3-4K lbs towing, how capable is it really?

So I might get an 19 foot boat that weighs 2300 lbs plus the trailer. I would like to use this car to tow it when my F350 is towing a 5er. Will the car brakes handle it if there’s no trailer surge brakes? My set up is tired and I expect to expedite a rebuild doing it, but is it legit? If so I’ll prob rebuild the LT1 and trans, then put 373s in the rear to enhance reliability. The 6 speed plan might not work out with how often my chick uses the car. Thoughts?

Does your car have the trailer towing package? If so, then it comes with HD cooling and lower gearing which bumps the rated tow capacity to 5,000lbs weight carrying or 7,000 weight distributing. I've towed a 6,500 lb trailer through hill country and you hardly know the trailer is back there.

Otherwise, I think the non-towpack rating is something like 3,500 lbs. Probably OK for occasional 3,300lbs towing, but for regular use I'd add at least a transmission cooler and upgrade the left electric fan to the bigger version. And tow in 3rd if you are going uphill.

As for brakes, assuming the trailer weighs in at around 1,000 lbs, then you are pushing the limit for any tow vehicle. Many jurisdictions require trailer brakes if the gross trailer weight exceeds 3,000 lbs. Personally, I prefer electric brakes for many reasons but surge are better than no brakes.

My Caprice is a towpack car and pulling 3000 lbs is no problem.  Stopping it is another issue entirely.  Drive reeeeeaally slow and attentively on flat land, and you'll likely be OK.  Nonetheless, I would much prefer to stop 1 ft short of a Lexus full of lawyers that 1 ft into their trunk. Lawsuits and injuries are sometimes about inches.   Go for the best braking set up you can afford.

Spend the money on the trailer brakes.

The 3.73 will not improve reliability, but will improve acceleration. Your chick may like the enhanced kick in the pants.

All above is good advice, ESPECIALLY THE TRAILER BRAKES! Your trailer and boat is getting close to doubling your car's weight. The brakes on these cars will bring the whole thing to a stop but stopping distance would be significant.

Point of reference. All of these cars can tow this weight, and I have towed my RV (6,000 travel trailer with brakes) with a RMW and a Fleetwood BUUUUT, the Fleetwood, equipped with the towpack, was the only car that was legally able to tow 7,000 lbs. One of the reasons I bought the Caddy as none of the wagons were rated above 5,000 lbs.

I do know, some of the western States especially, are very anal about these things. Any thing more than 10% over your the registered capacity (regardless of your car's ability) and you get fined and your rig gets towed to a compound yard. Montana and Alberta are particularly draconian about enforcing this.

Another point is to invest in a weight distributing hitch. At a combined weight of 3,300 lbs (I assume the trailer is about 1,000 lbs.) you should be looking for a tongue weight of at least 330 lbs. A weight distributing hitch will take a lot of that weight off the back of the car and transfer it forward.

Bill

convert2diesel wrote:

none of the wagons were rated above 5,000 lbs.

Towpack wagons are rated 7,000lbs IF you use a weight distributing hitch with dual sway bars, raise the rear tire pressure to 35psi, and disable the auto level control system. It's right in the owner's manual.

Heard about the 7K rating for the wagons, but spent lots of time trying to track that down. Never saw anything to indicate that rating for the wagons. What year owners manual did you get that from?

Bill

In the 95 manual it's on page 4-34.

Looking that up, I stumbled over a passage that says trailer brakes are recommended if the loaded weight is over 1,000 lbs.

That's interesting! I never knew that about the 7k rating for wagons. Only for the Fleetwoods.... Can you snap a pic of that page? That's handy info.

Well, religious reference aside, thanks. Figured that it might be a good resource for someone else who might be searching for the info.

Thanks for this Information.
I rarely use the bars, but having recently towed a 4,200 lb load,
I wish I had done so.......

Mostly because the Leveling Pump ran constantly,
(a source of aggravation) brakes did not seem to
be a problem, but I keep lots of "cushion" distance.

buickwagon wrote:

I suppose even Thomas had to see the wounds for himself.

Here:

That's why real men don't read instructions.  Found an on-line manual for a 94 and sure enough on page 185, it talks about the 7,000 lb. limit, however, if you look on page 181 it clearly states 5,000 lbs. as the limit.

Perhaps the instructions on the 7,000 lb. page is merely a generic item found in multiple manuals.

Any of the on-line trailer capacity tables clearly state the Roadmaster is only rated for 5,000 lbs. while the Cadillac is 7,000 lbs assuming both have either the V92 or V4P towing package.

http://trailers.com/tow-capacity/

At the end of the day, if your car is not rated for the weight you are towing, and you get in an accident, you will have an issue with your insurance company plus face a fine. Make sure you have the tow package and stay below (within 10%) the rating as identified by your VIN number.

Bill

I read the manual too. I only have a class II hitch, so if the boat weighs more than than that and has electric brakes instead of surge brakes, it’s a mute point. I’m not fucking with brake controller in a car. I have a 1 ton truck that I tow heavy with already.

Thanks for the replies.

Oh, and it is a tow pack car too.

Brandt51 wrote:

I read the manual too. I only have a class II hitch, so if the boat weighs more than than that and has electric brakes instead of surge brakes, it’s a mute point. I’m not fucking with brake controller in a car. I have a 1 ton truck that I tow heavy with already.

Thanks for the replies.

Sam:

Sorry for letting this post get off topic. To actually answer your question:

1. Your car is a tow pack car so it is more than legal to tow your boat and trailer.
2. You will need a class 3/4 hitch on the car
3. Can't comment on the policy of your State, but generally speaking anything over 1,000 lbs. needs trailer brakes. Never could figure out why boat trailer manufacturers did not install brakes on even their smaller trailers unless they were just intended to be used to haul the boat out of the water and then parked for storage.
4. You can buy self contained brake controllers where everything is mounted on the trailer and a small portable RF control panel is used that can be utilized with any tow vehicle without wiring in a permanent controller. As long as the vehicle has trailer lights (including brake lights) it works.
5. All the rest of the comments, while all valid, are to make your life easier with the trailer in tow. Just keep your ball weight below 500 lbs.

Bill

Brandt51 wrote:

I read the manual too. I only have a class II hitch, so if the boat weighs more than than that and has electric brakes instead of surge brakes, it’s a mute point. I’m not fucking with brake controller in a car. I have a 1 ton truck that I tow heavy with already.

Thanks for the replies.

Sam:

Sorry for letting this post get off topic. To actually answer your question:

1. Your car is a tow pack car so it is more than legal to tow your boat and trailer.
2. You will need a class 3/4 hitch on the car
3. Can't comment on the policy of your State, but generally speaking anything over 1,000 lbs. needs trailer brakes. Never could figure out why boat trailer manufacturers did not install brakes on even their smaller trailers unless they were just intended to be used to haul the boat out of the water and then parked for storage.
4. You can buy self contained brake controllers where everything is mounted on the trailer and a small portable RF control panel is used that can be utilized with any tow vehicle without wiring in a permanent controller. As long as the vehicle has trailer lights (including brake lights) it works.
5. All the rest of the comments, while all valid, are to make your life easier with the trailer in tow. Just keep your ball weight below 500 lbs.

Bill