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| Chevy's 4.8? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 19 2015, 05:25 PM (1,013 Views) | |
| Tubablake | May 19 2015, 05:25 PM Post #1 |
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Looking at a new vehicle to tow with. I tow a 5500lbs trailer. My local dealership has this: http://www.applevalleychevy.com/VehicleDetails/used-2003-Chevrolet-Silverado_1500-4WD_Extended_Cab_Standard_Box_LS-Martinsburg-WV/2532439853 Its 1 owner, has all maintenance records (Even when he bought gas or windshield washer fluid), Very well maintained. Has tow mode transmission, lists capacity at 6800lbs. Would this be a good tow vehicle? |
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| Otey13 | May 19 2015, 06:00 PM Post #2 |
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Geo Nerd
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I think those are stock photo's. The Z71 was the off road package. I had a 05 Z71. It had the 5.7. I'm thinking if I remember 03 had the votec 4.3 V-6 but not in a Z71. To answer your question yes it can tow your trailer. The 4.3 has very good low end torque and pretty decent gas mileage. If It's a manual all the better! Sorry my bad. they did come with the 4.8 V-8. Still don't think you will have any problems towing your trailer.
Edited by Otey13, May 19 2015, 06:11 PM.
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| Tubablake | May 19 2015, 06:09 PM Post #3 |
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Those are stock photos, the real deal looks pretty close its so clean. Its the 4.8 not the 4.3, I'm very familiar with the 4.3, not so much with the 4.8 I don't think it had the Z71 package. It does have the towing package with the tow mode transmission. |
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| Otey13 | May 19 2015, 06:18 PM Post #4 |
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Geo Nerd
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Well after my son corrected me. (GM cert.) He said you should have no problem with your trailer. Tow mode is basically no overdrive. If it has all the service records, and get a carfax and it comes out clean, that is a good buy! |
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| Tubablake | May 19 2015, 06:20 PM Post #5 |
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What does your son say about towing in OD? Like with a car that doesn't have tow mode? |
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| Hotrodray1 | May 19 2015, 06:37 PM Post #6 |
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Over Educated parts guy
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I have a 99 z71 with 5.3 in tow mode it firms up the shift and raises the shift points. It will go in to over drive but you will have to be running about 65 for it to do it.It should do almost any thing with in reason towing. |
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| Otey13 | May 19 2015, 06:38 PM Post #7 |
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Geo Nerd
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OD is good for towing if you are on a highway without a lot of stopping. Tow mode is for towing up hills, starting and stopping in town to get you that low end torque. |
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| awames76 | May 19 2015, 07:43 PM Post #8 |
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the 4.8 and 5.3 are the same block and heads. i have a 2001 5.3 with 240000 miles on it. knock on wood ive only did a heater core. water pump gaskets [ not pump, still stock] ps pump. original trans. mine is a 2x4. they are great trucks, im getting 17 to 18 mpg. the older engines are great the newer with afm are junk. [ gov says to improve mpg so gm made a v8 cut to v4 at high way speeds. kills the engine started in 2008 i think] ive towed 10.000 lbs fine. that kind of weight it needs trailer breaks. |
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| awames76 | May 19 2015, 07:49 PM Post #9 |
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the tow mode changes the shift points to a higher point and gives it a harder shift so less trans slip. with heavy weight it will hold 3rd [tow mode] at 65 mph. lighter weight it will shift to 4th. id get the 5.3 over the 4.8 had more hp and almost same mpg. but the 4.8 is a great engine. |
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| Tubablake | May 19 2015, 08:36 PM Post #10 |
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After reading all this. We are going in tomorrow to look at financing. If it's affordable than the truck is mine. |
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| Horn | May 19 2015, 10:12 PM Post #11 |
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In terms of power, the 4.8 has plenty. Everyone goes straight to the 5.3, but really the 4.8 only has 20 less hp and tq (iirc). Very good engines. What really wakes up the LS series engine is a good tune. Also, one thing that wears on these engines is where the cam and phaser(lifter) meet. It almost sounds like a pulley with a slight squeak. They both wear, now the engine can run a while this way, but it does create a problem down the road. I would not let that deter you from the LS engine because it is GREAT. Many people put the LS1 cam in there. One thing that sucks is you have to take off the head to remove the cam/lifter phaser. Those engines are easy to work on. You can also get shorty headers that bolt right up to factory exhaust. Also it will have the 4L60e, as many others said "tow mode" just changes the shift points. You run the gears out more. I'm wondering if you could manually do that in the older 4l60es? |
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| Horn | May 19 2015, 10:20 PM Post #12 |
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Have you thought about going to a bank for financing and looking at a truck through a private seller? You can find them for a LOT cheaper than 12k!!! Also, if you are in no hurry, but are set on buying it, go on the last day of the month and low ball them. Do NOT mention a trade until you get a price you are happy with. Let's say they had 6500 in that truck and let's say a fair trade in or private sell price for your vehicle is 1,500. They have it priced at 11,800.....11,800-6500 = 5,300 profit if sold at max price. They rarely get max price. Let's say they really want to make a deal and you tell them you have a trade, they might offer you $2,800 for your trade. It make's you think "what a deal", but not really because you could have already talked them down a bunch and then mentioned your trade, you would probably come out ahead. Usually though the best way to come out ahead is just by not doing business with the dealer at all. |
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| punkozuna | May 19 2015, 11:30 PM Post #13 |
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How much towing do you do? Is the trailer and load 5500#s? Or just the trailer? A 6800# rating is OK for 5500#s but if it were me, I'd shoot for a rating at least 50% higher than the load I planned on towing. A rating that is twice the expected load is even better. If you've ever towed near the rated load, you'll know that the truck isn't very happy - high rpm, bad gas mileage, braking a little sketchy. If you tow occasionally, it's OK but if you tow a lot it's better to be very conservative with the load rating. |
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| Tubablake | May 20 2015, 10:07 AM Post #14 |
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I tow every weekend for 3 months a year. I have a lot of towing experience, so I know how to handle my trailer. The entire load is 5500lbs, that's loaded. One thing I forgot about is the 4L60E, I absolutely hate that transmission. Used to have a suburban that had it and it died twice, finally the dealer just put a 4L80E in, never had a problem since. |
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| Horn | May 20 2015, 02:59 PM Post #15 |
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YOU AND ME BOTH!!!! Fucking junk. There are quite a few people who act like it is a solid transmission....bullshit. GM cheaped out on some parts in that thing. I've went through a few now and do NOT run my stuff hard. The most towing/pulling I do is a vehicle on a tow dolly. Might as well start putting so much away each month to expect an engine rebuild. You can get them built very nicely, but stock isn't that great. |
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