Advice for Prepping '99 C3500 Dually for Summer Camping?

[stutaeng]

That's a nice looking truck there! Looks like it was taken care of and is not all rusted out!

 

[Schurkey]

Buddy of mine bought a light-weight camper trailer. Sold it at a terrible loss a few years later--the lightweight campers are FLIMSY, so it doesn't take long before rivets pop, cupboards don't close (or stay shut), and stuff breaks. Be REALLY careful about buying a lightweight trailer. The "heavy" ones are bad enough for flexing and breaking stuff.

Anything made of rubber on your vehicle is suspect--belt, hoses, control arm bushings, leaf-spring bushings, body-to-frame bushings. You've said the tires are relatively new.

At 125K, I'd be wondering about the fuel pump.

ALL filters, all fluids unless you've got service history showing they've been flushed already. Might be worthwhile to add a PS filter.

 

[JSlezak83]

My fuel pump gave up the ghost at about 118k, but it was screaming so I knew it was coming.

I lost a lower radiator hose two years ago a couple miles from the campground. Pulled in puking coolant all over the lakeside campground. You can imagine how that went over. Replace all the hoses.

I’d add to the list an inspection of the intake manifold gaskets and water pump. My pump slightly weeps at about 120k miles. I’ve also battled sludge in my coolant since I bought the truck. A coolant system pressure test revealed a very slight leak in the gasket just behind the alternator.

The only other failure I had was a crank sensor. Had to change that in a Napa parking lot with borrowed tools. You could easily keep one of those in the glovebox along with the ICM and spare belt.

Flush all the fluids, replace the hoses, and try to keep the fuel tank full. Enjoy camp.

 

[ErikL]

Hi folks,

Here's a dually update for you.

In the last few months I:

• Replaced the shocks with Bilstein 4600. Great improvement in ride quality.
• Replaced the windshield
• Replaced the front rotors, pads, brake fluid. Rear brakes looked great.
• Dropped the transmission pan, replaced the filter, new fluid.
• Replaced the diff fluid
• Replaced air filter, cleaned MAF sensor
• Installed new universal fifth wheel rails
• Bought a barely used B&W Patriot 16K FW hitch
• Transferred my Tekonsha P3 brake controller over to this truck
• Replaced the 7-blade trailer plug
• Replaced the spare tire

I recently purchased a 1993 Citation fifth wheel camper from the original owner. Interior is mint, was hardly used and was always stored in one of his shops (until the last 3 years). 6000 lbs dry, 26 ft long. Picked it up yesterday (immediately installed new tires - still had the original ones on it!!!) and drove it back home the ~115 miles. Truck and trailer ran flawlessly. Most of the drive I was dealing with a headwind, going uphill, kept it in 3rd gear at 69 mph and averaged 7MPG (ouch).

Any hints on how to improve the MPG? Most of my camping trips will be at elevations ~ 3400 ft above sea level.

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[stutaeng]

Hi folks,

Here's a dually update for you.

In the last few months I:

• Replaced the shocks with Bilstein 4600. Great improvement in ride quality.
• Replaced the windshield
• Replaced the front rotors, pads, brake fluid. Rear brakes looked great.
• Dropped the transmission pan, replaced the filter, new fluid.
• Replaced the diff fluid
• Replaced air filter, cleaned MAF sensor
• Installed new universal fifth wheel rails
• Bought a barely used B&W Patriot 16K FW hitch
• Transferred my Tekonsha P3 brake controller over to this truck
• Replaced the 7-blade trailer plug
• Replaced the spare tire

I recently purchased a 1993 Citation fifth wheel camper from the original owner. Interior is mint, was hardly used and was always stored in one of his shops (until the last 3 years). 6000 lbs dry, 26 ft long. Picked it up yesterday (immediately installed new tires - still had the original ones on it!!!) and drove it back home the ~115 miles. Truck and trailer ran flawlessly. Most of the drive I was dealing with a headwind, going uphill, kept it in 3rd gear at 69 mph and averaged 7MPG (ouch).

Any hints on how to improve the MPG? Most of my camping trips will be at elevations ~ 3400 ft above sea level.

You must be registered for see images attach

Nice camper trailer! I don't know how you could increase the MPG, maybe drive slower? And if the engine can hold 4th, I don't see a problem running it in OD.

7 MPG doesn't sound too good. BUT, in spite off all the MPG hype, look around different truck forums; you'd be surprised that newer trucks get marginally better gas mileage than you towing the similar weight (8-10 mpg), only a few claim 11-12, but some as low as 6 MPG! And after considering newer trucks are $60k+, you're not doing too bad!

 

[letitsnow]

Every gas truck that I've owned has gotten 7-9 mpg while pulling campers. Every diesel truck I've owned has gotten 9-11 mpg while pulling campers. This is while driving 60-70 mph.

 

[ErikL]

Ok guys, thanks for providing me with better frame of reference. Now I won’t worry as much about the gas mileage

 

[alpinecrick]

If that's a 4wd (looks like it is), don't forget to change the T-case fluid. And I would flush the cooling system. A lot of GMT400's ended up with conventional coolant being mixed in with the DexCool, which makes sludge buildup in the passages.

Nice truck. Good score!

Doh! Thread title says "C"........

 

[Carlaisle]

One thing I would add to your preventative maintenance list: replace the heater hose quick connect fitting in the intake manifold. It's on the passenger side behind the alternator. I would replace it with a nipple and hose clamp, but I admit to holding a grudge against that particular fitting.

How do you like those mirrors?

 

[ErikL]

One thing I would add to your preventative maintenance list: replace the heater hose quick connect fitting in the intake manifold. It's on the passenger side behind the alternator. I would replace it with a nipple and hose clamp, but I admit to holding a grudge against that particular fitting.

How do you like those mirrors?

The mirrors work well. Extended them for the first time when the camper was hooked up and visibility was very good.