Author Topic: towing with a 1/2 ton (Read 11951 times)

Steve_925 · « **on:** Mar 07, 2009, 11:08:52 PM »

i have 1/2 ton 2WD 4door chevy tahoe. i really dont want to have to buy a gas/diesel guzling tow rig. not that i even could buy a tow rig. the tahoe has the power to tow no problem. the problem is that it doesnt brake for sit they brakes heat up real fast. and im kinda worried about the tranny too.

so what upgrades you guys think should be done to make this a capable rig.
and i dont want to go all out, i want a capable tow rig not a over capable.

im thinkin: drilled and slotted rotors, maybe calipers but that seems like overkill, and a tranny cooler

what you guys think

RokCrawlinToy · « **Reply #1 on:** Mar 07, 2009, 11:14:42 PM »

I think you answered your own question. The other things you may or want would be airbags or a weight distrubuting hitch, and trailer brake controller.

Steve_925 · « **Reply #2 on:** Mar 07, 2009, 11:35:40 PM »

Quote from: RokCrawlinToy on Mar 07, 2009, 11:14:42 PM

I think you answered your own question. The other things you may or want would be airbags or a weight distrubuting hitch, and trailer brake controller.

ya i forgot about air bags that would be a definate. the thing is i have alot of friends and my old work that has trailers that i could borrow so im proble not going to buy one. not sure if they have trailer brakes either.

Tallchevy · « **Reply #3 on:** Mar 07, 2009, 11:50:29 PM »

I towed a 4 door Suzuki Sidekick on a trailer that had no brakes with my 79 Blazer. Scary as heck when going down a hill I your getting pushed cause you start getting brake fade. Get a brake controller & use a trailer with brakes. It's cheaper to do that then to replace both of your vehicles & a borrowed trailer.

Steve_925 · « **Reply #4 on:** Mar 08, 2009, 06:52:00 PM »

Quote from: Tallchevy on Mar 07, 2009, 11:50:29 PM

I towed a 4 door Suzuki Sidekick on a trailer that had no brakes with my 79 Blazer. Scary as heck when going down a hill I your getting pushed cause you start getting brake fade. Get a brake controller & use a trailer with brakes. It's cheaper to do that then to replace both of your vehicles & a borrowed trailer.

haha ya thats a good point. i have towed my 4runner on a dolly down icehouse and it wasnt fun atg all

KYOTA · « **Reply #5 on:** Mar 08, 2009, 07:54:06 PM »

steve before I bought my Dodge I towed with a Tahoe but it was 4wd. swapped in drilled and slotted rotors (after the oe's warped from towing) it was a Z71 equipped and had HD trans cooler factory. I also used a sway control hitch setup which made a huge difference in the handling. Alos make sure you use a good brake controller

Tice · « **Reply #6 on:** Mar 08, 2009, 09:36:42 PM »

I tow with a 96 Chevy 2wd long bed, the brakes suck but the brake controller made a huge difference!!! I barrowed a trailer that didn't have brake and had to do a panic stop at a red light at 45 and 3 in the morning) Thats the only time I ever seen abs lock up all four tires!!! :yikes:I'll never tow without trailer brakes again!!

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #7 on:** Mar 09, 2009, 11:53:48 AM »

I tow with my Durango, it has a much better rating than a Tahoe though.

Hyena · « **Reply #8 on:** Mar 09, 2009, 12:42:30 PM »

my rotors were warped on my 99 f-250 because i towed without trailer brakes a few times. they are a must for any truck 1/2 ton or 1 ton. my old 97 gmc 1/2 ton towed pretty good but it also had the vortec v8 in it. made sure it is set up right, get a tranny temp gauge and watch it also.

toyotanner · « **Reply #9 on:** Mar 09, 2009, 12:49:00 PM »

i towed my truck to the rubicon for mcr7 with a 1/2 ton 2wd chevy with a 350 throttle body. it would pull it fine on the flats at like 65-70 but when we hit all the mountain ranges in so. oregon and nor cal it was a dog!. i had just put brakes on it before we left otherwise i don't know how it would have turned out cause the trailer had no brakes. but it made it there and back will never do it again with that truck though.

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #10 on:** Mar 09, 2009, 04:11:36 PM »

I flat towed my Willys to and from the Rubicon with a Ford Ranger......... ONCE!!!

Steve_925 · « **Reply #11 on:** Mar 09, 2009, 05:18:11 PM »

Quote from: Hyena on Mar 09, 2009, 12:42:30 PM

my rotors were warped on my 99 f-250 because i towed without trailer brakes a few times. they are a must for any truck 1/2 ton or 1 ton. my old 97 gmc 1/2 ton towed pretty good but it also had the vortec v8 in it. made sure it is set up right, get a tranny temp gauge and watch it also.

good idea on the gauge, think im gonna have to do that

red · « **Reply #12 on:** Mar 12, 2009, 12:34:22 PM »

bare minimum:
1. tranny cooler if your truck didnt come with the towing package.
2. tranny temp guage
3. trailer with brakes and a brake controller
4. being a 1/2 ton it has the 4L60E auto, stay out of overdrive and keep that tranny below 220F

next level would be a sway control hitch as well as drilled/slotted rotors and an upgraded valve assembly in the tranny along with a deep tranny pan, prefer aluminum. after that your into 3/4-1 ton upgrades.

Steve_925 · « **Reply #13 on:** Mar 12, 2009, 10:05:36 PM »

Quote from: red on Mar 12, 2009, 12:34:22 PM

bare minimum:
1. tranny cooler if your truck didnt come with the towing package.
2. tranny temp guage
3. trailer with brakes and a brake controller
4. being a 1/2 ton it has the 4L60E auto, stay out of overdrive and keep that tranny below 220F

next level would be a sway control hitch as well as drilled/slotted rotors and an upgraded valve assembly in the tranny along with a deep tranny pan, prefer aluminum. after that your into 3/4-1 ton upgrades.

whats a sway control hitch?

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #14 on:** Mar 12, 2009, 11:12:03 PM »

http://equalizerhitch.com

Waterman · « **Reply #15 on:** Apr 15, 2009, 10:11:02 PM »

I've got an 02 Tundra SR5 4wd Extra Cab with tow package and tow my FJ40 on a 16ft Carson Trailer.......Ive towed the same set with an old 3/4ton Chebbie and a Ford Long one ton van with a carbed 460. Tundra does the best of the bunch (I think the FI is what makes the difference). I put air bags on the Tundra and tow with a standard hitch with the anti sway set up that is used on equalizing hitches. No need for a full equalizing hitch as long as you load the trailer correctly. The Tundra does have the Toyota upgraded brakes which are much bigger than came stock on the 02 but the same as 03 an up...OK the new big Tundras have simply huge brakes! I've towed to Moab 3 or 4 times with the Tundra with only one problem.......second trip out there and the tranny puked when I got home (took out OD gear) regardless of what anyone says, when towing with the Auto do not use overdrive! The gear simply won't survive. May be different in the new Big Tundras, but any of the smaller ones, push the OD off button. My trailer has single axle brakes, but if I was to do it again I think I'd get brakes on both axles. The Tundra eats brakes about every 15k towing or not (it's a work truck so is loaded most of the time and sees mainly mountain roads). I'd never tow a rig on a trailer without brakes regardless of the tow vehicle......The new electronic controlers are both cheap and work awsome.......just my 2 cents worth....

uglyota · « **Reply #16 on:** Aug 24, 2009, 01:47:42 PM »

Do you guys not downshift and use engine braking when you're going downhill?
I tow my rig pretty regularly (~6k between rig and trailer) without trailer brakes, with a stock '98 Tahoe (350 vortec, 4l60e, 4x4) and as long as I take it easy I don't have to use my brakes much, don't get brake fade and it doesn't get scary on me. Not that trailer brakes aren't a very good idea, just sayin I don't think you will die without them.

Tice · « **Reply #17 on:** Aug 26, 2009, 01:09:51 PM »

You could die if you have to stop really fast and can't. I can't think of any reason not to have trailer brakes!!

Halladay · « **Reply #18 on:** Oct 17, 2009, 09:14:52 PM »

Trailer Breaks?

toyotanner · « **Reply #19 on:** Oct 17, 2009, 09:19:42 PM »

Quote from: Halladay on Oct 17, 2009, 09:14:52 PM

Trailer Breaks?

do you not know what they are

Halladay · « **Reply #20 on:** Oct 17, 2009, 09:22:07 PM »

Quote from: toyotanner on Oct 17, 2009, 09:19:42 PM

do you not know what they are

no im asking if he has trailer breaks lol it does sound like i dont with that post though haha..let me re-frase it ....
You Got Trailer Breaks?

haha

toyotanner · « **Reply #21 on:** Oct 17, 2009, 09:22:56 PM »

oh okay

emsvitil · « **Reply #22 on:** Oct 17, 2009, 09:25:43 PM »

It's spelled BRAKES

Halladay · « **Reply #23 on:** Oct 17, 2009, 09:26:45 PM »

Skinny_Pedal · « **Reply #24 on:** Oct 18, 2009, 11:39:10 AM »

Steve if your towing w/ a half ton.....you have to use trailer brakes. If you dont thats just a sketch setup to be driving. Even with my duramax, if im towing more the 5k or more....its gonna have brakes

Steve_925 · « **Reply #25 on:** Oct 18, 2009, 01:17:53 PM »

since i posted this i have towed my truck a dozen times usually rubicon, fordyce, etc. all places with crappy wyndy roads and lots of hills. i never did anything to the tahoe to make it tow better, it tows fine having the surge brakes on the trailer(other than breaking 3 of the 5 studs off the rear wheel). i mostly use my gears and not let myself gain to much speed when on long downhills. as soon as i can get some money im going to get an early 90's dodge with a cummins. i can get a desent one for no more than 5-6k all the time.

Skinny_Pedal · « **Reply #26 on:** Oct 18, 2009, 02:26:18 PM »

Quote from: steve_925 on Oct 18, 2009, 01:17:53 PM

since i posted this i have towed my truck a dozen times usually rubicon, fordyce, etc. all places with crappy wyndy roads and lots of hills. i never did anything to the tahoe to make it tow better, it tows fine having the surge brakes on the trailer(other than breaking 3 of the 5 studs off the rear wheel). i mostly use my gears and not let myself gain to much speed when on long downhills. as soon as i can get some money im going to get an early 90's dodge with a cummins. i can get a desent one for no more than 5-6k all the time.

That for a 2wd or 4wd? Down there you really dont need a 2wd do you?

Steve_925 · « **Reply #27 on:** Oct 18, 2009, 09:41:52 PM »

i would get a 4wd for sure

Slolyfe · « **Reply #28 on:** Nov 12, 2009, 10:44:44 AM »

Just upgraded my trailer to 4 wheel electric brakes. Its awesome!

capev86 · « **Reply #29 on:** Apr 05, 2010, 05:50:02 PM »

try ceramic brake pads....they actually bite better after they get warm but will last longer and resist fade.

but seriously, you need to make sure you entire brake system is fresh and that you have properly functioning trailer brakes. also consider your driving habits in areas where conditions put a big load on the brakes. don't crest a hill at top speed....slow down and shift down to help hold back rig and trailer on the downhill.

air bags are good but expensive and add complexity. i prefer just upgrading the rear spring packs with an add a leaf kit or more leaves. a 3/4 ton suburban or pickup of the same vintage should be able to donate some spring packs that fit (pay attention to 2wd vs 4wd). 1/2 ton rear springs are junk on a vehicle hauling loads. i have a 72 burb 3/4 ton 2wd with stock coil rear suspension and i plan to swap out the coils for the HD option units.

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