I guess it could be brake related.? I haven't been running this long, just got it all together and legal 3 months ago. Maybe 400 miles so far. Still getting a handle on it.
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CK5
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Can you cruise at 80+mph in your truck?
- Thread starter y5mgisi
- Start date
I guess it could be brake related.? I haven't been running this long, just got it all together and legal 3 months ago. Maybe 400 miles so far. Still getting a handle on it.
The theory has been put out that when you get on the brakes, it can rotate the axle , even with a sway bar, to induce a small amount of steering input to the arm on the axle. Makes sense to me, since my '70 quit doing it after going crossover.
Yes, there is more bump steer, which became more obvious when I swapped to ORD springs and gained a good ride.
But it doesn't pull when I get on the brakes now.
The pull during braking was even noted in a Motortrend review of the '89 Blazer.
I saw this all discussed in another thread.
Yes, there is more bump steer, which became more obvious when I swapped to ORD springs and gained a good ride.
But it doesn't pull when I get on the brakes now.
The pull during braking was even noted in a Motortrend review of the '89 Blazer.
I saw this all discussed in another thread.
I've taken my 89 k5 to 2 different beaches, one about 2.5 hours away and the other 3.5 hours. Also took it on a ski trip with some buddies which was about 200 miles away I believe. Ended up taking like 6 or 7 hours cause it was pretty much in the middle of a blizzard.
It's got 33x12.5 with about 2" of lift, 350, 2.73s (in the process of changing,) and a 700r4.
I've been 80-90 in it a couple times on those trips, but I wouldn't want to do that the whole trip. Honestly, I usually avoid the interstate and stick to back roads at about 55-65 mph... Mainly just because it's a lifted, swb truck and I'd hate to see what would happen if a quick, evasive maneuver had to be made at that speed.
Both beach trips were with the top off too. A LOT of road noise, but it's fun getting all the looks and compliments driving around the busy areas. It seems like most people these days haven't seen a topless blazer before. Heck, I never really had until I got mine
It's got 33x12.5 with about 2" of lift, 350, 2.73s (in the process of changing,) and a 700r4.
I've been 80-90 in it a couple times on those trips, but I wouldn't want to do that the whole trip. Honestly, I usually avoid the interstate and stick to back roads at about 55-65 mph... Mainly just because it's a lifted, swb truck and I'd hate to see what would happen if a quick, evasive maneuver had to be made at that speed.
Both beach trips were with the top off too. A LOT of road noise, but it's fun getting all the looks and compliments driving around the busy areas. It seems like most people these days haven't seen a topless blazer before. Heck, I never really had until I got mine
Your all just scared.. If Ethel could do 80mph I would drive everywhere at 81mph just because I like to live dangerously!!!
My truck would probably cruise at 80 mph--if it had tires I could trust..
The gearing seems high enough so it doesn't redline the 6.2 at 70+ mph,it still has quite a bit of pedal left..but once it hits 70 or so,the tires go from feeling round,to "oval"...none are balanced either--rides smooth as can be up to 65 mph or so,after that,I feel my life is in danger..the shocks on it are junk too..
Also around here its not often you can GO 80 mph,only on some interstates during non rush hour traffic..and chances are excellent you'll have a cop pulling you over,before you got more than a few miles at 80 mph behind you..
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I stay off the interstates as much as possible...not because I'm scared of high speeds--I just dont like taking my truck on them...if it decides to break down,last place I want to be is in the breakdown lane,with cars and semi's flying by at 75 mph....
The gearing seems high enough so it doesn't redline the 6.2 at 70+ mph,it still has quite a bit of pedal left..but once it hits 70 or so,the tires go from feeling round,to "oval"...none are balanced either--rides smooth as can be up to 65 mph or so,after that,I feel my life is in danger..the shocks on it are junk too..
Also around here its not often you can GO 80 mph,only on some interstates during non rush hour traffic..and chances are excellent you'll have a cop pulling you over,before you got more than a few miles at 80 mph behind you..
..I stay off the interstates as much as possible...not because I'm scared of high speeds--I just dont like taking my truck on them...if it decides to break down,last place I want to be is in the breakdown lane,with cars and semi's flying by at 75 mph..
..
My 1991 V3500 3+3 Crew Cab is lifted too high to cruise at more than 70-MPH. There is too much wind resistance going up against the front differential.
I had a 1977 C30 Dually with a 454/T400/Dana-70 that could do 80-MPH for ever. After rebuilding the 454 with a hot RV cam and a Carter 750 CFM carb, new suspension, new tire & rims, that C30 could do 80 + MPH on the interstate without breaking a sweat.
I remember being on the Interstate out in the middle of nowhere doing 80+ MPH for hours in my 1977 C30, and having little Japanese cars going around me, all hot to get around my giant truck blocking their view, only to fall back after their engine got to hot to keep up the pace, and going back around them again. Those people would get so pissed at me.
I had a 1977 C30 Dually with a 454/T400/Dana-70 that could do 80-MPH for ever. After rebuilding the 454 with a hot RV cam and a Carter 750 CFM carb, new suspension, new tire & rims, that C30 could do 80 + MPH on the interstate without breaking a sweat.
I remember being on the Interstate out in the middle of nowhere doing 80+ MPH for hours in my 1977 C30, and having little Japanese cars going around me, all hot to get around my giant truck blocking their view, only to fall back after their engine got to hot to keep up the pace, and going back around them again. Those people would get so pissed at me.
Just so everyone knows I drove Ethel this morning to work, I have a gps verified speed max of 86mph!!! And yes it was kind of sketchy.. and no I didn't feel the governor but I'm not sure it would bounce at that high of a load I think it would just level off and not allow anymore rpm??
My pickup will do it no problem, mechanically speaking...but the noise, lack of cruise control, and lack of AC in the summer make it non-ideal for this 39-year old.
That's stuff I didn't care about when I was younger - I had a really tan left arm back then and some mid-freq hearing loss now
The Blazer will also do it, but it's slightly wound out - a lot more comfortable at 65. The IFS Burb is loafing at 70, will do 80 in comfort.
That's stuff I didn't care about when I was younger - I had a really tan left arm back then and some mid-freq hearing loss now
The Blazer will also do it, but it's slightly wound out - a lot more comfortable at 65. The IFS Burb is loafing at 70, will do 80 in comfort.
There should be no limit to your speed. 5000RPM in 4th gear is like 252MPH.
lol yeah. Maybe downhill... I'm swapping 4.10 axles in it now though.
On the 37" BFG's my SAS truck drives stockish, minus the body roll. I've had it over 90 a few times. 4.56 and OD with 37's 80 isnt breaking a sweat. On the 39.5's its sketchy at 75.
My crew cab starts running out of wind around 80 with 4.10's and the same 37's, but its comfortable to drive at that speed if you can keep up with the fuel consumption.
Both are ex military drivetrains with under 100k, both are pretty tight.
My crew cab starts running out of wind around 80 with 4.10's and the same 37's, but its comfortable to drive at that speed if you can keep up with the fuel consumption.
Both are ex military drivetrains with under 100k, both are pretty tight.
Make sure your left caliper isn't stuck.
You won't get pulled over by the police for doing 80 mph on I80 in Nebraska, as the speed limit is 75........
Martin
Same for where I did my testing last summer. 80MPH was barely keeping up with traffic.
Do I consider it normal? No, I do not. But my fellow drivers seemed to think it was.
This thread is really weird and odd, the different configurations we all have and some that are similar that cant go 80. It's almost like its annoying in a way...
The way I look at it is, when these trucks were new the max speed limit was like 60, so going 80 is like warp speed.
The way I look at it is, when these trucks were new the max speed limit was like 60, so going 80 is like warp speed.
I suspect it has more to do with the people than the trucks. Can I put my accelerator to the floor and reach 90 mph? I believe I can. I just won't. Probably correlates with age. Get a family, some obligations, a checking account with more than $500 in it... priorities change. Maybe I'm getting too philosophical. 
I suspect it has more to do with the people than the trucks. Can I put my accelerator to the floor and reach 90 mph? I believe I can. I just won't. Probably correlates with age. Get a family, some obligations, a checking account with more than $500 in it... priorities change. Maybe I'm getting too philosophical.
It might, I feel completely safe at 80 and so do my passengers, they all have said it is amazingly good. When they get out I ask them to turn around and look at it and I say does it look like it will do what we just did in it? The answer is always NO, which is what makes it that much better.
I suspect it has more to do with the people than the trucks. Can I put my accelerator to the floor and reach 90 mph? I believe I can. I just won't. Probably correlates with age. Get a family, some obligations, a checking account with more than $500 in it... priorities change. Maybe I'm getting too philosophical.
Yes, there is a lot of driver factor in play here. But not entirely. I'm willing to drive 80 on the high-speed 4-lane in my small-tired stocker, and that's because it's still smooth and quiet and balanced at that speed. The army truck vibrates, the brakes are out of balance, steering is loose, wheelbase is shorter, the locker pushes the rear around, and it gets quite loud (so I wouldn't be able to hear if a wheel problem developed at that speed). My answer for that truck is very different, and it's not because I'm a different driver when I drive that truck. It's because that truck is not capable of the same speeds that the stock one is. At least not yet.
It's mostly moot for me, as my local highways are all winding 2-lane 55MPH roads. But if I were to take the Blazer down to lower Michigan next summer I would be back-roading it instead of taking the interstate this time.
Incorrect. For the later trucks it was 55, but not for the early trucks, and not on the interstate.
Edit, I stand corrected. Only the very early models were sold before the National Speed Limit. I was mixing up the start of it with the start of 85 mph max speedometers.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Maximum_Speed_Law
Martin
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I suspect it has more to do with the people than the trucks. Can I put my accelerator to the floor and reach 90 mph? I believe I can. I just won't. Probably correlates with age. Get a family, some obligations, a checking account with more than $500 in it... priorities change. Maybe I'm getting too philosophical.
Cute attempt at insults.
Martin
