Towing with a 2wd Blazer

[jeffg1010]

Who is towing with their 2wd? I was considering getting a small camper to tow to the beach for weekend trips. It is a pretty flat and easy tow. I am thinking something with a dry weight of around 2-3000 lbs w/ weight distribution and sway control. I'll probably add some helper bags and an electric fan. I have disc brakes.

I am selling my squarebody crewcab and my camper so this will be a big change.

Not really looking for criticisms or why I shouldn't do it. I am only looking for feedback from folks who've done it. Possibly to get an idea of what I can get away with.

[truckster]

I don't have any advice, but that's a nice looking Blazer you've got there.

[Keith Seymore]

My advice is that you should be fine.

A Blazer is basically a short SWB pickup; your weight distributing setup and 3000 lb trailer is probably overkill (although without looking at the trailering guide it may be required according to the factory literature).

Approx 4600 lbs shown (3600 lb car and 1000 lbs trailer); 4 wheel drum surge brakes, no load leveling. I've been all the way to Bakersfield and Phoenix with this setup w no issues.

K

[hemi43]

My trailer is 4000lbs dry. It tows OK, but barely. If there's any significant wind, you will have white knuckles.
A Blazer is definitely NOT like a short pickup ! Short pickup has a 115" wheel base, whereas the Blazer is only 104". That is a HUGE difference when it comes to towing.

[rsavage]

Originally Posted by hemi43

My trailer is 4000lbs dry. It tows OK, but barely. If there's any significant wind, you will have white knuckles.
A Blazer is definitely NOT like a short pickup ! Short pickup has a 115" wheel base, whereas the Blazer is only 104". That is a HUGE difference when it comes to towing.

This

Sway control would be important along with tires with stiffer sidewalls. It will tow fine but has very quick unforgiving steering as I am sure you know.

[paul mora]

If you were to go to the haul website and go through the site like you wanted to rent a car trailer it would probably not let you tow. I have towed once or twice with my blazer short runs light loads no problem. i tried to flat tow my wives CRV one time and it was mister toads wild ride never tried again. If it were me I wouldn’t use the blazer

[Keith Seymore]

Hmm.

I stand corrected.

Carry on -

K

[jeffg1010]

Thanks to all who actually read my post. Love the pics Keith
As I said in post #1. Not looking for negative opinions from naysayers. This is happening.

[paul mora]

There is a fine line between feedback and criticism and only you can filter out what you want to see once you post something online. We can only give you our experience on a issue and you take it and run. You could have take my post as a negative comment. It was just my feedback for you based on my experience and the possible SAFETY problems when towing. Remember when you diving down minding your own business it is usually someone else that causes the accident and don’t let it be you towing a trailer. Go out and borrow a trailer and tow it down the highway with a wind and pass a couple of large trucks. If you feel comfortable then you go for it!

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I have done it with a 4x4 73+, and it was stock height with E-rated tires. It was my friends, and I drove it from LA to pretty much Havasu city for him. We had a box trailer about 10 foot long 7 foot high on the back.

They have a tendency to wander like a 3 year old at the mall, and winds are a white knuckle affair. When I did it. It was a one way trip of about 250 miles.

So if anything happens wind wise. Take it slow.

[hemi43]

Originally Posted by jeffg1010

Thanks to all who actually read my post. Love the pics Keith
As I said in post #1. Not looking for negative opinions from naysayers. This is happening.

Hmmm... where are the negative comments?

[Blazer690]

I tow my 1971 21' Hallett,

[grillzy]

I tow this 21 ft supra ski boat that is a beast. Tows fine but not like a long box pick up not even close.

[YoungPup1977]

From Mooresville to the beach is only a couple of hours, drive 55 and you should be good to go....stay behind a 18 wheeler on 74 I believe it is and draft off of it to make sure you don't over work your old vehicle. Good Luck at the beach !!!!!

[jaros44sr]

jeff, do you have a temp. gauge for your trans.?

[YoungPup1977]

Which coil springs do you have in the rear of the blazer ?

[Blazer690]

I think the're 2 or 3 in. drop springs with a added pair of air shocks off the end of the trailing arms. In jr. collage my buddy towed a 18' behined his '67 camaro convertible.

[jeffg1010]

I am loving these pics. Makes me want another boat!

Originally Posted by YoungPup1977

From Mooresville to the beach is only a couple of hours, drive 55 and you should be good to go....stay behind a 18 wheeler on 74 I believe it is and draft off of it to make sure you don't over work your old vehicle. Good Luck at the beach !!!!!

I was thinking the same thing.

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

jeff, do you have a temp. gauge for your trans.?

No, but I plan on adding a cooler and gauge before taking the plunge

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Blazer690

I tow my 1971 21' Hallett,

Originally Posted by grillzy

I tow this 21 ft supra ski boat that is a beast. Tows fine but not like a long box pick up not even close.

What do the boat/trailer combinations weigh?

I'm not super familiar with boats.

K

[Blazer690]

When I did the trailer I used 5000 lbs for the tong weight adjustment. The bottom is 1"thick fiberglass, a sub floor, big block chevy,2 20 gal gas tanks and 4 full length stringers ect.

[YoungPup1977]

On some of the lakes here in North Carolina, with the boat ramp being a bit steep the thought of converting the 2wd to 4x4 would have to be considered...….towing the boat would work but getting the boat out of the water on a wet ramp could be a tire burner and have all your buddies jumping up and down on the back bumper...LOL !!!

[raggedjim]

Originally Posted by YoungPup1977

... converting the 2wd to 4x4 ...

Sacrilege! A C10 maybe, a Blazer Never!

Good luck, Rg

[YoungPup1977]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

Sacrilege! A C10 maybe, a Blazer Never!

Good luck, Rg

I understand the conversion should never happen, but would you pull a boat or a camper with your 2wd blazer asking for a friend.

[Blazer690]

Originally Posted by YoungPup1977

On some of the lakes here in North Carolina, with the boat ramp being a bit steep the thought of converting the 2wd to 4x4 would have to be considered...….towing the boat would work but getting the boat out of the water on a wet ramp could be a tire burner and have all your buddies jumping up and down on the back bumper...LOL !!!

Love my posi.

[Mike C]

My Jimmy was the only truck I had for a long time and I towed whatever I needed to tow. I regularly towed my 20’ Malibu ski boat 100+ miles each way with it. The boat/trailer combo probably 4000# give or take. That was with 35” tires. I would think the 2x4 setup would tow your camper setup quite well.

As others mentioned, the boat ramp could be a challenge. The 4 speed makes all the difference in the world IME though. Much less likely to spin the tires with the better control of the manual trans, the torque converter doesn’t allow for that same fine throttle finesse and tires bust loose in spite of best efforts. Which is why I continued towing the boat with the Jimmy and not the C2500 ‘70 GMC that I towed everything else with.