Towing with a C20

[Vintage Windmills]

Hey guys, I'm trying to figure out if I need a bigger truck to meet my towing needs. Its winter and I don't have my hitch on yet so I can't go test it.

How much would you feel comfortable towing with a 71C20 with heavy front and rear springs, good brakes, etc. I'm trying to figure out if it would be white knuckle driving if I pull a 8K load across the country a couple times a year and a 11k load on occasion for shorter distances on occasion.

Even if the charts say its possible, would it feel like the tail is wagging the dog. I want to be safe and not have tense moments.

[05crewcab]

I personally wouldn't tow that heavy...especially for long distances at higher speeds. If anything bad happened it would happen in a BIG way, and the odds increase in something bad happening with an old tow rig vs new tow rig. Not to mention you'd get about 4 mpg with a tailwind

Do I have experience towing heavy with my 71? No, but my 05 diesel tows 8,000 lbs like it isn't even there so I am badly biased. I'm sure others will have different opinions!

[mrein3]

I borrowed a car trailer once and pulled my convertible (heavy) on it. I figure I had about 5000 - 5500 pounds between the trailer and the car. With my K10 I felt that was too much. I kept off the highways and still as you say had white knuckles the whole way.

My understanding of heavier loads is that if you are required to have brakes on a trailer, surge brakes are not legal.

A bud had an 05 or so 3/4 ton with trailer brakes. He routinely pulled approximately 15,000 pounds of trailer and horse flesh around with that rig. With the trailer brakes he was able to manage it just fine.

All that being said, if you freshen up all the brakes on your C20, added electric trailer brakes, and had a properly functioning brake controller I think you'll be ok.

[JDL]

What you are towing and how the load is loaded and if the trailer has good brakes

[Beat68CST]

good trailer brakes and a good brake controller, just take it easy.

We've had all of our Chevy's squattin a lil too much a time or two :P

[eagleuh1]

Towed my 5600? pound travel trailer with an 850 lb motorcycle in the bed to Arizona and back no problems. I have a tranny cooler in addition to the radiator cooler and electric brake controller on mine. Also have a 5.3 and 4l60e if that makes a difference with 4.56 gears. Mines a leaf spring truck, D60 rear. All stock springs, rebuilt brakes by me. 68 C20. Just got back from Baton Rouge after towing trailer down and back also. No problems whatsoever. With the bigger trailer I would go with weight distributing hitch and sway control though. I even used my cruise control on trip to Arizona and back. It handled great even in the winds and mountains. Just inspect your suspension good. I did.

[eagleuh1]

Don't know if you'd be exceeding the weight ratings of your truck at what you quoted above though. I'll have to look in my book, if it says anything at all. Oh yeh, have good tires too.

[Mike C]

A lot of it just depends. What motor/trans/axle ratio in your truck? I don't like pulling more than about 50% more than a truck weighs. (My truck weighed 5200, so 7800# would be about all I was comfortable with). You want really good E rated tires as well. A 402/SM465/4.10 truck with 265/75/16 E rated rubber would do well I would think.

My '70 C2500 GMC towed 5500# great. (Camaro on dovetail car hauler). Pulled 7500# a few times (front loader Ford 3400). I had done a disc conversion on the front, installed a Class IV receiver hitch, and my trailer has brakes on both axles. Towed quite well thank you. Mine was 402/TH400 with 3.54 gears. Lots of hills would have been tough probably, but no problem run 65 on the interstate. Got about 11 mpg usually, but faster, more hills, headwind, etc. quickly knocked it down to 9. Or less.

[Vintage Windmills]

I'm more concerned about the handling and control in corners on the highway at freeway speeds but it looks like some of you have towed 7500 without problems. Its a 402 BBC 700r4 with Dana 60 4.11 leaf rear. I'm planning on running in 3rd for the most part. Tires are LT 265/75/16. Thanks for the input all.

[dubds10]

I'd say you could pull 8000 easy, but 11,000 might be questionable. I asked the same question before, albeit I have blazer and I towed my '68 burb with it. It plus the trailer weighed in around 8000lbs or so. I didn't have trailer brakes though or a weight distribution setup. Obviously both of those would deff help with your towing, but my blazer towed perfect, lots of power for it and good gearing.

Since you've got a K20 and if it's a long bed truck you'd probably tow 8000 a lot easier than me so I would worry much about 8000lbs. 11,000 may be pushing it though. Wouldn't know till ya tried lol

[Beuford]

I towed a toyhauler with a harley in it around 6500# out west and back. I have a 400 sm blk with a NV3500 5 spd and 4.10 rear gears. The highest I towed was about 10,000 ft. The trailer has brakes on both axles and I did a front disc exchange. I had no problems towing at all but I wish I'd had 10 ply tires instead of 6 ply as that would have taken some of the sway out when the semi trucks blew by at 70 mph. i ran 60 and 65 mph.

Bob in Pa.

[Mike C]

Sway bar on your truck? Mine had the factory bar, but I would look into front and rear Hellwigs maybe. You can get a larger front off a '73-'87 truck, and a weight distributing hitch has allowed many a half ton truck to carry way more than they could otherwise.

[Vintage Windmills]

Yep, I have a stock front swaybar and weight distibution hitch, good trailer brakes and controller. Good point on thinking about a rear swaybar.

[tkeduk8r]

Ive pulled my Farmall M tractors and others around with my 72 C20, equuipt as yours with no problems at all.... and thats it interstate speeds... biggest thing is to get he weight loaded correctly on the trailer and take your time... these trucks were built for it just as they are today.. just be careful and you'll be ok....
--Mike

[eagleuh1]

Have good shocks too. Some highways set up the bouncing rear something terrible if your shocks aren't good, it will get wild sometimes. X2 on the tires. I switched from 10 ply bias plys to new e rated tires on mine and noticed big difference in the ride.