Noob tow rig questions

[sixstringsteve]

Diesels are nice for towing but for your towing requirements a gas will do just fine. And if you are concerned about maintenance the parts on a gas motor are MUCH cheaper. I really like the 99-03 dodges with the six speed but I am going to have to recommend a gas motor for your use. The '72 is ideal IMO. It is a good looking truck and it looks like it is ready to go. Emissions is easy with the age and there are not so many sensors and other high dollar parts that can go bad. Sure a diesel may last 1,000,000 miles but what is the maint cost to get it there? The 454 will pull what you need it to and should go at least 200,000. When it does die it can be rebuilt for hardly more than a lift pump! The gas mileage will suck unloaded but it won't be a ton worse than a diesel loaded. How many miles are you going to put on it a year? Gas mileage keeps getting thrown around but how much will 5-7 mpg save you in a year? And how much will the diesel cost you in maint and higher fuel cost in addition to the higher initial cost and the POS truck that it is mounted in? Honestly, most people buy a diesel because they would rather be towing up the hills in the passing lane rather than in the slow lane. For some a diesel makes sense and I am in no way bad mouthing diesels. I have been a trucker for many years and I definitely understand and appreciate their strengths. But you have to consider YOUR needs and not just get caught up in the hype.

Corbin, I think you hit the nail on the head. Honestly, I don't expect to put more than 9-12k miles a year on the truck, so the bad mpg will still probably be cheaper than wear and tear on a diesel. Most people are recommending the ideal TOW rig. I guess I should have asked for the best tow rig/dd for my needs, and I'm thinking a gasser will fit the bill better.

I'm just crossing my fingers that I can sell my taco before that 72 disappears, that'd be just my luck. I have no problem going 40 up parley's in the slow lane, as long as it gets me there reliably and safely, that's all I care about. I'll be towing with this truck 5% of the time. The rest will be daily driving. The mileage would suck, but so would replacing an injector pump two months after buying a diesel (that'd be just my luck).

 

[sixstringsteve]

It looks like I'll save $1000-$1500 a year on fuel prices with a diesel that gets 20 MPG. I also have my wife's '97 4runner for long trips where I won't be towing, so when I'm not towing, the gasser will just be for running around town, which shouldn't add up too much.

 

[sixstringsteve]

What about an 8.1L suburban? How would that tow?

 

[sixstringsteve]

What do you guys think about something like this?
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=0&nid=443&tab=list/view&ad=3019750

or this:
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=0&nid=443&tab=list/view&ad=3080797

At this price, I could buy a beater honda to get me to work and only drive this to tow.

 

[skippy]

another thing to think about if you plan on having this rig for a long time is will it fit all your future needs also. I bought my extended cab cummins and love it had it for 2 years now but then me and the wife had a baby and suddenly that extended cab is way to cramped and its a pain to get a car seat in and out of so im upgrading to a 4-door duramax .....I personally hate buying and selling cars every couple years so i prefer to plan ahead and buy something that will fit all my needs for years to come and drive it til the wheels fall off

 

[sixstringsteve]

My wife has a 97 4unner that'll be way better for kids. But I do need to think more long-term. A single-cab would only last for a few years (assuming I take the entire family with me when I go wheeling). Thanks for the tip.

 

[mbryson]

It looks like I'll save $1000-$1500 a year on fuel prices with a diesel that gets 20 MPG. I also have my wife's '97 4runner for long trips where I won't be towing, so when I'm not towing, the gasser will just be for running around town, which shouldn't add up too much.

I think 20 mpg is QUITE optimistic. I'd go for 15 mpg as a more realistic number. Say 14 MPG for a Powerstroke and 16-17 MPG for a Cummins. Everybody CLAIMS the 20 mpg, but I've YET to see it (unless I go by the overhead computer ) on EITHER of my trucks that are "mileage trucks" ('99 Powerstroke and '04 Cummins) with mileage mods.

The above figures are actual figures from real life with someone without a diesel pissing match agenda. Your figures may or may not match the above figures as various engines get various performance levels and are somewhat variable according to driving style, aerodynamics, transmission options, etc. The above figures are both automatic equipped with trucks with the "MGP" gear ratio for the respective models. The quoted figures above are "mixed driving" with half the commute on freeway and the other city driving. Mileage figures will increase with straight freeway driving but have not exceeded 20 mpg threshold on the Powerstroke and 22 mpg on the Cummins. Actual mileage on the freeway is dictated by load and mostly engine RPM. Both engines seemed sensitive to the 2000 RPM mark and if kept below that would get the best mileage. That equates to roughly 60-65 mph which is a reasonable speed, but mileage drops at least 2-3 mpg per 100 RPM in my experience.

 

[sixstringsteve]

very good real-world data mbryson. An 8.1L suburban sounds pretty good. i'll bet i could get about 12mpg with one of those, and have leather seats, and be able to afford a trailer, and have a bajillion seats.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'm guessing I'll only be towing with about 6k lbs (and that's estimating high). I probably don't need anything wicked powerful...

 

[WayneXJ]

I love my Dodge for daily driving and towing, it's a 98 24v with the 5 speed manual. I've had it for over 6 years now and I don't think I could ever go back to a gas truck.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Great input. Those manuals are super hard to find.

 

[jdub]

This is true... How sweet would that be to have a cummins in a 72?

JT over at a little shop by Trick Toys in PG has one. It is a 3 door burban that he threw a cummins in. If you are familiar with Timpanogos Cyclery it is across the street and south. He tows with it at 70mph+ with no issues.

 

[sixstringsteve]

This one sure looks cool, except for the pipe sticking out of the pass fender:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=0&nid=443&tab=list/view&ad=3090250

 

[sixstringsteve]

JT over at a little shop by Trick Toys in PG has one. It is a 3 door burban that he threw a cummins in. If you are familiar with Timpanogos Cyclery it is across the street and south. He tows with it at 70mph+ with no issues.

Man, I'll have to check that out. I imagine he wouldn't want to sell that.

 

[SmokinCamel]

This one sure looks cool, except for the pipe sticking out of the pass fender:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=0&nid=443&tab=list/view&ad=3090250

Wow. Ummm. Hmmmm. I like the older early 90's dodge's. The big Peterbuilt style mirrors are awesome for towing If you can find them.

 

[Chevycrew]

very good real-world data mbryson. An 8.1L suburban sounds pretty good. i'll bet i could get about 12mpg with one of those, and have leather seats, and be able to afford a trailer, and have a bajillion seats.

I have a buddy with an 02 2500hd, 8.1L auto, it gets 11 empty combined city/hwy.

8 or 9mpg with 8,000 behind it.


Thats a rough figure to look at for an 8.1L suburban.

 

[jdub]

Man, I'll have to check that out. I imagine he wouldn't want to sell that.

Probably not but he is more than willing to build something like this for you.

 

[jdub]

Towing has slowly and painfully become a dying obsession. I feel like the cost's outweigh the bonuses for myself and my personal lifestyle. If I owned a truck for work or other reasons than a handful of tows a year my opinion would be different. I look at 10k into a rig and a trailer and think of how far that $$$ could spread to your taco's you already have. Wheel yours work on the '81 for your wife to wheel and use the extra money that you didn't spend to acquire all that truck, insurance expenses, straps etc. and buy some fuel and flares and drive them both to moab and st. george.

I continue to look. I would die for a 3door burban to tow with but I would have to change so much, wouldn't I just be better to drop that cash into my Scrambler? It does St George in 4 hours and at 17mpg with the a/c on.

I mentally have gone through the same scenario that you have. I even found a 71' chev wedge truck but when I need to move houses I will need to ratchet everything down to the wedge...

I am excited to see what you go with. I think everything you have shown us is a good candidate as far as being able to do the job. I have seriously considered the 4wd van too. There's one even at 1800$ on ksl that will need some work. Will it be reliable, probably not. But cool. Good luck.

 

[sixstringsteve]

What would it take to re-route the pipe?

 

[zukijames]

a zuki guy i know just bought a old penski (or some type of moving van) for 500 bucks! its a cool tow rig it was cheap.. and he is putting beds in it so its also a sweet rv lol