I'm down for a 1500 next as well. I've personally towed 40k+ miles in a 1500 hauling an 8500 lb rig. It does take its toll on the vehicle and hills are no fun, but these trucks are underrated from the factory I think.

Greg. You can use the mirrors that are on my track car.

All I'm going to see when I look in them is you.....



LOL

I'll definitely be following along to see how you like the 1500 towing the enclosed. I had a 2006 Sierra Denali with the HO 6.0L. It had all the power in the world, but with a tow rating of 8100 using a distribution hitch it didn't allow for much.

After much pondering, I let it go and picked up a new to me 2008 F250 which will do everything I want and more. I only put 5-6000 miles a year on a truck so I couldn't justify newer just to sit in the driveway most of the time. I've already towed the Chevelle twice in the past two weeks, and I have to admit it was so nice just being able to set the cruise and ride. The wife didn't even complain either!!

Kerry

If I had Weld's money, I'd have my own rig driver! :D

Here ya go Greg, get this in addition to the oem trailer mirrors.

"Chevrolet has announced an all new optional and} retrofittable camera system for the 2014 through 2016 Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 that are equipped with factory trailer-towing mirrors."

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topi...-16-silverado/

I had a 4 camera system in the "rig".... The back up portion was all that was ever used. Particularly when rolling in to a stop at night - backing up (the rig was 65 feet long) and knowing when to stop when the lamp post was behind you - was seriously handy!


You run into (pun?) a couple issues with the car hauler trailers that ARE NOT issues for ordinary big rigs - in that our rigs are REALLY LOW off the ground. The highway rigs just back up until the rear wheels hit the curbing at a truck stop.... where my rig would run into the curbing well before the wheels/tires got there. That's where the rear camera really came in handy.

My "thinking" was that I spend 99.8% of the time getting groceries.... and Starbucks.... Very very little time actually towing - and then the big hill is Donner Pass.

After logging 50K miles in "the rig" -- I'm totally used to pulling a grade stuck in 8th (out of 13 forward gears) at 35 MPH... And then some moron tells me - "you'll hate the millage when towing - you'll only get 8 MPG". Well really??? WTF -- The rig got an AVERAGE of 5.4, so I see this as getting almost double the MPG! (as if that's something that concerns me. LOL)

Yea STILL the same one lol, it is a really nice riding truck as nice as any car, well maybe no a S65 AMG but still.

You half ton will not lack anything for power. My half ton has the same engine combo and pulls a car trailer with my race car up the grapevine with ease passing prius cars like they are standings till . The truck will just not be as stable when tow in a cross wind or when a big rig passes in the wind. I drive my truck and trailer at 75mph in the wind cuz I can. That dually is heavy and the super spread axle is super stable at speed. And I had my enclosed from ATC built from a steel frame for this exact reason. You just have to plan your driving a little more with a half ton.

My big rig had the same problem when empty in the wind. It was just a huge billboard in the wind. I thought I was going over one day in the cross wind in the desert. But the wind can't go under the truck like a normal big rig. and since it had way less weight it was super light when unloaded.

our new Truck has a D60 an 10 speed at it sofar seems to average about 9-10 mpg so now I can take EVERYTHING and get better mileage. still takes a lot longer to get there, I love the 45 min to 1 hours stops for Fuel!! NOT

Yeah, but I used to drive like 1200-1500 miles on a tank.

17 mpg is what i got coming home from Vegas in this set up. 13 mpg for a low.
6.0 with a tow package kit from GM and trailer brakes. Curious what i'll get when i get my enclosed 24'.....

http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/...0398AB5CCC.jpg

I don't care if the little half ton does a good job towing - I just don't want it to suck.... If it just does Okay - Then life is good.

Greg............... I am thinking "LIFE IS GOOD"

I just finished a 1400+ Mile round trip from Sun Valley - to Portland Oregon - up to Seattle - to back here. I hauled the Lotus and it's spares to Portland... drove empty to Seattle - and loaded up 4,000+ Pounds of wine and drove home.

#1 - A load distributing hitch is an absolute must for these half tons. These would control the porpoising and also the tail wagging the dog swaying.

#2 - The trailer tows WAY better loaded. The light load of the Lotus - and the empty run to Seattle... Wind moves it big time - as well as the Truck Ruts. Loaded almost to maximum capacity - the trailer towed way way better!

#3 - The power of the 6.2 is incredible! And the 8 speed transmission is seamless and has great gear spreads. I pulled the trailer which I scaled after loading the wine - at 8660 pounds. Max capacity for the truck is 9100. Quick math shows I was only off the max by 440 pounds! There are a LOT of grades to pull -- and I climbed all of them at 70+ MPH without batting an eye.

Those of you that THINK you need a diesel are delusional!!

The 6.2 LS - with a 3/4 ton (the 2500) for that guy that occasionally tows -- perfection. The 1500 -- you'd best have a lightweight trailer and car (under the 9100 pound limit). With the 2500 you wouldn't need the load distributing hitch. The 1500 needs it. I'll take the Cadillac ride for 99% of the time I'm NOT towing and add the $600 hitch and have a good combo.


#4 - Someone said braking would be an issue. I call BS! The combo of the truck and the trailer brakes and the 8 speed in Tow / Haul mode... most of the time I didn't apply any downhill braking - and when I did - the thing hauled right down. The Northwest has REAL mountain passes with miles long downhill 5 and 6% grades. I'm 100% confident with the brakes.

#5 - I was hoping to report the combo - loaded up - didn't totally suck. I'm happy to report the combo is more than up to the task of towing it's rated load.

#6 - The trip computer says I averaged 8.6 MPG = That my friends is driving 70+ and 80 MPH in Idaho (where it's flat and wide open) - and pulling hills like a mad man! No lifting - no mercy! I pounded the hills! This was a test of the vehicle.

I set the rear tires at 60#'s cold - the fronts at 42#'s - the trailer tires at 65#'s

The load distributing hitch - and many have a sway bar function included - would make the combo less sensitive to buffeting as you pass semis - and would help to control the sway induced by truck ruts. Gusts of wind would also be less movement. If I'd have had that hitch I'd have been 100% happy.

And NO I didn't need the two mirrors - but will put them on. Chevrolet offers them for this vehicle (a $750 option) - so I'll just have to order them.

Add the Reese dual cam weight distributing hitch and you will be passing semis in a crosswind with one hand on the wheel and a PBR in the other.

Glad you like your new rig!

Just got a mental picture of that ... nice :thumbsup:

Greg I am glad you got her figured out, see you guys at Thunderhill!!!

Michael

I knew you'd like it Greg. Like I said 5 pages back, get the hitch and your golden. Nice truck! The dealer that your trailer came from is an hour from me. Super nice units!

Who in God's name drinks pbr? I mean I'm Canadian so I know what real beer is lmao but seriously I understood that pbr was crap .... Yes ?

You guys are lucky you have so many choices. Our dual cab utes like Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Holden Colorado etc are all turbo diesel. They are small capacity too ranging from 2.8 for the Colorado and 3.2ltr for the Ranger.

My brother has the Ranger in dual cab with 6 spd man and tows his drift car on an open air bag trailer no probs. Fully loaded the trailer, car and spare wheels is probably around the 2 tonne mark and then there are the 20 tyres, 300 ltrs of fuel plus tools in the ranger. It has a towing capacity of 3500kgs. All this with 147kw and 470Nm. Not a lot of grunt compared to what you guys have but it gets the job done and drives like a family car too.

We can get the trucks you have but at 120k for a Silverado, Ram etc they are just out of reach for the normal guy.

Glad to hear you are happy with the performance of the new truck Greg, sounds like it'll work just fine once you get a weight distribution hitch.

Just curious, did you notify the BATF of your shipment of alcohol you carried across State lines? :D

Greg - Any idea what the oils temps were on the truck when towing the load in the mountains? When I'm towing I focus on that and the EGT though I am one of those idiot guys with a diesel.

So let me get this right.... Australia has taken away your guns AND your trucks?!?!?!?! Sounds communist or Socialist to me!! No pickups and no guns! OMG -- Long Live Idaho USA!! LOL









I was just hoping for no wrecks - where I would be explaining to the law.... that purple stuff leaking from the trailer "could be hazardous to your health".... "that if you're pregnant or expect to be pregnant you should stay clear"....











Steve - With gas motors - they don't include EGT gauge.... and I monitored all the gauges constantly (because of being brand new). On steep hills the tranny would shift down - and the rpms would be at 4500 to 5000 for quite awhile (minute or even two).... This thing pulled like WOW! And I'd lift just enough to upshift and pull the grade at about 3000 RPM's. TONS of torque. The coolant temp would nudge up to about 215 ish.... and the minute I took my foot out of it -- it would drop right to 210 where it would stay. For most of the trip the ambient temps were low 80's (82 or 83) or high 70's (79ish). So wasn't particularly hot outside.

I'm glad the truck is going to work out for you, nice to see you got it right the first time.:mock:

That trailer tho....man is it nice! Everything about it is perfect, the floors and track, the lighting, cabinets, the fit and finish. It looks like a custom build, very impressive.

Here's to 4000#'s of high octane grapes! :happy23:

Hey! Thanks for your help loading all that juice!! OMG!! I knew it was a lot - but I didn't think it was THAT MUCH! Loading all of it and taking off immediately and driving 12 hours - getting a little sleep and then UNLOADING all of that by hand (with stairs it's hard to roll anything), and stocking it in the cellar. I'm beat! I aged another 5 years.

im sure i have that little violin here somewhere

Not need. Want. Diesels are the hot rods of trucks. And if you have a muscle car that never runs, you need something. :D

:lol: PBR has come back around to be the hipster beer of choice. Yeah, it's crap.

I love my hot rod diesel. Keeps me from blowing money on the Camaro because I'm always broke..... But when it does run it runs like a bat out of hell.....

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Just need the Ford to stay together long enough for me to finish the replacement truck

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Steve - that thing is so bad ass lookin!

Thanks, hopefully it will be complete by next year and still look cool even though I'm doing the work. It's no 2016 Chevy 1500 but I'm hoping with a compound turbo 12v cummins it will pull my 24 ft trailer. I don't have the funds for a crazy nice aluminum trailer like Weld has I have to compensate for the steel based trailer with a 450-500hp diesel. That's local reasoning, right???

Just crazy friggin cool Steve!!!


Gwen and I are going to make a "haul" to bring some furniture down for Adrienne --- We'll get together then -- because It would finally just be a leisure trip and not some graduation / family / craziness.

:lol: :poke:

Don't ya just love AMAZON?? Living in the sticks.... it's amazing what you can order off there and have it FAST!!

I ordered an Equal-i-zer hitch and installed it (there's actual measuring involved)... and WOW what a diffrerence it made in the ride. The porpoising is gone and so is any road induced sway.

I'm telling you diesel heads - there's no need for the diesel as far as power to tow goes. (toe goes?? LOL) The 6.2 L89 is more than up to the task. Amazing really. The 8 speed helps there as well I'm sure. The half ton is another story... you need the load distributing hitches. Period. Not a big deal really - $500 bucks and DONE. The 6.2 in the 3/4 ton (2500 in the Chevy line up) would have been a better choice if I towed more miles/more often.

We get it, you now feel like less of a man driving a 1500.:D

Actually -- I feel like my Dad when he was tooling around in his 1978 Caddy Eldorado Biarritz.....

jesus ....now there a "fine" auto mobile

I did miss "the rig" today when I had to go across the pits to use the "sani can". WTF.... LOL


I didn't miss "the rig" at the end of the day when it took me 10 minutes to load the car and close the door and split!!

Agreed.

#sharingaintcarin'

Greg, toss a couple of these in the trailer....