ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Towing, etc...

Re: Towing, etc...

Mike Sofen (miksof7@gte.net)
Mon, 4 Aug 1997 22:25:14 -0700

The 454, like the 460 from Ford, is a workhorse engine, BUT! it is still a
gasoline engine. This means that while it can accelerate more quickly, it
is less adept at working against a high load (like your trailer) than a
diesel. That's why you don't see gas powered big rigs. And why you see
high performance gas powered boats or planes with engine rebuild cycles
measured in hours.

So, while your differential will be taking a beating, so will your engine.
I'd make sure to have compression tests done every 10,000 miles - that'll
tell you when things are starting to loosen up. And use premium gas. And
synthetic oil.

Skip the Desert SuperCooler - all of the heat in your engine is inside of
it, the ONLY part that releases heat is your radiator. It does not work by
evaporative cooling, so spraying water on it will have a neglible effect.
Instead, it works by radiating heat, so surface area and air flow are the
keys. You can add more radiator, and you can boost the airflow with an
auxiliary fan when you're at low speed.

Mike "I'll never buy another gas-powered truck again" Sofen
Seattle, WA

----------
From: Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>
To: GTRtaz@aol.com
Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: Towing, etc...
Date: Tuesday, August 05, 1997 11:37 AM

OK, since we're talking tow vehicles...David and I tow a 40' gooseneck,
3-horse slant with very large living quarters in front. I don't know
what it weighs (it was 7800 lbs before conversion and there was ALOT of
conversion, so I KNOW well into five figures), but it has to be pretty
durn heavy. Our truck is a '95 454 supercharged (gas) Chevy dually, to
which were added airbags and welded crossmembers to the frame to support
the additional weight. The rear end differential isn't a 4.10, it's the
one beneath that---3.73, I think?

The truck seems to pull fine, although we're down to first gear and 35
mph by the top of really steep hills. The engine doesn't seem to be
having any problems, but I have been told that pulling an excessive
amount of weight will tear apart the rear end, not the engine. No one
at Chevy seems to have any clear ideas about what would be "excessive"
for our truck. The most common comment is, "Well, if you're not having
any problems, it must be OK". Considering the cost to replace this
truck, I'd rather avoid problems rather than get my education in
hindsight, wouldn't you? We've had the differential fluid changed twice
and on neither occasions were there any metal filings or carbon or
anything suspicious. Anybody have any comments? I'd love to have a
Freightliner to pull it, but the truck has to do lots of other things,
like just transportation, 90% of the time.

Question Two---the truck has all the heavy-duty cooling equipment
available from the factory, but once or twice has started running a
little hot pulling up big hills in hot weather. Nothing chronic or
extreme, but I've seen something called a Desert SuperCooler (I think)
advertised for motorhomes. It's a small tank of water mounted back
somewhere in the trailer, with a waterline that goes up to the front
grill of the truck and sprays a fine mist of water whenever you need
some extra cooling. Anybody had any experience with one of these or
something similar?

Comments are appreciated. Thanks, guys.

Susan and David Garlinghouse

GTRtaz@aol.com wrote:
>
> I have a ford 350 turbo charge diesel (95) 4x4. All we did was add
trailer
> brakes and we tow a 35 foot, two horse with condo (full sleeping quarters
and
> kitchen), 5th wheel. We are able to pull the CA grape vine at 60 mph,
very
> safely.
>
> We traded a dodge cummings for the ford. the ford is a much better truck
for
> towing. We had to replace the brakes on the dodge several times. We are
> still working on the original brakes on the ford.
>
> Save your money, use it on something other than "jake-brakes."

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