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Posted by: maddog56
I've got a 2wd longbox gmc with a 305 that I use to pull my 24' cargomate race trailer. You definately know its back there, but it will get the job done.
Posted by: UBETRUN
Yes, my buddy tows a 28' 8000lb boat with a 350 Blazer. Add a transmission cooler to the Burb if you are going to tow heavy through the mountains, otherwise you should be fine.
Posted by: jcrawford1
I just pulled a wellscargo 7x17 7ft tall enclosed trailer 400+ miles with my 2003 4.8 Chevy Ext Cab Silverado. A littler slower up hill I just dropped it in 3rd and motored on.
Posted by: BlackandRedWarrior
Just a note, be watchful on your weights. You have to meet:
Tow Vehicle:
GVWR What the tow vehicle is rated to carry. (Don't forget to add tounge weight @ 10% of trailer weight.)
GAWR What each axle is rated to carry. Could end up over on the rear.
GCWR The combined tow vehicle and trailer. This is where you might run into problems.
Trailer:
GVWR This is what your trailer is rated at weighing. You are in CA (right?) and are limited to 10,000lbs rating on a Class C non-commercial. And this is what the trailer is RATED at. Not what it actually weighs. You can go more on a Class A Recreation or Non-Commercial. I think it's 15,000lb. Can't remember it's exact name. At 20-22' you shouldn't really have a problem with that.
GAWR Same as the Tow Vehicle.
Those weights are your rolling weights. Fully loaded, gas, cargo, passengers.
To give you an idea, one guy I ride with weighed in with a Dodge Durango and an 18' Coyote, with one 400ex in it. Dry. 10,750+ He's over by 250+. I would suggest loading up what you would carry in the tow vehicle and hit a scale to get an idea of where you are starting from. Use that to help when you are looking for a trailer. Then when you get something, load it all up and hit a scale again. The scale operator hopefully will work with you to get all those weights. It will probably take a while though. I've never gone to a scale so I have no clue what it will cost.
Posted by: BlackandRedWarrior
Trasher: be careful on that. Watch the rating from the manufacturer. The CHP doesn't care what you did with it (hell, they might give you a ticket for that!). It's what the manufacturer says it can do. If they get a hint you are over, they'll probably start getting picky. They can also make you go to a scale and weigh. The state is out of money. Easy way to make it is in tickets. CHP isn't letting people go. If they pull you over, you're getting a ticket. They were crawling all over 101 this weekend.
Posted by: ShadyRascal
I had a 99 F150 with a 5.4. I towed a 22' 5th wheel, and my quad trailer w/ 4 quads hooked behind that. My gross was about 14,500. It did it, even up over our difficult passes here. Put a blower on it then it did it with style. But I changed the tranny fluid often, and finally sold the truck for a Duramax since I really needed more room and was afraid I was burning that little thing up. Check Engine lights kept coming on etc.
It was fun at the dunes when people would say "Where's your truck?" "That half ton." "You tow all THAT with THAT?"
And with the blower it was REAL fun empty.
Posted by: EAB
I agree with the trany cooler. I tow a 7000# trailer with my F150, so I installed a trans temp gauge and cooler. Its not hard to get the trans hot if you drive it hard.
Posted by: Trasher
Can a 1/2 Burb with a 350 small block tow a 20- 22 ft toy box? It would have electric brakes on the trailer
Posted by: Trasher
It has a trans cooler, 4 core radiator, headers and exhaust, computer chip, etc. It pulls pretty good but I was just wondering if it was up to the task
Posted by: Trasher
As far as upgrading for weight, I have installed a 14 bolt rearend with a locker, 3/4 ton springs, rear disk brakes, and a load leveling hitch is coming.
Posted by: Trasher
I was going to get that type of hitch also. They are great for any towing. I've used them before and it is amazing how they level everything out
Posted by: MrZeeedler
have you never heard of draw tite weight distribution. Dramatically helps and load levels. It has a special hitch and 2 torque bars and the mount to put on the trailer. I have set up atlelast 30 of these on trucks, i could not imagine a 1/2 towing the trailer without it. Every trailer we sold where the guy had a half ton we installed weight distribution. Draw tite makes best kit and is very simple to install. Its around 200-400$ depending on the dealer. This way you will not look like an idiot towing your trailer.
Posted by: BeastMan
yes very easly we used to tow our 29 foot camper with ours it weighted about 7900 or more pounds, just not good in the mounitains, or hills, was fine here on the coast of texas.
Posted by: tta583
I think it can but I don't know if you want to do it. I feel the same was echoed here. 20 to 22 foot of enclosed trailer is a nice sized sail to tow behind a smaller truck. Not to mention the wear on the trans and the bad milage when you load up a small gasser. I pull a 24" behind my SRW f350 Powerstroke (using a Weithgt Dist. hitch). When a semi goes blasting by I know its there, its not daunting by any means, but I know its there. I could easily get away with an f250 but the deal I got on the 350 was to good to pass up.
Here is a pic of the rig:
My Rig
BTW, Here are a couple of good sites for hitch parts. I have ordered from both, as have several friends, with no real problems. When I first needed to buy hitches and parts I did a lot of searching, these guys have the best prices I have been able to find. They are both the same shop, just different sites for the different lines.
http://www.drawtite-hitches.com/
http://www.reese-hitches.com/
As to weight distribution setups, if someone needs one I can pass along a name and number of a trailer builder in southern Indiana. I bought my enclosed from them. They buy a particular WD setup (I think it was a reese) by the 2 or 3 pallet lot. I could not beat their price even on the above sites. All it costs is a phone call to check them out.
Brent
