Which of these would tow a car the best?

[stutaeng]

I've seen 2500s with a GVW of 8,400 with vacuum brakes, but every GMT400 Sub with a 350, and 8,600GVW that I've ever seen had Hydro-Boost.
Awhile back I went shopping for an 800/K2500, must have looked at a dozen or more.
Could not find one single one with 4:10s, they all were 3:73s, the ones with 4:10s must be kinda rare.
Ok I suppose for hauling the kids/groceries/cruising, but even the 6.0 needs 4:10s for real work.
Now a Sub with an 8.1 and 3:73s,, I could live with that, they still had a 10K tow rating, the 4:10s bumped it to 12K.
In the 800s the best bang in a gasser is a PU K2500/8.1,, you get the Allison with 4:10s as standard, with a 14K tow rating,, just hard to pass a gas station.

8,400 GVWR? I've never seen those.

Neither have I personally seen a 2500 GMT 400suburban with 5.7 and hydroboost, but that doesn't doesn't mean they don't exist. I think the ones made for the government and fire departments were special, maybe those got that special treatment?

As far as the 800 2500 suburban with the 6.0 and 4.10s, I thought those were not rare. I have 2 of them, a 2wd and 4x4 and they both have 4.10s. I like them. Coinsidently, I only looked those two that I bought on 2 separate occasions.

The 8.1/Allison only came on the Silverado 2500HD/3500. The 8.1 Suburban and Avalanche got the 4L85e, which is still a beast of a tranny.

The truck frames were deeper than the suburban/Avalanche. I don't believe you can fit an Allison down there, without a lot of modification. Only the "Duraburb" comes to mind with that setup, and I think they install body lifts on those?

 

[Gibson]

^ My own K2500 Sub with a 5.7 has Hydro-Boost, and I've looked at several others.
Maybe it's a year thing?, I've only been interested in the '97 to'99 years with the Vortec engines.
Read back in my post, I wrote "PU",, that's supposed to mean Pick-Up.
Right, to put an Allison in a Sub you need to cut part of the trans tunnel and do a 2in body lift.
You guys in TX probably got lots of 6.0/4:10s,, to pull horse trailers, right.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

^ My own K2500 Sub with a 5.7 has Hydro-Boost, and I've looked at several others.
Maybe it's a year thing?, I've only been interested in the '97 to'99 years with the Vortec engines.
Read back in my post, I wrote "PU",, that's supposed to mean Pick-Up.
Right, to put an Allison in a Sub you need to cut part of the trans tunnel and do a 2in body lift.
You guys in TX probably got lots of 6.0/4:10s,, to pull horse trailers, right.

Yes Pinger's 99 C2500 Burb is a 5.7 vortec, and it has hydroboost brakes. Think it also has 4.10 gears. My 90 R2500 Burb had 4.10s with a TBI 350/ TH400. Would pull hard off the line, but not great on the highway.
We did tow cars with it, but never very far(just across town and not on the freeway).

 

[stutaeng]

Ok, that's good to know on the hydroboost with the 5.7 on the 2500s. I suppose they just an option then...

 

[stutaeng]

^ My own K2500 Sub with a 5.7 has Hydro-Boost, and I've looked at several others.
Maybe it's a year thing?, I've only been interested in the '97 to'99 years with the Vortec engines.
Read back in my post, I wrote "PU",, that's supposed to mean Pick-Up.
Right, to put an Allison in a Sub you need to cut part of the trans tunnel and do a 2in body lift.
You guys in TX probably got lots of 6.0/4:10s,, to pull horse trailers, right.

I did recently see a 2500/8.1 for sale...with 400k miles! Looked clean too. Asking price was low $3,000.

Those things must be beasts, especially with 4.10s.

 

[MRAJB]

Thanks guys! I just don't really want to have to buy a new truck. I like my old obs.

I guess I could look for a k2500 with 4.10 or k3500.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I have pulled in the mountains with a 350 Vortec, 4L85E and SF 9.5" 14-bolt with 3.73s. 3rd gear on the flats and 2nd gear on the big grades running about 4,200 @ 70. About 12,500 lbs combined weight and the aerodynamics of a parachute. On flat land about 10 mpg. Vortec 350 was cammed, had a marine intake, thorley tri-ys, high flow cats and a free flowing muffler.

I have since pulled the same trailer in the same area with a 383 and a 5.13 geared 10.5" FF 14-bolt with a full 1-ton suspension and brake swap. I tow in overdrive at 70 mph at 2,850 rpm. Most longer grades only require a downshift to 3rd and it pulls very strong at about 3,500 rpm. A 350 Vortec based truck with a well planned 383 or even 400 small block build will tow circles around a stock vortec 454. Then again a 454 can grow to a 496 fairly easily and the 454 will be the stronger engine.

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[L31MaxExpress]

I've towed a lot of vehicles with a 4x4 2-door Tahoe (Vortec, though). I think they were rated for around 5,000 lbs.? It's been awhile. Longer trucks are more stable though, mostly if the load is tongue-heavy.

I had good luck on bigger trailers with even load distributing. The rest was up to the brakes. Favorite part of the two-door was you still had the Suburban gas tank and all the other half ton goodies with a lot less truck. So you could drive for awhile between fill-ups, maneuvered easier backing up and around parking lots...Even with old GM's sad turn radius.

If you need the extra packing room, Suburban is king. If you travel light, 2 door rear seats fold flat, just zip the headrests out.



Two door Blazer/Tahoe 400's came with only 5.7's or 6.5's. '92-'94 Blazers were full size, '95+ was renamed as the Tahoe Sport or Yukon GT - handing down the Blazer/Jimmy name to the S10-chassis trucks.

The GMT400 based vans have a tighter turning radius and in the 3500 model GM built them with 7.4s and 8.1s. A big block with 4.10 gears is rated to to 10,000 lbs. The vans are KING when it comes to passenger comfort and cargo space. On the conversion vans you can pull the rear bench seat out, stack 4x8 sheets of plywood in the back and 4 people can still travel in comfort.

 

[letitsnow]

The GMT400 based vans have a tighter turning radius and in the 3500 model GM built them with 7.4s and 8.1s. A big block with 4.10 gears is rated to to 10,000 lbs. The vans are KING when it comes to passenger comfort and cargo space.

An 8.1 van with a Quigley 4x4 conversion would be sweet!

 

[L31MaxExpress]

An 8.1 van with a Quigley 4x4 conversion would be sweet!

Almost bought one about 2 years ago for $2800. Was also a Regency conversion van. Interior was a bit rough but only had 110K on it. Was an 02.

Something cool about having that manual transfer case shifter sticking through the floor.