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87 1/2ton 4x4 burb tows toy hauler?

mini_mull

mini_mull

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jan 22, 2005
Posts
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Location
Queen Creek, AZ
Hey got a few questions for you guys that tow a lot. I just got a screamin deal on a 87 1/2ton 4x4 stock burb and am planning a build up for the next few years (I like to have everything planned out ahead of time so I don't end up buying stuff twice). It'll be used as a DD for the family, offroading, hunting (we like to go to some pretty rough spots), camping, general towing, and everything else I can think of. For now it will only be towing a utility trailer with some quads and maybe a camping trailer once or twice a year. However, in about 2-5yrs we plan on buying a toy hauler, probably 20-22ft (estimate 5K dry, 9K loaded?). I'm planning a GM crate HT 383 for this fall, a beefier 700R4(bowtie or JET), tranny cooler, 2-4" lift, 33x12.50s BFGs, rear disc brakes, chromoly axles, ARB, etc (I think that's everything that pertains to towing). My main question is will I need/want to upgrade to a 14BFF and Dana 60? Also anthing else that will need changed over to 3/4 ton? Or maybe can I get away with beefin up the 10 bolts and save some dough on upgrades and gas?
 
Dont waste your money on a D60 in a towrig. Deffinatly go for a 14 bolt out back and 8 lug front. I like all your plans except the axles. Do not spend any more than you have to on the stock axles, just bite the bullet and shell out $200 for a 14 bolt ff (**** an SF would probably do just fine for you) and whatever you need to make the front 8-lug.
 
I like your plan and am somewhat familiar with your engine plans from your other thread. Your plan with the HT383 and a nicely built up th700R4 is an axcellent plan. I would probably go with 4.10 gears with the 33" tires and all you need is a 3/4 ton 14BFF and matching 3/4 ton 10B with 8 lug hubs. Both 3/4 axles are a DIRECT bolt in. I would add 3/4 ton spring packs to the rear. With this drivetrain above, it should handle a 9K toy hauler very well. You DEFINANTLY don't want to mess with your current 10B's with that much weight because they are just too weak for that kind of weight and power. Not to mention that would be a scary load with 1/2 ton brakes, the 3/4 brake setup made a WORLD of a difference when I towed with my K5. I have basically the same drivetrain listed here besides my 35" tires and have pulled 8K on several occasions without a problem, a burb chassis would provide more stability.

My dad's '98 1/2 ton burb pulling our 7K snowmobile trailer is about all it can handle. THe vortec 350 is powerfull enough, it's the light duty suspension and brakes that make it max out.
 
I kinda have the same question.

my setup currently is a 85 k10 with 10bolts, 4in lift, 33s, 3.08 gears and a heathly 350 with a sm456.
i want to get a car trailer and tow my 77 K20, currently 5300 lbs.

What i'd like to do is get a dana44/14ff with 4.10 gears, new rear springs (my 1/2tons are worn). i'd also like to go to 6in since i'm going to be changing my rear springs and axles... why not huh? And I would want to run 35 in tires. I also need a receiver hitch. do you have any good recommendations on a receiver and is my truck going to be too high to tow with a 6" and 35s?
 
mini_mull said:
Hey got a few questions for you guys that tow a lot. I just got a screamin deal on a 87 1/2ton 4x4 stock burb and am planning a build up for the next few years (I like to have everything planned out ahead of time so I don't end up buying stuff twice). It'll be used as a DD for the family, offroading, hunting (we like to go to some pretty rough spots), camping, general towing, and everything else I can think of. For now it will only be towing a utility trailer with some quads and maybe a camping trailer once or twice a year. However, in about 2-5yrs we plan on buying a toy hauler, probably 20-22ft (estimate 5K dry, 9K loaded?). I'm planning a GM crate HT 383 for this fall, a beefier 700R4(bowtie or JET), tranny cooler, 2-4" lift, 33x12.50s BFGs, rear disc brakes, chromoly axles, ARB, etc (I think that's everything that pertains to towing). My main question is will I need/want to upgrade to a 14BFF and Dana 60? Also anthing else that will need changed over to 3/4 ton? Or maybe can I get away with beefin up the 10 bolts and save some dough on upgrades and gas?
Click to expand...


I'd shoot for finding a semi-float 14 bolt and just go with it (sometimes it just easier to find a matched set of 10bolt-D44/14 bolt and swap both ends though). 10 bolt rears SUCK for towing. I love your 383/700 combo to drag the toy hauler. ARBs are KEWL, esp. for a daily driver type rig (although the Eaton electric locker looks pretty interesting). I wouldn't worry about the D60 front unless you're planning on wheeling it pretty hard. If you are wheeling it pretty hard, you might not want to depend on it to tow your trailer etc. back home.


eclipse said:
I kinda have the same question.

my setup currently is a 85 k10 with 10bolts, 4in lift, 33s, 3.08 gears and a heathly 350 with a sm456.
i want to get a car trailer and tow my 77 K20, currently 5300 lbs.

What i'd like to do is get a dana44/14ff with 4.10 gears, new rear springs (my 1/2tons are worn). i'd also like to go to 6in since i'm going to be changing my rear springs and axles... why not huh? And I would want to run 35 in tires. I also need a receiver hitch. do you have any good recommendations on a receiver and is my truck going to be too high to tow with a 6" and 35s?
Click to expand...


My old truck was very similar to yours. I swapped in a D44/14 bolt with 4.10 gears, 4" lift with 33" tires when I did my big block swap (402). Honestly, it would tow almost anything. Used a little fuel, but for what it cost me, it was well worth it.

For a tow rig, I'd stick to 4" lift or less, though. My drop hitch was kind of big with the 4" and 33" tires. I think any class IV hitch would cover your needs.
 
For 33" tires you don't even have to lift the truck. I converted my K10 with a 10 bolt front, 14SF rear with gov-loc, and 4.10 gears. Then went to 285/75R16 tires. Minor rubbing until I broke out the 5 lb hammer and bent the corners back a little. Not even enough to be noticeable.

5360stuffed.jpg


This is my tire stuffed pretty good on a hill climb from last weekend.
 
As much I as I love the height of my 77 driving it right now. I think a 4in and 33s for dd/towing is more practical... plus my 3/4ton swap with out going to a 6in lift will save me alot of money since I already have a 4in. What really bothers me about my lift is my rear is barely if not lower than the front. If I got a good set of springs in the rear to bring it up and inch so, I"d probably be happy with my 4in lift. Since I dont wheel my 85 much anymore, I might be able to stuff 35x12.50x16.5s on a 4in... Just got an issue how 33s look on 16.5s


Truck current stance. (I guess my rear bumper seems high now looking from that angle)

Picture 017.jpg
 
Thanks for all the good info. Looks like it's unanimous, I'll go with the 14 out back and switch out the front to an 8-lug or swap it out if there's a gear matched D44 front to go with the 14. About SF vs FF, this may be a silly question, but what's the difference, seems like everyone wants a FF, but why? Can I still put an ARB on a SF?

BTW, Eclipse, awesome truck. love the "clean look." Also, where do you plan to get the rear springs to replace your tired ones when you switch out to 14B rear? I was thinking I'd just pull the 3/4 ton springs out with whatever 14B I get my hands on, but now I'm thinking they might be too tired and I'd be better off with new ones. I'm planning on doing the shackle flip, so they'd need to be close to stock height, maybe a little higher since my burb's rear already sags a little, I dunno, what do you guys think?

Oh, and one more thing, why did you guy with 4.10's pick those particular gears and not the 4.27s or 4.56s?
 
4.10s are more common to find already in a 14bolt than 4.56 gears. and 4.27s really haven't seen many of those. I also want the rpms at 65 I'll get with 4.10s.

Thanks for the comment on my truck. I want to go with a 14ff because on a fullfloater none of the weight is on axle making it stronger and more durable and if I"m going to take the time to swap out my rearend, I'm gonna go stout. I do have a 14sf in another project truck I plan to get rid of, don't know what gears it has.

Rear springs.. hmm still unsure. I'll probably keep my 4in lift blocks since I dont wheel hard core with this truck and I"m not turning huge ponys. I might try to find some 3/4ton springs, like a 6 or 7 spring pack in a 52". My 77 has 3/4ton springs w/ overload springs and 4in blocks, I like the heigh in the rear on it, I might try to match that. Or just take its overloads because its my wheeling truck and doesn't really need em.
 
How do you figure you're projected rpms with a certain setup? I know you need the ratios for your tranny, xfer case, and gears, but what do I do with all those numbers?
 
Correct me if I am wrong guys...

But isn't pulling a toy hauler at the loaded weight of 9000lbs too much for this 1/2 ton burb? the dry weight seems fine to me, but pulling over the max towing capacity for the burb. I don't know.

I thought the max tow on most 1/2 tons was around 8000 pounds or so?

I understand with all the upgrades for the 3/4 ton equipment and everything, but what about the stresses to the frame?

For myself... I have bought a 2500 Avalanche with a max tow capacity of 12,000 pounds because I was going to be at my limit with towing my blazer and the trailer on a 1500 Avalanche. I don't mean to kill anyone's enthusiasm for doing upgrades and mods, but I just wanted to point something out.

-James
 
DUDE, this thread is from February!! I don't understand why you'd dig up old threads unless you had a question. Oh, and BTW, for some years 1/2 tons and 3/4 tons had the exact same fame. So a 1/2 ton with a 14BFF or 14BSF, sitffer suspension, and 3/4ton tranny (TH400, 4L80E. etc.) is essentially the exact same machine as a 3/4ton.
 
I don't know I was just catching up from the past when I posted the reply until you actually said something I didn't realize how far back the last message was. But, I figured it was a good response at the time... Now I stand corrected.

-James
 
That's OK. It's nice to have a blast from the past every now and then. I can't believe the questions I was just that long ago. Not that I know that much now, but I guess that's the great thing about CK5, there's always a ton to learn.
 
Yeah I still have a printed page from a thread that tells me Body Mount Bolt sizes and locations. Right now I am in the process of locating all these bolts for the body so that I can eventually replace all my worn our bushings with polyurethanes. But, that won't be for a while. Getting off topic on this one.

-James
 
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