1/2 ton towing

[ljlackey]

So I wanted to see what people think about towing with my 1/2 ton truck. It is a 97 Chevy C1500 with the Vortec 350 in it. I am wanting to occasionally town my 88 K5 which weighs roughly 5000 pounds. My thoughts to even attempt this would be to install a transmission cooler with extra fan and beef up the brakes on the truck. I would also install an electric brake controller and have brakes on both axles on the trailer. below are the vehicles...

Tow rig...

K5...

 

[buffblazer]

What's your gearing on the 1500?

Might wanna look into getting either air Bags or helper springs for the rear.

If it's just a tow rig might wanna consider regearing due to the trans is gonna be hunting 4th gear all the time.

Or leave it in 3rd

 

[black dawg]

how heavy is the trailer?

I wouldnt tow that much with a half ton, BUT Ive had my 1 ton crew for about 10 years, and just dont feel comfortable towing with anything but it.

 

[jekquistk5]

I have towed with some shady and underpowered setups. Now I will not tow anything but a newer properly setup diesel. Your setup will work, just do not expect to hit 70 with it. Stay around 55 or lower and you will be fine.

 

[ljlackey]

The trailer has not been bought yet but it would be a flat deck 18' trailer rated for 10,000lbs. I am trying to decided on spending the money to beef this one up or just get a used 3/4 ton gasser. Diesels are still kinda pricey for me right now. Kinda hard to get rid of a paid for vehicle

I am going to possibly look at a 2000 Silverado 2500 EX cab 4wd with a 6.0 in it. It only has 105K on it and they dealer wants 8,000 for it.

 

[black dawg]

With fuel prices the way they are (atleast here, diesel is .80 more) I would look for a gasser 3/4 or 1 ton. And a 350 will tow that just fine and get very close to the same mpg that you do now.

 

[jt512]

The trailer has not been bought yet but it would be a flat deck 18' trailer rated for 10,000lbs. I am trying to decided on spending the money to beef this one up or just get a used 3/4 ton gasser. Diesels are still kinda pricey for me right now. Kinda hard to get rid of a paid for vehicle

I am going to possibly look at a 2000 Silverado 2500 EX cab 4wd with a 6.0 in it. It only has 105K on it and they dealer wants 8,000 for it.

Figure the trailer is going to be in the 2-3k weight range ( my 10k tilt weighs 2800 and my old 10k fixed was 2100) so that combined with the k5 puts you around 7-8 k total. That is do able with a 1/2 , but if you are pulling any decent grades or mountains, I don't see it being pleasant with the old 350 , not to mention the braking system and the rear axle itself just aren't designed for sustained use like that.

I've spent a lot of seat time towing my equipment with my 00 cummins, my new 11 cummins and a 03 Chevy 2500hd with the 6.0 (4.10 diffs). The Chevy does a decent job, on flat ground or mild hills it's pretty good honestly, mix in some inclines and the diesels just laugh at it, anything under 10k and you forget you are towing with my 11.

Fuel mileage is pretty miserable with the gasser pulling also, the Chevys drop into the single digits, while my 00 averages out around 16mpgs pulling 8-9k. So even with decent differences in fuel prices, the diesel still ends up being cheaper to tow with when you factor in gallons used.

 

[thatK30guy]

Take a look at the rearend. Some of these trucks came out with 14SF rears. If its equipped with that rear, I'd tow it any day. But plan on adding some kind of help for the rear springs such as add-a-leaves, air bags, etc.

But if its got the 10 bolt rear, you're on your own with that. I wouldn't recommend it but thats not to say it hasn't been done because theres tons of fools out in the world today doing things that these rears are not rated for.

My boss has a '98 C1500 Sub at work for his company car and the idiot had me put on a Class IV hitch on it so he could tow a skidsteer on a trailer. We have a '90 F250 4x4 which would tow better if it had lower gears than the 3.54's but the boss still swears the Sub tows 100 times better than the Ford.
I shut my mouth and just went along agreeing with him. Can't wait for the rearend to snap in half some day.

 

[buffblazer]

I am going to possibly look at a 2000 Silverado 2500 EX cab 4wd with a 6.0 in it. It only has 105K on it and they dealer wants 8,000 for it.

Careful with those motors, the first few years of the 6.0's had some
Issues. I believe something about a piston issue. They corrected it in 05 I believe.

Not saying it's a bad motor just saying the first Gen had a few problems

 

[buffblazer]

And if you looking at stuff around 8k why not a decently milage cummins? Bet you could find a mid 90's in your price range.

 

[jt512]

Careful with those motors, the first few years of the 6.0's had some
Issues. I believe something about a piston issue. They corrected it in 05 I believe.

Not saying it's a bad motor just saying the first Gen had a few problems

Maybe early early ones, our 03 4wd has 363,000 miles and the engine and trans are basically untouched , and our 02 2wd has 295,000 miles and the same story both are 2500hd's , ext cab short beds, and both have towed and hauled from the time they left the dealers lot.

 

[ktmoutfront]

I will make you an offer.

When I get back to the springs in a week, you can bring your truck over and drag a 3k trailer around. Then put the K5 on it. I even have the weight distribution and anti sway on it.

You would need a brake conrtoler in it.

Would give you a good idea at what you are looking at doing. Without waisting money on something that won't work.

 

[jt512]

Take a look at the rearend. Some of these trucks came out with 14SF rears. If its equipped with that rear, I'd tow it any day.

Wasn't that only 4wds , or at least only 6 lug rears ? The OP's truck is a 5 lug (from the pics) so I was assuming it's a 10 bolt.

 

[thatK30guy]

Wasn't that only 4wds , or at least only 6 lug rears ? The OP's truck is a 5 lug (from the pics) so I was assuming it's a 10 bolt.

Not sure since I don't have knowledge in the IFS trucks.

I do know the 454SS trucks came with 5 lug 14SF's.

 

[jt512]

Not sure since I don't have knowledge in the IFS trucks.

I do know the 454SS trucks came with 5 lug 14SF's.

I'm not sure either , my father used to have a 95 2500 4wd that had a 6 lug 14 sf , but that's the extent of my experience with that gen. I do remember the SS trucks having one now that you say it.

 

[buffblazer]

My brothers 93 1500 4x4 has a 6 lug SF 14 bolt in it

 

[buffblazer]

Maybe early early ones, our 03 4wd has 363,000 miles and the engine and trans are basically untouched , and our 02 2wd has 295,000 miles and the same story both are 2500hd's , ext cab short beds, and both have towed and hauled from the time they left the dealers lot.

Might just be a hit and miss thing cause the piston issue was known on all 6.0 and 8.1's until they changed it for the 05 models.

Good to know your motors are running strong at that milage. Hell those are good miles for any gas motor lol

 

[buffblazer]

Also since your in colorado check out craigslist. I know there are a few duramax's under 10k on there with high and decent milage. Of course they are gonna have a few issues but hell it's not like it's a new truck lol

 

[ljlackey]

It is a 5 lug 10 bolt rear. I had thought about changing the rear out to a 14blt as well but wasnt sure about it. Also what would yall consider "high mileage" on some of the diesel motors? Ive seen quite a few for cheap but they were either pushing 200,000 or over it a ways. Seems kinda high to me even for a diesel

My ideal truck would be a 350/3500 dually crew cab but the money isnt there for it. Just got a 2009 Malibu last year and one car payment is enough right now.

 

[buffblazer]

There is an 80's model crew cab dually with a cummins in it in Colorado craigslist you might wanna check out.

High Milage for a diesel is over 250k. Hell usually if you can find one under 200k that's great cause all the stuff that goes out around 80-150k has been replaced