Best Programmer For 8.1 Vortec

[Lakia Throssell]

Ihave put 4500 miles on my Colorado since I bought it in June. Maybe have 150 in that time on my Duramax. My friend that works at a dealer when I inquired about finding an old truck...in fact much older than this one to put a plow on said truck prices are up and we are thinking I might actually be able to make money on my Duramax right now So as much as I use it I might get a good older one for 3-5000 miles a year and come out good on this one? I bought this one from his dad through the dealer when he traded his for a new one so I got it for trade in.

6 pulling a trailer and plowing snow, 9 everyday and 12 driving down the highway with a tail wind. I have had two of them, one auto and 4.10's and one manual and 3.73's. Good strong motor. Not quiet the super strong power one the bottom end as the tbi 454 but makes up for it with the mid range power.

If you aren't pulling more than you are just driving....don't own a 454, 502, or a Duramax in a GM product. Get a 350 for everything else...unless you go newer then get a 4.8 or 5.3...that's my opinion and I see alot of them come through the shop and I talk to alot of people that own them all.

I bought a 99 K2500 with the 454 and a 5 speed (3.73) gears brand new. It had a gooseneck hitch in it from day one and was used as a truck should be. It would get 13-14mpg on the interstate and 10 or so around town. It would flat out embarass any TBI 454 and any of the vortec 350's as far as performance empty or loaded. Truck was a blast to drive. In the 80,000 miles that I owned it, it needed nothing but regular service. I would have put it up against any of the diesels of the mid to late 90's stock for stock.

I haven't seen alot of problems with frt end components, but usually the first thing I do to any of them is put different torsion bars under them....it helps keep the front end up where it's supposed to be.

Yeah, I work on these every day...I'll admit, Idler arms are a GM's(of that era) weak spot, with pitman arms being second...the rest seems about the same as any other brand...they all last longer if they have grease zerks and someone greases them at every oil change(like they should!) GM's independent front suspension gets a bad rap,(but notice that Ford did go to it on the half tons in '97), but it has held up well around here and gives a better ride than a straight front axle. Dodge seems to be the worst around here for ride and tire wear....Dakota's ball joints in the late '90s were trash at 50k miles!

Chicken , I think your right BUT my 93 3/4 ton 4x4 diesel 5sp I would have bet a $100 it wouldn't last 10 years but I have beat the crap out of that thing and all I have replaced is the idler arm about 3 times. I don't get babied either it a farm / coyote hunting rig that plows mud every day in the winter . Probly the best truck I have owned out of a 04 Duramax 4x4 ,85 1 ton 4x4 , 72 3/4 4x4

Have a Duramax now. I just don't use it much but in the spring to tow seed around and about 5 times heavy trailer use in between. Here is what I do with it. Normal load is 10K sometimes a bit more of seed. 350 might not do it?

Used to have a Boss V-plow on my 93'. That thing would about make the rear end come off the ground and make the front end beg for mercy. Too bad they didn't use a strait axle like the F350 or Dodge 2500 but realize the Dodge has had a lot of problems also.

My cousin had a Blizzard 102" with the power wings that pop out and make it 132" wide (1500 lb plow) on a 2003 Chev 2500 4 door short bed with the 6.0, same thing, the rear tires damn near left the ground even with the fuel tank in the bed full and the toolbox.

He put that same plow on his 06 F350 with the 6.0 diesel, 4 door 8 ft box, same fuel tank and tool box and the truck settles about 2" at the most. Granted, there is more wheelbase (long box vs short box) but there is no comparison between the two as far as how it handles the plow and drives with it on.

Granted, these are newer trucks than the OP is looking at, but the Chevy needed all new ball joints, idler and pitman arms, wheel bearings and A-arm bushings at 60k. The Ford just rolled 46k and everything is tight as new (I just serviced and inspected the truck for him Sunday).

This was the 8'2" with the Barnes pump under the hood. Way too much plow for any truck less than a 4500 or F450 type. Maybe the Ford is built better I was going to put a Western on the 2500HD but the used ones were almost what a new one was and gave up. There are tons for the 2000 and older out there.

Interesting conversation. I've now had a 91 F 150 2 wd(that little truck just ran and ran) a 93 F-250 4wd gas(not so much running with that one) and an '01 and now an '04 chevy 2500 HD. In the same time period my Dad had a 95 Ford F-350 with the straight front axle. Honestly, we probably worked more on the front end on that Ford than on either of my two trucks, although his got more miles, but they were mostly highway, and mine are mostly beating around. I've got a snow plow package on this 04, and I think I would order a new truck with it. The heavier sway bar and torsion bars really makes the truck trailer nice.

My ultimate plow truck would be a Ford F 250 with the V 10. Friend had a snow plow on a F 150 which has the similar GM front set up but just didnt seem strong enough. Those front ends take a beating an I always thought a solid front axle is the only way top go. Ball joint are the weak spot on these trucks but other then that should last for a long time.

That is strange about the front axle on the F350. Dodge hangs the 5.9 out there and had the same consequence. IMO there should be a strait axle option on every brand but I'm old enough to remember those arguments

I really miss having a long bed. Love the extended cab but come Monday when I need the bed space... Was using the Diesel for a daily driver and when I would drive to Chicago and other states for work I would take my Ranger. Ranger was too small for family use. I got the 4 door Colorado and now realize the Diesel sits more. So why have it sit around for hauling seed and snowplowing?

3a8082e126