[VAC] Re: Installing a trans temp gauge

[KEVIN D ALLEN <overlander64@xxxxxxxxx>]

I suspected the same thing about gas mileage, but took the plunge in '99 and
special ordered a K2500 Suburban with 7400 VORTEC V8 and fully heavy duty
package rated at 10,000 pounds.  I tow a '64 Overlander, and my fuel economy
is better with my 7400 VORTEC than it was with my '95 K1500-Z71 Chevrolet
Club Cab Pickup with the 6,800 pound towing package.  A side benefit is that
the Suburban rides better and handles the trailer with ease using a Reese
Dual Cam Sway Control hitch setup.
>
> The US Gear unit is kind of interesting as it would give two selectable
> ratios, in my case, 3.42 and something between 4.10 and 4.56 for the heavy
> hill pulling....I don't think I am too far off using the half ton for
> pulling the approx. 7K load... the previous owner pulled the thing all
over
> the country this year with a 1500 series that was prepared for towing by a
> custom shop in South Carolina... They take their custom work seriously in
> that part of the country...he used a standard Reese with sway bar and I
> have managed to talk myself into a Hensley... and that is another story...
> I saw a pretty good size new Airstream being pulled by a Dodge Intrepid at
> the Hensley gathering this year.. The trans on the 99 model has a tow mode
> and it won't get into OD unless I go over 60 which is rare...I was afraid
> that gas mileage would drop like a rock with the tow mode on and not
> getting into OD, but I have not found it to be much different... maybe
even
> a little worse when I try to hustle a bit more..

With the 7400 VORTEC, I have been able to tow in overdrive in anything but
the most mountainous terrain.  The Suburban now has more than 70,000 miles,
and I am happy to report that my only mechanical failures have been the
electronic control module for the four-wheel-drive transfer case and the
water pump.  The transmission was just serviced, and the fluid was red with
no indication of overheating nor other problems.  The only unusual thing on
my Suburban is a special option coded heavy duty transmission that was
installed at the factory as a part of the special order.
>
> One thing I have not been happy with are the brakes on the Silverado...
The
> pedal acts just like the system has air in it... The dealer says all the
> 1500 series were like that in 99 and the 2500 series acts like you would
> expect a brake pedal to act... anybody know anything about that
> wrinkle??..I would love to hear about a bulletin that says change a valve
> or something....Hard braking gives that lump in the throat as the pedal
> heads toward the floor...and keeps on going down...

There is one thing that I would check if this has only been the case since
you started towing.  If the brake controller taps into the brake hydraulics,
the result could be a spongy pedal that you note.  My earlier GMC G2500
conversion van posed the same problem until I switched to a totally
electronic brake controller - - this was one of the early production vans
with anti-lock brakes.  On the GMC van, even without the trailer, panic
stops were frightful until the hydraulic controller was replaced by an
electronic unit.