Distance towing with a square dually - who does it?

[Hulk Will Smash]

Just curious how many guys on here tow long distances with their square duallies?

My truck is an '87 R30 TBI with a TH400 no overdirve. I've had a couple guys call me about my ad and both wanted to use it to tow a boat from SoCal to Havasu and back on weekends... I was kind of taken aback by that. I drive my truck three or four days a week, but mostly around town. Only on the freeway occasionally and when I do, the thing spins 3,000 rpms at 65mph. The truck runs great but I couldn't imagine doing a 500 mile freeway trip in one of these trucks. I'm guessing it would cost north of $350 in fuel and probably drive you nuts spinning that kind of rpm for 8 hours!

Just curious what everyone else thinks on this one. Maybe I'm being unreasonable with my expectations or people's tolerance for that sort of thing?

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

New trucks don't do that much better towing heavy, and for the cost of a few trips a year. He will save enough money not to worry about lack of mpg vs getting a newer truck. That will likely have more problems from not driving to much.

[Hulk Will Smash]

I guess that's fair. We did a couple of big tows (Long Beach to Omaha and back and HB to Knoxville and back) with an F650 with a cat and a 250 with PSD and did pretty well on the fuel. But I hear ya. Maybe I've been thinking about this all wrong.
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[GCncsuHD]

I've done a few 4-5 hour trips towing in my 78. With the 35s I put on it, it hurt the low end a bit, but it paid off with more highway gear, but with the sm465 and 4.11 gears it still runs 2800rpm at 70mph. Still managed 11mpg out of it hauling about 7k recently.

I recently bought a F250 7.3 for the longer trips and better fuel mileage (and AC!), but I wouldn't hesitate to take the 78 on a long trip if I needed to.

[bohmankid]

My old company trucks used to be old squares to tow dual/triple axles across state lines.. Not bad at all.
I would never use a lifted square to tow though. THAT gets annoying on just short distances.
Since the company started getting better paying jobs, they bought a new Kodiak and a couple 1 ton LBZ Duramax's. Nothing beats the forced induction at Utah's elevation.

[86c20]

i use my k30 to go back and forth from marthas vineyard to eastwake field nh and an hour north of bangor maine. buying and sellling parts and hole trucks/cars. with a 6.2 and 4.11 it is load butnot bad i dont think. my c20 is buter as far as motor noise with 3.42 gears but there is not a good seel in the dam thing lol

[meter swinger]

Ive pulled my travel trailer through quite a bit of the northwest with my 88 dually. Its bone stock with about 40k on it. Ive gone over some steep mountin passes with no issue, granted it cant run up snoqualmie, or fourth of july pass @ 80mph pulling a trailer like a diesel, and yeah the mileage could be better, but dollar for dollar its the best money ive spent on a rig. I would rather tow without an OD trans anyway.
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[KQQL IT]

Did 330k in an 86 one ton roll back. Added a Doug Nash Od @ 200k made it much better.
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[meatwagon83]

ive towed my chevelle on a u haul trailer (the trailer weighs 2500 lbs) from sealy texas 50 miles west of houston, to north of dayton ohio, didnt hurt it one bit, and wasnt too loud (even with the flowmasters)



oh yeah, warmed up 454/th400/3;73 dana 70hd

[dieseldawg142]

'85 k30 crew, 454, t400, 4:56's, 38.5 swamps. tow a 3 quad trailer most summer weekends 150 miles, & 2 sometimes 3 6-700 mile camping trips, hauling a 8ft camper as well. fuel mileage & top speed are horrible (3400 at 60), but on the plus side i dont have to take a run at hills, & 4:56's sure save the brakes

doh, missed the dually part

[Hulk Will Smash]

Well I stand corrected! Thanks guys. I'm going to have to change my tune when I talk to these dudes!
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