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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: Cheyenne on April 04, 2011, 08:42:50 pm

Title: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: Cheyenne on April 04, 2011, 08:42:50 pm
I want to haul cars with my chevy k10 4x4 truck it's in good condition southern truck i been a car guy my whole life. Question is could I trailer safely one car maybe even a older classic car on a trailer? 
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: beastie_3 on April 04, 2011, 08:45:41 pm
ive towed boats and car trailers with my truck and never had any problems. The key is maintenance and prevention. If you are going to tow a lot, expect fuel economy to eat your wallet. I would upgrade to a larger diff cover and get a external transmission cooler.
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: zieg85 on April 04, 2011, 09:03:21 pm
I want to haul cars with my chevy k10 4x4 truck it's in good condition southern truck i been a car guy my whole life. Question is could I trailer safely one car maybe even a older classic car on a trailer? 

I would strongly suggest only using a trailer with trailer brakes.  You will need a class III hitch and a brake controller for electric brakes.  What is your engine/trans/rear end ratio combo?  If you have highway gears in it you will overheat your transmission without an external cooler if you have a lot of hills to navigate.  If you have an overdrive transmission don't tow in overdrive.  I am sure others will chime...
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: Cheyenne on April 04, 2011, 09:11:58 pm
What's up guy from Hebron my family from Hammond ind generations I live in nwi to brother.. Anyways I know little about trucks I know it's all stock from Alabama even got air cond.. That being said it's got a 350 the rest I don't know I always been a car person these old Chevys I grew up in a 78 Cheyenne was great so I got a 80 but it's a k10 cheyenne I flip cars time time need a good hauler... Want it to work not just sit and go store in.. The brakes and hitch I was aware of as we towed campers as I was a kid... Towing a car on a trailer I know lil rear ends and ratios I know lil.. It's not a 4 speed manual it's a automatic no granny gear manual on this truck..
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: zieg85 on April 04, 2011, 09:27:38 pm
If it is stock more than likely it has a TH350.  Does it have a sticker inside the glove box door?  It should tell you what the rear end ratio is.  I have towed with 1/2 Ton pickups and you really have to watch them.  Hammond Indiana was my stomping grounds as I just lived over the state line in Dolton where I grew up.
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: Cheyenne on April 04, 2011, 09:49:04 pm
Yeah it has numbers in the glove I put them up sounds like a half ton won't do it huh? Dolton I know good I'm from Chicago heights but my mom was from Hammond.. My grandfather had a car lot from 70s to the 90s 169th and Columbia he was a bit shady with people big man former trucker WWII vet got over on people.. He was good to me though ha
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: zieg85 on April 04, 2011, 09:54:35 pm
Yeah it has numbers in the glove I put them up sounds like a half ton won't do it huh? Dolton I know good I'm from Chicago heights but my mom was from Hammond.. My grandfather had a car lot from 70s to the 90s 169th and Columbia he was a bit shady with people big man former trucker WWII vet got over on people.. He was good to me though ha

I didn't say it wouldn't do it you just have to be careful with stopping and the handling of the truck if the trailer isn't loaded just right it get to swaying and it will get away from you if you are not careful.  Been there done that...
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: bake74 on April 04, 2011, 09:56:29 pm
     Use a load lever hitch also, as long as car and trailer does not out weigh your truck by 3 you will be fine.
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: Irish_Alley on April 05, 2011, 04:09:02 pm
Ive trailered my 86 c10 with my buddy's 88 full-size blazer with 4" lift and 38s. Granted we made this trailer just for towing 73-87s with mud tires and she had electric  brakes so I knew this trailer from hitch to ramp never did we have a problem with her. I wouldn't think of doing it with out a brake controller
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: Cheyenne on April 06, 2011, 01:45:00 am
Thanks everyone for the advice I like to learn as much as I can, you guys know a lot more than me so I'm all ears.. Here the numbers in glove there a lot diffrent than reading my cowl tag on my 64 impala ss that's for sure. Here the numbers. Vin CKL14AJ134258. Cargo rating 604 Lb. Dimensions "A"  70 in. Dimension"B" 0 in.
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: Cheyenne on April 07, 2011, 01:07:29 am
Can anyone tell me what these numbers mean in the glove thanks..
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: zieg85 on April 07, 2011, 06:19:10 am
http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/VIN.htm is how to decipher the numbers.  Yours in confusing because the 6th letter should be a number which tells the year...
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: zieg85 on April 07, 2011, 08:45:25 am
http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/7980VIN.html  using this source your VIN checks out.  A= 1980
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: 78 Chevyrado on April 07, 2011, 08:48:47 am
     Use a load lever hitch also, as long as car and trailer does not out weigh your truck by 3 you will be fine.


This I agree 100%  it will make towing enjoyable instead of a white knuckle experience.
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: Cheyenne on April 07, 2011, 11:55:30 am
Thanks for the hitch advice I rather not have any white knuckle driving, if that was the case I would not even attempt it figured I check with you guys on that. It's a 80 chevy, k10, 350, 4x4, long bed, Janesville plant.. The numbers in the glove what do those mean, there nothing like my old cars with a cowl tag..
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: zieg85 on April 07, 2011, 12:48:26 pm
The other numbers that you mentioned are camper loading.  If you have a string of 3 digit starting with a letter, second digit is either a letter or number followed by a number... Those are RPO #'s which is what your truck originally came with.  That list is available here 
http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/rpo_codes_1973-87.html 
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: Irish_Alley on April 07, 2011, 01:29:23 pm
As long as you got brakes on that trailer you can haul anything you don't need a special license for
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: beastie_3 on April 07, 2011, 01:37:47 pm
How often do you plan on towing?
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: Cheyenne on April 07, 2011, 02:10:39 pm
Thanks everyone again.. I would haul a car maybe once or twice a month in the winters she be parked
Title: Re: Can I trailer cars with my 80 chevy k10?
Post by: fitz on April 08, 2011, 09:37:53 pm
In general your truck will do fine. Others have covered the basics. Tranny cooler and electric brakes are a must.
My only concern would be your 1/2 ton rear end (regardless if it's a 10 or 12 bolt).
That is 1 area I would upgrade. my first choice would be to upgrade to 3/4 ton units but at the very least I would add an Eaton posi.