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pulling trailers
Gary, sorry to differ with you, but you're mistaken about the tow ratings. The GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) statements you made are correct for the total capacity for hauling (of course, you sometimes also have to have the weight distributed properly between the front and rear axles). However, there is also a GCVWR (gross combined vehicle weight rating) that will be higher than the GVWR. It is the weight of the truck and all of it's contents PLUS the weight of the towed vehicle (trailer). I used to be a full time RVer, and in fact was towing a fifth wheel trailer with a C3500 Chevy with a GVWR of 10,000. I've forgotten exactly what the GCVWR was but it varied on those trucks depending on the engine/transmission/rear end ratio. I had the 454 engine with 4.10 rear end, but you could get it with a 4.56 rear end and a GCVWR of about 19,000 lbs. I believe mine was 15,000.
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pulling trailers
David, if having an overdrive auto transmission is the only thing keeping you from rebuilding the truck you now have, you might consider something like the Gear Vendors Overdrive. You can click on the link below to read about them; not cheap, but a pleasure to drive. I used to have an '89 C3500 dually, 454 engine, 4.10 rear end when we were living and travelling full time in a 5th wheel. It didn't seem to help fuel economy very much when pulling the trailer, but was about a 25% increase in fuel mileage when we weren't pulling the trailer. I won't go into all the details (you can read them on their web site), but without the trailer, we just used it as an automatic overdrive, and with the trailer, as a gear splitter to make that 3-speed auto into a 6-speed. I'd actually rather have that than any of the newer automatic overdrives. After we traded the truck and trailer for a motorhome, I installed a U.S. Gear overdrive unit on the motorhome (had a source to get it a lot cheaper) and it worked well, but was not nearly the ease and pleasure to drive that the Gear Vendors was.
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Peters, I'll agree that GM hasn't had a very good record with the diesels in pickups (and cars) in the past, but sure wonder about your statement about Isuzu not having a good record either. You obviously know something I don't because I used to have an Isuzu diesel sedan, my dad had the little Chevy/Isuzu pickup, a good friend had an Isuzu pickup, my wife's former employer had an Isuzu cabover, and both my brothers have had GMC/Isuzu cabovers. And in every case, they were the most trouble free vehicles we ever owned. Now obviously it's too early to pass judgment on the new Chev. diesels, but if I had the money to buy a new diesel pickup, you can bet that's the one I'd buy.
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