Towing with my new "Hoe"

[Kent K.]

Re: the wind from passing18 wheelers moves short

Lyle,

In March 1994, I bought a Chevy sport model pick-up truck with a 350 CI engine and automatic tranny for the express purpose of towing my '67 to Seven Springs, PA from West Palm Beach, FL. We immediately installed a transmission cooler. I run about 70 MPH and slower when the truck is not strong enough to pull up the loooong hills. I still have the truck as my daily commuter and have never had a problem towing either to 7 Springs or Bloomington Gold both times with a borrowed 24 foot Wells Cargo. My hitch uses sway bars and I wouldn't tow without them. As a big rig passes, I tap the trailer brakes and accelerate hard to yank my rig out straight. My father-in-law taught me how to safely pull a trailer since he had many years as a Good Sam member and just had fun camping with his Avion. I'd much rather be safe and arrive safetly.
Kent #6201

PS My electronic brake control system is top notch.

[Dave K.]

Re: the wind from passing18 wheelers moves short

Thanks all- I am only planning to tow once or twice per year. Not regularly.

Dave K.

[Chris Patrick]

Re: the wind from passing18 wheelers moves short

It isn't the wheelbase, it is the ratio of the distance from the ball to the rear axle to the distance between the axles. The longer that axle to ball distance is, the more leverage the trailer can exert as sway on the vehicle. This is why a fifth wheel is so stable - the fifth wheel is usually above or in front of the rear axle.

Chevy's RV flagship for old people, the Suburban, from 1973 to 1990 had a really long length from the rear axle to the ball. As such, there were a lot of aftermarket sway controls, friction sliders, and other devices made.

One of the easiest towing vehicles I have had was a short wheelbase 3/4 ton Chevy van. The distance from axle to ball was very short, and there was almost no sway ever, unless I loaded the trailer really wrong.

[John M.]

Re: the wind from passing18 wheelers moves short

Dave,

I tow a 20 foot Pace with my Tahoe all the time. It is a little more prone to sway than a big truck, but it is very controllable. But a good sway control setup on the hitch, and it will pull like a dream. The 5.3 has enough power to pull my car and trailer up and down through the hills fine. In my opinion, don't even consider any brake controller but a Tekonsha Prodigy. This controller senses the de-acceleration of the tow vehicle, and applys the brakes accordingly. The less expensive controllers, are of a type that increases the braking the longer you have your foot on the brake. The Prodigy controller is unsurpassed in a panic stop, and makes braking a no thought process. On the way to Hershey a few years ago, a guy pulled out in front of me on the interstate, I had to lock the brakes up at 70+ mph, and the trailer stopped straight and true. If I had been using a time/proportional controller, I would have plowed into grandpa's truck! You still have manual control on the dash to apply braking to straighten out the load when you start to sway, and you can fine tune the braking at the dash depending on the load in your trailer. The Tahoe is already wired for the brake controller. The harness is tucked under the rear, and all you have to do is plug the Prodigy harness into the convienence center and install the fuse. The Prodigy controller probably outsells all other brake controllers put together! it is a plug-in setup, and I move it beteen my Tahoe and my truck all the time. These guys own the brake controller market, and for good reason!

Regards, John McGraw

[Dave K.]

Re: the wind from passing18 wheelers moves short

John,

My son already selected a Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller. He is a self employed auto mechanic and has installed several controllers into customer vehicles.It ain't cheap but it must be a good controller in order for him to select it.

Thanks,
Dave K.

[John D.]

Re: Towing with my new "Hoe"

David, Like I told you recently a little Tahoe is fine for towing locally. But if you go to Charlotte and have to pull the hills on interstate 77, the 19 cut off and 79 there are so ultra serious hills that will slow you down to a craw for sure. I have tried numerous tow vehicle combos over the years. All gas engines. The one I have now is a 2500 GMC Yukon XL with the 6.0and 4.10 rear end, 10 ply tires, trailer truck rear springs, quadra steer and I have to let off the gas going up the steep hills. Runs with the trucks and pulls like a tractor. Doesn't miss many fuel stops though. It sure it neat to blast by the semis going thru VA and WVA on those long pulls.
But 3-4 other suburbans with stock engines and both 3:78 and 4:10 rears barely made it up the hills. It was embarrassing. On the other hand like you said how many times are you going to be pulling a trailer. Why drag around a tank (37-1/2 gallong tank) like I have when you are only going to attend a few shows a year. By the way watch the gas gauge as there aren't that many gas stations on that trip. Also avoid the 19 cut off. It's a radar trap for sure. Talk to me about that. See you Sunday at our swap meet. John

[Brady C.]

Re: Towing with my new "Hoe"

I have been looking for an alternative to the 2500 Duramax diesel....In 2007 Chevy came out with a 6.0L V8 Vortec MAX engine (367 hp @ 5000 rpms) in a 1/2 truck with the optional MAX Trailering Package. At 375 ft lbs of torque, with a 7,100 maximum GVWR it appears a good alternative to the Duramax. With higher diesel prices, the $7k optional price for the 3/4 ton with the diesel - I am considering giving up the additional 175 ft lbs of torque with the Allison tranny in favor of this option. For all the hauling I do over a year this may make sense..... Any experience with the MAX 6.0L V8??

[Chris Patrick]

Anyone remember when you could buy

a nice new Impala or Chevelle and have a cool car for your daily driving and still tow your race car/show car when you wnated to?

Now, you have to have an SUV and half of them are not as good at towing as one of those old Impalas.

[John D.]

Re: Towing with my new "Hoe"

Brady, You can't beat the Allison tranny. I took a friend to the Corvette Expo in Knoxville last year and he said he was truely impressed with the 6.0 and the Allison. No comparison to the stock 1/2 ton trans. My '04 GMC Quadrasteer only came equipped one way. The engineers designed the drive train and the only option I had was the rear gears. Like I said before it has the 6.0 which at that time had about the same torque as the big block. A GM engineer I met at Corvette Carlisle who actully help develop the engines said it was a waste of time and money to buy the big block unless you wanted it for your ego as the big block and the 6.0 had about the same torque curve. Your thoughts about a 7100 max GVWR is a little on the light side but if you are not going to be pulling that much I would go for it. Hopefully it's a little easier on gas than my hog though. Gets 8 to 9 pulling my trailer. Last September we took my 63 to the regional at Marlborough and ran the crap out of the GMC and I believe it got around 9 mpg. But it sure did pull although not near as good as my friends new big diesel extended cab. THe diesel had a lot more torgue and didn't shift as much. Both of our vehicles had the Allison. My friend has the 3500 duramax diesel but the ride is rather harsh at best. I am sure everyone here has an opinion. Sometimes you just have to run what u brung. John

[Henry S.]

Re: Towing with my new "Hoe"

Dave,
I have an 04 Avalanche I use to tow a 20" Haulmark and so far (knock on wood) haven't had any problems. One thing you DEFINATELY need is the sway bar and weight distribution bars. Short story: I borrowed my son's father-in-laws 20" Haulmark WITHOUT either bars and towed it empty back home (200 miles) to load our 64 Vette. After the 200 miles I was very uncomfortable with the "feel" and swaying. After I got home I found out a member of our Corvette Club had a 20" Haulmark for sale with the sway bar and weight distribution system. I explained my "fears" about hauling the vette in the trailor and he assured me the bars would make all the difference in the world. Understand my friend is a State Policeman and VERY, VERY safety minded. I took his word for it and used his trailer to go to Bloomington. I hardly knew the trailer was back there. I was very happy with the towing and have no concerns now (although after reading the post about getting a transmission temp cluster will probably do so to be safe). I got home and bought his trailer.

Take Care
Shooter

P.S. I had one close call, a Volkswagon came flying done a ramp in a construction one and half lane zone and almost ran into the side of us. I automaticly swerved and didn't have any problems with the trailer or handling it. (I think the driver of that VW is probably still picking **** out of his pants though)