I have a 1985 P-30 Regal 13,500# chassis with a Chevy 454 with I suspect a Class II hitch with a 3500 Gross. I have been pulling a Saturn SC2 which weighs around 4 lbs so I don't even feel it back there. For around $250 I can have a cerified welder beef it up to a class III which will give me 3,500 to 6,000#.

I had been planning on pulling a Ford Ranger, but now would like to pull an F-150 or Dodge Dakota. These trucks would be more around the 5500# rather than the 3500# which the Ranger would weigh.

Do you think the 5500#'s would be too much for the 454. My 454 is new, uses no oil and runs very cool. Would headers make a huge difference here?

Any opinions would be appreaciated.

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I towed a new-used 24-ft FG boat and dual axle trailer w/ Dodge 360 on my Class B MH. Maybe 5000# or more. Few months after, needed to repl warped exh manifolds and have transmission rebuilt. Already had trans cooler and biggest radiator possible. I sold the big boat. So, I think that towing heavy things (boats, toads, cut logs from upNorth) are very taxing for MH engines and transmissions. Most motorhomes were assembled on chassis with engine and trans for the original intended use of the auto/truck manufacturer. Motorhome converters then build on heavy superstructures and add appliances, furniture, generators, big holding tanks, big water tanks, month's worth of food and clothes, etc. My thought would be to keep the tow weight as light as possible. My opinion would be to avoid the 5500# toad. Also, I would recommend Type III hitch for anything other than light trailers. Hitch and post/ball are much heavier and safer on Type III. Hitches fail when towed thing swings & sways, not when going straight ahead on sunny days.

Dave, Dave, Dave, you are stepping over the line here. The Ford vs. Chevy thing. No Ford wants to get pulled around by a Chevy.

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89 Barth Regal 32
Runs like a Deere
New Hampshire

There are two issues here, power and weight.

A heavier toad will definitely be riskier if things get hairy. The tail wagging the dog syndrome. Emergency handling is compromised greatly, as is mountain driving. I would strongly advise using a brake controller that allows you to activate the toad brakes separately, to straighten out a jackknife. The lighter P30s do not tow as well as the heavy ones, and tags are a jillion times better. I only mention this to illustrate, not to suggest that you get a new Barth. The whole weight thing is a judgment call. How safe do you want to be? Lots of folks do what you want to do and have not had any trouble.

As for power, the 454 can do it. I would suggest Thorley headers, free flow exhaust, a Performer manifold and distributor recurving. You might need a US Radiator Desert Cooler. A water spray in front of the radiator will get you up a steep hill. How big is your tranny cooler? Do you have a trans temp gage? Go synthetic trans fluid for sure. A Trans Go kit is good, too. Does yours have an engine oil cooler? An oil temp gage is fairly easy to install in your drain hole. And of course, a Gear Vendors, if you want to go all out. Second overdrive is really nice to have.

Yeah, I know, this is overkill, but the cost for overkill is felt only in your checkbook. The cost for underkill is felt in more places if things go wrong.

Have you considered a smaller pickup? We towed a little Toyota pickup behind a 27' Southwind for years, and felt that was about the limit for the chassis. A little pickup with a shell is really neat. When we went to a heavier 4Runner, we could feel the extra weight back there.

As Jack mentions, pulling a Ford with a Chevy can cause problems. There is a frammis/veeblefitzer resonant frequency interface problem that can only be compensated with a double male cord connecting the two, but they are illegal in many states. To avoid legal problems, ferrite beads can be installed around the conductors of the interconnecting cords, obviating the need for the dreaded double male cord. But polarity orientation of the ferrite beads is difficult, and can only be achieved by trial and error.

Avoid Dakotas.

I have a Honda CRV and I can jam anying in or on it that I could put in a P/U.

Also I agree Bill...the 454 will have no problem pulling what you want.

Bill h' is 100% correct, 99.44% of the time, but this time he neglected to mention the danger of anti-magnetic/cross polarity in the frammis/veeblefitzer resonance. The polarity pulling a Ford with a Chevy, is directly opposite from the polarity pulling a Chevy with a Ford, and there is no way to be certain which is which. In either case, if the ferrite beads are not perfectly aligned on the first try, the trial becomes an error that creates a massive disruption in the "dark-sucker" phenomenon, which generates, in turn, a total failure of the lighting system, necessitating wholesale rewiring, and replacement of all filament-type bulbs with laser-controlled light emitting diodes. Unfortunately, this technology has not yet advanced to the point where it is cost effective.

I know of cases where a bow-tie emblem was replaced with a blue oval, or vice versa, thus negating the dark-sucker phenomenon, but it didn't always work, so there is still some risk.

You guys, yes I went out looking at trucks today because a guy told me a stripped Dakota only weighed 2950 lbs. I said in my Minnesota accent "ya shuuure" I went over there and guess what. The guy didn't know the difference between lbs and kg. That stripped Dakota had a big V8, extended cap and weighted almost 7000 lbs. And by the way "ol Buddy Bill, have you looked at the little Toyota's recently with big 6's extended cabs etc. A good 5500 lbs and starting at $26K.

Used CRV look like the way to go. 2001 with 30k miles loaded around $15K with a GVWR of 4200 so without people around 3800 lbs. I think I am going to take a drive to the welder anyway and have him look at things anyway.

By the way, I sat in a new Ranger for the first time today. Just about the most uncomfortable sitting position I have experienced in a long time. And when I went for a test drive I could hear the most annoying high pitched squeal. I asked the salesman about it and as he looked at me sheepishly he asked, "do yo own any Chevy products?" I said, "well I have a motorhome on a Chevy chassis". He hurriedly but in a forced businesslike manner said, "I think we better go back now." As he exited the vehicle, and as he rushed away I heard him mutter, "frammis/veeblefitzer........."

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Dave, let your fingers do the walking to the Motorhome Magazine website. They have their dinghy towing guides for 2001 through 2004. Lots of clues as to weights, towabilty w/ and w/o a.t., etc.

Dave,

Here's the link to Motorhome Mag. Dinghy Towing -

http://www.motorhomemagazine.com/dinghytowingguide/index.cfm




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I would like to tow a light truck also. I'm looking at the new Toyota Tacoma coming out this summer. I've also looked at the Caddy CTS-V. I'd have to buy the V-6 and swap it for the V-8 400hp and 390lbft torque. It gets 25 mpg on the freeway with 0-60 at 4.6 seconds. It may even pull the old Barth in a pinch. It wouldn't even have a conflicted Chevy Ford thing. They might even have to start a new category on the Dinghy Towing Guide for Race Toads. I'm having withdrawal pains from lack of breathing methanol.

I was contacted by Andy Anthony re: rallys, and he told me his Barth was totalled this year when one arm of his tow bar broke. Some of the tow bars I've seen look pretty fragile I think I would look the equipment over pretty thouroghly each time I tow.

Quote "Bill, have you looked at the little Toyota's recently with big 6's extended cabs etc. A good 5500 lbs and starting at $26K"
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Dave, that is why I loved my little 87 Toyota. It was light and towed really easily. It's a sad commentary on the marketplace when "little" trucks keep gaining weight the way they do.

BTW, have you looked at the Toyota Rav4?

On smaller pickups: We test-drove most 2003/2004 ones and concluded the Toyota regular suspension had the best ride with a 4-cylinder extended cab that was peppy enough for expressway traffic, as contrasted to the other pickup brands w/ 4-cyl. However, Toyota has fewer price discounts than the rest. But found, for example, I could buy one in Indiana and get $1500 factory rebate NOT offered by Michigan dealers. Seems Toyota has "deals" specific to marketing regions, so always check another region near you. My wife worked for a Toyota dealership. Customer loyalty was high and many exceeded 100,000+ miles. But, drive it until it drops, because Toyotas do not trade well. Leases are higher, because resale of used offlease units are lower than competitors. Subaru is gaining reputation among auto enthusiasts and they're lighter weight than most.

Subaru's all wheel drive makes them more difficult to tow. But I have seen folks doing it. I have a 03 Forester but nothing to tow it with except for my 57 Chevy BelAir 2-door hardtop (its for sell by the way) I'm still Barthless but actively looking. I think a late 80's to newer Chevy Tracker 4-wheel drive is the way to go at least for my pocketbook. Use "Warn" hubs and a good tow bar with a Brakebuddy-fairly cheap combo. Trackers are all over Ebay for a low price.

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Barth Wannabe
Nick and Glo