Your towing rigs and trailers

[iptman]

Dang, both of those 'burbans look super nice.

Tough choice. I think I would go 6.0L and quadrasteer, though. The 8.1 is likely to use 15-20% more fuel to do the same exact driving (though, as you note, tow a bit more leisurely). Those cab clearance and rear fender flare lights are boss, too.

Whats the difference betwen a 4L80 and 4L85?

The 4L85E has 5 gears in the planetary gearset vs. 4 for the 4L80. Not a huge difference but it's something. I just changed all 4 bearings/hubs on the Quadrasteer and those rear hubs are unique to the Quadrasteer axle. None of the Delcoline shops around me could get them so I ordered from Rockauto and I think I got 2 of the last 3 they had. I'm half thinking to go ahead and get that last one just in case they won't be made anymore. The 8.1 on the other hand runs the standard full float corporate 14 bolt.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I recently picked up 2 GMT800 2500 Suburbans for towing duty. I have 4 kids so being able to tow anything I would realistically need to along with my whole family was the primary goal. The dark grey is an 8.1/4L85E/3.73 and the silver is a 6.0/4L80E/4.10 with Quadrasteer. The 8.1 has a max trailer weight of 10,100 and GCWR of 17,000. The Quadrasteer has a max trailer weight of 9,300 pounds and 16,000 GCWR. I got the 8.1 from Seattle and had it shipped (almost no rust), the silver from Houston (absolutely no rust!) and I flew out and drove it home. I've only "test" towed my in law's ~7000 pound travel trailer around town but the 8.1 clearly wasn't working as hard as the 6.0. The 8.1 is significantly quieter in the cab as well. Both towed the trailer just fine though. I'm leaning towards selling off the Quadrasteer but it's so darned nice driving that one around town and parking lots. It literally has the turning radius of a Civic.

If you were to sell the Quadrasteer Suburban what would you be thinking for a price? Such fine things do not exist here in Maine.

I've always loved them.

 

[duramaxsky]

The 4L85E has 5 gears in the planetary gearset vs. 4 for the 4L80. Not a huge difference but it's something. I just changed all 4 bearings/hubs on the Quadrasteer and those rear hubs are unique to the Quadrasteer axle. None of the Delcoline shops around me could get them so I ordered from Rockauto and I think I got 2 of the last 3 they had. I'm half thinking to go ahead and get that last one just in case they won't be made anymore. The 8.1 on the other hand runs the standard full float corporate 14 bolt.

I was under the impression that all 8.1s had the 5 speed Allison 1000. The 4L85 is a 4 speed transmission. The first number is the number of gears. The L is for longitudinal vs T for Transverse. 80 or 85 is the series. It's likely an Allison if it's a 5 speed. Look for a spin on filter near the LF corner of the pan. If so it's an Allison.

 

[iptman]

The pickup 8.1s got the Allison, burbs got the 4L85E. In order to put the Allison in the GMT800 platform GM had to do a factory 2 inch body lift. Apparently they didn't want to do that on the Suburbans. There are companies out there who stuff Duramax and Allisons in to Suburbans, the 2 inch body lift comes with all of them.

I read the 60/80/85 in the GM transmissions was a relative torque handling number.

 

[iptman]

If you were to sell the Quadrasteer Suburban what would you be thinking for a price? Such fine things do not exist here in Maine.

I've always loved them.

I sent you a PM.

 

[dodge man]

We had a derailment around here about 4 years ago, some were tank cars. It was parallel to a highway and just a couple hundred feet away so access was easy. They cut into the sides of the tankers to drain them. They brought in a lot of gravel to build a road along the tracks. It was quite a project.

 

[duramaxsky]

The pickup 8.1s got the Allison, burbs got the 4L85E. In order to put the Allison in the GMT800 platform GM had to do a factory 2 inch body lift. Apparently they didn't want to do that on the Suburbans. There are companies out there who stuff Duramax and Allisons in to Suburbans, the 2 inch body lift comes with all of them.

I read the 60/80/85 in the GM transmissions was a relative torque handling number.

That's that's another way to look at it. I doubt there are any parts in the 30s the are in the 80 85s. IRRC the 80 and 85 are pretty similar except the clutch packs and a few other parts. Both are very solid transmissions.

 

[4570Man]

I just bought this little extreme duty service trailer. I bought it with the intention of putting the axels under my equipment trailer. It’s got double 10k axels with super singles and air brakes.

 

[woody]

A few years ago when I was doing side jobs I would have like to have had that trailer it looks like it could have been handy, but now a days I leave most of the work to someone else.

 

[civilian]

I did an axle upgrade on a trailer. Don't remember axle capacity I took off, but put on a 2000 lb one. Ended up bending the frame. Jon

 

[4570Man]

I did an axle upgrade on a trailer. Don't remember axle capacity I took off, but put on a 2000 lb one. Ended up bending the frame. Jon

I’ve got 10k axels on both trailers. I’m hoping to swap the air brakes.

 

[nisaacs]

I’ve got 10k axels on both trailers. I’m hoping to swap the air brakes.

You might need to swap the axles. If your existing trailer has 10k standard duty, I doubt the air brakes will fit. I would guess the air brake axles are 10k HD, I think they have slightly different hub, spindle and bearings.

 

[4570Man]

You might need to swap the axles. If your existing trailer has 10k standard duty, I doubt the air brakes will fit. I would guess the air brake axles are 10k HD, I think they have slightly different hub, spindle and bearings.

The spring hangers are different on the duel trailer vs the super single trailer. I think they’re both 10k HD. I’ll just have to see what happens. I was planning on selling the service trailer after I was done but I’m kinda starting to like it. I’ve never seen a 12ft trailer built that heavy.

 

[nisaacs]

The spring hangers are different on the duel trailer vs the super single trailer. I think they’re both 10k HD. I’ll just have to see what happens. I was planning on selling the service trailer after I was done but I’m kinda starting to like it. I’ve never seen a 12ft trailer built that heavy.

You are probably right on both being 10K HD's. They are kinda rare. If I remember right the HD's hub cap is the same size as the hub. On a SD, the hub tapers down at the cap, so it is smaller. Thats a cool HD trailer!

 

[4570Man]

You are probably right on both being 10K HD's. They are kinda rare. If I remember right the HD's hub cap is the same size as the hub. On a SD, the hub tapers down at the cap, so it is smaller. Thats a cool HD trailer!

It’s really nicer then I was expecting. I gave 2k for it figuring the 17.5s were worth that and anything else was a bonus. Every light works, I’ve never bought a 25 year old trailer and that happened before. Every box latches. I even have the keys for the latches. All the panels are straight, nothing is bashed in. The boxes are like 7 gauge. Even the floor is straight. Someone has actually taken good care of it. I wouldn’t hesitate at all to buy another Butler trailer although I’m guessing it would be exorbitantly expensive.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’d drop a 1000 gallon fuel tank in the open area and call it a fuel & tools trailer. With the amount of fuel I go through, might just work real well.

 

[duramaxsky]

I’d drop a 1000 gallon fuel tank in the open area and call it a fuel & tools trailer. With the amount of fuel I go through, might just work real well.

Except that would put you under all the hazmat regs even if private. If you are not already subject to them it would be a huge annual expense. Gotta stay under 1k pounds. Unless the tank is dir3ct fuel for the truck and mounted on the truck.

 

[Hay Dude]

Except that would put you under all the hazmat regs even if private. If you are not already subject to them it would be a huge annual expense. Gotta stay under 1k pounds.

There’s an annual expense for a hazmat endorsement?

 

[duramaxsky]

There’s an annual expense for a hazmat endorsement?

Not the endorsement. The federal and state permits and insurance. Both are required for private as well. You need a lot more general liability insurance.

 

[Hay Dude]

Wonder if that applies to farmers?