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  1. #461
    Veteran Firebirdjones's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 0rion View Post
    I don't mind towing but I hate getting into heavy traffic with the trailer. Other people don't give a shit what you have hooked to the truck and actively try to kill you. I almost always have my whole family in the truck too so a lot of responsibility on me to get us there in 1 piece. The closer you get to the east coast the worse people drive. I-95 from DC down to Richmond is crazy and then I-64 out to Va Beach is about the same. I've never seen people drive so careless. If I leave a cushion between me and the car in front of me it's guaranteed that 3-4 people are going to dive in there and immediately hit their brakes. You have to be on a constant watch.


    You need to get a duramax It's pretty impressive the power they have when hauling. That's where those trucks shine. Getting up to speed on an on ramp or something.....crazy how well it accelerates with all that weight hooked up behind it. I see on the RV boards people debating gas vs diesel to haul their campers. There is no debate once you've hauled with diesel. I wouldn't haul with anything else. These guys use the 5.3's to haul travel trailers because they fit inside the tow ratings of the truck.....those are the guys I pass going up hills with their foot to the floor and my truck never even down shifted.
    You hit the nail on the head. It's the stopping part and keeping safe distances where you have to be cautious. People will squeeze in anywhere if they think they can.

    You are right, there is no comparison in the pulling power of the Dmax vs a gas engine. For years my 454 1 ton did the job just fine. It's as good as it gets for a gas powered truck with pulling power. However I pulled once or twice a year. I couldn't see the extra expense of owning a diesel and the extra expense of maintenance for so little towing. But the last few years I started towing more and more, especially up and down the mountains. My neighbors duramax sold me on getting one, and I can tell you first hand owning both types of trucks, even though the gas mileage really isn't enough of a difference to sell me, it's the pulling power up the hills where they shine, very impressive. They don't even downshift, boost comes on and they just pull up the mountain as fast as you care to go.

    I've never recommended the 350's or the newer 5.3's in a truck, especially for towing purposes. Hell even the 6.0 struggles at times, I've witnessed that first hand. But it doesn't stop people from buying them to tow travel trailers, horse trailers and other things that I feel are waaay too heavy for a little truck like that. I'm amazed that GM puts the tow ratings that they do on those things. Just because GM puts a rating on a truck doesn't mean it's safe in my opinion.
    Almost every house hold here owns a camper or travel trailer. Thanks to the weather and close proximity to various beautiful things to see, it's the #1 family past time. Most of them use diesels, for good reason, about everywhere you go there's a mountain to climb. I've seen more diesel trucks out here than I ever saw back east. And who can argue with $2.11 a gallon for diesel out here right now, lol.
    Last edited by Firebirdjones; 08-28-2015 at 06:51 AM.

  2. #462
    Spaz is My Mentor SMWS6TA's Avatar
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    Navy Blue Metallic
    98 T/A w/ mods, 00 FBVert

    I know is speculation but what is the mpg for diesels?

    I know they cost more to maintain but I know they last longer too.

  3. #463
    Veteran 0rion's Avatar
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    98 Formula
    06 duramax

    the mileage you'll read varies greatly....some guys claim some pretty crazy numbers. I can tell you what I normally get. Mixed day to day driving I'm usually between 17 and 18. Highway with just the family and a bed load of bikes, clothes, and shit like that I get between 20-21. Completely empty maybe once or twice I've seen 23 but that's pretty rare for me. Loaded with as much as I would ever care to tow and haul I can get high 12's but the average is probably closer to low 12's. This last trip I was getting 12.8 and 12.9 but normally I'll see 12.2 to 12.5.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mean Green Z28 View Post
    Don't worry about understanding women. Women understand women, and they hate each other

  4. #464
    Veteran Firebirdjones's Avatar
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    I don't know what GM claims and other people seem to vary quite a bit with their mileage but I can tell you first hand having both trucks what I'm seeing on the same terrain and pulling the exact same trailer. I briefly mentioned it above.

    My 79 454 with a 400 turbo and 3.73's will get 10 mpg pulling the trailer.

    The 05 duramax with the Allison trans and 3.73's gets 11 mpg pulling the same trailer.

    1 mpg towing doesn't make it or break it for me. But where I do see a mpg difference is when empty. My 454 gets 14 mpg on the open road (not towing) and the duramax will tickle just over 19 driving easy, but most times I see 17-18.

    One advantage the 06 and up duramax's have is the extra 6th gear they added to the Allison trans. Drops the rpm another 3-400 at cruise. I don't have that, just a 5 speed Allison. So Orions duramax can cruise at slightly less rpm and may do a little better than mine.

    Yeah they are more expensive, seems around here you can add $7,000 to $10,000 to the purchase price for a diesel over and beyond what a similar gas truck costs. Then you have the added maintenance. Fuel filter changes come often at about $60 a piece, oil changes are 10 quarters, the recommended Allison trans fluid is $70 a gallon here. If you get into replacing parts it's a pretty good hit. $400 for an injector, $1500 fuel pumps, etc etc...shopping around helps here but you get the idea.

    So it really comes down to how much towing you want to do. If it were only once or twice a year, I personally wouldn't bother with a diesel. If you pull something heavy and go long distances 3-4 times a year or more, I'd recommend a diesel.

  5. #465
    Senior Member tatertot91's Avatar
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    Sunset Orange Metalic
    2001 Camaro SS

    Doesn't really classify as a truck but figured i'd post the latest project/daily i've been working on for the last 6 months. Picked up this beat up EXT and have been giving it a small revival. Didn't know too much about these but the more i look the more i love it. Has the 6.2 backed up to a 6 speed and awd, gets about 20mpg hwy.
    When i bought it the windshield was cracked, oil pan and rear cover was leaking, air suspension was shot, had the wrong wheels with bald tires, and also had a number of small problems which i've been slowly working out. I still want to restore the headlights and

    Here's what it looked like when i bought it with the old style wheels



    Ended up putting some chevy wheels on it till i could find the right wheels for a decent price. The AWD actually gets me through all the sugar sand and out to our camp no problem



    And here's how she sits now. Truck was lowered when i got it which i'm not crazy bout but for what i use it for it's not bad and i've warmed up to it




    Also just got done resealing the bed covers to keep the rain out of the bed and installed led strip lighting across the rails


  6. #466
    Senior Member Cutlass's Avatar
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    1999 Formula WS6 M6-sold
    2001 Silverado Z71

    I like it! I work on these everyday, so I know exactly what you're talking about with the oil pan leak and rear air shocks. Those things and ball joints are the bread and butter of the repairs we do on Escalades.
    The compressor I'm using for my load level air bags on my truck came off an Escalade. Owner insisted it was getting noisey and wanted it replaced despite us telling him it wasn't noisey at all. Maybe it was .5 noisier (scale of 1-10) then a brand new one. Oh well. Free compressor for me!
    -------------------------------------
    Kooks 1 7/8" race headers, Kooks ORY, Borla catback, Nitto 555R, LS6 intake manifold, Shaner S3 ported stock throttle body, SLP lid, smooth bellows, JAAM Ram Air kit, Elite Engineering catch can, LS6 valley cover, EGR and AIR deleted, Frost tune, and Simpson Racing child car seat in the back. 13.2 @ 108MPH

  7. #467
    Senior Member Cutlass's Avatar
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    1999 Formula WS6 M6-sold
    2001 Silverado Z71

    What year is that one?

  8. #468
    Senior Member tatertot91's Avatar
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    Sunset Orange Metalic
    2001 Camaro SS

    It's a 2008, wanted something like my old avalanche and ended up finding this one for a deal. Having to drop the front diff to do the oil pan wasn't as bad as I thought but I left the rear cover to the shop lol. Can't even hear the New compressor, would love to see your setup. Cool to hear that old compressor can be repurposed like that.

  9. #469
    Your dealership guy konigandy6's Avatar
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    Velocity Yellow
    2008 Corvette Z06

    My new Midnight edition.


    2018 Tahoe - Silver - OEM

    2008 Z06 - Velocity Yellow - BBE exhuast - Airaid CAI **sold**

    2002 Z06 - Electron Blue Metallic - D1 - E85 - 701 rwhp 687 rwtq **sold**

    2002 Z28: M6 NBM - cam and boltons - 396rwhp 357 rwtq **sold**

  10. #470
    Senior Member 5.0THIS's Avatar
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    red
    95 Z28

    Alex, get some opticoat for the headlamps after you polish them out, otherwise they'll fog up again since their protective coatings are all gone at that point.

    Truck looks good, but yeah, I'd want to raise it back to stock height.

  11. #471
    Member the951racer's Avatar
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    Copenhagen Blau/Black
    88 Porsche 951/07 TBSS

    Here's my new baby! Finally got one after looking for more than 12 years!






    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #472
    Your dealership guy konigandy6's Avatar
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    Velocity Yellow
    2008 Corvette Z06

    I've been looking for one of those myself for some time, was planning on doing a resto-mod LS swap into one.

    Beautiful truck with perfect lines. Congrats!

  13. #473
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Black & Blue
    '02 WS.6 / '07 Suburban

    Way cool!

  14. #474
    Senior Member Cutlass's Avatar
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    1999 Formula WS6 M6-sold
    2001 Silverado Z71

    New to me truck. I bought a 2017 GMC Sierra SLT Premium Plus, Crew Cab - 6.5 foot box, 6.2 liter V8, 8 speed auto trans, Max Tow package!! This was a needle in a hay stack find. Its very difficult to find 1/2 ton Crew Cab without the extra short box with 6.2 V8 and Max Tow package.






  15. #475
    Spaz is My Mentor SMWS6TA's Avatar
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    Navy Blue Metallic
    98 T/A w/ mods, 00 FBVert

    Sweet.....


    Long time no see Cutlass.
    http://www.ls1.com/forums/f7/my-6-liter-build-174257/

    http://www.ls1.com/forums/f8/my-8-8-rear-build-165553/

    6.0L Block - Forged 403ci , Polluter Stg3 Cam, FAST 102mm Intake, NW102 TB, MSD wires, NGK TR6 plugs, Truck Coil Packs, LS3 Fuel Injectors, CC Pacesetter LT Headers, TS&P ORY, QTP e-Cutout, Magnaflow Muffler, 104mm Air Lid & Line Lock, Catch Can, Stage 2 T56 w/Viper shaft, PRO 5.0 Shifter, Tick MC, SPEC Stg3+ Clutch, QT SFI BH, MWC DSL, Full UMI Performance Suspension, Belstein Shocks, Hotchkis Springs (1" Drop), YR1 Snowflake Wheels wrapped in NT555 tires & Custom Fab Ford 8.8 rear w/Wavetrac Diff 3.73 Yukon Gears, WSQ Hood, 3"CM Strange Eng Drive Shaft.

    00 FB Vert - Stock

    78 FB - Just getting started......

    Horsepower never lies, but is often lied about!

  16. #476
    Junior Member
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    Yall making me want a new one! Nice!

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