I got a new trailer, but can I tow it?

[Ken45101]

If you believe Edmunds, the V-6, 160hp, 2WD can tow 7,500 lbs. Or if you believe this online dealer so can the 4WD. They may be rated with automatic transmissions.

Is it ideal? Of course not, but how far, how often, what kind of terrain, etc? It might be OK for occasional use towing.

And the official Chevy towing guide said that a Chevette (1970's compact car) could tow 3000#!!! I never figured out how one would attach 3000#s to the Chevette since it didn't have a frame!

Ken

 

[timswi]

I used to pull a 7500# travel trailer with a 97 Chevy Sb regular cab 5.7w/3:73.

Did ok, a diesel would have been better but it worked fine, just need a weight distributing hitch and brakes...and be careful.

I pulled my 8N on a 7x16 car hauler with the FEL, disks, boxgrader and landscape rake in one trip...Now that was scary, not sure of the overall weight though. Pretty sure it was overlimit!!!

That truck made it to 200K without any major repairs. Just my experience.

 

[npaden]

Even on the newer trucks they are only rated to 4,500 or 5,000lbs without a weight distributing hitch. My owners manual rates my pickup for 7,400lbs but states that you should not exceed 5,000lbs without a weight distributing hitch.

I've pulled more than that without one, but I had a lot of sag and it wasn't a good idea. I'm happy to say that I have a weight distributing hitch currently on order from the sponsor of this section of the forum - Southwest Wheel Company Steel and Aluminum Truck Wheels. If you use tractorbynet as a coupon code you get 5% off and their prices are already pretty good. A brake controller is an absolute must.

 

[LBrown59]

And the official Chevy towing guide said that a Chevette (1970's compact car) could tow 3000#!!! I never figured out how one would attach 3000#s to the Chevette since it didn't have a frame!

Ken

Easy : Just hook the trailer up to the bumper hitch.

 

[Bird]

And the official Chevy towing guide said that a Chevette (1970's compact car) could tow 3000#!!! I never figured out how one would attach 3000#s to the Chevette since it didn't have a frame!

Ken

Ken, all it takes is a little ingenuity. I wish I had a picture of my first showroom new car; a black 1962 Austin Healy Sprite. I had a local mechanic/welder weld a trailer hitch on it and I used to pull my Dad's 16' Texas Maid Fiesta boat with a 35 hp Evinrude outboard to Lake Lavon, Lake Dallas, and Lake Texoma.

 

[dodge man]

Me and two freinds towed a 4000 lb car with a 89 Chevy, 2 wheel drive with the 5.0 engine about 1000 miles. We also had about 1000 lbs in the bed. It did O.K.. I'm sure the truck was overloaded, but it had the power to do it even with the A.C. on. This was from western Illinois to central Ohio, so there weren't alot of hills.

I'd say if you had a good hitch, added a tranny cooler, and had good trailer brakes, you'd be O.K.

 

[Ken45101]

Ken, all it takes is a little ingenuity. I wish I had a picture of my first showroom new car; a black 1962 Austin Healy Sprite. I had a local mechanic/welder weld a trailer hitch on it and I used to pull my Dad's 16' Texas Maid Fiesta boat with a 35 hp Evinrude outboard to Lake Lavon, Lake Dallas, and Lake Texoma.

And we've all seen the pictures of a big 5th wheel camper attached to a wood extension on the tailgate of a station wagon, right?

Or the VW Beetle with the 5th wheel hitch in the center of the roof?

Ken

 

[aczlan]

Or the VW Beetle with the 5th wheel hitch in the center of the roof?

Your second picture didn't work for me, here is a link to a video: YouTube - 1974 Volkswagen Beetle & Camper - road test

Aaron Z

 

[Groo]

And the official Chevy towing guide said that a Chevette (1970's compact car) could tow 3000#!!! I never figured out how one would attach 3000#s to the Chevette since it didn't have a frame!

Ken

the Jeep Grand Cherokee is frameless, and they can be set up to out tow many 1/2 ton trucks.

 

[Ken45101]

the Jeep Grand Cherokee is frameless, and they can be set up to out tow many 1/2 ton trucks.

We have a Grand Cherokee and I certainly would never consider towing what they claim it can tow (7000#). Oh, I'm sure the engine can pull that much, but control 7000# in an emergency maneuver? No thanks!

But at least the hitch is factory installed.

Ken