• If you currently own, previously owned or want to own an Avalanche, we welcome you to become a member today. Membership is FREE, register now!

First Trip with 4.56 gears on my 2006/2500 Avalanche!

dwswanger

PM 2015
PM 2014
Full Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2014
Messages
178
Location
Temecula Ca. 90259
:B: Well I am all loaded up and with my first trip to Ft. Irwin Ca. I will stop and get a Cat Scale Ticket for the truck and trailer to gether. I will use our fort scale to weight each separately for those who would like to know the weights. And if any of you would like any information about just let me know and I will try to be of help.  Donald
 
Putting the girl to work, let us know how she pulls with the 4.56
 
Alaska_AV. said:
wow that looks huge....

That's what ... er, never mind.

:beating:
 
I see you're a little overweight how well did the AV pull it.
 
:wave:  Well you were right about the mileage to and from work, easy 10mpg from 6-7 in traffic 25-30 min. to go 6 miles is crazy. And take off and  @ 20 mph 1st. shift could not be better. Now just set the cruse and go tell you get to a hard grade. I will start a diet!  :laugh:  Donald
 
Great time for a Shake Down Run. Your flags were standing tall as was predicted and you may have had some of the silly Monsoonal weather today too. What more could one ask for.

I didn't realize until the last post you had a 2500 Avalanche. I'll sleep better now.

Of course I'll be thinking all night long about the contrast with our California version of trailer camping compared to the options MS03 2500 has to ponder.

You both have great setups and the proper vehicles to do it with.  :D
 
We don't buy them for mileage we get them to pull a butt load of weight.

Your mileage seems not that bad considering it has the 4.56, about 2 mpg lower than mine
 
Yea, what's that? They technically never had a rating on the window sticker.

4.56's will give it the extra gearing to pull that load, to safely handle it might be another story. Be carefull and keep your brakes in top shape, truck and trailer...
 
(y)  Remember that I have been towing this trailer with 3.73 gears for two years all ready with the Avalanche 2500 and a total over 6 years with the same trailer. Have to say in the beginning I used my 2006 EXT 4 or 5 times that I had setup and that's why I have 3 axle trailer. Then I had to go with a 3500 HD Dully. Then I found out that there was a Avalanche 2500 so I looked for a one owner with low miles and did not know about the gears and wanted folding mirrors and LT. I have decided to update the truck and keep it in the shop and get a car to run around with. I all most order a new 3/4 ton truck $60,000 then I would be stuck with a truck all the time so now I am looking to see what car I want to enjoy finely. Donald
 
(y)    :B:  Well I just got back last night! I can now say that I am pleased with the way that it pulls and I now have more use of another gear choice as well. 0-20mph 1st. gear, 20-40mph 2nd. and 40-60mph @ 2300 rpm where as before I only had two choices. Lane changing and takeoffs are also greatly enhanced I was a fool for two years for not changing them after Not buying a Avalanche 2500 W/ towing package! 4.56 gears, gave me complete choice of gear when pulling my trailer. I got 7+ mpg with no problem pulling 12,000 lbs. and had some heavy work traffic in town on 400 mile round trip. And we had 25-30 mph wind on one day, that's why the call it the Dust Bowl Ramps! One the way up last week my radiator end cap started leaking and when I got to the truck stop @ Barstow I put 4 cans of Bars Leak in and drove  the rest of the way and no leak. Friday I order a new GM Radiator and had it ship to the fort just in case so I order all new hoses and tank, as well as water pump & thermostat all at one time. I will be leaving on Oct 8th. to go to WSMR NM. and that trip will be 800 miles + each way and I will know even more about my truck. Donald
 
Thanks for the update Donald
 
:help:  :B:  Avalon said maybe change my E3 plugs to Delco plugs? And what would be the best ones to get for my truck? I need to gap them @ .065 with the SOS Coils. Part #'s ? With everything going so well I don't care about getting my Avalanche 2500 right. I picked up my EXT parts that were painted late today!  And thank's for all your support you guys.  Donald
 
dwswanger said:
:help:   :B:  Avalon said maybe change my E3 plugs to Delco plugs? And what would be the best ones to get for my truck? I need to gap them @ .065 with the SOS Coils. Part #'s ? With everything going so well I don't care about getting my Avalanche 2500 right. I picked up my EXT parts that were painted late today!  And thank's for all your support you guys.  Donald

They pretty much come pre gapped. You will see what I mean.# 41-983 gapped 060 and set to go.

20,000 lbs.. WOW I am handing my towing crown off to you. That trailer is probably 13,000 lbs with the tongue weight too. I was 17990 total with my boat.

I used Mobil 1 10-30 in my truck and Wix filters FYI. The Mobil 1 really helps with engine temps. A 180 thermostat is needed too.

Avalon
 
:B:  I just got back today! long week to say the least. I left @ 10 am. on Monday for WSMR NM. 738 miles one way, and took I-10 to Las Cruces and stopped at the T/A Truck Stop  to meet up with some of my drivers before we took HWY 70, 40 more miles to SMR & gate 18. I used my cruise control all the way with the 4.56 gears and had it set at 65 mph or 2500 rpm's! spent 4 days there and left Saturday morning to come back home. Used 90 gal. of gas one way and I filled my tank up at the T/A when I got there and still had over a 1/4 of a tank left in the truck and unhooked the trailer to weight the truck only for reference. Ran all week before leaving to come home and made it to Lordsburg NM. to refuel once more. With cruse I was getting almost 260 - 300 miles to a tank on the trip. Before I was lucky if I could get 5-6 mpg with the 3.73 gears and had a poor choice of gearing 1 & 2 only.  Now with new Life in the truck and all the power in need all I need is 500 mgs. of Motrin to relive the pain I have gone thru for 2 years with 3.73 gears!  13,000 lbs. trailer is the last thing I am worried about with 3 axles w/ brakes and will make up some side frame straps to support the hitch rails back 20 -24 in. longer for the weight distribution hitch to protect the frame past the side holes. After 2 years of towing the trailer already there are no cracks on either side! I want to thank all of you who have helped me to work at getting my Avalanche 2500 setup  Right! It took this Forum to help me see what I wanted to do. Once more I will enjoy fixing up my 2500 on this Forum and be lucky to find new friends to help me out with this Truck!  Donald
 
Outstanding!

(y)
 
:B: Sorry for the late post!  Well as you can see at looking at the scale tickets you can see the difference with a Weight Distribution hitch and how it works from front axle - rear and trailer weights. Look at both scale tickets. Donald

 
Yep that's what a weight distribution hitch does.

Did you put it on or did the folks you bought it from put it on.
 
I put it on here in my shop! I am working on designing a side frame extension with a lower lip to go under the frame to add more support to the frame.  :laugh: The factory hitch that came with the truck without towing package was round and the towing package I think comes with a square channel?  Donald
 
Which hitch did you get. You have to dial it in looks like you have too much weight in the front.
 
:B: With these weight tickets I have
steer axle of 3,180 lbs.
drive axle of  5,080 lbs.        
Trailer axles of 12,540 lbs.

Total Weight is 20,800 lbs.
****************************
Total Truck is 6,920 lbs.
****************************
Trailer Weight is 12,540 lbs.
****************************
Trailer tonge Weight is 1,340 lbs.    OR Total Trailer Weight of 13,800 lbs. Load W/Artic Cat HDX 700, 150 gal. water, 60 gals Gas in to tanks ( 40 + 20 gals), 4 Gel 6 volt Battery's @ 90lbs each and two weeks food as well as office printer & computer and supplies!  Donald
 
Back
Top