Towing question....

[swettysblazer]

How many of you guys have towed a K5 or similar vehicle with a half ton truck? I am going to the Michigan get together this summer, and am debating towing vs. driving the Blazer. I have a 2003 Chevy Silverado 1500 with the 5.3, 4L60E and 3.73 gears. The max towing capacity is 8800 pounds from what I can find. A stock K5 weighs 4,500 pounds, I am guessing mine with the bigger tires and all my gear would weigh about 5200 or so, with gas in it. With a trailer, I would probably be looking at around 7500 pounds give or take. Its about 750 miles give or take one way to Michigan. I have some experience towing, but nothing more than about 50 miles one way. Is this to big of a task for my truck? I don't wanna burn anything up or hurt the truck.

 

[ktmoutfront]

It wouldn't be a fast trip. Weight distribution hitch with anti sway should be used. And make sure the brakes on the trailer are good.
Is it a LB or SB?

 

[76zimmer]

and take it easy on the 4L60....make sure you don't get temps above 200, make sure your cooler is in good shape, even put a bigger one on if you can.
I pulled about 10-11K behind my 6.0 (360tq) all the way to Moab and back and it did hit 200 a couple times in the mountains, and the elevation sucked the power out of it, but it did it.
Just take what the truck will give you, make sure things are in good shape, and as Wade said, equalizer hitch, good trailer brakes, and sway control, and you will be good to go.

 

[swettysblazer]

It wouldn't be a fast trip. Weight distribution hitch with anti sway should be used. And make sure the brakes on the trailer are good.
Is it a LB or SB?

and take it easy on the 4L60....make sure you don't get temps above 200, make sure your cooler is in good shape, even put a bigger one on if you can.
I pulled about 10-11K behind my 6.0 (360tq) all the way to Moab and back and it did hit 200 a couple times in the mountains, and the elevation sucked the power out of it, but it did it.
Just take what the truck will give you, make sure things are in good shape, and as Wade said, equalizer hitch, good trailer brakes, and sway control, and you will be good to go.

Thanks for the input guys. If I do do this, I will definitely be adding a cooler and possibly some other upgrades to make the truck tow a little better. It's that versus driving the blazer out. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet.

 

[ktmoutfront]

And if you brake something at the dunes, you can still get home.

 

[Deuling]

And if you brake something at the dunes, you can still get home.

Yep.


Otherwise like I've told you... I'd rip parts off my blazer to get you home....

 

[mwood1985]

I tow a 88k5 on 40s to the mud bogs behind my 1500. it does fine as long as you keep it about 60 on the highway and dont try to over pull it

 

[496truck]

I would venture to guess with the 5.3 and 3.73s that truck might already have a towing package? That would give it a pretty decent factory trans cooler as well as engine oil cooler. Could be wrong but worth looking into if you haven't already.

You also want to go through that truck and make sure everything is 100% like all the front end parts and all the brake lines.

In 2003 I was heavy into derby cars and towed everything from normal old junk cars to big, heavy Caddys. Had a new 03 1500 ECSB Z71 at the time and put a good 30k miles on it in one year. Towing a lot too. That truck towed really well for everything I put it through. Traveled to western Mass and the Cape, CT, RI, NH and ME to pick up cheap/free cars. Never had an issue towing with that truck, although it was new at the time. Yours is 10 years old now so may be no comparison.

Or you could pull a Captain Ron and just jump in the K5 and go. "If somethin's gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there."

 

[swettysblazer]

I would venture to guess with the 5.3 and 3.73s that truck might already have a towing package? That would give it a pretty decent factory trans cooler as well as engine oil cooler. Could be wrong but worth looking into if you haven't already.

You also want to go through that truck and make sure everything is 100% like all the front end parts and all the brake lines.

In 2003 I was heavy into derby cars and towed everything from normal old junk cars to big, heavy Caddys. Had a new 03 1500 ECSB Z71 at the time and put a good 30k miles on it in one year. Towing a lot too. That truck towed really well for everything I put it through. Traveled to western Mass and the Cape, CT, RI, NH and ME to pick up cheap/free cars. Never had an issue towing with that truck, although it was new at the time. Yours is 10 years old now so may be no comparison.

Or you could pull a Captain Ron and just jump in the K5 and go. "If somethin's gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there."

Thanks Brian. The truck would definitely get checked out to see what it needs and make sure it's gone through.

Although at this point, I think it might be better and easier plus a lot more fun to jump in the K5 and make an epic road trip

 

[tennbowtie]

I built a bumper out of 2x4 square tubing, bought a tow bar and towed my 87 from Tennessee to Nebraska. Just pulled the rear drive shaft and unlocked the hubs, the only problem was a blow out in KC.

 

[Chevy305]

How many of you guys have towed a K5 or similar vehicle with a half ton truck? I am going to the Michigan get together this summer, and am debating towing vs. driving the Blazer. I have a 2003 Chevy Silverado 1500 with the 5.3, 4L60E and 3.73 gears. The max towing capacity is 8800 pounds from what I can find. A stock K5 weighs 4,500 pounds, I am guessing mine with the bigger tires and all my gear would weigh about 5200 or so, with gas in it. With a trailer, I would probably be looking at around 7500 pounds give or take. Its about 750 miles give or take one way to Michigan. I have some experience towing, but nothing more than about 50 miles one way. Is this to big of a task for my truck? I don't wanna burn anything up or hurt the truck.

I was wondering the same thing about my 2000 Tahoe.

 

[496truck]

Although at this point, I think it might be better and easier plus a lot more fun to jump in the K5 and make an epic road trip

You won't regret the memories, good or bad. Shortly after graduating HS I jumped in my 79 Z28 and hit the road to Chicago to go to school out there for a year. Trans lost 3rd gear (TH350) halfway out there, well it would slip into 3rd on down hills or coasting. I had to draft trucks through OH and IN but I made it there. Even limped it around town for a few months before I could replace the trans. But looking back I wouldn't change the experience at all.

Years later I jumped in my mostly stock (at the time) 87 Camaro and headed out to the Pocono area for a Camaro meet with my buddy in his gray primed and green 68 and another in his primer 70 396 4spd. That was an epic road trip too.

These days I have no problem jumping in the K5 and driving 2-4 hours just to go wheeling all day and then drive home.

Hit the road, man! Don't stress about it and just go. YOLO, right?

 

[swettysblazer]

You won't regret the memories, good or bad. Shortly after graduating HS I jumped in my 79 Z28 and hit the road to Chicago to go to school out there for a year. Trans lost 3rd gear (TH350) halfway out there, well it would slip into 3rd on down hills or coasting. I had to draft trucks through OH and IN but I made it there. Even limped it around town for a few months before I could replace the trans. But looking back I wouldn't change the experience at all.

Years later I jumped in my mostly stock (at the time) 87 Camaro and headed out to the Pocono area for a Camaro meet with my buddy in his gray primed and green 68 and another in his primer 70 396 4spd. That was an epic road trip too.

These days I have no problem jumping in the K5 and driving 2-4 hours just to go wheeling all day and then drive home.

Hit the road, man! Don't stress about it and just go. YOLO, right?

Yeah, you're right. I've wanted to drive it out there since the trip was planned, it's just the conscience telling me don't do it

I think I"ll just drive it out there. I need some excitement in my life.

 

[jekquistk5]

Yeah, you're right. I've wanted to drive it out there since the trip was planned, it's just the conscience telling me don't do it

I think I"ll just drive it out there. I need some excitement in my life.

Coming from jersey should be easy, just make sure your brakes are good. The way back I wouldn't push it to hard on 80-90. I would run 60 mph tops. There aren't to many hills after the middle of Ohio. Well except right before the silver lake exit. I used to be one of the half ton tow club going 50 up that hill. Now I smile and wave at 80

 

[swettysblazer]

Coming from jersey should be easy, just make sure your brakes are good. The way back I wouldn't push it to hard on 80-90. I would run 60 mph tops. There aren't to many hills after the middle of Ohio. Well except right before the silver lake exit. I used to be one of the half ton tow club going 50 up that hill. Now I smile and wave at 80

Buying a truck that could tow the Blazer was on my mind when I bought this one last summer. I talked myself out of it because I figured I would always be able to drive the K5 wherever I wanted it. Fast forward six months, and Michigan is in my plans. I should have listened to myself

 

[chulisohombre]

I have done it and with my 1500 blazer. Lol. I never used od and kept it at 55. Any faster an I'd get a sway out of the trailer.

 

[jt512]

Brian, I you do decide to tow it, and I think your truck will do it just fine, just make sure you use a trailer with good brakes and a proper brake controller on the tow rig. The biggest difference I've noticed towing with a light duty vs a hd type truck is the braking ability.

 

[BUDDY]

Flat towed my 72 blazer behind my 2003 land rover discovery from Buffalo, NY to Dallas, TX. Had to keep it under 65 the whole way, but there was little drama. I spliced in the tail lights with some trailer wiring and it worked out great. We bolted the the tow-bar through the bumper into the frame. I also checked all of the bolts every time we stopped.

Later,
Buddy