anyone here tow with lowered truck?

[bigarmzz]

anyone here tow anything with there truck lowered?

i'm wanting to get a car hauler, but my truck is now lowered 5/7..spindles, springs in the front, and flip kit and drop shackles in the rear.....i could use a frame mounted hidden hitch with my roll pan....or could i?

i'm just wanting to know if this is possible or not before i start looking for a hauler

[82c10]

lets see some updated pics bigarmzz, last time you had a 3/4 drop

[bigarmzz]

Originally Posted by 82c10

lets see some updated pics bigarmzz, last time you had a 3/4 drop

yeah, i'll try and get updated pics this weekend sometime....it sits (in my opinion) damn near perfect now

the rear tire tucks up in the fender about an inch, maybe two

[AirMale]

I have a brand new Hid-a-hitch for that truck if ya want it...$100+sh

[87 STEPPER]

Iv'e towed a 20' checkmate ski boat & a twin seedoo trailer with the 87 stepper with a 3/4 drop had no prob's.

Iv'e also towed a 24' travle trailer the twin seedoo trailer and a car hauler full of roofing metrials with my '92 S10 also droped 3/4 and no prob's.

But as low as you are you may want to run some air spring's or shocks it depends on what you put on that car hauler!

[bigarmzz]

Originally Posted by AirMale

I have a brand new Hid-a-hitch for that truck if ya want it...$100+sh

sounds like a heck of a deal

why didnt ya use it?

[Tom]

Towed my 5/5 droped 78 on a tow dolly [two front wheels off the ground] with my 5/7 dropped 79. Also put 4000lbs in the bed of the 79 for a couple miles no problem. This is a 1/2ton truck.

[bodydropped]

i towed with mine all the time when the rear was a little lower we towed a 89 stang from beaumont,tx to magnolia,tx with no problem but with a rear flip kit we added cab air bags off a 18 wheeler and so the rear end wouldnt bottom out but i got 10 leafs on each side beacuse we towed alot

[MylilBowTie]

Not to pick on your shortbed or anything but I would think about towing with a longer wheelbase than that. It can get pretty hairy towing something bigger than you with something smaller towing it.

[AirMale]

Originally Posted by bigarmzz

sounds like a heck of a deal

why didnt ya use it?

I had every intention on using it. I bought it to box the rear frame rails after removing the bumper and installing a rollpan. I just wanted to feel a little safer with some beefy metal back there. I have since learned to weld and will be using some 2X4 rect. tube for more strength. I never intended to tow anything though, I admit I'll snap a pic in a few minutes.

[N2TRUX]

You can set your truck up to tow a car hauler, but it will take quit a bit to make it anything less than a white knuckle ride. Besides a good reciever hitch, I would suggest you look at a set of helper air bags. They will make a world of difference when towing, and won't effect your ride when not in use like air shocks do.

I'm not sure what size trailer your looking at, or what you intend to haul, but a 305 with 3.42 gears isn't exactly the optimum towing combo. I'm not saying it won't do it, just that it won't "like" doing it.

What tranny are you running? If you have an OD transmission, do not tow with it in OD. Just to be on the safe side, I would consider an aftermarket tranny cooler and a temp guage install too....

[82c10]

Originally Posted by bigarmzz

yeah, i'll try and get updated pics this weekend sometime....it sits (in my opinion) damn near perfect now

the rear tire tucks up in the fender about an inch, maybe two

you can just start a new thread and post pics from the beginning through the restore, and how it was and how it is

[bigarmzz]

i might do that 82c10

n2trux, i'm in the process of changing over to a 350 out of a 99 truck....yeah your right...my 305, believe it or not, with my dual flowmasters, it runs pretty good....but not good enough to tow...i'm looking at just a 18' open car hauler...(the kind thats around $1,800 or so)...

what kind of bag set up for the rear are you talking about?...got a pic of this, or a part number?...where do they install at?...between the rear end and the bed?

airmale, let me know when ya get a few pics of that hitch

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by bigarmzz

.....what kind of bag set up for the rear are you talking about?...got a pic of this, or a part number?...where do they install at?...between the rear end and the bed?..

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand birds in the bush... or something like that.


There are other companies that make these but Airlift company is the most well known. You can get a universal kit and mount them wherever you want, but the pic below of a bolt on kit will show you what I am talking about. Add a small compressor and you can adjust it on the go....

[N2TRUX]

After looking at that set up, I realized how much it ressembles the set up on my 77. Mine is using a bigger bag, but not by much.....

[screwballl]

my R2500 burb has them directly between the bottom of the frame and top of the axle/spring mounts... of course mine isn't lowered, tis all stock..
but N2 has the proper way to go there as usual

[bigarmzz]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

After looking at that set up, I realized how much it ressambles the set up on my 77. Mine is using a bigger bag, but not by much.....

nice pic n2trux....

i went to the website, looks like this is what would be needed, if i'm right part #59527 ....i tried to find prices, but couldnt find em

you'd need the full deal wouldnt ya?..compressor, lines, etc....

how hard is it to hook up one of these set ups?

do i need "shock relocation brackets"?....

[AirMale]

sorry, I got lazy yesterday

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by bigarmzz

....you'd need the full deal wouldnt ya?..compressor, lines, etc....

You don't "have" to have a compressor. I had one of my trucks set up with schrader valves and used a small portable 12v compressor to fill the bags. That worked just fine, but one day it was raining it's @ss off and I got soaked trying to get them aired up. My next truck had an onboard compressor with a gauge and an adjustable pressure switch.

how hard is it to hook up one of these set ups? do i need "shock relocation brackets"?....

As you can see from the pics it's a bolt on deal. I have never done a 73-87 but I'm going to guess it "can" be done without removing or lifting the bed. I can also imagine it would be easier to drill all the holes if you did remove the bed. Since it's designed as a bolt on kit I assume you would not need to relocate your shocks.