New Tow Rig...

Poohbair · Jul 3, 2009

Picked this up today...
I know, I know... it isn't a diesel, doesn't blow coal, doesn't get 17mpg, doesn't tow 12K up the pass at 70mph, and probably wont run for 500,000 miles....

However, it IS

PAID OFF
INEXPENSIVE TO BUY
SETUP TO TOW
CHEAP MAINTENENCE
EASY BACKYARD MECHANIC FIXES

And, I can feed a 454 ALOT of fuel vs a $400+ a month truck payment...

Setup for towing....

And the best part... a good ol' reliable SM465

I need a different set of 285/75R16's, and I am gonna put a new tie rod end on and then have the torsion bars turned down a bit, and then aligned. Later on it will get some exhaust, but other than that, shes cherry...

Poohbair · Jul 3, 2009

PS

**** automatics...

:flipoff:

luggs · Jul 3, 2009

nice work dude thats a set up chev alright :awesomework:

Lucky Jeff · Jul 3, 2009

well..... Mine doesn't have payments, get 17 mpg and is about as dumb as an engine comes :flipoff:..

Nice tow rig though. Looks a lot better then that old dually you were looking at.. Your gunna regret the manual :flipoff:

landbruiser1 · Jul 3, 2009

Check wallmart for those tires. I just got a set for my ford that size for alot less than the other stores I checked. Good find on the 4speed..

Poohbair · Jul 3, 2009

Lucky Jeff said:
.. Your gunna regret the manual :flipoff:

Tell me that when you have your Auto rebuilt... again, and again...

uke:

I now own 5 rigs, and the only auto in the fleet is the wifes van...

uke:

luggs · Jul 3, 2009

i got a 69 c20 chev on 35s nice little 350 and a 4 speed that pulls like a son of a bitch ,my trailer is 6 inch C channel and i pull a loaded 85 4 runner .the tranny shifts better with a load ,the 454 tbi is a good puller

Poohbair · Jul 3, 2009

luggs said:
i got a 69 c20 chev on 35s nice little 350 and a 4 speed that pulls like a son of a bitch ,my trailer is 6 inch C channel and i pull a loaded 85 4 runner .the tranny shifts better with a load ,the 454 tbi is a good puller

The nice thing w/ the TBI and the 4spd is that if the TBI pisses me off, I can just get rid of it and go w/ a carb and not have any issues...

luggs · Jul 3, 2009

true that

Lucky Jeff · Jul 3, 2009

Poohbair said:
Tell me that when you have your Auto rebuilt... again, and again... uke:

I now own 5 rigs, and the only auto in the fleet is the wifes van... uke:

Mines a 5 speed.. just wish it was an auto..

Boomer · Jul 3, 2009

Nice rig. Reminds me of the 1994 GMC K2500 Suburban I had for 13 years. 454 TBI, 4L80E 4 speed automatic which was great for an automatic, 4.10 gears, etc. It was still running strong when I sold it with 186,000 miles on it and no end in sight. Only major problem I ever had was the transfer case eating itself alive at 157,000 miles. I never towed more than 8 or 9k with it, but it always handled just fine. Never cared much for the IFS, but it never gave me much problem, either.

But I was getting tired of 9mpg, my needs changed and I wanted a truck instead, so I replaced it with a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 Club Cab 4x4 with the Cummins 12 valve and a 5 speed manual. It pulls stronger and easier than that Suburban ever did.

But truth be told, that Suburban still got the job done just fine and from a purely economic perspective I'd be money ahead if I had just kept it and made do with it. No regrets, though. I've liked having a truck and the CTD.

And for a working truck, my preference is to have a manual transmission. The automatics are better for the go fast crowd or those more focused on convenience, but neither of those describe me. While I had few complaints about that 4L80E, I like the NV4500 much better. Now I've just got to get the other NV4500 swapped into my Jeep. :cheer:

Good score. Congrats on the new truck. It'll work just fine for you. :awesomework:

johnboy1 · Jul 4, 2009

Lucky Jeff said:
Mines a 5 speed.. just wish it was an auto..

trade ya! my dodge is an auto that i wish was a manual :haha:

Lucky Jeff · Jul 5, 2009

johnboy said:
trade ya! my dodge is an auto that i wish was a manual :haha:

If my manual was in any kind of decent shape I would! Truck is getting torn apart soon.

wheelinjp · Jul 6, 2009

great find Pooh:awesomework:. that setup will last you. I like the 4sp. idea:cheer:. and you are right sir, if the tbi fails, carb it. I loved my burban with a 454, except the mileage:eeek:, but who cares. good find

.

Turtle Bite · Jul 7, 2009

Should be a great dedicated tow rig. It would cost me an extra $1600 a year to daily drive versus my powerstroke though. Ideal setup would be a geo and older big block like that. I figured you would be getting a tow rig of some sort soon.

CentralGrand · Jul 8, 2009

Sweet Pooh, now you can tow my rig home:awesomework:

:haha:

Poohbair · Jul 8, 2009

Turtle Bite said:
Should be a great dedicated tow rig. It would cost me an extra $1600 a year to daily drive versus my powerstroke though. Ideal setup would be a geo and older big block like that. I figured you would be getting a tow rig of some sort soon.

Yeah, I blew up the Bronco tranny... sold it as-is, and purchased a 89 Honda Accord that gets 30+ mpg, and this truck to use for a tow rig / wood hauler. The fuel milege doesn't really matter as it won't see alot of miles. I put a new tie rod on it today, and it goes up at 3 to get the tortion bars turned down a little bit and get the front end aligned.

Poohbair · Jul 8, 2009

CentralGrand said:
Sweet Pooh, now you can tow my rig home:awesomework:

:haha:

Now I have to get my trailer fenders fixed, and I am good to go! Now I just need to find time to go wheelin' this summer!

Poohbair · Jul 8, 2009

Put a new TRE on Whitey this morning, then took her in to get aligned... they told me to **** off... that she needs 2 balljoints and 1 set of upper control arm bushings. He also said that the bushings are a MOTHERFUCKER to change, and he would suggest buying a used control arm from the junk yard w/ good bushings in it.

Soooooo, there are 2 balljoints sitting on the seat that I will get put in here pretty quick, and she goes to Les Schwab tomorrow to get the bushings put in... let those ****ers deal with the pain in the ass of changing them for $70 bucks total parts/labor...

Then, hopefully next week I can get her aligned. He did say that they would need to turn the tortion bars down about 1/2", so I may need to pull a leaf out of the back because it already sits about 1.75" high in the back... I will have to see how she looks after the bars are adjusted.

gzs-rks · Jul 8, 2009

Nice rig, and its a Chevy. Yeah the dodges are nice and all but my 03 silverado 5.3 auto ext cab pulls my heep all over with no problems. Even towed down to Cali a few times, up the grapevine at 60mph, and got 15mpg doing it.

I always wanted one of those 89-90 454 SS's. Thats a great motor a bit thirsty but...