I read on here often but don't post much but now I need you're opinions... My current daily driver/ tow rig is a 2000 chevy "classic" C2500 CCSB BB454 4L80E 14ff w/ 4.10's Aux. cooler for trans I towed my K10 with 3/4 ton running gear, tons of tools and other camping gear on a HEAVY tandem axle 8x23 tilt trailer over to Pismo and the truck did fine...looking back I know the load was at least 10,000lbs and I just used a pintle hitch and hit the road w/o any problems. The trailer tracked straight as an arrow...the truck ran cool even pulling long steep grades and the tranny did great...kicked down into 2nd while pulling Cuesta Grade but its long and hard even unloaded. Other than that it was in OD on the flats and 3rd on the hills. I was looking at tow ratings and apparently my setup is only designed to tow 10,000lbs from the factory. Using a 5th wheel setup will supposedly bump it up a little but according to the spec sheets I've found online 10,000 is it... I was hoping in the future to be able to get a GN trailer that wasn't a tilt (less weight from not being a tilt but more for being a GN so I figure it'll actually weight about the same as the tilt I ran before) and tow my K10 and my dad's '75 Ford over to Pismo from time to time. Is this out of the realistic abilities of this truck or can it be done safetly and effectively? Right now its rated at 290hp and 410ft/lbs...I have a K&N filter and true dual exhaust running high flow cats and 40 sieries flows...but still its probably around the stock specs... Thanks and sorry for the long winded post
To haul two trucks you are going to need a a 35+' trailer. You then would be trying to pull a trailer weight of about 17-17,500lbs. Then combined with the weight of your 2500 you are going to weigh all of 24,000lbs. The truck's powertrain could handle that kind of weight, I've got a '98 C3500 with a 454/NV4500 and I have found the same as you, the radiator is a good unit in these trucks and I doubt you'd have cooling issues. You should have enough power from the 454 but you likely could have to drop to 1st on the steep grades, which is a little unsafe and especially hard on the truck. I don't think you should try it, it would be way illegal and I think you've said you had never towed before this last trip. A 35ft trailer and a severely overloaded pickup is not a good second outing for a learning driver. Go with the same setup, and drive the second truck.
Yep you are correct...that last trip was my first... It did great with that 8x23 tilt trailer and I've heard one reason it may have done so well is b/c its a fairly long trailer...so it didn't "wiggle" (I don't know what the correct term is) while going down the highway. Ok so down the road what should I be looking into as far as a setup that is able to safely tow a GN long enough for two standard cab short bed trucks? Neither of our trucks are long...just tall and not road worthy for long trips (Pismo is about 160 miles from our house)... So is this something thats reserved for diesel 1 ton duallys? How long is that deck over in your avatar?
Dually would be a good idea as would a diesel. I know guys that have pulled that much with single wheel one tons and guys who haved pulled that with gassers. As far as what would work best a dually diesel would be recomended.
I was checking out some tow ratings on other trucks and it appears as if there isn't a big difference...are these numbers bogus? They rated my seutp at 10,000lbs but an '01 F350 Dually with the PSD was only rated at like 13,000lbs...obviously 3,000lbs is a somewhat noticable difference but its not that much. So is this just an issue of weight distribution on the truck...needing a dually to tow this much or like I said before are these numbers a joke?
I second that while I have a gasser myself the diesle numbers cant be matched and the dually is very stable for towing, infact I plan on getting oil burning dually for our small farm.
17,500lbs will basically overload ANY 1 ron pickup including a dually. I think the new Dodges are rated for 23000 GCVW and the truck itself weighs close to 8K already. Legally, and by manu. specs you need an F450 dually. Outside of that, a 1 ton dually will do fine with the setup and you don't need the diesel, a big block will work also. My trailer in my avatar is an 8x20' and is "rated" for 18K, but we overbuilt it and have had 26K on it. Oh, don't give me that you can't drive your K10 160 miles.... my K5 blazer with a bigger motor and super wide boggers probably made 50 trips between Modesto and Fresno. You could drive it, you'd just rather haul it.
Look at it mileage wise...I'd spend $200 just getting it there and back. Plus the gas money to get the other vehicle over to the coast (we can't all fit in my k10 and my mom/sis won't even consider riding in it down the block much less 160 miles)... Then the obvious reason for towing...breakage! Seems pretty dumb to take a toy to the coast with the intentions of driving it hard all weekend in the sand with no way to get it and yourself home if/when it breaks something that can't be repaired out on the sand. But none of that matters...the point is I'm looking to tow. BTW we both know moesto to fresno is super flat Thanks for all the tips and suggestions guys...I'm going to look for a tandem axle trailer to buy pretty quick here so that I can be setup to tow my K10 whenever I want and not have to rent one. The crew cab is at 84,000 so in a couple years when its time for it to go I'll look into something bigger...
