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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 13:10:48 GMT -5
On the other board ib started a 2500HD thread and have done now questions. Here is little back ground. I live in Omaha NE and we do allot of local camping with one trip or two where we will go farther than normal. Most trips are 50-100 miles and the long one will be 200-300 miles. I have a 2004 Chevy Silverado with the 4.8 vortex motor, 373 gears, and over load springs. We went to lake Francis Case about 215 miles allot of up hill travel. Going up in the morning truck did well until about noon time frame and it getting hot outside. Once it got hotter out my truck ran 3/4 hot and seemed to have allot less power. The camper is 5900 lbs dry weight and probably 7000lbs loaded. Truck is rated for 9000 lbs new. On the way back we left at 1pm and truck ran 3/4 hot all the way back home whole trip we ran from 60-70mph only cause I was trying to keep up with my goofy dad who thinks he had to run 70mph. Next time we go at our own pace and run around 55-60mpg.
If I flush the radiator and change thermostat hoping it will run cooler while pulling I wonder if that will help? Also if I put dual exhaust and cold air intake will that help also? My wife and I are looking at newer and bigger campers because the one we have doesn't work well with our family. I've found some 26' bunk house campers that weigh 4200-5700 lbs and hope the lighter 4200lbs camper has the right lay out for us cause then it would be allot easier to pull.
If I can get my truck to work I'd like to keep it till it falls apart then I'll get a bigger and probably a diesel truck and at that time be easier to afford a diesel better than now.
Are there any campers out there that have years of experience and any knowledge or been there done that ideas? My wife and I are young and I'm trying to grow into camping as to loading up the bills and wishing we had not so to speak.
Thanks
Chad
Also if it's running 3/4 hot would it take power from the truck?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 14:13:23 GMT -5
How many miles on the truck? The radiator may not flow as new due to buildup. My 5.3 will tow my camper approx 6500 lbs loaded and full water tanks at 70 here in the east Tn hills but it gets better mileage and doesn't work nearly hard running 60. Also, if it has tow/haul mode, use it because some gm trucks lock in the converter after the 1-2 shift. This feature reduces trans temps by eliminating hydraulic slippage in the converter. The tranny runs thru a cooler in the radiator which takes away from engine cooling capacity. One other thing is to turn off the AC.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 14:25:38 GMT -5
150k probably a good radiator flush and new thermostat will help allot. Ran it in tow haul mode whole time and in 3rd to keep out of over drive. AC was running. And outside temp was 100° with allot of humidity.
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Post by hillbill on Jul 19, 2015 14:52:01 GMT -5
the little v-8 is working pretty hard even when fairly new, I would opt for a later model truck if possible.
I own two trucks
1. 07 Toyota tundra 5.7 4x4 with tow package (.430 gears and tranny cooler)
2. 00 dodge 2500 cummins auto 4x4
I also have logged over 350000 miles on two different chevy 2500 HD trucks in the last 12 years (work)
my thoughts
the chevys are dependable trucks but are kind of whimpy even with the 6.0, not dogs mind you but after having the tundra they are whimpy in comparison.
the dodge rarely gets driven but the cummins will never die, the rest of the truck? a good dodge with a cummins and 6 speed will pull anything you dare to and get decent mileage while doing so.
on goes the debate of gas vs diesel and the points made on both sides are valid.
If I were going to pull a tagalong under 9000 lbs I would opt for the tundra If it were properly equipped with load leveling bars/ sway bar and brake controller.. the truck will pull like a mule and get 10-11 mpg doing it, you will never be under powered for a gas truck...will a 2500 handle weight better? yes, only because of the heavier springs.
the toy has .430 gears which get you started easier and big brakes to help you stop. a big plus with the low gears is when you are backing your trailer, a seldom mentioned subject. the difference in a .430 gear and a .373 when backing a load is huge.
my work 2500s are whimps with a load behind them as far as the engine goes??
My brother in law just bought a new Ram with the hemi/8 speed Zed F tranny, a very good truck so far... lots of options but if you plan on upsizing the camper I would spring for a diesel, otherwise a good gasser will do you just fine...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 14:53:09 GMT -5
Be sure to check for debris in front of the air conditioning condenser and between the air conditioning condenser and the radiator. Running at highway speeds I would not think it would be the clutch fan as it is supposed to disengage at RPM's above 2000. Most vehicles have an air dam below the radiator that hangs down under the truck. It is very important that it remains in place
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 15:23:35 GMT -5
I found an 05 or so Dodge Cummings with 180k for around $15k. Friend told me look for blow by and try to find one that doesn't have any.
I can probably afford a new truck but I don't believe in putting myself tight on bills. I'd rather get a truck that gives me a good cushion on bills that way I'm not living pay check to pay check. I'd rather hunt than have the high dollar toys to do it and can't cause I'm working over time every week end to pay for them.
If you look at diesel trucks what would be something you'd look for in a used truck?
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Post by hillbill on Jul 19, 2015 16:08:33 GMT -5
I would opt for a dodge in the 03-07 model range with a 6 speed with low miles but I tell you now they are scarce and bring top dollar.
another option would be a 10-14 dodge but you would need to do a delete kit and other mods to get the best from it and If you live in an emission test area forget that.
Chevys are good trucks just stay away from 04-05 year models, injector problems big time. the big down side to the Chevy and Ford trucks is when you need work done on them the cab has to come off for even relatively minor stuff $$$$$$
stay away from 6.0 fords and the 6.4 as well, lots of issues...
the 7.3 Fords were good trucks, the autos need trannys usually about 100,000 and the usual ball joints etc in the same time period but so do all the diesels when it comes to front end related stuff....
the Dodge you mentioned should easily go 400,000 plus on the engine with no issues |
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Post by deadeye on Jul 19, 2015 16:41:16 GMT -5
180k mi on a diesel is just getting broke -in so to speak/I would buy that truck if all looks well.... +1 on hillbills advice-I don't really know a lot but I bought a used 2004 chev 2500/6.6 diesel-it was well maintained & knew the prior owner-it did have new injectors before I bought it @ 188k miles/had to put a transfer case in recently @ $3,000.
I only use this truck once or twice a month & have cheap auto's for work driving- I do haul a 19ft. trailer to Colorado for elk & its loaded to the hilt weight wise-fuel mileage is almost the same(approx. (20mpg) with no load or a huge load provided I don't go above 70mph-then it drinks fuel either way.
with the huge load & 7% grade incline/decline the diesel does not even know the load is on it.
hope this helps! |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 18:13:30 GMT -5
I had an 05 duramax with the LLY engine. Never had any injector problems as the injector issues were pre 2004.5. The earlier engines were allowed an extended warranty period. You must understand that all diesels will need injectors eventually. Before buying one, weigh the costs. Fuel cost, Maintenance cost, etc. That is why I no.longer own one.
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Post by hillbill on Jul 19, 2015 18:51:51 GMT -5
diesels are designed for one main thing, pulling. they do it very well, if one pulls often its the only ride in town, if not, very expensive to drive and maintain compared to a gas half ton.
not so much mileage wise but fuel cost difference and oil change/filters/tires, they are hard on tires..
Its nice knowing you can pull a huge load if needed though...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 18:56:30 GMT -5
All these ideas and choices makes it hard to decide what to do.
I will be pulling one 150-250 mile trip a year with 4-5 50 mile trips closer to home for camping. In the fall I load and burn 3-6 cords of fire wood in my house.
Really hard for me to know what to do.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 19:20:48 GMT -5
Starting to think a 2500 gasser will be the better choice. I know we've talked allot about this before but I struggle every day trying to decide what to do.
Right now I'm going to start with flushing the radiator and putting a new thermostat in my truck. Then get a newer camper hopefully lighter than what I have, see how truck does then and after that hopefully I'll have a better idea what to do.
If I really wanted to I'm sure my wife will let me do what I want to do. I'm allot slower in making a decision in big purchases than I use to be and hope I make the right choice. I'll do allot more research and ask allot more questions before I make the final decision.
Thanks guys I really appreciate all the suggestions and help.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2015 16:41:24 GMT -5
the little v-8 is working pretty hard even when fairly new, I would opt for a later model truck if possible. I own two trucks 1. 07 Toyota tundra 5.7 4x4 with tow package (.430 gears and tranny cooler) 2. 00 dodge 2500 cummins auto 4x4 I also have logged over 350000 miles on two different chevy 2500 HD trucks in the last 12 years (work) my thoughts the chevys are dependable trucks but are kind of whimpy even with the 6.0, not dogs mind you but after having the tundra they are whimpy in comparison. the dodge rarely gets driven but the cummins will never die, the rest of the truck? a good dodge with a cummins and 6 speed will pull anything you dare to and get decent mileage while doing so. on goes the debate of gas vs diesel and the points made on both sides are valid. If I were going to pull a tagalong under 9000 lbs I would opt for the tundra If it were properly equipped with load leveling bars/ sway bar and brake controller.. the truck will pull like a mule and get 10-11 mpg doing it, you will never be under powered for a gas truck...will a 2500 handle weight better? yes, only because of the heavier springs. the toy has .430 gears which get you started easier and big brakes to help you stop. a big plus with the low gears is when you are backing your trailer, a seldom mentioned subject. the difference in a .430 gear and a .373 when backing a load is huge. my work 2500s are whimps with a load behind them as far as the engine goes?? My brother in law just bought a new Ram with the hemi/8 speed Zed F tranny, a very good truck so far... lots of options but if you plan on upsizing the camper I would spring for a diesel, otherwise a good gasser will do you just fine... So I just purchased a 2011 28' cashier which is lighter than my camper now however next spring we are going to get a heavier truck. So with that said been doing allot of thinking and think the Tundra you mentioned might be the way we go. Would you recommend over load springs on the truck to handle weight of camper and the wood I load in back of truck for burning at my house during the winter. We burn 3-6 cords a year during the cold months. Guy at work has a 2013 Tundra and I am pretty impressed with the torque it has and figure this might be the best option for us at the moment. From now until next spring I'll do allot of tardy l research. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2015 16:51:17 GMT -5
With a 5000 pound camper, the tongue weight should be around 500 pounds.
My 2014 1/2 ton silverado 4x4 hauls the 650 pound 4 wheeler in the bed with 550+ pounds of tongue weight without helper springs and it levels the truck out. If the toyota is a 4x4, I don't see why you would need overload springs That ride rough when unloaded. If you insist on helper springs, I would suggest air bags instead.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2015 17:07:00 GMT -5
Probably make sense to test it out first. I've drove his Tundra and think it would do really well. My friend's truck gets around 16-17 mpg empty when he's driving to Oklahoma from Omaha (from what he says). My thought was if I got a 2500 gasser I'd be lucky to get 14 mpg empty. So I think the Tundra is my better option. I thought about the Dodge but the guys a trailer sales said they quit using Dodge because they kept having to replace trans. They use Chevy and Ford and said either gas or diesel would be great just gas would be terrible mileage. The Tundra has huge back seat which would work great for my kids and dog. And I don't see much of an issue with rust on Toyota as I do Chevy. I hate rust! Looking for a truck that has longevity and seems Toyota does.
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Post by hillbill on Jul 28, 2015 17:53:30 GMT -5
you will not go wrong with a Tundra, mine has almost 90,000 with o issues. It has not been babied around either. It has seen its fair share of WOT and offroad too, just be sure to get the 5.7 and tow package. nothing wrong with a ford, chevy or Dodge for that matter. the new Ram has a new 8 speed tranny that's suppose to be a really good tranny, called a ZED F, European design that they bought the rights to build..
all the 2500 gassers will hurt you bad at the pump, I drive one every day at work, 11 mpg like clockwork....
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beans
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Post by beans on Jul 28, 2015 19:10:36 GMT -5
I have the 5.7 Tundra and have only towed a 16ft fishing boat loaded with gear and 4 guys and the back bed stuffed with more gear. It was like NOTHING...never knew I had a load on me or behind me. But I know that a big camper is different so I didn't chime in. Plus, I am not a motor head. The Tundra is an awesome truck for a 1/2 ton. 8 yrs old and feels brand new in every way.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2015 23:10:50 GMT -5
Unless I towed a heavy load a lot, I wouldn't buy a 6.0 L or a diesel. My 2014 silverado has the new all aluminum 5.3 with variable valve timing and nearly 400hp along with the 6 dpeed tranny. It averages 10 mpg in the hills on eastern and middle Tn towing a 5000 pound camper, 650 pound 4 wheeler, 100 gallons of water,and hunting gear for a week. The good thing is that unloaded it gets on average 23 mpg. A recent trip to Ohio netted 27.5 mpg.
All of this coming from a diehard Chevrolet owner.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2015 8:37:07 GMT -5
Okay some may have seen the new camper my wife and I bought so now I really need to figure out some things before next spring when I get a bigger truck.
So Hillbill has me really liking the Toyota Tundra however I joined a RV Forum to ask questions and some members who have the Tundra love it but still suggest the 3/4 Ton not for pulling power but for suspension reasons. I'm almost set on the Tundra cause I feel it will fit our family better than the 3/4 Ton.
The new camper weighs 5600 lbs dry weight and I don't plan on carrying water in the tanks and plan on filling those at the camp ground so I figure around 7000-7500lbs loaded. A friend at work bought a Tundra new who gave me a PDF file of all the specs of the truck. The GVWR is 7200lbs payload is 1575lbs max towing is 9000lbs tongue weight is 1010 and the gross combined weight with 4x4 tow package is 16000lbs. With all this information I'm confused about all of it and on the RV forum they said once I load the camper I'll be at my maximum payload.
So if that is the case if I added helper springs to the truck would I be more in the "safe" zone?
If it is not how do you pick the right truck for the camper? I have 3 children, a 90lb lab, and my wife and I in truck. Bikes and all the other camping stuff.
I see 1500 trucks pulling huge campers all the time and don't understand how they are not tearing up their trucks. I've never worried about having a big enough truck before and now I'm looking at all this stuff and it can be confusing.
The guy at the camper store said he doesn't look at mileage when he's picking a truck but cost per mileage. How would I figure that?
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Post by Hank on Aug 6, 2015 11:36:33 GMT -5
Riverrat.
If the max tow rating for the tundra is 9000Lbs and you think you will be pulling 7500Lbs then that leaves you with 1500Lbs to play with. That's not much wiggle room.
The GVWR is Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. We need to know what it weighs empty. I looked up the standard Tundra and found it to weigh 5660lbs, now add fuel, 240Lbs, add the 90Lbs dog, add the Family, you at 200Lbs, wife at 125Lbs, kids at 90Lbs, 70Lbs, and 50Lbs. Add the other extra stuff in the truck, clothes suit cases fishing poles what ever it might be, you are now at a total weight of 6525 with only 675Lbs to spare.
Payload is the amount of weight you can put in the bed of the truck, 1575Lbs in the bed and you will defiantly know its there.
Tongue weight is how much weight you can apply to the Reese Hitch. You need to find out what the tongue weight is of the camper.
Gross Weight of 16,000Lbs is the total weight as if you were to weight it all on a CAT scale at the truck stop. I would suggest you do that and maybe you can use your buddy's truck to pull it to the scale.
Using the numbers I have above your total weight is 14,025Lbs with a max of 16,000Lbs leaving you 1975Lbs of wiggle room.... That aint much and I probably figured on the light side.
Before buying a new truck, ask the dealer to let you use the truck for the day and pull the camper to the scale house... Don't listen to the salesman telling you oh yea this truck will pull it "No Problem" Tell him if he wants to sell the truck let you try it out.... Some dealers will let you use the truck for a few days and decide if its the right truck for you.
My girlfriend (Mindy)traded in her Escalade for a Jeep Cherokee. She wanted something that got better mileage. The Caddy got 18 miles to the gallon and we used it to pull my Bass boat because it had lots of room in it for us and our two Pitbulls. While at the dealer I ask them what was the towing capacity of the Jeep. I think it was 4500Lbs and the boat weighs 3000Lbs so we had some wiggle room. Well the jeep gets 25 miles to the gallon driving around to and from work. It gets 8 miles to the gallon when pulling the boat. The caddy got 16 miles to the gallon when pulling the boat.. It really sucks topping the hills gong to Ky. Lake at 50 miles per hour witht he flashers on..... and the gas peddle on the floor. I sure do miss that Caddy., now we use my old truck and it don't even know I have a boat.....
Now, if you buy a loaded Tundra truck you will be paying $50,000 plus for it. Add another $8,000 and buy a diesel truck You will never regret it. If you have to wait an extra year and save up the cash, then wait the extra year.
Don't waist your money on a truck that you already think you're going to need a helper spring on...
And last but not least,,,,,,, Sure the Tundra will pull it,,, bout like the Jeep does my boat,, but at about 8 miles to a gallon and you will always know its back there, Up hills it will be slowing you down., down hills it will be pushing you, on a windy day it will be blowing you all over the road..
I have a good friend that bought a new Tundra,,, a year later he bought a camper about like yours,,, maybe smaller. He pulled it to Myrtle Beach and bought a Dodge Diesel as soon as he got back home..
The truck is a 10 to 15 year investment,, buy it once and get what you really need....
I have a 2001 Dodge Diesel bought it new and love it.. When it comes time to buy a new truck it will be another Diesel..
Jeff...
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