# A new tow truck



## Dave J (Jan 20, 2003)

Well I asked in some other forum and got no answer will try it here and espically since I have found this one to be better! wanting opinions or first hand knowledge of any one pulling (5th wheel) with the new Sierra Denali! That is the one with Quadrasteer. Everything says it makes trailering so much better. I can understand how! But all I have read only mentions trailers on a ball. So it simply has to make 5th wheels that it is capable of, even more handlable!  any notions? :question:    Dave J


----------



## hertig (Jan 20, 2003)

A new tow truck

Well, it is possible that the technology is great.  Let us look at the practical side, though.

1) This is a new, rare feature.  We don't know how well it will hold up, how much trouble it is to maintain/repair, or how disasterous a failure would be (could it fail so that the rear wheels would be free moving or locked in a turned position?  Is there any provision to manually lock the wheels in a centered position?).  Plus, it is only available with All Wheel Drive, which also must be analyzed for reliability and maintainance/repair costs.

2) Only 1 truck is available.  It is a short bed, light 1/2 ton, with 6L engine.  This is a combination which works well only with the very lightest of trailers.  You'd have to find the specs to be sure, but I doubt you would be comfortable towing much more than 5000 pounds and possibly not even that.  

3) Because of the above, we don't have any way of knowing how well it will meet 5th wheel needs, and at its price, it would be a very expensive experiment.  MSRP is $45000, Internet price is $38600.

4) You'd probably have to relearn how to back, although it is certainly possible that this system would make backing (and maneuvering in general) easier.

I'd give it a few years before I'd consider it.  By then, there will be some history, and if any good, it should be available in any truck you might want.


----------



## Gary B (Jan 20, 2003)

A new tow truck

Hi DaveJ, I agree 100% with John, I'd never buy someting that complicated in its 1st or 2nd year. I know that Honda came out with a rider lawn mower with this type of steering and it bombed, not that a lawn mower and truck are the same but Honda has a reputation for great engineering and it didn't go over, so I really wonder about a $45000.00 1/2 ton truck. JMHO


----------



## Dave J (Jan 20, 2003)

A new tow truck

thing of it is, THIS is the second year for it!IT is avail. in the Chev Silverado, even tho GMC had it out FIRST IN THE Sierra. Now GMC YUKON ALSO. Not avail in v6 but v8 6.o vortec ONLY! has 4.10 axle. has switch to select 2ws,4ws, and 4ws tow! has fail safe that returns to 2ws IF there were a problem. Specs say this (Sierra Denali) has 10,000# trailer ability!! call it a 1/2ton if ya want to! Me I have retired from a Delphi electronics factory in Cent In. and tell ya you might as well put faith in electronics abilitys cause it is not going away. OH yea, and with all the other goodies, one year free "on star" subscription. soon you will see what this Quadrasteer will do to the tow vehical thingy.


----------



## BarneyS (Jan 20, 2003)

A new tow truck

DaveJ, 
Sounds like you are sold on it.  Go for it!


----------



## C Nash (Jan 20, 2003)

A new tow truck

The cows seemed to be awed by its backing ability :laugh: but remember the corvairs, vegas, converted diesel flop.  I have to go along with John and Gary and I am a GM man.  Had to put a piece of tape over that dog gone ford emblem on the Motorhome but now have a Chev. Tracker, yes I know it is a issui but it has a bow tie on front and I can see in in the rear monitor :laugh: pushes that ford MH pretty good :approve: .  1/2 ton and 10,000 # I dont know about that.  Right now and I hate to say it but, for 45000 I would go powerstroke until the duramax is a proven diesel. All just an opinion from some one that just has opinions :laugh:


----------



## hertig (Jan 20, 2003)

A new tow truck

Even if there were a few of them out a year ago, that does not add up to a valid statistical basis for any kind of track record.  10000# trailer capability sounds like they are fudging it, but perhaps it is so capable.  Usually 5th wheel capability (in a 1/2 ton) is less than a TT because even though the truck can pull a lot, the rear axle weight limit won't handle much of a pin weight. 

But someone's got to blaze a path for the rest of us, so if you have the money to spare, go for it, and let us know how it works.  Go to www.carsdirect.com to get the lowest price on it.


----------



## Dave J (Jan 20, 2003)

A new tow truck

http:www.elepent.com/review.php?nr=233    Try that.But yes I will have one eventually. for now I have a 03 Sierra   5.3 vortec with 3.73 axle it took my 03 cougar 24' 5th wheel fron north central In. to Chattanooga Tn and back no problems! the temp. gage NEVER flucuated one iota from normal driving. but yes I want the 6.0 vortec for some extra!! I think my employee discount will beat anything I can find on the web. yep time will tell about how this steering manor changes things. I figure next model year will see the same thing in everybody else's 1500 or 2500 truck, at least one truck by them. they just gotta call it by some other name.  look here too  http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/gear/trucks/article/0,13285,195248,00.html  EXCEPT the picture in this link is NOT the Sierra Denali, only the artical is about it!


----------



## Dayle1 (Jan 21, 2003)

A new tow truck

Dave, Regarding Quadrasteer and 5th wheel towing here are my thoughts.   On the highway, the truck will 'sidestep' resulting in faster sideways movement of the king pin.  Can this create some stability problems?  What about stress on the pin assembly?  If the hitch has side tilt that is not locked out, then the trailer may lean as the truck moves sideways.  All this should be slight, but it will be different.

  While backing, the tow vehicle will basically have a smaller turning radius but the same length.  So any manuver will happen faster.  If it is a short bed w/o slide hitch, then it may simply result in a higher occurance of vehicle damage.  There will be some tight places where there is insufficient manuvering room at the front wheels and having the rear wheels also steer will be a big advantage.

  But here are some rough facts.  A short bed non-slide hitch has a maximum turning angle of around 65 degrees.  Bumper pulled TT's can only turn about 50 degrees.  So this is more of a benefit to TT's than to 5th wheels.  TT's don't have slide hitch options or long beds to allow them to get to 90 degrees.  Finally, the steering wheel has a maximum angle of about 37 degrees on cars and light duty trucks while MDT's are about 54 degrees.  A speed sensitive variable steering angle from 37 to 54 degrees might be a better option.  Quadrasteer may get really expensive in order to be beefy to handle the high pin weights of most 5th wheels.


----------



## J. W. (Jan 24, 2003)

A new tow truck

I thought that the "Quadrasteer" was electronically shut off at highway speeds (above 40 mph).


----------



## TEAMNIX (Jan 29, 2003)

A new tow truck

The quadrasteer system does have safety features in case of failure. If the computer detects a problem the system motor will drive the rear wheels back to a straight position. If the electronics fail the system is also spring-loaded to reposition the wheel to a straight ahead position. 
The system also has a control to lock out the quadrasteer if desired. (I believe it also has a third position for trailer towing that is not as severe as normal quadrasteer).
The system moves the rear wheels opposite the front wheels for a sharper turning radius below about 42 mph. Above that speed it moves the rear wheels slightly in the same direction as the desired turn.
So far I haven't heard anyone unhappy with the system (yes, it's still too early to tell how many problems will appear later). There are a number of postings at pickuptruck.com if you're interested.
Hope this helps....


----------

