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Another 'what tow rig' thread.

Houndoc

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
Thinking it may be time to move on from our 2008 GMC Duramax (for the second time in two years had sudden loss of power, this time on way to Lake Powell in July). No definitive cause found either time and since most all its use is either potentially remote areas (luckily two episodes where near Ticaboo and the recent in Spanish Fork Canyon) or when hauling horses not really wanting to risk it.

Anyway, towing is either 24 foot open bow boat (honestly not sure total weight, with gear for a week at Powell 7-8k?) or steel horse trailer with as many as 4 horses (9k or so).

I know that is well within the ratings of most newer half tons. And keeping cost down since it is now a seldom used tow only rig happy not to sink any more than needed in it.

But, having just returned from 700 miles in a very underpowered U Haul pulling a car, technically capable isn't always the best or most enjoyable way to do it. Also, two years ago when the truck acted up ended up leaving the boat at Bullfrog and retrieving it with a borrowed Chevy 1500 (2010ish?) was an OK drive, but noticeably different than either our truck or the 2022 Chevy 3500 we borrowed to get to and from this year while the truck sat in the shop.

So, looking for first hand experience advice on the newer (2015 and up??) tow rigs.

Could also be tempted by a smaller, truck based 4x4 motorhome if such a thing exists.
 
Hickey

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
Location
Grantsville, Utah
There aren’t many truck-based 4x4 motorhomes in production, and just about zero of them would be rated to tow 9k lbs.

At 9k towing weight, there are many half-ton trucks newer than 2015 that are rated to tow that much, but I personally would feel more comfortable with a 3/4 ton chassis at that point.

A GM truck with a 6.0 gas motor would serve you quite well for a long time.

A Ford F-250 or 350 with a 6.2 gas motor would also do fine, and a 7.3 gas motor would do a lot better but they didn’t come out until 2019.

I have no experience with the Ram larger gas motor, but I expect it would be fine as well.
 
RustEoldtrux

RustEoldtrux

RustEoldtrux
Location
Evanston, WY
About your sudden loss of power, I had a similar experience a few years ago. When I attempted to pass another vehicle, my 2003 Cummins diesel acted like I had turned off the key. After going crazy trying to find the cause, I opened the air filter housing and saw that the filter element was badly distorted. The filter element was a cheap Fram unit that a service technician had installed during the last oil change, without my permission. When I applied full throttle, it would flatten and cut off the air supply. . A Wix replacement solved that issue.
 
Unimog

Unimog

Eric
Location
Stansbury Park, UT
Sounds like I may be in the minority in this group, but I honestly think you would be sorely disappointed moving away from a diesel after towing a significant load with one. I would put your boat and horse trailer in the significant load column. I just returned from Portland with a new square body blazer for my son. We were both pleasantly surprised how nice it was to tow with my ram cummins. The duramax is a great truck, but maybe that one is getting long in the tooth.
 
The_Lobbster

The_Lobbster

Well-Known Member
Have you replaced the relief valve on the fuel rail with an aftermarket plug? It’s a common issue where they start to get weak after some years, and can start to relieve pressure much lower than what they’re supposed to causing reduced power.
 
Houndoc

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
RustEoldtrux said:
About your sudden loss of power, I had a similar experience a few years ago. When I attempted to pass another vehicle, my 2003 Cummins diesel acted like I had turned off the key. After going crazy trying to find the cause, I opened the air filter housing and saw that the filter element was badly distorted. The filter element was a cheap Fram unit that a service technician had installed during the last oil change, without my permission. When I applied full throttle, it would flatten and cut off the air supply. . A Wix replacement solved that issue.
Click to expand...

This time the only thing the shop came up with was to replace air and fuel filters. Did it solve the problem? Who knows but needed to be done anyway.


Diesel_Zuk said:
Have you replaced the relief valve on the fuel rail with an aftermarket plug? It’s a common issue where they start to get weak after some years, and can start to relieve pressure much lower than what they’re supposed to causing reduced power.
Click to expand...

But would that cause an issue only once every 2 years? That is the frustrating thing is we found and did nothing when it happened two years ago. Multiple trips with the horse trailer between Grantsville and Wellsville, one round trip to Powell and several to Flaming Gorge with the boat and did just fine until last month.
 
RockChucker

RockChucker

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
Did it throw any codes when it did it? I had a weird one happen this week in my 06 dmax. I started it up when I left my folks and it moved forward about 3 feet and died. I cracked the bleeder on the fuel filter housing and pumped the primer. 10 pumps later very aerated fuel came out. Closed the bleeder and pumped it 10 more times and it got firm and has been fine since. I suspect the crown of the road coupled with the gutter and only about 1/4 tank of fuel might have pulled the pickup out of fuel or something? Dunno never had it lose prime before. When your situations happened, how much fuel was in the tank? I’d imagine the injector return lines aerate the fuel somewhat.
 
Houndoc

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
RockChucker said:
Did it throw any codes when it did it? I had a weird one happen this week in my 06 dmax. I started it up when I left my folks and it moved forward about 3 feet and died. I cracked the bleeder on the fuel filter housing and pumped the primer. 10 pumps later very aerated fuel came out. Closed the bleeder and pumped it 10 more times and it got firm and has been fine since. I suspect the crown of the road coupled with the gutter and only about 1/4 tank of fuel might have pulled the pickup out of fuel or something? Dunno never had it lose prime before. When your situations happened, how much fuel was in the tank? I’d imagine the injector return lines aerate the fuel somewhat.
Click to expand...
The Duramax I had before this one would have to be bled and primed to restart after it ran hot on steep climbs a few times.
I don't remember exactly how much fuel was in the tank each time, but know the drives we had ahead would have been minimal half tank.
Both times kept running at a forced 30mph with the 'engine power reduced' light on.
First time we returned to Bullfrog and had the marine mechanic take a look. They were not able to read the codes but could reset them which they did.
This last time I don't know on the codes. The work (filters) was done while we were at Powell with some confusion through the process since my cousin dropped it off and I picked up. Was hard to get much info from the
 
RockChucker

RockChucker

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
RockChucker said:
Did it throw any codes when it did it? I had a weird one happen this week in my 06 dmax. I started it up when I left my folks and it moved forward about 3 feet and died. I cracked the bleeder on the fuel filter housing and pumped the primer. 10 pumps later very aerated fuel came out. Closed the bleeder and pumped it 10 more times and it got firm and has been fine since. I suspect the crown of the road coupled with the gutter and only about 1/4 tank of fuel might have pulled the pickup out of fuel or something? Dunno never had it lose prime before. When your situations happened, how much fuel was in the tank? I’d imagine the injector return lines aerate the fuel somewhat.
Click to expand...
My truck did this again last night. Turns out the fuel filter housing failed in some way. Lost an o-ring or something and it was letting air in the line. Swapped the fuel filter housing out in the HF parking lot in Spanish fork. Luckily autozone had a crappy dorman one in stock so we could move on our merry way. Probably time to get serious about an FASS lift pump and filter setup and bypass the oem filter housing.
 
Houndoc

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
Looking like our budget would put us looking for trucks mostly in the 2012-2016 range with 100-150K miles.

Any major year to year changes in those years with the major truck companies (Ford, GM, Ram) that are worth paying extra attention to?
 
Mouse

Mouse

Trying to wheel
Supporting Member
Location
West Haven, UT
Pretty happy with my 2002 F350, last full year of the 7.3, no emission equipment. I fixed the oil lines that tend to leak with o-ring-style (commercial) and have never had a leak since. Maybe not the most powerful truck, but will haul 20,000 lbs plus no problem and still manage 13-ish miles per gallon.
 
dutchman

dutchman

KI7KSV
Location
Boise, Id
I've been pretty happy with my 2012 6.7 F-350 over the past year and half (nearly 40,000 miles) or so I've had it. I've usually got a loaded 24' trailer on it once or twice a week and would have a tough time going back to a gasser, especially when being loaded and going up hill.
 
Trate D

Trate D

Well-Known Member
Houndoc said:
Looking like our budget would put us looking for trucks mostly in the 2012-2016 range with 100-150K miles.

Any major year to year changes in those years with the major truck companies (Ford, GM, Ram) that are worth paying extra attention to?
Click to expand...
I would personally stay away from a gm diesel in those years. They are pretty well known for the CP4 injection pump failure which results in an entirely new fuel system. Ford also uses that pump but seems less common on them. Dodge used it but not in that year range.
 
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