96 K3500 DRW 454 tire-kicking questions

[jeffsw6]

This weekend I am going to look at a 96 Chevy K3500 DRW w/454. I am hoping this will be my new work truck for hauling my 8.5x20 car hauler type trailer. A friend who is a mechanic is going to try to come with me, and if so I'll just let him look at it and buy (or not) based on his opinion. In case he does not make it, though, I would appreciate a heads-up on any gotchas for this truck. It has about 200k miles and the guy selling it says it has been reliable for him, in fact he says he just used it to haul a livestock trailer to TN and back, so I would think it is a good work truck if he trusts it on long trips. The guy is clearly in no hurry to sell either.

FYI his asking price is $4800 and the KBB figures on the truck range from $4600 to $5600 depending on condition. I would guess this one is "fair" because he says the dually flares are cracked and he saw no reason to replace them.

I have looked and looked but now it's almost summer time and I need to go ahead and make a truck decision. I think I am more comfortable buying something older and cheaper and having extra money to put into repairs if necessary, than stretching my budget.

I have read diamondpilot's posts about bad trailer hitches on GM trucks around this year and I will replace the hitch if necessary.

 

[Dmace]

A lot of older duallies spend a lot of time sitting so look carefully at the frame and under carriage for rot. Those engines were pretty tough so basic mantenance is all that's needed. The engines rock solid but like any mid 90's truck, the tranny is the weak link so check the fluid well and drive it long enough to warm up the fluid and see if it still shifts firmly.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I had that very truck issued to me by the county, actually the airport. It was a 1996 or maybe a 1997 K3500 Dually. It was a long bed regular cab and it had a 8.5' Boss V-plow on it. Never had any real issues but it was a real dog. To be fair though my other vehicle was a 1999 F-150 Lighting that was a 5.4L Supercharged V8.

Really though the truck was pretty solid. It was a mid level trim package with a queer two part radio and it had cruise, power windows, power locks, cloth seats, and was a regular cab long bed. It just never seemed that powerful to me being a 454 cu inch motor.

That year was only 230 HP and 385 FT TQ so basically the late model V8's from all 3 manufactures made more power like the 5.4 from Ford and the 5.9 liter from Dodge. It did have a little better bottom end but was no power house. They also had a 255 HP and 405 TQ version but it was still only on par with what Ford and Dodge were doing with the 5.4/5.9 liter motors with much better fuel economy.

Chris

 

[frischtr]

I had that very truck issued to me by the county, actually the airport. It was a 1996 or maybe a 1997 K3500 Dually. It was a long bed regular cab and I have a 8.5' Boss V-plow on it. Never had any real issues but it was a real dog. To be fair though my other vehicle was a 1999 F-150 Lighting that was a 5.4L Supercharged V8.

Really though the truck was pretty solid. It was a mid level trim package with a queer two part radio and it had cruise, power windows, power locks, cloth seats, and was a regular cab long bed. It just never seemed that powerful to me being a 454 cu inch motor.

That year was only 230 HP and 385 FT TQ so basically the late model V8's from all 3 manufactures made more power around the 5.4 from Ford and the 5.9 liter from Dodge. It did have a little better bottom end but was no power house. The also had a 255 HP and 405 TQ version but it was still only on par with what Ford and Dodge were doing with the 5.4/5.9 liter motors with much better fuel economy.

Chris

The vortec 7400 from 1996-2000 was rated at 290 hp/440 tq. Maybe yours was a pre-vortec engine (1995 and earlier), which had the ratings you mentioned.

 

[jeffsw6]

The vortec 7400 from 1996-2000 was rated at 290 hp/440 tq. Maybe yours was a pre-vortec engine (1995 and earlier), which had the ratings you mentioned.

That's what I figured also. I think the truck will be a good choice for me. My 05 Suburban w/5.3 and 3.23 gears really struggles with this trailer and it has to be rigged just right because my tongue weight is way too high. I think the 1 ton DRW with taller gears and more low end torque will be just right.

I used to work for a guy who had a 98 non-4x4 and until you got to the boat ramp, you forgot you were towing anything. On wet boat ramps, now that was another situation. :laughing:

 

[timswi]

That's what I figured also. I think the truck will be a good choice for me. My 05 Suburban w/5.3 and 3.23 gears really struggles with this trailer and it has to be rigged just right because my tongue weight is way too high. I think the 1 ton DRW with taller gears and more low end torque will be just right.

I used to work for a guy who had a 98 non-4x4 and until you got to the boat ramp, you forgot you were towing anything. On wet boat ramps, now that was another situation. :laughing:

I had a couple of '90's Chevy's not a dually or a BB but they were very durable..In fact, my '97 5.7 4x4 1/2 ton was traded at 200k and I never changed a suspension part or (this is horrible) the transmission or differential fluids...I ran that think like I stole it...Heavy loads, heavy trailers..You name it...

I'd love to have one of those DRW's...

Remember the TBN rule, without pictures, it never happened

 

[deerefan]

This weekend I am going to look at a 96 Chevy K3500 DRW w/454. I am hoping this will be my new work truck for hauling my 8.5x20 car hauler type trailer. A friend who is a mechanic is going to try to come with me, and if so I'll just let him look at it and buy (or not) based on his opinion. In case he does not make it, though, I would appreciate a heads-up on any gotchas for this truck. It has about 200k miles and the guy selling it says it has been reliable for him, in fact he says he just used it to haul a livestock trailer to TN and back, so I would think it is a good work truck if he trusts it on long trips. The guy is clearly in no hurry to sell either.

FYI his asking price is $4800 and the KBB figures on the truck range from $4600 to $5600 depending on condition. I would guess this one is "fair" because he says the dually flares are cracked and he saw no reason to replace them.

I have looked and looked but now it's almost summer time and I need to go ahead and make a truck decision. I think I am more comfortable buying something older and cheaper and having extra money to put into repairs if necessary, than stretching my budget.

I have read diamondpilot's posts about bad trailer hitches on GM trucks around this year and I will replace the hitch if necessary.

I had 2 both 96s, and wish i still did. I bought mine with just at 100k miles and sold both at around 280k. One is still being used locally, just had the original trans redone at 310k. Not sure on the other one. Both of mine were 4wd. They both pulled cattle trailers 95 percent of the time. I added aux oil and trans coolers to both. I also had both tuned and programmed, no other mods. This really woke them up. Mpgs hovered around 8 pulling and 12 -13 empty. Both trucks had 4.11 gears. I bought them with full maintenance records from the city park service wherw they were used to pull tractors for mowing. In their time, the 350 and 454 from 90-98 were extremely reliable. I pulled 12-15k lbs on average and they both handled the load fine. Neither had any major mechanical failures except for one a/c compressor and a water pump, both on the same truck. I paid 8500 for both in 2002. I ran them for 4 years before getting out of the cattle business for a while. I truly miss the simplicity and unsurpassed reliability of those trucks. Both had cloth seats, vinyl floors, manual locks and windows. If the truck was maintained well, you cant go wrong.

 

[deerefan]

I had that very truck issued to me by the county, actually the airport. It was a 1996 or maybe a 1997 K3500 Dually. It was a long bed regular cab and it had a 8.5' Boss V-plow on it. Never had any real issues but it was a real dog. To be fair though my other vehicle was a 1999 F-150 Lighting that was a 5.4L Supercharged V8.

Really though the truck was pretty solid. It was a mid level trim package with a queer two part radio and it had cruise, power windows, power locks, cloth seats, and was a regular cab long bed. It just never seemed that powerful to me being a 454 cu inch motor.

That year was only 230 HP and 385 FT TQ so basically the late model V8's from all 3 manufactures made more power like the 5.4 from Ford and the 5.9 liter from Dodge. It did have a little better bottom end but was no power house. They also had a 255 HP and 405 TQ version but it was still only on par with what Ford and Dodge were doing with the 5.4/5.9 liter motors with much better fuel economy.

Chris

Sorry but you are thinking of the throttle body engine power numbers. The vortec was 290hp and 410tq, well stronger than the 5.4 or 5.9 by ford and dodge in 96.
Dodge 360- 245hp/330tq
Ford 5.4- 235hp/330tq
Pretty big gap, especially in torque.

 

[Brushhill dave]

In '90 we bought a new drw 4x4 454 with the 4 speed gear box. It was a great truck the only thing it didnt pass was a gas station. It got 8 mpg loaded and 8 empty. It was hooked to our livestock trailer all the time. The only real issue we had was a blown frost plug one day on the way to market. We sold the truck an trailer in 92 and I went with it!

 

[Diamondpilot]

The vortec 7400 from 1996-2000 was rated at 290 hp/440 tq. Maybe yours was a pre-vortec engine (1995 and earlier), which had the ratings you mentioned.

It may have been a 95 that but it still felt doggy to me versus the other stuff. I did not pull them numbers out of the air. From what I remember about my truck was it was throttle body 454 and I am sure it was a 96 and but could have been a 97 but could have been a 95. I started there in April of 97. I got the HP and TQ numbers from the net so they could be wrong but for those years they list the HP and TQ as what I posted.

Chris