gonna be picking up a car this weekend need advice

[freeflow]

Im gonna be buying my buddies 94 ford probe gt with a bad motor for $700 this weekend and i need to get it from his place to my place and thats about a 2 hour drive. Im just gonna rent a tow dolley for the day and go and pick it up, but i wanna know do u think my truck will make the trip ok??

87 reg cab long bed 1/2 ton 350-700. The car weighs about 3 thousand im told so i dont think the truck would have a problem making the trip.

what do you all think??
Brad

 

[90v1500]

You sholdn't have a problem pulling it... just remember to tow it in D not OD.

 

[dhcomp]

have a friend with a 3/4 ton rent a trailer for you. A car trailer would be better if its a light one, you just cant' legally rent one with your truck.

Either that, or get k20 badges for the trip to the uhaul store

 

[blazersnburban]

really...uhaul won't rent those dollies unless you have a 3/4 ton or bigger? i've seen people around here drive off pulling them behind a bonneville!

 

[dhcomp]

They won't rent you a trailer w/o a 3/4 ton for insurance reasons. I don't know about a dolly. I just said i'd reccomend a trailer.

 

[64suburban]

You sholdn't have a problem pulling it... just remember to tow it in D not OD.

I have never heard that before, what will happen if he pulls it in OD, and is that the same for a stick shift? Would you pull it in 4th gear instead of OD?

Also in TN Uhall won't let you have a car hauler unless you have a class three hitch.

 

[dhcomp]

I hope the hitch on that blazer is class 3. I thought all the stock ones were class 3 or 5.

 

[scooter122983]

If you tow in od you will put excess strain on the engine and wear it out faster same with using a/c. A manual im not sure on but as a rule of thumb always accelerate in the lowest possible gear without going too low. once you are cruising it can be sent into od or 5th.

 

[dhcomp]

I think the deal with OD is the 1/2 ton trans often hunts between OD and D to maintain speed when towing. THis generates excess heat, and heat kills 700R4's....... With a 4l80e you are normally ok in OD unless towing really heavy stuff.

 

[krechj]

when i use to race i'd rent huge heavy duty auto trailers and hauled it with my car on it with my 1/2 ton to the track and back fine. i towed my blazer on a trailer for a 3 hour trip with a 1/2 ton ford and that was fine. but my truck doesnt have any badges on it so maybe they didnt know it was half ton when renting me a trailer?

 

[krechj]

and pretty sure your suppose to tow in D and not OD to save your tranny, the engine could care less really

 

[rafterman191]

If it is the Probe with the Mazda engine, you may be paying too much. They are expensive little boogers. Look to pay out the nose at a junkyard for them. I had a buddy just give $250 for a '96 with a bad motor. It was a PINT to swap out the motor, and he had to look for a couple months to find a motor at a reasonable price (actually knew someone at a junkyard who was hard up). Unless the body is immaculate, and tranny is guaranteed, I say $700 is too pricey.

 

[64suburban]

I hope the hitch on that blazer is class 3. I thought all the stock ones were class 3 or 5.

A class 3 hitch is like what they sell at Uhall or a drawtie, that bolts directly to your frame. If you just have your trailer ball sitting on your bumper they will turn you away, or at least just in my experience. I have rented one before and I have went with a friend to rent one on another occasion and he couldn’t rent one because he didn’t have a class three. When I rented a trailer before that I have a whole ton 3500 dodge, with a class 3.

Here is drawtie’s site and a picture of a hitch, and yes I believe some trucks do come stock with one but they might of had a towing package or something, I’m not real sure.

http://www.drawtite-hitches.com/site_index/towproduts2.htm

 

[dhcomp]

Yah, thats what i meant. Didn't even remember teh bumper ball setup, as i ALWAYS think that is a joke.

 

[90v1500]

and pretty sure your suppose to tow in D and not OD to save your tranny, the engine could care less really

Yeah, the pressure's too low in OD and the trans burns up...

 

[64suburban]

Yeah, the pressure's too low in OD and the trans burns up...

So is that the number one reason for trans failure, heat? And what if you had a turbo350, since it dosn't have OD would it just be fine to go at it? Could you tow in OD if you have a trans cooler besides the factory one that's in the radiator if heat is the only problem? Just wondering.

 

[stizkidz]

Dude... $700 for a Probe? With a bad motor?????? WHAT!

 

[kgillyk5]

I just picked up a 93' probe GT and rented a dolly to pull it home. I used my 90' TBI Blazer w/ 700R4, ext. tranny cooler and ext. tranny filter (adds a little more capacity to help keep things cool) and had no problems.

This was from upstate NY to Mass and back (about 260 mi round trip). The Mass pike is all hills and I kept it in D @ 60MPH the whole way. Got passed by everybody!

Just remember, if the probe is lower then stock you will be able to pull onto the dolly but you wont back it off without ripping the front clip off. The stock probe I picked up got hung up on the dolly ratchets and almost tore it up unloading it..........Also, I payed $400.00 for a fully functional GT. I wouldn't pay any more then $300.00 for a parts car.

Good luck.

 

[90v1500]

Heat if the main cause of failure in the 700r4 but even with a extra cooler it's not a good idea to towing OD with it. Towing in D is the same ratio as a TH350, 3rd gear in both is 1:1. Towing in D will keep the engine RPM's up and better fluid flow through the trans and help keep it cooler, but a extra cooler is always a good idea...

 

[76zimmer]

700 do not tow in OD, or even a heavy load in the bed. The trans cannot handle it, the engine will be fine. Do you have a trans cooler? It would be good insurance, but if your only at 3000lbs should be ok without it, unless you get into a strong headwind or long hills, remember heat kills auto trannys.