MikeW - So it is on Hold as the Silv. Planner told me. It is a nice option as a spare even as markbuck says you can do without it but when we camp in wilderness areas usually feel you just can't have toooo much battery and when we (& Gm) get it hooked up correctly as Vince & MikeL have, you will not run down your starter battery.
I would think it shouldn't take Gm that long to get the wiring harness modification and instructions to the dealers.
My dealer has offered to do mine and i've given him all the instructions from Vince etc and he is really planning to do it right. (I have no problem doing it myself as Vince did but my dealer guy has taken a real interest in it now) I know he even appreciated all the information from here because he didn't know anything when i had OnStar get him on line that day.
I'm a design engineer for Fisher Controls Co. I have designed Presurizer Spray Valves for Westinghouse PWR's and been in containment different places around the world. Also designed the 20" and 24" Recirc. flow control valve for GE's BWR's which was what the NY (Nigra Mohawk NineMile Point) deal was about. Yours sound more interesting (:-)
Vince - Mike called late today, arrived at his dad's yesterday i think. Will get together with him and his wife tomorrow MAIDRITE!!!!
Now I know who to blame for the specs I had to learn while I was in the Navy. I am an ex Nuke, spent 2 years in school and 4 years on Subs. I can relate to being over protective on everything,there is redundancy on all critical equipment.
Loren took my dad and me up for a flight. We went from Marshalltown (after we ate Maid-Rites) over to and around Elberon. Took several pictures of my dad's house from the air, through the hazy skies. After we get back I will post some of the pics for all to see.
We rode out to the airport in the air conditioned comfort of Loren's 2500HD LT. Nice grey leather!
Then we had to ride back to dad's house in my little truck.
Nice to meet you and your Dad. Sorry 'bout all the Iowa haze.
I found the campground between Douglas and Casper on the WY state map today.
Also the R&D Relay came today. Took me about 30mins to install as result of your pointers last nite. Thanks to both you and Vince for the reminders of easy it would be to install. Plus it's nice to know how easy it is to get to the electrical under the fuse box.
Well I'm off on vacation too but not in the truck. I flew to Florida to visit Disney World and surrounding attractions. At $255 round trip for the flight, it was cheaper than gas for the truck. Just got caught in a major thunderstorm at the park. Close lightening, gushing rain, ice chunks etc. All the tourists (including me) huddled under any piece of shelter like a bunch of sheep. It was kind of fun for a California boy but not for the scared and screaming children. Too bad I didn't have the camper!
We got back last night only to find out a boat had hit the only bridge to our island. At least it didn't knock it dow this time. After explaining to the law at the road block that I was a member of the Emergency operations center they let us go through. Most people had about a 6 hr wait!! Trip went fine-- got my limit of fish and lost plenty of money in the casino!
I finally took the camper on a 550 mile trip was suprised how low the gas mileage can get. I only got 7.8 mpg during the first 220 miles with a srong head wind, steep hills and doing about 70 mph. This was with a V-6 Silverado 4x4. I would guess the combination weighed about 10,000 lbs. I had to push the truck in second gear to keep 65 mph up steep hills. 65 in second is about 4800 rpms. I got 10 mpg on return trip letting speed drop to 55 before I kicked it down. Is this gas mileage typical?
Two things suprised me. One, tow/haul mode really works. Two, it does not keep the torque converter lock under wide open throttle. I think this generates heat in the transmission. Some hills were 5 miles long and I used WOT all the way. The outside temp was near 100 and A/C was on full blast. I can just imagine what the trans temp was!
I emailed GM and they said this truck does not need a trans cooler and can tow 5000 lbs with no options other than auto trans. Is there a way to keep the trans locked, even under WOT? Is there a trans temp meter that can be installed without much trouble?
In this combination, auto, 4x4 V-6, 3.73, tow haul mode would allow overdrive towing when speed was above 60 mph and would drop out of overdrive when speed was below 55 mph, regardless of load. Held trans in thrid most of the time to avoid shifting. There is a big gap between second and third at WOT. A five speed auto would be nice or possibly 4.10 gears, but they are not avaliable.
That Natural Bridge Park is an oasis in some pretty parched country. I was lucky to find it back in 1956. At that time it was family owned and I'm glad that it worked out for the county to take it over when they were ready to quit. I have stopped by several more times, a couple of times just to eat lunch there, and have always enjoyed it.
This spring I developed a disk problem that wrecked our June trip in the camper to Colorado. After 8 weeks of bed rest I scraped through without surgery and now am almost back to normal. Finally got the camper out last week for a trip to southern Vermont. Canoed the Battenkill River from Arlington to the NY border despite the low water due to drought. This is a premier catch and release trout stream and lovely for paddling and cool swimming. Spent a couple of nights at Emerald Lake State Park in East Dorset, VT. I recommend this park highly. Clean, well run, and scenic. Our site was isolated and quiet. No connections. Battery held up just fine and repair on the blackwater tank is holding!.
We live on Hatteras Island NC. It is about 60 miles long and maybe 2 1/2 miles wide at the widest point. Some places are only about 400 yards wide. We always make the weather channel this time of year. All the hurricanes head for us!!! The bridge is on the North end (about 5 miles long.) There is a ferry on the South end that takes about 45 minutes to reach the next Island--then another ferry (about 2 1/2 hours) to the mainland.
Have you posted here before? If so I don't remember you, if not welcome.
First I'd say that your truck did amazingly well if you could maintain 65mph up hills in any gear. My 89 F250 with a 5.0 V8 couldn't do that up any moderately serious freeway hill (like 4%+). What type of camper do you have and do you know how much it weighs?
Your gas mileage is not surprising if you have a full size hard-side camper. As you know, the frontal area wind resistance is killer. Also, pushing the small engine hard drops the mileage down to the same or less than a larger engine would get. I get about the same mileage with my 6.0 Silverado that I did with the 5.0 Ford (~10mpg) even though I'm going faster now.
I agree that tow/haul works well. I always run with it on unless I'm in town where it is a little annoying. I don't think you can do anything about the lock up issue. When more power is needed the trans just wants to raise the RPM and dropping out of lock is the first step. I assume it needs to be out of lock to shift but I don't know for sure, does anyone know if an auto trans can shift while locked?
I very much disagree with the advice GM gave you. An aux transmission cooler is a great idea for your situation. Since you have to run at high RPM to get enough power, the trans is getting hotter than it would with a larger engine. My 2500 has a factory temperature guage and the highest trans temp I've ever seen was when I was holding speed up a hill in 2nd gear. I could see the gauge move as I climbed the hill. I've never seen it change so rapidly under any other condition, and my truck does have a factory aux cooler. Plus it's just good practice to have a cooler when you tow or carry a camper. The fluid temperature is the most important factor in transmission lifetime. You can add a cooler in a few hours for less than $100 which is pretty cheap insurance. You could plumb in an aftermarket gauge at the same time. All it needs is a sending unit in contact with the fluid and a 12V connection.
Sorry to hear about your back problem but it's great that you were able to avoid surgery. The back and the eyes are areas where the success rate for surgery would make it a last resort for me.
That sounds like a nice trip. How do you get back to your truck when you canoe down a river?
It is a Nomad and weighs about 5000 lbs loaded. The newer engines have more power than the older ones. My V-6 has 200 hp at a low 4600 rpm and has about 210 ft/lbs torque avaliabe at just 1100 rpms! Not many V-8s did that a few years ago!
What was your trans temp climbing the hill in second? Over 280?
I'm not sure I agree with you that pusing a small engine is less efficinet than working a larger engine less. This goes against physics. Volumetric losses are less in the smaller engine. I will explain in detail if you would like.
During my two trips over the past few weeks I traveled over 5,000 miles. I tried the T/H a few times in the mountains and found the truck seemed to do better without it. It would stay in a lower gear more and longer than with it out thus higher RPMS and less gas millage. The mountains here in NC are much steeper than any of the others we went in (5 & 6 % for several miles.) My transmission never reached 200 (maybe 180). The highest I have seen it is about 190 in 4 wheel drive in really soft sand on a very hot day for several miles. A few times coming down the mountains I shifted down to 2 to keep from having to brake as much.
My transmission temperature never got very high, maybe 200 if I remember correctly. It's just that it changed noticeably from the bottom of the hill to the top. If it's anything like the engine temperature, it will hit a reasonable max and just stay. I've never seen the engine temp budge from normal under any condition.
You may be correct about the engine. With fuel injection and feedback controls it may be just as efficient at WO as normal and really be a function of displacement. I don't think that was true back in the carburetor days.
At 5000 lbs that is one heck of a load. Are you sure it's that heavy, even loaded? That would be way over my 2500's rating, I can't imagine what a 1/2 ton would do with such a load. The biggest Lance only comes in at around 3500 lbs. What suspension mods have you made?
Sure it holds it in a lower gear, that's the point. Once the engine load is low enough for several seconds it will shift. I never use T/H without the camper, it just isn't needed. With your camper being so light for that truck you probably don't need it very often. One situation where it is helpful is climbing winding roads. It prevents an upshift every time you let up on the gas to enter a corner. That's an annoying feature of automatics.
It is a camper trailer. I think 5000 lbs would crush my half ton! It is only rated to hold 2000 lbs. Thanks for the trans temp info. My engine temp never moves either. It stays the same even in 100 degree heat, A/C on, and towing up hill foot to the floor. These trucks have excellent cooling systems.
I see now. I get confused when people refer to trailers as campers. I guess that's why campers are usually referred to as "truck camper" or "slide-in camper."
If you told me you were carrying a 5000 camper I'd ask for a picture because that would be a sight to see! Did you happen to see the picture making its way around the web a year ago or so of a grossly overloaded Volkswagen Jetta? It had about 3000 lbs of Home Depot lumber on top and died in the parking lot when the shocks came up through the sheet metal. It was a great picture. I'll try to find it just for fun.
I saw that pic before! I think the Silverado would handle the 5000 pounds better than that!
I can not activate the ABS when towing with about 500 lbs (dead) hitch weight and about 500 lbs load in the truck. The brakes just do not have the reseve capacity even if I use two feet and pull on the wheel! I have had to stop quick a few times in heavy city traffic and it is nerve racking. Is this just my truck?
I'm surprised to hear that because one thing the new style GM truck almost always scores high on is the brakes. The last version had notoriously weak and mushy brakes from everything I've read, I think GM went to a lot of effort to get it right this time.
I'd suspect your trailer brakes first. You can't expect the truck to do all the work, it isn't designed for that much extra load. And remember the 1/2 ton has smaller brakes front and rear with single pistons on the rear. Your load is right about at the Hmmmm decision point between a 1/2 and 3/4 ton truck in my opinion even though it is below the rated maximum. But I'm a big believer in overkill as a general principal. I've read some tips in Trailer Life on how to test and set trailer brakes but I don't remember any details. I did get the impression that it's a touchy setting.
I've read some posts from guys who swear that 4-wheel ABS when towing is very dangerous. I think they felt that the trailer can cause the ABS to kick in prematurely and cause loss of braking power. Does anyone know why some people feel this way and if it's true?
The trailer brakes are controlled by a electric controller. There are two basic types of controllers, time delay and sensing. I have the time delay type. This type will always apply the trailer brakes with the same ramp rate up to the set max. In other words, this type of controller will not compensate for a panic stop.
That said, even with the trailer brakes disconnected, I would suspect I could activated the truck ABS. Unloaded I have no problem activating ABS. I was wondering if I glazed the pads or if this is typical of a loaded half ton.
I do not see why ABS is dangerous when towing. I think it is a life saver. To prevent a jack-knife no wheels can lock. The ABS prevts lockup on the truck and a properly set controller should prevent it on the trailer.
Hello, been following this for a while, now it is time to start looking...Went to the Lance dealership the other day and was looking at 820's 821's (slide out) and I think an 845 all for a short bed truck. They were all hard side campers weighing as much as 3200lbs (821)!! Anyway my truck is a 2001 extended cab 2500HD 4x4 with 8.1l/Alli shortbed. The Lance dealer, of course wanting my money, was telling me no prob, your truck can handle this with air bags installed. I calmly indicated to him that was over my GVWR of 9200lbs and that my cargo rating was 2200 and change (which seems low for an HD to me). He told me that the manufactures always lower their carrying capacities as a CYA. In fact my rear axle is rated for 7200lbs, not the 6000 and change listed on the door panel of my truck. Any thoughts??
Went to the Hallmark dealer and they no longer sell hardside campers for shortbeds stating liability issues and the fact that almost everyone they had sold were returned or had to be bought back after suits were brought up from saftey and liability concerns. They were stating they don't recommend ANY hard side camper on a shortbed due to the shorter wheel base. So are there any of you out there with short bed pickups that have hardside slide on campers?? Any problems??
I won't be buying until next years sportsman show about mid March, so that gives me enough time to research and get the right camper and get more opinions. Thanks, Bob
My low towing mpg pulling my TT ~5000lbs using my '99 1500 4.8L 5speed man 4.10 rear end was around 6.8mpg. High was usually around 10.
My 2500hd (6.0L 5speed) does a little better, and I'm suprized.... maybe I tend to let the speed lug down slightly more before downshifting, as the 6.0L has a fatter HP curve down low....
The limiting factor to your weight carrying ability is the load limit of your tires.E-rated tires size 245-75x16 are rated at 3042# each.My 2000 2500 longbed ext.cab 4x4 with a loaded Lance 920 with 2 weeks gear and 2 people on the scale weighed 9800# with 5700 on the rear and 4100 on the front. This is not an HD so it will be lighter.
Am really impressed with the Duramax, what a difference between the Dodge Cummins Dually I used to have and this GMC Dually. Took it over to Tonapah, Nevada from the Bay area and this machine just flew over the Priest Grade, came back over Sonora Pass as Tioga was closed due to a landslide and it that was a piece of cake also, however I was towing a trailer with 2 ATV's along with my Lance 11.3 camper and lost my trailer brakes coming down off of Sonora and had smoke coming off the wheels when I could finally pull over. 13 mpg with the camper and towing the ATV's, the truck only has about 1700 miles on it. Does anyone know if a extra fuel tank can be put on these (GMC 3500) ?? had one on the Dodge and it was great
I don't buy that business about short bed trucks if it's an extended cab. The wheelbase is the same as a reg cab long bed. Lance, and others, have been selling short bed campers for quite a while with no obvious problems. The important factor is to get the center of gravity over or in front of the rear axle. If I remember correctly, GM allows the COG to go all the way to the tailgate on sb trucks but I wouldn't want that. You can get a special brochure with this detail from the GM dealer and Lance will tell you where the COG is on any model.
I know buying new is nice but you should at least look at the used market. You can easily save 25% to 50% on an almost new unit. It's harder to find the model you want of course.
My opinion (take it or leave it) on slide-outs is no thanks. Here's why:
-Makes you climb to get to the dinette. -You loose the end of the U seating area. It is actually quite a bit smaller space. -You loose the huge storage cabinet/kid bed above the dinette. -Additional weight, complexity, cost. Possible source of leaks etc. -Do they make into a bed with the smaller size?
On the good side, it makes the space feel larger inside and gives some more floor space. This doesn't offset the negatives for me. Now if they made the back of the camper slide out, that has possibilities.
I assume your 2200 cargo rating is from the glove box sticker. If you take the GVWR - curb weight you will find GM leaves a fair amount of buffer for people etc. 3200lbs + cargo is high for a 2500, that camper should go on a 3500. But don't worry about going a little over the max. The drivetrain can obviously handle it and with some suspension additions it would be fine. I don't know about the rear axle story but my first rule of sales applies: "Everything a salesperson says is a lie until proven to be true." A good rule to live by.
13mpg is great for that load and terrain. It helps to pay off a little of the premium you paid for the diesel! It must be nice to have all that torque. I guess you just mash the pedal and it goes. Anywhere.
Which brakes were smoking, the truck's? That is a pretty extreme situation for a pickup. I'm surprised it would get to that point with only ATVs on the trailer. How heavy is an ATV?
Very well put, thanks for your opinions especially the COG info. I noticed that it seemed like there was less headroom in the slide out portion of the slide on camper. I figured between the 820 and the 821 there was about 300lbs difference...hey that's my beer room!!!
Good point about the used market, never gave that much thought, but for the savings, it just might be worth it to check it out...what's the worst that could happen, I don't like the choices and keep looking, right?? :-)
Oh yeah one other thing, I noticed at the dealers, there are two types of mounting, one that is bolted to the bed, the other mounted to the frame. I would assume the frame mount would be better, but are there any shoulda coulda woulda's out there that either wish they got one over the other??
I had happy-jack and now torklift. Both have worked fine for me. The reason I went with the tork-lifts(frame mounted ones) is that the bumper on my 01 2500 hd GMC 4x4 crew cab SB seemed mighty thin to me. Others here have them and have no problems. With the spring loaded turnbuckles either should be ok.
Watch out for the old " always underates the capacity of the truck. You can haul much more than the rating". First of all, if the truck is rated to haul x amount of weight and you exceed it you better hope you don't have a drive train repair that the dealer can refuse to warranty. Second, I recommend to all my camping buddies that they take their loaded trailer and truck to a public scale and get a certified GCW. A lawyer told me that any time an RV is involved in an accident and found at fault, the insurance company and lawyers will try to prove that the vehicle was overloaded, so lawsuit city.
Another thing I learned the hard way: Some trailer manufacturers, namely Skyline (Layton, Nomad) will connect the brake wiring from the axle to the trailer harness using 3M Scotch Locs. While these are fine in some applications, they are specifically NOT recommended for exposure to road conditions and should NEVER be used in an electric brake circuit. I punched a Mazda Protoge through an intersection when he decided to slam on his brakes on a green light. I was really ticked that I couldn't avoid the accident as I consider myself to be a very good, defensive driver. I later found that the scotch-locs had been used on the brake wiring at the factory and exposure to water had caused them to corrode and loose continuity. So, I was trying to stop 7000# of travel trailer with a 1/2 ton GMC and no trailer brakes. After I found that, I removed the scotch-locs and soldered the wiring harnesses together.
I took the camper off the truck today (I normally leave it off) and once again was so happy I put electric jacks on it. It is not only easier and faster but is also safer and more stable on these jacks. For those of you looking to buy a camper, definitely choose electric if you can. They are expensive but they make your camper investment so much more useable and enjoyable. Kind of like AC in a car; you can live without it but it makes the car so much nicer to live with.
Regarding the question about frame vs. body tie downs, both work well. Here are some concerns people have raised.
Frame: -Don't have much forward/rearward angle. True, but a rubber mat or spray-in liner provides so much friction I doubt it matters. -They stick out. Bad for off-road or shins. Maybe doesn't look so great. -It seems to me that the chain would go tight and slack as the bed moves in relation to the frame. Not a big deal I guess as long as a S-hook doesn't come free.
Body: -Can damage the bed or bend the bumper. True for extreme loads. It happened to me but I had two extenuating circumstances. -Some don't like drilling any holes in their truck. -Optional cross stiffner bar in the bed can get in the way. I tore my camper bumpers out on it.
I'm happy with my Happijac (body) mounts. They look pretty clean and don't use chains which I don't care for. In either case, I agree with the comment about the spring loaded turnbuckles from Happijac. They are quite nice. I wish they would add a little dealybob to close the open portion of the S for extra security.
Don't consider using stake pocket brackets. They aren't very strong or stable. They move around in the pocket and flex. I've had them and my camper never fell out but I never felt very secure in case of an accident either.
My tork lifts are lke small hitch receivers. You don't see them nor do they stick out unless you slide the tie downs in. Ith the bed mat my camper has not shifted--(yet)
6856 miles later. My dad had changed his mind about Detroit and the Henry Ford Museum, and we went to Grand Island, Nebraska (Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer) and Minden, Nebraska (Pioneer Village). We all enjoyed both, but Pioneer Village seems special to us.
Loren, you could fly out to Minden - they have a courtesy car at the airport you can take into Pioneer Village, and then you can stay at the motel. Well worth the trip. Plan on two days or one very long day. 2nd day is free if you sign up for it before you leave on the first day.
6856 miles, and the oil minder light is not on yet. 15.1 mpg average for the trip. Most driving was at the speed limit, Cruise Control on, AC on. High was 16.5 mpg (prior tank 16.0, next 15.7) low was 14.0 (California oxygenated gas - first tank of trip). I was very happy with the mileage. My wife got spoiled with the mileage, we got a tank at 14.7 and she's wondering what's wrong! For a 6.0L truck weighing 7450lbs, I was very happy with 15mpg!
From CA we went up into Idaho. Amazing thing was, at the speed limit we were passing more people than were passing us! Didn't happen anywhere else. Through Wyoming, across Nebraska. Stopped in Fremont to visit my brother, his new wife and their new house! Then onto Iowa to see my dad and my other brother. On the return trip we visited the museums in Nebraska with my dad, then he returned to Iowa and we went on.
We wandered north through Gillete Wyo. to tour the coal mines - well worth the visit! Then up through Montana into Canada. Up the Icefields Parkway and across BC. Many, many very nice Provincial Parks. Moose and Elk in the campground outside Jasper (give those guys a w-i-d-e berth). Some very nice parks in Washington and Oregon, and then down Highway 1, the CA coast and home.
After we filled up in Sacramento, we developed a miss. First thought was, wow - bad gas! But then I noticed it got worse whenever we hit bumps or a rough stretch of road. Then the Service Engine Soon light came on.
But we still got 14mpg going up to Reno.
So, In the campground that night, I looked around and found a loose plug wire, then the engine ran fine, but the SES light wouldn't go out. I checked the gas cap, and it was tight. So, out in Winnemuca we stopped at the dealership, and they looked at it (literally, they were backed up and had a mechanic on jury duty) and said if it is running good don't worry about it. It could take 30-40 restarts for the light to reset itself. We tried 5-6 more time right there to no avail. So we drove off and about 2 miles down the road the light went out.
Wow that was a long trip. I only just turned 20k on my truck, I'll bet you have close to double that now. You saw quite a range of things, sounds fun. Glad the truck worked out okay. How does a plug wire get loose?
Yes, that mileage was with the camper on the truck. And all of our gear, wife, etc. 7450lbs. I use Mobil 1 5W-30 oil and have the tires at 50/70 psi. I noticed better mileage with premium(about 10% better) and more power with premium. It would pull up hills better with premium. I guess with regular the knock sensor pulls back the timing and reduces power. Last years trip was all regular and averaged 14.0mpg. This year mostly premium and averaged 15.1 mpg.
I imagined the plug wire wasn't properly installed when some (un-named) fool pulled the plugs out to check them. Maybe I should get a new mechanic?
I think we just turned 27K on the truck. I may drive it alot in the summer, but I have other things to drive around day to day.
I'll keep Minden & courtesy car in mind. Have been driving past that place for shall we say a looooong time so maybe that might be the best way to drop in.
Hey, what happened to my post extolling the virtues of my MaidRites?
We had the one with Loren (no ketchup, but still worth the visit) and 3 other restaurants (with ketchup).
And the glory of Corn Nuggets at the Dysart Drive-in. Rhonda at the Drive-In really likes people, and loves to talk. She even sent us a Christmas card last year. All because we stop in whenever we are in town.
Iowa is just a little different from California! Really nice people and a lot slower pace of life. If it wasn't for the summer heat it would be worth considering. As it is, thank heaven for the great AC in the Silverado.
Help!!! I just bought a Lance 945- 11"3 camper and I absolutely love it. The problem is I can not find the tire's with the load capacity to handle the weight of my truck with the camper on it.
My truck is a 2001 F-350 Lariat long bed single rear wheel 4 X 4 crew cab 7.3 powerstroke desiel. The weight over all with the truck and camper is 10,820 lbs with half a tank of gas and the camper with no liquids. My truck weighs 7,700 lbs and the camper around 3,100 lbs. My rear axle weight is 6,280. If I add more gas (full tank), 10 gal. of water for my camper, and the tounge weight of my water craft trailer i'm up to almost 6,900 lbs on the rear end!!!! And thats not including the stuff i'm gonna haul in the camper.
You see this is all new to me. The sales man said " No problem your truck is fine" when i bought the camper. But the service guy who did the air bags and mounted it said i'd better weigh it also my tires were in no way gonna handle the load. My tires are BF Goodrich AT 285 75 R16's load range D at a load capacity of 3,305 lbs per tire. The highest I can find is 3,415 lbs load range E 265 75 R16's.
Is there anyone who has a truck and camper like mine and is in the same situation or know what the limits are? Am I ok with the tires I have or do you know of any higher rated tires? I can't find any!!! I don't want to be right at my maximum or over what my tires will allow.
Please help me....any suggestions I would very much appreciate because I really want to keep my camper and of course my truck!
Now I really got some bad news. I took off my camper and now my bed is bent. I don't get it. Has anyone else had this problem? If this is the way it's gonna be then I guess I may be through with campers.
The right rear part. When your behind the truck from a distance you can see that the tailgate slopes down toward the right. Plus when I open my tailgate the cable that holds it on the left is tight and the one on the right is very loose.
Comments
I would think it shouldn't take Gm that long to get the wiring harness modification and instructions to the dealers.
My dealer has offered to do mine and i've given him all the instructions from Vince etc and he is really planning to do it right. (I have no problem doing it myself as Vince did but my dealer guy has taken a real interest in it now) I know he even appreciated all the information from here because he didn't know anything when i had OnStar get him on line that day.
I'm a design engineer for Fisher Controls Co. I have designed Presurizer Spray Valves for Westinghouse PWR's and been in containment different places around the world. Also designed the 20" and 24" Recirc. flow control valve for GE's BWR's which was what the NY (Nigra Mohawk NineMile Point) deal was about. Yours sound more interesting (:-)
Vince - Mike called late today, arrived at his dad's yesterday i think. Will get together with him and his wife tomorrow MAIDRITE!!!!
Loren 75v
Loren took my dad and me up for a flight. We went from Marshalltown (after we ate Maid-Rites) over to and around Elberon. Took several pictures of my dad's house from the air, through the hazy skies. After we get back I will post some of the pics for all to see.
We rode out to the airport in the air conditioned comfort of Loren's 2500HD LT. Nice grey leather!
Then we had to ride back to dad's house in my little truck.
Thanks Loren we had a good time.
Later,
Mike
I found the campground between Douglas and Casper on the WY state map today.
Also the R&D Relay came today. Took me about 30mins to install as result of your pointers last nite. Thanks to both you and Vince for the reminders of easy it would be to install.
Plus it's nice to know how easy it is to get to the electrical under the fuse box.
75v
oltroll, it sounds pretty isolated there; only one way in and out? You've probably told us but what island is that?
I had to push the truck in second gear to keep 65 mph up steep hills. 65 in second is about 4800 rpms. I got 10 mpg on return trip letting speed drop to 55 before I kicked it down. Is this gas mileage typical?
Two things suprised me. One, tow/haul mode really works. Two, it does not keep the torque converter lock under wide open throttle. I think this generates heat in the transmission. Some hills were 5 miles long and I used WOT all the way. The outside temp was near 100 and A/C was on full blast. I can just imagine what the trans temp was!
I emailed GM and they said this truck does not need a trans cooler and can tow 5000 lbs with no options other than auto trans. Is there a way to keep the trans locked, even under WOT? Is there a trans temp meter that can be installed without much trouble?
In this combination, auto, 4x4 V-6, 3.73, tow haul mode would allow overdrive towing when speed was above 60 mph and would drop out of overdrive when speed was below 55 mph, regardless of load. Held trans in thrid most of the time to avoid shifting. There is a big gap between second and third at WOT. A five speed auto would be nice or possibly 4.10 gears, but they are not avaliable.
This spring I developed a disk problem that wrecked our June trip in the camper to Colorado. After 8 weeks of bed rest I scraped through without surgery and now am almost back to normal. Finally got the camper out last week for a trip to southern Vermont. Canoed the Battenkill River from Arlington to the NY border despite the low water due to drought. This is a premier catch and release trout stream and lovely for paddling and cool swimming. Spent a couple of nights at Emerald Lake State Park in East Dorset, VT. I recommend this park highly. Clean, well run, and scenic. Our site was isolated and quiet. No connections. Battery held up just fine and repair on the blackwater tank is holding!.
First I'd say that your truck did amazingly well if you could maintain 65mph up hills in any gear. My 89 F250 with a 5.0 V8 couldn't do that up any moderately serious freeway hill (like 4%+). What type of camper do you have and do you know how much it weighs?
Your gas mileage is not surprising if you have a full size hard-side camper. As you know, the frontal area wind resistance is killer. Also, pushing the small engine hard drops the mileage down to the same or less than a larger engine would get. I get about the same mileage with my 6.0 Silverado that I did with the 5.0 Ford (~10mpg) even though I'm going faster now.
I agree that tow/haul works well. I always run with it on unless I'm in town where it is a little annoying. I don't think you can do anything about the lock up issue. When more power is needed the trans just wants to raise the RPM and dropping out of lock is the first step. I assume it needs to be out of lock to shift but I don't know for sure, does anyone know if an auto trans can shift while locked?
I very much disagree with the advice GM gave you. An aux transmission cooler is a great idea for your situation. Since you have to run at high RPM to get enough power, the trans is getting hotter than it would with a larger engine. My 2500 has a factory temperature guage and the highest trans temp I've ever seen was when I was holding speed up a hill in 2nd gear. I could see the gauge move as I climbed the hill. I've never seen it change so rapidly under any other condition, and my truck does have a factory aux cooler. Plus it's just good practice to have a cooler when you tow or carry a camper. The fluid temperature is the most important factor in transmission lifetime. You can add a cooler in a few hours for less than $100 which is pretty cheap insurance. You could plumb in an aftermarket gauge at the same time. All it needs is a sending unit in contact with the fluid and a 12V connection.
That sounds like a nice trip. How do you get back to your truck when you canoe down a river?
What was your trans temp climbing the hill in second? Over 280?
I'm not sure I agree with you that pusing a small engine is less efficinet than working a larger engine less. This goes against physics. Volumetric losses are less in the smaller engine. I will explain in detail if you would like.
You may be correct about the engine. With fuel injection and feedback controls it may be just as efficient at WO as normal and really be a function of displacement. I don't think that was true back in the carburetor days.
At 5000 lbs that is one heck of a load. Are you sure it's that heavy, even loaded? That would be way over my 2500's rating, I can't imagine what a 1/2 ton would do with such a load. The biggest Lance only comes in at around 3500 lbs. What suspension mods have you made?
If you told me you were carrying a 5000 camper I'd ask for a picture because that would be a sight to see! Did you happen to see the picture making its way around the web a year ago or so of a grossly overloaded Volkswagen Jetta? It had about 3000 lbs of Home Depot lumber on top and died in the parking lot when the shocks came up through the sheet metal. It was a great picture. I'll try to find it just for fun.
http://ideageek.com/wow/
I can not activate the ABS when towing with about 500 lbs (dead) hitch weight and about 500 lbs load in the truck. The brakes just do not have the reseve capacity even if I use two feet and pull on the wheel! I have had to stop quick a few times in heavy city traffic and it is nerve racking. Is this just my truck?
I'd suspect your trailer brakes first. You can't expect the truck to do all the work, it isn't designed for that much extra load. And remember the 1/2 ton has smaller brakes front and rear with single pistons on the rear. Your load is right about at the Hmmmm decision point between a 1/2 and 3/4 ton truck in my opinion even though it is below the rated maximum. But I'm a big believer in overkill as a general principal. I've read some tips in Trailer Life on how to test and set trailer brakes but I don't remember any details. I did get the impression that it's a touchy setting.
I've read some posts from guys who swear that 4-wheel ABS when towing is very dangerous. I think they felt that the trailer can cause the ABS to kick in prematurely and cause loss of braking power. Does anyone know why some people feel this way and if it's true?
That said, even with the trailer brakes disconnected, I would suspect I could activated the truck ABS. Unloaded I have no problem activating ABS. I was wondering if I glazed the pads or if this is typical of a loaded half ton.
I do not see why ABS is dangerous when towing. I think it is a life saver. To prevent a jack-knife no wheels can lock. The ABS prevts lockup on the truck and a properly set controller should prevent it on the trailer.
I don't see why ABS is a problem when towing either. I'll look for that towing topic and see if I can find any rational.
The Lance dealer, of course wanting my money, was telling me no prob, your truck can handle this with air bags installed. I calmly indicated to him that was over my GVWR of 9200lbs and that my cargo rating was 2200 and change (which seems low for an HD to me). He told me that the manufactures always lower their carrying capacities as a CYA. In fact my rear axle is rated for 7200lbs, not the 6000 and change listed on the door panel of my truck. Any thoughts??
Went to the Hallmark dealer and they no longer sell hardside campers for shortbeds stating liability issues and the fact that almost everyone they had sold were returned or had to be bought back after suits were brought up from saftey and liability concerns. They were stating they don't recommend ANY hard side camper on a shortbed due to the shorter wheel base. So are there any of you out there with short bed pickups that have hardside slide on campers?? Any problems??
I won't be buying until next years sportsman show about mid March, so that gives me enough time to research and get the right camper and get more opinions.
Thanks,
Bob
My 2500hd (6.0L 5speed) does a little better, and I'm suprized.... maybe I tend to let the speed lug down slightly more before downshifting, as the 6.0L has a fatter HP curve down low....
I think your truck is working just fine.
Bleed your brakes, it helped alot on my '99
Does anyone know if a extra fuel tank can be put on these (GMC 3500) ?? had one on the Dodge and it was great
I know buying new is nice but you should at least look at the used market. You can easily save 25% to 50% on an almost new unit. It's harder to find the model you want of course.
My opinion (take it or leave it) on slide-outs is no thanks. Here's why:
-Makes you climb to get to the dinette.
-You loose the end of the U seating area. It is actually quite a bit smaller space.
-You loose the huge storage cabinet/kid bed above the dinette.
-Additional weight, complexity, cost. Possible source of leaks etc.
-Do they make into a bed with the smaller size?
On the good side, it makes the space feel larger inside and gives some more floor space. This doesn't offset the negatives for me. Now if they made the back of the camper slide out, that has possibilities.
I assume your 2200 cargo rating is from the glove box sticker. If you take the GVWR - curb weight you will find GM leaves a fair amount of buffer for people etc. 3200lbs + cargo is high for a 2500, that camper should go on a 3500. But don't worry about going a little over the max. The drivetrain can obviously handle it and with some suspension additions it would be fine. I don't know about the rear axle story but my first rule of sales applies: "Everything a salesperson says is a lie until proven to be true." A good rule to live by.
Which brakes were smoking, the truck's? That is a pretty extreme situation for a pickup. I'm surprised it would get to that point with only ATVs on the trailer. How heavy is an ATV?
Good point about the used market, never gave that much thought, but for the savings, it just might be worth it to check it out...what's the worst that could happen, I don't like the choices and keep looking, right?? :-)
Oh yeah one other thing, I noticed at the dealers, there are two types of mounting, one that is bolted to the bed, the other mounted to the frame. I would assume the frame mount would be better, but are there any shoulda coulda woulda's out there that either wish they got one over the other??
Thanks,
Bob
Another thing I learned the hard way: Some trailer manufacturers, namely Skyline (Layton, Nomad) will connect the brake wiring from the axle to the trailer harness using 3M Scotch Locs. While these are fine in some applications, they are specifically NOT recommended for exposure to road conditions and should NEVER be used in an electric brake circuit. I punched a Mazda Protoge through an intersection when he decided to slam on his brakes on a green light. I was really ticked that I couldn't avoid the accident as I consider myself to be a very good, defensive driver. I later found that the scotch-locs had been used on the brake wiring at the factory and exposure to water had caused them to corrode and loose continuity. So, I was trying to stop 7000# of travel trailer with a 1/2 ton GMC and no trailer brakes. After I found that, I removed the scotch-locs and soldered the wiring harnesses together.
It sounds like you had a pretty good case for a lawyer with that brake wiring. You'd think a manufacturer would know better.
Frame:
-Don't have much forward/rearward angle. True, but a rubber mat or spray-in liner provides so much friction I doubt it matters.
-They stick out. Bad for off-road or shins. Maybe doesn't look so great.
-It seems to me that the chain would go tight and slack as the bed moves in relation to the frame. Not a big deal I guess as long as a S-hook doesn't come free.
Body:
-Can damage the bed or bend the bumper. True for extreme loads. It happened to me but I had two extenuating circumstances.
-Some don't like drilling any holes in their truck.
-Optional cross stiffner bar in the bed can get in the way. I tore my camper bumpers out on it.
I'm happy with my Happijac (body) mounts. They look pretty clean and don't use chains which I don't care for. In either case, I agree with the comment about the spring loaded turnbuckles from Happijac. They are quite nice. I wish they would add a little dealybob to close the open portion of the S for extra security.
Don't consider using stake pocket brackets. They aren't very strong or stable. They move around in the pocket and flex. I've had them and my camper never fell out but I never felt very secure in case of an accident either.
Loren, you could fly out to Minden - they have a courtesy car at the airport you can take into Pioneer Village, and then you can stay at the motel. Well worth the trip. Plan on two days or one very long day. 2nd day is free if you sign up for it before you leave on the first day.
6856 miles, and the oil minder light is not on yet. 15.1 mpg average for the trip. Most driving was at the speed limit, Cruise Control on, AC on. High was 16.5 mpg (prior tank 16.0, next 15.7) low was 14.0 (California oxygenated gas - first tank of trip). I was very happy with the mileage. My wife got spoiled with the mileage, we got a tank at 14.7 and she's wondering what's wrong! For a 6.0L truck weighing 7450lbs, I was very happy with 15mpg!
From CA we went up into Idaho. Amazing thing was, at the speed limit we were passing more people than were passing us! Didn't happen anywhere else. Through Wyoming, across Nebraska. Stopped in Fremont to visit my brother, his new wife and their new house! Then onto Iowa to see my dad and my other brother. On the return trip we visited the museums in Nebraska with my dad, then he returned to Iowa and we went on.
We wandered north through Gillete Wyo. to tour the coal mines - well worth the visit! Then up through Montana into Canada. Up the Icefields Parkway and across BC. Many, many very nice Provincial Parks. Moose and Elk in the campground outside Jasper (give those guys a w-i-d-e berth). Some very nice parks in Washington and Oregon, and then down Highway 1, the CA coast and home.
Wonder when that oil minder light will come on?
Mike L
But we still got 14mpg going up to Reno.
So, In the campground that night, I looked around and found a loose plug wire, then the engine ran fine, but the SES light wouldn't go out. I checked the gas cap, and it was tight. So, out in Winnemuca we stopped at the dealership, and they looked at it (literally, they were backed up and had a mechanic on jury duty) and said if it is running good don't worry about it. It could take 30-40 restarts for the light to reset itself. We tried 5-6 more time right there to no avail. So we drove off and about 2 miles down the road the light went out.
Other than that the truck ran flawlessly!
Mike L
I imagined the plug wire wasn't properly installed when some (un-named) fool pulled the plugs out to check them. Maybe I should get a new mechanic?
I think we just turned 27K on the truck. I may drive it alot in the summer, but I have other things to drive around day to day.
Mike L
Glad the rest of the trip went fine.
Loren/75v
I can't believe you left out the MaidRite report from your trip notes! You know we were all waiting for that.
Do you want to take a little drive to White Salmon, Washington?
Mike L
We had the one with Loren (no ketchup, but still worth the visit) and 3 other restaurants (with ketchup).
And the glory of Corn Nuggets at the Dysart Drive-in. Rhonda at the Drive-In really likes people, and loves to talk. She even sent us a Christmas card last year. All because we stop in whenever we are in town.
Iowa is just a little different from California! Really nice people and a lot slower pace of life. If it wasn't for the summer heat it would be worth considering. As it is, thank heaven for the great AC in the Silverado.
Mike L
My truck is a 2001 F-350 Lariat long bed single rear wheel 4 X 4 crew cab 7.3 powerstroke desiel. The weight over all with the truck and camper is 10,820 lbs with half a tank of gas and the camper with no liquids. My truck weighs 7,700 lbs and the camper around 3,100 lbs. My rear axle weight is 6,280. If I add more gas (full tank), 10 gal. of water for my camper, and the tounge weight of my water craft trailer i'm up to almost 6,900 lbs on the rear end!!!! And thats not including the stuff i'm gonna haul in the camper.
You see this is all new to me. The sales man said " No problem your truck is fine" when i bought the camper. But the service guy who did the air bags and mounted it said i'd better weigh it also my tires were in no way gonna handle the load. My tires are BF Goodrich AT 285 75 R16's load range D at a load capacity of 3,305 lbs per tire. The highest I can find is 3,415 lbs load range E 265 75 R16's.
Is there anyone who has a truck and camper like mine and is in the same situation or know what the limits are? Am I ok with the tires I have or do you know of any higher rated tires? I can't find any!!! I don't want to be right at my maximum or over what my tires will allow.
Please help me....any suggestions I would very much appreciate because I really want to keep my camper and of course my truck!
Thank You.