What's the Biggest RV trailer towed with a 69-72?

[69GMCLonghorn]

Ok, I've seen a few pics of some fairly decent sized trailers being towed with these trucks... Who's out there pushing the limits of sanity with what they're towing? Show some pics and tell what you've done to the truck! This should be interesting!!!

[capev86]

well....my 72 burb 3/4 ton 2wd will be pulling a 71 holiday 23 footer that weighs 6,000 pounds loaded. planning to have made a custom fit class V hitch 2x2 receiver that will carry 12-15,000 and drill it to match up with the 6 holes already in the frame. when i start pulling the really big loads i will replace the standard 3/4 ton rear coils with the HD option units. checked out some nice 30+ foot toy hauler campers, including one with a 19 foot garage bay.....big enough to park my suburban inside....LOL. i bought my truck to haul the toys as well as look good at the car shows.

oh....my burb will be running the yankee brand chrome roof lamps from my dad's 72 burb, '84 burb flip out stainless towing mirrors and trailer brake controller and harness, big sway bars from CPP, poly bushings, 406sbc, synthetic fluids, etc. a few modern concessions can go a long way towards making these trucks capable of doing just about anything the late models can!

[69GMCLonghorn]

Originally Posted by capev86

well....my 72 burb 3/4 ton 2wd will be pulling a 71 holiday 23 footer that weighs 6,000 pounds loaded. planning to have made a custom fit class V hitch 2x2 receiver that will carry 12-15,000 and drill it to match up with the 6 holes already in the frame. when i start pulling the really big loads i will replace the standard 3/4 ton rear coils with the HD option units. checked out some nice 30+ foot toy hauler campers, including one with a 19 foot garage bay.....big enough to park my suburban inside....LOL. i bought my truck to haul the toys as well as look good at the car shows.

oh....my burb will be running the yankee brand chrome roof lamps from my dad's 72 burb, '84 burb flip out stainless towing mirrors and trailer brake controller and harness, big sway bars from CPP, poly bushings, 406sbc, synthetic fluids, etc. a few modern concessions can go a long way towards making these trucks capable of doing just about anything the late models can!

Sounds great! As long as you can stop!

[capev86]

well, 71 and newer GM trucks came with disc brakes on the front. my burb is a 3/4 ton as previously mentioned....bigger disc on the front and huge drums out back. it stops really nice. i will be using a trailer brake controller, so that takes care of trailer braking. i don't think it will be a problem. i might get some ceramic pads on the front and i have a ton of valvoline dot4 synthetic brake fluid....so flushing the brakes is on the maintenance list. also may put 2000+ GM truck rear disc on it (no aftermarket kits for me). that should round things out!

[Classic Heartbeat]

I have pulled a 24' enclosed car trailer loaded full top to bottom, front to rear of parts... 71 BB Chevy 3/4 ton and also a 67 Chevy 3/4 ton small block... WES

[69GMCLonghorn]

We all know a big block can pull a freight train up a hill without breathing hard, but I think it's more amazing what some of the small blocks can do under a load. My dad's old 307 in his '69 Chevy used to pull really strongly! I never ran out of power in that thing.

[pritch]

I don't have any pictures, but many years ago before I was old enough to know better, I pulled a 8X40 mobile home from Casper, Wyo. to here in No. Utah. I had a '67 c-10 with a 350 & 3 on the tree. It took all friggin' day. there's no real steep hills on that route, but there ain't none of it you could call level. I was really surprised that we made it without burning up a clutch or something.

[special-K]

They`ll haul whatever`s made.here`s a not so big for today 5th wheel.


My`72 Sierra hauled a big one.I have seen the camper but never got pictures with it hooked up.

[69GMCLonghorn]

That is an awesome advertisement! Love it!

[capev86]

69GMCLonghorn....the 307 has the lame short stroke crank from the 327, but is tuned for low end power so it does ok. i'd prefer a 305 (350 crank) with an rv cam and dual exhaust like my dad put in his 72 burb (3.73) for pulling our 71 holiday 23 footer. family still has the trailer and i plan to pull it with my 3/4 ton burb next year.....will be running the stock 307 (w/ petronix kit) and 3OT in my truck for awhile but eventually plan to swap in the my bad boy 406sbc that towed very well in the 84 burb we had in it. lighter than a big block and no one can tell the difference from a plain jane 350, etc. will be swapping the 4.57 gear for a 4.10 but should still have plenty of power for what i'll be doing short term.

Pritch.....what did you have for rear springs to haul that mobile home? my dad put standard 3/4 ton coils on the back of his 1/2 ton burb (it was an option according to my literature). our 71 holiday has a heavy tongue so it was a logical upgrade when the rear coils were sagged. the 1/2 ton springs don't belong on the back end of truck that actually gets used as a truck. the aux springs never engaged after that. my 3/4 ton burb doesn't have them and i think they are ugly. i just plan to put the 3/4 ton HD option coils on the back of my truck.

1/2 ton - 1400 lbs (per side)
3/4 ton - 2000 lbs
3/4 HD - 2750 lbs

the HD option springs can handle the load that the HO52 axle is rated for. perfect for hauling those 12,000+ pound, 35 footer toy hauler campers (some day) or big pickup campers on a truck with coil springs. if you keep the standard coils on the front, you will have a reasonably comfortable ride.

[pritch]

Originally Posted by capev86

Pritch.....what did you have for rear springs to haul that mobile home?

I dunno. But I still got 'em. They are still on that '67, only it has been my truck bed trailer for the last 25 years or more. I was on the stops the whole time, the springs were useless. Thing is, I don't think they were the standard or even an optional spring. I am starting to think the PO of that old '67 had found some real soft springs for a better ride. They seem different than any I've seen on these trucks. I'm thinking about using them on my Panel, for the softer ride thing there. It don't take much of a load in my trailer to set it right down on the stops still. Do coil springs wear out? I mean, as long as they don't break, do they always hold their spring?

[capev86]

when my dad bought his 72 burb 1/2 ton in 1983, the middle coils on each rear coil were compressed. the truck was only 11 years old at the time and it didn't have a class 3 hitch until my dad bought it. as i said before, the 3/4 ton springs were optional equipment (not that he knew that at the time) but because they physically fit, he upgraded rather than just buy dinky 1/2 ton springs. i would think a big mobile would have a much higher tongue weight than just about any camper trailer and that your half ton truck would have had rear sag like no bodies business with that thing hitched up. i would never want 1/2 ton rear springs on a truck that is used for towing trailers. as long as you don't upgrade the front springs, the ride should be decent.....that and modern shocks. my 3/4 ton burb needs fresh, modern shocks. the originals are 37 years old even though they only have 74,000 miles on them......

[BCOWANWHEELS]

I towed a kaiser jeep m715 army truck ( 7000 lbs ) on a u-haul car trailer oover 700 miles with my c10 and 250 i-6 engine, 3 on the tree. Several times with no problem

[special-K]

Modern shocks just do what shocks have always done,too.You can always better equip for hauling and towing.But,that`s not to say you can`t with less.That ad shows a Blazer and an El Camino towing.If gM put a motor in a truck,It can haul.

[StingRay]

On flat ground I've pulled 9000 lbs with my 72 1/2 ton LWB 350/350 3.73 rear end with no trouble at all.

[mr48chev]

Sometimes you can over do it though.

[eagleuh1]

I plan on towing a 23 ft 5000 lb travel trailer with my 68 C20 Custom Camper in 2 weeks. Will be putting on a hidden hitch, brake controller and aux tranny cooler this week. Will be towing from Arkansas to Baton Rouge and then to New Orleans for work. Should be no problem, rebuilt 327 with headers, quadrajet, HEI ignition, heavy 10 leaf springs. E class tires. Plan on stopping at every gas station along the way though. LOL. Jim