Towing with 80 Silverado LWB - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

1980 Chevy · 05-12-2004, 12:11 PM

Now that I have my Silverado running again, can anyone tell me what I need to do (or check) to get it ready to pull a travel trailer? I'm thinking of getting a 27 - 30 ft travel trailor, but I want to make sure she'll pull it. It has a 454 motor. It's a LWB. I have a hitch. Do I need to install heavy duty shocks or springs or anything like that? Any info would be apppreciated.
Thanks.

apstguy · 05-12-2004, 12:37 PM

If it is an auto, get a huge tranny cooler. The bigger the better. Towing can overheat an auto tranny if you don't have an external cooler. Is is a 1/2, 3/4, or 1 ton? You'll have pleanty of power for pulling.

1980 Chevy · 05-12-2004, 12:45 PM

It's a automatic, 1/2 ton. Thanks for the advice. I'll start looking for a transmission cooler.

apstguy · 05-12-2004, 12:50 PM

1/2 ton has rather weak springs - you might want to get progressive rate helper springs or the air bag helpers for a large trailer. The same shocks will be fine.

1980 Chevy · 05-12-2004, 12:55 PM

I'm not familiar with progressive rate helper springs or air bag helpers. Know any web sources I could go and take a look at these things? Thanks again.

apstguy · 05-12-2004, 01:02 PM

JCWhintney hads TONS of this kind of stuff. Get a catalog from www.jcwhitney.com and you'll see. Look around at some of their towing stuff.

apstguy · 05-12-2004, 01:04 PM

http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...&storeId=10101

http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...&storeId=10101

1980 Chevy · 05-12-2004, 03:34 PM

Got it. Looks like I've got some ordering to do. (BTW, nice truck).

78chevstepside · 05-12-2004, 05:15 PM

A 27 to 30 foot trailor is a little big for a 1/2 ton truck. I wouldnt go any bigger then a 24 foot trailer with a 1/2 ton. With levelers and a trailor brake it may work out. that really depends how often you will be towing. Actually I wouldnt tow a trailor without levelers and a trailor brake. I pull a 20' foot travel trailor with my 02 silverado 1500 ext-cab shortbed 5.3 automatatic. I can hardly tell that its there. New trucks are 100 times simplier to convert for towing. no more splicing lines for trailor brakes. Today most if not all new chevy trucks come with recievers and a place to plug in for a trailor brake.

rolson1039 · 05-12-2004, 07:39 PM

id throw 3/4 ton springs in there. its an easy enough swap i try to stay away from the aftermarket garbage places like JC Whitney sells. I also upgraded my shocks to the best ones Napa carries ( forgot the model number) and i haul all kinds of weight. I would get to a good trailer place and let them wire it up for electric trailer brakes. The silverado with that set up can haul almost anything you throw at it. the tranny cooler is a MUST too

Cole's 87 · 05-12-2004, 08:47 PM

I wouldnt pull any type travel trailer with out using the equalizer hitch and dont go less than the 1000lbs bars. Far as the springs go they will ride rough when your not pulling. I installed air bags on mine and it made a world a diffrence best of all when I'm not pulling I can air them down and keeping my ride quality.

1980 Chevy · 05-13-2004, 09:41 AM

Thanks for all the advice folks. Good info.

05-12-2004, 12:11 PM	#1
1980 Chevy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Burleson, Texas Posts: 55	Towing with 80 Silverado LWB Now that I have my Silverado running again, can anyone tell me what I need to do (or check) to get it ready to pull a travel trailer? I'm thinking of getting a 27 - 30 ft travel trailor, but I want to make sure she'll pull it. It has a 454 motor. It's a LWB. I have a hitch. Do I need to install heavy duty shocks or springs or anything like that? Any info would be apppreciated. Thanks.

05-12-2004, 12:37 PM	#2
apstguy LED King Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,087	If it is an auto, get a huge tranny cooler. The bigger the better. Towing can overheat an auto tranny if you don't have an external cooler. Is is a 1/2, 3/4, or 1 ton? You'll have pleanty of power for pulling. __________________ Tyler 1985 C10 305 w/ Bowtie OD TH700R4 3.42 LSD 202,000 miles 2006 Ford Focus ZX3 5-speed Stick 2016 Chevy Spark EV Gone: 2002.5 VW GTI 24v VR6 Gone: 2008 VW R32

05-12-2004, 12:50 PM	#4
apstguy LED King Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,087	1/2 ton has rather weak springs - you might want to get progressive rate helper springs or the air bag helpers for a large trailer. The same shocks will be fine. __________________ Tyler 1985 C10 305 w/ Bowtie OD TH700R4 3.42 LSD 202,000 miles 2006 Ford Focus ZX3 5-speed Stick 2016 Chevy Spark EV Gone: 2002.5 VW GTI 24v VR6 Gone: 2008 VW R32

05-12-2004, 01:02 PM	#6
apstguy LED King Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,087	JCWhintney hads TONS of this kind of stuff. Get a catalog from www.jcwhitney.com and you'll see. Look around at some of their towing stuff. __________________ Tyler 1985 C10 305 w/ Bowtie OD TH700R4 3.42 LSD 202,000 miles 2006 Ford Focus ZX3 5-speed Stick 2016 Chevy Spark EV Gone: 2002.5 VW GTI 24v VR6 Gone: 2008 VW R32

05-12-2004, 01:04 PM	#7
apstguy LED King Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,087	http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...&storeId=10101 http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...&storeId=10101 __________________ Tyler 1985 C10 305 w/ Bowtie OD TH700R4 3.42 LSD 202,000 miles 2006 Ford Focus ZX3 5-speed Stick 2016 Chevy Spark EV Gone: 2002.5 VW GTI 24v VR6 Gone: 2008 VW R32

05-12-2004, 12:45 PM	#3
1980 Chevy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Burleson, Texas Posts: 55	It's a automatic, 1/2 ton. Thanks for the advice. I'll start looking for a transmission cooler.

05-12-2004, 12:55 PM	#5
1980 Chevy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Burleson, Texas Posts: 55	I'm not familiar with progressive rate helper springs or air bag helpers. Know any web sources I could go and take a look at these things? Thanks again.

05-12-2004, 03:34 PM	#8
1980 Chevy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Burleson, Texas Posts: 55	Got it. Looks like I've got some ordering to do. (BTW, nice truck).

05-12-2004, 05:15 PM	#9
78chevstepside Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: lacenter, washington Posts: 718	A 27 to 30 foot trailor is a little big for a 1/2 ton truck. I wouldnt go any bigger then a 24 foot trailer with a 1/2 ton. With levelers and a trailor brake it may work out. that really depends how often you will be towing. Actually I wouldnt tow a trailor without levelers and a trailor brake. I pull a 20' foot travel trailor with my 02 silverado 1500 ext-cab shortbed 5.3 automatatic. I can hardly tell that its there. New trucks are 100 times simplier to convert for towing. no more splicing lines for trailor brakes. Today most if not all new chevy trucks come with recievers and a place to plug in for a trailor brake.

05-12-2004, 07:39 PM	#10
rolson1039 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 404	id throw 3/4 ton springs in there. its an easy enough swap i try to stay away from the aftermarket garbage places like JC Whitney sells. I also upgraded my shocks to the best ones Napa carries ( forgot the model number) and i haul all kinds of weight. I would get to a good trailer place and let them wire it up for electric trailer brakes. The silverado with that set up can haul almost anything you throw at it. the tranny cooler is a MUST too __________________ so many trucks so little time!!!

05-12-2004, 08:47 PM	#11
Cole's 87 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 272	I wouldnt pull any type travel trailer with out using the equalizer hitch and dont go less than the 1000lbs bars. Far as the springs go they will ride rough when your not pulling. I installed air bags on mine and it made a world a diffrence best of all when I'm not pulling I can air them down and keeping my ride quality. Last edited by Cole's 87; 05-12-2004 at 08:53 PM.

05-13-2004, 09:41 AM	#12
1980 Chevy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Burleson, Texas Posts: 55	Thanks for all the advice folks. Good info.



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