Tow vehicle
#44
Steve are you towing with an astro van?
http://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3379
Anyways, so it looks like if I am getting a trailer it will have brakes anyway. so I am looking at:
Astro van/vehicle
Trans cooler
Tow hitch
electronic brake controller
Anything else I am missing? I am not counting the trailer yet, until I figure out if I am sharing one or not.
http://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3379
Anyways, so it looks like if I am getting a trailer it will have brakes anyway. so I am looking at:
Astro van/vehicle
Trans cooler
Tow hitch
electronic brake controller
Anything else I am missing? I am not counting the trailer yet, until I figure out if I am sharing one or not.
“IMO, these things will pull way more than they can stop.”
Exactly my impression knowing what my S10 Blazer does! I’ve put in the Hawk Heavy duty pads but doesn’t help much, wonder if there is an aftermarket solution for bigger more powerful brakes.
With my blazer I can regularly get 21mpg on the highway, Towing its more like 15 to 17. I suspect the Astorvan might be about the same maybe slightly less aerodynamic. The 98 Dodge 3500 diesel gets about 16 as long as you keep it under about 65 any faster and the mileage tanks on the dodge how much weight it’s pulling doesn’t seem to matter though.
Bob
#45
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So, from reading further about the astrovan, it seems 2003 chevy put rear disc brakes on instead. Is your blazer on rear drum or disc brakes?
I am going to look into the braking, but I think since you don't have trailer brakes, its likely that I will be a bit better off (considering its likely the trailer I will be using will have electronic brakes).
I am going to look into the braking, but I think since you don't have trailer brakes, its likely that I will be a bit better off (considering its likely the trailer I will be using will have electronic brakes).
#51
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see, this is whats ******* me over man. we got two schools of thought. astrovan shenanigans (damn pedos) and tahoe/yukon/expedition (guys who don't believe in carbon emissions?)
I am going to go watch tv and not think about this till after the weekend.
I am going to go watch tv and not think about this till after the weekend.
#52
Personally I'd buy a late 90s Suburban 2500 before I bought a panel van, there are tons of Suburbans out there that people bought for driving their kids to mall and then dumped when gas got expensive.
The panel van may tow OK, but it's not really good for anything else, IMHO.
--Ian
#53
Spoken like someone who lives in the flattest state in the nation. If there are mountains involved, you want trailer brakes.
Personally I'd buy a late 90s Suburban 2500 before I bought a panel van, there are tons of Suburbans out there that people bought for driving their kids to mall and then dumped when gas got expensive.
The panel van may tow OK, but it's not really good for anything else, IMHO.
--Ian
Personally I'd buy a late 90s Suburban 2500 before I bought a panel van, there are tons of Suburbans out there that people bought for driving their kids to mall and then dumped when gas got expensive.
The panel van may tow OK, but it's not really good for anything else, IMHO.
--Ian
Pickup trucks absolutely suck to load and unload and if you have a canopy to keep your stuff enclosed or locked up it is even worse. Put stuff on tailgate crawl in on your hands and knees on a corregated bed that kills your kneecaps shove and arrange heavy stuff while on your hands and knees having no leverage to lift things. Repeat 5 or six times to finish loading. And if you need anything out reverse the process because you cant reach anything until you get everything out of the way.
SUV type vehicles are slightly better because you do have side doors but they don’t open as far and folded up back seats are a pain to deal with.
My Blazer is getting ready to click over 300k miles the most serious motor maintenance was changing the EGR valve twice and I think I changed the spark plugs and wires at about 150k just because. An Astrovan with fewer miles I’m thinking might be high on the list for a low cost replacement when it’s needed.
Bob
#54
Pickup trucks absolutely suck to load and unload and if you have a canopy to keep your stuff enclosed or locked up it is even worse. Put stuff on tailgate crawl in on your hands and knees on a corregated bed that kills your kneecaps shove and arrange heavy stuff while on your hands and knees having no leverage to lift things. Repeat 5 or six times to finish loading. And if you need anything out reverse the process because you cant reach anything until you get everything out of the way.
A 2-seat panel van isn't going to haul big stuff like a pickup can (lumber, furniture, mulch, piles of rocks), and it's not going to serve temporary kid hauling duty when the minivan is in the shop like a Suburban can. The panel van basically only does one thing, and that's not good enough in my book.
There are late-90s Suburban 2500s with the 454 all over Craigslist for $5000, and if that were my tow vehicle budget, that's what I'd buy. It's gonna be way more comfortable to drive, it'll have a lot more options in it (leather seats, decent stereo, etc), it's probably in better shape (spent the last 12 years driving kids to the mall, not working for a plumber), and it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb and **** off the neighbors when parked outside the house.
--Ian
#55
I don't really find my pickup hard to load, but I don't have a shell on it. It's a crew cab, though, so I have lockable space in the back seats if I'm not bringing the family along.
A 2-seat panel van isn't going to haul big stuff like a pickup can (lumber, furniture, mulch, piles of rocks), and it's not going to serve temporary kid hauling duty when the minivan is in the shop like a Suburban can. The panel van basically only does one thing, and that's not good enough in my book.
There are late-90s Suburban 2500s with the 454 all over Craigslist for $5000, and if that were my tow vehicle budget, that's what I'd buy. It's gonna be way more comfortable to drive, it'll have a lot more options in it (leather seats, decent stereo, etc), it's probably in better shape (spent the last 12 years driving kids to the mall, not working for a plumber), and it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb and **** off the neighbors when parked outside the house.
--Ian
A 2-seat panel van isn't going to haul big stuff like a pickup can (lumber, furniture, mulch, piles of rocks), and it's not going to serve temporary kid hauling duty when the minivan is in the shop like a Suburban can. The panel van basically only does one thing, and that's not good enough in my book.
There are late-90s Suburban 2500s with the 454 all over Craigslist for $5000, and if that were my tow vehicle budget, that's what I'd buy. It's gonna be way more comfortable to drive, it'll have a lot more options in it (leather seats, decent stereo, etc), it's probably in better shape (spent the last 12 years driving kids to the mall, not working for a plumber), and it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb and **** off the neighbors when parked outside the house.
--Ian
Bob
#58
Oh, there are a ton of yellow, retired 5.4l E250 retired DHL vans that can be had. This is a good buy in most cases. If this forum is worth a **** they will pay to wrap my van in MiataTurbo garb. 949, NASA, and Hawk should do the same. If not I will start doing business with Miata.net, Miata Roadster, SCCA, and EBC, lol.
Might not be able wrap it all, but let me know when u be serious. Shuiend and I have talked about this before.
Ontopic......Stay clear of 6.0 diesel ford. Tons of fail. 7.3 ford or cummins. Check all vins
#60
I've spent the last two seasons towing a 4x6 enclosed trailer to track events all over the west coast with the miata. This winter, I'm building a proper track car so I don't wad up my MSM and that meant getting a real towing solution. I bought a '91 F150 with the 4.9 six for $1300. It is in great shape for what it is and everything works. The 300 six has more torque than any of the small block V8s put in the F150s of that generation and gets better mileage. It will work for now. I had considered vans for the reasons others have mentioned but I really need a truck around the house from time to time. I'm shocked at how much **** has built up in the back yard since I sold my last one ~5 years ago.
I also got a 16' tandem axle trailer for $700. It's built like a brick shithouse but besides being heavier than I need for a ~2100 pound miata it will do fine for years. It has brakes on one axle but I'm not wired for them in the truck yet.
I'm going to get a canopy so I can camp in the bed and have knee pads that should help with the pain of loading/unloading Bob mentioned. The whole thing doesn't need to cost much - I'm set for around $2k. Not perfect, but very functional.
-h
I also got a 16' tandem axle trailer for $700. It's built like a brick shithouse but besides being heavier than I need for a ~2100 pound miata it will do fine for years. It has brakes on one axle but I'm not wired for them in the truck yet.
I'm going to get a canopy so I can camp in the bed and have knee pads that should help with the pain of loading/unloading Bob mentioned. The whole thing doesn't need to cost much - I'm set for around $2k. Not perfect, but very functional.
-h