Your current tow rig vs your older towrig!!!

Discussion in 'Brand Wars' started by DMAXRIG, Mar 30, 2006.

  1. DMAXRIG

    DMAXRIG Well-Known Member

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    Not really trying to start a war here, juts wondering what tow rigs you guys have had in the past, and how you liked em compared to your current tow rig.

    Last Rig- 95 5 speed 12 valve cummins 4x4

    Current Rig- 02 GMC Duramax/Ali 4x4

    I miss the simplicty of the 12 valve, but I like the power better from the Duramax. Im happier with the Duramax than the CTD.
     
  2. the_sandman_454

    the_sandman_454 Well-Known Member

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    New: 2005 Ram 3500 4x4 6speed with the Cummins diesel.

    Old: 1992 Chevy 2500 4x4 automatic with a 350 gas V8.

    There is absolutely no comparison. The Chevy gasser had to rev to the sky in order to marginally accelerate. The Cummins powered Ram will still pull you back into the seat a bit upon acceleration, and you need to be a little careful with application of throttle. The word "effortless" comes to mind. Mileage pulling my boat with the Ram is roughly the same as what the Chevy got empty.

    As far as I can see I'll never have any reason to go back to a gas engine, at least in a truck.
     
  3. mbwagoner

    mbwagoner Well-Known Member

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    for closer to apples to apples I'd have to compare my '03 yukon to my '91 chevy 1500. night and day. ride comfort, power, etc is just amazing. If you through my dodge in there it's not even comparible. I don't notice the boat (all the other 2 ever pull) and when I hook on 10000lbs+ it is just having fun. I'm waiting until I can afford a new truck and I'll have the power of the truck with the comfort of the yukon. :):)
     
  4. BadDog

    BadDog TRC Staff Staff Member

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    I've had a bit of everything over the years. Ford, Dodge, GM; there have been good and bad in all of them. But I really like my current '02 2500HD much better than all that came before. My previous truck was a Ram that I also loved and had a hard time letting go of, but the build quality, while very good and giving me no troubles, is just not up to par with the "new" truck. Previous to that was a Ford, and before that a Chevy, and before that, a totally custom 69 GMC 11k (with 78 (IIRC) front disk suspension cradle, power brakes and steering, with a built 292 and SM465 - brutal) I converted into a flat bed "skid truck" car hauler with a pogo-stick sling. My least favorite was probably the Ford, but it was a fine truck too. Biggest beef with it was NO parts interchange, you almost had to bring in your VIN to get the right parts on some things...
     
  5. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    I live in Modesto California
    Old tow rig: a 10" lifted 1985 K5 Blazer with huge bias ply offroad tires. Good power and torque through from a torquey modified 406 SBC and built automatic. I had really good brakes, due to a 3/4ton conversion and an aggressive proportioning valve that leaned the load heavy on the big rear drums. Still, it was a two handed grip on the wheel with anything more than about 4K behind it and some rough road.

    New tow rig: 2001 Ram Cummins. I don't even think I need to say which tows better, in every way. Can't wait for the Juice and Attitude to get here for it.
     
  6. Brisk

    Brisk Well-Known Member

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    New- 98' Chevy 2500HD 4x4 6.5TD way Better than all the others, most comfortable, most power, most stable, best brakes

    Before that-90' Jeep Cherokee Limited 4x4 w/ 4.0 and auto Worked great for loads under 3500lbs, comfortable and had plenty of power to pull anything that I tried but the brakes sucked and had too much tail wagging the dog

    Before that- 78' Chevy CC DRW w/ built 454 and TH400 2wd Brutal, lots of power and even more gas 6mpg, pulled 15k with it once and it did it without complianing. Truck was ugly, uncomfortable, hot, loud, and took WAY to much gas to feed. real stable but not as much power as my 6.5 and the brakes sucked

    Before that- 95' Chevy 2500 (8lug) 2wd 180k mile 350 Pretty comfortable, fairly stable, NO POWER, 35mph up the grapevine in cali pulling about 5500lbs of ski boat and it over heated. got 9mpg empty and 7 loaded

    First- 90' GMC Suburban 1500 2wd 350 700R4 My first towing experience. pulled the bosses 5500lb ski boat fairly well. Fairly comfortable, not as quiet as the 98'. Squated quite a bit in the rear with only the boat. Decent power for a SB...would pull the same load/grade as above but at 45mph. never got hot and was incredibly reliable. It wouldnt get you there first but it would always get you there.
     
  7. 4054x4

    4054x4 Well-Known Member

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    Location:
    Canoga Park, CA
    New... 2005 Dodge
    Older... 2001 Chevy S-10 (i think we towed a ditch witch with that one time)
    First... 1986 Ford Bronco II (never towed anything w/ that cuz i didnt want to roll over or blow up rotfl )
     
  8. BTTB-RAM

    BTTB-RAM Well-Known Member

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    Location:
    Spring, Texas
    OLD: 1993 Ford F-350 SRW 4X4 7.3 w/ Banks Sidewinder Turbo, ZF5 spd.

    NEW: 2005 Dodge 3500 SRW 4X4 Cummins, w/Banks High Ram, cat delete
    Airaid intake etc.

    I bought the Ford new in '93, never been in the shop and it pulled like
    a freight train.
    I bought the Dodge new in May 2005 and it's been in the shop 3 times for the auto trans.
    Both trucks pull very well but I'll have to give the Ford the "Ribbon"...waytogo
     
  9. budkole

    budkole Well-Known Member

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    had a '95 f350 psd drw 2x4 cc lb-sold it
    had a '03 silverado drw 4x4 cc lb-sold it
    current '02 f350 psd drw 4x4 cc lb
    current '95 f150 I6 300cid 2x4 sc lb (talk about a great motor)

    nothing was wrong with the duramax with the exception that it developed a smoking habit (injectors again, nothing major) but i just felt more comfortable with the 7.3 psd mainly because my '95 had nearly 300k trouble free miles and was as strong as new. So i went back to what i was used to.
     
  10. J. Delaney

    J. Delaney Well-Known Member

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    Old- 1995 F-250 PSD, 4x4 STD Cab
    New- 1999 F-350 PSD, 4x4 CC

    I worked at Ford when I bought my first truck and down loaded a Ryder moving van program. My mileage went from 18-20 to 13-15 but man did she run!!!! That was the only mod I did to that truck and it ran great. Some times I miss it, but the family just won't fit in a standard cab truck.

    Now, my 99! That's a truck!! There are only a few things I like about my 95 that I wish Ford would have kept. Those stupid front 4wd hubs and sealed wheel bearings are a joke!! I also seem to recall the rear hub bearings are a touch smaller too. I also wish Ford would have been able to add a couple of degrees of steering angel in to the front ends. That would have been nice.

    All in all, I'd have to say the new truck is a bit nicer to tow with. But neither one is bad.
     
  11. Beeram305

    Beeram305 Well-Known Member

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    Our 97 Suburban used to tow our camper, now it tows our ATV's. There is no comparison between the two. Going up I-70 East to the Eisenhower tunnel (a very long hill at about 10000 ft elev.) the suburban was in 1st at 45 mph, it was screaming. Same camper last summer, the ram went up in OD, OD! at 65, and my dad was just cruising. These trucks are unreal, that goes for all of them.

    But not the 6.0 :eek:
     
  12. chvyhs

    chvyhs Well-Known Member

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    Talk about night and day towing characteristics.

    Here's my old, 1990, 3/4 Ton, Suburban on 42's. It has really soft suspension, (for the rocks) towing my Chevelle and my car hauler. This combination is just under 6000lbs. This particular trip was a white knuckle ride. I almost slid off the freeway when all the traffic in front of my stopped faster than I could.

    [​IMG]

    So far I've only towed a Toyota mini truck behind my new Dually but there's obviously no comparison between the two. Soon enough I'll be towing the Suburban behind the Dually.

    [​IMG]
     
  13. budkole

    budkole Well-Known Member

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    Good looking truck!waytogo
     
  14. CK5

    CK5 WhooHoo! Administrator Moderator

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    New: 2006 Ram 3500
    Old: 1998 2500 Suburban 7.4

    Nothing more to say. :eek:
     
  15. Seventy4Blazer

    Seventy4Blazer Well-Known Member

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    he he, this one is a good one....

    old: 1998 K3500 dually, 454, 4L80e and 4.10 gears. stock 16 inch rims and 245-75's on it. could MOVE with no load but only got 8mpg empty 3 loaded. couldnt move with a trailer of 9500lbs or more... well, not too well anyway.

    new: 2004.5 ram in my sig. moves GREAT with a 22k goose behind it.. love every aspect of the dodge and have no complaints other than the fact i bought a Srw vice dually....
     
  16. Mikes06_Ram3500

    Mikes06_Ram3500 Member

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    Location:
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    Old: 1991 Ford F-350. Crewcab, dually. Rebuilt (on my nickel) automatic. 7.3L diesel. I loved this old truck. Great styling, fit me perfectly just underpowered.

    New: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500. Quad cab, dually. Six speed MANUAL (lesson learned--no more automatics for me!!). Cummins. Love it!!!
     
  17. kong

    kong Member

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    Old: 98 12V QC 4x4 1 ton dually. Mostly stock with 268k on the clock
    Good old truck, did what I asked, but not much more.

    New: 06 Chevy D/A 4x4 CC Dually
    Great truck. Pulls like nobody's business. Made me forget about the old dodge that I thought I could never part with.
     
  18. MTMike

    MTMike Well-Known Member

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    Location:
    Billings, Montana
    Old: '98 Dodge 2500 360 Gas (Wife's DD)

    New: '05 Dodge 3500 Dually CTD/48RE

    Like others have said, "Effortless" comes to mind. It isn't until I put my 3,000lb slide-in camper into the truck with my K10 on the flatbed behind do I even have a drop in MPH on the big passes. The 360 would slow down to 45mph on small hills and pull passes at 25mph with it wide open in 1st gear without the camper. 65mph is all it would sustain on the flat

    Night and day: Grossing 1900 lbs with the cruise set at 70 is and coming up a hill without even downshifting out of O/D or dropping 1mph just puts an ear-to-ear grin on my face :D every time.
     
  19. rocknbronco

    rocknbronco Well-Known Member

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    Old Rig 95 F150
    New Rig 05 Super Duty so glad I upgraded and cant complain
     
  20. bigbaddiesel

    bigbaddiesel Well-Known Member

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    uhmmm i forgot give me i minute
    well in only 17 so my first rig is my 99' i love it and i pulls the horses adn other constrction eqimpment very well..


    my dad on the other hand had a 1997 powerstroke and curently owns a 2005 kingranch dually..... im not that big of a fan of the 6.0l but still love this truck. pulls the what ever we throw at it and then some
     

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