Who tows with their truck?

[Tutt]

I am planning on building my 72 SWB C10 to be a daily driver and i want to be able to tow my rock crawler with it over long distances. the crawler and bumper pull trailer will probably weigh 7000 lbs or so.

i have an ECE hitch, and the truck will be bagged on all four corners. I was planning on doing hydroboost on the stock brakes for now and maybe going to rear discs later.

I am not worried about power, but i am worried about the rear axle holding up, stopping, and over all stability. i cant drive this thing 7 hours white knuckle the whole time!

do i need to put down the crack pipe or is this doable?

[fine69]

You really don't want to tow a trailer that loaded with a shortbed truck. Too unstable. Too much sway. You wont be happy with it.

[LuckyHenriksen]

Sounds like alot to ask from an old truck.

[Longhorn Man]

sounds like you need a 20 or 30 series truck

[special-K]

It could be done in a pinch,but I wouldn`t set out planning on doing it regularily.Towing is a serious matter once the hauled load matches or surpasses the tow vehicle weight.
I`m an 8-lugger guy and look at 1/2 tons as car-like trucks that can do alot when needed,but for regular heavy use a heavier truck is due.

[mrein3]

I tow my 3000 pound (loaded on the trailer) bass boat all summer. That is 2000 pounds less than what my K10 weighs empty. I towed my 4000? pound convertible home on an approximately 1000 pound trailer. I wouldn't consider doing that regularily.

[68gmsee]

I also agree with above comments. For short distances or in a pich it's okay but for long hauls it's a pain and you will have to be on constant alert for others on the road not paying attention.

I used my 69 with 350/350 to haul a medium sized tractor and brush hog with a few other items on it for 100 miles. The total weight was about 6,000 to 7,000 pounds and it handled it okay, but it was mostly country roads and I kept my speed around 55 mph or less. I wouldn't try it for longer distances.

[Tutt]

well poop. i was hoping to reduce the fleet and get rid of my '95 powerstroke.

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by Tutt

well poop. i was hoping to reduce the fleet and get rid of my '95 powerstroke.

If it still runs good, keep that sucker. I read that they're great for towing and a friend swears by them for his towing needs.

[71swb4x4]

I too have towed with a SWB. Towing with the SWB is easily my most memorable towing experiences, they were white-knuckle rides. I don't do it anymore, just not a safe deal.
For a short trip I may try it in a pinch, but trailer brakes would be a must and a load equalizing hitch would probably help too.

[Porterhausen]

I plan on towing my track car on an open trailer + supplies, so probably 5000lbs load or so I would imagine. I have a LWB truck with a 402, and from what I have been told it shouldn't be bad.

Trailer brakes would be a must.

[primered_junk]

I make 2 trips a year with my 72, 153 miles each way. It is a long bed, with trailer brake controller, it is still a wild ride. I would retire any 67-72 1/2 ton from towing duty.

[Bus Ted Knuckle]

I tow with my 69 lwb, power disc, 350/350 all the time, but I would never pull 7000 on a frequent basis. Better find a 3/4 or 1 ton for that.

[El Jay]

I just got home from moving a ~3500# boat & trailer for a friend with my 3/4 T.
I didn't have any problems, but I knew it was back there.

I don't think I would have wanted to do it with my 1/2 T., although I would have in a pinch.

I think what you want to do would be an "E" ticket ride.

[72 cheyenne pdx]

I have a 72 1/2 ton LWB. The most so far was 5800lbs on a ball hitch. My truck did pretty well, but like a previous poster stated, I knew it was there. My truck isn't on bags either. I have 8 leaf springs in the back. What kind of hitch are you going to use? If you did use your 1/2 ton, I would probably use the hitch for 5th wheel. trailer brakes would be a must. I believe it would probably be law. Here in Oregon is anything over 1800lbs. If you are going to pull regularly with 7000lbs, I would recommend 3/4 or 1 ton. I am unsure what condition or truck is now, but you could just get a 3/4 or 1 ton frame/running gear and swap everything else over.

Good luck

[BlueJeep]

Wheelbase has a lot to do with it too, and the LWB would be much better suited for towing duties. Example, I tow my 4500 pound Jeep on 42's on a 12K trailer that weighs 2650 pounds behind a 1/2 ton Suburban and it tows great. Towed all over the country, and other than the small block gas motor working a little harder over the passes in Colorado I've never had any complaints. I know that it's a 1/2 ton and adjust my driving style accordingly, so I plan ahead going down the passes and I do have good electric trailer brakes. When I get home the car seats go back in it and it serves mommy duties for the other 98% of the time.

Don't discount what the 1/2 ton can do, just don't expect a SWB one to tow anything like what your LWB powerstroke does.

[haysonj]

I built this SWB just to tow my boat and it works sweet. boat weighs 4200 and the trailer is around 1500. The only real time i know its there is when I hit a grade and the OD will shift down. I have a 14 bolt rear from a one ton so it has large brakes and I put discs on the front. I have also pulled my car trailer with a full size half ton on it no problems. A lot will depend on your brakes and how much weight you can load on the truck.

[hilandr452]

It isn't safe for you to haul that much weight on anything less than a 3/4 ton, or 1 ton. I know the later years chevy had a 6 lug light 3/4 ton and those are dangerous too. I spent a lot of time on the road hauling a 10k trailer with a pickup the last 8 years and you really need electric brakes and a really good hitch. I've seen too many guys just wingin' it out there and it's scary.

A fifth wheel is even more stable if you're hauling all the time.

Hope it didn't sound like I was yelling at you, I know this is why you are asking the question. It just brings back some white knuckle memories. =o)



Dan

[LuckyHenriksen]

I like towing with all my powerstrokes. The old 7.3's were beasty, as I assume thats what is in your '95. The new 6.4 is even better though

[1969K10]

I think it all comes down to experience. I've pulled with SWB and LWB, I prefer the LWB. Makes some difference going forward, but I really prefer the LWB when backing a trailer up. I'm running 3/4T suspension on a 1/2T truck. The loaded 2-horse trailer wasn't an issue. Just took a long time to stop w/ 4 wheel drum brakes & no trailer brakes... The worst was flat pulling my now wife's '68 1/2T back from Baltimore MD. I wouldn't do it a 2nd time. It'd be on a trailer or at least a car dolly... It was OK when flat, but going down hills was a true white knuckle experience!

Go slow until you get used to it. You'll figure it out... Good luck!

[dwcsr]

I regulary tow with a 350/350 LWB 6600 lbs load including the trailer. I do have bias ply on the trailer and sway bars front and back on the truck it's not fast towing but it tows very nicely

[hilandr452]

I towed with a 98 powerstroke F250 for a couple years and it was very strong, but it paled in comparison to the 04 GMC Duramax 2500 with alyson tranny we replaced it with. That truck was STRONG! It was a shortbed extended cab. Loved that pickup.

Dan

[weav1]

I dont think the short bed matters or that the trailer weighs more the the truck almost no tow rig weighs as much as the trailer i pull a 12k trailer everyday now with a gmc 3500 crew cab diesel but had a 2500 ex cab short bed diesel before not that much difference the trailer set up is the most important (brakes tounge weight)

[Buford]

I've pulled (and still plan too) an 11 foot camper and boat with my GMC and it has always handled well. Our usually place is about a 1,300 mile round trip and she has always run like a clock. Although pulling the same load with my father's F-350 dually was much better, Ole' Blue still gets the job done

[69halfton]

i find that the amount of tounge weight has more to do with sway movment then anything else. I know that when im towing the race car around with my F*rd F150 (about 125 miles per weekend) it took me a while to get the car on the trailer just right. too much or too little toung weight and the truck was a total mess and really scary. you want just the right amount of squat, but not too much.

i think thats why 3/4 tons and 1 tons seem to tow so much nicer, they are more forgiving to the amount of tounge (does that word have an 'E' ?) weight. you can put way more weight up there, with little to no squat, and pull down the road like nothing.

1/2 tons will haul just as good, you just have to be way more careful with planning how the load sits on the trailer. electric brakes are a MUST! they will save your life. dont leave home without them.