Towing capacity

[JedRattle]

I am sure I am not the first to ask but, I have never seen an answer. What is the towing capacity of a 1st gen 1ton? I want to tow a 32 ft bumper pull flat trailer (3200lbs) with my powerwagon (4900lbs) and my manx (1800lbs) on it. I want to put a small cabover camper (1600lbs)on the truck. I figure about a 1000lbs for extra fuel,water,etc. + the above = 12500lbs Is this too much for a 1st gen? I want to buy a new 3500 quad drw 4wd but, it is too far out of reach for a couple of years yet. Besides I love the 1st gen body style and I can afford one. Thanks!

 

[dpuckett]

I wouldnt worry about 12500 GCVW, even in a SRW truck, though a dually will give you more side to side stability. I have run with a combined weight of 24K, and had no problems. The one tons are rated for like 17K or 18K with the diesel, manual transmission, and 4. 10 gears.



Daniel

 

["Mad Max"]

... what Dan said. I had 18,000 lbs gross weight for a 5-day move - no sweat. Biggest concern was actually not the go power but the woah power. For me, good brakes are as important as good power, especially towing. Actually, that's the #1 biggest reason I'm converting to a lock-up transmission - so I can add an exhaust brake.

- Sam

 

[JedRattle]

GCVW... ... Gross Combined Vehicle Weight. 12,500lbs would be the camper+the fully loaded trailer. GCVW ( load+truck) would be closer to 19000-20000lbs. What does a 1ton club cab 4wd weigh? I am thinking like 7000-7200lbs.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

yup, focus on stopping...



I know someone on the board who has pulled 25-30k lbs behind a 3/4 ton 1st gen across the country and back more than a couple times!



Forrest

 

[guava]

as long as this question has been asked, how does having the auto tran. affect the answer?

 

[Forrest Nearing]

the above truck was/is an automatic... saw pretty light duty for the first 100k of its life... then pulled big goosenecks for the next 100k... then I got it and put a pretty light 65k on it. sold it back to my buddy, and the stock transmission went out shortly thereafter... I wanna say around 285-295k?



when/if your transmission goes, spend the money to do it RIGHT. he's had like 3-4 trannies in it since then and only covered another 100k or so. the truck is sitting waiting for an NV4500 swap.



Forrest

 

[dan brooks]

I tow my Jeep on a trailer with a small, pop-up style cabover (I'm guessing about 14k pounds total) and it does fine... as long as the trailer brakes are working good. EGTs were an issue but that should be less of a problem with the 4" exhaust.

 

["Mad Max"]

guava -

The auto transmission issue with our 1st gens is with the converter. The transmission is actually very good, but the converter never locks up (no slip/stall) like newer rigs. The non-lockup feature means there is always a certain amount of slip within the converter, much like a very worn out clutch, and makes about the same amount of heat too. Without a direct hard link through the drivetrain any engine braking (when you lift off the throttle) is dramatically degraded because not only does the converter slip accellerating it also slips decelerating, so using the 'gears' to maintain speed while going downhill... with a 1st gen/auto and big weight... isn't really possible.

What I and others are doing is upgrading to a 2nd gen lock-up style transmission, and I'm installing a BD exhaust brake, which when the converter is locked up and the exhaust brake is closed (effectively plugging the exhaust pipe completely shut) will use the engine exhaust stroke to slow down the rig. Doesn't have any detrimental effects to the engine as the exhaust stroke actually becomes a compression stroke. Plus, you can set the ex brake to activate when you lift off the throttle, which will effectively make the diesel (with no carburator or throttle body) act like a gasser when you lift, and that will effectively increase the life of your brakes by about 300%... and that ain't bad either. Good stuff, and it only hurts ($) once.



- S

 

[dan brooks]

Sam - How are you going to control the lockup? Just add a toggle switch or a stand alone computer? I'm still toying with the idea of swapping in a lockup somewhere down the road... .

 

["Mad Max"]

DTT supplies the stand alone computer, and I asked them to provide me with two modes - manual and automatic. In manual mode I will control specifically when the converter and o/d lock up. I'll use this mode the least - probably almost never, but maybe for low speed high power pulling, maybe up a really steep hill - I'll want to lock the converter before it normally would.

In auto mode it will all occur much like a new rig does - based on speed, around 25-30 (?) mph. So the rig will stall the converter to launch and when a happy speed is made and you're in either 2nd or 3rd the converter will lock up rock solid - no slip at all, and it'll be all engine from there out, and no heat - it'll also be adjustable, plus the o/d will function like it does now, locking in at around 35 mph, unless I turn it off with the gear shift lever (swapped in 2nd gen lever w/ o/d button on the tip).



On top of all that I'm installing a GearVendor od on the back side of the t-case, so with the 4:10 gears, lockup converter and double overdrive... I figure I'll be able to cruise across the country around 85 mph at roughly 1700 rpm - talk about fuel economy eh? And it'll be all engine - no slipping hardware anywhere, and it'll run cool as a cucumber. :-laf

- Sam