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towing loads (gas mileage on 8.1l and also Cummins talk)

four_by_ken

four_by_ken

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jun 9, 2001
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Location
Allenton, MI
Any of you guys that tow your Blazer...
What combined weights are you looking at? Trailer and Blazer? Do you add a slide in pick up camper also?

What are you towing with? I am thinking of getting a Cummins Dodge in the spring time summer. A used one with the good mechanical pump. Not the electrical one in the 98.5 and up Dodges.

And for those of you with the drive it to the trail attitude... I welcome you to drive 700 miles in a Blazer with an 8 inch lift and $2000 worth of Boggers, getting 5mpg from a 454. And wheel the living piss out of it and drive it back home.

I would love to live close enough to trails to be able to drive to.


Thanks
Ken H.

'85 K5 in process
 
Re: towing loads

My K5 has been the tow truck most of the time. Right now I'm looking at 3/4 ton Suburbans. I used to use my dad's 77 1ton chevy as a tow truck for my chevelle but the K5 has been it lately. The longer the wheel base the more stable it is. I would like to be able to tow the Blazer to the trail personally. Have you towed your Blazer yet? I have towed a couple of other Blazers and I haven't found a good way of anchoring them down. I've tried tieing them down at the axles and at the frame. Both ways still feel bouncy. What do you do?
 
Re: towing loads

Around 8000 lbs total trailer weight, I have an 18' 10k rated trailer. Tow it w/a '97 Dodge Cummins 5 spd. Best motors are '96-98.5 5 spds. Most stock power (of the 12 valves) and easiest to modify. I've posted before about the trailering, try a search, maybe w/my username. For Cummins info, go to: www.turbodieselregister.com

Pete

'83 K5, 350 TBI (ex 6.2), 700R4, NP208, Dana 60/14 bolt, 4.56s, Detroits, 3" lift, 15-39.5x15 TSLs
'97 Dodge 2500 4x4 CC LB Sport, Cummins 5 spd
 
Re: towing loads

Regarding chvyhs:
I would never tie down by the frame or bumpers. This allows the suspension to flex and bounce over bumps. Over time this will loosen, if not bust the straps or chains that you use. Dangerous. I use ratchet tie downs. They allow you to tighten up about as much as you want. Plus the allow for a tiny bit of movement. I know guys that use both, chains and tie downs. Your choiuse. I like tie ratchet tie downs better my self.

When you have the Blazer on the trailer just make sure it is distributed on the trailer right, or it will be bouncy and hard to handle. And the longer the wheel base the better to tow with.

Ken H.



'85 K5 in process
 
Re: towing loads

Regarding pcorssmit:

This is just what I am looking for. I agree about the years to look for.
I am thinking I will be about 7500+lbs for trailer and Blazer, then another 2000lbs for the camper and another 300+ for parts and tools, probably more than that. So, I am looking at 10,000lbs plus total weight. Then add on the 6000+ lbs of Suburban(current tow vehicle), and thats a lot of weight. I figure an ext cab Cummins will weigh about the same, give or take. Just need to make the step up to a diesel. If the Duramax was a little older... too new for me. Plus, it is a litght duty motor, built for light duty trucks. Where as the Cummins is a medium duty motor stuffed into a light duty truck. Great idea!

Ken H.


'85 K5 in process
 
Re: towing loads

Hey Ken, I tow my K5 with a '99 suburban with a big block. No problems so far. I though about going with a diesel, but since the suburban is my wife's DD I didn't want the associated hassels of a diesel. I try to keep my top speed around 65. I think the main thing you want to look for is a trailer with a low center of gravity. The bed of my trailer is only about 16" off the ground.

'79 K5, '79 Suburban, '76 Br**co, 77 K20
'99 BB 4x4 Suburban to tow more junk home
 
Re: towing loads

I already have a trailer set up and all, 16 foot trailer and an 85 Suburban with a 454. I have been towing for a few years now. I just have buddies that have gone to diesel and it is excellent. I go through 80 gallons of gas before they have to stop to fill up, and they have 32 gallon gas tanks. And theirs tow a ton better. I just wish the older GM diesels were better, plain put THEY SUCK. They dont last any longer than a big block and they have less power than my big block. I have thought about a Cummins in my Burban, but it just isnt worth it. Better to just bite my lip and get a Dodge. Just have to get a bumper sticker that says.

If only GM had Cummins.

With the newer diesels, there really isnt much hassle at all, none really.

Ken H.

'85 K5 in process
 
Re: towing loads

Yeah, I hear ya about the gas mileage thing. I don't notice the bad gas mileage until it's time to fill it up. It takes forever to fill a 40 gallon tank. I'll go Duramax next. Do they offer the Duramax in a Suburban?

'79 K5, '79 Suburban, '76 Br**co, 77 K20
'99 BB 4x4 Suburban to tow more junk home
 
Re: towing loads

Nope, no Duramax in the Suburban.
mad.gif
I don't get it! If GM would put the Duramax in a Suburban, I think they'd sell lots of them. I'm sure that some marketing dweeb looked at the dismal sales of the 6.2 and 6.5 diesel powered Suburbans and decided that there wasn't any demand for diesel Suburbans. But the 6.2 and 6.5 were weak sisters compared to the other diesel offerings from Ford and Dodge! Too bad Dodge never made a Suburban-like rig with the Cummins under the hood. I would have owned one for sure...

But the only way GM will entice me to fork over 40-plus grand for a new Suburban is if they put a serious turbo diesel under the hood. Up here at 6,000-plus feet above sea level, it would make for a serious contender!
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<font color=black>HarryH3 - '75 K5</font color=black>
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.angelfire.com/super/ThunderTruck>www.angelfire.com/super/ThunderTruck</a>
It's a great day to be alive...
 
Re: towing loads

If you have driven one of the new Duromax equipped trucks, I think you will change your mind about it being a "light duty motor". I fell in love with my brother-in-laws 98 1 ton Dodge dump duelly with the cummins turbo and had said if I were to buy a strictly work truck, that's what it would be (second was the powerstroke, follow by the old Gm diesel). I know, I know *lashing*.
That was until recently, one of the guys that works for me just bought a new 1 ton Crew Cab with dump. I asked if I could take it for a spin, and since we happened to be working with my bro-in-law we hooked up to his trailer with the J D on the back and Holy Shi#. That thing has boku nuts!!!!! I'm pissed now because I want one and can't afford it. He gets about the same or better MPG of diesel and can tow/haul more legally (GVW rating). I will say that GM diesel used to be in the dark ages but not anymore.

Now ranked for work trucks
1.GM with Duromax/Allison (only drawback is IFS, but it would not be trail rig so wheel travel is not an issue and it wouldn't be lifted) I have also heard the new front end components are beefier (we'll see).
2.Ford SuperDuty with PowerStroke (solid front axle for plowing)

Tied with the Dodge, both have pros and cons that cancel each other.

2.Dodge with Cummins (soon to be sold, but I guess they are getting a diesel designed by Mercedes) solid front axle too (a true Dana 60 not the F series Dana 50) but that may be changing by '03 or '04

See my rig at <a target="_blank" href=http://coloradok5.com/gallery/Leadfoot>http://coloradok5.com/gallery/Leadfoot</a>
 
Re: towing loads

From what I have heard, GM will be offering the Suburban/Yukon XL with the Duramax, but a slightly tuned down model of it. Why, I dont know. But, at least there is supposed to be one out.

Ken H.


'85 K5 in process
 
Re: towing loads

It's not listed as avilable for the 2002 models on their website.
frown.gif
They only list the 5300, 6000 and 8100 gas engines. I want to be one of the first to test drive one if they do make them available with the Duramax!
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Make mine 3/4-ton, 4WD in dark metallic blue.
smile.gif


<font color=black>HarryH3 - '75 K5</font color=black>
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.angelfire.com/super/ThunderTruck>www.angelfire.com/super/ThunderTruck</a>
It's a great day to be alive...
 
Re: towing loads

I do not deny that the Duramax is one hell of a motor. But, it was designed to go into the 1 ton trucks. Where as the Cummins was designed to be used in heavy duty, larger than one ton work trucks. Then detuned and put into the Dodge trucks. It was an excellent move by Dodge. The Duramax in stock form is a slightly more powerful motor than the Cummins, but only the 24v ones. The 12v Cummins in the way to go.
I argued this point with a bunch a friends of mine that are Cummins guys, one is a mechanic. I was supporting the Duramax. I got to test drive one on the power tour that Duramana and GM did. It was excellent. But, these Cummins guys proved me wrong time after time.

And the PowerStroke is a very good motor also, but the only thing worse is the old 6.2l and 6.5l. I would take the Duramax over the Powerstroke and the Cummins over them all.

If Chevy would have designed a motor to go into the 4500 series trucks and then stuck that into the 1 tons, ti would have been a better competitor for the Cummins.

GM, is back from the dark ages, but it took them WAY to long. Dodge and Cummins were out 10 years ago.

And for now, there are no plans for the Mercedes diesel in the Ram. It is still Cummins for at least a few more years.

Ken H.



'85 K5 in process
 
Re: towing loads

That is what the local dealers are telling me... And I read it somewhere about the detuning it down. That part is stupid. I was thinking of one, but I really want a pickup so I can get a slide in camper.

Ken H.


'85 K5 in process
 
Re: towing loads

Just to elaborate on the Duramax'a not being Medium duty engines, This is NOT true. GM will be putting them in the new 4500 and 5500,6500 trucks, Along with a new I-6 engine also useing the Duramax namesake. The 8.1 will also be a option. I don't think it is a bad engine for those trucks, But one of those 5500's with a CAT whould just be bada$$!! That said I may get to drive one in a year or so if my dad gets one like he's thinking of doing
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. And yes it will even be a 4x4!!!!!
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I am the hunter Who live's in the darkness, And grows through your fears...... And you are the hunted.
 
Re: towing loads

The reason they have to de-tune the engine is because the Allison will not fit in the transmission tunnel of the suburban. They will have to use the 4L80E. The 4L80E in stock form will not handle the output of the Duramax. That is also why the 8.1 has the 4L80E.

My .02,
John

<font color=blue>"When all else fails, read the instructions, or get a bigger hammer"</font color=blue>
 
Re: towing loads

Just a note my 01 burban with the 8.1 has the new 4L85E, and GM fleet says that there will be nothing but gas motors in the Burban's of this body style.

72 Blazer CST 400TPI NV4500 NP203/205
01 Suburban 8100 2500 4X4
 
Re: towing loads

Not to argue, but I guess I am...

The Duramax is a light duty motor compared to the Cummins.

Ken H.

:-)

'85 K5 in process
 
Re: towing loads

This makes sense as to why the Duramax would have to be detuned. Sucks.

Ken H.

'85 K5 in process
 
Re: towing loads

I wouldnt doubt you are right about the diesel not being an option. Most of them time I find out more about the new trucks befiore the dealership guys do. They seem like idiots.

Ken H.

'85 K5 in process
 
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