I just got back from a 5 day vacation to the black hills of south dakota. What a great trip. I have a 09 crew cab ltz all stock. I don't know why everyone gets a tuner. I was pulling my 07 32' hornet 5 wheel through the black hills and hardly knew it was there. Passed motor homes going up hill and still felt the d-max pull in the seat. What power. On the flats I just set the cruise and drove like normal. On the way back we had 30 to 40 mph side wind. I could tell it was back there from the wind but it had the power to still pull the hills. No problems what so ever. To anyone questioning the duramax, don't hesitate, great truck.
Because lots of people think that horsepower is the answer to everything, even problems they don't have to begin with.
The only reason I'd buy a tuner for something with plenty of horsepower to begin with is if it could increase my fuel milage and I understand that some tuners, while setup correctly, can do this...but it seems that most people have then simply to make obscene amounts of extra horsepower.
It's amusing for me to read about some of the 400-500 horsepower engines around here when I pull 60-80,000 Pounds daily with considerably less then that. ):h
Glad you had fun. I've never driven one but I hear the Duramax is a great engine. I'm still partial to my 6.5 because the payments are lower (goose egg!) and it's cheaper to work on then virtually all other diesels out there...and like yourself, it does what I need it to acceptably well.
They do have good power stock. I get about 10mpg stock and 13-14mpg towing with the tuner on. I would guess that is the biggest reason most have them, at least's it's why I bought mine.
I've seen people on here wanting to know how to make 500-600 hp so they can tow a trailer better-waisted money if you ask me. These trucks come out of the factory ready to work. The only thing I would recommend is to help the motor breath better to lower EGT's. Glad you had a great time I've owned my truck since '07 and I've drug my travel trailer all over the east coast easily and without any problems
If that were true every commercial trucking company out there would be specing the 600 horsepower range class 8 engines that are available.
I assure you, they're incredibly uncommon. Probably in excess of 80% of the commercial trucks you see on the road today are within the 375 to 475 HP range.
When I was pulling Ontario spec super B-Trains the company I was with spec'd 370 HP Detroits with 13 speeds and 3.70 rears and I would routinely gross in excess of 140,000 pounds. Torque comparisons aside (obviously a 12.7 liter is making more) the horsepower argument just doesn't hold water.
600 hp to pull any trailer would be nice....until the turbo melted down and the tranny gives up. Spend the money towards stuff to get more MPG's and help the moter run cooler
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