My tow rig.

2022 28 ft. US Cargo Phantom. 2011 Duramax.

Most of you have already seen my beloved `95 C2500 Suburban, but unfortunately it was just recently taken out of commission due to a pretty bad case of frame rot. As I have strong sentimental attachment to my `Burb, scrapping it is NOT an option. (To that end, I'm on a somewhat time sensitive hunt for either a good donor frame or an entire running donor truck. I don't want to turn this post into a parts-wanted ad, but if anyone has any leads on a good C2500 frame or donor truck, please let me know)


As some may also know, I had been on the hunt for quite some time for a suitable vehicle to fill in for my `Burb as I've wanted/needed to take it off the road to address numerous issues & repairs, along with a few upgrades. Unfortunately it took me a LOT longer than I'd hoped to find a suitable fill-in (hence the serious deterioration on the `Burb), but I found this `90 C3500 Crew Cab dually last year. It had been parked since 2014 after the PO's unexpected passing. When I got it, it had fallen victim to copious amount of bird droppings (was stored in a barn) along with a serious case of mouse damage.


I've gotten almost all of the mechanical issues addressed, and the truck is currently in the shop getting the HVAC duct work cleaned out and a new evaporator and heater core along with a few other repairs & upgrades.


Speaking of upgrades, the truck currently has a Goodwrench 454 crate motor in it, but that's soon to be replaced with a 572" big block I'm just finishing up that should be able to tow anything I could possibly need it to tow. Details are all on my Vintage Facebook page should anyone be interested. (Ignore the chrome valve covers and the GMPP units, they were just for mock-up. It'll be wearing a pair of plain stamped steel covers painted black)


I also just purchased my first car trailer. It's a 2022 20' unit, and I just had several upgrades installed on it including a trailer box and a 4K winch & battery, back-up lights, and the OEM 5 ply tires were replaced with 8 ply.


I know my junk pales in comparison to the rigs posted here, but I'm trying.

Nothing bad about your stuff, Vintage, it's not a contest, or I'd be last place...:grin: Too bad the dually was left to suffer all that mouse damage. Washing bird crap off is no big deal but getting rid of mouse piss smell is. I've used a mild solution of white vinegar to knock it down in the past. Good move on the trailer tires. I always run E's on my car trailer too and D's on my single axle camper. The only thing I have different is my winch is an 8k to not work a smaller one so hard pulling a dead pickup up the ramps. You can double up the cable with a snatch block and effectively double the pulling power, if you ever need to load a heavy vehicle too.

Man a 572 bb will be sweet in that. Add a Gear Vendors OD and it would be awesome.

How does that 4k winch do pulling a car up?

I have had a number of tow rigs and trailers over the years just as I am sure you all have had. If I am moving a car in good weather and don't have to have enclosed this outfit is the best I have owned.

With these haulers you can be loaded in 10 minutes and rolling. I hauled this bubbletop to Burlson Texas and got an honest 13 mpg running 3:73 gears, 454 with overdrive.

A Gear Vendors is in the plans, but with everything else I have going on right now, that will have to wait a while.


I've not yet had an opportunity to use the winch--as a matter of fact, I've only towed the empty trailer once--to the shop that did the upgrades for me. The trailer is currently in storage, and with my `Burb down, until I get the Dually back I have nothing I can tow it with. :frown:

I always thought an enclosed ramp-back would be kind of cool. Does anybody make one?

If I were younger I would be serious about one of these.
I believe built in KY but I don't recall mfg name.

Hodges Custom Haulers still makes em in Kentucky,but have a huge back log till June of next year for making other vehicles as well.. http://www.hodgescustomhaulers.com/enclosed_beds.html

Tow Rig
 

love the way this Duramax Denali pulls the trailer

Those Duramax's are torque monsters and I'd like one for distance hauling to pull the trailers, but otherwise, I have no need/want for a 2500/3500 truck.
For local stuff, I still have my roll back and trailer.
https://www.yenko.net/forum/cache.ph...3Bfit%3Dbounds

2005 Duramax LLY. I bought this truck in 2018 for my new daily driver and was the best investment I've ever made. I was very lucky to find this truck, as it only had 88,000 miles on it when I bought it, it had never been modified and it was optioned exactly like I wanted. It's a great truck, super comfortable and has allowed me to whatever I've needed in terms of moving vehicles over the years. Low maintenance costs, no truck payment....just put fuel in it, pay the insurance and drive it. I'm happy with that. No truck payment = muscle car money, haha!

Posting again since I've made some progress on my trailer restoration project.

contemplating next insulation and ceiling & wall panels.

The tower and the Towed
2021 Chevrolet Suburban HighCountry
2022 Airstream Globetrotter 30
2005 Wells Cargo 24

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...720&fit=bounds

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...720&fit=bounds


https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...720&fit=bounds
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...720&fit=bounds

Just a quick follow-up if anyone's interested;


I got the 572 for Yeti on the dyno a week or so back. It did better than I'd expected actually in regards to HP, but due to the fact that I couldn't install the headers the engine needed on the dyno due to space constraints, we wound up leaving quite a bit of low end torque on the table. Past dyno experience assures me the power is indeed there with the correct exhaust, I just don't have a dyno sheet saying so.


I got hung up waiting on a new carb from Holley, so the dyno shop made an initial pull with their dyno mule modified 750 which was WAY too small for this application. It made over 600 lb.ft from 3500-4900 peaking at 630 @ 4300 and 563 HP @ 5000 when the pull was stopped.



I finally got the new Holley in, plus I pulled the 1000HP I built for the 496 in my Chevelle and took it with me to the dyno. With nothing more than the swap to my 1000HP, power increased dramatically everywhere. The #'s from that pull are shown below. The 1000HP was running pretty lean at roughly 14-1 @ WOT, so there was still quite a bit of power to be had there as well.


Next was my new 870 Holley, but it was deep into the 14-1 range at roll-in out of the box, so we aborted the pull and took lunch. I bumped the jetting up 5 sizes all the way around which brought air/fuel ratios down to the mid 13's which was still lean, but safe. We did 2 more pulls experimenting with timing, finding a touch of power dropping timing down from an initial 34°, then 36°, then finally at 32°. Next I removed the 1.8 intake rockers and swapped on some 1.7's which cost a few HP up top but picked up a little power down low, which was the entire focus of this project.


BTW, we tried to tug the engine down into the 2000 RPM range but the dyno couldn't pull it down any lower than 3400 and hold it there.



If you'll notice the "sag" in torque at the hit, that's 100% the result of not having the correct size headers & collectors in place. I am 100% confident with the correct exhaust on it the engine will make 700+ lb.ft. torque--I don't really care about peak HP, but since it's already at nearly 600 @ 5200, that should be ample. I was only anticipating 525-550 HP. The engine only has 8.8-1 compression and all testing was done on 89 octane pump gas, and the engine will idle with a pleasant but mild lope at 750 rpm.


Yeti is currently in the shop getting the howling 4.10 gears removed and replaced with a new set of 3.54 gears and a Lock-Rite differential. Hopefully I'll be able to get the 572 in the truck sooner than later as the existing 454 is running OK but has alarmingly low oil pressure.


That should be enough to be able to haul anything I need to tow.

just got my new one in. ordered it first part of august. first dually ive had that wasnt a king ranch since 2008. wanted one but they wouldnt accept the order for a limited or king ranch so i ordered this one with lariat ultimate and a few other packages and then ordered a handful of individual options to get it loaded up with all the heat/cool seats, heated steering wheel, enhanced camera, self brake, lane change etc. big screen on the dash, also got the camper special pkg which added a few options. one option i absolutely did not click was the sunroof. the last 3 or 4 duallys i have got sunroofs and everyone of them broke. first trip i got 19.8 mpg. not bad for a big heavy 4wd dually.

A couple updates to the tow topic. Since my last shot of the Chaparral project I decided to try to clean the interior walls rather than insulate and cover them. Glad I did. I found that some stuff called LA Awesome Cleaner took away the 30 years of racing soot. Tried NAPA Alumabright on the ramp door and that will be good to use inside on the floor when it warms up.

The next update. Mrs SMS got her dream camper, I put in a B&W Companion system in the gooseneck hitch and we’re goin’ fifth wheelin’. The old dually pulls the camper like a champ.

I have a 2016 Crew Cab Silverado. It has the 6.2/8-speed with 3.42 gear. It also has the Max Trailering Package…..giving it better rear end gears, extra cooling, 3/4 ton mirrors, better rear springs and shocks. I do have a CAI, a pedal commander along with a basic tune. It runs well…..

Hauling the Chevelle, I get around 12 mpg with my 24’ enclosed trailer at about 68-72mph.

This truck works great for what I do, as I only haul the car a couple time a year. I’m mostly a city slicker….lol

At one point, i did contemplate getting a diesel, but I couldn’t justify the price difference and maintenance for how much I tow.

I hope to keep it for a while as it’s paid for and currently has less than 41,000 miles on it.

Kurt

What tune do you have? What does the pedal commander do? I have an '18 6.2 with only 3.23 gears. Hauling to MCACN and back I observed 8-9.

My Bro In Law has very similar truck and loves it.

I have the Diablosport inTune i3 with an AFE Momentum GT cold air intake. The pedal commander is a plug and play controller that electronically controls how fast/slow the throttle body opens. It makes the throttle more responsive.

I purchased the tuner and pedal commander used. The CAI was purchased new.

This is what I have on my 2016…..you might need a different part as yours is a 2018. Also, I wonder if the 3.42 gears help with fuel mileage….. :dunno:

https://www.americantrucks.com/diabl...rado-1500.html

https://www.americantrucks.com/diabl...rado-1500.html

https://www.americantrucks.com/chevy...-1417-62l.html

I have a pedal commander on my F150 tow truck and it makes towing much better towing my 7000 lb loaded trailer. btw i get 10-11 mpg pulling it with a 5.0 and 3.55 gears

THANKS!!

Yes I do believe the gears would help, but if I can gain half of our mpg difference this will be worth it. With our 24' boat we are normally around 15, and we did seem to have a massive headwind both ways on our MCACN trip which also happens to be the first "haul" with an enclosed with this pickup.

I would also like to get rid of the "lazy" pedal. Ive done research before but on brand forums guys can get a little over zealous and bias with their accounts of their favored brand or view. Its good to hear positive results from someone with a similar HP car background.

Ordered a new Ford and picked it up Wednesday.

I'll miss the 2016 3500. It was the best truck of any I have ever owned, and I've had Chevys, GMCs, Dodges, Rams, Toyotas and Jeeps. That Ram was better in every way. The fit, finish and performance was spectacular. I'll miss it.

I've sold my big trailers days my days of needing a truck that can pull 30k lbs are over.

The F250 is the 7.3 gasser and I probably won't tow over 10k with it. I did order gooseneck prep just in case.

Those 32" tires look like clown car tires on the F250. I'd like to put 37x11.50 Nittos on it, but the tires will cost $2,300 and regearing would cost $1,000+ in parts if I do the install. I guess I'll just drive around in a Bozo truck.

Congrats! That babies long. How long did it take to get it once you ordered? I have an f250 tremor I ordered in Nov and haven’t heard a peep

I ordered it at the end of November 2022. It was at the dealer last Friday.

I have seen some folks on the FB groups that ordered in Late January 2023 and already have their trucks.

They were building Job 1 trucks (XL, XLT and Lariats) first.

They just started building Job 2 trucks (the higher trim levels) a couple weeks ago.

They were stock piling them at holding lots until about three weeks ago. Mine was built on 3-13 and shipped on 3-15. I was glad it wasn't in the mouse fields for 3 months.

Ford did piss me off by not putting front tag holders on trucks shipped to states that don't require a front tag. My dealer says he can't get them and Ford said to talk to the dealer.

My first order of business was going to be installing my 45-year-old NOS 96ROCK tag on my truck.

i will be very interested to hear back from you after you get some miles on it and have towed with it to see how that new 7.3 gasser works out and what kind of fuel mileage you get loaded and unloaded
please let us know

I daily drive a 2023 F-350 Tremor, 7.3L, stock 35" tires w/4.30:1 gears, mileage according to the display averages about 12.1 mpg. Current miles are about 5600

How do you like it so far?

It's a awesome beast of a truck.

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