Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/10

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Tow Vehicles & My Retirement Lens
From: Jeffcoat Photography <jeffcoatphoto@sumter.net>
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 12:53:16 -0400

Robert: I had a 87 Suburban, diesel, she was a good truck-loud- but good.
Replaced her with the 96 disco. Now there is a definite size difference, but the
Burban would not go in the off road places that the disco will. As to towing-we
pulled a load of landscaping timbers up from Atlanta to Sumter (about 4000#) and
stayed around 70-75mph most of the way and she never even moaned once.. It's not
quite as heavy as the Burban (around 5300#) but coming in at 4600# is no fly
weight. But you do have a point that towing with a heavier truck is better. I
think the turbo Diesel is the way to go and wish that Rover would see the light.
In england they are putting the old GMC 6.2's in the Range Rovers. Talk about
something stuffed into the hood.

If your someplace in the SC , NC, Ga area ""E"" me at
jeffcoatphoto@photographer.net
maybe we can get together for food and drink and tell some leica lies.

Cheers Wilber

"Robert G. Stevens" wrote:

> Jim:
>
> I tow a 5,500 pound boat and trailer combination ( Etchells) with a GMC
> Yukon, which is basically a Suburban chassis shortened.  It has a 6.5 litre
> turbo diesel and I can tow in overdrive at about 120km (75mph) and go up
> all but steep grades without even dropping out of OD.  I have towed this
> trailer with dodge full size pickups and Ford Explores, and nothing
> compares to the ease with which the Yukon hauls it.  It can tow it quite
> fast too, as sometimes we get up in the 140 KPH range.  I got a speeding
> ticket in North Carolina towing the boat at 83mph.  The big trucks are also
> stable.  No white knuckle driving while in strong cross winds.  The smaller
> 1/4 ton trucks like the Explores, Range Rovers, and Jeeps just don't cut it
> when the conditions get worse than ideal.
>
> Regards,
>
> Robert
>
> At 08:32 AM 8/10/99 -0700, you wrote:
> >At 09:58 AM 8/10/99 -0500, you wrote:
> >>
> >>You need a 3/4 ton vehicle with at least 400 cid engine to pull these
> >>trailers (except for flat land situations).  You also need a vehicle that
> >>will take 650 lb. hitch weights.
> >>
> >>Bud
> >
> >A few years ago, a BMW sponsored race team did a tow vehicle test. It was
> >published in Roundel (BMW CCA magazine) and the winner, hands down, was the
> >Suburban (3/4 ton or 1 ton, I don't remember). They were pulling two race
> >cars, spares, tools, everything in one of those big double decker trailers.
> >They said that whether they were going up hill, down hill, at sea level, at
> >altitude, there was never a lack of power. It just seemed to run the same
> >all of the time.
> >
> >Jim
> >
> >