6.2 owner ready to jump ship to 6.6 gasser

[dieselfan1]

20 hours ago, dieselfan1 said:

Looking like I might dump my 23 HC 6.2 after all.

I took it in for the test and it passed. 56,600 miles and my power train warranty is done at 60.

Now that the recall is done I can trade it in. I just can't trust it on a long trip towing my camper anymore. 

I'm loosing more than I want on trade in but the 6.2s are taking a nosedive fast. I'm trying to get my payment a little lower than it is now. 2023 interest rates were way higher than now too so it should work out.

I'm looking at a 26 2500HD 6.6 gas.

LTZ Z71 with the LTZ premium package and a sunroof. That's it for options. $71,805 sticker.

Hoping to get it for 66. 

That truck sold. 

Looking at a 26 3500 LTZ right now. Same price range.

[Chuck FB]

1 hour ago, KARNUT said:

Our early 9030 tractors had 4cylinder Cummins in them. Some of our customers wanted more HP so we would add the 6cylinder Cummins to power our cutter head. We had a supplier who bought a couple of pull out 4cylinder Cummins and put them in his Ramchargers. He bought a 6chylinder from us for his Chevy Dually. I never saw the dually. But I saw his Ram charger every week when he delivered parts. We used banks on all our diesel p/ups starting with the 88 non turbo 7.3. And the 6 gun kit on the rest. 

I had to look it up since I couldn't recall about the swathers rating, so the naturally aspirated engine swather was 80 hp and the turbo version which we have is 108 hp and rated only at 2250 rpm. I am guessing that the engine had more capability then that and still being reliable as manufacturers typically didn't high ratings that a variable load pickup could have and the swather is revved out to operate the hydraulics and mechanical drive knife to its proper speed. I had heard of these engines going into half ton pickups, obviously not a speedy machine. 

 

Yes, Banks has been in the business for quite some time and army engine supply side as as well which would be a whole other side. 

[Chuck FB]

1 hour ago, dieselfan1 said:

That truck sold. 

Looking at a 26 3500 LTZ right now. Same price range.

The other day when you mentioned a 2500 and then realized you live in Minnesota, I may be mistaken but I got the impression that licensing fees for a one ton are less than a 3/4 ton in that state, not sure where insurance sits and if that is the same or lower as well. Not that it was the real reason I bought a 3500 myself but as I discovered here in Alberta the insurance rates are a bit lower on a one ton vs a 3/4 for some odd reason, the insurance agent figured it may have to do with the numbers game in that there are so many fleet one ton trucks around this part of Canada in the oil patch and forestry and so forth. With the difference at the moment it would take me 10 years to pay the price difference between the two trucks but at least I can tell myself I did something smart !. The license fees are the same here due to how mine is licensed and not using it for out of province commercial use as otherwise then it would be a higher rate due to its heavier GVW. I was initially going to order an LTZ as I cringe at painted bumpers and still do but in the end did get the HC. I then paid to have PPF put on both bumpers and that is not inexpensive. The LTZ could have everything I wanted option wise on the truck and would definitely have made more economic sense !

[KARNUT]

11 minutes ago, Chuck FB said:

I had to look it up since I couldn't recall about the swathers rating, so the naturally aspirated engine swather was 80 hp and the turbo version which we have is 108 hp and rated only at 2250 rpm. I am guessing that the engine had more capability then that and still being reliable as manufacturers typically didn't high ratings that a variable load pickup could have and the swather is revved out to operate the hydraulics and mechanical drive knife to its proper speed. I had heard of these engines going into half ton pickups, obviously not a speedy machine. 

 

Yes, Banks has been in the business for quite some time and army engine supply side as as well which would be a whole other side. 

Our first power driver for our tree cutting implement were farm tractors. Mostly IH because the pto was out side. If memory serves. 756, 856, 956 and 1056. Then Versitile because the seat would turn to the PTO. The were if memory serves under 200hp powering 5ft cutter heads. Cutting 8 inch trees and under down and chipping them up. They’re anything from skid steers up to 1000hp. Most of my day to day operations clearing pipelines was in the seat of The Versitile 276-9030 and later a Hydro Ax with a 7 foot cutter head up to 300HP. Before retirement I got to mow down giant trees with 1000HP. Those are used for new clear for new construction pipelines. During my time it was mostly maintenance clearing on pipelines. Usually 4-8 inch trees.

[KARNUT]

9 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

Our first power driver for our tree cutting implement were farm tractors. Mostly IH because the pto was out side. If memory serves. 756, 856, 956 and 1056. Then Versitile because the seat would turn to the PTO. The were if memory serves under 200hp powering 5ft cutter heads. Cutting 8 inch trees and under down and chipping them up. They’re anything from skid steers up to 1000hp. Most of my day to day operations clearing pipelines was in the seat of The Versitile 276-9030 and later a Hydro Ax with a 7 foot cutter head up to 300HP. Before retirement I got to mow down giant trees with 1000HP. Those are used for new clear for new construction pipelines. During my time it was mostly maintenance clearing on pipelines. Usually 4-8 inch trees.

Getting off the topic so, later gator.

[dieselfan1]

Got it

26 3500 LTZ Z71 6.6 gasser.

I drove it home and noticed the brake pedal goes down a long way before anything happens.

Normal?

Nice numbers BTW

[dieselfan1]

Yes the license tabs are cheaper here in Minnesota 

2500 in the same truck would be near $1000/year

The 3500 will be $150/year.

Insurance I'll have let you know

[Chuck FB]

11 minutes ago, dieselfan1 said:

Yes the license tabs are cheaper here in Minnesota 

2500 in the same truck would be near $1000/year

The 3500 will be $150/year.

Insurance I'll have let you know

That is vastly different, I had come across something a couple of years back that eluded to a substantial difference in MN but I wasn't sure something so lopsided like that could be true. While I understand some states give grief as in requiring a commercial license plate fee or something to the effect and even a CDL depending on what is pulled, obviously MN has a very different set of rules. It becomes a no brainer in my head anyway as long as there isn't some odd flip with the insurance, to buy a 3500 if residing in MN and would think resale would also show the desire for seeking out a 1 ton for the same savings reason. 

[Chuck FB]

29 minutes ago, dieselfan1 said:

Got it

26 3500 LTZ Z71 6.6 gasser.

I drove it home and noticed the brake pedal goes down a long way before anything happens.

Normal?

Nice numbers BTW

I believe it will carry more than your half ton, "just a little more" !. I see it certainly is fresh off the truck having been built last month. I assume it has the plow package given the 6000 torsion bars and therefore should have the slide in camper rating in the glove box. Something you can always change out if you want to soften the front a bit with lower rated bars.

 

A person would almost have to measure the pedal stroke to some form of normal application pressure to compare the pedal stroke but I can't say I noticed my pedal travelling an excess that made me feel like the pedal was for example going to run out of travel ( sure have had that happen with some vehicles and for understandable reasons and repairs or adjustments required ). I would say if it just feels way off for you and have a chance to talk to service, have them check it out as it may need a re bleed of the system due to some air that never got shoved out of the system or some other odd ball issue like a slow leak. Let them deal with it anyway. 

 

 

[03blackz71]

My brakes were the same way.    Drive it a few hundred miles and let them bed in.   Mine had alot of brake dust the first few weeks and after that they hardly had any brake dust.    Then my brakes were much better.

[Pryme]

47 minutes ago, Chuck FB said:

That is vastly different, I had come across something a couple of years back that eluded to a substantial difference in MN but I wasn't sure something so lopsided like that could be true. While I understand some states give grief as in requiring a commercial license plate fee or something to the effect and even a CDL depending on what is pulled, obviously MN has a very different set of rules. It becomes a no brainer in my head anyway as long as there isn't some odd flip with the insurance, to buy a 3500 if residing in MN and would think resale would also show the desire for seeking out a 1 ton for the same savings reason. 

Dealing with weird registration fees is the least of your worries living in MN. Believe me, I lived there for many years. Luckily I got out when it just started going down hill. It’s really bad no in the twin cities. 

[Chuck FB]

2 minutes ago, Pryme said:

Dealing with weird registration fees is the least of your worries living in MN. Believe me, I lived there for many years. Luckily I got out when it just started going down hill. It’s really bad no in the twin cities. 

And here I thought Minnesota was the new California, the place where the girls are hot and yada yada yada .... so I am now crushed at finding this new revelation. Put another way, if I was to stand outside at one of the colleges in the twin cities as the classes end, I would see a sea of pink, blue, and green haired girls with nose rings streaming out and their soy boy came out of the closet friends in tow ? 

[CamGTP]

Minnesota sucks, lived here for all of my 33 years lol. Don't get me wrong, the state itself is great, the summer weather I do love except for the muggy days. Sure the winters are very cold but I can manage that no problem. The taxes and terrible politics is what makes it suck, they want more and more and more every single year and they say they will help the middle class, fat chance at that. And yes, if you walk outside of some of the colleges, there will be hot blondes and brunettes wearing some very nice stuff that most men prefer, then the others are rainbow hair, 80 piercings and whatnot that just make you wonder. People can be whatever they want to be, just stop pushing it on everyone that doesn't care.

 

Listen to the Garage Logic Podcast if you want to listen to how bad this state has become and how corrupt it is.

 

Tab fees are pretty dumb too. Recently they updated the values of vehicles again, so some people including my parents had to pay the same or more as the vehicle got older. The way it's been and technically still is, as the vehicle gets older, the tab fees become less. My 2016 Silverado was about $400 when I bought it 7 years ago, now it's $125 and will keep going down. Once the vehicle hits a certain age, they all cost the same. After about 10 or so years for most vehicles it never changes, comes to about $60 depending on the county.

Edited September 30, 2025 by CamGTP

[dieselfan1]

1 hour ago, 03blackz71 said:

My brakes were the same way.    Drive it a few hundred miles and let them bed in.   Mine had alot of brake dust the first few weeks and after that they hardly had any brake dust.    Then my brakes were much better.

Thanks for the info.

[Chuck FB]

16 minutes ago, dieselfan1 said:

Thanks for the info.

To add to my last comment about not being shy to talk to the dealer if it just doesn't feel right, also if you can actually see the brake fluid level to determine where that is. I find it very hard to see it as the container the way its made and the fluid being clear its not easy. I don't recall what I could see by removing the cap as there is a screen down inside. 

 

Its always nice to be able to park a vehicle on a cement surface where any leaks from any oils or coolant or brake fluid for that matter will show up that can easily go undetected if parking on a course stone style gravel surface.