Community Forums

tuffr2 · 08-24-2016, 08:21 PM

This is not a rowing story but rather an impressive to me travel story. Driving a 2012 diesel truck solo from Fl. to Pa.

Ok, so this is just over a 900 mile trip. Eventually I will pick up a U-Haul trailer and tow it back from Ohio to Florida.

Anyway 900 miles is a long way not to get into a jam. I had a semi entering the highway on my right a semi in front of me and left lane was open. I was going 65mph at the time. I want to give the semi room to merge onto the highway. So I move over to the left lane, now a semi is coming up behind me so I accelerate effortlessly to just a tad over 90mph in a blink of the eye and get away from that pos of semi's.

The truck took off like Usain Bolt with an atletic feel that moved truck like the truck weighed 2,000 lbs. Instead of the 9,000 lb. beast it is.

You have to admit...the modern diesel engine it an enginering heat for sure.

SmokeyWren · 08-25-2016, 10:23 AM

Yep. And towing on a 2-lane highway is the reason I want all the power I can afford. It's 300 miles from my house in Midland County thru the Hill Country to son's house in Austin. And about 200 miles of that is 2-lane highway with lots of hills and short passing zones. There's often some ole pokey messing along at 60 MPH when the speed limit is 70 and I want to cruise at 65. With my previous mildly hot-rodded turbo-diesel tow vehicle towing my 8,000-pound 5er, I could usually get around the ole pokey by pedal to the metal from 60 MPH to 90 MPH before I was past enough to pull back over. With my current twin-turbo EcoBoost engine, I can go just about that quick when dragging my 5,000-pound TT.

Beginning with the 2011 model year PowerStroke drivetrain, it's no longer necessary to hot-rod the engine to have a quick and responsive tow vehicle. But mine was the '99.5 7.3L bulletproof diesel that responded nicely to a "towing tune" that increased HP from 230 to 300.

monkey · 08-28-2016, 06:35 AM

I would agree,,, "for us" I made a good choice of a diesel... True we are on the light side, groos weight with 5vr at about 16,000 lbs, but that truck never breaks a sweat !! It is a dream to drive, up hill, down hill,,, Love it !!!
Monkey

Highway 4x4 · 08-28-2016, 11:59 AM

Yep, solo up to Oregon and Idaho this summer 3000 miles almost all towing. No issues. It's not just go power it's also slow power with the exhaust brake.

Mr_D · 08-28-2016, 12:06 PM

I agree, the ISX in our rig cruises so effortlessly! Turning 1350 @ 60 and getting to 90 is easy too (yes, I've done it, ran up against the rev limiter, needed another gear or two). The only problem we've had is reliability! Two top end rebuilds, three turbos and two DPF's in 45,000 miles is not good!
Seems Cummins needed to do more R&D on the 650 and 600 hp ISX's!

ronjhall · 08-28-2016, 12:30 PM

Same feeling with my MH. Takes little effort to make a jump from 50 to 65 mph. That's with it fully loaded at 25k.

Sent from my iPhone using iRV2 - RV Forum

monkey · 08-29-2016, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

I agree, the ISX in our rig cruises so effortlessly! Turning 1350 @ 60 and getting to 90 is easy too (yes, I've done it, ran up against the rev limiter, needed another gear or two). The only problem we've had is reliability! Two top end rebuilds, three turbos and two DPF's in 45,000 miles is not good!
Seems Cummins needed to do more R&D on the 650 and 600 hp ISX's!

Wow !!! all that in 45,000 miles ??? Our work trucks (although 400 Cummins) generally go 450-500 K miles before a turbo lets go... I did just have to have a injector replaced on my work truck at 275K miles,,, pretty early... Sorry for the trouble... Sounds like they are pushing the motor for such a high power output....
Monkey

Highway 4x4 · 08-29-2016, 10:37 AM

Sounds like someone is pushing the motor for sure.

monkey · 08-30-2016, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highway 4x4

Sounds like someone is pushing the motor for sure.

Yep...................

TDI-Minnie · 08-30-2016, 01:47 PM

Needs to be deleted.
All those issues go away.

Stano1 · 08-30-2016, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey

I would agree,,, "for us" I made a good choice of a diesel... True we are on the light side, groos weight with 5vr at about 16,000 lbs, but that truck never breaks a sweat !! It is a dream to drive, up hill, down hill,,, Love it !!!
Monkey

New truck like yours. How much does your camper weigh? I'm a bit nervous about my 12,000 lb dry wt. choice in fifth wheel
Thanks!

monkey · 08-31-2016, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stano1

New truck like yours. How much does your camper weigh? I'm a bit nervous about my 12,000 lb dry wt. choice in fifth wheel
Thanks!

Our rv "loaded" weighs just shy of 10,000 lbs...(I added things since these weights) Yours loaded I would 'guess' would weigh 15,000 lbs... That Duramax/Alison will handle that No Problem !!! Just watch the pin weight... Our 'Pin weight" on a basically 10K gross 5vr is 1860lbs... Empty weight on ours full of fuel, rear axle is 3080.. That leaves us alot of room for things we don't carry in the bed of the truck.... (Max rear axle weight on my 2015 of 6200) I'm sure the "weight police" will chime in here, which is perfectly fine,,, but I am stateing actuall scale numbers,,,,
Truck only, (see my sig)
front axle 4680
rear axle 3080
With 5vr,
front axle 4600
rear axle 4940
trailer axles
front 3400
rear 3440
Yours will be more,,, but still No Prob in my book,,,, (Owners Manual)

Every trailer depending on where the axles are set And how you load it will make a difference on pin weight... Our fresh water tank is behind the trailer axles, so added weight there actually reduces weight on the truck... Many things to consider,,,,
Overall, you should be fine.... Weigh it...
Monkey

Stano1 · 09-01-2016, 04:08 PM

I spent a ton of time yesterday chasing out a bunch of numbers, pin weighs, gvcr, Grar, vcr, (ha) went to a sophisticated web site calculater, ended up being more confused.
This I found. Pin wt (from keystone web site ) is 2500 lbs. GM has conflicting web sites ( ! ) on what truck can handle but found one that said 3500lbs. Does that make sense?
Thanks a bunch for your reply, you are right, the internet I s full of people saying you are drastically overweight if you don't have a 3500. Some say pin wt is main problem, some say payload, hard to know what is probably ok and what could be serious.
Is only real concern on pin weight your springs?
Thanks again!

Mr_D · 09-01-2016, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey

Wow !!! all that in 45,000 miles ??? Our work trucks (although 400 Cummins) generally go 450-500 K miles before a turbo lets go... I did just have to have a injector replaced on my work truck at 275K miles,,, pretty early... Sorry for the trouble... Sounds like they are pushing the motor for such a high power output....
Monkey

One of the counter people at Cummins NW in Portland was aware of the problems and said the engine was designed for 400 HP but lost reliability when they pushed it to the 600 and 650 ratings.