FEAR THE LS1

iTrader: (1)

What would be the minimum type vehicle to tow a steel double axle trailer (weight ?) and a f-body (weight about 3300lbs) ?

I am going to buy a beater type truck and I'm thinking I might as well kill 2 stones with 1 bird. It's going to be a while for my car to get back on the road probably a couple months, so if I'm going to buy something I might as well keep it arounf as a tow vehicle for the future.

Could a Chevy S10 with a trans cooler and tow package handle this? Would a v6 blazer 4x4 work? What can I safely get away with?

Lee

GeorgeC

I don't know about a V6 S-10 and pulling a car trailer... I'm part of the "smaller truck" crew, with my 2000 Dodge Dakota standard cab. I have the 4.7L "Next generation Magnum" V8, and a manual tranny. My truck is rated to tow 5700lbs.

I haul around my 18ft. tandem axle trailer, my car, a big box of tools, and sometimes my ~375lb. ATV. That puts me fairly close to the max. towing capacity, but it does pretty well. I also have a set of Air Lift air bags in the rear so I can level the truck when I have it loaded up with the trailer and everything.

Your best bet would probably be to search around the internet a bit for some boating sites, as I've seen some around that have tow rating/capacity guide listings for various models of trucks, both new and old.

highgmc

I have the same question! I have a 95 s10 Zr2 with a 4.3. I am hoping it can safely tow my car and a light trailer.

allblackSS

iTrader: (3)

hey guys im not worth much for information but i do haul cars for a livin so the best thing in my opinion to do is hook to it if it dont squat the rear of the vehichle much go to somewhere that sells trailer parts get ya a brake box and put trailer brakes on your trailer and youll be fine generally a truck be it little or not is ok pulling something just has alot of trouble stopping but that will eliminate the problem i pull a 48ft gooseneck everday trailer brakes are a life saver hop that helps
Bubba

jleews6

iTrader: (2)

Towing with a small truck is fine untill you get into a situation when you have to stop fast or swerve to miss some dumb *** that pulled out in front of you.

George C A couple weeks ago a friend of mine towed his cobra to the track with a V8 Dakota and i could not believe how good it pulled .He did 75 mph <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> all the way to Rockingham.

2001 Pewter WS6

iTrader: (43)

I guess I shouldn't have any problems with ma ma ma ma ma my Dakota... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

GeorgeC

Yep, the Dakota does a pretty good job pulling... I have 2 braking axles on my new trailer instead of 1, so I should have a little better control now on fast stops...

SNAXS

LOL, my parents just bought an H2, so u know whats gunna be pulling my car to the track when it comes back from MTI <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

Villain281H

iTrader: (5)

nice to see a few others are doing good with Dakotas, makes me a little more confident on my choice of truck in the near future

SSilver

one of my good friends is selling me his 98' Dodge Dakota R/T

This thing towed my car once before and it was awesome.

Its got bilstein shocks, Air bags in back, intake headers and exhaust. with the 5.9 Liter V8.

Its gonna be an awesome little car hauler

2001 Pewter WS6

iTrader: (43)

Seems like the Dakota is the small truck of choice. Here is a mod I want to do to mine soon as I get my car done and back together.

<img src="http://profinish-proglass.com/thehoods/images/shakerhood.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://profinish-proglass.com/thehoods/images/dakotafront.jpg" alt=" - " />

<small>[ February 23, 2003, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: 2001 Pewter WS6 ]</small>

DMcRacer

iTrader: (2)

I pulled my old 94 T/A to New Jersey and back with a 94 Chevy Astro van with a 4.3 V6 and 120k miles on it. In the month of June. I did have to roll the car back pretty far on the trailor and carry some of the luggage in the car. Also had 4 people in the van. I had just put new shocks and brakes on the van. I did not use OD, averaged 70 mph. The van belongs to family member now and its still going strong.

highgmc

anyone else using a S10 to pull a trailer?

boatman

find you a good deal on a 91-94 four door blazer. We bought one with 50k on it for 4500 dollars, lowered it, put some 17 inch torque thrust, and tow the **** out of the boat and car trailer. Just got back from a 1000 mile trip hauling 5 people, all our luggage and a 4700lbs boat and trailer, no problems. Brakes are a must, and the larger four door seems to have no handling issues with a load. Drive extra careful when towing, you never know what the other idiots on the road are gonna do.

Tom Richdale

I have a 99 Dakota 2wd 5.2 ext cab. It tows great. I ran with the NMCA for the last few years and put almost 15,000 towing miles on it with no problems. You will need trailer brakes and some sort of leveling device like airbags, helper springs or a weight distributing hitch. It can do 75-80 no problem while towing an open car trailer. We even used it once to got to Canada from NJ with a loaded 24' enclosed trailer. That was pushing the limits, but it handled it ok.

Tim98TA

iTrader: (7)

Notice Terry Bugger has replied about using his turd truck to pull his car??????
Gee, I wonder why.

Tim(uses either a GMC 3500 or F-450 for towing)

Guido

i use a 95 Dodge Ram 2500 and its great. 5.9l V8.

But I can vouch for the Dakota V8 as well. A friend has a 98 Dodge Dakota with the 318ci motor in it and we hauled my camaro from Indiana to Englishtown, NJ a couple years ago and it was a tank! Just turn OD off going up the hills through PA and it was like hitting the nitrous. We cruised 80-90mph the whole trip.

It DID squat though which is not good so get something to level it.

Good luck!

Billy the Great

iTrader: (2)

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I picked up a 99 4x2 Tahoe for $9500 and I have towed 20 hours one way in it...

If you are doing short trips then get a small truck and just stay in the slow lane and drive conservatively. A full trailer and car setup will push that small truck around if you hit some wind or get pushed around by the airsteam from a 18 wheeler.

I consider the Tahoe to be the ultimate compromise, I can still park on Chicago streets, it gets almost 20mpg on the highway (not towing of course), and it's not super ghetto.

If I was buying a new truck I'd get an Avalanche or a crewcab 2500 with the 6.0.

For used look into good deals on extended cab Ram p/u trucks.

A Suburban with OD would tow great but will get single digit gas mileage if it does not have OD.

Tom the roofer

iTrader: (9)

I have towed my car with the following:

1. 1998 Chevy 2500, 2 wheel drive, extended cab with 8 foot bed, 5.7 liter. Towed great but lacked real power. Handled great. When I had to swerve the truck while towing for one reason or the other the truck would handle the situation. Got stuck in the mud in the pits at Keystone and Norwalk. Without 4 wheel drive I was helpless and had to unhitch the trailer to get the truck out.

2. 2000 Ford F250, 2 wheel drive, regular cab with 8 foot bed, 4.6 liter. Towed like garbage and handled like crap compared to the chevy extended cab. No power what so ever. Traded the POS in real quick.

3. 2002 Chevy 2500 HD, 4 wheel drive, extended cab with 8 foot bed, 8.1 liter. Tows great and has all the power I need. Allison tranny. Love it.

If you tow with a <img border="0" alt="[bomb]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_bomb.gif" /> small vehicle <img border="0" alt="[bomb]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_bomb.gif" /> I hope everything goes just perfect for you on the way to the dragstrip, while you are there and on the way home. I wouldn't tow my $$$$ race car $$$$ with anything less than a 2500 or equivalent but thats just me.

Good luck, <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
Tom