SoCalDesertRider wrote:



Several years ago when I was alot younger, I had a '77 Chevy 3/4-ton 4x4 pickup with 9 inches of lift and big tires. It was a fairly big truck, the bedrails were about as tall as I was, though I have seen much bigger trucks driving on the road than mine was.

Anyways, I rear ended a Volvo sedan at a stoplight (talking to my friend in the truck in the next lane, not paying attention to traffic in front of me). I was creaping forward at about 3 mph when I hit the Volvo. Did $3600 of damage to the Volvo, smashed the trunk lid, both rear fenders and rear panel of the car where the tail lights are, almost up to the rear window. Didn't do a dam thing to the frontend of the truck. Maybe a slight tweak to the bumper. If there was a scratch in the chrome, I couldn't tell (already plenty of scratches).

During that same summer, I also backed over an early 1980's Chevy Citation, or maybe it was a Chevette. Anyways, some little GM ratbox. The reciever hitch tube welded to the bottom of my heavy wall pipe rear bumper caught the front lip of the little car's hood and peeled it back like a can opener, almost to the windshield. The hood latch took the radiator support wall with it, pulling all that back into the engine untill finally the latch let go. I stopped when my rear tires reached the car's front bumper. I never saw the little car behind me. When the truck wouldn't go back anymore, I looked in mirror and all I saw was the little car's radio antenna barely peeking up above my tailgate. That cost me $600, which was pretty cheap considering the damage.

Later that summer, I backed into a Chrysler LeBaron convertible. My hitch tapped the upper center of the chrome grille where the hood ornament mounts to. Put a little ding in it. The girl in the car honked the horn before I made contact, otherwise I probly would have peeled her hood back like other one. I never saw the car untill I got out of the truck to see what the commotion was about, but I did see the antenna again in the mirror and got a good idea of what was up....

beemerphile1 wrote:



I hope your driving has improved!

Nick R wrote:

I have a 2006 Silverado 1/2 ton crew cab that has a 6 inch lift and 35's on it. It pulls my camper better with the lift on it than it did without. My camper is only about 5000lbs. I changed the gears from stock 3.42's to 4.88's, the towing mileage went from 9-10mpg to 11-12 mpg. I can now tow in overdrive. The rpm's are are 2000 at 60 mph, the Trans does not have to shift down very often any more and when it does it only revs to 3000 instead of the 4000-4500 it did before. I have the add-a-leaf and a 5" rear block for the rear suspension. The bounce that I used to have on the freeways is now gone. My rear does not drop very far when I hook up. I went from P-rated tires to lt's in the d load range. The shocks are pro-comp mx-6's that are adjustable. They are are adjusted to full firm when towing and that takes away the bouncing that I had before. I do use an equalizer hitch too. I was worried( my wife was worried) how it would pull my camper lifted. I am glad that I did it. But every one has there own comfort levels and likes.

Road Ruler wrote:

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How have all the changes affected braking??

My buddy put large heavy tires on his pick up, hooked up his boat and trailer, and headed out on the highway. A half hour later he rammed into another vehicle because the heavy tires increase his stopping distances. Yes the trailer had brakes and a properly working controller.

rsh_757 wrote:



He had electric brakes for his boat trailer?

Did he also have his truck's pcm flashed to recognize the new tire size? It can make not only a difference on his speed indicator but how the abs works.

Road Ruler wrote:



Apparently the brakes were not strong enough to lock up the heavy tires so having the ABS controller optimized was not a determining factor.