Landandsea/Warthog,
I'm looking at planning a day trip starting at Silverwood lake and ending at arrowhead for dinner. I have wanted to do a trail 2N17X for a long time but need another truck to join me. This takes you part way to Arrowhead from there we can go over to Deep Creek Crossing and Dishpan Springs. Email me if interested dadler@aciint.com
Okay, I'm back from an extended vacation, going through old threads and I want in on some of this "local" wheeling...the lift is soon, so please put me on the e-mail list or please post trip messages on the 80scool_usa_socal Yahoo list at: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/80scool_usa_socal/
I agree a dedicated tow rig would be nice, however I pull a 3800lb boat around to where a cruiser has many uses, and wheeling a 1 ton 4x4 duelly would just suck. BTW the cruiser pulls nicely with 4,88s and a s/c
Cheers,
Sean
For me it was the wife! In order to get the cruiser I first had to get her excited about getting a tent trailer for camping. Now see knows I'll never buy anything other than a toyota and at the time the cruiser had the best towing, so I got the cruiser. Pretty pathetic :-[. In my defense though see might be only 5'2" tall but she's italian, which adds another 3' in attitude!
I tow with the 80 because it can do it, and I don't have to have a domestic POS around. I have many friends who've got rigs like Suburbans, F250s and one with a diesel Excursion. These things tow lighter ski boats vs our 6000lb boat trailer and have ALL had major drivetrain issues ranging from chronic overheat and whining rear diffs, to eating 3 transmissions (Suburban). These are all late model rigs owned by doctors. On the other hand, my 10yo 80 with 130k on it has had zero issues and I tow 5 times as much as all of them combined (towed from Idaho to Maine a few summers back!).
While I agree that on paper those rigs are dedicated tow rigs, frankly I think they're over rated. Yes, the 124 inch plus wheelbases are nice for stability, and their power is unquestioned. But slap a set of air springs on an 80, get on the anally retentive maintenance program and you've got a competent vehicle. Did you guys know the 80 is rated to tow 7200lbs in Europe? It's only rated at 5000lbs here in good ol' litigation happy America.
I have towed a 3700 lb boat with my 80 ever since new. I also have a Dodge/Cummins 1ton 4wd. I prefer to use the 80. I'm supercharged and it is fun to run down the road messing with peoples' minds. I have had some minor heating issues with forced induction but have ironed most of them out. My Dodge is one of the First Cummins powered trucks built and I have had no issues with it. My family is more comfortable in the 80. Last year we went to Lake Powell with one of our club members that had a V8 powered 60. He had to push it to keep up with me on the hills (he had no boat behind, I did)
I haul horses and larger trailers quite often (thanks to the wife's expensive hobby...) so I tend to lean toward a large truck designed to haul and never worry about loads, etc.
Comfort was a BIG issue in a tow rig. I was lucky and got a good deal on an 03 2500HD Duramax with the Allison tranny and couldn't imagine driving anything else to tow with. Crew Cab, limited slip in the rear, 500+ foot pounds at 1800 rpm.
Granted, I could drag race with a boat (so I can appreciate the small loads going on an 80).
I guess I just tow different things than most so it biases me. thanks to all for your thoughts.