Have been seriously been considering an engine swap for the 60. Do any of you guys pull, say a 25ft trailer with your engine/upgraded 60? My rig at the moment can barely get herself over the Bighorn Mts let alone pull a trailer.
Towing (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Happy Trails
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Finnyfam60
Driving miss daisy
I think alaska60 tows from Utah to Alaska every year or twice a year...
- Thread starter
- #3
My Dad has a 25ft Airstream I can use anytime I want, 5,000lb. I'm hoping a 60 with a chevy conversion should be up to it.
there have been a few discussions here and on the trailer tech area about towing with a 60. I'm one of the people who thinks the 60 is not suitable for towing much more than a lawnmower trailer or small camper/utility trailer.
Its not just the power aspect, its the springs, the brakes, the wheel base...etc.
Its not just the power aspect, its the springs, the brakes, the wheel base...etc.
ntsqd
technerd
Brakes is the issue - even with trailer brakes. Wheelbase isn't as big of an issue. Long time family friends towed a 23' Airstream with a K5 Blazer for years.
I towed this over the grade from the Coast into Buellton and was surprised that even stuffed to the gills with things like 3 iron Dutch Ovens and their 1/4" steel plate table that it didn't slow me down any more than I would have expected to be slowed without the trailer. The only time that I really noticed the trailer was when on the brakes.
I towed this over the grade from the Coast into Buellton and was surprised that even stuffed to the gills with things like 3 iron Dutch Ovens and their 1/4" steel plate table that it didn't slow me down any more than I would have expected to be slowed without the trailer. The only time that I really noticed the trailer was when on the brakes.
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks, I had a feeling about the brakes!
...and I, perhaps, have excessive faith in trailer brakes, but they do tend to work fine.
Keeping things like tongue weight right, not having a saggy bum and maybe using
a load distributing hitch all help. Gawd knows, Europe tows twice what we do with
half (or less) of what we use to do it....
And then there's the driver. If you expect it to behave the same as it does without
a trailer, maybe you shouldn't have a trailer on back there, hmmm?
t
Keeping things like tongue weight right, not having a saggy bum and maybe using
a load distributing hitch all help. Gawd knows, Europe tows twice what we do with
half (or less) of what we use to do it....
And then there's the driver. If you expect it to behave the same as it does without
a trailer, maybe you shouldn't have a trailer on back there, hmmm?
t
This is a very true statement. I believe Americans have been brainwashed into thinking that their truck should tow and handle as if it is not towing a load at all. You also have a myriad of technology to mask poorly loaded trailers (sway control) and traction control devices that numb the driver to what the brakes are actually doing.
Half ton trucks are towing what one ton trucks used to be rated for.
HUGE engines are overpowering the vehicle dynamics as well as the drivers ability which can lead to more trouble.
As mentioned, overseas they tow much more with MUCH less vehicle and do just fine. Draw bar pull is healthier with a lower truck, and of course a nice brake controller.
I ues to read posts about how you should NEVER tow with a 60 series or even an 80 series. The first time I towed with both (nearly 6k with he 80 series) I was astonished at how overblown and paranoid these statements really were.
If they want to lawyer you with "You are risking my life and family's" then ask them why the same platform is rated for higher towing loads overseas... not in all cases but most.
totally agree. i have a 22 ft boat that weights about 4200lbs trailer & all. my wife's truck is a Nissan Xterra with small v6. as far as power, her truck pulls the boat much better although still way under what i would like. the cruiser just plain sucks for power but it doesn't get pulled around so much over bumps in the road etc. Pulling out of the water when loaded is awesome in low gear for the cruiser i must say. someday i hope to swap a v8 in the cruiser and use that as my tow vehicle.
Look around and see what kind of vehicles are used to tow with in the commerical world... wreckers, repo vehicles, commerical consturction.... seems to be 3/4 and 1 ton trucks for some reason. Most likely this relates to power,brakes, handling characterics, and maybe even safety... might even relate to the actual tow rating of the vehicle in question.
As previously stated, I think brakes are the limiting factor. The 60 has a good wheelbase, and is a heavy vehicle (I think that is a tow capacity parameter...no?), but brakes are on the weak side.
You CAN beef up the brakes to some degree. 4runner calipers, drilled/slotted rotors. even a rear disk.
But as long as you keep a good distance from all traffic, you really should be fine. It's all about NOT driving like a cowboy when towing.
You CAN beef up the brakes to some degree. 4runner calipers, drilled/slotted rotors. even a rear disk.
But as long as you keep a good distance from all traffic, you really should be fine. It's all about NOT driving like a cowboy when towing.
ntsqd
technerd
Everything about towing with a 1/2t or bigger pick-up is about expectations and comfort level, except for the brakes. I do not think that the 60's brakes are so poor that you can't tow with one, however they are not good enough to deal with the drivers who seem to think that every vehicle stops like their sports car. So towing thru LA would give me the heebie-jeebies, but towing up US95 or across US50 wouldn't bother me at all.
