hauling with a lifted 4x4 - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**americanmusc1e** · 09-08-2015, 06:11 PM

I'll try to keep this short.

I'm gearing up to purchase a set of tires for my truck. I've been planning on 35s, but I'm starting to think that most of the time I drive the truck it will be for hauling stuff. Not really heavy stuff, at the most a flatbed with a 3500lb car on it.

I'm not planning on any crazy offroading. Would it be worth it to switch to 33s instead? I might have to redo my lift in that case, but if the difference would be noticeable I could justify it.

Any other ideas to make my rig a better hauler? I'm in the middle of an EFI conversion for the 383. I do realize that the whole thing wasn't really well thought out by me when i started.

bmchevy1979 · 09-08-2015, 08:31 PM

I don't think you will like towing with 3.73 gears and 35s and the gear spread of the sm465 if you want to run 35s I would put 4.11 gears in it you should be able to get 15mpg at least my truck averages that with a 350 Holley carb and 33s with 3.73 but the hole between gears hurts on hills when I have my 6000lb trailer behind it but it does great on flat land. Also in Cali the highway patrol doesn't like it when you go over 55mph with a trailer so the RPMs aren't to bad towing around 2600rpm by my tach

bmchevy1979 · 09-08-2015, 08:41 PM

Also you need a good drop hitch if you keep it lifted that tall

RIDE-RED 350r · 09-15-2015, 06:36 PM

Agree with BMchevy1979...

I have a 4 inch lift with 35's, sm465. I recently towed by 2300lb boat, 800lb trailer, probably 400lb of gear in boat, and all of 800lb in the bed of the truck. We were going on our annual camping trip, the bed of the truck carried about 1/2 face cord of wood, 4 fully filled and heavy coolers, as well as our heaviest totes of camping gear. I do concur about the wide RPM gap between gears on the 465. Truck did better than I expected it to, but it made we want a gear vendors splitter REALLY bad! LOL! Still though, for an old girl she did A-OK by me... got right around 9.5 mpg on that trip in the hilly Adirondack Park in northern NYS..

I'm running an 8" drop hitch and it is about as perfect as can be reasonably expected for both of my boat trailers, camper and homemade flat bed for hauling ATV's. If the weight of a trailer and load you are hooking to seems to need torsion bars you probably shouldnt be towing it with a lifted truck an 35's.

09-08-2015, 06:11 PM	#1
americanmusc1e Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,079	hauling with a lifted 4x4 I'll try to keep this short. I'm gearing up to purchase a set of tires for my truck. I've been planning on 35s, but I'm starting to think that most of the time I drive the truck it will be for hauling stuff. Not really heavy stuff, at the most a flatbed with a 3500lb car on it. I'm not planning on any crazy offroading. Would it be worth it to switch to 33s instead? I might have to redo my lift in that case, but if the difference would be noticeable I could justify it. Any other ideas to make my rig a better hauler? I'm in the middle of an EFI conversion for the 383. I do realize that the whole thing wasn't really well thought out by me when i started. __________________ -- Josh Instagram: @americanmusc1e OLD SKOOL-- 1970 C10. 454/Th400/3.07 posi Build Thread FARM TRUCK----1949 Chevrolet 3800 Power Wagon Hauler Build Thread 1999 4wd OBS Tahoe - daily. DM me if you can't see photos i posted

09-08-2015, 08:31 PM	#2
bmchevy1979 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Visalia, Ca Posts: 707	Re: hauling with a lifted 4x4 I don't think you will like towing with 3.73 gears and 35s and the gear spread of the sm465 if you want to run 35s I would put 4.11 gears in it you should be able to get 15mpg at least my truck averages that with a 350 Holley carb and 33s with 3.73 but the hole between gears hurts on hills when I have my 6000lb trailer behind it but it does great on flat land. Also in Cali the highway patrol doesn't like it when you go over 55mph with a trailer so the RPMs aren't to bad towing around 2600rpm by my tach __________________ <Brandon> 1974 Chevrolet K5 Blazer 350sbc/SM465/NP205, dana44 front, corp 14bolt rear with 4.10s and a powertrax locker, custom rear bumper 400sbc in the works. 1981 GMC C1500 stepside 250i6, 3spd, 12bolt with 3.08s 2.5/4drop on 15x10 with 275/50r15 81 GMC C3500 cab-chassis dually with utility bed 350sbc, Sm465, 14bolt with 4.10s nv4500 getting ready to go in 1979 Chevrolet K5 R.I.P. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=434096 1976 Chevrolet C10 R.I.P. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=434195

09-08-2015, 08:41 PM	#3
bmchevy1979 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Visalia, Ca Posts: 707	Re: hauling with a lifted 4x4 Also you need a good drop hitch if you keep it lifted that tall __________________ <Brandon> 1974 Chevrolet K5 Blazer 350sbc/SM465/NP205, dana44 front, corp 14bolt rear with 4.10s and a powertrax locker, custom rear bumper 400sbc in the works. 1981 GMC C1500 stepside 250i6, 3spd, 12bolt with 3.08s 2.5/4drop on 15x10 with 275/50r15 81 GMC C3500 cab-chassis dually with utility bed 350sbc, Sm465, 14bolt with 4.10s nv4500 getting ready to go in 1979 Chevrolet K5 R.I.P. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=434096 1976 Chevrolet C10 R.I.P. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=434195

09-15-2015, 06:36 PM	#4
RIDE-RED 350r Registered User Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Blossvale NY Posts: 202	Re: hauling with a lifted 4x4 Agree with BMchevy1979... I have a 4 inch lift with 35's, sm465. I recently towed by 2300lb boat, 800lb trailer, probably 400lb of gear in boat, and all of 800lb in the bed of the truck. We were going on our annual camping trip, the bed of the truck carried about 1/2 face cord of wood, 4 fully filled and heavy coolers, as well as our heaviest totes of camping gear. I do concur about the wide RPM gap between gears on the 465. Truck did better than I expected it to, but it made we want a gear vendors splitter REALLY bad! LOL! Still though, for an old girl she did A-OK by me... got right around 9.5 mpg on that trip in the hilly Adirondack Park in northern NYS.. I'm running an 8" drop hitch and it is about as perfect as can be reasonably expected for both of my boat trailers, camper and homemade flat bed for hauling ATV's. If the weight of a trailer and load you are hooking to seems to need torsion bars you probably shouldnt be towing it with a lifted truck an 35's. __________________ Who needs a Hemi when ya got a Chevy!



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