Help me decide, . . New tow rig

[Deleted member 995608]

We just arrived home from an almost 4k mile trip pulling our 5'er. All went well except that my injectors and FCA failed while on the road. Not a big suprise being the my odometer rolled past 200k while on this trip. Wooho!



I've always been a "manual transmission guy" and absolutely love mine. However,I have been considering the 4th gen auto for my next truck.



My wife can drive my truck with ease but I won't let her pull the trailer in the moutains, etc because she doesn't shift quick or soon enough and we end up crawling up the grade. I'm thinking the auto trans would help free up the drivers seat a little for me on longer travel days with trailer in tow.



Another decision to make is which cab to get. The 3rd gen back seat is absolutely terrible. I have two daughters (highschool'r and kindergarden'r) and both of them moan and groan about the back seat.



The 4th gen has a more spacious quad cab but that mega cab has so much more. And then I ask myself "What will you do with that tiny pickup bed!?!?!"



Got a few months before we buy another truck and I will get to keep my 3rd

gen for other purposes.



I know the right thing to do is to buy a truck that fit's everyone comfortably and is somewhat more user friendly for the wife. But the guy in me says to buy what he wants!

 

[EGroeneveld]

If you can afford to, in my opinion you cann't go wrong with a brand new CrewCab long bed I'm just a hair under 10,000 miles and love my truck. I skipped the MegaCab because I need the long bed.

 

[AH64ID]

Since you are just buying the truck as a tow rig and will have the 2004. 5 still in the garage get a 3500 DRW Mega and have an 8' bed added...

Are you considering a C&C truck?

Are you going to de-convert the 04?

 

[RustyJC]

See my signature. The only way it could be better is if it were a 350/800 MaxTow.



Rusty

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Since you are just buying the truck as a tow rig and will have the 2004. 5 still in the garage get a 3500 DRW Mega and have an 8' bed added...



Are you considering a C&C truck?



Are you going to de-convert the 04?

C&C? Yes, Custom hauler bed would be nice but we tend to use the truck for everything, even without the trailer.



Wife drives a Tahoe but when all of us travel together, it's in Daddy's truck.



The 04 will go back to SRW with steel flatbed.

 

[AH64ID]

I think either a MC LB conversion or CC C&C would suit you the best. It really comes down to the cab, the C&C will have less power than your 04. 5 thou.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

See my signature. The only way it could be better is if it were a 350/800 MaxTow.



Rusty

I test drove an 09 with the auto and liked it. Just wish that I could test pull my trailer up a 6 or 7% grade with the new auto. Or downhill with it so I could see how the auto and factory exhaust brake work together.



I did have an 03 with an auto for a very, very breef time. Completely different transmission than the 68re but geeze I hated it.

 

[Simplysmn]

well being tall n my kid's are also tall I say go for the Crewcab Longbed you won't go wrong go test drive 1 you will fall in love with it trust me I went from a 08 with a crappy seat to the 11 and love the ride

 

[Wertles]

I have 4 kids and they are still going to be with me for a long time and they are only getting bigger. The third gen back seats are absolutely useless but the fourth gen are much better. The rear door is the same as on the mega and leg room is almost the same. The middle of the rear bench is slightly smaller iirc. You lose the ability to recline the rear seats and the storage behind the seats when compared to the mega. If I were buying now, hands down on the crew cab, long bed dually, HO, 4. 10 auto (max tow package) although you might be able to get a great deal on a leftover 650 ft lb truck.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Is there any room for a tool in the mega cab box with a fifth wheel hitch?

 

[Simplysmn]

if there is there surely won't be much I still say go for the longbed you will be very happy

 

[Cummins Tn]

Pulled a 8% grade today with my auto 6. No worries about it. I have always hated a auto too but this transmission is the exception.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Pulled a 8% grade today with my auto 6. No worries about it. I have always hated a auto too but this transmission is the exception.

I've read stories of other owners saying the same. It just seems flat out weird to me.



I can't picture my self sitting at a stop light, waiting for the green and all I have to do is give er a little right foot action to make it all move forward.



My left foot might get bored!

 

[Nyoest]

Get a smarty, a good set of twins, place an order with south bend and tell the young uns to hush. :-laf



It could be worse, the kids could be in the jump seats of a 1st gen. :{



But seriously the mods would be way cheaper. And I'm a fan of any engine that doesnt have a block made in china.

 

[Wertles]

Not sure about a tool box fitting but I have a 4 panel hard tonneau cover that just fits folded up front with the trailer on. I don't think a regular size box would work.

 

[MA2LA]

i have 25k on my 2011 and have been very happy with the towing performance. the transmission is great and the way it all works together with the exhaust brake is sweet. i do miss the crazy power my bombed 06 has but its gets 14k down the road very well and now that its broken in i get just under 10 towing and around 16 empty and i'm not easy on it and will run 75 to 80 all day loaded or unloaded. once the warenty is up a smarty jr will join in , other than that she is good to go.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

i have 25k on my 2011 and have been very happy with the towing performance. the transmission is great and the way it all works together with the exhaust brake is sweet. i do miss the crazy power my bombed 06 has but its gets 14k down the road very well and now that its broken in i get just under 10 towing and around 16 empty and i'm not easy on it and will run 75 to 80 all day loaded or unloaded. once the warenty is up a smarty jr will join in , other than that she is good to go.

I see that your's is 2wd. What tire size do you run and what's your RPM's at 65 MPH with the 4:10 R&P?

 

[RustyJC]

I see that your's is 2wd. What tire size do you run and what's your RPM's at 65 MPH with the 4:10 R&P?

I'm not running a SRW 2500 (see signature), but with the double overdrive 68RFE, 4. 10s and OEM tires on our 2011 2wd 3500 dually, 60 MPH is 1612 RPM. By extrapolation, 65 MPH would be 1746 RPM.



Nothing at all like my 2002 dually with the single overdrive NV5600 and 4. 10s that ran 2000 RPM at 60 MPH and 2350 RPM at 70 MPH. The gear ratios in the 2011 are SWEET with the 68RFE and 4. 10s, towing or not towing.



Rusty

 

[Mark31]

Get a smarty, a good set of twins, place an order with south bend and tell the young uns to hush. :-laf



It could be worse, the kids could be in the jump seats of a 1st gen. :{



But seriously the mods would be way cheaper. And I'm a fan of any engine that doesnt have a block made in china.

Block made in Chiner???

 

[Wingate]

I would seriously consider a C&C truck with the Asin automatic and the 4:88 gearing... Yes, the engine is detuned, but for your pulling needs, the detuned engine is capable of max hp. with a MUCH longer duty cycle than the p/u engine...

I would get a crew cab C&C (2 or 4 wd... whichever) and have a nice, fully skirted dovetailed flatbed put on it that was painted to match the cab...

Its the perfect pulling rig for hard work, running the hills, and since its setup for pulling/hauling, it will most likely give you better service than a p/u... . And it looks good enough to ride into town during daylight hours. .

The 68 RE is a good trans... (MUCH better than my 48re) but I don't think its as tough as the Asin trans found in the C&C trucks...

You might ask Harvey Barlow about this. . I believe he has a C&C truck. .