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Towing with an S advice

Dan Hunter

Dan Hunter

Truck Terrorist
Messages
441
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5
Location
Enid, OK
To date, my truck hasn't had to work too hard.

I'm buying a skid steer that weighs 6000 pounds not including the trailer. I figure 8500 pounds with the trailer.

I get that much of the rating on a truck towing capacity it in the handling/braking. Can I pull this with my K1500 and what would you do to modifying it to make it viable. I'd point out that I pull in Oklahoma and it's flat. I have no town driving and my issues as I see them are heat and drive train.

I'm planning to put an upgraded fan on it and I'm thinking about putting an exposed intercooler above the hoodline (my truck is so ugly that it would actually help).

Any other advise?
 
Do you have a Heath "F" chip, or just a stock "F" chip? If its just a stock type the first thing I would do is get a custom performance chip.

Is it factory exhaust? If so ditch that too, and cat needs to go. If you still got rectangle air intake box rip it out and get the K47 box for large cylinder filter. These are best mods for more efficient turbo operation, lowering EGTs and IATs.

Have you done OPS relay mod? I would also recommend FTB mod and higher power LP for anyone, especially a frequent towing truck.
 
I've got the stock "S" chip in my 95LD now. It is a dog compared to custom chip. A new fan clutch with the do it yourself mod and a 9 blade steel fan[$20 junkyard].Remove the radiator from the truck and clean it. You won't believe the dirt they hold.Coolers and condenser should be clean as well. Heathy injectors are very important. A intercooler would be near the end of my list.
 
As bk95td said, clean the radiator. I'll let others advise on the best mods to do, but I couldn't believe the difference when my radiator was removed and thoroughly cleaned. Before, I could raise the temp over 200 with nothing in tow, just a decent hill. After cleaning, its rock steady on 185-190 even when towing 4,500 lbs., takes a good hill or hard acceleration to bring the temps up. Cleaning is the 1st thing I'd suggest, and obviously its the best time for the fan/clutch mods as well.
 
Maj. Dan,

In addition to other stuff said I don't see a 4" exhaust or cat-ectemy in your signature, you need that stuff, before I went the full up reflash route I ran stock F program it was better but not best, you'll need a quality reflash/chip for full potential from your 6.5, your 8500# is pushing limit of 3:73's ability to help pull the load which I assume you have with your K1500; once you get the load rolling you should be okay since you aren't running hill country, trailer has brakes ???

Bumper pull ??? check out www.activesuspension.com I added the XXIIF to mine it helps a lot for both bumper & gn tow, you have a good brake controller Prodigy Tekonsha is what I have been using
 
I have a cleaned radiator and no cat. I can chip it and upgrade the fan but where it's going to get ugly is the rear end is 3.42. I have 5 - 6 stop signs between my house and my ranch with little or no traffic. The trailer has electric brakes.
 
With a good chip that truck still wouldnt have any problems. That is if you have the 4" exhaust, "F" intake, and 97+ K47 airbox with large cylinder filter, and strong lift pump with OPS relay mod (FTB mod highly recommended too). Ive towed 7000 lbs with my C1500 with 3.42s and the truck never even knew it was pulling anything, except when stopping when the pintle hitch would move around.
 
I pull 10,000 regularly with my 92 that has 3.42 gears. The only time I got slowed down to under 55mph was on a long grade with 50mph head wind. That was in overdrive.
 
I'm posting just to close the loop. I've made a dozen trips to the ranch hauling the jd3720 with either the sheer or grapple on board with a weight around 7500 pounds. The truck is doing well. There are either two or four places (depending on the route I choose) it consistently wants to downshift but rather than let it I now accelerate prior to the hill, hold the boost at 12 psi and when the EGT gets to 850 (well below my installation limit), I downshift and accept whatever speed it'll maintain in 3rd. Goodness that 4" straight pipe howls doing this! The rest is flat and uneventful and the temp stay below 195 even on hills.
 
Good job, Dan. FWIW, I have a '94 C2500 C&C with an 8' Rawson Koenig steel utility box. Fully loaded with tools, ladders, siding brake, windows, doors, lumber, etc it scales out at 9,000+ lbs AND I've pulled a 20' dovetail with a 720 Bobcat on it behind it at the same time, with the stock 3.42 rear gears in the '94. This up in Omaha, with lots of hills and stoplights.
 
http://www.campinglife.com/tow-ratings-database/

Year Make Model Engine Tow Limit
1994 Chevrolet/GMC K1500 Pickup (4WD) 6.5 V-8 (All) 6500

Requires 3.73:1 axle ratio.
Requires Z82 Trailering Special Package.
Requires automatic transmission.
Requires engine-oil cooler.
Requires transmission-oil cooler.
Requires weight-distributing hitch.
A higher tow rating is listed for pickups that tow fifth-wheel trailers.

Year Make Model Engine Tow Limit
1994 Chevrolet/GMC K1500 Pickup (4WD) 5.7 V-8 8500

Requires Z82 Trailering Special Package.
Requires automatic transmission.
Requires engine-oil cooler.
Requires transmission-oil cooler.
Requires weight-distributing hitch.
Requires 4.10:1 axle ratio.
A higher tow rating is listed for pickups that tow fifth-wheel trailers.
 
does that truck have a 4l60e in it? If so I would put a massive tranny cooler in there and hope it hold together.
 
micky_blue said:
does that truck have a 4l60e in it? If so I would put a massive tranny cooler in there and hope it hold together.
Click to expand...

All 6.5TDs in US came with only one automatic option from the factory, the 4L80E. 6.2NAs came with either the TH400 or the 700R4, but the 700R4s were prone to having their lock up converters and/or OD torn up by the torque from the 6.2.
 
what diff is in the box? what size are your rear brakes?

the 12bolt is incapable of that much regular towing, but I don't know if the 6.5's ever had that diff back there.
at a minimum, you'd need the 14bolt semifloat. and spring helpers. most 1500's don't have the spring capabilities for that much tongue weight.

is the trailer surge or electric brakes?
 
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