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RE: 3.21 vs 3.55
It appears from the numbers you posted, an 8 speed with a 3.21 has better torque multiplication than a 6 speed with a 3.55 or even 3.73 all the way up to 6th (gear to gear). It isn't until 7th gear that the 3.21 would be worse then a 3.73 in 5th gear. But at that point you drop the 8 speed to 6th and are better.
It may just be a dependability thing that Ram doesn't want you towing say 9000# in 8th gear with the 3.21 axle (while a 3.55 axle will do it easier).
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ktosv
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05/18/13 08:28pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Saugauck Michigan Camping Recommendations
What kind of amenities are you looking for? Not sure what there is for private campgrounds locally, but you would have the Holland State Park to the north and Van Buren near South Haven to the south.
Both are great campgrounds. The actual Holland State park would be about 30 minutes north of Saugatuck. I am guessing about 10 would be expressway and the balance will be getting around/through Holland. It's a great campground to stay at though.
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ktosv
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05/12/13 10:47am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: tow weight opinions for a possible upgrade
How does your truck tow the current trailer? What part of Ohio are in you in? The flat northwest corner or the hilly east side?
We towed a similar sized hybrid with an 05 Suburban with the 5.3L but we had a 3.42 axle. It towed great. Three years ago we moved up to the Passport. It has a loaded axle weight of about 6200# (published at 5400#) and tongue weight of about 820#. With the six of us and two dogs I was over my rear axle weight rating by 200# and exceeded my GCWR by almost 1000#. With four of you at 400#, you will be near your axle weights and just under your GCWR with the 3.73 axle.
The Suburban actually did fine from a power stand point. It definetly didn't get up and move like it did our hybrid, but I was okay with the performance. I had a tranny temp gauge installed and never saw anything concerning, even towing a 4th of July weekend with outside temps pushing 100F.
Where it lacked was the suspension. It was stable, but you really knew the trailer was back there. Later that summer we moved up to an 04 3/4 ton Suburban. The ride difference was night and day. We now tow with a 1 ton Express. Probably the most frustrating thing of towing with the 1/2 ton was due to pushing the limits of the suspension, every single time I hooked up I had to adjust my Dual Cam sway control. The little variation in weight from a start of a trip to the end, the cams were no longer in place. One of the wonderful things of the Express so far is that I set the hitch up the first time last year, and haven't touched it since.
Good luck with your decision.
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ktosv
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05/12/13 10:37am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: What can an Avalanche pull?
Since the Avalanche production spans over like 12 years, how about some specifics of your vehicle?
Do you have a 2001 with the 5.3L and 3.73 axle? Do you have one of the few 3/4 tons with the 8.1L or do you have a newer one with a six speed transmission?
The model year, engine and axle ratio will help get a good answer of what "your" truck actually can handle.
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ktosv
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05/05/13 08:33pm |
Towing
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RE: Park near Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, in late June
It's only the $2 reservation fee and your first night rate that isn't refundable. So just make all of your site preferences on the water. If they don't have one, I would assume you could convince them to refund everything since they can't provide you what you want. Or wait another 11 days and call them and make your reservation and be assured you get what you want.
However, I don't think you have much to worry about. While it's a great campground, three years ago I made waterfront reservations in June or July for the first week in August and got the waterfront site we wanted.
Both Brimley and Aune Osborne are great campgrounds.
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ktosv
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05/03/13 10:18am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: rear axle ratio change better towing capacity
Our 2005 1/2 ton Suburban with the 5.3L and 3.42 axle did a great job towing a 5000 GVWR hybrid with 6 of us. I would have to think that a 4.8L and 3.73 would be comparable.
Is your truck 2wd or 4wd? If your husband is a mechanic, can he do the gear swap? If so, it would essentially only be parts to do the swap.
What gear was he towing in? Tow/Haul on or off? What all do you use the truck for? Is a 3.73 or 4.10 axle going to render the truck useless 90% of the time?
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ktosv
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04/28/13 05:38pm |
Towing
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RE: 2002 Suburban 8.1 / 4L80E
I have not purchased a vehicle this old and have my own concerns on reliability.
I only stated that because normal shocks on an average 11 year vehicle are probably worn out. If you talk to Suburban owners or search the web, you might find that by 75-100k miles the Autoride needs some sort of servicing. To me, the Autoride wouldn't be a deal breaker. In fact, we bought a used 2004 3/4 Ton that the previous owner was up front and said that he replaced the autoride shocks with std HD truck shocks. Now, if they are still working maybe it's a testament to how it was maintained?
I know at least 3 people at work with early 2000's 1/2 ton Suburans. The one has well over 200k miles on it. The worst he has had to service on his truck were the window regulators and the 4wd switch. He doesn't seem to worry about reliability as they towed a 18' boat to Colorado with it last summer.
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ktosv
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04/27/13 06:49pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: 2002 Suburban 8.1 / 4L80E
If I recall, Autoride was standard with the 8.1L, but the Autoride on the 3/4 ton isn't the same as on the 1/2 ton. It is only the automatic variable dampening shocks vs the autoleveling that also comes on the 1/2 tons. I would think it would improve the towability, but it's also not essential.
The question would be is it still working on an 11 year old vehicle?
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ktosv
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04/27/13 02:47pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Silverado transmission identification?
You mention the 5.3L, so this is a half ton? I think all 5.3L's get the 4L60E, which is RPO code M30. The 4L65E that some of the performance cars got is M32. The 4L70E that goes behind the 6.0L in the 1/2 ton trucks is M70. The half ton trucks didn't get the 6 speed until MY09 if I am not mistaken.
There should be a label inside your glove box with all of the RPO codes, look for that M30. If it's there you have the 4L60E. The RPO codes tell you everything that came on the vehicle from the factory.
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ktosv
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04/25/13 08:29pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Can I safely tow it with a 2003 Suburban 2500?
Our trailer ready for camping has an axle weight of 6400# and tongue weight of 800#. We had a 2004 2500 Suburban with the same powertrain and it towed our trailer fine with 6 of us (plus 2 dogs). You won't tow in OD, just use 3rd. In the hills of northern Michigan it held 3rd gear without the torque converter unlocking (best to keep tranny temp down).
I would like to think a family of five and a trailer almost 1000# less GVWR than mine a truck like that would be fine for you.
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ktosv
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04/24/13 10:36am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: I'm smitten with a TT and have a frivolous question
Also, with 4 in car seats, having only one door on one side of the van was very limiting and difficult to load the little kids. I would like it far more if there was a passenger door on the driver side as well. Either all car seats were against the driver "wall" and hard to get the littlest into those positions or they were in the way and bigger kids had to crawl over them or the seats couldn't be filled at all.
Does GM still offer the drivers side "passenger" doors on their vans? You might have to order one that way, but then you could order the Duramax as well!!
If they don't, they will be as hard to find as the 12 passenger diesel!
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ktosv
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04/16/13 10:13am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Miata as tow vehicle, not toad
Well it's got a longer wheelbase for stability.
That short rear overhang helps too!
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ktosv
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04/16/13 10:04am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Chevrolet Express 2500 vs. 3500?
Daily driving my wife has averaged 14 in the winter and 15 in the summer. Highway...the lowest I have gotten is 17...I don't recall best...but it was around 18 if not over. The daily driving is as good as our 05 1/2 ton Suburban, so I will take it.
With our 04 3/4 ton Suburban my wife was lucky if she got 13 in the summer on a daily basis. Best highway mileage I saw was 15.
Towing I get 8-10...
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ktosv
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04/16/13 10:02am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: GM and FORD new joint transmission design agreement
Why not build and market a simple CVT.
Had a rental car back in early January for a business trip that had a CVT. Around here we really hadn't had any snow for the winter at that point. After 1200 miles I wasn't missing my snowmobile anymore and decided based on that car I wouldn't want a CVT. I am guessing this car had a "simple" CVT!
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ktosv
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04/15/13 12:56pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Chevrolet Express 2500 vs. 3500?
My experience is that the Express gets 15-20% better everyday and highway fuel economy than our 2004 3/4 ton Suburban that had the 6L/3.73 with the four speed. Towing is similar...
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ktosv
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04/14/13 03:12pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Chevrolet Express 2500 vs. 3500?
Honestly, the only difference I am aware of is that the 3500 has the 9600# GVWR and the 2500 is at 8600# GVWR. Like you mentioned, probably the spring and upgraded axle weight rating.
We went with a 3500 a year ago when we bought because there was just more of them available, and I was looking for a couple of specific things that our 3500 had.
It is my wife's daily driver and she hasn't complained one bit about how it drives and rides. Actually, the one comment she did make was how quickly she adjusted to driving the Express after having driven a minivan for the previous year. While empty I do air the rear tires down to 62-65 psi and we think it rides just fine.
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ktosv
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04/12/13 08:32pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: The continuing Saga waiting for my new Ram 3500
While the other links say it's related to the HD pickups, a media person had their loaner 1500 go up in flames...Ram Fire
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ktosv
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04/11/13 07:09pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Van for towing
I think APT pretty much summed it up.
When we bought our van a year ago I specifically looked for 2010 or newer because that is when GM started putting the 6 speeds in them. Even with the 3.42 axle, our van tows with ease. Our trailer is about 7200# loaded and the van will tow it in 5th gear all day long.
Good luck with your decision.
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ktosv
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04/09/13 07:29pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Michigan State Parks should offer Seasonal/Monthly Sites
I fail to understand how parks with 90% or more vacancy during the week is helpful.
I am curious to know how many people would want a seasonal lot at one of these "90% empty" campgrounds? I am guessing everyone would want a site at the ones you can't get into from Memorial Day to Labor Day!!
For the state to make money on a seasonal lot at Grand Haven, Ludington or Holland I could only imagine what the fee would be!!
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ktosv
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04/05/13 11:26am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: 2012 5.3L Yukon XL
Nice job. That cooler is huge! I would like to think that you won't have any cooling issues. Enjoy the trip.
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ktosv
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04/01/13 07:24pm |
Tow Vehicles
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