Truck performance--manual transmission

[Mikes91]

Was wondering, those of you who have manual transmission-equipped IDIs and turbos, how your truck performs. What kind of weight are you pulling? How do hills affect you?

I had marginal performance with my '91 pulling a 6000 pound car trailer in the California hills on the way back east a couple years ago. That truck was an automatic with Banks turbo. Thinking lightly about downgrading from my newer truck back to something like the old Ford. Why? Diesel fuel prices are very high and the diesel truck in the household has become a vehicle that is only used when pulling horse trailers to racing events.

I am concerned that the IDI simply won't be able to perform up I-26 heading into Asheville from SC. Those hills don't even make my new truck breathe hard, but it would be far more economical to get rid of the payment given the realities of diesel fuel pricing and where I think the diesel pickup market is going to go in the next few years.

Lots to think about... seems reasonable to keep what I have instead of taking a loss. Don't foresee a time when diesel is going to be reasonable again, whatever that means.

Mike

 

[Agnem]

Both the Lady Moose and the Moose truck have lugged campers and boats over the Allegheny's. There is no problem doing it, but everything is relative. It's all a question of speed. We don't have any problems maintaining the speed limit on I-81, which is plenty hilly in Virginia.

 

[Mikes91]

Both the Lady Moose and the Moose truck have lugged campers and boats over the Allegheny's. There is no problem doing it, but everything is relative. It's all a question of speed. We don't have any problems maintaining the speed limit on I-81, which is plenty hilly in Virginia.

About how much weight are you pulling? Large camper?


Mike

 

[tractorman86]

Was wondering, those of you who have manual transmission-equipped IDIs and turbos, how your truck performs. What kind of weight are you pulling? How do hills affect you?

I had marginal performance with my '91 pulling a 6000 pound car trailer in the California hills on the way back east a couple years ago. That truck was an automatic with Banks turbo. Thinking lightly about downgrading from my newer truck back to something like the old Ford. Why? Diesel fuel prices are very high and the diesel truck in the household has become a vehicle that is only used when pulling horse trailers to racing events.

I am concerned that the IDI simply won't be able to perform up I-26 heading into Asheville from SC. Those hills don't even make my new truck breathe hard, but it would be far more economical to get rid of the payment given the realities of diesel fuel pricing and where I think the diesel pickup market is going to go in the next few years.

Lots to think about... seems reasonable to keep what I have instead of taking a loss. Don't foresee a time when diesel is going to be reasonable again, whatever that means.

Mike

does she roll any smoke? it should blow a fair abount while going up a grade loaded. your pump might not be set high enough. do you have a boost guage and a pyrometer? cheep insurance!

 

[towcat]

mike-
It has come "full circle" hasn't it?
here's a suggestion, since the truck isn't used for much, cramming the kids in the back of a supercab for the trips isn't going to kill them. Why am I saying this? Here in Kali...yes Kali...there's a f250 4x4 with the Cummins already installed and happily humming along that's for sale. He's even a lurking member here. I saw his Ad in CL this last weekend again, so it's a good bet it's still for sale. You're no stranger to Kali truck bodies, so convincing you to get on a plane and drive one home shouldn't be too difficult.
Just food for thought

 

[Agnem]

Be even more funny if he were to get there and have the seller change his mind.

Lady Moose + Camper is around 18K. Moose Truck with Moosestang on a flatbed was around 16K. We took both those to Chatty in 06'.

 

[towcat]

Be even more funny if he were to get there and have the seller change his mind.

mel-
you're baaaadd

 

[redneckaggie]

I'm manual with no turbo and I have hauled about 8,000 lbs of cows and trailer with no problem. We were getting passed like crazy during accel from light to light but once we got rolling she chugged along with pride. I don't have many hills around here but have hit some hills pretty steep grade with about 4,000 in tow and as long as I took it to 4th instead of OD never hardly lost speed. I have never had problems moving loads, you just won't be a speed demon gettin it to 60mph

 

[FordGuy100]

My truck has the T-19 4 speed, 285/75/16 tires, and 3.54 gears. I have towed a boat (4-5K pounds) to the coast and back to go crabbing. I had to haul it over the costal range here in Oregon. There were a couple 6% couple mile grades I had to go over. I honestly was pretty happy with it. I maintained 55-60mph (thats just what we drive over here ) up most hills. On the way back home, I had to go over this one grade. It was something like 6% 3 miles long or so. I must say that grade kicked my **** a little. I was at 65mph at the bottom, and about 1/2-2/3 the way up I was around 55mph, then it went down to around 50mph at around the 3/4 mark. I then put it in 3rd (3000+ rpms), and it shot right back up to 55+mph in a couple seconds. My floor mats dont let me put the throttle peddle all the way to the ground though. My injectors are crap, I have one bad one for sure, so that doesnt help.

 

[BigRigTech]

I have a N/A 5spd 4x4 rig, I've hauled about 8000lbs with mine, gross would probably be about 15,000lbs truck and all. It doesn't break my neck with speed but I get the load home just the same....Is it really worth it to have payments to climb a grade 2-3 minutes faster than your IDI might?.....Not to me it isn't....Hell, I love my old IDI as it's been damn good to me since I bought it....And being able to burn waste oil makes it even better.

 

[Brimmstone]

When I made the move from Ohio to Texas I was able to do about 70mph for the most part on the way down. Hills sucked but then I was hauling a combined weight between truck,trailer,and cargo of around 25,000 pounds. I run a 6.9 with a hypermax turbo, 3.55 gears, and a T19 manual. It doesn't accelerate too quick even with being turned up I think 5 flats. As to what BigRigTech mentioned I wouldn't waste my money on a new truck. Even with the slower speed and such the old IDI will keep pulling when a Stroke or something else has an actual stroke from the work. I see 6.0s, 7.3s, Cummins, and Duramaxes every day for one problem or another. A customer just brought his Excursion in today for a water pump, one glow plug, and a RF speed sensor and his parts bill alone was 600 dollars. Add the time in for diagnosis and repair the bill will be over a thousand. Also think of it like this 4 truck payments are the same as buying a turbo for the old IDI.

 

[BigRigTech]

I see 6.0s, 7.3s, Cummins, and Duramaxes every day for one problem or another. A customer just brought his Excursion in today for a water pump, one glow plug, and a RF speed sensor and his parts bill alone was 600 dollars. Add the time in for diagnosis and repair the bill will be over a thousand. Also think of it like this 4 truck payments are the same as buying a turbo for the old IDI.

Amen to that.

 

[Mikes91]

mel-
you're baaaadd

You guys, that never has happened to me or anyone I know...

Bottom line is I have to have some options on the table when I talk to the wife about our fuel/automotive expenses vs our true needs... Just want to come to the discussion with some ideas and options... and it is easier to keep what I have now or to come back to what I know vs branch off in some other direction when considering trucks. Heck, I still have PARTS for an '88-'91 truck in my toolshed!!!

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

My old half-a-million-mile IDI, with Hypermax Turbo, 4-speed, and 3:54 rears took my truck/trailer/BIG LOAD of cattle anywhere I wanted to go in 41 states.

We load and haul probably as heavy as anyone out there with a ton-sized truck/trailer and, although many times I felt way under-powered with the old 6.9, she always got me there and back.


Now, with the little inline six-banger, it is a completely different story; I can run off with the same size loads and get nearly triple the fuel-mileage doing it.


One other observation :


I am in no way meaning to knock the automatic transmissions; and, I am sure that if one is willing to spend a ton of money upgrading and bullet-proofing, the autos can maybe be made to pull; BUT, what I have witnessed many times, with stock or mildy modified automatics, is that they are un-able to launch a genuine BIG load from a standing start, especially if the trailer-wheels are in a duck's-nest.


So, in my own honest opinion, if you could get along with an automatic, you will be well pleased with a manual.


YOU BETTER BUY THAT CALIFORNIA TRUCK !!

 

[GaPchNCrm]

My truck is a 5 speed and right now doesn't have the turbo on, I have hauled a 36 ft Featherlite with 7 good sized horses on it to Tennesee without it lugging down to bad. My usual rig is an aluminum Silver Star trailer with LQ, usually 4 on board.... We aren't setting land speed records but I'm able to maintain at least the speed limit ( that was my last trip last weekend going towards Birmingham from Atlanta, then to NW Georgia in the hills up there). Granted, I rode in 3rd and 4th alot ( Darrin remind me to hug you again next time I see you) but we got to where we were going in a reasonable time frame with not terrible (for my truck) fuel mileage. ( I averaged about 10-12 mpg).