Optimizing towing vehicle

[Degolyerent]

Prodigy p3 brake controller and air bags, gear change if the one you have is to high and transmission cooler upgrade and transmission temp. gauge
John

 

[MoMower]

For mechanical leveling help, I went with Helwig springs, from suspension connection. Com. Keep my 98 K1500 level with a ton in the bed.

 

[MikePA]

Depending on how your states laws are, your improvements might be for your comfort only.

This is what I was thinking as well. Also, going to 4.10 gears, front and rear, will be pricey and after all this money and work, it will still be a half ton truck towing at or above its capacity.

I have a 2004 K1500 Z71, similar to the OPs (8' bed, reg cab). I've added helper springs, installed new shocks, had the PCM tuned and installed a Maxbrake electric controller that splices into the braking system. I've also had to replace all the brake lines with stainless steel lines. One line rusted out, had that replaced with a regular steel one. Second line went out, and I decided to replace them all.

 

[George2615]

Add helper springs and shocks to the rear springs to help prevent the rear from squating too much.
Performance exhaust and maybe a tuner / programmer.
If possible, change the pintle on the trailer to a 2 5/16" hitch. Then you could use a load leveling weight distribution hitch.
Better brakes on the truck.
If truck has tow package it probably has an additional trans cooler. May even have trans temp gauge function in the dash.
All of the above will probably cost less than regearing two differentials.
The truck you have will tow your load fine.

Changing gears would be quite expensive to do front and rear. In the end it's still a half ton with a factory towing limit rating. Changing things will improve your towing and handling but I don't know if your state will legally allow you to change the factory GVWR.

 

[Diamondpilot]

No matter what you do its a older generation 1/2 ton. To me the first thing I would do is lose the pintle for a 2 5/16" ball and a Weight Distribution Hitch.

Chris

 

[LD1]

I'm not really wanting to spend money.

Not sure what your level of mechanical ability is, but you are likely gonna spend more money and still have an inferior truck vs trading in.

New gear sets...............$1500
Shocks (not sure why)......$400
Upgrade brakes................$400
Trans pan and shift kit........$500
Air bags or helper springs.....$400
Load range E tires.................$1000

You are looking at over $4000 for stuff that is standard (or not needed ) on a modern 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton of same vintage.

And all that money spent likely wont help resell at all. If anything, it will hurt it, cause someone looking for a 5.3L 1/2 ton is gonna want mileage, not 4.10 gears.

As to shocks, it wont help the rear end squat one bit. Shocks dont carry weight. They can only momentarily re-direct it. IE, you hit a big bump, the shocks will absorb it vs bottoming out on the bump stops. But it wont help with the squat. For that, you need the airbags or a helper spring.

But all of that aside, no matter what you do, legally you wont increase your towing capacity at all. It The only thing you will do is make the tow easier on your truck.

 

[Danny C]

I agree that the first thing I'd do is swap out the pintle hook for a 2-5/16" ball with a weight distributing hitch and even sway bars. I would also install a set of Timbren blocks to help the rear suspension. Timbren SES Suspension Upgrades - Upgrade Your Truck, Van, SUV I had a set in an '03 Ram 2500 I had with a 2yd3 stainless steel sal spreader they made a world of difference. A set of good tires makes a huge difference too.

 

[JJZ 109]

Yes brakes.

First thing that came to mind when I saw the other upgrades. Like Danny, I've also used Timbrens and found them helpful. The thing with Timbrens is that they don't mess up the ride when there's no load on the truck. I've also used airbags. While they helped the capacity, I still had stock brakes. Fortunately I didn't haul heavy too often. I've since gone from an F150 to a 250.

 

[jejeosborne]

Looks like I have an obvious solution to this problem. Give me your address and I will bring you my 7000 lb capacity trailer and swap it for your 10000 lb trailer. It would be helpful to both of us thus killing two birds with one stone. We would both end up with trailers better matching our trucks capability. Act quickly because this offer expires never.

 

[mkreitler]

Like you said I would keep the truck for a backup vehicle and go with a DURAMAX end of story!!!!!

 

[LD1]

Like you said I would keep the truck for a backup vehicle and go with a DURAMAX end of story!!!!!

Certainly not a bad choice, but a little overkill for a 10k trailer. And the way gas prices are dropping and not diesel

 

[dodge man]

I'd skip the gear swap. Its expensive and I'm not sure you need it. I agree, bag the pintle hitch and get some airbags. In my opinion, you are then good to go.

 

[vince2]

Ok, I hear that the airbags or helper springs are needed for the squat and that the adjustable shocks won't be that helpful. I figured from the reviews, that the adjustment on the rancho shocks allowed for heavy loads and can be reset for normal loads, but maybe I'm wrong. The gears for both front and back are $450 plus labor to have it installed. Are my expectation too high for the improvement it will bring at towing near capacity? I have no interest in a diesel with current gas prices as they are ($2.09 versus $3.59).

 

[LD1]

Ok, I hear that the airbags or helper springs are needed for the squat and that the adjustable shocks won't be that helpful. I figured from the reviews, that the adjustment on the rancho shocks allowed for heavy loads and can be reset for normal loads, but maybe I'm wrong.

Shocks do not carry loads. Only dampens sudden changes in loading. Unless someone has come up with a radical new design, anyone that says otherwise is feeding you a line

The gears for both front and back are $450 plus labor to have it installed.

Gears take some knowhow an expertise to set up properly. I would guess the labor ~300-400+ for each axle. Thus my ~1500 estimation

Are my expectation too high for the improvement it will bring at towing near capacity?

Not sure what your expectations are. Sure, gears and helpers will make it tow much nicer. But at the end of the day, legally, you have not increased your capacity at all. And no matter what gears or how stiff the springs, you are still putting all that weight and torque on smaller axles and bearings.

 

[MikePA]

Ok, I hear that the airbags or helper springs are needed for the squat and that the adjustable shocks won't be that helpful. I figured from the reviews, that the adjustment on the rancho shocks allowed for heavy loads and can be reset for normal loads, but maybe I'm wrong. The gears for both front and back are $450 plus labor to have it installed. Are my expectation too high for the improvement it will bring at towing near capacity? I have no interest in a diesel with current gas prices as they are ($2.09 versus $3.59).

I could not find air shocks at the Rancho site, just adjustable ones. However, Gabriel makes them, Click Here and their site claims they can be used to carry heavier loads, w/o squatting, by airing them up. I imagine they're comparing them to air bags? Raise up the rear of the truck, so it doesn't squat/bottom out when a load is placed in the bed or on the hitch. They also state, "HiJackers do not increase vehicle payload. Do not exceed vehicle GVWR."

IMO, if you are going to consistently towing at or above your truck's capacity, you need a bigger truck. Any money you spend on your current truck will be throwing it away, decreasing its lifespan and telling future buyers of your truck it was abused.

 

[Loadstar]

If your occasionally towing really the suspension and hitch ideas others said are great. Before you add a transmission cooler or anything else I would put in a simple trans temp Gage in and monitor your temps. You may not need anything else if your temps stay in check with your normal trailer task. Or you may find out you need a massive cooler. You don't know one way or the other until you actually get some temps. Hard to know how you drive or what terrain your rolling through. I have two neighbors with similar trucks. One is a mason and works out of his truck and the other is an auctioneer and is always hauling loaded trailers. They perform well. The ole GM 1500s are a good truck.

 

[MikePA]

Re: Trans temp gauge....

My 2004 Z71 didn't come with one (blank spot on the lower left of the cluster), but I found a guy on eBay who sold replacement instrument panels that included them. At least on 2004 models, all the connections for the trans temp gauge were in the dash. I ordered the cluster, including a deposit in the event I did't return my old one. All I had to do was (1) Attest to the mileage (2) Send my cluster back.

Here's the link, Click Here.

P.S.
No idea how this compares to installing a separate trans temp gauge. I imagine it's more expensive.

 

[dodge man]

Anyone who has drag raced can tell you changing the rear gears will make a vehicle a lot quicker. But who really pulls out with a trailer and floor boards the gas pedal? My guess is that your truck has adequate power to tow your load as is. A lot of the reason a higher numbered gearset ups the tow rating is it takes shock and strain off the drive line. For real world towing, I'm not sure you need it.

 

[clayhardock]

Have you ever towed? Numerically higher gear sets give you better towing as they multiply torque better. Its like using a 4ft stick to pry up a rock vs a 3ft stick. You will have an easier time moving that load with a longer stick. In a truck that tows having lower gear lets get that load moving easier and puts you into a higher rpm band. Lower gears(numerically) will let you maintain the same given speed at a lower rpm giving better fuel economy.

In a drag car lower gears give you a faster launch but hurts your overall top end as you will red line sooner. The comparison to a towing vehicle isn't really relevant, different applications.

Changing the final gear ratio to 4.10s will make a world of difference in towing. Rancho adjustable shocks will do nothing to help an overloaded truck. The adjustability is for ride comfort. A firmer setting "might" help with sway but won't do anything to help carry the load. Air bags would be a better option. Changing the pintle out to a ball with weight distribution would hald a lot as well.

Changing gears is not cheap and can't be done properly without special tools and knowledge. The gears have to be setup so the spacing is correct or they will howl and wear out prematurely. So at minimum you're looking at $1500 for the gear swap(as has been said front and rear must be done); $500 for an airbag kit(installed), $500 for the change over to a W/D hitch. So you are looking at a min of $2000.

Sell your 1/2ton and go buy a new truck. After you tow a few times you'll like it better than the old one.

 

[dodge man]

Yes I have towed.

Red line in the 1/4 mile is almost never an issue.

Comparing it to drag racing may have been a bad idea but we said the same thing.

All I can say is here we go again. The guy comes looking for advice and we are trying to try and talk him into a 1 ton diesel.

The truck he has is within the tow ratings. Why should he get a new truck? He is just looking to do some minor upgrades to improve it.