Tomorrow I pick up my dream truck. Although this is really my interim dream truck. The real dream truck would be a brand new HDT to pull the 5th wheel with.
Spotted a 2007 C4500 TopKick at a dealer in San Diego while my wife was shopping for beads and gemstones. Originally was going in to test drive a 2500HD but they didn't have the combo I was looking for. Salesman told me they really would like to get rid of the TopKick. So I looked it over, test drove it and then made the mistake of bringing the wife by to see it on the way out of town. Luckily the dealer wanted to get rid of it really bad, too good of a deal to pass up. nearly the price of a fully loaded 2500HD.
Once the wife sat in the seat, she was sold.
So watch for us around Southern California, Arizona and Nevada on the weekends.
Metallic GreyTopkick pulling a See-Ya 37 foot 5'er.
Wave as you go by.....
Workinrvers said
09:42 AM Feb 12, 2008
Congrats on the new truck!! Sounds like you were in the right place at the right time. Yep a brand new HDT w/ full auto shift would be fantastic but you guys are going to look pretty sharp heading down the highway in that thing.
Speedhitch said
07:53 PM Feb 12, 2008
BearII....Looks good. I know you will get a kick out of it. Happy motoring to you both!
Joe and Sherri
Doncat said
09:34 AM Feb 17, 2008
I sure would like to see some pictures of that truck. Do you have them on a website somewhere?
Haven't had time to take photos but the website above is the company that did the conversion. There are some great photos, our truck looks like the one on the home page, only dark grey in color.
We towed the 5th wheel for the first time last week. The truck was great. There is a hill that with my old 1986 Chevy Dually, I would have to go down in 2nd gear (automatic Trans) and use the brakes about 6 times to stay close to 45 MPH to prevent over revving the engine.
The new truck went down the same hill with the cruise control & exhaust brake on, at 55MPH and I never had to hit the brakes. As far as I'm concerned the new truck paid for itself right then and there.
In the old truck, there had been times when I would reach the bottom of a long grade and have nearly zero brake on the truck and the trailer. I would be physically tired from the death grip I would have on the steering wheel hoping no one would pull out in front of me. I won't have that same problem with the new truck.
HighwayRanger said
11:33 AM Jun 7, 2008
BearII, I may have seen you on I-8 recently. Might that have been you? I drive from San Diego to El Centro every day, so I see a lot of RV's dealing with the big grade from InKoPah down to Ocotillo. I imagine your new Kodiak handles that grade nicely!
Roy
thebearII said
08:23 AM Jun 9, 2008
Well I was in the San Diego area a few weeks ago, closest I got to I-8 was crossing it on the 805 on my way down to and back up from Chula Vista.
The truck handles hills very well. Especially going downhill. On a 8% grade it will maintain 55MPH downhill using the exhaust brake and never having to touch the truck or trailer brakes.
Up hill the new truck is about 20 MPH faster than my old 1986 454 dually and it gets a lot better fuel mileage. Almost 50% better.
I'm glad I finally bit the bullet and bought the medium duty truck.
We will be at the Chula Vista Marina & RV Resort the month of July if anyone is in the neighborhood.
Spotted a 2007 C4500 TopKick at a dealer in San Diego while my wife was shopping for beads and gemstones. Originally was going in to test drive a
2500HD but they didn't have the combo I was looking for. Salesman told me they really would like to get rid of the TopKick. So I looked it over, test drove it and then made the mistake of bringing the wife by to see it on the way out of town. Luckily the dealer wanted to get rid of it really bad, too good of a deal to pass up. nearly the price of a fully loaded 2500HD.
Once the wife sat in the seat, she was sold.
So watch for us around Southern California, Arizona and Nevada on the weekends.
Metallic GreyTopkick pulling a See-Ya 37 foot 5'er.
Wave as you go by.....
Haven't had time to take photos but the website above is the company that did the conversion. There are some great photos, our truck looks like the one on the home page, only dark grey in color.
We towed the 5th wheel for the first time last week. The truck was great. There is a hill that with my old 1986 Chevy Dually, I would have to go down in 2nd gear (automatic Trans) and use the brakes about 6 times to stay close to 45 MPH to prevent over revving the engine.
The new truck went down the same hill with the cruise control & exhaust brake on, at 55MPH and I never had to hit the brakes. As far as I'm concerned the new truck paid for itself right then and there.
In the old truck, there had been times when I would reach the bottom of a long grade and have nearly zero brake on the truck and the trailer. I would be physically tired from the death grip I would have on the steering wheel hoping no one would pull out in front of me. I won't have that same problem with the new truck.
The truck handles hills very well. Especially going downhill. On a 8% grade it will maintain 55MPH downhill using the exhaust brake and never having to touch the truck or trailer brakes.
Up hill the new truck is about 20 MPH faster than my old 1986 454 dually and it gets a lot better fuel mileage. Almost 50% better.
I'm glad I finally bit the bullet and bought the medium duty truck.
We will be at the Chula Vista Marina & RV Resort the month of July if anyone is in the neighborhood.