a few towing questions

[cwilson jr]

this is all on an 85 k10 with a 350, LWB, auto w/OD and towing package including a class III hitch along with a brake controller (though i don't believe car dolleys have electric brakes.  see below). the truck is for the most part, stock all the way around.

1.  what is the towing capacity?

2.  i plan on towing on around a 3000 lbs. cavalier w/ a uhaul dolley (unofficially, it looks like the dolley is going to weigh around 650) and a light load in the bed itself.  i've done this plenty of times on level groung without any issues, however i've had issues with a loaded truck and dual axle cabin trailer on steep inclines through the mountains on north I77 before.  i just want to make sure i could probably pull this current setup on steep inclines, or if anyone else has done something similar to this?

3.  while heading up steep inclines, such as the mountains i'll be heading through, is it easier/better to drop it in a lower gear?  i just thought of this recently and don't believe i tried this previously while having issues.

[zieg85]

As far as towing capacity it will all depend on engine/trans/rear end gear ratio.  With an automatic overdrive you are never supposed to tow in OD.  My $.02

[Lt.Del]

That is not a lot of weight for pulling.  You should have no problem.  However, I strongly urge you to put on a transmission external cooler. Heat kills transmissions.  All trucks set up to pull have external coolers.  They attach on to the front of your radiator.  You can take one of your trans to radiator lines off and hook it into the kit that comes with the cooler.  It doesnt take long and they are cheap for what they do.  I have a 35,000 lb pulling cooler on my 79 Stroker Big 10 and on my 91 sub.  I pull a 7k lb camper with both of my trucks over the Blue Ridge Mts.

Yes, by all means, when you hear/feel your engine rpms decrease, pop that joker in L2.  No problem.  The rpms will increase to take advantage of the proper rpms to pull for maximum power. Heck, you should, depending on your rear end ratio, be able to go 50-60 mph in L2.

[79scottsdale]

Can't reply on your specific year, but maybe the following would help:

Our 79 Scottsdale K10(4wd), with a 350(5.7), auto 3-speed and towing package, pulled a 4100lb Mako boat/w trailer for 15+ years with absolutely no problems. The original tranny is still doing just fine.

Our 97 Suburban c15(2wd), with a 350(5.7), auto 3-speed w/od and towing package, has been pulling a 6200lb Travel Trailer, and a 6300lb Bayliner Cierra boat/w trailer since almost new, with no problems. Granted, 18 years newer, but figured I'd throw that in.

I never tow in overdrive, and if in the mountains, which I have been with the camper, I will manually shift if the transmission begins to "hunt", i.e. shift back and forth between gears.

zieg85 is correct about the engine/trans/rear end gear ratio dictating towing capacity. However, pulling 3000 plus a 650 dolly, with a light bed load, IMO, should be just fine. Just make sure the tongue weight is not excessive.

I dont' know the weight of your "dual axle cabin trailer", but they can get very heavy by the time you get them loaded. No way to know how much weight you were really pulling on 177. The actual weight you were lugging up the hill might really surprise you.

Hope this helps a bit.

[Irish_Alley]

like said b4 you will be OK with the hall just take it out of OD and when she bogs down shift.
PS make sure you strap it down right lol i seen a couple um non americans strap a car to a uhaul and they evidently went pretty far b4 they had to stop at the autozone i worked at and they had to back up out of the parking lot and they never strapped the car right so it rolled over the dolly and they were trapped in the parking lot till a tow truck came hand helped them out. not saying you don't have the commen sense to pull it off but it was a funny story that i had to tell. it was a good thing it happend in the parking lot tho