First off, here are the specifics;
1995 GMC 1/2 ton 4x4 5.7L/auto 3:73 Extended cab Shortbox, towing an 18ft Pioneer TT, approx 5000lbs loaded.
I am not terribly happy with my trucks towing ability in the hills, so I am considering my options.
1. Continue with performance upgrades (truck has 3" exhaust/no cats, TB spacer, Cold air intake), may add headers, intake manifold, and maybe Edelbrock cylinder heads. I am concerned that this may not be enough?
2. Add a Whipple supercharger, I have heard they make a tremendous amount of Torque and are great for towing. I do wonder how well the rest of the drivetrain will hold up though.
3. Upgrade to a used 99-01 GM 1/2 ton with a 5.3L ( 6.0L 3/4 ton is out of my budget). From what I have heard this truck may not be much of an upgrade for towing on hills over my current set-up.
What would you do.
* This post was
edited 08/10/05 07:45pm by T5Bird *
I believe you can upgrade the TBI unit. Kinda like going from a 2bbl to a 4bbl carb, but the TBI is a elctronic injected carb for all practial purposes.
The reality is, a newer Vortec 350 ie post 96 would work, as would a 454 or the 6.0 or 5.3 will do better than you TBI 350. You have all of about 205HP pk HP IIRC, and less than 300 ft lbs of torque, all the above motors have more Hp and torque than that. I have a 2000 C2500 with a vortec 350, that motor frankly will scream up hills with a 5K trailer.
Also, I would not rule out a 2500 with a 6.0 or the 1500HD if going new. I have seen some ext cab 4x 2500HD's with 6.0's recently in the low 20K range new, used you should be looking in the low teen range. Even a stripper 2500 reg cab could come in below 20K if you can find one of them. I paid about 17K for mine new in 2000, they have not gone up that much since then.
I would also look at Dorfs and dogde's too, unless you are a GM guy thru and thru, as Ford especially has more lower grade interior rigs on lots than GM does any day of the week. Not sure about Dodge.
Marty
05 Chev CC D/A LS Dooley
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
00 Chev C2500, V5700, 4L80E, 4.10, base truck, no options!
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
3 Single axle utility trailers
T5Bird wrote: First off, here are the specifics;
1995 GMC 1/2 ton 4x4 5.7L/auto 3:73 Extended cab Shortbox, towing an 18ft Pioneer TT, approx 5000lbs loaded.
I am not terribly happy with my trucks towing ability in the hills, so I am considering my options.
1. Continue with performance upgrades (truck has 3" exhaust/no cats, TB spacer, Cold air intake), may add headers, intake manifold, and maybe Edelbrock cylinder heads. I am concerned that this may not be enough?
2. Add a Whipple supercharger, I have heard they make a tremendous amount of Torque and are great for towing. I do wonder how well the rest of the drivetrain will hold up though.
3. Upgrade to a used 99-01 GM 1/2 ton with a 5.3L ( 6.0L 3/4 ton is out of my budget). From what I have heard this truck may not be much of an upgrade for towing on hills over my current set-up.
What would you do.
Your 3 inch CAT back is actually hurting more than helping towing because the tend to reduce lower RPM torque. The smartest thing you can do here and the most bang for buck it to regear truck with 4.10 because it will get engine rpm up to make more torque in current configuration. ALso I would not do headers for a few reason, one it they will not increase performance below 3000 RPM or so and the TBI engine is not a high RPM engine either so gains from headers at higher RPM will be minimal. Another reason is that headers as a lot of under hood heat and when you tow, engine compartment temps can really soar with headers installed and heat is not something you want when towing. Also bear in mind that a 5.3 will have less torque below 2500 RPM or so than your current 5.7 TBI and torque is what moves the load and gets it moving too.
Your best bet if you want to keep the truck is to go to lower gears. More expensive way to go is to supercharge. You have to run a lower compression ratio to avoid blowing the pistons out the bottom of the engine.
A blower will get you the hill climbing power at high altitude that normally aspirated gas engines suffer from.
Or you could trade it in on something with a bigger gas or diesel motor.
Bud in New Mexico
Wife, Linda, and Toby and Tuffy the Boxers
F250 Powerstroke w/Superchip
2003 Homestead 270RKS 5W
1995 Damon Challenger Motorhome
The Whipple S/C is the one thing that will solve all your perceived problems. About 3G & you will be able to sell it some day for a substancial price.You won't have to USE all the power it makes!!! Just enough throttle to make the slow times disappear. JMO
Since you probably have the 4L60E, or worse the 700R, tranny, it will be your weak link. It's marginal as it is. I'd stay stock, if it were me, and save the bucks for a newer truck. If you go with more power you'll need a built 4L80E tranny to handle it. And along with that comes the need for a stronger rearend and driveline. Not to mention brakes.
1995 C2500 SE Ext Cab 8' Bed 8600 GVW 5.7L 4L80E 3.73:1 Locking Diff.
1993 11' Shadow Cruiser, A/C, Microwave, Awning, TV.
Timbrens, Monroe Reflex, Hitchco Tiedowns.
Michelin LTX M/S 245/75/16-E.
My Mew 700r4 will handle well above 450 HP and 450 lbs of torque, and a 4L60E is just an electronic version of the 700r4. There are plenty of good rebuilt 4l60 and 700R4's that can easily handle that power. Go for the Whipple if you have the cash.
1993 GMC Suburban K2500 4X4, 454, 4:10 gears
Hensley Arrow
Jordan Ultima 2020 Controller
Montana Mountaineer Edition 32 PRD
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