Beast of A Truck!!!

[jq1031]

Took delivery of our new TV yesterday. WOW, GMC with a duramax & allison six speed. I'm now "KING OF THE ROAD"! Well, at least it makes me feel that way (:

[Ron]

Happy for ya Joe, Congradulations on the new TV, should definetly pull that trailer you got and more! It's alway's nice to have the power and comfort for them long road trips. Happy Campin

Ron

[THedges]

Congratulations! I just went past 500 miles on my 3 weeks old 2011 Chevy Duramax 2500 HD 4x4. We took our TT out last weekend and it towed fantastic! You are going to love the exhaust brake.

It is by far the best truck I have ever owned!

Enjoy!

[GMcKenzie]

Jealous.

Mine's over 10 years old and I still love it. Only thing missing compared to a new one is the 6 speed and the exhaust brake.

But I'm just coming up to 130,000km's on mine so lots of life left.

[jq1031]

We put it to the test last Thursday driving through Chicago on I-90. Eighteen wheelers on both sides, alot of traffic & wind.........No problem, If I did not look in the mirror, I would not know it's there! Great truck, great trailer!!

joe

[Handysam]

Nice Joe, glad the trip was safe. A good TV makes a huge difference in the whole camping experience. Happy Camping, Sam

[kenn209]

Took delivery of our new TV yesterday. WOW, GMC with a duramax & allison six speed. I'm now "KING OF THE ROAD"! Well, at least it makes me feel that way (:

Wait a darn minute! DW and DD say that I'm king of the road!! lol Guess there are a lot of us!! Enjoy the truck!

[jq1031]

Camping is all about fun & having the right equiptment makes it just that. New or old, use or new, if you got the "right stuff" you'll have a good time, if you don't then it becomes STRESS, & we have enough of that already!

[hankaye]

THedges, Howdy;

Congratulations! I just went past 500 miles on my 3 weeks old 2011 Chevy Duramax 2500 HD 4x4. We took our TT out last weekend and it towed fantastic! You are going to love the exhaust brake.

It is by far the best truck I have ever owned!

Enjoy!

Engine brakes are nice, they are fun, and alot of towns have noise opdinances that prohibit the use of them in town. Usaully a small sign just as you hit the town limit and are using it to slow down from hiway speed to 25 or 35 mph...

Also be careful using it (engine breake), while on wet surfaces. The TV slows faster than the trailer and may cause you to jack-knife.

Glad to hear you are enjoying your new Truck ... Watch out for the idiots out there.... they be many and we be few...:D

hankaye

[wozzukes]

Last weekend was our first trip with our new setup with our 2011 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Duramax/Allison. We upgraded from a 2004 Silverado 1500 and 29' TT and are now pulling a 5vr. What a difference. Even though DH does all of the driving I notice a difference as well. It's hard to tell how much is from the increased power of the TV and how much is just the difference between a TT and FW as far as sway and whatnot, but we will never go back to anything else! DH loves the exhaust brake on the truck as well.

Hankaye - I'm no engine/truck expert, but I believe you may have the exhaust brake that is talked about here confused with a jake brake on an 18 wheeler. From what DH tells me, they are two totally different animals. There is no noise when the exhaust brake is on. Our trip last weekend included descending a steep and curvy hill. DH was very thankful for that exhaust brake while going down that hill and I had no idea there was anything different brake wise happening!

[hankaye]

wozzukes, Howdy;

Hankaye - I'm no engine/truck expert, but I believe you may have the exhaust brake that is talked about here confused with a jake brake on an 18 wheeler. From what DH tells me, they are two totally different animals. There is no noise when the exhaust brake is on. Our trip last weekend included descending a steep and curvy hill. DH was very thankful for that exhaust brake while going down that hill and I had no idea there was anything different brake wise happening!

Same Beast different names... BOTH are EXHAUST BRAKES. ( http://www.ehow.com/about_6495304_exhaust-brake-vs_-jake-brake.html ), After reading this link I appoligize for the incorrect statement. They are both ENGINE Brakes. The rest I still stick to... Ok, I'll change a few other bits too.

I did drive over the Road for several years and it is best to use a combination of both eng. and wheel brakes.
I make it a practice to start a long steep (you decide what that means to you), grade at 5 mph under what I want my maximum speed to be on the decent. then when I get to that MAX. Speed I apply firm gentle braking pressure until I am at the 5 below speed again.
I keep doing that till I reach the bottom.

2 main reasons...

1.) If you had to use your brakes all the way down you would have possiably boiled your break fluid (Big Rig Trucks have AIR Brakes),
and you should have it changed out as it isn't going to be very helpful anymore. The over heated brake fluid will lose viscosity and the brake shoes can over heat causeing your brakes to fade and possiably catch fire.

2.) By using ONLY the engine brake you have no side-to-side control. That's part of the brakes job to help it stay in-line behind the TV. The trailer can and may start to slew side to side and then you are in danger of jack-knifing. NOT fun.... The same applies to wet roads. The brakes of BOTH vehicles need to be utilized.
Engine brakes are to ASSIST your braking efforts not meant to be the primary brake.

Think of it as the Old Geezer that wears BOTH a Belt and Suspenders.
Both do the job.... just the job is done safer using both.

Merely my humble opinion.

hankaye

[THedges]

My exhaust brake isn't loud but it's powerful! I absolutely love it! One tap of the brakes at the start of a down grade to set the speed you want in and then it does the rest.

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

I have re thought my eariler reply and made some changes to it... also appoligized for some incorrect assumptions on my part... it's not nice to put out incorrect information and then not acknowledge it...

SORRY 'bout that :o

hankaye