600mi on the new truck, and less than 2 weeks old, I'm going to drive over 5,000 miles in the next 4 days. Going from California to Florida non-stop to pick up a 2,500lb machine, and swing a U-turn, and high tail it back home. Using 2 drivers, a 2004 3500 SRW Longbed. Estimate fuel cost of $1000.


Should be fun! For about the first day. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif


I will try to post on the road.


PS - I had the local shop change the oil. They pulled off the trans filter and said, "Your filter is too small!". Guess I will have to change my own oil from now on.

PS - I had the local shop change the oil. They pulled off the trans filter and said, "Your filter is too small!". Guess I will have to change my own oil from now on.








Now that's scaryhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif

VERY SACRY! Those guys could end up at a dealership!

Man, thats a big cost for fuel/wear on truck...


Why not ship the thing?


I drove from Austin to CA in 2 days, and thought that was plenty...Even in a TDI. Only stopped for diesel 2x!

Why? For the adventure! 17.3mpg hauling ass down there. 2 written warnings in Texas, no tickets. Found limiter. Often. 2753 miles in 39 hrs.

We are heading into Pensacola, 2500lb of granite and steel in bed. Rear dropped 1 in. Ride is SMOOTH. 16mpg at posted limit.

Posting from cellphone. Took 20min to post this.

Thoughts on truck.

Very comfy for distance driving. Better than vette.

Engine makes loud injector rattle at 84mph and partial throttle.

Damn! This thing moves out on the highway. Hard to keep speed down. Love the motor and trans.

Fuel gauge must have 7 gallons in tank when light comes on.

Long bed CC has terrible turning radius. Limits parking options, and uturns are now yturns

Lumbar seats are a must-have now for me.

Spilled fuel many times. Foam-over. Need more practice.

Shocks suck. What were they thinking.

Fuel economy is EXCELLENT at 60mph. Drops fast speeds over 60.

When getting stopped for speeding in Texas, start talking about pickups. Its fun, and might save a ticket or two.

50psi in rear tires doesn't work loaded. 80psi improves ride and handling. Need to get inflator, few stations have working air.

I love this truck. I'm very lucky to have one.

Just got back home this morning. Total trip took 4 days, 1.5 hrs and was 5222 miles. Do not speed in Texas on the 10. You WILL get caught. I've never seen so many radar cars in my entire life, than I saw in 28hrs of driving in Texas. Over 100 easy.


Fuel is .50c a gallon cheaper than CA in every state I went to. Truck stops had the best prices. Paid 1.47/g in Texas, but most tanks were ~1.52-1.65 a gallon. Highest was in Arizona at 1.69.


15.2 MPG with the machine in the bed. Stock shocks do not have enough dampening to deal with the load. Nearly wrecked the machine from the pogo'g on the concrete section of the 10. West 10 in Louisiana from Baton Rouge to just inside Texas was BRUTAL. Most fireroads are better maintained.

WOW ....


That's a lotta driven .... Them's Broker miles ....


Only averaged 53 MPH ,should have Juiced it ...


(Broker is a Hotshot car hauler)


Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif

Sounds like a fun trip. I'm hoping to make one down the ALCAN and back this summer. Really looking forward to it! Edited by: Oldman

MAN..thats some shakedown...good reading..tks for the info bc

nice info! You might need a magnet for the spin-on Allison filter. If those guys said the filter was "too small" they probably didn't know that there was a mag on the top of the filter. FYI - Allison sell's e'm for 3.40 and the filter for 10.00.


Burner-------------> http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

Do you have a photo of the truck loaded on your road trip?

Refueling in Alabama:


http://2fdr.com/k/rt006.jpg

That is a Brown and Sharpe Validator Coordinate Measuring Machine. It is made of granite and steel. Very heavy for it's size.


In the background is my employee John who was splitting the driving with me. If we weren't eating, refueling, we were moving. We would sleep in either the back seat or the passenger seat. Both were good for sleeping.Edited by: McRat

A video one of the Florida guys made with me demonstrating the power extending mirrors:


http://www.fbodyextreme.com/media/McRatsNewSexToy.wmv


RATED PG for immature drunkeness.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gifhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gifhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif PRICELESS!!! http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gifhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gifhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif


Gotta luv those roadtrips!!! *LOL*

Sounds like fun.


On my little waylay through 1/2 of Texas (Austin to CA) I was radared at at least 10 over several times, and never caught. They are really sneaky about it. They hide in the shade on a corner at the bottom of a hill. Out of Texas, I didnt see any troopers doing that. El Paso sucks. Cheap diesel at those Walmart Super Centers though...


I swung up north once I hit Las Cruces, NM. Really nice drive. Went up to I 40 and through the Petrified Forest. Took about an hour to do it. Then got on I 40 and came home.


What does the LLY limit at? Still 96?


Is there that big of a difference in the 2500 HD and 3500 payload? How many leafs are in the back? What else would make a difference? I get 2500 lb in the back, and Im about 2 inches from the bump stops...


Good mileage considering that wind catcher youve got up there...http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif

If McRat yells "ROADTRIP", you better ask for a couple of vacation days and smack up the ATM. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif


That would be fun to do though.

Limit is 96mph, and it is very smooth defueling. Just like cruise control.


The 3500SRW has an extra rear leaf and bigger tires. That's it. Oppss.. Some badging too! I put 2000lb of the weight right against the cab, so some of the weight went on the front.


It was a blast. It was the first time I've driven coast to coast. Stopped off in New Orleans and had lunch at Papa John's on Bourbon Street. Ate gumbo and drank local ale. Bought some fireworks. Hung out with some old internet friends. But mostly saw the country. What a ride!

Only way to get them broken in right.





I'm leaving for Wymore NE my self in 1/2 hour.Going to pick up a new trailer for the 04 LLY. We will be back by noon tuesday.About 3200mile round trip.Atleast the weather looks good and i will give me a break from the office BS .$233.00 to fill the truck last nite,oooff!Should make it all the way on one tank if she purrs like she should.Will be a bouncy ride out since we will bobtail it out,got the Ricksons on her last nite also,that will stiffen thing up.


Anyway it's great to see people using their trucks for what they were designed for,loaded and hauling crosscountry.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif


Later Tom L.

Called the weather wrong on that one.Took us an extra 14 hrs due to people in Ohio cant drive in snow.Nice to see that they got the sniper though.lly ran flawless,returned 12mpg average.

I just did the drive from florida to central/southern california, used less than 250 in fuel for 2300 ish miles