Detroit Dan
New Member
Have posted this stuff elsewhere, many of you are familiar but I cant find it right now so I figured I'd start a new one just for an update.
Stock my truck struggled to get the camper (33', 4.5 to 5 tons est weight) up the mountains. I was cresting the top at 35 mph and imagining the pistons getting softer. 3.5 Banks exhaust and gauges, before the cat fell off, I doubt I could have got it up the hill.
Over the years I've added new injectors, 4 inch exhaust but also upsized the tires twice. Last year put the A-Team Turbo on, got it to run over the top at about 45-50 mph. Definite improvement but still needing work, embarassing watching everybody else fly by in the left lane and worrying my motor was ready to meltdown. Recently added KOJO tune, custom vssb and FTB. Working pretty good but still had fuel delivery problems.
Just put in the Walbro pump, I apparently have a clogged screen or a snotty sock or something. Still suffering with zero fuel pressure at WOT, however this truck is getting seriously close to being done, as far as the power goes. On the way home today (I had an opportunity to take a run at it first), hit the biggest hill at 68, by the top I was still hanging in there at 58, and damn it felt pretty good. I actually had to ease up a little near the top because the TT in front of me was losing steam. I couldn't have passed him before the two lane went back to one, so I didn't even try, but I was running over him.
Except for the fuel pressure issue, I guess it's pretty much sufficient for the towing I do. I may still add the water injection someday, and I'm considering dropping back down to a 235/85/16 tire, which should help a lot. I've developed a little squirrelly action from the trailer, and I think it's the new tires. Never had it before with the Intercos, but the new tires are cheap-ass Remingtons with a softer sidewall and weaker treadblock design. I think what I'm getting is a combination of tread squirm and sidewall flex. Above 50 mph the trailer starts trying to assert itself. I've always been careful about loading and balancing it right, and with my hitch being pretty high I keep the airbags down around 20 lbs. Any higher and I'm raising the tongue up, transferring weight to the rear which causes sway. Just found a nice drop hitch, first one I've seen that looks strong enough, might try that too, then I could run some more air in the bags to stiffen the rear suspension up.
Don't know if I'll get another chance to tow it this season, and I'm hoping by next year my crewcab 454 truck will be done. Be interesting to see how that one tows. I suspect the big block will tow circles around the 6.5, but who knows. I may decide it's a dog without a cam, intake and carb swap.
Other thing is, I've been looking at new campers, and while I did find one almost identical to mine only 10 times nicer, I actually found a huge two axle popup that I loved. Could tow it with the wifes truck if I wanted, which is a half-ton Avalanche, probably going to replace it with a half ton Suburban. So then the obvious question is, what the heck would I need two 1 ton duallys for if my camper only weighed 5000lbs??
I realize this was pretty long winded, I'm really just thinking out loud. Thanks for tuning in.
Stock my truck struggled to get the camper (33', 4.5 to 5 tons est weight) up the mountains. I was cresting the top at 35 mph and imagining the pistons getting softer. 3.5 Banks exhaust and gauges, before the cat fell off, I doubt I could have got it up the hill.
Over the years I've added new injectors, 4 inch exhaust but also upsized the tires twice. Last year put the A-Team Turbo on, got it to run over the top at about 45-50 mph. Definite improvement but still needing work, embarassing watching everybody else fly by in the left lane and worrying my motor was ready to meltdown. Recently added KOJO tune, custom vssb and FTB. Working pretty good but still had fuel delivery problems.
Just put in the Walbro pump, I apparently have a clogged screen or a snotty sock or something. Still suffering with zero fuel pressure at WOT, however this truck is getting seriously close to being done, as far as the power goes. On the way home today (I had an opportunity to take a run at it first), hit the biggest hill at 68, by the top I was still hanging in there at 58, and damn it felt pretty good. I actually had to ease up a little near the top because the TT in front of me was losing steam. I couldn't have passed him before the two lane went back to one, so I didn't even try, but I was running over him.
Except for the fuel pressure issue, I guess it's pretty much sufficient for the towing I do. I may still add the water injection someday, and I'm considering dropping back down to a 235/85/16 tire, which should help a lot. I've developed a little squirrelly action from the trailer, and I think it's the new tires. Never had it before with the Intercos, but the new tires are cheap-ass Remingtons with a softer sidewall and weaker treadblock design. I think what I'm getting is a combination of tread squirm and sidewall flex. Above 50 mph the trailer starts trying to assert itself. I've always been careful about loading and balancing it right, and with my hitch being pretty high I keep the airbags down around 20 lbs. Any higher and I'm raising the tongue up, transferring weight to the rear which causes sway. Just found a nice drop hitch, first one I've seen that looks strong enough, might try that too, then I could run some more air in the bags to stiffen the rear suspension up.
Don't know if I'll get another chance to tow it this season, and I'm hoping by next year my crewcab 454 truck will be done. Be interesting to see how that one tows. I suspect the big block will tow circles around the 6.5, but who knows. I may decide it's a dog without a cam, intake and carb swap.
Other thing is, I've been looking at new campers, and while I did find one almost identical to mine only 10 times nicer, I actually found a huge two axle popup that I loved. Could tow it with the wifes truck if I wanted, which is a half-ton Avalanche, probably going to replace it with a half ton Suburban. So then the obvious question is, what the heck would I need two 1 ton duallys for if my camper only weighed 5000lbs??
I realize this was pretty long winded, I'm really just thinking out loud. Thanks for tuning in.