Fifth wheel towing with an older truck

[BuckeyeMurph]

Although I am new to this forum I am not new to RVing. I have a Elkridge 34tsre that my wife and I stay in for three months to get away from the snow up North. I am considering the purchase of a much smaller fifth wheel to take trips for the other nine months. I am the original owner of a 2002 Chevrolet 2500HD with the Allison transmission and 8.1(gas) engine that has around 120,000 miles. This truck is in great condition and seems to be mechanically sound. My question to all of you is - would you think that using this older truck to tow cross country would be smart idea or should I try to find a used truck with less mileage? Thanks in advance.

[Dave_H_M]

deleted

[BuckeyeMurph]

Update. We made the trip to SC. Picked up our fifth wheel and towed it home thru Sevierville, Tn. and Georgetown, Ky. Total mileage around 1500 miles. Old truck performed well with around 9 miles per gallon average. Only problem we had was a blow out on our fifth wheel on I40 just East of Sevierville, Tn. Power King Towmax tires had only 1300 total miles when one of them failed and second tire had belts separated and about to blow as well. Spent the first day in Sevierville getting five new Maxis tires as I no longer trust the Towmax. Tire supplier for Heartland had UPS pick up all of my five Blowmax tires yesterday for evaluation. Minor damage to tire skirting on passenger side of fifth wheel. Rving sure does make life interesting.

[cpres]

I run a 1988 C3500, paid for and treats me well as long as I ignore its thirst for gas (-:

Run what you have and put part of what the payment on a newer truck away for one of the o crud moments that any vehicle will give if you keep it long enough.

[BuckeyeMurph]

Thanks again for the replies. Got home the other day and got a price to replace the fuel pump on my truck $800. OUCH! Shocks should be around $100 per shock so a "couple thousand" doesn't sound too far from the truth.

[LowRyter]

I'd be more comfortable with the truck I had maintained rather than another used truck. I don't consider 120k miles to be worn out.

[gwh1bass]

That there is a killer towing combo. I **** near bought the configuration in an Avalanche until a friend wanted to unload his Excursion and I wanted the extra seating capacity.

[BuckeyeMurph]

Thanks again for all the replies

[Jwmoehrle]

I believe the fuel filters changed in 03 to the in tank filter. I had an 04 and it was in the tank. Good choice to do preventative maintenance, and keep it.

[Wes_Tausend]

...

Ditto on the fluid changes and filters. The ones most neglected are the tranny and coolant. If the coolant hasn't been changed every 3 years for ethylene glycol (5 yrs for DexCool), consider swapping out the waterpump and look for radiator leaks due to corrosion. I might at least replace the rad cap and consider having coolant tested before oil, as there is less other hint of something gone wrong.

Same goes for the fuel pump, another item that does not outlast the drivetrain. One other fastwear item on tow vehicles is the alternator. On my old ('76) Chevy/TC, I used to carry a spare set of Delco brushes and needed to swap them out about every 30k miles (took 15 minutes). One of the pertinent reasons is the extra lighting and camper battery. On a tow vehicle, the starter with few "starts" may not work too hard if the engine fires easy, but the alternator works extra hard, mile by mile.

I just swapped out the alternator on my Excursion ($238). My intent was to merely replace cheap brushes, but these alternators are notorious for damaged slip rings and, sure enough, one brush had broken and already cut a deep V groove. A local Ford dealer didn't have a reman' one in stock, but had it delivered while I waited. Good thing it was during Bankers Hours. Back at 118k, the starter quit contact whenever it was too cold (-10F). Proof was when it worked perfect after applying heat. That was $200-300, I don't remember. I've had them not work well when too hot before, but "cold" was a first.

One might consider replacing the battery. Spare bulbs, all fuses, belts and a second spare tire for trailer + truck aren't totally unreasonable if one has room. With only one spare, one is flying rather au naturel after the first flat, maybe in the boonies at night, a weekend, a holiday. Truck tires are somewhat easier to find than trailer tires, especially in the midwest.

All these are things that don't last as long as the original drivetrain.

Wes
...

[Grit_dog]

Confirm on the do not flush and Transynd. Also change those Alli filters every couple oil changes.
While you're doing PMs, change the NSBU switch on the trans. The early years are known defective in that they lose a watertight seal and short out the switch leaving the trans range inhibited. Happens more with slush than rain, but it's a cheap easy fix in your driveway.

[squidnapper]

jimmyfred wrote:


...........DONOT allow anyone to Flush the Allison ! And use Allison Transynd fluid rather than Mercon 6 ! , jf

I've been told the same thing on all autos, by multiple mechanics. Basically, flushing stirs up any sediment in the pan, and then uses high pressure to force it through the system. Net effect is the little shavings in the pan from normal use get blasted through the rubber seals, causing premature failure.

[N-Trouble]

mkirsch wrote:

minnow wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:


Yep lost a fuel pump on my previos 02 6.0 2500HD at just under 100kmi. You've got to stay up on changing those fuel filters on the frame rail every 15-20k mi.

The 8.1 does not a fuel filter on the frame rail. The filter is in the fuel tank.

Mine has the filter on the frame rail. That's about the only time I appreciate how high off the ground it sits.

Yep, GM didn't start putting the fuel filters in the tanks til around 2007 I believe. About when the 8.1 went out of service. Should all be on the frame rail... The PUMP is in the tank and is a bit of a PITA to change. I pulled the bed on mine and it was actually easier that way.

[Fordlover]

Add me to the surprised group. I tow with a 2002, and though it's harder to get very far from home these days due to work, we've towed up to the Ozarks and over to Orlando, Florida without thinking twice. If you maintain your equipment, just enjoy the ride, and have a backup plan incase of a breakdown.

[Bird_Freak]

mkirsch wrote:

MFL wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
Spend a couple thousand having it checked out and any repairs done and tow happy.

Couple thousand to have it "checked out"???

LOL...I'd not take it to donn's repair for a checkup!!:E

I know it's been a couple days, but I can't let this one go...

READING COMPREHENSION:

"and any repairs done"

"AND ANY REPAIRS DONE"

"*AND* *ANY* *REPAIRS* *DONE*"

The "couple thousand" is for the checkout AND any repairs!

You could easily drop a couple thousand on a few sundry repairs and maintenance items if the truck hasn't been maintained.

I would say he knows how it was maintained as he is the ORIGNAL owner. Some seem to have missed that point.