LM using too much truck for the job (Duramax)

In reply to chaparral :

What does the fully loaded trailer weigh and what is anticipated payload?

Maybe I missed that but discussion went way upwards including duallies.

You're hauling karts, right?

A guy I work with is selling a mint condition one owner duramax with 70k miles.  It's a Florida truck and is literally perfect.  He bought a 40 foot diesel pusher and sold his travel trailer so he doesn't need the truck any longer.

I can find out some info and get you some pictures if you want.

In reply to fasted58 :

Trailer weight is 500# empty, 1100# loaded, 250# tongue weight. If I built it the axle would be substantially further forward. Payload is 300# but bulky enough to fill all but two seats of a full size sedan. Karts are between 160# and 200# each. A 12x5 or 15x5 enclosed trailer would improve life on the road and save a hotel room a couple of times a year. Power requirements are increased by normally being either late setting out or trying to get home before dark (home track) or midnight (away races), by wanting to maneuver in Michigan highway traffic, and by headwinds.

I have towed and hauled it with a 2000 Civic Si. That was unpleasant, between not being able to exceed 70 MPH for miles and the 11 MPG from the engine running continuously WOT at 4000 RPM. I have recently used a 3.4 liter Olds Silhouette; apart from the lack of A/C and the continuous WOT work into any headwind or grade it's fine. From an engineering perspective the requirements can be met by almost any midsize or larger car or truck, but having missed the mark one way on capabilities, I'd like to have an idea of what the costs are for missing them the other way.

In reply to Toyman01 (Forum Supporter) :

Toyman, you are 100% correct.  At one time I owned a 95 6.5l, and it was the worst piece of crap I've ever owned. 

In reply to chaparral :

Honestly, just a bigger car would improve your life. A minivan would handle that trailer with ease, and give you a place to sleep. Hell, you could probably fit the whole racing operation in the back of a cargo van.

neverdone said:

In reply to Toyman01 (Forum Supporter) :

Toyman, you are 100% correct.  At one time I owned a 95 6.5l, and it was the worst piece of crap I've ever owned. 

Strangely, I miss the heck out of my 98 6.5L.  Talk about bulletproof.

I got an LLY Duramax when I was towing Lemons and HPDE cars a lot.  Others on our team got a F350 and enclosed trailer, so I quit using it for towing.  I put 50-60k troublefree miles on it.  Repair-wise, I did wheel bearings.  

It was overkill.   But it was FAST overkill.  And FAST is fun. 

I sold it and got a right-sized truck -- 06 Tundra.  I love it, but it burns just as much fuel and is less capable.  It's a lot more invisible, which I like.  

Duramax absolutely ate tires..probably my fault.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

neverdone said:

In reply to Toyman01 (Forum Supporter) :

Toyman, you are 100% correct.  At one time I owned a 95 6.5l, and it was the worst piece of crap I've ever owned. 

Strangely, I miss the heck out of my 98 6.5L.  Talk about bulletproof.

Same, except mine was a '94. I loved that truck (Suburban) and the '87 6.2 Suburban that it replaced.

Having towed with everything from a 4 clinder, non-turbo Volvo 240 wagon to a 7.3 Powerstroke F350, My opinion of tow engines is as follows:

#1) 5.9 Cummins TD, mechanically injected

#2) Big Block Chevy gasser

#3) everything else.

As far as trucks go, old Dodges were the Soviet Military grade of pickups- they wore like iron, and were about as comfortable.  Fords were nice trucks, Chevies a bit nicer still and rode better. 

I like to row my own gears, ESPECIALLY when towing.  Tearing up I-40 in NC with the pedal mashed in 3rd gear with the 5.9 Cummins roaring away gives one the feeling of a freight train engineer. 

The 7.3 Powerstroke is "internet famous".  The reality is it's an expensive-to-fix fuel pig that is picky about maintenance. 

Trucks are not an investment.  Trucks are tools.  Buying a $10,000 diesel truck that you can sell in 10 years for $9000 is fine; but buying a $5000 gas truck that's worth $2000 in ten years while investing the other $5,000 might be a wiser move.  As someone else said, as long as you go with a 3/4 ton or better truck, you still get all the HD brakes and suspension goodies that are far more important than the type of ignition the engine uses to burn fuel. 

Maybe you just want a big old diesel truck.  Lots of people around here drive them around without any intention of using them for actual work.  If that's the case, then go crazy.  The heart wants what the heart wants.

But from a practical point of view- there is absolutely no need for one in your scenario.  Heck, I tow a spec miata on a tow dolly behind my Sienna van (3500 lb towing capacity) and I've never once felt like I needed more.  If I was driving over the mountains or over multiple days I might change my mind, but I'd much rather have a vehicle that's nice to drive and easy to park the other 98% of the time when I'm not towing.  It also makes a superb paddock vehicle and makeshift camper.  I've had to drive big diesel trucks for work and I never once thought that I would like to own one as my personal vehicle.

Price out fuel injector replacement on a Duramax (or 7.3 Powerstroke) and see how you feel, and realize that a high-mileage used diesel will need expensive repairs like that. It's a tough pill to swallow if you don't really need or use the capability of the big truck.

Problem with a diesel pickup is you're paying for more capability and maintaining for more capability, even though you're only using a fraction of its capabilities. 

I had 3 diesel trucks (93 F350, 2006 F250, 2015 F350) before I got my GMT800 with the 6 liter. It pulls my 24' enclosed trailer all over the east coast without complaint and doesn't take much to keep happy. And I also don't feel bad for letting it sit when I don't need it since it's not depreciating any more than it already has with 250k miles. 

Ok. I think I'll go chase down a 5.3/manual GMT800 1500 - that seems like a good amount of overkill relative to the <200 hp/FWD tow cars, while avoiding the uncertain maintenance cost of a diesel. 

In reply to pimpm3 (Forum Supporter) :

What year is it? What price?

chaparral said:

Ok. I think I'll go chase down a 5.3/manual GMT800 1500 - that seems like a good amount of overkill relative to the <200 hp/FWD tow cars, while avoiding the uncertain maintenance cost of a diesel. 

I'd recommend you look at gassed 2500's, and expand your search to gmt400's. It actually may be easier to find a manual trans truck that way. And don't rule out a big block, the extra gas cost won't be too much since this isn't going to be a daily.

I have owned a 2017 Ecodiesel Ram 1500 4x4 since new. Tuned I get 29 mpg highway (20 towing) , 450 ft lbs of torque and can tow almost 10k.  I don't need a 20 mpg Colorado with a worthless tiny bed and I don't need a 3/4 ton Cummins with 1000 ft lbs of torque.

Even unloaded in air hauler mode I don't feel bad getting that kind of mileage not "using" the truck to it's potential. It's cheaper for me to have this then a honda civic commuter and a spare truck when you add the cost of the vehicles, fuel, 2 cars to insure and tag. 

It sits for a while if it needs to and has started at -40F without being plugged in if it has to as well.  This winter it didn't see temps about freezing for 4 months.

Some people love them and some people hate them. I begged for a light -medium duty diesel to be sold in the US and when these came out I put my money where my mouth is.  Personally, I can't complain. 

chaparral said:

Ok. I think I'll go chase down a 5.3/manual GMT800 1500 - that seems like a good amount of overkill relative to the <200 hp/FWD tow cars, while avoiding the uncertain maintenance cost of a diesel. 

5.3/manual never happened.  To get a clutch pedal, the best you can do is a 4.8.  But then you can slip in a 6.0.  NV3500 is stronger than it's reputation if you drive like an adult.