Will a 307 tow OK? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

gerry giordano · 01-28-2004, 04:28 PM

I'm looking into a C-10, '68 307, 4 spd manual. No modifications from stock I'd like to keep it pretty much stock and original so I'm not interested in a high performance engine. However, I do tow a light boat trailer- 1500 lbs or so. My question to you is will this do well towing? By way of contrast, I currently tow with 91 Caprice wagon with 305 automatic. Slow accelleration and slows a bit on the steep grades. So, better, same, or worse?

Thank you.

PS a guess a miles per gallon (not towing) would be apprciated too!

cdowns · 01-28-2004, 04:31 PM

i'd think it would be about the same maybe slightly better with the manual tranny

1969 GMC · 01-28-2004, 04:34 PM

the 307 should handle that just fine. you will probably get ~15 mpg if you really keep your foot out of it, but both of these depend on axle gearing too. If its 3.08 you will have a harder time towing but will get better mpg unloaded, etc.

**Yukon Jack** · 01-28-2004, 04:48 PM

Those motors have a fair amount of torque. When my K20 had it's 307, I could easily haul around more than 100 bales of hay on a trailer. My K20 does have 4.56 gears though. Your 4 speed should be a granny low tranny that will easily get a heavy load moving.

68 Suburban · 01-28-2004, 05:22 PM

1500 lbs is not a lot of weight. You should be fine. Mileage will depend a lot on what rear end you have in your truck.

lukecp · 01-28-2004, 05:47 PM

That truck almost certinally has 3.73 gears....i would say you would be OK. That low first gear will help out alot when taking off with a load.

I would be more worried about 4-wheel stock drum brakes than the engines power

67chevemall · 01-28-2004, 06:42 PM

Gas is a %^&$# ! But it should tow 5000pds no problem!

68 Suburban · 01-28-2004, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by yellow72custom

I would be more worried about 4-wheel stock drum brakes than the engines power

I have towed 6000lbs + up and down mountains with drum brakes and have had know problems. Just make sure your drum brakes are well maintained.

lukecp · 01-28-2004, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 68 Suburban
I have towed 6000lbs + up and down mountains with drum brakes and have had know problems. Just make sure your drum brakes are well maintained.

Of course you have those Kevlar pads on there

I've drove a '67 with 4-wheel manual drums...was a deathtrap, lol. If i had a drum brake truck i would either upgrade to a power disc setup, or the kevlar pads.

68 Suburban · 01-28-2004, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by yellow72custom

Of course you have those Kevlar pads on there

I've drove a '67 with 4-wheel manual drums...was a deathtrap, lol. If i had a drum brake truck i would either upgrade to a power disc setup, or the kevlar pads.

Kevlars are great, but the main reason drum brake trucks are consider death traps is because of the lack of maintenace. Most people have 35 year old fluid in the lines, the original brake springs, brakes out of adjustments. Maintenance is the key, not the kevlars. Kevlars are just icying on the cake

Perchjerker · 01-28-2004, 07:46 PM

A 307 will tow well, but I would be more worried about those rear coils. There preety shaky when towing or hauling.

gotmud · 01-28-2004, 07:53 PM

Ive got a 68 c10 with a 307 3 speed on the tree that my dad used to pull stumps out of the ground and fields down in South Georgia. Soil was a sandy loam mixture.

Eddie H. · 01-28-2004, 08:19 PM

My 69 GMC came with a 307 originally. My dad used it for 20 years working on a farm towing and hauling everything
from hay bales to overload cotton trailers. It's a good little engine.

stelth2002 · 01-28-2004, 08:41 PM

I dont think youll have any problems. And i actually like my drum barkes. I would like to have discs, but i hear they might have more power loss than drums, because for a disc they are constantly on the rotor. Any body have results of this?

lukecp · 01-28-2004, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by stelth2002
I dont think youll have any problems. And i actually like my drum barkes. I would like to have discs, but i hear they might have more power loss than drums, because for a disc they are constantly on the rotor. Any body have results of this?

Drums also always have shoe-to-drum contact if they are properly adjusted. I think they have a bit less parascitic than discs though.

Every automaker has converted to disc brakes, and if you drive a new truck with 4-wheel discs you will want them too, hehe. Of course drums aren't too bad when properly maintained and upgraded

Longhorn Man · 01-29-2004, 12:25 AM

Rear discs are a waste of time and money IMO, I have done a drum to disc conversion in a car once. THe drums were marginal, and the disc set up worked perfect. The difference was only a foot in 60 - 0....a few feet 100 - 0. I understand that a foot could be the differance of crapping in your pants and bleeding in your pants, but it just seems like a whole lot of effort and cost for nothing much in performance.
Anyways, to the question at hand, acording to the GM papers, the 307 is rated to tow 6000 pounds with the 3.07 gears, 8250 pounds with the 3.73 (which you probably have as stated above) and is rated to tow 8700 if you have the 4.11 gear set.

Hooter · 01-29-2004, 01:53 AM

drums on a truck with a 500 horse 454 is not fun at all, I am soo glad I switched to discs

01-28-2004, 04:28 PM	#1
gerry giordano Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 44	Will a 307 tow OK? I'm looking into a C-10, '68 307, 4 spd manual. No modifications from stock I'd like to keep it pretty much stock and original so I'm not interested in a high performance engine. However, I do tow a light boat trailer- 1500 lbs or so. My question to you is will this do well towing? By way of contrast, I currently tow with 91 Caprice wagon with 305 automatic. Slow accelleration and slows a bit on the steep grades. So, better, same, or worse? Thank you. PS a guess a miles per gallon (not towing) would be apprciated too!

01-28-2004, 04:31 PM	#2
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	i'd think it would be about the same maybe slightly better with the manual tranny __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

01-28-2004, 04:34 PM	#3
1969 GMC Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The Rubber City Posts: 5,498	the 307 should handle that just fine. you will probably get ~15 mpg if you really keep your foot out of it, but both of these depend on axle gearing too. If its 3.08 you will have a harder time towing but will get better mpg unloaded, etc. __________________ 1969 GMC K2500 1996 Honda Accord 2007 Kawasaki KLR 650

01-28-2004, 04:48 PM	#4
Yukon Jack Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Rose Hill, KS, USA Posts: 12,686	Those motors have a fair amount of torque. When my K20 had it's 307, I could easily haul around more than 100 bales of hay on a trailer. My K20 does have 4.56 gears though. Your 4 speed should be a granny low tranny that will easily get a heavy load moving. __________________ 1970 Blazer with a 400 sbc and 4" lift 1980 Pontiac Trans Am, 455 Oldsmobile 2012 Kawasaki Concours 14

01-28-2004, 05:22 PM	#5
68 Suburban Registered User Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: From Chicago, Live in Phoenix, AZ Posts: 6,802	1500 lbs is not a lot of weight. You should be fine. Mileage will depend a lot on what rear end you have in your truck. __________________ Just sitting here contemplating contemplation.

01-28-2004, 05:47 PM	#6
lukecp Formerly yellow72custom Join Date: May 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 7,531	That truck almost certinally has 3.73 gears....i would say you would be OK. That low first gear will help out alot when taking off with a load. I would be more worried about 4-wheel stock drum brakes than the engines power __________________ '72 Chevy C10 Mild 350/TH350/3.07. Ochre/White. Old high school ride. '70 GMC C2500 '62 327 4bbl/SM465/4.56-geared Dana 60. White/White. Project or parts truck. '97 Saturn SL DD. 1.9/5-speed. 40+ highway mpg

01-28-2004, 06:42 PM	#7
67chevemall Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NB Posts: 3,367	Gas is a %^&$# ! But it should tow 5000pds no problem! __________________ 1968 Chevy C10 307 3ott fleetside 1967 Chevy C/10 V8, 3spd, fleetside lwb.Sold 1967 Chev C/10 step, 383, M21. SOLD

01-28-2004, 07:46 PM	#11
Perchjerker Beer Power!!!!!!!!!! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nacogdoches, TX Posts: 280	A 307 will tow well, but I would be more worried about those rear coils. There preety shaky when towing or hauling. __________________ Rather be fishin'

01-28-2004, 07:53 PM	#12
gotmud Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Cumming, Ga Posts: 234	Ive got a 68 c10 with a 307 3 speed on the tree that my dad used to pull stumps out of the ground and fields down in South Georgia. Soil was a sandy loam mixture. __________________ Glenn Cumming, Ga (68 C/10 Fleetside LWB 307 (64 C/10 Fleetside Shorty Custom 350, with 73 donor parts aplenty) (2001 Porsche Boxster S - 168 MPH of fun) (2005 Chevy Avalanche Z71 1500)

01-28-2004, 08:19 PM	#13
Eddie H. Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Paradise TX USA Posts: 1,200	My 69 GMC came with a 307 originally. My dad used it for 20 years working on a farm towing and hauling everything from hay bales to overload cotton trailers. It's a good little engine. __________________ "Negative people always seem to have a problem for every solution"

01-28-2004, 08:41 PM	#14
stelth2002 Young Gun wth Fast Inline Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Idaho Posts: 1,475	I dont think youll have any problems. And i actually like my drum barkes. I would like to have discs, but i hear they might have more power loss than drums, because for a disc they are constantly on the rotor. Any body have results of this? __________________ 1967 Chevrolet LWB with built 292! 415 ft. lbs of torque, 4 speed :O with 27% overdrive too, 3.73 Posi. Frame and body done... getting painted!!!

01-29-2004, 12:25 AM	#16
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Rear discs are a waste of time and money IMO, I have done a drum to disc conversion in a car once. THe drums were marginal, and the disc set up worked perfect. The difference was only a foot in 60 - 0....a few feet 100 - 0. I understand that a foot could be the differance of crapping in your pants and bleeding in your pants, but it just seems like a whole lot of effort and cost for nothing much in performance. Anyways, to the question at hand, acording to the GM papers, the 307 is rated to tow 6000 pounds with the 3.07 gears, 8250 pounds with the 3.73 (which you probably have as stated above) and is rated to tow 8700 if you have the 4.11 gear set.

01-29-2004, 01:53 AM	#17
Hooter My other Love Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Castlegar B.C. Canada Posts: 4,085	drums on a truck with a 500 horse 454 is not fun at all, I am soo glad I switched to discs __________________ Castlegar B.C.The great white North (Canada Eh!) Hooter_5@hotmail.com First generation Monte Carlo club pictures of my life



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