Reevaluation time

[bmcgc]

We sold the Harleys and bought a couple 1100 Honda Aeros. They are much lighter and easier to ride. We went on a road trip this weekend and didn't enjoy ourselves on the ride. Its difficult on two bikes and she isn't going to be a passenger.

The misses thinks we should start trailering the bikes to our destination and ride once we get there.

Not a bad idea, except Ruby isn't up to the task of Interstate towing.

Should I spend the cash to make Ruby Interstate ready or shop for something else?

I cant add a vehicle without letting one go.

I need to keep the 2012 Caliber, its paid for. The 65 Mustang is her baby, so the only thing left is Ruby.

I haven't been able to post in a while, has the website been flakeing out?

[Gcwstang]

Make it interstate ready the f100s drive nice on the highways

[kstones63]

Get a set of bike to bike headsets for the helmets so you can talk to each other, avoid the interstate and keep riding.
We are planning a 2 day ride in September to Flagstaff(120 miles north) and we are going to avoid the interstate completely other than to cross it a couple of times. We will probably ride 450 miles for the weekend instead of the 240 miles on the interstate.

Kevin

[bmcgc]

Get a set of bike to bike headsets for the helmets so you can talk to each other, avoid the interstate and keep riding.
We are planning a 2 day ride in September to Flagstaff(120 miles north) and we are going to avoid the interstate completely other than to cross it a couple of times. We will probably ride 450 miles for the weekend instead of the 240 miles on the interstate.

Kevin

We have had Cardo headsets for a couple years. Without boring everyone to death with details, we just need to start trailering the bikes.

To keep Ruby, I would really like to up the power and go with an OD tranny. The easy way is SBF or 460. I also need better brakes if Im going to tow a trailer at highway speed.

I need to keep it simple, its going to be pay as I go. The mortgage is getting close to being paid in full and I don't want to borrow any more money ever again.

[Hunter's 64]

Don't you allready have all the stuff to do power disk brakes and power steering ? Thats a pretty good start to hi-way driving and towing right there

Danny

[bmcgc]

I do have the stuff to do ps and pdb.

I want OD so I would need a 302/351 or 460.

Theres a nice 66 F100 with a 460/C6/PS/PDB for sale locally. I may be better starting off with that one.

I may be able to skip the OD and go with the 2.75 gearset I bought. The total trailer weight will be less than 2000 lbs so the 2.75s should be fine.

[Hunter's 64]

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/pts/3997460908.html

get the wiring out of the truck with the motor and tranny
Danny

[charliemccraney]

It seems like the 352,maybe with a few mods, would do a fine job. I don't know, do you really use overdrive when towing?
I'd get a trailer first and see how the truck does as is.

[bmcgc]

Sure, OD is used when towing a lot. A light trailer on a flat road, OD will kick in no problem.

We are going to mull it over for a bit. I really don't want a different truck, I like Ruby and a newer truck is out of the question. Georgia has overhauled it tax system on vehicles and I only pay about $85 a year to register 2 cars, 1 truck, and 2 motorcycles.

[DV65CustomCab]

I am completely baffled why you think you need to change the entire drivetrain to tow a trailer with two motorcycles.
I tow a 2550 lb race car on a STEEL double axle car trailer with my completely stock 352 3spd. Oh, and the bed is fully loaded with everything I need for a race weekend. I've converted to disc brakes so it actually will stop, but that's it. It cruises wonderfully at 70 mph on the highway with a 3:25 rear axle. I get 12 mpg on the highway towing, 15 mpg without.

Downsides? Pulling out from a stop without the granny 1st of the four speed kind of sucks, I'll admit. No power steering means you plan your backing and parking carefully. The trailer MUST have brakes on it and a controller. The stock mirrors suck.

The 352 has adequate power, though you may find the need to downshift for the big hills into 2nd. In the future I'm going to change the intake and carb to a 4v because the 2v is pretty worn out. When the engine is ready for a rebuild, it will get an RV cam to make a bit more torque. Coupled with the dual exhaust, that is all it should need.

Yes, a new-ish truck with FI and overdrive and air cond and leather and Sirius radio would be a wonderful way to travel. Not happening unless the Powerball comes through. If I could get the cab quiet enough to actually hear the radio, I'd tow across the country with it.

[banjopicker66]

I went though a lot of this, because I have a car hauler, and wanted the towing capability of a 460, the ease of a slush box, and better mileage. Here is the list of modifications I have tried over the last 15 years with my '66:
Originally a 352/3-speed/3.50 rear with factory OD - 15 MPG max.
352/3-speed/2.75 rear with factory OD - 15 MPG max, terrible performance at stop signs. About 6 MPG in town, due to feathering the clutch even on a flat road. Hills were impossible.
352/C-6/2.75rear - 15 MPG max highway, 6 in town.
352/C-6/Doug Nash overdrive/3.50 rear - 18 MPG freeway, 13 in town. Didn't work well, though. The Nash unit was the precursor to the Gear Vendors OD unit, and was bulky.
Blew the 352.
Next series was a 460/C-6 with a 750 Edelbrock carb.
460/C6/2.75 rear - 13 MPG freeway, 4 in town, terrible pulling power and in-town performance.
460/C6/3.25 rear - 14 MPG freeway, 5 in town. Good balance of power and performance, but RPMs up at 2400 or so at 70 MPH.
460/C6/3.25 rear and 600 cfm carb 16 freeway and 10 in town. No change in RPMs.

Now that I have the right combination figured out, I won't try the engine-transmission-rear ratio blame game again. For the money, if I ever get it, I will put in a Gear Vendors OD unit. For about $2500, it will give me the RPM drop I would like, and it is bullet proof. Best part, all I need to do is install it, and only need to cut the driveshaft. No other modifications.

Hope this helps!

[bmcgc]

Banjo, you never tried an AOD behind the 460?

With the current 352/3 spd and 3.25 gear the truck is very loud and the tranny is whining like crazy at 65 mph. Its just not a pleasant and comfortable ride. Without a trailer I get 11-13 mpg on the interstate. For the amount that I drive the truck, the mileage is really not a huge factor. That's all ok for a short haul, but is a no-go for a long trip.

We are willing to put up with some amount of discomfort for the pleasure of owning a Slick, but it has its limits.

Later this year we want to go to Key West, that's a 600 mile haul to Miami where we would leave the truck and another 175 miles on the bikes to Key West.

1200 miles roundtrip is a long haul in a 47 year old truck that has a bone stock drivetrain.

[DV65CustomCab]

With the current 352/3 spd and 3.25 gear the truck is very loud and the tranny is whining like crazy at 65 mph.

This should not be the case. Something is wrong with your transmission, either bad bearing(s) or worn gears if it's making noise you can hear. The only thing I hear at 65 mph is the wind whistling in through the rotted door/window seals. Installing those, coupled with some Dynamat or similar, should bring things up to probably 1980s standards of quiet.

Banjo sort of makes my point...the 460 conversion, for all it's work and expense, winds up giving you virtually nothing you don't already have. Same mileage, probably a bit more power but at what cost?

The only part of the equation I would change in mine would be to have a 4 speed with the granny 1st for pulling out when loaded, or starting on hills. It's smooth on the highway at 70 with some reserve left for passing and returns fuel mileage I'm quite happy with for something 48 years old. Since the majority of my towing is on highways, the starting out annoyance is bearable vs chopping a hole in my floor and replacing the trans. I can live with it for the 6 or so times a year I actually tow.

[charliemccraney]

I agree, something is wrong with the transmission.
The only other thing that can be very loud is the engine and that is mufflers. And road / wind noise which a new engine and drivetrain can't fix - it's just the nature of an old truck.

You can get more mileage out of the 352. It's going to take a little tuning, and possibly some minor engine work. Put the cash you'd spend on a swap into the 352 and use Banjo's findings as a guide for the setup.

Also look up bigmikes posts about his quest for better mileage - He did find some.

To set up an older truck for the long haul, the number one thing I'd do is fork out the dough for more comfortable seats. The stock seat is terrible - just beat me with a stick, instead.

[banjopicker66]

BMCGC: I considered an E4OD (the 460 version of the AOD) but the cost of one, plus the necessary upgrades to make it last, plus the aftermarket electronics made it over the top for me.
As Dwight mentioned, I didn't get much more for the cost - except that I blew the 352, so it was time for major intervention anyway. It was cheaper and easier to swap to the 460/C-6. I bought a rusted out donor truck with both rebuilt engine and transmission plus all the nitnoid parts to do the swap, so it was easy and straightforward.
It will tow more than is safe, stop it well (thanks to front discs and wider rear brakes) and chirps tires at 25MPH.

[bird55]

Why a trailer, won't all your stuff fit in an 8 ft bed? get some bike ramps. The truck will ride better loaded anyway. Also you can buy a lot of fuel for all those mods your talking about. I do understand the trans noise issue or winding too high. I agree with others get it checked out. You might also check your tire size for ratio accuracy. An honestly-try 65 mph and enjoy the trip a little more, you'll be surprised.

[DV65CustomCab]

Why a trailer, won't all your stuff fit in an 8 ft bed? get some bike ramps.

I can answer this...he's not talking about a pair of dirt bikes. He's talking about a pair of big cruisers. They probably wouldn't even fit in the bed between the fenderwells, and no way I'd run one of those things up a ramp!

[bmcgc]

Why a trailer, won't all your stuff fit in an 8 ft bed? get some bike ramps.

I can answer this...he's not talking about a pair of dirt bikes. He's talking about a pair of big cruisers. They probably wouldn't even fit in the bed between the fenderwells, and no way I'd run one of those things up a ramp!

What he said.