I've been thinking about mounting a trailer hitch to my 96 TA. Curt makes a hitch for it, and i'd like to use this to maybe tow a harley, and several motocross bikes every now and again. I don't look to tow anything over 800lbs, but is it more complicated? if anybody tows with their fbody, advice would be appreciated.

 

can't buy a cheap $700 blazer or explorer?

 

I would recommend against this. As an operator, I've seen and experienced first hand the damage you can do to your car or whatever you're towing. Just because they make a hitch doesn't mean you should be willing to use it. It will lead to extreme parts wear, and not to mention build way more heat in your trans. Not to mention collapse your springs and ruin you shocks. I'd find a cheap $500 pickup. Even a 4 cyl s10 will do the job better than any f-body ever will. And an s10 won't need a hitch as you can put the ball right in the bumper.

 

The trans would be my biggest concern if you're auto, clutch if you're manual. A properly setup and loaded trailer should have less than 20lbs of tongue weight. These are all the same concerns that you would have with a truck, depending on the load you are towing.

Staying below 800lbs and keeping the tongue weight below 50lbs, I don't think you would have any trouble with it. If you're an auto, I wouldn't do it without a trans temp gauge to know how the trans is doing. If there's any concern of heat, upgrade the trans cooler.

If you want to save your brakes some work, get a trailer with electric or surge brakes. I prefer electric with the ability to adjust trailer braking on the controller.

 

zero issues towing that light, I towed a pickup bed on a dumb little trailer 500 miles from CT to WV, and a jetski the same distance.

 

Usually should shoot for 9-15% percent of gross trailer, so I would be more comfy with like 80lbs on ball, otherwise ***** gonna bounce around. Get a bathroom scale before you hook up and get your trailer loaded so you have a rough area at the 80lb tongue.

800lbs should not be that bad... gross vehicle weight rating is 4,229, curb weight is 3,247, so that leaves you with a gross trailer weight of 1000lbs and max tongue load 100. But that assumes your car is empty, for everything you add in the car, you subtract from your 1000lb rating for trailer.

Think about how much the car would weigh with four people in it, and packed with stuff, I would bet you could come right up to 800lbs easy.

 

If you keep it at a max of 800 I dont see why not. I've had 4 people in my car including me and that about a solid 800lbs. The trans will be fine for that small of weight. The trans isn't any weaker than the 4L60E in the same year of chevy pickup, so I wouldn't worry.

 

10% tongue weight is the rule of thumb. I was able to jump up and down on the tongue of my trailers with zero issue and I weighed 160lbs. The 4l60e and 7.5 inch 10 bolt are both used in the s10 and blazers so no issues there, your low spring rates is what keeps the capacity low.

 

That's gross VEHICLE, not combined, that means you can put 4 250 lb guys in the car, has nothing to do with trailer rating.

 

I had the intention of towing this jetski from CT to NC because my truck gets about 14mpg highway. Never actually did it but was towing around town just to see what looks I would get and it towed like there was nothing behind it.

 

I have a u haul receiver that came of a 2000 trans am. You'd probably need some bolts and frame nuts to install it, I forget what all is there. PM blackbirdws6 if you're interested.

What's the trailer tow rating of an fbody?

 

Uh what.

Pin weight, box weight, ball weight, whatever you wanna call it, that all affects your GVWR. So yea, it effects trailer rating...

Hence me saying that any weight you add in car will detract from what you can tow. In this case you are more limited by what the car is actually good for, but its still a valid point.

 

GCWR is vehicle plus trailer, GVWR is max weight on all 4 tires of the vehicle. You could have 4 250lb passengers amd no trailer or 4 225lb passengers and a 1000 lb trailer with a 100lb tounge weight and have the same GVW of 4200lbs but with the trailer your GCW is 5100. I have no idea what the GCWR of an f body is.

If you poke around on the dmax or powerstroke forums you'll see guys towing WAY more than their truck is rated to tow from the factory because as long as you don't exceed the axle ratings, tire ratings, or GVWR you are legal, no matter the weight resting on the trailer tires as long as you don't exceed the trailers weight ratings either. Hotshot guys who tow 3-4 cars at a time behind 3500 trucks are the easiest example you see every day on the highway.

Ex. Say a trucks tow rating is 10,000 lbs, GVWR is 9,500 lbs, max rear axle rating is 6000lbs, and dry there is 3000lbs on the rear axle and 3500 on the front axle. You hitch up with a 6000lb 5th wheel trailer with 4000 lbs on the tongue and 2000 over the trailer axles because your a retard and now you have 7000 lbs on rear axle and 3500 on front, 10,500 > 9,500 so you are illegal even though your trailer is less than max rating. But say you hitch up 12,000 lbs properly loaded with 1200 on the tongue, your at 4200 rear 3500 front = 7700 < 9,500 you are legal even though your trailer is over 10,000. Weigh stations and cops have no idea what your model is rated to tow by the factory, only what the axles and tires are rated at due to your door stickers and tire ratings.