Cost to build tow Rig..

[ktmoutfront]

This is funny to watch.

I will whip mine out onto the table.

732 ci, 445hp, 1230 fp of torque, 2100 max rpm. Peaks are at 1600. This is from the dyno. So at the tires.

 

[Avery4jc]

I have seen some big truck engines with 500 to 600 HP ratings, but a 1200-HP diesel engine...how is that? I owned a 500 CU. inch Keith Black, all aluminum, Super Charged (30% overdrive), Dodge Hemi, single plug, single magneto, on Methenol fuel engine, which made made only a little more than that in HP. I do not get how a diesel could make almost the same...unless it is a 2000 cubic inch super tanker engine.

Go on youtube and type in "diesel dyno" or "diesel sled pull" or go to the store and pick up some diesel magazines... report back to the conversation in a few weeks.

 

[1-ton]

Go on youtube and type in "diesel dyno" or "diesel sled pull" or go to the store and pick up some diesel magazines... report back to the conversation in a few weeks.

I looked for some 1200 HP diesel dyno vids, and found only one. The guy had some kind of bottle in the back of the truck connected to the engine (although he claimed he had no major modifications on the truck) , and made only one butt-clenching pull on the dyno to make 1200+ HP. I bet he does not do that "all day" or Ka-Boooom. Sled Pulls are 300 Ft. at a time John Deere monsters not driven on the street. Flame on!

 

[Avery4jc]

I looked for some 1200 HP diesel dyno vids, and found only one. The guy had some kind of bottle in the back of the truck connected to the engine (although he claimed he had no major modifications on the truck) , and made only one butt-clenching pull on the dyno to make 1200+ HP. I bet he does not do that "all day" or Ka-Boooom. Sled Pulls are 300 Ft. at a time John Deere monsters not driven on the street. Flame on!

I give... someone else try.
@rjfguitar you try...

 

[rjfguitar]

1400HP daily driven gooseneck pulling truck. When's the last time you saw a 1400HP BBC towing ANY trailer 1 ton?

Eric Miller's white K30 crew cab.
Same truck hauling a house

2168HP until a nitrous explosion blowing up the turbo ended that run

And... a nearly 2000HP Dmax.

 

[jtk26]

You can forget about using an LS to pull 15k around.

Pissin in the wind...

I pull 17k total with my 6.0 3/4 burb no problem. It'll hold 50mph up anything in 2nd gear. Cruises on the freeway in OD no problem either. Of course it has an ls6 cam and springs, 8.1L injectors, tune, exhaust, cold air intake, 4.11 gears etc etc. A slightly modded 6.0 can handle above 15k just fine.

 

[rjfguitar]

I have seen some big truck engines with 500 to 600 HP ratings, but a 1200-HP diesel engine...how is that? I owned a 500 CU. inch Keith Black, all aluminum, Super Charged (30% overdrive), Dodge Hemi, single plug, single magneto, on Methenol fuel engine, which made made only a little more than that in HP. I do not get how a diesel could make almost the same...unless it is a 2000 cubic inch super tanker engine.

I get it dude, you're a drag racer and probably have been doing it for years. You've got race gas and nitro methawhatever running through your veins.

But..... the days of the 6.2/6.5 GM's, IDI fords, and early 160HP Cummins Dodges that you seem to be at, are long gone. You missed a LOT that happened in the late 90's to say 2010. These aren't your grandpa's "350" diesel or IDI 6.9 anymore.

 

[rjfguitar]

I pull 17k total with my 6.0 3/4 burb no problem. It'll hold 50mph up anything in 2nd gear. Cruises on the freeway in OD no problem either. Of course it has an ls6 cam and springs, 8.1L injectors, tune, exhaust, cold air intake, 4.11 gears etc etc. A slightly modded 6.0 can handle above 15k just fine.

You're bumper pulling 17K on the freeway?

 

[campfire]

If we're all throwing numbers around, I have you all beat. I have a stock N/A 6.2 DIESEL rated for 130 HP and 260 ft-lbs of torque. No turbo lag at all.

 

[campfire]

But seriously, I think this thread has gotten thoroughly derailed. The last 2 pages (or so) don't seem relevant to what @sreidmx actually wants to do. I notice he hasn't posted anything since the conversation started getting carried away...

 

[Kay86K5]

But seriously, I think this thread has gotten thoroughly derailed. The last 2 pages (or so) don't seem relevant to what @sreidmx actually wants to do. I notice he hasn't posted anything since the conversation started getting carried away...

This x1000. I like how the thread started with a question of building a simple (really cool) tow rig.....that mind you I'm sure would be used for other duty's other than just having a 15k load attached to it at all times....and it has now turned into a couple guys who have a hard on for diesels (don't get me wrong, they are Bad A and I would like to have one, but some of us don't tow but a couple times a month if that) who are trying to convince us all that unless you have a diesel, you are pissing in the wind.

To the OP, in the end, do what you want with your trucks. Don't let others make the decision for you and try to look beyond the screen name to see why people believe the way they do about this stuff and apply it to what you really want in a truck/tow rig. I think your idea in the first post is very fiesable and would be cool. But if it doesn't make sense for you right now, then find something else that does

 

[Kay86K5]

You're bumper pulling 17K on the freeway?

17K TOTAL (meaning GVW with burb included) and yes bumper pull

 

[jtk26]

You're bumper pulling 17K on the freeway?

No.... I said TOTAL. 7k burb, 10k trailer. 17 total. 17k trailer requires a cdl in my state. It pulls it just fine.

Gas motors do just fine. You have to let them rev, and stay in the powerband. I hit 4500rpm's with my LQ4 all the time while towing, and it doesn't miss a beat. If you tow under 3k with a LS then you it will be a dog, but that will be from operator error. The comparing of gas and diesel, although interesting, is kind of an endless conversation. They are completely different motors, with different throttle responses, spool up times, powerbands, etc etc. If I wanted to tow above 20k then I would get a diesel... oh wait... I did...



And if I wanted to have a multipurpose rig, for hunting, fishing, forest roads, camping, hauling people, driving empty, and towing a single rig, then I would get a strong gasser, like my other tow rig.


OP... you can most definitely build a 73-87 crew cab with some modern guts for 10-12k. 8.1L or 12v cummins with a solid manual tranny, and the rest of the original drivetrain. It will take some time to build, but will be worth it in the long run. I would say the 8.1L would be cheaper and simpler overall to get 500+ ft/lbs. Or you could just buy an 05 cummins for too much money with too many miles on it, and be just like every other herded sheep on the road.

 

[blazinzuk]

My whole point with my comparison was you don't need a diesel to tow with. A modern diesel oh man oh man I love em. It's super nice.

When building a tow rig its gonna a go through stages. Put a Gasser in it. Use it for a while. Get tired of the mileage, get tired of the slow downs, well its next phase time.

Realistically you still have a cranky, rackety old truck. But if you like it. Well. Rock n roll

If you prefer a newer truck well that's your jam rock n roll.

I'm gonna be perfectly happy with my 6.5. And later I will be perfectly happy when I put a modern diesel in.

But I hate the fallacy of you HAVE to have a modern diesel to tow.

It falls into the same category as you HAVE to have one tons to wheel. You just don't

But it would be nice, in both cases

 

[ktmoutfront]

Nooooooo. Don't start the axle debate also.

 

[rjfguitar]

Yes, this did go a bit sideways.

Getting back on topic....remember that the OP said he wanted to know price points on what it would cost to UPDATE the drivetrain in an older GM. He then said he considered a completely different truck altogether than a classic GM depending on cost and cab config.

I still say though, from an ECONOMIC stand point it's tough to beat an OBS 7.3 Ford, early Cummins Dodge, or at a stretch an early Dmax GM.

And yes, staying on topic I personally would prefer to TOW with the trucks I just mentioned over, say an 80's K30 with a 6.0L in it, especially with what it would cost to buy a good clean K30 CC (hard to find to begin with) and LS swap it.

 

[sreidmx]

Hahaha holy crap! You guys derailed better than I could! haha nice man point Sunday for everyone!
The good thing is this gave me some more ideas.
The cheapest thing I think at this point is (keeping the gm theme) a m1008 something clean mind you, not a trashed one. 35s 2-4 inch lift, 6.5 huffer setup intercooler from cummins, no Od because it'll be hooked up all the time, 55 is the max in ca towing. Honestly I don't see why this would tug my crap around just fine?? And if a roast the motor I'll drop a cummins in. The main aversion I have with the newer deisel stuff is how expensive it is to fix, 2500$ for injectors is crazy to me, a freaking tbi engine is cheaper with a warranty. I know you gotta pay to play but this is purely for towing my truck. Dunno maybe a warmed over bbc would net me better performance but much cheaper to fix. I'm used to pulling heavy with gasser's so letting it rev is fine to me. Also my 72 k20 had a mild sbc and 4:10s on 31s and it would pull up to 7k just fine without overheating or anything. Granted it was 4krpm sometimes but I purposely built it so if it had to pull the hill in 2nd it would be right in the fat of the power.. Never felt like I needed more power with that truck.. It made 238hp 290tq at the wheels.. 4200lbs...

 

[blazinzuk]

In all reality the 6.5 gets over looked alot because of certain issues. I don't have a ton of experience with 6.5 turbos but I know quite a few who have had them who liked them.

But then again it seems I rarely do what I " should".

If it gets your beamy Blazer to the bumps and humps in the desert. Who cares.

 

[sreidmx]

I don't either but I figure it's an extremely simple power plant. Not a powerhouse. The last gen 6.5 was a 210/440 motor that is right in line with a stock cummins, and the other thing, I might want to poke this around big bear or trail ride with some buddies, a injected diesel is way better at that then a carbed motor plus the mpg is stupid with the 6.2! I have AAA so I'm not too worried about it leaving me.. The blazer is "street" legal worst case..

 

[Avery4jc]

Or you could just buy an 05 cummins for too much money with too many miles on it, and be just like every other herded sheep on the road.