Towing an Airstream-Would I Be Happy?

[Dmcinfo]

Would I be happy using a Blazer to tow my 1968 airstream globetrotter (20 feet from end to end) which weighs 3,000 pounds? I recently bought a 71 Blazer (350, auto, disc brakes) but it needs work before it's ready to try to tow anything. Before I sink a bunch of money into this project I would appreciate any comments especially from anyone who tows a travel trailer with their Blazer/Jimmy.
Posted via Mobile Device

[AlaskaMatt]

I tow one of similar size but it weighs less, a little under 2k (1964 aladdin). I really had to get the whole truck back in spec before towing was safe. The whole front end, all bushings etc.

You definitely know it's back there. With your trailer coming in at 3k it might not be fun.

A weight distribution hitch would and sway bar would help a great deal, I don't have either of those, but knowing friends that use them and how much they help them I may invest in that in the future.

[low'n slow]

Pretty short wheelbase for a trailer that big. Make sure you have a good hitch and brakes. An anti sway setup would be a big help.

[AlaskaMatt]

Here is a shot of my trailer. Assuming the link works.

[rsavage]

Weight distributing hitch, anti-sway set up, electric brake controller, and heavier load range tires so the sidewalls don't flex as much will help with towing your trailer. The short wheel base makes it more "skittish" in cross winds or when being passed by a big rig but it will certainly tow 3000 - 5000 lbs set up correctly. We'll need pics of the set up!

[Dmcinfo]

I currently tow the trailer with a Nissan Frontier W/126 inch wheel base. It tows fine. Was planning on a weight distribution hitch and definitely a trailer brake controller. When you say sway set up are you referring to a sway bar on the rear of the Blazer or additional "link" to the hitch. Thanks again.
Posted via Mobile Device

[dmwphoto]

I dont think it is a good idea

[old man jimmy]

I've towed heavy trailers. But it's not fun., they love to sway, And the trailer wants to drive the truck.. Too short wheelbase for sure. For what it would cost you to even make it half way safe for the trailer, you could probably pick up an old suburban. For towing they are really hard to beat.

[Firebirdjones]

I tow a utility trailer with mine as well as a 19 foot camper that weighs about 3500 lbs.

It's not really the weight itself that is a problem, as my truck could easily pull 5-6000 lbs. if I really wanted to. It's the tongue weight you have to be concious of.

Like mentioned, a weight distribution hitch is an ABSOLUTE MUST on a short wheel base truck like a blazer. That along with a brake controller and mine tows very nice.
I even ran into another guy that had a 72, back in the 70's he would tow a 26 foot camper with it, and went all over Colorado and Utah for years like that The crap people did back then is down right scary today I don't think I'd try that

I have a 28 foot enclosed trailer and I use the ole 79 1 ton pickup to pull that around.

Get yourself a weight distribution hitch for stability, and to keep the weight more evenly distributed over all 4 tires. Like the others have said, go through the truck and make sure everything is up to snuff, good tires, sway bars are a nice addition. Then go have some fun

[AlaskaMatt]

Originally Posted by Dmcinfo

I currently tow the trailer with a Nissan Frontier W/126 inch wheel base. It tows fine. Was planning on a weight distribution hitch and definitely a trailer brake controller. When you say sway set up are you referring to a sway bar on the rear of the Blazer or additional "link" to the hitch. Thanks again.
Posted via Mobile Device

I was referring to the additional friction bar on the hitch.

FWIW as I mentioned I don't have a distribution hitch or even have trailer brakes for mine. It really tows pretty ok, just lets you know it's there in a crosswind or semi passing. I would still go with all the above advice for your trailer at 1000# more than mine. A buddy of mine towed a 5k trailer all the way to Alaska with his 72 blazer and said it was fine the whole way, just loaded it up right and had trailer brakes, I don't think I would try it though.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by AlaskaMatt

I was referring to the additional friction bar on the hitch.

FWIW as I mentioned I don't have a distribution hitch or even have trailer brakes for mine. It really tows pretty ok, just lets you know it's there in a crosswind or semi passing. I would still go with all the above advice for your trailer at 1000# more than mine. A buddy of mine towed a 5k trailer all the way to Alaska with his 72 blazer and said it was fine the whole way, just loaded it up right and had trailer brakes, I don't think I would try it though.

I wouldn't try it without a distribution hitch either (on a short wheel base).

In my younger and dummer days (ehem...) I towed an open car trailer with a blazer, with a total weight of about 6,000 lbs. No distribution hitch.
Sure it tows fine, but the nose up attitude of the blazer made handling a bit twitchy and you really had to take your time. When it came time to hit the brakes hard though,,,guess what?
Front wheels lock up and no steering, and I even had trailer brakes. Talk about a butt puckering experience

I don't do that anymore, lesson learned The distribution hitch makes all the difference in the world. A must have on a short wheel base. It makes the blazer handle better, brake better, and overall control is improved.
I even use it on my full size 1 ton pickup truck. Anyone that does even a little amount of towing should have a distribution hitch. They don't cost that much.

[RED72blazer]

It's all about the wheel base when towing.....I've towed with my blazer alot.... it's great around the yard and for maneuvering but on the open road it sucks.

[capev86]

AlaskaMatt's setup is perfectly fine as is.

tongue weight is good for better control (should be at least 10% of trailer weight). but you do want to have the rear suspension beefed up and run an equalizer bar hitch to help relocate some of the load to the front wheels.

the problem with the short wheelbase trucks is that long trailers are more prone to fishtailing...all that weight hanging way out there away from the pivot point (i.e. axles) so it builds momentum like a pendulum. with their longer wheelbase, burbs can better counter that tendency to sway and get away with not running a sway control bar. my dad took that ugly thing off our 71 holiday 23 footer back in the 80's when we were still towing the trailer with HIS 72 Suburban. we used my grandfather's 78 blazer 4x4 a couple times to tow the camper also....like when my grandparents brought it with them from their house 2 hours away (where we stored it from '84 until last year when it was moved to my driveway) down to my parents house so we could go on vacation. a bit squirley, yes, but not impossible. the trailer is like a brick and likes to keep going straight if anything....it will even push a burb if you don't watch it! fishtailing is not bad due to the dual axles and the fact it's not a 35 footer like some of those behemoths they got now!

i prefer 2wd for towing, and not just because 4x4's sit high in the front. also, my grandfather's 78 was a 1/2 ton, whereas my dad had brand new 3/4 ton coils (plus the factory option overload 1/2 leaves) on the rear of his 72 burb c10 custom deluxe highlander package burb. the truck sat like a drag racer unloaded and still sat nice and high even before the bars were loaded. he beefed up his 84 c10 burb from 6 leaves to 7 and his 87 came equipped that way and they both squatted a little bit in the back (below level) with the trailer. his current driver, a 99 c1500 burb sits pretty good as long as the bars are really cranked up, but i want to upgrade to 3/4 ton springs on the back. 3/4 ton rear coils were a factory option on 2wd burbs and blazers (someone on here pulled 'em on their truck because it rode too rough....WTF? i say). i got a pair of new 3/4 ton HD option coils my 72 Burb C20 from LMC in case I want to pull REALLY big trailers in the future. i just love rake on a truck and HATE leveled (or worse, sag) due to my impressionable youth!

3/4 ton rear springs are the way to go on a 1/2 ton that pulls a decent sized trailer (i.e. anything bigger than AlaskaMatt's "canned ham" style unit). and some of those really big luxury-park trailers need a 3/4 ton with 1 ton spec spring packs out back to sit right! other than that, don't neglect the trailer brakes and sway control when putting something big behind your SWB rig and drive carefully.

other things i have done(*)/will be doing to my truck:
CPP 1-1/4" front sway bar*
CPP 1-1/8" rear sway bar
poly body bushings
Bilstein shocks
ss braided brake hoses*
synthetic brake fluid*
Hawk severe duty carbon fiber-cermaic brake pads*
factory tach and vac gauges*
4 core rad and factory 7 blade cooling fan upgrade (despite measly 307, man trans and no a/c)*
ditched 2 barrel in favor of q-jet for more power*
Mobil 1 engine oil, Royal Purple trans and diff gear oils*
15k class IV hitch* (but needs to be modified to fit burb frame better)

oh...the 7 blade fan came off the my dad's 72 burb. he had a different fan on the truck in 1991 when he sold it and that beauty was just collecting dust in the attic.....but not anymore. i also have the yankee chrome teardrop cab lights from his truck also, but they need to be re chromed before i install them. one of these days i will dig up all the old pics from the 80's and get them scanned so i can have digital copies. hope to get a TON of work done so i can take the rig and trailer up to Moncton, NB for the Atlantic Nationals next july. anyone else going?!!

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by RED72blazer

It's all about the wheel base when towing.....I've towed with my blazer alot.... it's great around the yard and for maneuvering but on the open road it sucks.

It's all about the tounge weight, and of course an overall weight limit. A short wheel base definately has it's limitations, you just have to know when enough is enough

The original posters little camper is no problem.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by capev86

i got a pair of new 3/4 ton HD option coils my 72 Burb C20 from LMC in case I want to pull REALLY big trailers in the future. i just love rake on a truck and HATE leveled (or worse, sag) due to my impressionable youth!

3/4 ton rear springs are the way to go on a 1/2 ton that pulls a decent sized trailer (i.e. anything bigger than AlaskaMatt's "canned ham" style unit). and some of those really big luxury-park trailers need a 3/4 ton with 1 ton spec spring packs out back to sit right! other than that, don't neglect the trailer brakes and sway control when putting something big behind your SWB rig and drive carefully.

other things i have done(*)/will be doing to my truck:
CPP 1-1/4" front sway bar*
CPP 1-1/8" rear sway bar
poly body bushings
Bilstein shocks
ss braided brake hoses*
synthetic brake fluid*
Hawk severe duty carbon fiber-cermaic brake pads*
factory tach and vac gauges*
4 core rad and factory 7 blade cooling fan upgrade (despite measly 307, man trans and no a/c)*
ditched 2 barrel in favor of q-jet for more power*
Mobil 1 engine oil, Royal Purple trans and diff gear oils*
15k class IV hitch* (but needs to be modified to fit burb frame better)

oh...the 7 blade fan came off the my dad's 72 burb.

For the big stuff I prefer a 1 ton truck. I use my 79 1 ton which came factory equipped with nearly everything you mention here. Large front and rear sway bars, big 4 core radiator and large fan to keep the big block cool (a real necessity climbing the mountains around here)....I went through and did poly bushings on both sway bars and I run "E" load range tires on it for more stability.
I still use a load distribution hitch on it as well to keep the truck level for the big loads. My 28 foot enclosed trailer loaded with a car and tools hits the scales at just over 9,000 lbs. I've since replaced the 454 with a GM crate 502 with more grunt. It yanks that thing around no problem and tows nicely, even rides nice. I wouldn't think of using any less of a truck for something like this.
I had heavy half tons with 3/4 ton spring packs, no comparison to how the 1 ton handles it. I don't think I'll ever go back.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by capev86

AlaskaMatt's setup is perfectly fine as is.

run an equalizer bar hitch to help relocate some of the load to the front wheels.

!

That's the key right there....

[classicchev]

All I would say based on my experience is never!! GOing sideways over a 2 lane bridge seeing the taillights of the trailer beside us with a 200 foot drop to a river is not fun. Its not like we were not set up for the trailer, just a collection of bad circumstances that ended up in a good situation.

[capev86]

All I would say based on my experience is never!! GOing sideways over a 2 lane bridge seeing the taillights of the trailer beside us with a 200 foot drop to a river is not fun. Its not like we were not set up for the trailer, just a collection of bad circumstances that ended up in a good situation.

what the heck were you doing to get yourself into that situation?!!

so tell us what happened...did you pull out of it or come to a stop? any damage? my guess (based on your profile pic) is you sold the trailer and slammed the blazer!

[rsavage]

I have towed boats and trailers for 40 years with a variety of tow vehicles from S10 Blazers, a 71 30 series Longhorn, various regular pickups, performance pickups including a Ford Lightning and a Dakota RT, to my current Dodge 2500 Cummins diesel. My 23' Baja weighed about 5500lbs on the trailer. One of the best tow vehicles I had was the Ford Lightning. Short wheelbase, lots of power, and heavy enough to be stable. Now my Toyhauler weighs 6750lbs empty. Put a HD dresser and all our gear in and its close to 9000. That's why I need the diesel now. A 20 ft. trailer will weigh about 3000 lbs. No problem to tow it with your Blazer if set up properly.

[old man jimmy]

I'm sure you're totally confused with the answers to your question by now. But your original post was "will i be happy" My answer in a nutshell is a diffinate no. You could pull a house with a blazer, but doing it in a safe way is a another story. Given the right chain of events they will never pull a trailer that big and be safe. Plane and simple. I've seen my trailers taillights in my side mirror more than once. They work great for a tent trailer, that's about it. You could be lucky, and get away with it for a long time. But I quit before my luck run out. This may sound hard, but if my advise can stop soneone from getting hurt, or worse, I can live with that.

[Firebirdjones]

I can only wonder what scenarios and situations people are towing under if they think a short camper would become an issue for a full size blazer...
Especially since they make trailers nowadays specifically designed to be towed by most minivans, SUV's, and crossovers. My Jay Flight Swift SLX is designed with those intentions in mind with lighter weight (3,000 lbs loaded) at 19 feet. They get as light as 2300 lbs. A fullsize blazer with 1/2 ton suspension is surely more capable. With the right equipment, brakes on dual axles, load distribution, and now a 6.0 vortec engine, I can't even tell it's back there.

Not to mention the pop up tent style campers are actually much heavier. The lightest pop up camper on the lot was 4200 lbs. It was over 1,000 lbs. heavier than my full size 19 foot camper. Not to mention most pop ups are single axle, which tows horribly compared to a dual axle trailer.

Are you guys using trailer brakes with a good brake controller?? Are you using a nice load distribution hitch?? Is it a dual axle trailer for more stability?? Or are you simply driving too fast for road conditions?? I think more information is needed from those with issues for the original poster to make an informed decision. Just my thoughts....

[old man jimmy]

This is a tent trailer, probably about 200 to 300 lbs. used to be able to pick it up. Not as comfy as a big trailer. But I use to take it places you could never drag a bigger trailer into. And that's what I bought 4 wheel drive for in the first place. If I got into trouble on mountain trails where I couldn't turn it around, used to just pick it up and move it around. Never been a compground camper.

[Firebirdjones]

Yeah that's pretty dinky. You could tow that behind a civic What size wheels are those, like little 8 inchers?
The actual pop up campers are what I was referring to about weight. Those things are tanks. I guess with all the mechanisms required and moving parts, makes those things heavy. Like I said, even the smallest one on the lot (at that time) was 4200 lbs. That's before you load your stuff in. That would be like towing a full size 24' camper as far as weight goes. They are really making these campers light now, to the point I won't even look at a pop up anymore.

You sound like us, we like to hit the mountains around here, places a car can't go, which is why you see these 16-20' campers nowadays with a ton of ground clearance.

[K5Ken]

The key here is would you be happy towing a trailer with your Blazer and I would have to say no you wont be happy till you get where you are going and unhook it.

[Firebirdjones]

That key leaves out alot of variables though...such as...

I'm happy as long as I'm pulling the 19' camper.

I wouldn't be happy however with my 9,000 lbs. 28' enclosed trailer behind the blazer, I leave that for the 1 ton pickup.

Man's got to know his limitations