Bit heavier than I thought

[jayro88]

So I picked up this trailer in the spring. I have 3 kids that play travel soccer, so we spend a lot of time at weekend tournaments. We usually get to park on site, so it also saves time and hotel bills.....not to mention having AC,heat and a nice place to nap or chill out. The door tag said it was somewhere in the 5000lb range. I assumed it was a little more, so I was thinking I would gross somewhere between 12k-13k lbs. I finally stopped by the local scrap yard scale on my way out last weekend. Can in as 14,125lbs gross. My van is 6200lbs with a full tank of fuel and me in it. I had the whole family with me and a full water tank. Van is a 7.3 NA with 3.54s and a c6. Overall it handles the load well around here. I can usually stay in the 60-65mph range, but not much more. I think my vans owners manual says I am a bit overweight for my combination. Says 14k with 4.10s and something like 12.5k with 3.54s. Hoping to get the turbo kit that is sitting in my garage installed for next season.....then it will be time to go attack some real mountains to see how the setup does.

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[nj_m715]

I'd worry about brakes more than that extra thousand pounds
my idi pulled any amount of weight, it was just a matter of how fast it could go up hill
trying to stop with the vacuum booster was a whole different story
hydro boost would put you through the wind shield

 

[jayro88]

I'd worry about brakes more than that extra thousand pounds
my idi pulled any amount of weight, it was just a matter of how fast it could go up hill
trying to stop with the vacuum booster was a whole different story
hydro boost would put you through the wind shield

I am not really overweight for the chassis stuff, since the 4.10 version is rated for 14k.

As far as the brakes, I have gone through both the van and the trailer to make sure they are working properly. I have thought about the hydro boost setup, but for the time being I haven’t had any issues getting stopped. Prior to the mountains I may upgrade though.


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[freebird01]

i can tell you from personal experience that towing around here is nothing like towing in the hills for sure. it was night and day going from an f250 ext cab with 3.54's to an F350 crew with 4.10's.

your brave towing that combo with a c6 and 3.54's. i wouldn't do it again. and hydroboost was the single best investment i ever made on my dually. it is night and day difference in stopping power.

 

[jayro88]

your brave towing that combo with a c6 and 3.54's. i wouldn't do it again.

It wasn’t bad, I just slow down some and waive to the people passing in the fast lane. Wasn’t unstable at all with no issues stopping or controlling the load.

I have towed the setup 5-6 times this season without any trouble. Most are just in a 2-3 hour range of home.




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[Oledirtypearl86]

Yeah o o wodnt worry to much as long as it feels stable if you don't have one I'd look into a stabilizer hitch also they make a huge difference I have a toung pull that I regularly load up with hay and it can easy weigh 12k and I can tell a huge difference with the stabilizer hitch and if I have a low tire also with speed comes momentum so

 

[Kevo1288]

I'd worry about brakes more than that extra thousand pounds
my idi pulled any amount of weight, it was just a matter of how fast it could go up hill
trying to stop with the vacuum booster was a whole different story
hydro boost would put you through the wind shield

I really need to look into this swap

 

[u2slow]

Hydroboost, 4.10, and a ZF5 manual... you'd be in a whole new league of what an IDI van can do.

 

[jayro88]

Hydroboost, 4.10, and a ZF5 manual... you'd be in a whole new league of what an IDI van can do.

I know there was an IDI Van owner who was gathering parts to swap his c6 to a zf5. I think he got all the required parts, but never ended up doing it.

I was thinking a built e4od and 4.10's with my DNE2 behind it. More efficient, better towing gearing and lower RPMs unloaded at cruising speed in double O/D. I did the math before and I could go all the way to 4.56's gears and still have lower hwy rpms than I have now in double O/D.

Of course that is just me dreaming if $$ and time were not an issue.

 

[u2slow]

I missed the DNE2 detail. Cool. With deeper gearing you ought to minimize some TC slip.

I've not found any of the TH400, 4L80E, 727, C6, or e4OD very efficient at delivering the diesel grunt you otherwise get with a manual. Lots of pedal (i.e. fuel), lots of noise.... not much go. Maybe having one 'built' changes that, but $$$$.

Don't think I'd go to 14k# gross without being able to downshift. At least with your era van there was a factory clutch pedal.

 

[jayro88]

I missed the DNE2 detail. Cool. With deeper gearing you ought to minimize some TC slip.

I've not found any of the TH400, 4L80E, 727, C6, or e4OD very efficient at delivering the diesel grunt you otherwise get with a manual. Lots of pedal (i.e. fuel), lots of noise.... not much go. Maybe having one 'built' changes that, but $$$$.

Don't think I'd go to 14k# gross without being able to downshift. At least with your era van there was a factory clutch pedal.

Yes. The pedal assemblies are rare, but can be found. One of the biggest issues with swapping in a zf5 is that it is taller. The ones that I have seen done have required cutting the floor back and then fabbing up some kind of boot to cover it all. It can be done, but not a straightforward thing.

I added a low stall diesel towing torque converter to my c6 a while ago. It seems to perform better than the stock one whose stall was higher than desired.


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[jayro88]

I missed the DNE2 detail. Cool. With deeper gearing you ought to minimize some TC slip.

I've not found any of the TH400, 4L80E, 727, C6, or e4OD very efficient at delivering the diesel grunt you otherwise get with a manual. Lots of pedal (i.e. fuel), lots of noise.... not much go. Maybe having one 'built' changes that, but $$$$.

Don't think I'd go to 14k# gross without being able to downshift. At least with your era van there was a factory clutch pedal.

I do agree that a manual is more efficient than an auto. It is what I would prefer, but not really in the cards for me.


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