-3 shift on anything uphill while towing. :crazy: Just keep it in 2nd with the 4way flashers on and you should be fine :waytogo:

Cruising speed is awesome - right in the powerband. :D

tRustyK5 said:
The only flaw I see with your plan is if you were hoping to find a used set of 3.23's...they're not very common.
Click to expand...
A big-block C20 is the place to look for this optional ratio, although some SBC C/K20s got them too.
 
towing a jeep should be no problem for a 6.2, and if you have it setup right, good injectors, and timed right you should get close to 20mpg.
 
Did even more research and thinking. The 3.23 may suck once I get into a steep grade, and I dont want to wrap it out in 2nd to stay moving, so maybe a ratio change is a better idea. I am going to put the 6.2 and 465 in and get the rig going on my 3.73 rear axle that I have, and put 31's on it and try it out. We have a pretty big bridge here that has a good grade so I will load up and give it a try to see how it does, and then see what kind of RPM's I get at 65-70 mph. Based off this I can get a better idea on ideal gears for my setup to get decent mileage, yet still work on hills.
 
big4x4ride said:
I dont want to wrap it out in 2nd to stay moving...
Click to expand...

You won't need to wrap it in 2nd. Once your realize there's no hope of holding 3rd, you'll learn to settle for 2nd at a moderate rpm. :D

FYI, I run the 3.21 with 33's for optimal highway cruise. 31's don't seem to have any noticeable effect.
 
Mine with 4.10s and when I had 35's, towing another fullsize truck, as soon as I started a small grade I'd loose speed and RPMs and have to shift down from 4th to 3rd, and if it was a long hill, to 2nd.

Even with 33's back on it and 4.10s it has problems with hills. It was a factory SM465/205 truck with 4.56 gears and had 27" tall tires when I got it. You could start out in 3rd gear and top speed was 40. I guess whoever ordered it that way new figured he wasn't going to go fast anyways.

I would think 3.73s and 31's would be an ok combo.
 
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