Towing with a lifted truck(Feedback-Thoughts)

[sponsoredbydad]

Been looking at 97-04 2500's both GMC and Chevy with Duramax diesel. Several have been lifted from 4 to 7 inchs. They look nice but I'm concerned about towing with them and the handling and premature front end wear. What your opinion on this? Would it be better just to stay stock? I am going to look at one this morning and will get some pics

EDIT: Truck looked like poop in person. (not even picture worthy) the 7in of lift did not even look safe much less towing with it.

 

[WyoSquareMan]

its done every day and I myself have done it with my square burb 4in. w/33s but its all I had,I don't like doing it that's why im reviving an 86 cc dually but my thoughts on it is that automotive manufactures have spent hundreds of thousands (probably more like millions) not to mention decades on research and testing and figuring out the necessary geometry to handle towing aswell as daily driving and any time you lift a truck you are drastically changing all of this and adding unwanted stress on components and we haven't even talked about tires yet. so I guess my point is if you want a good reliable truck that is gonna tow well get something that is factory ride height and leave it stock stock is hard to beat for realworld reliability and driveability but just my two cents im no engineer and im only 21 have a good night buddy

 

[max 02]

its done every day and I myself have done it with my square burb 4in. w/33s but its all I had,I don't like doing it that's why im reviving an 86 cc dually but my thoughts on it is that automotive manufactures have spent hundreds of thousands (probably more like millions) not to mention decades on research and testing and figuring out the necessary geometry to handle towing aswell as daily driving and any time you lift a truck you are drastically changing all of this and adding unwanted stress on components and we haven't even talked about tires yet. so I guess my point is if you want a good reliable truck that is gonna tow well get something that is factory ride height and leave it stock stock is hard to beat for realworld reliability and driveability but just my two cents im no engineer and im only 21 have a good night buddy

Well said young man!

 

[sponsoredbydad]

Well said young man!

I would have to agree also.

 

[WyoSquareMan]

Thanks I appreciate that

 

[K85 Octane]

You should watch the rigs roll into Pismo for the July 4th weekend. Or Dumont and Glamis for Halloween/Christmas/New Years. I'm sure you've see them SBD, big diesel trucks with big lifts towing huge toyhaulers.

I've whored this pic out before. 4" lift and 35s. Handles a camper and 16' toy hauler just fine, shockingly well actually.

 

[ChrisPerry]

My 02 GMC 2500HD Duramax did great hauling my K5 to the bash this year.It's 2wd with a 6" front, 4" rear with air bags, and 35" tires. While in Utah we were moving along at 80+ for over a 100 miles at a time. It towed as good as stock IMHO.

 

[4xcrazy]

It only took 3 years to get any replies to this question....

My '89 Burb does just just fine pulling trailers and whatnot with it's 4" lift sitting on 35's.

gearing, braking and proper tongue weight. Don't overload the tongue weight, or load the trailer too heavy on the tail or front and you shouldn't get any weird driving habits out of the truck.

 

[WyoSquareMan]

and like I said it is done every day

 

[Avery4jc]

Old thread but good topic.
Towing with a lifted truck can be safe but you need to keep in mind the limitations of the setup. Not all trucks are created equal and all these new HD's from the big three have amazing power, brakes and chassis that put up with a lot more than trucks even from the 90's and definitely from before.
Good tires, overload springs (or preferably air-bags), well loaded trailers and properly setup brake controllers go a long way in towing with a lifted truck.

 

[dremu]

Seems to me like the trailer should be waaay tail-heavy there, or is the front also heavy and the trailer is more balanced than it looks?

(That's based on a careful n-th level analysis using actual weight quantification via me, you know, looking at a picture of one angle )

-- A

 

[Avery4jc]

Seems to me like the trailer should be waaay tail-heavy there, or is the front also heavy and the trailer is more balanced than it looks?

(That's based on a careful n-th level analysis using actual weight quantification via me, you know, looking at a picture of one angle )

-- A

It was actually pretty tongue heavy, look at my dodge squatting. The turret punch is a big sheet metal box minus it's big cast iron backbone. That mill up front is a ton of cast iron and definitely heavier than it appears.