How much weight/length trailer can I tow with a Shortbed K10 - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Destructo · 11-23-2004, 10:01 PM

Alright, heres the question.

I have a 30ft travel trailer that is bumper pull and has a GVWR of 6k lbs, dual axle of course with electric brakes.

The hitch setup consists of a giant 2 5/16" ball with sway and load distribution hook-ups and it will be run with BOTH weight distribution and adjustable sway bar.

Assuming I have a 350 with Holley 4160, Weiand Action+Plus intake, Summit 1101 cam, headers, dual 2 1/4" mandrel bent exhaust with high flow cats and flowmaster mufflers, 4.10 gears with 33x12.5" tires OR 31x10.5" tires with 3.73 gears. 700r4 with B&M 24k lb cooler, corvette servo, .500" boost valve and 10k miles on rebuild.

12 bolt rear axle with 1/2 ton springs and air bags, Class 4/5 hitch (10k lbs).

And of course an electric brake controller.

Will it be alright towing this thing? Its pretty big, we used to tow it with a 79 G30 chevy van that had a 350 and th400 and 14 bolt rear axle. We have towed it a couple times with a 97 Suburban with 5.7L.

The only drawback I can see if the short wheelbase, could cause issues, but the truck is gonna be quite heavy considering its going to have custom bumpers front and rear and a 110lb Warn winch on the front and a Warn bumper on the front and a rear bumper that probably weighs 50lbs more than a factory step bumper.

gchemist · 11-24-2004, 02:29 AM

According to my 83 sales brochure, the towing capacity for a 1/2 ton 4X2 is 1070-2596 total payload. Or 4900-6100 GVW. 4X4s have a slightly higher capacity.
Yes, a LWB truck is more stable than a SWB for towing.

Mike76251 · 11-24-2004, 09:45 AM

If you do this..............leave plenty of room between you and whatever is in front of you......ALWAYS
Your truck brakes will not handle the weight if the electric brakes are worn.
If you haven't checked/replaced the magnets lately.............do it and put some mobil 1 axle grease on your bearings while you're in there.

Also....it would really help to have a seal retainer on the pump in that 700r4. They are cheap insurance.

C-10volvo · 11-24-2004, 10:37 AM

with a stock 305 i've pulled my dads comp ski boat 2 hours each way. its was about 4000 pounds with all the crap we had packed in it. trailer is roughly 24 feet. the trailer had brakes and tandom axles

**76sierraclassic** · 11-24-2004, 11:27 AM

My dad has a 91 Silverado regular cab shortbox with a 350/700r4 tranny (don't know the rear end gear ratio, but I think it has the "towing package"). He pullls a 29ft bumper pull camper with a 16ft Bass Tracker behind it.

Don't know if that info helps or not, but there it is.

Mike

bagged81 · 11-24-2004, 03:23 PM

I pulled a 6700lb tractor one time with my 305 C10 shortbed and not trailer brakes. That was stupid.

Mike76251 · 11-25-2004, 08:18 AM

Mike,
Your Dad must be really good at backing up!!!
I cannot imagine towing anything behind anything else.

*1FaastC10* · 11-25-2004, 10:05 AM

i dont think he meant that he pulls them at the same time. pulling tandem like that would surely kill anything short of a 1 ton.

Mike76251 · 11-25-2004, 11:47 AM

I hope you're right............you prob. are.
Some people really do it............. I should say they try it.

Russell · 11-25-2004, 02:06 PM

We haul our 18 foot Glastron sport boat (approx 3 - 4 thousand pounds) behind our 5th wheel travel trailer (I think it is 24 foot, not sure) behind the duramax, it has no problems pulling it at all, and no problems stopping either. The boat trailer has no electric brakes, but the 5th wheel does. When you need to back up, you have to take the boat off, move it by hand, and get the trailer in wherever.

It is totally legal to do so long as the total vehicle / trailer / trailer length is under a specified length, our combo is within 1 foot of that limit, and it can only be done if the trailer behind the truck is a fifth wheel, you cannot pull two trailers with both having a standard hitch.

SanitysBane · 11-25-2004, 02:15 PM

speaking of pulling stupid stuff, my grandpas '81 long bed, 305, with 4 speed, 1/2 ton, i pulled 3 trailers at once, 2 cotton trailers, and a truck bed trailer, had like 5 flat tires, that was fun, i just had to be carefull and never back up

**76sierraclassic** · 11-25-2004, 11:23 PM

He does pull them at the same time. He has a ball hitch on the back bumper of the camping trailer and hooks the boat to that. In Arkansas, there is a length limit (or at least there used to be and I assume there still is), but there no stipulation that you have to have a 5th wheel. Before my dad got his 91 Silverado, he had a 78 Ford F100 regular cab shortbox with a 302, and he pulled a 25 ft Coachman bumper pull and a 14 ft fishing boat behind it at the same time. Now granted, he couldn't go up in the mountains, and top speed on the open road was about 60 mph, but that's still pretty good IMO. He still doesn't do any mountains, but the 91 handles his current rig on flat ground just fine.

Oh, and yes, it is extremely difficult to back up in one long string like that with 2 pivot points. The normal thing to do is to just unhook the boat trailer like Russell said, but I have seen dad back it up a short distance with them all hooked together.

Mike

**N2TRUX** · 11-25-2004, 11:33 PM

The only thing I can recommend is an extrenal tranny cooler and a tranny temp gauge. I used to pull a car trailer with my 88 Chevy with a 700r4. Every time I tried to tow in OD it would start puking fluid. It wasn't until I put a tranny temp gauge in that I realized it was boiling the fluid out. I quit towing in OD and the problem went away. Not before I toasted a tranny though...

**76sierraclassic** · 11-25-2004, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

The only thing I can recommend is an extrenal tranny cooler and a tranny temp gauge. I used to pull a car trailer with my 88 Chevy with a 700r4. Every time I tried to tow in OD it would start puking fluid. It wasn't until I put a tranny temp gauge in that I realized it was boiling the fluid out. I quit towing in OD and the problem went away. Not before I toasted a tranny though...

Yes, I forgot to mention that both of dad's trucks had an extra oil cooler and tranny cooler....very important!!!

Mike

Destructo · 11-26-2004, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

The only thing I can recommend is an extrenal tranny cooler and a tranny temp gauge. I used to pull a car trailer with my 88 Chevy with a 700r4. Every time I tried to tow in OD it would start puking fluid. It wasn't until I put a tranny temp gauge in that I realized it was boiling the fluid out. I quit towing in OD and the problem went away. Not before I toasted a tranny though...

I put a big B&M Stacked Plate cooler on my 700r4 right after I rebuilt it, I also have lockup in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears, so heat should be no problem. I tow in 3rd with the torque converter locked most the time.

*1FaastC10* · 11-26-2004, 12:43 AM

i used to tow my Monte Carlo to the races on a tow dolly. being that the column was broken, there were a total of 3 pivot points. the ball itself, one built into the dolly, and then the front tires turning. i only "had" to back it up once, and it was a b!tch to say the least. pulling tandems like that would probably be gravy to back up compared to that.

11-23-2004, 10:01 PM	#1
Destructo Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Lewisville, NC Posts: 1,836	How much weight/length trailer can I tow with a Shortbed K10 Alright, heres the question. I have a 30ft travel trailer that is bumper pull and has a GVWR of 6k lbs, dual axle of course with electric brakes. The hitch setup consists of a giant 2 5/16" ball with sway and load distribution hook-ups and it will be run with BOTH weight distribution and adjustable sway bar. Assuming I have a 350 with Holley 4160, Weiand Action+Plus intake, Summit 1101 cam, headers, dual 2 1/4" mandrel bent exhaust with high flow cats and flowmaster mufflers, 4.10 gears with 33x12.5" tires OR 31x10.5" tires with 3.73 gears. 700r4 with B&M 24k lb cooler, corvette servo, .500" boost valve and 10k miles on rebuild. 12 bolt rear axle with 1/2 ton springs and air bags, Class 4/5 hitch (10k lbs). And of course an electric brake controller. Will it be alright towing this thing? Its pretty big, we used to tow it with a 79 G30 chevy van that had a 350 and th400 and 14 bolt rear axle. We have towed it a couple times with a 97 Suburban with 5.7L. The only drawback I can see if the short wheelbase, could cause issues, but the truck is gonna be quite heavy considering its going to have custom bumpers front and rear and a 110lb Warn winch on the front and a Warn bumper on the front and a rear bumper that probably weighs 50lbs more than a factory step bumper. __________________ 1985 Scottsdale Shortbed 4x4 Stout 350 with some "upgrades"-700r4-33x12.5" Mud Tires, Warn 8274-50 winch. 2005 Chevrolet Colorado Regular Cab 2wd 4-banger, 5 speed, Street Pack with 3.73 axle.

11-24-2004, 02:29 AM	#2
gchemist BAD BOW-Silverado XST Join Date: May 2000 Location: Senior Member from Austin, TX Posts: 6,431	According to my 83 sales brochure, the towing capacity for a 1/2 ton 4X2 is 1070-2596 total payload. Or 4900-6100 GVW. 4X4s have a slightly higher capacity. Yes, a LWB truck is more stable than a SWB for towing. __________________ Gerardo a.k.a. Mad Chemist Silverado XST videos

11-24-2004, 10:37 AM	#4
C-10volvo Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Lake Oswego, Oregon Posts: 1,028	with a stock 305 i've pulled my dads comp ski boat 2 hours each way. its was about 4000 pounds with all the crap we had packed in it. trailer is roughly 24 feet. the trailer had brakes and tandom axles __________________ Ken Morgan For fun: 1964 Volvo 122 For slow: 1984 Chevrolet C-10 For everything else: 1997 BMW M3 Last edited by C-10volvo; 11-24-2004 at 10:39 AM.

11-24-2004, 03:23 PM	#6
bagged81 Signals in the bumper. Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: East TN Posts: 856	I pulled a 6700lb tractor one time with my 305 C10 shortbed and not trailer brakes. That was stupid. __________________ Jeff C. 1981 Chevrolet Silverado - Under major construction...again. link 1962 Chevrolet Impala 4D Sedan moredoorclassics.com 1936 Ford Pickup - Frame-off in progress link 1979 Chevrolet Camper Special Flatbed link

11-25-2004, 02:06 PM	#10
Russell Professional Grade Join Date: May 2003 Location: Fort McMurray, Alberta Posts: 7,915	We haul our 18 foot Glastron sport boat (approx 3 - 4 thousand pounds) behind our 5th wheel travel trailer (I think it is 24 foot, not sure) behind the duramax, it has no problems pulling it at all, and no problems stopping either. The boat trailer has no electric brakes, but the 5th wheel does. When you need to back up, you have to take the boat off, move it by hand, and get the trailer in wherever. It is totally legal to do so long as the total vehicle / trailer / trailer length is under a specified length, our combo is within 1 foot of that limit, and it can only be done if the trailer behind the truck is a fifth wheel, you cannot pull two trailers with both having a standard hitch. __________________ 1995 Chevrolet 2 Door Tahoe (6.6L LBZ Duramax / ZF6 / NP241 with 1 ton solid axle swap) Last edited by Russell; 11-25-2004 at 02:08 PM.

11-24-2004, 09:45 AM	#3
Mike76251 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,499	If you do this..............leave plenty of room between you and whatever is in front of you......ALWAYS Your truck brakes will not handle the weight if the electric brakes are worn. If you haven't checked/replaced the magnets lately.............do it and put some mobil 1 axle grease on your bearings while you're in there. Also....it would really help to have a seal retainer on the pump in that 700r4. They are cheap insurance.

11-24-2004, 11:27 AM	#5
76sierraclassic Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: White Hall, AR Posts: 316	My dad has a 91 Silverado regular cab shortbox with a 350/700r4 tranny (don't know the rear end gear ratio, but I think it has the "towing package"). He pullls a 29ft bumper pull camper with a 16ft Bass Tracker behind it. Don't know if that info helps or not, but there it is. Mike

11-25-2004, 08:18 AM	#7
Mike76251 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,499	Mike, Your Dad must be really good at backing up!!! I cannot imagine towing anything behind anything else.

11-25-2004, 10:05 AM	#8
1FaastC10 Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Elkhart, IN Posts: 6,399	i dont think he meant that he pulls them at the same time. pulling tandem like that would surely kill anything short of a 1 ton.

11-25-2004, 11:47 AM	#9
Mike76251 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,499	I hope you're right............you prob. are. Some people really do it............. I should say they try it.

11-25-2004, 02:15 PM	#11
SanitysBane Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lubbock, Texas Posts: 2,121	speaking of pulling stupid stuff, my grandpas '81 long bed, 305, with 4 speed, 1/2 ton, i pulled 3 trailers at once, 2 cotton trailers, and a truck bed trailer, had like 5 flat tires, that was fun, i just had to be carefull and never back up __________________ '96 Nissan Pathfinder '02 Firebird Trans Am. '88 K5 Blazer

11-25-2004, 11:23 PM	#12
76sierraclassic Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: White Hall, AR Posts: 316	He does pull them at the same time. He has a ball hitch on the back bumper of the camping trailer and hooks the boat to that. In Arkansas, there is a length limit (or at least there used to be and I assume there still is), but there no stipulation that you have to have a 5th wheel. Before my dad got his 91 Silverado, he had a 78 Ford F100 regular cab shortbox with a 302, and he pulled a 25 ft Coachman bumper pull and a 14 ft fishing boat behind it at the same time. Now granted, he couldn't go up in the mountains, and top speed on the open road was about 60 mph, but that's still pretty good IMO. He still doesn't do any mountains, but the 91 handles his current rig on flat ground just fine. Oh, and yes, it is extremely difficult to back up in one long string like that with 2 pivot points. The normal thing to do is to just unhook the boat trailer like Russell said, but I have seen dad back it up a short distance with them all hooked together. Mike

11-25-2004, 11:33 PM	#13
N2TRUX Happy to be here Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 39,021	The only thing I can recommend is an extrenal tranny cooler and a tranny temp gauge. I used to pull a car trailer with my 88 Chevy with a 700r4. Every time I tried to tow in OD it would start puking fluid. It wasn't until I put a tranny temp gauge in that I realized it was boiling the fluid out. I quit towing in OD and the problem went away. Not before I toasted a tranny though...

11-26-2004, 12:43 AM	#16
1FaastC10 Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Elkhart, IN Posts: 6,399	i used to tow my Monte Carlo to the races on a tow dolly. being that the column was broken, there were a total of 3 pivot points. the ball itself, one built into the dolly, and then the front tires turning. i only "had" to back it up once, and it was a b!tch to say the least. pulling tandems like that would probably be gravy to back up compared to that.



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