Towing question - Kansas City to Dallas

[toddtheodd]

Ok guys...
I have a 1972 c10 long wide.
It has a 350 bored .030 over, Trick Flow 23° aluminum heads, Comp cams extreme energy 272 cam, performer rpm intake, 750cfm carb, Doug Thorly TriY's, TH350 (built to handle the motor) with a B&M 2400 stall torque converter.
The transmission cooler is seperate from the radiator, and is in front of the radiator. No A/C in the truck, so there is no condensor.

So here's the question... how would it handle pulling a trailer from Kansas City to Dallas that when loaded weighs just under 6,000lbs?

Also, it still has the type hitch where the ball is just screwed into one of the holes in the bumper. Will that handle 6,000lbs?

[toddtheodd]

Nobody's ever pulled something heavy with a hopped up motor and a 2400 stall???

[haysonj]

Don't know what gears you have but if you have 4:10 or lower you will be cruising at 3000 or more and that is not good. I also would not tow 6000 lbs on a bumper hitch. It can be done if the trailer is loaded right but still not a good idea.

[Jack_71C10]

I wouldn't tow that much weight on a bumper hitch.
And the higher stall torque converter may slip while towing
and cause your trans to overheat.
my .02

[MrSchaeferPants]

Nope, and I haul quite often with a 1/2 ton wee 6, with loads that heavy. But it's a newer truck, that handles better, and better braking, and weighs more. You NEED a nice heavy duty hitch at least, and with 6klbs, preferably a brake controller, and trailer brakes.

[toddtheodd]

Oh yeah... 3.08 gears.
The trailer would have a surge brake on it. One of the flat car haulers from U-Haul, with a 1995 Oldsmobile Delta 88 on it.
I was thinking of loading it so that the weight wasn't all on the tongue of the trailer... basically back the car on it.
I know the car is 3500lbs, and those trailers are like 2000lbs... that's why I said 6000lbs, so that I would have a margin of error.

[MrSchaeferPants]

It might be 2k for the trailer, paperwork might say? Our 21ft dove tail hauler is about 2k. I'm suprised, I don't think the U-hauls here would rent that to me if I said what I was towing, with that sized vehicle.

Well, if you already have it, load it, see what happens, look at how the truck squats, keep in mind if it brings your rear end down quite a bit, your front will raise, you may notice a difference in steering, and breaking. Like I said, I haul a bit more than that with a 1/2 ton, but it's never very far. Stay in the slow lane, should be a pretty flat drive which is good. Brake early, and don't ride anyone's ass.

Oh but DO get a class 3 hitch. The balls on the bumper are for pulling little fishing boats and landscaping trailers, that's it.

And keep in mind, that trailer will be pushing you. They call them BUMPer pull trailers for a reason. Towing's not just about engine size and transmission, there's a difference between pulling, and towing.

Stay Safe

[LEEVON]

I say sell the Olds and get another one in TX so you don't have to mess with it!

[MrSchaeferPants]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

I say sell the Olds and get another one in TX so you don't have to mess with it!

I'm partial to Olds, but not a 87+. Unless it was an Aurora. Sell it and get a 3/4-1ton for future use

[haysonj]

Originally Posted by toddtheodd

Oh yeah... 3.08 gears.
The trailer would have a surge brake on it. One of the flat car haulers from U-Haul, with a 1995 Oldsmobile Delta 88 on it.
I was thinking of loading it so that the weight wasn't all on the tongue of the trailer... basically back the car on it.
I know the car is 3500lbs, and those trailers are like 2000lbs... that's why I said 6000lbs, so that I would have a margin of error.

Be very careful about backing it on the trailer(not enough tongue weight) I brought my 4x4 from AZ to Calif on that same Uhaul trailer. Had to back it on because the 4x4 is wider in the front. I could not go over 45 without it starting to fishtail. If I had to do it again I would have bought some bags of sand and thrown in the pickup bed.

[Ackattack]

I would make sure I have a trans temp guage and a frame mounted hitch.

I would also contact U-hual to make sure they'll rent you that trailer for that car in your truck. I've used a few of those trailers and they seem to be really tongue heavy, and don't allow you to move the car back to adjust the tongue load.

[blackdawn]

my 2 cents, first i dont think a bumper will handle that kind of weight pushing and pulling on it, it may get you there but be incredibly tweaked, id say get a true hitch setup. second after renting many u-haul trailers i have found that their surge breaks are next to useless. they never service the trailers, so i have had nothing but bad experiences with them. I ended up roasting the brakes on my 3/4 ton pulling one of those with a 4k vehicle on it.

[BLAZERMAN]

Originally Posted by blackdawn

my 2 cents, first i dont think a bumper will handle that kind of weight pushing and pulling on it, it may get you there but be incredibly tweaked, id say get a true hitch setup. second after renting many u-haul trailers i have found that their surge breaks are next to useless. they never service the trailers, so i have had nothing but bad experiences with them. I ended up roasting the brakes on my 3/4 ton pulling one of those with a 4k vehicle on it.

I agree on all this..I wouldnt even think of towing that kind of weight with a bumper hitch...and as far as a U-Haul trailer I may trust one to go across town but no farther! they are notourius for blown tires, smoked wheel bearings and bad lights. They get turned in from who knows how far of a trip and its right back out again.

[SS Tim]

I cannot agree more with the advice given. It is too much for you hitch and really your truck as equipped. The engine mods seem more top end oriented and I'm suprised that you are running 3.07 gears with it (short tires???).
But for the sake of accuracy, here is the offical Chevrolet "REQUIRED EQUIPMENT ON PICKUPS & SUBURBANS FOR TRAILER TOWING" chart form the 1972 Silver Book.

[old Chevy guy]

DON'T put the car on backwards! trailers loaded heavier in the rear do some crazy stuff. I had to load a car backwards on my trailer once (long story). I was towing it with my 67 3/4 ton GMC camper cruiser with a V6. I was almost back to my house when I got going a little to fast and when the trailer started to fishtail ,as they will loaded that way, it almost flipped the truck. Very scary,lessen learned!

[Hubscrub]

Originally Posted by old Chevy guy

DON'T put the car on backwards! trailers loaded heavier in the rear do some crazy stuff. I had to load a car backwards on my trailer once (long story). I was towing it with my 67 3/4 ton GMC camper cruiser with a V6. I was almost back to my house when I got going a little to fast and when the trailer started to fishtail ,as they will loaded that way, it almost flipped the truck. Very scary,lessen learned!

X2 i will never tow one backwards again if i can help it bad experiences

[powerdriver 1958]

Backwards on the trailer is a recipe for disaster

[ls1nova71]

What's the story on the Olds? With the engine/trans in your truck, and pulling a trailer you're going to be getting some awful gas mileage. Factor in getting a better hitch, because there is no way you could safely tow that much weight for that distance with a bumper hitch, then it would seem to me it would be cheaper to get a plane ticket and fly in and drive it home. You'd save one night hotel money too, unless you were going to bonzai it up and back.