Towing with 2wd duallies

[MILD THUNDER]

Currently have a SRW 4x4 Super Duty diesel. Love the truck, but kind of getting tired of it as a daily driver. I dont really need it other than towing the boat. THinking of selling it and getting a old school dually crew cab just to tow the Formula about 5 miles to and from the launch ramp.

I always liked the 73-87 Style chevys and GMC duallys. However, seems that alot of them are 2wd. Plus i like the idea of a basic 454/TH400 combo. New diesels are great until warranty is up and repair costs are thru the roof. At least the 454's I can work on myself!

I towed my formula up the ramp many times in 2wd last summer, with no trouble. Maybe its the soft nitto terra grappler tires that helped. Anyone use a 2wd dually to yank a large boat up the ramp?? Im sure the 4 LOW transfer case would be missed greatly.

 

[Seafordguy]

I've never put my truck in 4WD at the ramp, and I have the worlds crappies tires on it, but as we all know - 4WD is priceless in the moment you need it.

 

[pullmytrigger]

I always liked the 73-87 Style chevys and GMC duallys. However, seems that alot of them are 2wd. Plus i like the idea of a basic 454/TH400 combo. New diesels are great until warranty is up and repair costs are thru the roof. At least the 454's I can work on myself!

I hear ya!
Welcome to the dark side of the square bodies.....
I think you would be fine if you knew you were pretty much going to be using one ramp.....Im all over h ells half acre boating so i went 4x4.

Heres my '85 carbed white one and what I want it to look like when i paint it black.....and a cool dually for ya'.....I picked up an alum headed 9.5:1 406 smallie for mine it should have lots of grunt after I change cams....the more Im around these trucks the more Im astounded how inexpensive they are to build and repair.....Im in the same boat as you, not a daily driver as I have a company vehicle, pulls the boat around and thats about it....sits there mostly

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

I used to owned a 2 wd 454 dually. Loved it. Pulled a 40 Fountain race boat with it all season in '98. It towed awesome. If you run enough weight on the tongue it will pull out of a ramp just fine.

 

[MILD THUNDER]

That black suburban is saaweeet!

I would love to get into a 454 powered dually thats clean and pull the 454 and do some mild upgrades to it. Not sure how they pull power wise, but im sure stock they were pretty smogged down. I found a nice looking one all black, 4x4, 4spd, 454, crew cab that looks clean for 3500 bucks. Theres a clean 2wd white one with a 454/automatic locally that is nice too for about same price.

How were the braking systems on these trucks?? Most up until 1990 should have had the TH400 behind the 454 correct?

 

[Team Tsunami]

My Top Kick is only 2WD and it has never missed a beat on any ramp. All the 650's you see are only 2WD too. When we had our 3500 Dually I dont think we ever used 4WD. The boats being towed were a 38 Hustler, 36 Cigarette, 34 Sutphen and 35 Motion cat. I think the weight of the 402 will be to your advantage with a 2wd. Years ago when we had our 402 we never trailered it.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Mine had a auto with overdrive. It was rated to pull 17k with 4:56's. 3400rpm was 98 were the limiter kicked in.. It could pull the 40 at 90 effortlessly. It actually pulled better faster at 3k then at 80 at 2600 or so or below.. It could carry up hills without down shifting at higher speeds.

Mileage wise it would get 10 12 empty and 5 or 6 pulling hard.

 

[BUIZILLA]

I had a 96 GMC 454 4.10's Xcab dually that had headers, cat back exhaust and lowered with Alcoa's, Firestone bags and pump.... it would pull like a M****** f***** if you kept it over 3200-3400, up, down, left, right, sideways, about 6-6.5 mpg towing, sold it to a good friend in 1998 that still hauls with it... great truck

 

[publius]

Mild Thunder, I'd jump all over that 4x4 454 for that price. that truck is bulletproof!

 

[pullmytrigger]

Mild Thunder, I'd jump all over that 4x4 454 for that price. that truck is bulletproof!

X2!!......do you have a link?

454 turbo 400...correct
if you can find one that has the hydrostatic brakes then youll have tons of brake, mostly 1 ton stuff though.....mines a 3/4 ton 4x4, doesnt have it, could use it......I need to put some good pads quality rotors , braided brake lines and stuff first then maybe a rear disc conversion using stock parts...supossed to work pretty good

 

[BUIZILLA]

I also did the front brake line upgrade as well, NOTICEABLY better feel..

 

[MILD THUNDER]

Heres one that doesnt look bad. I like the color, but doesnt match the boat. I do prefer the 1980 and earlier single headlamp front ends....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Crew...ewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item1e59984e79

 

[MILD THUNDER]

Did all the c/k duallys come with the 14 bolt rear? Or 12 bolt?

 

[Davidmnc]

Heres one that doesnt look bad. I like the color, but doesnt match the boat. I do prefer the 1980 and earlier single headlamp front ends....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Crew...ewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item1e59984e79

If it was used to carry a truck camper it was most likley not worked very hard. There is no goose neck in the bed, another indicator it has not been used for alot of heavey pulling. But with a 30 yo truck you never really know.

 

[MILD THUNDER]

If it was used to carry a truck camper it was most likley not worked very hard. There is no goose neck in the bed, another indicator it has not been used for alot of heavey pulling. But with a 30 yo truck you never really know.

Yea, I agree. That one looks to be pretty well taken care of. I have found a couple 2WD 454/4 spd duallys, but not sure if I wanna deal with the manual trans. Wonder if the 4spds were tougher than the TH400's

 

[scottw]

I picked up a 1996 F-350 crew cab dually for 3k. 2wd and a 460 gas engine. Only use it to tow the boat. No problems. Couldn't see the cost of a diesel for what I use it for.

 

[MILD THUNDER]

I picked up a 1996 F-350 crew cab dually for 3k. 2wd and a 460 gas engine. Only use it to tow the boat. No problems. Couldn't see the cost of a diesel for what I use it for.

Thats where i am at. My boat is too large for long distance towing to various lakes. Mainly to tow around town if needed, and to the launch ramp and back a few miles. Sure the diesels get better mpg, and more power. My thoughts are if needed, I'm sure I can build a 454 truck engine to put out 450FT lbs of torque cheaply if needed. Or go with a gear vendors gear splitter.

Im sure the longer wheelbase, and dually, will be more stable than my current SRW CC with the short bed. Im not in a hurry when i tow anyhow, i'd rather have more stability...

 

[scottw]

Thats where i am at. My boat is too large for long distance towing to various lakes. Mainly to tow around town if needed, and to the launch ramp and back a few miles. Sure the diesels get better mpg, and more power. My thoughts are if needed, I'm sure I can build a 454 truck engine to put out 450FT lbs of torque cheaply if needed. Or go with a gear vendors gear splitter.

Im sure the longer wheelbase, and dually, will be more stable than my current SRW CC with the short bed. Im not in a hurry when i tow anyhow, i'd rather have more stability...

Another thing that helped my decision was for the money I wanted to spend which was as high as 5k, I was looking at trucks in the mid-90's and during those years the gas engines were just as powerful as the diesel engines.

 

[pullmytrigger]

Heres one that doesnt look bad. I like the color, but doesnt match the boat. I do prefer the 1980 and earlier single headlamp front ends....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Crew...ewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item1e59984e79

check out www.lmctruck.com you can get everything imaginable for these trucks including any grille you want.

 

[MattBMiller]

I tow with a 2WD dually. Never had a single problem with the Nitto Terra Grapplers on the back. I just swapped on some 19.5's with steer tires on the front and drive tires out back.