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08-18-2007, 05:07 PM
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#1 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canton, Georgia, USA
Posts: 1,119
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Blazer Tow Rig?
My wife really wants us to buy a travel trailer and start taking several mini-vacations through the year. We planned to save up money and sell my 91 silverado to buy a newer 3/4 4 door pickup to pull the trailer. Since Vince Y's post on his holiday with the blazer I'm thinking I may try to bypass the newer truck and use the blazer. The problem is that my wife is looking at trailers that weigh more than Vince's.
The point of this post is; What can be done to make the blazer able to handle towing a 32ft. trailer weighing about 8000lbs? Does the wheel base of the blazer make this an all-around bad idea. I'm just tossing the idea around.
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Jeremy (NUBOMB) 72K5 CST 350/350/205 1951 Chevy 1/2 ton North Georgia Group "... And the first rule to being a man is you gotta spend your life doing crap you don't wanna do." Red Forman. |
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08-18-2007, 05:36 PM
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#2 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Rayne, LA
Posts: 2,781
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Re: Blazer Tow Rig?
The short wheelbase is the real killer. It just won't keep a heavy load stable. With a weight distributing hitch the K5 suspension should handle the weight, but the stability would be bad.
I just pulled a 7600lb 31' trailer to the board meet in my 04 crew cab short bed (5.5 ft), it's the 1/2 ton version, with the same wheelbase as the regular short bed extended cabs. As far as stability was concerned it did great, just wish I would've gotten the 3/4 ton with the Duramax! My $.02 ***EDIT*** Now that I went and looked Vince Y's thread, I may have put my foot in my mouth. You can always try it out keeping semi-close to your house, if it doesn't feel good you haven't lost any money by trying it on the K5!
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Steven "If dogs don't go to heaven, when I die I want to go wherever they went." -- Will Rogers R.I.P. Oscar R.I.P. Ratchet 1967 Pontiac GTO - Dad was the Original Owner 1970 Chevy 2wd SWB "Oscar's Truck" 1970 Chevy 2wd Blazer "Ratchet's Blazer" 2013 Chevy 2500HD Crew Cab Duramax/Allison Z71 LTZ "Brown Sugar" 2017 Chevy Suburban "BDB" 2020 Chevy Blazer Premier "Foxy" Member of Louisiana Classic Truck Club (LCTC) Shop Build Last edited by smbrouss70; 08-18-2007 at 05:44 PM. |
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08-18-2007, 08:30 PM
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#3 |
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urban fourwheelin
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,007
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Re: Blazer Tow Rig?
I've towed a 26ft boat and trailer combo, weighed about 6000 pounds. I wouldn't recommend going very far....
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1972 K5 Blazer with Cummins 4BT, NV4500 swap in the parts gathering stage. |
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08-18-2007, 08:43 PM
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#4 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Central Vermont
Posts: 8,537
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Re: Blazer Tow Rig?
I'd think it would be tough on the current blazer suspension.
If you gear up the blazer suspension with towing in mind, that could certainly help. Another big benifit when towing are the tires, get some 10 ply tires on the blazer with a load leveler type hitch with beefed up springs/shocks and I'd bet you'd have a workable combo. Last edited by vtblazer; 08-18-2007 at 08:44 PM. |
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08-18-2007, 09:26 PM
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#5 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canton, Georgia, USA
Posts: 1,119
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Re: Blazer Tow Rig?
I would guess 3/4 ton axles and a beefed up engine and transmission would help, but still dicey due to the short wheel base. All the input is great. I'm just trying to get a feel on what direction I should go.
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Jeremy (NUBOMB) 72K5 CST 350/350/205 1951 Chevy 1/2 ton North Georgia Group "... And the first rule to being a man is you gotta spend your life doing crap you don't wanna do." Red Forman. |
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08-19-2007, 09:44 AM
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#6 |
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Can't wait to retire!!
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Corunna, MI
Posts: 1,575
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Re: Blazer Tow Rig?
My brother pulls a 30' trailer with a 1/2 ton '02 Tahoe but he has a Hensley hitch. I would talk with a few different places that sell campers/trailers and see what they say. The Hensley hitch is an amazing thing, but very expensive. But with it you may be able to pull it with a stock or almost stock set up. As stated above, the short wheelbase may be the biggest problem.
FYI http://www.hensleymfg.com/
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 2009 4x4 Chevy Crew Cab 6.0 1989 4x4 Siverado (270,000 miles) 1972 4x4 Blazer 2007 Chevy Cutaway 1 ton 1970 Corvette (sons project) RIP - CLR 10/11/09 |
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08-20-2007, 01:38 AM
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#7 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 894
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Re: Blazer Tow Rig?
There is a plus-side to the short wheelbase: backing a trailer is a breeze. I love towing my boat with my Nissan Frontier, the thing is like using a tug on an airplane. I can put the 25' trailer anywhere I want to. I would expect that using my Blazer would be just as good, if not better.
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-Chris Building a stripper, one part at a time: 1969 K5, 307, 3spd, 3 seats, hard top. Added Pwr Discs, Pwr Steering, Aux Battery, T-case Skid, Lighted Sidemarkers, HEI, Lock-Right Diff, ECE Class IV Hitch, 32" MT/Rs. Parts to Install: Hand Throttle, Console, Tow Hooks, Dual Horns, AM-FM, Dealer Swing-Away Tire Carrier, Gas Tank Skid. Also building a 1950 Willys CJ-3A and off-roading a 2001 Nissan Frontier on 1-Ton Portals... |
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08-20-2007, 09:18 AM
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#8 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Brookings, SD
Posts: 10,497
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Re: Blazer Tow Rig?
I am sure you know this, but electric trailer brakes would help a lot too.
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Some people are like slinkies, they aren't good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. |
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