2016 3500 HD TowPig

[Ed HD]

So, it's not exactly a project, but this is probably still the best place for this. I've switched jobs, my dad founded a company that will be raising chickens in IA, MN and WI, and I've taken a job with the company, I'll be dealing with mainly equipment and logistics once we get things rolling. I can give a little better explanation of why we started a new chicken biz later, but I've been sick for a few days, so my brain is frazzled.

Anyways, part of the perks of the new job is a company truck. Since I'll be dealing with equipment, etc, I needed something that could tow large trailers, so I present you:

2016 3500HD LTZ Z71 Duramax. Basically every option available, heated/cooled seats, MyLink w/ XM and 4G LTE through OnStar, and the LML Duramax with 397HP and 765FT/LBS. I wish I could have waited till the new '17's with the L5P came out with 445/920, but that just wasn't in the cards, lol.

 

[BIGR]

I hate you, your a dog, no I am jealous.......

I am only kidding. Congrats to you on a very nice truck.

For what it is worth my family use to be in the chicken business back in the 1960's and early 1970's. They raised thousands of chickens and my dad was a big part of it. Of course back then I was just a young lad, but I do remember some of things that were involved in the operation. We mainly went out of the chicken business due to the availability of chicken feed. The local company went out of business and they started having to buy feed from out of state. The chicken houses are still standing, now today. The biggest one is over 300 feet long and 2 stories.

 

[Ed HD]

I hate you, your a dog, no I am jealous.......

I am only kidding. Congrats to you on a very nice truck.

For what it is worth my family use to be in the chicken business back in the 1960's and early 1970's. They raised thousands of chickens and my dad was a big part of it. Of course back then I was just a young lad, but I do remember some of things that were involved in the operation. We mainly went out of the chicken business due to the availability of chicken feed. The local company went out of business and they started having to buy feed from out of state. The chicken houses are still standing, now today. The biggest one is over 300 feet long and 2 stories.

Nice. We're actually running a house like that right now, built in 1967. The new barns are crazy. 66' wide by 596' long. over 50,000 birds in each, with cool cells at one end, and 14 54" fans at the other end. Crazy big.

 

[BIGR]

Our chicken houses we had are built of block and wood, probably in the late 50's or early 60's, not real sure. They heated them with warm morning coal stoves in the winter. There were these galvanized round feeders that have a pan at the bottom. My dad and his brothers had to get the feed out of the big feed bin and wheel barrow the feed to each round feeder. Dad had this special Rooster that rode on the front of the wheel barrow. There were watering troughs hanging down for the water. Floors were lined with wood shavings. Oh yea we still have a ton of those round galvanized feeders. They make a heck of a dog feeder, been there done that. We had 25 beagles years ago and we used two of those feeders. Fill those feeders to the top with dog feed on Sunday and it gravity feeds down into the pan on the bottom all week.

I don't think they used any fans or cool cells since we were in the mountains. There were tons of windows with chicken wire. Back then it didn't get much more than 80 degrees in the summer.

Oh yea, I must mention that they had layers and sold tons of eggs of course. Mother talks about grading eggs and all that. I can tell you that we ate lots of chicken and all kinds of chicken liver back then. Once again I was a young boy and remember parts of it. The last load of chickens I watched leave around 1972 or 1973, the best I can recall.

 

[88gmctruck]

Congrats on the new ride, sure beats the heck out of the Toyota Tacoma I have for work.

 

[BIGR]

2016 3500HD LTZ Z71 Duramax. Basically every option available, heated/cooled seats, MyLink w/ XM and 4G LTE through OnStar, and the LML Duramax with 397HP and 765FT/LBS. I wish I could have waited till the new '17's with the L5P came out with 445/920, but that just wasn't in the cards, lol.

Back on subject here:

Hey 397/765 is nothing to laugh at. I still have the stock LBZ with 360/650, but it does all I need it to do. Enjoy your new truck and let us know about the performance and fuel mileage.

 

[Ed HD]

Congrats on the new ride, sure beats the heck out of the Toyota Tacoma I have for work.

Back on subject here:

Hey 397/765 is nothing to laugh at. I still have the stock LBZ with 360/650, but it does all I need it to do. Enjoy your new truck and let us know about the performance and fuel mileage.

Thanks guys. Excited to put a buncha miles on it.

 

[Will L.]

Enjoy the ride. Some how I get the feeling you won't beat that like most people do a company car.

 

[Ed HD]

Enjoy the ride. Some how I get the feeling you won't beat that like most people do a company car.

Hahaha probably not. It will get its fair share of work though.

 

[BoostN]

Looks great, and also a nice "company truck".

 

[schiker]

Nice truck. Enjoy it.

 

[WarWagon]

Enjoy the ride. Some how I get the feeling you won't beat that like most people do a company car.

Snort!!! HA! HA! HA!

Because a car couldn't take the beating a company truck gets!? The GM truck commercial of "get used to it" when stopped in a construction zone as the backhoe dumps a load of gravel in the back comes to mind.

After the first scratch... Then it's easier to handle additional scratches.

Nice you can choose a well equipped truck vs. the standard cheaper less comfortable work truck package. After working hard and sitting on vinyl all day do you get a warm fuzzy toward an OEM that still offers discomfort like that? If minimum wages is going up there should be an increase in minimum comfort as well. Little harder to clean than open doors next to a fire hydrant, yes.

 

[Ed HD]

Hahaha. Well, I was in charge of purchasing the trucks, and the boss (Dad) OK'd the price, so I got what I wanted lol.

Already putting it to work:

Bought a JCB 260 ECO skid-steer and a PJ 20' trailer, and I love them both. Truck did an awesome job towing as well, besides the 12.5 MPG, but I'm guessing it just needs to loosen up a bit, and I'm guessing the emissions BS has something to do with that as well. Too bad I can't just delete it all, but we'll be reselling it in 2 years, and it'd void the warranty.... I do really like the exhaust brake feature using the VGT, was in a hilly area for a bit while towing and barely had to touch the service brakes. Built-in brake controller is nice too.

 

[DieselCash]

Nice truck!

 

[Ed HD]

Nice truck!

Thanks!!! How's your High Country treating you?

 

[DieselCash]

It is an awesome truck, tows better than anything else I have ever owned.
But, I hate the emissions on it. It always seem to want to regen at the worst times.
I will either trade it in on a new model or rip the emissions off it.
Have not fully decided which route to take yet!

 

[Ed HD]

It is an awesome truck, tows better than anything else I have ever owned.
But, I hate the emissions on it. It always seem to want to regen at the worst times.
I will either trade it in on a new model or rip the emissions off it.
Have not fully decided which route to take yet!

Gotcha. Does it tell you when it's regening? I can't tell, and I'm assuming it has at least once, I've got 3500 miles on already...

 

[Will L.]

Regen at a bad time is non stop issue for new diesels.

One of the friends I had over for turkey day is the #1 rated mechanic for republic services trash company. We spoke about 3 things mechanical wise. One was diesel regen. Most of the trash trucks in the country never hit their regen because they dont drive non stop long enough. The regen works great for long haul truckers, but in city it is a joke.

The last fleet I had any involvement with used peterbilts and duramax. 20% could regen. Thats it. The rest are city dwelling trucks so it just doesnt work.

The mechanics I talk with at dealerships like it when customers wont do the long drive required. Infact, that is how I was getting my military tires "shipped" for almost free. I waited until a customer would drop off a truck demanding it be "fixed" and the guys would call me. They would come pick me up in customers truck, ride with him to California, stop and load tires in the back, in moving blankets, I would buy lunch, and we ride back. After driving hundreds of miles and forcing the regen at beginning of long trip on both ends, their truck is "fixed". He always told the customer he would remove $100 in overtime labor if they were ok with us putting the tires in the truck. No one ever paid less than $1,000 for the "fix"then. Somehow they thought this was better. 2 of the guys, their company wouldnt let me ride with, so I just paid them $40 for his hassle loading tires for me. I never asked them how much they charge, but i know their rate is over $100 per hour. I just shake my head.

Currently 2 extra tires in my shop, might need to see about a "regen trip" come Feb./March.

 

[Ed HD]

Crazy. My average MPH is 50, so not having enough time for regen isn't a problem. Hell, even our Delivery truck can do regens, and that doesn't do super long trips....

Made a run to Tractor Supply Co looking for tool boxes and ended up scoring a decent deal, $202 for a matte black PC lo-pro toolbox. I needed to get some tools with me, and get a bunch of crap off of/out from under my backseat. Damn thing is already 85% full...

 

[JayTheCPA]

. . . we'll be reselling it in 2 years. . .

Huh . . .?

If that is the game plan going forward for the fleet, might want to consider avoiding the premium price of a new vehicle and stick with new(er) that still has a warranty to match how long y'all plan to keep it.