C3500HD tow rig

[red EOD]

First move trip is completed, 2 more to go. Trailer had some problems (details in its thread) so it will be staying down there for now and will use a rental trailer for the 82 crew cab move.

The 3500HD for the most part did well with the 24,000 lbs. Cruised at 60mph most of the trip, lowest had to downshift was to 3rd on some long decent climbs and the steep ones between Moab and Monticello, Utah. The truck had 2 problems. A hole developed in the fuel tank which was patched up when I got to Texas, tank needs replaced. And the clutch master/slave cylinder gave out again. That's the second time within 6 months.

New tires provided good traction on the property despite the fact that it had been raining there for about a week before. Initially drove in without the trailer expecting to sink and have to take the stuff to the property one truckbed load at a time, wasn't that way thankfully. Dragged the trailer in with no issues.

 

[swettysblazer]

Cool truck. I like it.

 

[red EOD]

The 82 crew cab is back with a completed intake plumbing from turbo-engine, have a rental trailer lined up to transport it down to the lake next weekend. For the final trip and my temporary living arrangements while doing construction at the property found this toy hauler. Cheap enough that it's worth transporting it and gives a place to store my in house stuff for awhile.

 

[red EOD]

Second load of stuff moved down to Texas. Rented the trailer which reminded me part of why I prefer gooseneck/5th wheels. Fuel economy is currently 8-10mpg loaded heavy, 11-12mpg with just the trailer, 19mpg empty. All cruising at 60mph, 2400rpm. Improving that is a future goal.

The HD handles itself well at 60mph with these weights (24k last trip, estimate 22-25k with the wrecker). If the truck can be modified to handle the same way at 70mph I'll be happy with it. Figure hx35, intake, exhaust, tune, and regear to around 4.10's should take care of it.

 

[sweetk30]

nice . . .

and thanks for the 4 corner tie down . . . lots of people dont do this and or use stuff way to under rated . i know you were in the biss or still are so you know to do it .

 

[red EOD]

nice . . .

and thanks for the 4 corner tie down . . . lots of people dont do this and or use stuff way to under rated . i know you were in the biss or still are so you know to do it .

Yea, scary what some people do. Prefer chains but this rental trailer was better setup for using straps. So 4 4500 lb straps for the axles to secure the truck, plus 4 small straps to keep the body roll in check due to the soft suspension.

A stout enough tow rig is another common problem, which is honestly the main reason why I bought the HD rather than another 1 ton considering the weights I usually tow. It lacks power/speed, but has far better brakes and is better built to handle the weight.

This truck will get a few upgrades. Regear to probably 4.30's in the axle to get the cruising speed up to 70mph (2300rpm compared to the current 60mph 2400rpm). Along with some performance increases to maintain the higher speed. Turbo, tune, intake/exhaust will take care of it. 4.65 axle gears is the other option which would set it up for 65mph.

 

[Truckman4life]

How was that much weight up high on a deckover? My brother in law has one like that and I would like to buy a similar one at some point?

 

[red EOD]

How was that much weight up high on a deckover? My brother in law has one like that and I would like to buy a similar one at some point?

Not as well behaved as with a gooseneck/5th wheel trailer, kinda squirrley if the wrecker suspension started to move around. Once the second set of straps was added to anchor the body it was fine. The rented trailer is a Big Tex 140A, 20ft 14k pound rating.

To add though, the suspension on the wrecker is extremely soft/uncontrolled right now. No shocks, bump stops, lotta weight and soft springs.

 

[Truckman4life]

Not as well behaved as with a gooseneck/5th wheel trailer, kinda squirrley if the wrecker suspension started to move around. Once the second set of straps was added to anchor the body it was fine. The rented trailer is a Big Tex 140A, 20ft 14k pound rating.

To add though, the suspension on the wrecker is extremely soft/uncontrolled right now. No shocks, bump stops, lotta weight and soft springs.

I think that is the exact trailer my brother in law bought. It's a nice one for sure. Gooseneck definitely makes them nicer but then it makes it a bit overkill for just hauling side by sides and kids quads and other not so big loads.

 

[red EOD]

Move to Lake Brownwood Texas is completed. The camper was the lightest load at about 9-10k pounds for trailer/cargo.

 

[sweetk30]

if the move is done dont forget to update your profile info there buddy @red EOD

and glad it all went good .

 

[Truckman4life]

Sucks the oilfield has tanked so bad in the meantime. Hope all is well job wise!

 

[red EOD]

Sucks the oilfield has tanked so bad in the meantime. Hope all is well job wise!

Got an email a few days ago saying that it's been delayed until at least June depending on the market at that point. Financially I made the move planning on only having my VA payments so I'm not in trouble without work, just slows things down haha.

 

[red EOD]

Just some basic maintenance with the HD lately. Old power steering hoses started springing a leak so swapped out the 3 main ones (not the 2 on the cooler, since they were ok and it only comes with the cooler). A exhaust leak developed in the crossover tube from the driver side manifold-passenger side so got an upgraded one and currently waiting for the exhaust wrap to arrive before installing it.

Other than that, looking like this will become my only truck for awhile. Fits the towrig duty extremely well for the weight range I tend to end up at without being maxed out there.

Used the bed winch to drag out some of the boulders in the "driveway" on the lake property. Currently can't afford to actually build the driveway but soon enough.

 

[red EOD]

Bit more use out of the thrown together gin poles a few days ago, kept the poles retracted (11ft) since didn't need much height. Meeting up with a friend in Kansas next week where a new bed will be built for this truck. Plan is to use the Holmes 500 wrecker mast/winches, then modify the current gin poles to serve as the wrecker booms. Will make it much easier/faster to rig things for lifting and extending the poles. Building a rolling tailboard on the new bed as well so between the roller and the pole relocation it will be able to self load heavy things onto the bed.

Going with 6ft 6in width for the bed which matches the cab, then some plate steel added to serve as fenderwells around the outer duals.

 

[Truckman4life]

Post pics when you do get to building the bed please. I love that kinda stuff.

 

[red EOD]

Post pics when you do get to building the bed please. I love that kinda stuff.

Will do. Some details on the new bed (for ideas and material list).
1/8" diamond plate for the deck.
6" C channel for the sub frame and main roller support frame.
3" C channel for the cross pieces.

The aluminum fuel tank will be relocated as a saddle tank along the driver side and will still serve as the primary fill location. Going to use a fuel pump (another Walbro FRB-5) to transfer the fuel from it to the stock tank.

Main goals for the bed are the ability to lift heavy items, self loading, extended fuel range, less wind resistance for better fuel economy, and ability to tow gooseneck/5th wheel trailers.

Holmes 500 with the modified poles covers the lifting capability wonderfully since this truck has the chassis to handle those winches and the weight. Between the winches and the rolling tailboard it will make self loading easy when paired to my 8ft metal skid (pic). Narrowing the bed, no headache rack, and shortening the height of the wrecker mast will reduce the wind resistance and hopefully help with fuel economy. Granted it's not a lightweight truck but has necessary weight. Currently has about 90 gallons of fuel tank storage (don't know if it can reach all of that fuel, probably leaves 5 gallons inaccessible in the stock tank) gives it good range when towing heavy. Would like to eventually increase that range so the truck can make it 1000 miles while towing heavy before needing fuel. As for the hitch I have both the universal rails available (current use) or a B&W turnover ball that can be used in the bed. I do like 5th wheels better for pavement towing but that would require a significantly larger hole in the bed like it currently has with the universal rails, or the hitch sitting 3" higher with the B&W (both hitch designs will sit 2" higher than current due to the 6" sub frame, so 2" increase for universal rails, 5" increase for the B&W).

Right now the height is just about perfect with the toyhauler attached but the taller sub frame is needed so the tires stop hitting the bed cross pieces.

 

[red EOD]

The skid is ugly, useful, 500 lbs, and durable as hell haha. Has more tie down points along the outside edges so cargo gets secured to it, then use the bed winch to drag it up/over the roller onto the bed. The old crew cab flatbed was just a piece of pipe welded in place, didn't roll.

The skid was built from 2 steel pallets and some frame rails from an old military dump truck I scraped out.

 

[red EOD]

Think this particular gin pole setup knows it's about to get changed out, getting used more often right now hahaha. Picked up about 600 gallons of fresh water, figuring water weighs 8 lbs per gallon at 300 gallons plus 50 lbs for the container, roughly 2450 lbs per tank. As can be seen in the 1st pic, the bed is flexing some (bed is secured at the hitch front/rear, and again at the pole base, but not at the very front).







Gotta use them again this week to load the wrecker bumper, and the wrecker bed onto the trailer. Bit of a design change with the bed for the truck after talking more with my friend about how I use the truck and what I want/need from it. Actually don't need much bed space. Largest thing I carry on the bed is the kayak and aux fuel tank, besides that it's small items or I hook up the trailer. With that in mind we discussed a modified version of the minimalist/hotshot bed. Pic for reference of that usual design. Going this route would have:

6in C channel for the frame, 20ft total. 1 Sheet of diamond plate needed for the floor. 4in C channel for crossmembers between the 6in frame.

Wrecker mast at the front using the current gin poles as the new booms. This actually makes the poles much easier to extend when needed by just laying the booms on the bed and dragging the extension out from behind the truck. Using the B&W hitch allows for a flat bed, only 34in wide and puts the hitch at the same height it currently is. Use the wheel wells from the wrecker bed and have them even with everything else. That gives a flat spot for the booms to rest on when they are not needed. The wrecker bed has a storage box that is built between the wheel wells, 7in tall and a bit over 40in wide. I'm thinking cut it down to match the 34in wide frame rails and set it at the back of the bed. Little bit of storage at the very rear of the bed and would make a nice looking taper to go from the 6in bed frame rails down to the truck frame. Lastly use part of the plate that serves as the wrecker rear bumper/wheel lift mount/sling mount.

 

[red EOD]

Oddly enough I think the wrecker bed is lighter than expected, the gin poles handled it easier (bed and mast together) than a single water tank. Once the axle was loaded up lowered the poles for hopefully the last time on this bed.