Dave88LX

A while back I posted this thread, so I have an idea on reasonable install times for gauges:
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ad.php?t=91992

He's got another customer, just put a 4" exhaust on. I don't know the year of the truck yet, I just know it's a 12V auto.

He wants a fuel plate, and maybe get the timing adjusted. I told Tony (my friend) to tell him that he should really really really get EGT gauge at the minimum and maybe a boost gauge on there before we start dorking with the fuel. Would it be in his best interest to refuse to do a fuel plate without an EGT? Or sign a waiver if he doesn't want an EGT gauge that he's not responsible for damage due to high EGT?

What's a reasonable amount of hours to adjust the timing? I've done it on mine, so I know how to do it now. Just don't want to overcharge on hours. What's a reasonable price to charge for the timing?

Need to figure this stuff out for an estimate. IIRC, he said he pulls 30K worth of trailer behind him, I'm thinking we don't want to just slam everything full forward, stock tranny won't live too long I wouldn't think.

What's the best combo to safely pull 30K without pegging the pyro, or trashing the tranny? Probably a torque convertor and a valve body, but doubt he's going to want to buy that too, I don't know. I think the answer is a larger exhaust housing on the turbo to keep EGT's down, is that the answer?

Best combo of parts to safely do this?
Thanks!

getblown5.9

buy a bigger/higher rated truck, towing 30k with even a 2wd dually ext cab would be dangerous and illegal anywhere you go.

nobody is perfect and im not always safe or 100% legal, but that is asking for trouble, especially since the guys seems like a hard head who doesnt even want gauges to make sure the truck is running well.

infidel

14cm housing on my works good towing 26,000 with my 3500 manual but there are times when there is no way around backing off or downshifting.
3k GSK makes the gap inbetween shifts better.

What I feel is more important than power mods is an exhaust brake, going isn't as hard as stopping with that big of a load.

Agricultural exemption makes it legal to tow 30k in my state.

Dave88LX

Sorry to imply, I didn't mean that he was against gauges, he may already have them. I just haven't gotten all the details yet, but it was a "what if" in case he things he doesn't need them. I'll check back with him today for more details. What's legal, 26K lbs?

Valv

Ditto !!!! 30,000lbs is a lot of weight behind a pickup truck, I wouldn't even touch his truck knowing that.

Dusty Ratcliff

if it's a stock auto it isn't going to matter what you do to the engine w/out upgrading that piece of junk tranny!, I had a 95' reg. cab 4x4 auto 3500 & it was one big heaping pile of crap with the stock tranny!!!!, I'd hate to think I had to try & move 30,000 lb's around very much with the old truck I had, I ran a Banks plate in the pump & it made it a little better on interstate after lock-up, but with about 20 head of 400lb. calves behind that thing on a 20ft. Stoll steel pipe trailer, you didn't wanna get stuck having to pull out on much of a grade, it would just sit there & grunt!!! I'd highly recomend the guy do some tranny work, or the hp from th engine work will probably never see the ground, just my $0.02, good luck, Dusty

Ocmechanx

What mods for 30k hmmmmm.............How bout eaton diff's and a 13spd with airbags

fiveology

Dave are you talking about 30,000lbs total weight or 30,000lbs of trailer weight. 30,000 lbs total weight is not that out of the ordinary and can be done legally and fairly safely. 30,000 lbs of trailer weight, best be getting a bigger truck.

pind

One of the better upgrades for heavy towing like that, has Peterbilt written right on the side of the hood.

This is generally what I tell people who want to haul heavy. You have something with enough go, but it doesn't have enough whoa. not even with an exhaust brake. Takes a lot of common sense, care and attention to haul like that. And over 50mph, someone is eventually going to get dead.

I would say that he is better off stock, with some gauges, rather than playing with it and tearing his driveline apart. Of course, reading the first part of my post tells the story of where I really think he's better off.

rebal

I have a dual tandem dump trailer I tow and it has 4 wheel brakes I can tow 24 -26 k and stop with out any trouble the few times I loaded 30k + on it made a huge differance. the trucks pull it fine, BUT! that extra tonage pushes the brakes over the top. the trailer will hold the weight but it makes the brakes very hot very fast even with an Exaust brake the truck just cant supply enough braking . best thing would be to get a bigger truck.

Dave88LX

Appreciate all the advice guys. My friend has been out of town over the weekend, so I will hopefully talk to him this week. I will pass it along and get better accurate numbers.

1stGen545

Personally I would like to see a wight slip. I have worked on a lot of trucks and found that most people just don't know or just plane lie about how much they hall to try to impress you. Not all but most people have no idea what 30,000lbs is really like. I have driven class A trucks and hauled a lot of construction equipment with my truck and pick-up and had it checked on the scales. ( any thing over 26K requires a commercial drivers license in any state that is federal law last time I checked not that I always follow every rule.) It takes a lot more to make 30K than most people think. I love the 12 valves but if he ever hauled 30K very much the trany would have already come apart. And just like most of these guys have already said he will be hard pressed to stop in an emergency. I would say he is full of it, so take his money and send him on down the road. Just Waite for the call that he blew something apart or melted it.

RustyJC

Not in Texas unless other factors make you commercial. Insofar as weight goes, Texas offers a non-CDL Class A and Class B license for trucks with a GCWR >26,001 pulling trailers with a GVWR >10,000 and <10,000 respectively.

Rusty

ckt_santiago

Wisconsin has Heavy Farm tags... Good for 32k on a normal license even if the truck has air brakes... I would also have to agree that he is lying his **** off to say that he is pulling a 30k trailer without already have killed his tranny. Talking with Dave G we both agreed that with a good TC, valve body, billet input, intermediate, and outputs you would be able to go 26k COMBINED GVW and the truck would have no problems doing so at all. Anything past that and not only does braking become an issue, but you are pushing the limit of the DANA 80. Not to mention the frame, suspension, and even the tires load limits.

But if he has the money, go for the tranny upgrades, put in a set of Chev one ton rear brake cylinders, an exhaust brake, add a little HP and send him on his way only after he signs a waiver saying you are not responsible for any damages incurred by towing so heavy.

gwhammy

I've grossed 34,000 quite a few times. Starting the load is the biggest problem on a slight hill or in hot weather. If you was to pull that kind of load alot 4.10 or even 4.56 gears would help alot with an automatic. Really good trailer brakes are the key and keep them adjusted up. The guy behind the wheel concerns me as much or more than the vehicle pulling the load. Some people think pulling a trailer is the same as driving there cadillac escalade talking on the phone.