how much will it really pull

[Mv7fd]

how much will a 79 k20 with a 4 speed and 4.10 gears and a 350 really pull. i know what they are rated for but I've seen people pull some pretty big stuff. would it pull an 18 foot car trailer with a car on it

[casper71]

That combo will pull an 18 foot car trailer loaded with no problem. I had a 292 in my truck and towed everything I could fit on trailer. easily will tow 8k.

[79Betty]

Yea it'll tow it bla bla bla. Yea mine pulled such and such's big 1 ton yadaa yadaa. Pulling is the easy part... Just make sure you can stop and give yourself plenty of room. I know, kinda sounding like an ass here and sorry if i offend you. Just better safe than sorry... Running halfway over the ricer in front of you with a 1 ton ford on a car hauler in your truck is some scary $hit.

[Mv7fd]

no offended at all. i guess you can really pull anything as long as you can stop

[xole]

Originally Posted by 79Betty

Yea it'll tow it bla bla bla. Yea mine pulled such and such's big 1 ton yadaa yadaa. Pulling is the easy part... Just make sure you can stop and give yourself plenty of room. I know, kinda sounding like an ass here and sorry if i offend you. Just better safe than sorry... Running halfway over the ricer in front of you with a 1 ton ford on a car hauler in your truck is some scary $hit.

+1 issue is stopping, not pulling.

[andrewmp6]

It just depends how much the car and the trailer weight if you should pull it or not.As far as being over loaded its a nice fine if you get caught.

[cadillac_al]

A car and trailer is a pretty light duty load. Stations wagons used to pull that easy enough. A K20 with bigger brakes will have no problem at all.

[xole]

The bottom line is there are a lot of different variables including...
1) Ratings of tow vehicle
2) Hitch type and rating (don't forget goose neck)
3) Trailer type (single/tandem axle)
4) Tongue weight
5) Trailer brakes
6) Weight of load
7) Weather, terrain and altitude (higher the less engine power you have)

Every situation is different.

Personally, if it where me I would want a tandem axle trailer with brakes which it sounds like you have covered.

[Old Truck Man]

One thing Not mentioned is the drivers experience. I used to drive semi truck. Back in my late thirties & early forties I was a heavy hauler. the truck was engineered for a 80,000 pound pay load. Yet I commonly hauled loads grossing 180,000. The truck could pll it Ok. Going down steep grades and stopping was the tricky part. My expierence allowed me to do the job without incident. It was legal because we purchased overweight permits. Even today I pull trailers behind my 66GMC 1/2 ton. It has a granny four speed and will pull ok. The drum brakes and single master cyl and the fact that my trailer brakes are very poor makes it unsafe for the novice. I never have problems because I Know How. there isn't a weight limit on 1/2 or 3/4 ton trucks in Arkansas. As long as you don't exceed the weight limit rating on the sidewall of your tires.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Mv7fd

how much will a 79 k20 with a 4 speed and 4.10 gears and a 350 really pull. i know what they are rated for but I've seen people pull some pretty big stuff. would it pull an 18 foot car trailer with a car on it

No problem.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by xole

The bottom line is there are a lot of different variables including...
1) Ratings of tow vehicle
2) Hitch type and rating (don't forget goose neck)
3) Trailer type (single/tandem axle)
4) Tongue weight
5) Trailer brakes
6) Weight of load
7) Weather, terrain and altitude (higher the less engine power you have)

Every situation is different.

Personally, if it where me I would want a tandem axle trailer with brakes which it sounds like you have covered.

Those are considered but the final check is launchability on a 16% grade.

If the truck cannot launch at GCVW then the rating is knocked down until that configuration passes the specific test.

That weeds out a lot of combinations that would have been rated higher.

K

[ETKTRYD]

X2.... STOPPING is the issue in my book !!!!!!!!!

[86c20]

when i was dumb and thought i could do anything i would pull 20k plus with my truck starting is ez mantining ez it was the stoping. now years later and a class a cdl i look back and say what a fing dumbass i was. what if some kid ran out? there was no stoping that truck and trailer at all. my c20 with 4 sp llow will pull a bobcat trailer and cat no problem. little more and she is not all that happy. get a good contorler and make sure the brakes are good on the trailer. also. balence the load all on the tail no good all on the noise no good. with mine i found just a tuch forward on the trailer and the ride was good the brakes where good and no wondering down the road

[Desert1957]

Originally Posted by 86c20

when i was dumb and thought i could do anything i would pull 20k plus with my truck starting is ez mantining ez it was the stoping. now years later and a class a cdl i look back and say what a fing dumbass i was. what if some kid ran out? there was no stoping that truck and trailer at all. my c20 with 4 sp llow will pull a bobcat trailer and cat no problem. little more and she is not all that happy. get a good contorler and make sure the brakes are good on the trailer. also. balence the load all on the tail no good all on the noise no good. with mine i found just a tuch forward on the trailer and the ride was good the brakes where good and no wondering down the road

Excellent response..

Desert