1 ton blazer

[B52fizzle]

just an idea i am kicking around. wanting to build a tow rig for goosenecks and fifth wheels, by using a k5 frame with 1 ton axles, keep the dual rears, and 4 wheel drive, and a pickup cab. main concern is will the frame hold up to this stress. 454 ci or 6.5 turbo diesel, with an NV4500. what kind of transfer case? and has anybody done this before, would like to see pics or a buildup.

[ERASER5]

The wheel base will be way too short. Pulling a heavy trailer will NOT be a pleasant experience. You will get pushed around quit a bit. BUT, sure it can be done. Plenty offroaders have put big engines in Blazers. Trazers look pretty cool to me, I just would not try to pull a 5th wheel with it.

[Dooley]

For serious towing get a 30 series. Much stronger frame.

[special-K]

Don`t do it:

[Jtrux]

I wouldn't tow anything that weighed more than the vehicle for any extended time. For the amount of time you'll put into it you'll be very disappointed with how it turns out.

[B52fizzle]

but i would be ok with a shortbed one ton with duals and 4 wheel drive form the factory? 11 inches makes that big of a difference?

[Jtrux]

Originally Posted by B52fizzle

but i would be ok with a shortbed one ton with duals and 4 wheel drive form the factory? 11 inches makes that big of a difference?

Nope longbed, short bed is too short for pulling anything heavy.

[shakedown96]

I have two thoughts on this:
first IF you boxed the frame AND streached the frame you could do it.

second IF you did all that work to a series 30 frame you would have 3 or 4 times the truck.

[Dooley]

Originally Posted by B52fizzle

but i would be ok with a shortbed one ton with duals and 4 wheel drive form the factory? 11 inches makes that big of a difference?

A K30 from the factory would be at least 25" longer wheelbase. A factory K30 would be at least 131.5" wb with 56" cab to axle vs Blazer at 106.5" wheelbase. A big difference in handling.

[special-K]

The frame is plenty strong.It`s the same frame just shorter,which makes it stronger actually.It`s the weight of the tow vehicle for traction and braking combined with the reduced stability of a shorter wheelbase.it`s easier to do a donut in a K/5 than any longbed.
That`s why you see stretched out semis in the wide open west and shorter tractors only where mauverabilty and denser population prohibits it.They had to make longer trucks illegal on the east coast.Most would still try to operate a longer truck if they weren`t forced into a shorter one,even with the drawbacks of less elbow room and tighter streets.
Blazers have been around for 40 years now.How many Blazer tow rigs have you seen?How many Suburban tow rigs?I doubt Suburbans would have made it as the only vehicle of it`s kind(shared with Travelalls until IH stopped producing) if it weren`t for them being ideal travel trailer haulers.

[Dooley]

Originally Posted by special-K

The frame is plenty strong.It`s the same frame just shorter,which makes it stronger actually.It`s the weight of the tow vehicle for traction and braking combined with the reduced stability of a shorter wheelbase.it`s easier to do a donut in a K/5 than any longbed.
That`s why you see stretched out semis in the wide open west and shorter tractors only where mauverabilty and denser population prohibits it.They had to make longer trucks illegal on the east coast.Most would still try to operate a longer truck if they weren`t forced into a shorter one,even with the drawbacks of less elbow room and tighter streets.
Blazers have been around for 40 years now.How many Blazer tow rigs have you seen?How many Suburban tow rigs?I doubt Suburbans would have made it as the only vehicle of it`s kind(shared with Travelalls until IH stopped producing) if it weren`t for them being ideal travel trailer haulers.

It is NOT the same frame, only shorter.

[ERASER5]

Originally Posted by Dooley

It is NOT the same frame, only shorter.

Maybe not exactly the same, but very similar. Add it is still too short. There is no getting around that.

Could a Blazer pull a boat? Sure! Lawn mower trailer? Sure! Most class 3 stuff? The upper end weights will get tricky.

But a goose neck heavy hauler loaded? NO. Duel wheel 5th wheel camper with 3 slide outs? No. Class 4 and up would not perform well.

[Dooley]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

Maybe not exactly the same, but very similar. Add it is still too short. There is no getting around that.

Could a Blazer pull a boat? Sure! Lawn mower trailer? Sure! Most class 3 stuff? The upper end weights will get tricky.

But a goose neck heavy hauler loaded? NO. Duel wheel 5th wheel camper with 3 slide outs? No. Class 4 and up would not perform well.

No, not even similar. Get a tape measure and measure the frame rails in the middle of a square body K30 truck. Top to bottom and you'll start to see how much bigger the frame is compared to GM's other light duty truck line models.

[shakedown96]

you can build what ever you want just dont put ford mirrors on it like the blazer that special-k posted

[special-K]

Dooley,67-72 frames are the same strength.I guess we are both thinking whatever year we want since the guy never did say.They never made K/30s back then and I wasn`t refering to 1t trucks anyway.I meant the difference in strength between Blazer,short,and longbed.Same strength,different size.In this case shorter means stronger.Some of that extra beef in a K/30 frame is making up for strength and rigidity lost through length.

To make it simple...It`s not the strength of a K/5 frame in any year that is the issue,it`s the length.For frame stretgth to matter you`d be towing more than your brakes and tow vehicle weight should handle.Braking,weight,and length come into play before frame strength.
Also,the guy never said what he wanted to haul or give any idea of payload.So,this whole thread is kind of a waste.It just simply isn`t a good idea what he thought of doing and that`s my point.

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

I wouldn't use a Blazer frame for towing heavy stuff it would be no fun at all!! I think a 1ton Mudding Blazer would be sick but not to be used to tow stuff. Just my .02 cents.

[B52fizzle]

wanting to build a tow rig for goosenecks and fifth wheels

guess i wasnt clear at all, i meant somthing that looked like a serious tow rig with heavy flat bed, but could still function lightly.

Would be used for river bottom muddin and a hunting and fishing rig, mostly just driven around town , biggest thing i might tow would be a 20 foot stock trailer, or 20 foot flatbed trailer of round bales

[onlyifihadachevy]

now i get it hes going to put a pickup cab and flat bed on a k5 frame. Look at yukon jack's truck its what your idea is pretty much just his is a long bed, and 3/4t i think. the only problem would be a really short flat bed, if you could i would try to find a long bed frame. it would look a lot beefier.

Hes the a mod for the 4x4 forums i think.

[Skirkpat]

The problem with this idea comes down to Physics, For every action there is a reaction...If you take the leverage created by a 20 foot stock trailer from the pivot point (axles) to the hitch it has to be less than the leverage created by the tow vehicle from its pivot point (drive axle) to the front wheels. a short wheelbase vehicle like a Blazer/Bronco/Jeep will lose that battle every time. Using one is a great way to jackknife your trailer, hurt yourself and others. Build it if you want, but please DON'T Use it.

I learned from personal Experience.....

[Wildstreak]

Originally Posted by Skirkpat

The problem with this idea comes down to Physics, For every action there is a reaction...If you take the leverage created by a 20 foot stock trailer from the pivot point (axles) to the hitch it has to be less than the leverage created by the tow vehicle from its pivot point (drive axle) to the front wheels. a short wheelbase vehicle like a Blazer/Bronco/Jeep will lose that battle every time. Using one is a great way to jackknife your trailer, hurt yourself and others. Build it if you want, but please DON'T Use it.

I learned from personal Experience.....

how did you do that?
Just reading this thread and got curious, I'm about to buy a 71 blazer 4x4, wanted to use it pretty much for everything. My question is, is it ok for a blazer to tow or just not tow bigger things than the vehicle. I have a sled and I plan on getting a trailer for it to tow this winter, but if its gonna cause major problems to tow a trailer I might reconsider my lwb 4x4

thanks

[Skirkpat]

Originally Posted by Wildstreak

how did you do that?
Just reading this thread and got curious, I'm about to buy a 71 blazer 4x4, wanted to use it pretty much for everything. My question is, is it ok for a blazer to tow or just not tow bigger things than the vehicle. I have a sled and I plan on getting a trailer for it to tow this winter, but if its gonna cause major problems to tow a trailer I might reconsider my lwb 4x4

thanks

The longer the wheelbase the better or "more stable" it will be at towing, also things like tire area touching the ground (dually's), trailer brakes, anti-sway bars, stiff sidewalls on tires all make for a safer tow vehicle.

I personally would not tow with a Blazer if you have a LWB vehicle to do it with.

To answer your question, That was the combination of a light truck, short wheel base, no trailer brakes, and not following the rules of loading with most weight right in front of the trailer wheels. It ended in my friends cherry 1978 Z-28 Body still strapped and laying under my 16' trailer and my trucks rear end dangling from one safety chain, and about a quarter size brown stain in the drivers seat, Just kidding!!!!!

[powerdriver 1958]

I'm not wanting to stir anything up but just a thought,If length is that big a concern the big truck I have been driving is way out of spec.I think it would be a sweet rig.with a gooseneck or 5th wheel.most of the hitches are set ahead of the rear axle centerline so the weight is spread better.If the springs and shocks are the same as a 3/4 or better IMHO it would be cool.............And so far he hasn't said any thing about a bumper hitch.That set up would be a backing dream.Just stick it in the low side and ease back.Hummm

[special-K]

The trailer would have to have a custom made gooseneck for the higher tow vehicle.Probably not passible with a stock trailer.All this for occassional use?
Powerdriver,what big truck?If you mean a heavy duty range tractor with short wheelbase than that`s a whole different story.Those are still alot longer than a LT and weight factors in for satbility,right?I know mobile homes get towed by short short tractors.But,that`s a hefty truck with a rellatively light load.
I`d just forget the 5th wheel idea.There`s a reason you don`t see lifted 5th wheelers.It`s not like there haven`t been dreamers forever.Tall tires are mushy,too,and give alot of swerve to the ride under load.Most off road tires have very soft sidewalls and are constructed in the lower load ranges.They are novelty tires for trucks,not truck tires.
Just roll like this and enjoy the ride: