Can you cruise at 80+mph in your truck?

[woodwright]

There's kindof a theme in this thread. It's how I feel too. With new vehicles, I just wanna get there. In my old rides the journey is half the fun. And driving a nice old classic on the freeway, most of the traffic slows down to take a look.

[Tito19]

Originally Posted by RIDE-RED 350r

I'd say so!! LOL! I'm guessing about 2600 at 50??

She runs around 2900 @50. But now that I think of it, the speedo is off due to the 35's. So that means the actual speed is above 50mph?

Also agree with Woodwright. The what happens between point A and point B is 100x better in my 69 truck then in a new car. Most the time.

[wilkin250r]

I used to routinely drive my 1972 at speeds of 70+ for a couple hundred miles, but it was also 2wd, so I think it had a little better road manners. No front axle means no death wobble.

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Originally Posted by Tito19

She runs around 2900 @50. But now that I think of it, the speedo is off due to the 35's. So that means the actual speed is above 50mph?

Also agree with Woodwright. The what happens between point A and point B is 100x better in my 69 truck then in a new car. Most the time.

Easy to check...

If you have a smartphone, get yourself a free GPS speed app and check your speedo error...

[americanmusc1e]

I needed to read this thread.

The 2wd trailing arm 67-72s have such good suspension on them that I was worried about a solid axle ruining drivability here on The 75mph I35 and the 85mph 130 toll. But maybe I'm thinking wrong. And I have the bmw for driving fast. (Wish I had a GT car though, the sport-oriented z3 follows every bump in the road. Not fun for long drives.)

[bmchevy1979]

In my truck 350 sm465 3.73 I tend to drive about 70mph on the freeway I occasionally go 80 but I try to limit those to 20-30 mile burst I don't like pushing it that hard even though my truck will do 110mph on a good stretch of road and maintain its just harder on it than I care to do for long trips

[63burb]

My 84 k10 on 35's will do 80 all day and all night no problem...... If I'm going down hill lol up hill I'm doing 55 or less. I love my truck too much to abuse it like that, unless I have a LS swap 5.7 or maybe 6.0 or 6.6 lol with upgrade diff transfer then I would do 75 the most.. Tickets out here in California are not joke..

[Matt Man]

This is why I like my 3.08 gears with 33's...sometimes the power around town sucks, but on the highway she cruises nice at 65mph and 2350rpm.

[72chevyk10]

4.56 and 35's is about 2600 at 60. and what i usually top out at. had it much higher before though and it did fine

[Tas0718]

I have drove my 87 burban 75 mph from central Louisiana to New Mexico and back a couple of time all interstate and it did great. I have a 350tbi with 700r and 3:42 gear with 35" tire.

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Originally Posted by Tas0718

I have drove my 87 burban 75 mph from central Louisiana to New Mexico and back a couple of time all interstate and it did great. I have a 350tbi with 700r and 3:42 gear with 35" tire.

I'm guessing about 1600 at 60mph??

[mattbert56]

Originally Posted by junksaver

Slow down and enjoy spending time in a classic truck.

So true man. So true.

[1976gmc20]

I used to have a 1980 K-10 that I bought new (traded in a 1973 K-20 for it).

It had a 350, four speed, and NP205. It was geared really fast from the factory so you really couldn't even use high gear in town. The tires were whatever came from the factory: highway tread P radials.

Legal limit was 55 back then but down in Northern NM where I was working there were no patrols. So as soon as I crossed out of Colorado I would open her up to 80+ mph and she just purred like a kitten and still got 15 mpg, Handling was rock solid, but of course it was brand new at the time.

So yeah, 80mph is no problem given the right gearing and the steering and suspension are in good shape.

[dieseldawg142]

yeah, i drive my k30 crew at 80 on the highway all the time- 80 KPH!
80 k's is about 50 mph, but with the 39" tires, i'm actually doing 56-58 mph- which is about as fast as the big block likes with 4:56's & a T400 (just under 3 grand on the tach)

[Mr. 250r]

Originally Posted by RIDE-RED 350r

Mr. 250r: Cool name!!

I know right? lol

To add to this i just finished finished replacing my tranny filter on my 89 and i decided to drive it to work and then around town this weekend, work is about 45min away on a regular day assuming missouri drivers aren't being stupid which is very rare ill say. Luckily i was on OT so getting up early meant not a whole lot of traffic so i was able to cruise around 70-75 down the highway.

Coming out of my subdivision requires many turns and 2 big hills, this truck being a stock 1 ton and everything worn out, feels like you were in a boxing match. After i actually got onto the highway and cruising it feels fine.

Took it to bucheits today and bought a weed eater i was running like 70-75 maybe got around 80 no clue on the rpms, between the wind and the stereo i couldn't really hear it very well but i assume its pretty high 4.10s on stock tires 31ish i believe and a th400 i believe that puts it around 3400 for the big block... O well. I would like either another 4l80 or a 4500 hard to decide sometimes i like auto's sometimes i like manuals. 4500 is a toss up i finally got to drive/tow with one they aren't what i expected.

It's hard to compare to my lifted 03 because the suspension is worn out so i don't think its a fair comparison but i am more than willing to drive 65-70+ in it because i understand what the truck is and it will never ride like a Cadillac. The 03 rides much better given the ifs and the worn out suspension one day i hope for custom springs and then ill compare the two trucks until then ill continue getting beat up

I think part of it is accepting what these truck are. I fully accept they will never ride as good as an ifs truck despite what everyone says about custom springs or a 52 swap on the front, the technology vs them is just a different game. Even though the ride may be bad i just don't really care maybe i don't get to drive them long enough for it to sink in but no matter what i drive i don't like driving for hours and hours anyways. It will probably hit me when im older though.

[RedRoad]

Originally Posted by Mr. 250r

i finally got to drive/tow with one they aren't what i expected.

Ive been contemplating the same. What was your impression

[Ranger6202]

I drive my '85 crew cab @ 75-80 mph on the interstate all the time.
LS Lq4 6.0 - TH400 - NP205 - 4.10's - GM 14bolt/Dana44HD on BF 35's. Tach reads about 3k-3.3k
As soon as hunting season is over i'll be swapping out the th400 with the custom 1st/2nd gear (2.96 1st) 4l80 I just finished building to get them RPM's down.

[webfoot]

My 71 K-20 (sold over a year ago) was a great cruiser at any speed and it was my daily driver. That was after new steering linkage, box, rag joint, shocks, and tires. The guy I sold it to drove it from here to seattle then back down the coast to LA where he lived.

I don't know about 80 but I drove it at 75 pretty regularly. Sure, it was up there in RPMs (maybe 3-3500) a bit but this is a SBC we're talking about, not a diesel.

[74CustomK20]

My k20 in my signature does great on the highway, mud, and anywhere really. I've driven it on the interstate, twice, and it did alright. Stayed around 70ish and just floated along. Now? Hell I'm only 22 but don't get in a hurry even lol. I purposely take the highways and back roads in her to enjoy the scenery with the doors off... good memories and times with the little one and old lady!