cargoMAXX

**piper1** · 07-03-2009, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Moot

Piper, was the Allison transmission ever available in a van? I know GM had to castrate the original Duramax to get it to fit into a van because there was not enough room when it was mated to the Allison.

The Allison never made it to the vans. The HD vans got the 4L80 or 4L85 E transmissions which were really great transmissions. The new 6L90 has been available in the pickups for a year or so and it is a winner. I don't think they will turn the full HP potential of the Duramax loose on it tho. The transmission would likely handle it mechanically, the problem is usually the limits of the lock up clutch inside the torque converter. We may possibly see 300 hp and 500 lb/ft of torque, this was what the 4.5L Baby Max engine was going to put out (that program has been cancelled

) as it was supposed to be mated with the 6L90 in half ton pickups.

I would be fine with the de-tuned Duramax and the 6 speed. A 3.73 rear end would give you a very nice drivable and fuel efficient package. Will it get Sprinter type MPG's, doubt it, but if it gets 19-20 the savings on maintenance should equal out. The Duramax is capable of those numbers if you drive it right. 60MPH gets really good mileage out of his 06 Duramax one ton van.

Hopefully, Cargomaxx or whoever builds these things tags them at 9900 GVW. As the body builder, they are the manufacturer of the finished vehicle and they get to decide what the tag on the door says regardless of what GM built it to originally.

I hope they did some research and listened to some expediters!!!

**LDB** · 07-03-2009, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by piper1

Hopefully, Cargomaxx or whoever builds these things tags them at 9900 GVW. As the body builder, they are the manufacturer of the finished vehicle and they get to decide what the tag on the door says regardless of what GM built it to originally.

Why not 9990?

**piper1** · 07-03-2009, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by LDB

Why not 9990?

Thinking of Ontario laws....4500 kg = 9920lb. Us silly Canadians!!

**chefdennis** · 07-03-2009, 02:26 PM

GM tags the incomplete vehicle door jam sticker for the dual rear wheel chassis as 9900 lbs for cargo cutaways, and 10,000 gvw for shuttle van chassis...the shuttle van chassis also makes its way into cargo haulers, i have a unicell quote with ine in mt hands now, the chassis is a new 2008 that is in the Champion bus pool....

I am having a brain fade, but i think the single wheel incomplete tag at either 9200 or 9600 gvw...but i can't remember...but as was said, "coach" builder adds the finish gvw tag and its up to them...here is hoping for at least 9900 on the sigle wheel.....

**oncedrove** · 07-05-2009, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Moot

I sent a p.m. to cargomaxx and am hoping for more info in the future. This could be a nice van for expediting.

Any answers yet?

**Moot** · 07-05-2009, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by oncedrove

Any answers yet?

Nothing yet!

**greg334** · 07-05-2009, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by chefdennis

I am having a brain fade, but i think the single wheel incomplete tag at either 9200 or 9600 gvw...but i can't remember...but as was said, "coach" builder adds the finish gvw tag and its up to them...here is hoping for at least 9900 on the sigle wheel.....

9660lb is the limit for single wheeled chassis.

BUT if I remember right this limitation was put on the vehicles because of tire liability issue back in the 80's. The chassis is actually rated at 12k for a reason.

You can, if I remember right just put a single wheel on the dually axle and drive safely with the right tire. With many of the LT tires having a 2500 lb rating at the low end (5000lbs on the rear axle), the 340lb margin is needed. But if one is to use a 3000lb rated LT tire, then that moves the margin passed the 1000 mark (6000lbs on the rear axle) which is alright.

The thing about silly Canadians is why do they get all the fun by having Bibendum on their trucks?

**Moot** · 07-05-2009, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by greg334

The thing about silly Canadians is why do they get all the fun by having Bibendum on their trucks?

Now there's a guy that looks like he sleeps with little boys and inflatable toys.

**60MPH** · 07-05-2009, 10:57 PM

I called them about the cargomax It has a GVWR of 10,500 (single and dullay) I told the sales guy which is going to the expo that he needs to have one tagged at 10k to sell in this market. There primary focus is on the home delivery market i.e. fedex home delivery. Both the single and dullay are built on the 159" wheel base they just take off the out side wheel on the single verison. It has 14' of cargo space has a door height of 71.2" if I remeber correctly and it is made out of fiberglass with a steel insert, comes in at something like 7300 curb weight.

as for the highest chevy/gmc single rear wheel cutaway you can get from the factory it is 9900GVW for 09 and newer chassis. The model# is CG33503 with a 139" wheel base.

**60MPH** · 07-05-2009, 11:14 PM

Piper for 2010 Gm is throwing in that 6 Speed (not Allison) that they use in the pick-ups. I know they will mate it to the de-tuned D-max and possibly the 6.0 gasser as well, they are also changing the rear axle ratio to 4.10 for a diesel, no mo' 3.73 in a 3500 and 4500 van chassis. Since the 6 speed essentially has double overdrive the highway MPG should not get worse. I believe they are going to go with a 4.56 or a 4.88 in the gasser models that have the 6 speed in them. This will be good because it will give more take off power and less stress on the drivetrain. without hurting fuel economy at highway speeds. P.S. most body manufactures will tag a chassis at what ever you want as long as it does not exceed the manufactures set GVW. I know this to be true!! I know someone with a 3500 chevy chassis with a 177" wheel base that came from the factory as a 14.050 GVW and he had the box Manufacture tag it 10,000 GVW so he does not have to log and he can *safely* but not *legally* haul 5000K in his box.

**Moot** · 07-06-2009, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by 60MPH

I told the sales guy which is going to the expo that he needs to have one tagged at 10k to sell in this market. There primary focus is on the home delivery market i.e. fedex home delivery.

I can understand their target market. Hopefully the company is willing and flexible enough to work with expediters.

Originally Posted by 60MPH

Both the single and dullay are built on the 159" wheel base...

Finally! All of the GM SRW cube vans I have seen are built on the short wheelbase. 159" wheelbase would match up well with a 14' box.

I personally would prefer 12' of cargo space saving a little extra weight. Now if we could get GM to lop off 2 cylinders on the Duramax....

**chefdennis** · 07-06-2009, 12:34 PM

If the will Tag the single wheel unit at 10,000 gvw,(60mph is right, I know we use to be able to have the body builders do it back in the 80-99 wheni sold lt chevy trucks) id be very interested, but not at 10,500....i'd get a cube van....

**piper1** · 07-06-2009, 12:46 PM

Too bad the Baby Max engine program got shelved Moot, while it was still a V8, at 4.5L it was a lot smaller and lighter.

I was hoping to hear that there was 16 feet available for load space (same as a long Sprinter) then you can do 3 skids and have a nice sealed off bunk.

**chefdennis** · 07-06-2009, 01:08 PM

piper wrote:

was hoping to hear that there was 16 feet available for load space (same as a long Sprinter) then you can do 3 skids and have a nice sealed off bunk.

That is THE one reason i keep looking at a unicell cube like the one everyones favorite "Preacher" built....unicell will built that in a 15 ft box, i have the quote...not sure if they could be pushed to a 16 ft'er....

**LDB** · 07-06-2009, 01:17 PM

You can get the Unicell with up to a 17' box. With the 17' box you have 16' 1" usable behind the seats with the seats all the way back. That has always appealed to me as a 3 skids plus dedicated sleeper available option. If you keep the standard driving area roof that makes a shelf in the 'sleeper' area that is rated for up to 200#. That should easily hold lightweight plastic boxes loaded with clothes, plasticware, cereals, chips etc. that aren't super heavy. It sounds like the CargoMaxx may not take over as much of the Sprinter market as it may have originally seemed.