What do you like (or hate?) about your tow rig?

Discussion in 'General Tow Rig Discussion' started by Divorced, Aug 6, 2006.

  1. willyswanter

    willyswanter Well-Known Member

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    Costs me $2400 a year for my dodge and chevy with full coverage :doah: Thats with my good driver discount (no tickets).
     
  2. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    Welcome to beautifull sunny California....:rolleyes: Thats full coverage and I no tickets, no accidents, and a good driver discount because of the first two...

    Insurance companies go by the type of insurance, the value of the vehicle, and the area you live in. The area you live in effects rates more than people think, it's quite simple though, California IS rush hour traffic 24/7.
     
  3. Brisk

    Brisk Well-Known Member

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    HAHA glad i moved!! insurance is cheaper here too
     
  4. rocknbronco

    rocknbronco Well-Known Member

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    I have got a SD and I'm more than happy with it I get 18mpg and about 12 to 8 mpg towing.I wish it was a six speed and had tow command but other than that I'm as tickeled a a pig in a pig pin with it.I got a I could haul my family in once I get kids right now its my Husky and German Shepard and wifes mexican rats and still haul my Bronco or Mustang.
     
  5. MTMike

    MTMike Well-Known Member

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    The only thing I dislike about my tow rig is the fact that they didn't offer the NV5600 in late '05 and I had to settle for an Auto.
     
  6. sapper

    sapper Well-Known Member

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    I have a 04.5 LLY Duramax and love the truck except two things, the first is the front end, its just ugly, I liked the front end on my 02 alot better, it had the HD hump in the center of the hood and looked good. The other thing is the same as a few other guys have said, towing mpg. I was under the impression that all diesels got 20 mpg regardless of whats on the back but thats true. Of course my 02 was a 6.0 liter that got 12.5 mpg empty in town and around 8 pulling my blazer, this 04 gets 18-20 empty driving around town and 12-13 mpg pulling. I have also put on a 4" turbo back exhaust and Hypertech pregrammer with just a touch of improved mpg, but the power increases have made pulling grades alot better, it takes alot to drop it out of OD
     
  7. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    Who ever told you this?:rolleyes: Any engine that runs off any type of fuel is going to see mileage loss as more mass is added to the weight of the vehicle. Thats common sense. The fact that mileage goes down intown should give a guy a clue. Where did you hear this rumor?

    However, diesels do manage to get more power to the ground and heavier loads effect their mileage less than a gas engine, but NOT completely. We get 12-16mpg pulling trailers, darn good IMHO.
     
  8. sapper

    sapper Well-Known Member

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    It was a jokerotfl
     
  9. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    rotfl Oh...:doah:
     
  10. Dieseldees

    Dieseldees Member

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    I hate all the things I can buy to modify my rig. :D There goes all my money! Love the power!
     
  11. 70Dustpan

    70Dustpan Member

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    It only gets 8 MPG.
     
  12. Brisk

    Brisk Well-Known Member

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    Its not a CC D-MAX:doah:
     
  13. rocknbronco

    rocknbronco Well-Known Member

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    I tihnk we all are kinda that way hate to spend it but love the power
     
  14. Diesel Nut

    Diesel Nut Well-Known Member

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    I hate the fact I'm not in the 11's yet. rotfl

    Soon . . . . . :stir:
     
  15. BadDog

    BadDog TRC Staff Staff Member

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    I absolutely love my GM 2500HD D/A Crew. After much research, it seemed the ideal mix of daily driver, family hauler for road trips, load hauler for wheeling trips, and mild camping (don't want to mess it up going way out, 1 ton K5 for that :D).

    There were various things I didn't like about the other 2 of the big 3. Ford 6.0 and bad ergonomics (for me anyway), particularly that Tempo sized steering wheel 3 feet away. Both Ford and Dodge had SFA which significantly (to my mind) affected driveability, particularly on rough roads at speed and with changes in stance due to load. Skitter effects and tracking issues were what I noticed most, while the IFS GM handled them with the same ease as IFS 2WD truck. Since I had NO intentions of lifting and wheeling it (or posseur duty), the IFS drawbacks didn't apply. And finally, Dodge didn't even offer a crew cab at the time.

    The only complaints I've found so far are very minor. I would prefer a 40/20/40 split bucket/bench front seat with cloth to the leather captains buckets that GM *forces* on you with the upscale trim (just like Ford with the Laramie package). I would also switch to a mechanical rather than push button transfer case. Hmm, that’s all I can think of that I would change...
     
  16. mbryson

    mbryson Well-Known Member

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    Personally, I don't feel as safe towing with the IFS trucks and that's why I DON'T own a GM for the first time in 25 years (last GM was an '89 Suburban that I kept waiting for an HD solid axle GM truck). I've had to buy a F*rd and other than the round emblem and a few other Dearborn issues, it's been a great truck.
     
  17. Hossbaby50

    Hossbaby50 Well-Known Member

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    I have a 98 Dodge 24v Cummins, Longbed, quadcab, 4x4, 5spd manual. I love my truck. It is a great for me and where I am in life right now. I do alot of driving 5K/month and it gets 18-20mpg consistent and up to 22mpg babied. It is all stock and even still the power is plenty for DD work and light to moderate towing (up to 7K). I will add some power soon to help tow the K5 threw the hills though.

    What I don't like is the quadcab is to small for normal size people for a long period of time. I don't have kids though so it doesn't really matter. Someday I will invest in a 03 or newer with the larger back seat. Beyond the rear legroom I have no real complaints. Good mileage, good power, & rides and drives pretty well.

    I currently have 1500lbs+ in the bed and the truck doesn't really notice there is any extra weight in there. I have a 11.5" AAM Chevy dually rear axle, SBC 350 all dressed out, and a toolbox full of tools. It doesn't even care that it is all there.

    Harley

    P.S. Oh ya, I wish I had a couple years newer so I had disk rear brakes. The drums do fine but disks would be nicer.
     
  18. BadDog

    BadDog TRC Staff Staff Member

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    Sorry, that makes no sense to me. What exactly makes you feel unsafe with IFS? Do you feel unsafe in a 2WD truck that has smaller weaker components than 4WD IFS? And if SFA was safer or more stable, don’t you think that 2WD trucks would still be using it? Do you realize that both Dodge and Ford have had significant longevity problems with components of their SFA front suspensions?

    I don't deny that they are fine trucks in their own right, I’ve owned and enjoyed representatives from each brand. Each has it’s own strengths and weaknesses, but there is so much FUD spread about IFS (mostly in and around the off-road community) that many people have completely irrational reaction to it's use in a tow rig...
     
  19. mbryson

    mbryson Well-Known Member

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    You and I have had this discussion before. I don't like towing with 2WD trucks. I've been using solid axle Chevs since I've been driving. I'm simply more comfortable with a little freeway expansion joint 'bounce' than with the trackwidth cycling. YMMV
    note: Notice the "I" part of the above. This IS MY OPINION and why I don't own an IFS truck (and have felt strongly enough about it to NOT buy GM---they're not listening, so it doesn't matter).

    Yes, I am aware of the issues with trackbars, unit bearings and any number of other things that can go wrong with a solid axle. The axle itself isn't the issue. It's the demands of the consumer for a heavy duty pickup with a 'car-like' ride. I'm OK with my truck riding like a truck (in fact, I prefer that--Motor Trend and Car and Driver will NOT agree with me, I'm sure----I don't care). Are you aware of draglinks, CVs, halfshafts, pitman arms and unit bearing issues with the IFS?

    My personal opinion is the GM trucks are probably great for those that buy their trucks for towing up and down interstates and only need their 4x4 to get out of a muddy corral or to give them 4x4 traction in inclement weather. If you need to actually get equipment to a remote jobsite with primitive roads (say a mining or ranching operation), a solid axle system will tend to be more reliable under extreme conditions.

    (The only part I'm worried about with my '99 F250's solid axle is the uberexpensive unit bearings. I prefer the spindle/inner-outer bearing setup of my 'Jeep' D60 (GM) for maintenance and replacement costs.) I also prefer an manual trans. GM doesn't seem to care that that's what I WANT to buy, so again, I'm forced to look at other mfg. offerings---{but that's a whole other conversation--GM doesn't care about selling ME a truck because of a lot of things........I want a decently equipped truck and would even buy a NEW one (even with IFS) IF I didn't end up pricing a truck to $45K if I wanted the CD player and power lock/windows options (seemed like I got ONstar, automatic trans, 5 passenger seating and a few other things I didn't want and didn't want to pay for. My neighbor sells Chev, so I felt I owed to him (and to me) to take a HARD look at the GM before buying--it's not for me---one last note and I will go away. I did NOT notice much of a ride difference between the new '05 Dodge 2500 and the GM HD 2500---it was there, but it wasn't enough for me to not buy the Dodge (diesel vs. diesel). It was plenty smooth for my taste.)}.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2006
  20. BadDog

    BadDog TRC Staff Staff Member

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    Yeah, I understand, and don't want to turn this into another IFS debate, so I won't go into the differences in "ride" vs. "handling". Anyone interested can see old threads for a complete discussion. :D

    I can completely understand if a person simply prefers SFA to IFS for any reason (and you really can't differentiate between 2WD and 4WD here, which you don't), personal opinions vary. Your feel for “right” and responses is tuned to SFA and that carries over to your tow rig, where an IFS has different behavior that makes you feel uncomfortable and that the trucks behavior is somehow wrong.

    So I’m in no way trying to say you’re decision was wrong. It was the characterization of "SFA is safer" that I felt compelled to comment on. AFAIK, the SFA catastrophic failure rate is no lower than IFS (lifts excepted). So you simply *feel* safer in SFA, and I was just trying to express my opinion that this was simply “feeling” and not fact. Sorry, didn’t mean to come off as provocative...

    And you are SO right about those unit bearings, IFS or SFA.
     

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