A couple of D30 Chevies have appeared a couple hours from me on GovDeals, both autos with 4x4 and 6.2L Diesels- and recently I've wanted a spare tow pig and my gaming group is full of active and reserve military dudes from the regional military base. Cursory inspection says their tow rating is anywhere between 7,000lbs to 12,000, so I gotta ask- could these be a viable option for a tow rig?
Yes, maybe
How mush weight
How far
How often>
Details please
I didn't realize you could get a 1 ton SRW.
They are slow. The 6.2 and TH400 is a solid and reliable combo, but you won't be moving fast or quickly. Brakes won't be great compared to any modern vehicle you've towed with. I've thought about one of these too, but I'd pretty quickly want to swap to modern brakes and a nice trailer brake controller.
I wouldn't tow with that mainly for the ride quality. I will say those should have Dana 60's front and rear. Add in the Th400 trans and hopefully NP203 and you can part for $2000 plus.
Four wheel drive Chevy/GMC trucks and Suburbans of that vintage bump steer terribly badly. I towed with one when it was near new. Solid no go. A 2 WD dually is far superior.
At 38 years old, these pickups are older than any enlisted man driving them!
In reply to RacingComputers :
Weight ~7,000lbs I figure for a chassis and flatbed. Towing will be rare, handful of times a year. Distance will likely be high, 200+ miles thanks to the dead zone the midwest can be for cars.
In reply to Stampie :
In reply to Buzzboy :
In reply to TurnerX19 :
That's exactly what I needed to hear! Speed wasn't much of a concern, but a poor ride and being beaten by a 2WD dually kind of sinches it. I'll toss the idea out, thanks yall!
Dana 60 in the front, Corporate 14 bolts in the rear. Turbo 400 transmission.
With the non overdrive transmission and 4.56 axle gear ratios, they get gear bound real quick and won't go down the road fast enough to not hinder traffic.
The 24 volt electrical systems aren't any real joy either.
In reply to Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) :
Yep my bad. You are correct on the 14 bolt rear.
Im amazed trucks this old are still in use by the military. Shows how well built they are!
In reply to Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter) :
I imagine a lot of these just sit waiting for an eventual auction at this point. And it isn't like they accrue a lot of miles per year. Plus they're in for fleet maintenance which I would think makes sure fluids and basics are pretty well taken care of (someone can correct me on this if I'm wrong) plus they're simple from an electrical standpoint which also helps.
Shoot. I recently put new shocks on my C30 Dooley. Rides real smooth, like a cowboy Cadillac.
J/K. Hit a sufficient bump at speed and the seatbelt tensioners lock up and you feel like it's cutting you in half. I tow with it every so often, though. It's very good at towing.
Had one.
Decent towing.
Super duper slow.
Tops out around 50 MPH.
3/10 would not recommend.
You'll need to log in to post.
