Posted 2011-03-17 8:04 AM (#131759) Subject: GM 4500 4x4
Location: Central Arkansas
Does anyone have one of the newer GM 4500 with 4x4? How does it pull? Does it do well in the muddy pasture with a trailer on it? What kind of mileage are you getting pulling? What size trailer are you pulling?
Posted 2011-03-17 8:35 AM (#131762 - in reply to #131759) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 402 Location: Valentine, NE
Have a GM 4500 2wd. Tried a 4wd but the ride, extra weight, and the height was the reason I went with the 2wd. Ours in an 06 bought new in '09 as it was a dealer bankruptcy deal that went on for years and the truck just sat...Traded in an '05 3500 and it is no comparision as to the pulling...the 4500 doesn't know our 30' 4 horse LQ is back there until you come to hill. Wind, roads, rain, snow, and stupid drivers doesn't bother it at all. Our 2wd is air ride and I would not get one unless it was along with a conversion. The 2wd are like all duallies in mud..pretty worthless. A guy I roped with had a 4wd and he did not like it due to the ride, and height. He said nothing would stop it. You will really like the turning radius as it will turn around within 2 lanes of traffic..Go to diesel place.com and go down to medium duty truck page and you will have days of reading about these trucks. They are no longer made, but are going up in value. I will caution that DO NOT expect a 3500 ride quality. They are not a light duty truck and you will have a little more road noise, they seem to rattle a little more and will have just a touch less power due to them weighing 1500-2000 lbs more than a 3500 along with the motor turned down a little for more life expantancy of the motor (rated for 500k miles vs a 3500 at 300k). Our unit will scale right at 26,000 lbs. fully loaded with 140 gal fuel, water, hay, horses, tack, etc, etc. Best it got was 11.8 MPG, worse it has gotten is 8.5 mpg into a 40 mph wind at interstate speeds. Typically is ~10-10.5....not chipped yet, but soon will be once it gets broken in at 30k according to my diesel tech....never has driven without the trailer in 26k so no idea about it by itself or less of a load. The truck itself weighs 11,200.... Good luck!
Posted 2011-03-17 1:24 PM (#131777 - in reply to #131759) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Location: Central Arkansas
Thanks Spin Doctor. I didn't realize they quit making them. I was only considering the 4x4 . I love my Sportchassis but it is 2WD and the 4x4 they make is too tall and hard to get into for me. Mine does not do well in the mud or wet grass.
Posted 2011-03-17 4:50 PM (#131783 - in reply to #131759) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
No wonder you didn't know...After filing for bankruptcy, GM announced in a small press release(it was basically one sentence) June 8, 2009 that it would stop producing the Chevy Kodiak and GMC Topkick by July 31 2009. The decision to terminate the Chevy Kodiak and GMC Topkick and wind-down its medium duty truck operations was taken after the company had failed to find a buyer for the above mentioned division.
Posted 2011-03-17 6:19 PM (#131784 - in reply to #131759) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Location: Central Arkansas
So it makes since that they would need to beef up their one tons so as not to lose all of the med truck market. I heard that the new Duramaxs can pull with much more weight . Also heard today, that Dodge, not to be out done, is releasing a even more beefed up dually to get more of the med duty market. More horsepower, more torque, greater payload with the same proven Cummins non urea motor!
Posted 2011-03-17 7:40 PM (#131790 - in reply to #131784) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by brushycreekranch on 2011-03-17 6:19 PM
So it makes since that they would need to beef up their one tons so as not to lose all of the med truck market. I heard that the new Duramaxs can pull with much more weight . Also heard today, that Dodge, not to be out done, is releasing a even more beefed up dually to get more of the med duty market. More horsepower, more torque, greater payload with the same proven Cummins non urea motor!
dodge's current rating with the 6.7 is right on the verge of emissions legal. IF they go any higher with the ratings they will need urea....which is why the 2011 C&C versions HAVE UREA...
Posted 2011-03-17 9:40 PM (#131794 - in reply to #131759) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 379 Location: Missouri
Brushycreek,
Check out www.dieselplace.com for more info on the 4500, look under the "Medium Duty" section. Ours is 2wd also so I can't comment on the 4x4. But on the above mentioned website there is a guy that has a 4x4, all jacked up, tuned up and he takes it out on the sand dunes. Also there's rumor on the website from people with connections that GM may bring the medium duty trucks back but it probably won't be the Topkick/Kodiak. The article I read said it would be based on the Silverado/Sierra. Sort of like the F450. But in my opinion that won't be a true medium duty truck.
Posted 2011-03-17 9:43 PM (#131795 - in reply to #131790) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Veteran
Posts: 201 Location: Lincoln, NE
Okay Paul,
I'm confused. The only urea I know about is a by-product of your kidneys. Can we have that in plan English please for those of us not knowledgeable about truck lingo?
Posted 2011-03-17 9:59 PM (#131798 - in reply to #131759) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 379 Location: Missouri
Flatland, For your enlightenment. http://www.physorg.com/news145556132.html Many new diesels have urea tanks (refined, not straight piss) on board that is injected into the exhaust system to reduce NOx. One more reason why I stopped looking at any new diesels.
Posted 2011-03-17 10:33 PM (#131802 - in reply to #131795) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by flatlandfilly on 2011-03-17 9:43 PMOkay Paul, I'm confused. The only urea I know about is a by-product of your kidneys. Can we have that in plan English please for those of us not knowledgeable about truck lingo?
It is called Diesel Emission Fluid so as to not offend sensitive ears...
Posted 2011-03-18 3:43 AM (#131803 - in reply to #131777) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Originally written by brushycreekranch on 2011-03-17 2:24 PM
Thanks Spin Doctor. I didn't realize they quit making them. I was only considering the 4x4 . I love my Sportchassis but it is 2WD and the 4x4 they make is too tall and hard to get into for me. Mine does not do well in the mud or wet grass.
I would keep the M2 and take a chance on not getting stuck.... The M2 and the GM 4500 are not even close to the same league. Borrow one and pull your trailers with a 4500 and you'll see. The 4500 will probably do OK, but the M2 is a whole different animal!!!
Posted 2011-03-18 8:11 AM (#131806 - in reply to #131759) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Location: Central Arkansas
Thanks for the input , everyone. I wasn't sure I could give up the M2, just yet! Since, afterall, I am spoiled! LOL! But, eventually, as we age and our health declines, I would like to get back to just one rig.
Posted 2011-03-18 10:50 AM (#131814 - in reply to #131759) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 402 Location: Valentine, NE
Forgot to add that with our 4500, we keep a pair of tire chains (that go over both duals) handy and that has saved a few times. In mud, they do sure help. Not to bad to put on, but still, not as easy as just hitting the 4wd button! As far as the Freightliner comparsion, would sure agree. But due to economics, we went with the 4500.... new 4500 at half the price as a used FL. In my opinion, the FL are way overpriced especially when you get a top of the line HD over the road truck with 1m mile expectancy for the same or less than a medium duty FL.
Posted 2011-03-18 8:09 PM (#131833 - in reply to #131759) Subject: RE: GM 4500 4x4
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 379 Location: Missouri
X2 on the pricing. If I hadn't found our 4500, I was going to buy an under 500,000 mile semi, drop the tag axle, slap a bed on it and register it as an RV.
GM 4500 4x4
