Can My 305 Tow?
 

Ive got a '83 reg cab stepside with a 305 and th350 tranny. Would this truck be able to tow a 3200lb car(Corvette) on a car trailer? I dont plan on doing much towing but I am in the military and will be moving soon.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Yes it can. Is it stock?

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Stopping will be a challenge. Please add a brake controller to the truck and make sure the trailer has electric brakes.

Check your hitch over real well and make sure it is rated for the load you will be pulling.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

^^ +1

Before you ever ask if your truck will tow something. Ask if your truck can STOP what you want to tow!!

Getting going is the easy part.. Stopping is the issue!! When in doubt, don't do it!

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Wasnt sure if the 305 was enough power to tow anything. Anyone know how much my truck should be able to tow? I understand the potential stopping issues-anything I can do to help with that or is a brake controller my only option?

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

305 explained- the 305 is the engine designed to do the work of a 350 but for less gas.
If a dodge caravan can tow a boat then why can't a truck?
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Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

i would say the important question is what diff gear do you have? This is more important than 305, which technically could do the job.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Not sure what diff or gears do I have-how can I find out?

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Do you have a spid sticker under the hood on one of the fenderwells?


And/or what is your gvwr rating on the driver's door?


In short, yes it can probably tow it, but it might be slow.

Also, 1/2 ton really isn't the best thing when towing a car trailer, but this sounds like a one-time deal.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

About 10 years ago on a very hot July day I help out a buddy who was in a bind and needed his Corvair towed 150 miles. All I had was my '86 C10 with a 305, sm465 4-speed and 3.08 rear. The trailer was homemade and very heavy (about 5000 lbs and the car about 3000), we had NO trailer brakes and just a universal frame mounted hitch on the truck. I was in no hurry which was good because top speed was about 50 on flat roads and about 25 on hills. The truck did great and the 305 ran like a champ! If your truck is in good mechanical condition, you drive carefully and are familiar with the route you're taking you should have no problems.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

You can tow with just about anything. It might not be safe or efficient, but it can be done.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

but we would rather keep it safe for the drive and all other cars on the road!!!

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

This was my regular race rig for many years (car weighed about 3600 lbs at that time).

Also used this when I moved from Detroit to Phoenix.

I just echo the comments above regarding trailer brakes: stopping is way more important that going.

K

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...01/trailer.jpg

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Stopping is the biggest issue.
Right now all I have for a work truck is a Mazda B3000 and occasionally I have to haul my 16' haulmark with no electric brakes. Good thing it's a stick. It hauls it just fine but not all that fast sometimes. I don't load the trailer anywhere near it's capacity and make sure whatever is in it gives me the proper tongue weight. Now as far as the brakes go that's another story. It has nowhere near enough braking power. I'm sure I make everyone mad around me mad driving so cautious. I only use it local and wouldn't drive it up to highway speeds without electric brakes. If I had a 1/2 ton and the trailer had electric brakes I wouldn't hesitate to move your car.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Lower gears----i.e., 3.73, 4.11 etc. can help with compression braking.

i guess the big issue is does the trailer have brakes?

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

we towed a 12k car trailer truck combo 250miles with my 305/700r4 2.73. It'll tow anything just make sure you watch your gauges in case you have a cooling issue. Plan your stops.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Great thread! Also my favorite view.
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Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

to actually answer your question, yes.
No one has even asked if you have towed anything before, let alone 4500 lbs of weight. So I won’t bother you with brakes, gearing, this that or anything that’s been said 5 times.
Have you ever towed anything? If the answer is no, then you might need to ask your self can “I” safely tow this…

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

The other replys tho are for safty issues, so all the questions need to be addressed when something that has double the weight behind it, IMO should be asked.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

My parents towed an 18-1/2 foot camping trailer with out 77 Impala with a 305 pretty much most of my childhood years. Dad had a brake assist, other than that it hauled it like a champ !

RIZ

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Have you ever seen a s10 or ranger pulling a car on a trailer before?Juts looking up the towing weight on your truck door tag and don't go over it and drive normal you'll be fine.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Wow, now a half ton is too little to tow a car. We're getting a little carried away these days.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

I totally disagree with this statement, Here's my 305 towing. No problems with power (2.73 rear at the time), I did have a working trailer brake controller, no problems at ALL stopping.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x...DCP_0406-1.jpg

Desert

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

A brake controller isn't your only option, but a trailer with brakes is a must. I assume you will be renting a trailer from U-Haul or the like, many of these have surge brakes, which work without needing a brake controller. It is mounted in the coupler, the inertia of the trailer pushing on the truck applies the brakes, the harder you stop the truck the harder the trailer brakes apply. Most veteran haulers frown upon surge brakes, not because of their functionality as a braking system, but because of their weird quirks, such as a sometimes violent bang after you take off from a stop (the surge actuator releasing and taking up the slack from being compressed during braking), and the fact that the brakes tend to apply when backing especially uphill (usually going slow and steady, not gassing it, will limit this).

One of our trailers has surge braking, a retired U-Haul trailer actually, which was beat on for years as a rental, and now beat on by us, still works wonderfully. Sure it's annoying at times, but it always stops fine when needed.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

My open trailer (shown above, post #13) has surge brakes, with four '55 Chevy drums.

Dad and I built that trailer in 1967 and it is still in use. Getting a fresh coat of paint as we speak.

K

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

This, however, is not recommended:

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...08Nov09009.jpg

I wasn't going far but it was a bit more than I was comfortable with. I won't do it again.

I should reiterate my truck is a V6 rather than a 305.

K

I like how things get all out of hand so quickly. 305 is fine you will be fine hauling without a brake controller heck if you don't have one might be safer then setting it up to high and jack knifing your trailer. I guess people don't remember back before most of us were born and people were hauling huge airstram trailers cross country with out brake controllers heck most cases without power brakes or even power steering. did I mention they were using cars and station wagons with little 6 bangers since trucks were for farm use. lol what a world we live in


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Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

i really believe that. And i didn't say you couldn't tow with a 1/2 ton, i just said it probably isn't the best. Try it with a 1/2 ton, then try it with a 3/4 and/or 1 ton. i think you'll like the 3/4 or 1 ton better.

How much does the car weigh?

For what it's worth, i did try towing last year. It was a light 1900lb car and uhaul trailer. Admitedly, the 1/2 supported and handled the weight pretty good (although moving the weight was a different story). Did not have a weight distributing hitch either.

But i feel that if i had used a 3/4 or 1 ton it would be handled even better. It's a case of you don't know what your missing if you have not had the chance to compare. i thinks it's the kind of thing where with a 3/4 or 1 ton, you don't even know the trailer is back there. With a 1/2 ton you know. Even if it does an ok job and towing it.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

I've been towing for a few years with my C10, 305/SM465/2.73. Biggest issue is my trailer has no brakes, please use a trailer with brakes.

The only time I had an issue with stopping was when I towed an Explorer, 6000lbs combined towed vehicle and trailer. Not cool when you get pushed thru a stop sign, but made it to the destination without incident.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

I tow all the time, suburbans, trucks, scrap with my dads 84 seen here with no trailer brakes at all guess I'm just cautious and look ahead.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

20 years ago my parents hauled around a gooseneck horse trailer with a 84 C10 shortbed, with trailer brakes of course. The truck had some trouble with hills when loaded so my Dad re-built a 350 to replace the 250 six! Did quite well with 350/TH350/3.73 combo, my Mom would drive this setup hundreds of miles to riding events.

1/2 ton is capable, there is no doubt about that. 6-ply LT tires and helper springs are good additions to consider, and trailer brakes are recommended.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Actually, it would be interesting to see if 1/2 tons are capable of towing 5th trailers, assuming the trailer was light enough.

This may help with supporting the weight and handling since now the rear axle of the truck is now half supporting the weight(along with the trailer axle) of the trailer

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

I have a friend that hauls one of these for his lawn mowing buisness the trailer itself is 2500 lbs and has two riding lawn mowers in it, but not sure what the weight of one of those are. He tells me the thing tows like a champ. Given that you take an extra 75 to 100 to slow down and dont get stupid when taking off.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Before it recently laid down its life, so that other Chevys may live, this towed a gooseneck stock trailer, pretty light on its own but with 6 or 8 cows in it it was pretty heavy. I think it has surge brakes been awhile since I towed it.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

I won't lie i have towed with out trailer brakes many times years ago.But i never went over 45mph and was always looking around and left my self 3 times the braking distance i needed just in case.

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

Not sure if you were directing your question to me. This one time setup was a borrowed trailer, I didn't realize it at the time but is was about 2800 lbs without a car on it. The Steetrod that's on it was not finished, but weight about 1500 lbs.

I have towed a lot of vehicles over the years, Let me say one important point about towing. Pulling power is not as big an issue as braking. Like Keith said above even his V6 shortbed will tow, its about stopping.
Everyone who has admitted towing heavy loads without brakes (and we all have) is gambling you will never have to panic stop your rig.

I have a class A CDL and have driven every weight combo you guys have seen, Trust me when I tell you when you need to make an emergency hard braking stop and its not there its a scary feeling.

There are many other scenario's which no one can predict, like going down large hills where your load is pushing your tow vehicle or trailers sliding on wet roads, avoiding things (Deer) in the road where you need a separate brake controller.

I know this thread has gone WAY off track, its suppose to be about 305's and towing, but just thought I personally would tell you all how strongly I feel about proper towing and safety.

Desert

PS: Don't forget about proper tongue weight, but that's a whole new thread....

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

We towed a fifth wheel camp trailer with a 1/2 ton (shortbox) my entire growing up years. Made two trips to Phoenix in it (among others).

The only problem there was that there were four of us (plus the dog) in a regular cab pickup (black - with no A/C)....

K

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

heh heh - like this?

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/.../64gtotow2.jpg

Believe me, we thought we'd hit the big time when we started pulling with that old open trailer...

K

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

yep lol found this one kinda cool

Re: Can My 305 Tow?
 

This thread cracks me up. Like some other members I am old enough to remember pulling all kinds of stuff with theses trucks, because this was all we had. My dad had a plumbing company and we used to pull a Case back-hoe all over the place with a regular old 1978 C-20 with a 350. That poor old truck was way overloaded. The back-hoe had to weigh 12,000 pounds without the trailer. He is still in business today, but they pull the back-hoe with a 1 ton diesel and whoever is driving has to have a CDL.
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