Tow Vehicle

SSGJ · 09-27-2009, 02:25 PM

New to Forum, I have a 2007 Zinger 29ft TT, with slide, I am considering upgrading my Tow Vehicle, I see several on here have Chevy/GMC 2500. I like to hear reccomendations on whether the 6.0 Gas or 6.6 Deisel. I live in Mississippi so cold weather not a problem when it comes to cranking on deisel's.

I enjoy reading about different topics and have already learned a lot.

Thanks

Steve

Hunter11 · 09-27-2009, 09:42 PM

I would go with the gas truck if I was towing a Zinger. It will be plenty of truck for that trailer and save you several thousand dollars up front on the diesel motor cost. I use to have a 3/4 ton Chevy truck with the 6.0L and it is a strong motor.

papa2 · 09-27-2009, 10:03 PM

Depends on whether you think you might upgrade later or not. It you have the diesel and go with a 5er later you won't need a new tow vehicle.

I had the same choices for my Sunset Trail 29RL. I ended up getting a F250 with the V10 (gas).

cavy16262 · 09-27-2009, 11:24 PM

I started with the Zinger 320QBS - and ran an 2004 HD 2500, 6.0. It did haul the trailer and I made a few trips locally and 1 to Myrtle Beach. The fuel milage was 12.9 without the trailer and 7.9 with it. I had to run around 5500 RPMs and 25 MPH climbing the hills in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and it was WORK.

I found a 2006 3500 Duramax with the Allison 6 speed and did the same trip to Bristol, TN and Myrtle Beach. NO COMPARISON. I would never get a gas motor again. As long as I'm pulling a trailer, I'm running a diesel.

After you go through your personal choices and freind recommendations - you'll have to decide between the Ford Powerstroke, Dodge Cummins or the Chevy Duramax.

Go to http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/index.phpand see what's written about the Chevy Diesel's and then research the others. There are a lot of options for the trucks and I don't know if you ever 'recover' the up front cost of a diesel. All I know is that I made the complete trip from the Beach home in Western Pa. in around 13 hours and never really felt like I was working the truck at all.

Hamops · 09-28-2009, 12:14 AM

If you can afford it, diesel is the way to go. They get better fuel mileage and can pull at the speed limit all day long, no matter the terrain. The 6.0 is a stout engine but you'll need to get a 4.10 rear end to even come close to the grunt of a diesel. We went to a D-Max/Allison combo and we'll not go back to a gasser for pulling.

We got spoiled.

Stan · 09-28-2009, 02:03 AM

I agree that the 6.0 with 4.10 gears will work. You also need to look at your overall weights (loaded for a long trip) and see what your margins are. I ran a 2001 6.0 2500HD with my 5er for a while and it worked great except for hills. Normally I could keep it around 40-45 in 3rd but sometimes would have to kick it down to 2nd to keep that speed. In 2nd the rpms were about 3500. If hills are not used that often then the 6.0 or equivalent size motor in Ford/Dodge may work. I think Papa2 has a good point about upgrading later. Now is a good time to make deals on trucks if you will consided a bigger RV down the road.

icefalcon · 09-28-2009, 04:38 AM

I pulled a 29' trailer for 20 years with various 1/2ton vans and suburbans. Now I pull my ST29RL with a 2002 1500 5.? suburban. 3.?? rear end. No problems. I can keep up speed going uphill if I need to. Even my dealer said it was appropriate.

cavy16262 · 09-28-2009, 05:18 AM

If it worked for you that's great. That should have been 3.73. rear end with a 5.7 L engine.

I had a 97 silverado with the same package and it was tough to pull our 20 foot band trailer with equipment....

johnnnyo · 09-28-2009, 06:43 AM

Wow, you pull a ST29RL with a 2002 1500. You know the saying "I wonder what an alcoholics liver looks like". I wonder what the inside of your trany and rear axle looks like.

Hope it goes well for you. But seriously, I think you should be pulling with at least a 2500 or 250 series tow vehicle with a bigger axle. sounds like your really working that vehicle. Does it scream going up hills?

WARDOG686 · 09-28-2009, 07:15 AM

I just bought a Sunset Trail ST31QB. It has a dry weight of 5800 pounds or so. My tow vehicle is a 1999 Expedition 5.4 with tow package including tranny cooler. Dealer said I had plenty of room and by my calculations also. First trip 160 miles or so and Ive got tranny fluid on the ground. (Thought it was front seal.) Turns out tranny was overheating.(No damage thankfully.) Vehicle towed beautifully though. I will be purchasing a 3/4 ton diesel to replace this one. This will give me all the room I need, and then some. I plan to go cross country and should have a newer vehicle anyway. If you go diesel stay away from the newer Fords (2003 and up) they are the new motor and possible/probable trouble. The Dodges are good but you better get some hearing protection. From what Im told the Duramax/allison is an unbeatable combo and Im a Ford man. The extra money for the diesel is well worth the piece of mind and you will get alot of it back at resale time.

papa2 · 09-28-2009, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cavy16262

I started with the Zinger 320QBS - and ran an 2004 HD 2500, 6.0. It did haul the trailer and I made a few trips locally and 1 to Myrtle Beach. The fuel milage was 12.9 without the trailer and 7.9 with it. I had to run around 5500 RPMs and 25 MPH climbing the hills in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and it was WORK.

We went to West Virginia last year and my F250/v10 never had any issues pulling ... no matter the grade. I was able to easily pull at 62mph which is my normal travel speed, even on those 8% grades. But that was v10, not a 6.0L. No stress, no effort, just pure pull.

If you're pulling in the mountains regularly, or as stated before, you're looking for a once and done answer, then the diesel is the way to go. If you're pulling only in the flatlands then a 1/2 ton is probably fine. I pull in the Great Lakes states where it is mostly flat. Occasional trips to areas with mountains. For us the v10 was the perfect solution.

Gas engines save thousands on the purchase price. Diesels get better mpg but oil changes and engine maintenance costs also tend to cost more. In theory a diesel engine will have a longer life than a gas engine (the life expectancy on my v10 is 400000+ miles if you look at commercial owners). If you're using it as daily transportation and rack up the miles, then the diesel probably makes more sense. I commute 7 miles to work each way. Don't put many miles on the f250. Again, in our case it makes more sense. There will be times when diesel costs less than gas, other times (especially winter) when it will cost more. I figure on average the price per gallon probably equals out.

Bottom line, lots to consider....future needs, where do you tow?, cost? Only you can decide what works best for you.

buddhabob1 · 09-28-2009, 09:32 AM

I am remembering our recent trip to the smokies and watching semis and some gassers droping off to about 40 climbing some of those long grades .The better power to weight ratio ya have the better your fuel economy pullin will be! We get 21 mpg not pulling and adveraged 13.9 over all on our trip and it never saw under 60 up the climbs!

gtoguy1967 · 09-28-2009, 10:04 AM

I say buy as much truck as you can afford, You pay more for the oil burrner up front but it gets better mpg and has better resale value, Fuel cost a little morer but it ussually is not enough to matter. All that being said if all you need is a gasser and it's more in you budget there is nothing wrong with those either. You will never buy a truck if you ask for an opinion here because they will all be diferent.

Mine is the only one that even makes any sense, ,,,,,, Right ??

SSGJ · 09-28-2009, 12:08 PM

You are right lot of different ideas, What i can afford is going to play a big part of what i get.

Thanks

fhenn · 09-28-2009, 12:15 PM

Get ready for truck wars part 3 and it is not even winter yet, where you guys are stuck inside.

. If you go back into the history, you will find out that dons Chevy loves to race so much that he pulled the axles out from underneath his unit. Chris's F250 V10 can not pass a mail box with out taking it out. But on the serious side drive all three both gas a diesel, You generally can buy a slightly used diesel for the same amount as a new gasser. You living in the mountain area of Mississippi might like the torque that a oil burnner gets. That bad thing about up grading to a diesel is that you will be tempted to upgrade your unit too

gtoguy1967 · 09-28-2009, 01:37 PM

My truck has so much power that I need to replace to original tires afrter only 60000 miles ?? lol. How many is every one else getting I think thats pretty good as I think I have a pretty heavy foot. I think these have just a little life left.

fhenn · 09-29-2009, 12:27 AM

I just replace the tires a 55,000 miles before our last trip. I was more concerned about age than wear, A 05 truck sold in Aug of 04 meant the tires had five years on them of hot southern sun

ryeja · 09-29-2009, 11:39 AM

No comment

Robbie Ribbins · 09-29-2009, 01:23 PM

This is going to be long: Just returned from a 5500 mile trip and I pulling a ct31rl with a 2003 1/2 ton 4 x 4 qual steer Chev. Chev. is rated at 8000 pull. On some of the mount. it was tough but I never when any higher up then 8500 feet. Trans temp got up to 240 deg. and outside temp 117.
One thing I noticed while on the road, light weight trailers were mostly pulled by Ford gas, and then Chev. gas. as second place. Med. units were pulled by 3/4 Chev. Des. then Ford Des. and then Dodge Des. The big rigs were pulled by Dodge Dulley Des. Followed equal by Chev. and Ford. Since I was concerned about my truck being big enough I keep an eye on what everyone else was using. Don't know if any of you guys have noticed what others are using but maybe the next trip out you may see whats in the camp ground and whats on the road. I am leaning towards the Chev, since ford has had some problems and the Dodge sits so high off the ground my wife cannot get into the cab......I need a low profile HD truck so I can pull my rig and so my wife can get into it. Good Luck on finding the right truck......

Stan · 09-29-2009, 01:29 PM

Robbie....I have never heard of anyone having the quad steer. Do you ever use it? Does it work well?

As far as truck height, I have the 2008 2500HD and I had to add side bars for the wife. She is 5' 5" and can not get in the truck without the bars. Even with the bars she has to use the inside cab handle to help her.

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