Hauler suggestions...

C.Berry

C.Berry

Bad News
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Location
Blacksburg, Va
Found a 99 dodge 1500 4x4 with the 360 with 180k on drivetrain for decent price was wondering if any of you fellas hauled with one of these and if it would pull a chevy k5 on 3/4 tons without having major issues Id be hauling to harlan from va and prolly no more than 3 to 4 hours away at a time or should i wait and find a 454 3/4 ton burb? It had six lugs on it not sure on the axles, any suggestions guys? They
 
454 vortec suburban
 
Yeah thats what im thinkin also but im looking for an 80s burb in decent shape alot for sale but none really have the susp and engine setup im lookin for in my price range... I see you own many 7.4s what is the mileage limit for that engine i know they run long but not real familiar with bbc at all...
 
May be you wont have to pull too many hills, from Va. I pulled my CJ, with a 98 Z-71/350cu in., up I-26. Them som Damn LONGG Hills. Slow/2nd.gear/lots of petrol !

But heading home, I just coasted!:lol:
 
Get a 3/4 ton at least if you want a truck. 1/2 tons suck to pull with.
 
Yeah i have normally drove my zj to harlan but now its not happening with front locked so investing in trailer an tow rig... Those long hillls suck and the poloce got me on way back in 09 at the great VA line for no doors (had bar/net up), no rear bumper, exhaust, and hassled me about the mud on my windows... hoping they see it on a trailer behind a 80's burb lookin just about the same except no damn mud! I hauled the zj on two wheel to callalantee with my K5 350 but wasnt all that much fun id rather have it as a full size rig:driver: Hopefully ill find a deal on one sometime i have patients... :beer:
 
I wouldn't buy a dodge unless it has a cummins in it. The gas motors get terrible milage!

The nice thing about the suburban is that you can tow as much as you want with regular tags.
 
My 7.4 are what i would call low mileage at 50k and 81k. The 6.o and 5.7 are high mileage with both over 230k. I have not had any major mechanical problems. Worst repair was intake manifold gasket (2). The 7.4s pull well, I can maintain speed most of the time except long steep hills when I watch watertemp, oil pressure,and trans temp at 3k to 4k rpm wot several minute pulls. It doesn't hurt when I can pull 9k lbs with a regular tag.
 
Yeah like the sounds of that the ole k5 wouldnt pull steady speeds uphill at all was terrible pullin out of mtn city onto main road shew was terrible 30mph...
 
Will the Dodge do it? Sure. Will it be a fun ride? Probably not. Mileage will be about 8 on the flats and drop to about 5 in the hills, possibly lower on the bigger hills where you will spend a long, slow time in 2nd gear. With that many miles if the trans hasnt been gone through yet it will need to be shortly. Get a trans cooler and keep it out of OD when towing. I would definitely get a weight distributing hitch. Bottom line, if the price is good it is worth considering, but I would probably wait for something better.

Duane
 
I towed my 85 Ramcharger with my 97 Ram 1500 4x4 grossed out at around 14500 with trailer both trucks and gear. I got 9.5-10mpg with it and it pulled fine. I clicked overdrive off while towing. I had 285/75R16's on it with 3.55 gears so at 65mph I was sitting about 2750rpm. I put a hughes towing cam and hughes heavy duty heads on the motor, stock exhaust, stock intake, I did rebuild the trans at 100k and put some goods in it. Ended up swapping the rear end out for a dana 70 out of a 3/4 ton dodge mostly for the disc brakes. Never gave me the least bit of trouble, tough truck, did everything I asked it to and I beat on it pretty hard. Towing hills wasn't too bad just had to keep my foot in it, sometimes it would downshift to pull a big one then I was seeing 4500rpm to keep 60-65mph, never seemed to mind though, never got hot, the stock springs had good carrying capacity much better than 1/2 ton fords and chevies. Sold that truck for $4500 with 177k on the clock and bought my 05 cummins to pull my 30ft 10 ton goose and two rigs. Don't think my 97 would do very well pulling that but just one truck on a tag along no problem. Around town mileage was 13.5 hwy was around 14-14.5 if you stayed around 70. Every truck has its problems you'll find out what they are if you load them up real quick too, but I would put my old dodge up against any other brand 1/2 ton pulling the same weight any day, and face it if your towing another truck it doesn't matter what your pulling with you'll be burning a bunch of dinosaurs.
 
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