The new truck is a manual shift - it really makes those
downhills a lot easier. There's a lot of grades I just downshift and let the
motor do the braking, or I don't have to brake continuously. As long as the
brakes get a chance to cool, they work a lot better.
Your Dodge was just about perfectly matched - 13,000 lb
load, add in 6-7000 for the truck, and you're right at the 20,000 lb
rating.
The new truck is nice - and our nerves are in a lot better
shape!
From: Karen Sullivan
[mailto:greymare56@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Wednesday, November 19,
2003 8:04 AM To: David LeBlanc; Ibiteraaarr@xxxxxxx;
ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [RC] Got my facts
straight?
Hi David,
All good points, but you forgot to mention if
your new truck was stick or manual? As in the story of the featherlite
and the Chevy, I would have never considered towing something that big (or at
all for that matter) with an automatic, for many reasons, one being the reason
you described (depending on brakes, not gears to slow down).
I WAS towing a 4000 lb Silverado with 5 horses
and hay and water on top (pushing 10,000 lbs), plus a camper that was over
3,000 lb packed....with my Dodge 3500 one ton dually, manual transmission,
tires went 40,000miles,and front brakes went 51,000 miles, and never any
problems, but it sure was a load! Now am hauling Silverlite 3h slant,
with LQ (6,000) empty, will maybe push 10,000 loaded, but NO CAMPER added on
top.
