Got roughly 1500 bucks to spend on prep for long towing trip

[great white]

Nope, 1500 is definitely NOT burning a hole in my pocket. I'd rather not spend it at all.

It's just waaay too expensive to order up a 4" exhaust gents, especially when I've got a perfectly good 3" system hanging int he rafters with a high flow muff and high flow cat. yes, I'm keeping the catalytic converter. As long as that sticker says "catalyst equipped" under the hood, it has to stay. Now, whether or not it's going to be and even more "straight though" design than it is now is yet to be determined....:rolleyes5:

Its the UPS shipping that's a killer.

3-400 for an exhaust and 3-400 to ship it after UPS screws ya to be around 6-800 bucks all in.

Besides, my 3" system is anything but restrictive and there was no "cutting corners" when it was fabbed. 3" is also the largest downpipe you can fit in there.

I'll be ordering up a 3 inch down pipe (can be had locally) and popping it on and mating my 3" system to it.

Kennedy only runs a 3.5 setup on his truck also. Well, last I read it was a 3.5, so not that big a diff.

At any rate, my 3" will be a lot less restrictive than what's on there right now.

I do my own OBDII tuning also.

Yup, you read that right right. I can flash my own OBDII programs into the PCM.....:devil:

All that and the WMI should keep the thing in check....

 

[robzombie4551]

Like I've always said:

"If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right"

YOU said it not me. Live and learn the hard way like me,that's your choice. 4 in. is better as it has more volume in the bends IE; a straighter path and less restrictive.

Not trying to piss in your wheaties but the facts are the facts. You take pride in doing things right than get the best exh. you can afford. 3 in. won't cut it. and if you don't put a 4in. on you'll suffer with the higher egts. The only thing going for you is that you don't see the 100 plus degree summers I do, so maybe you can squeak by with a more restrictive system ,but you are pulling more weight a farther distance, so it's only in your best interest not to find out the hard way you should have gone bigger.

I know this comes across a little harsh and it's not meant to be. Ask anyone who tows how important the exh. is to keeping temps in check.
I want you to have as easy a trip as possible. I know I'm sick of driving by what the egt gauge dictates. All the best and have a safe and trouble free trip.

 

[ak diesel driver]

opcorn:

 

[great white]

opcorn:

Pretty much on the nose brother, pretty much on the nose....

 

[robzombie4551]

Pretty much on the nose brother, pretty much on the nose....

To mock someone because you don't like the advice you get only shows your lack of character. I only wanted to help pass on my experiance with the troubles I had while towing with a piece of crap exh. . What you propose to put on is not much better than what you have now, but I guess you're the all powerful OZ and know it all.

So in the future it would be nice for you to put your pride aside and humbly keep your mocking to yourself. you haven't hurt my feelings ,just showing me that you weren't really looking for advice as much as you want confirmation that you have all the answers.

Remember the back you break might be the one that could carry you out of that burning building someday.
If my advice was something that you didn't agree with or thought was BS. you could have ignored it.

Pretty much on the nose brother, pretty much on the nose....

May you and your family have a safe and happy trip,and be blessed.. Nothing but love brother. PS we may not agree what mods or how but we should atleast respect one another.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[great white]

To mock someone because you don't like the advice you get only shows your lack of character. I only wanted to help pass on my experiance with the troubles I had while towing with a piece of crap exh. . What you propose to put on is not much better than what you have now, but I guess you're the all powerful OZ and know it all.

So in the future it would be nice for you to put your pride aside and humbly keep your mocking to yourself. you haven't hurt my feelings ,just showing me that you weren't really looking for advice as much as you want confirmation that you have all the answers.

Remember the back you break might be the one that could carry you out of that burning building someday.
If my advice was something that you didn't agree with or thought was BS. you could have ignored it.

May you and your family have a safe and happy trip,and be blessed.. Nothing but love brother. PS we may not agree what mods or how but we should atleast respect one another.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Not biting.

Go grind your axe somewhere else.

Merry Christmas.

 

[Crankme69]

The system I have has a Magnaflow 3" in/out high flow converter (keeping it all nice and legal, see?), a 3" in/out cherry bomb elite (really is 3", not necked down inside like most are) and 3" pipe.

The pipe isn't "mandrel bent" but it's not "crinkle bent either".

It from my 89 eclb, so same length as my 98. Here's a clippy of it on my 89 350:

At worst, I'll have to get a small piece made up to go from the down pipe to the converter.

All done for around 200 bucks (price of downpipe and shipping).

I'll give the aluminized pipe a nice coat of black header paint like I did for the 2.5 inch crossover pipe.

I'll have barely cracked $500 bucks on my $1500 total.

Got's lots o' money left over for my fluidampr now!

Are catalytic converters the same for a gasser as a diesel? The cat I just cut off my Tahoe just looked like a can with a particulate screen in it? Not sure about one on a gasser, but I always thought they had catalyst balls inside them?

 

[tightgroup]

Great white,

While I am a newbie with 6.5 I do have some wisdom about trailers..

First the tires;

Make sure the weight rating on the tires matches
Make sure you have the right PSI
On a long hual recheck the pressure on all tires

Secondo

Consider a load lever and sway bar, if not already done.
With brake booster adjust so that the trailer will bite a bit before the cab.

Third

I know this might sound crazy, but try and not overload the trailer, if your wife is like mine, she packs the trailer to sustain life for a decade


Fourth

Brakes, I would start with a fresh set of pads all round the truck and replace the trailer brakes shoes. Consider changing the brake fluid.
Check and recheck the run away brake safety cable and switch

Now considering the trans and oil coolers for this particular truck, I have no baseline knowledge of these, but I am sure you have all this figured out. Also I know that syn oils do have better cooling properties that dino, but which is better for this particular truck I have no idea.

Keep an extinguisher in the cab...

A little trick I liked, was white tape/black tape. You stick a black tape on the trailer in line with the ball and visable from inside the cab. Hook the truck up to the trailer and place a white on rear window in line with the black tape so it covers it. So now when you back up, you can quickly aline to the ball.


Just a note, but have you considered to have the trailer hauled to calagary and then just picking it up from there.

BTW thanks for all your great posts, and if in Montreal drop me a line

 

[chevyCowboy]

Why dont you look into having the 4in exhaust that you really want shipped to a member near your rout and make a little pit stop and put it on before you hit the mountains. i know we have some members in the washington and oregan area. just a thought. i put my 4in on in about 2hrs with basic hand tools

 

[great white]

Great white,

While I am a newbie with 6.5 I do have some wisdom about trailers..

First the tires;

Make sure the weight rating on the tires matches They should, it's brand new (well, 2011 model). But I'll double check
Make sure you have the right PSI always!
On a long hual recheck the pressure on all tires Will do

Secondo

Consider a load lever and sway bar, if not already done.I've got a husky centerline WD and sway control hitch. Brand new with the trailer this year
With brake booster adjust so that the trailer will bite a bit before the cab. Yup, but I still have to finish setting up my tekonsha P3. It's only been used on the trip from the dealer to home. Have to go do the warm the brakes, set the gain dealeo

Third

I know this might sound crazy, but try and not overload the trailer, if your wife is like mine, she packs the trailer to sustain life for a decade
I hear that! Problem is, I usually try to pack more stuff than she does! :hihi:


Fourth

Brakes, I would start with a fresh set of pads all round the truck and replace the trailer brakes shoes. Brakes are a couple months old, all the way aroundConsider changing the brake fluid.good consideration, I missed that one
Check and recheck the run away brake safety cable and switch will do!

Now considering the trans and oil coolers for this particular truck, I have no baseline knowledge of these, but I am sure you have all this figured out. Could always use more, but mine has the oil and trans coolers for the "HD" option, otherwise known as the 8600Lb gvwr Also I know that syn oils do have better cooling properties that dino, but which is better for this particular truck I have no idea.I may put synth in for the the trip to extend the change interval to be able to complete the trip without an oil change somewhere mid way

Keep an extinguisher in the cab...always do! Got a 4lb dry chem mounted right behind the drivers seat

A little trick I liked, was white tape/black tape. You stick a black tape on the trailer in line with the ball and visable from inside the cab. Hook the truck up to the trailer and place a white on rear window in line with the black tape so it covers it. So now when you back up, you can quickly aline to the ball.

cool idea. I may use it as a backup to my rear camera


Just a note, but have you considered to have the trailer hauled to calagary and then just picking it up from there.

Been bounced around a couple times. Been a couple generous offers from board members to haul it for me too. But, I think going south will make it more than do-able. That plus the exhaust, wmi and few other things I'm doing should get my 300,000 kms engine through it all..

BTW thanks for all your great posts, and if in Montreal drop me a line

Great post, great suggestions, thanks to the gent from la belle province.

Why dont you look into having the 4in exhaust that you really want shipped to a member near your rout and make a little pit stop and put it on before you hit the mountains. i know we have some members in the washington and oregan area. just a thought. i put my 4in on in about 2hrs with basic hand tools

Actually, I was thinking of stopping by Heath's in Ellensburg and picking up a system. It's right along my planned route and just before the elevations really start. Not really sure if that will work for me though.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year gents.

 

[WarWagon]

Although you may put the oil change off, a truck stop should be able to grease the front end and u-joints for you along the way. Usually for around $12.00. This practice really matters with a 10K change on a Duramax, not so much for the severe service (towing) 2500 mile oil change my 1993 calls for.

An extension grease hose installed for the idler arm is priceless.

 

[great white]

Although you may put the oil change off, a truck stop should be able to grease the front end and u-joints for you along the way. Usually for around $12.00. This practice really matters with a 10K change on a Duramax, not so much for the severe service (towing) 2500 mile oil change my 1993 calls for.

Good thoughts. I'll just carry my grease gun and a set of coveralls with me. Easy enough to do on a dry warm day.

An extension grease hose installed for the idler arm is priceless.

Instaled a Moog problem solver idler arm pivot a couple days ago. I was pleasantly surprised by the grease nipple relocater!

 

[HighSierra86]

Where did they relocate the fitting to? Now im pissed that the new one I put on my truck is in the factory pita location....

 

[great white]

Where did they relocate the fitting to? Now im pissed that the new one I put on my truck is in the factory pita location....

The fitting is still in the same location on the pivot itself, but they include a hose (looks like a plain ol grease gun hose) with a grease nipple on it and a 90 degrees fitting. The hose moves the grease nipple ou tto the wheel well and is bolted under the sway bar mount.

Reach in behind the RF wheel and you can grease the pivot. Turn the wheel and you won't even get dirty.