350 tbi towing build 10,000 lbs

[lamogo33]

Often times payload rating is more about what you can stop rather than what you can pull.

 

[Caldwell]

Often times payload rating is more about what you can stop rather than what you can pull.

The gooseneck has trailer brakes and I will be installing a trailer brake controller before I ever pull it. Just wanted to know if the engine with a little work could handle it. The truck has 1 ton axles under it. I have pulled a bumper pull with a front end loader and a brush hog on the back in the past which was about 7,500-8000 lbs. at 65mph just wanted to know if it could pull more before I put a few grand in it. I plan on keeping the truck no matter what even if I do buy another diesel because it reminds me where I came from and what I started with. That old truck made me a lot of money in the past. It's never let me down. EVER

 

[michael hurd]

Not sure on the mileage of the motor because the odometer is broke but I do know it is strong (because of driving 5 of them) And I live in Oklahoma so I'm not too worried about hills. Some hills but not big hills anyway. Trailer weighs around 6,500 lbs. so it'd probably be towing more than 10,000 lbs. I know the truck can pull it, it just won't like it. And I know y'all are probably going to tell me to get another diesel or put in a 454, but I don't want too if I don't have too. If I do, I'll probably get the dreaded dodge truck.. Ugh... With a cummins and a 5-6 speed. Nothing against a cummins and a nv4500/nv5600 just the dodge truck is sh** IMHO. Just love this old Chevy and want to make it work without putting 4-5k in it. And I don't want to put a cummins in it. Not right now anyways...

The truck will pull it, and pull it better with deeper gearing or shorter tires, or both.
I wouldn't worry about your RPM at 70 mph. That being said, you will be overweight, and subject to fines, etc if you are caught overweight. From a legally defensible standpoint, you would be F*K'd.

 

[Caldwell]

The truck will pull it, and pull it better with deeper gearing or shorter tires, or both.
I wouldn't worry about your RPM at 70 mph. That being said, you will be overweight, and subject to fines, etc if you are caught overweight. From a legally defensible standpoint, you would be F*K'd.

No kidding?? I figured the truck was legal up to at least 10k but I'm not sure because it has no factory stickers to tell me so...

Does anyone know that the gcwr on a 1989 Chevy 2500hd with a sm465 is??

 

[michael hurd]

There is a subsection for towing on the site.

According to this thread : http://www.gmt400.com/threads/89-k3500-srw-vs-k2500.36423/
http://www.gmt400.com/threads/89-k3500-srw-vs-k2500.36423/
His GVWR ( not the GCWR ) is 8600 lbs, and it's a 1989 K3500, not a 2500.

Some users have taken pictures of their owners manuals, searching about will bring up some.

 

[michael hurd]

From a picture of a 1998 manual, with the 3.73 ratio K2500, factory rating is only a total of 6500 pounds, and that's with a more powerful Vortec L31.

http://www.gmt400.com/threads/towing-capability.36498/page-3

In the same brochure, a K1500 is rated about the same, with the same axle ratio.

 

[michael hurd]

I have pulled a trailer ( with a proper weight distributing hitch and brake controller ) that weighed close to 8800 pounds loaded with my K1500. ( 5.0L + 3.73 and stock tire diameter )

That being said, I was over capacity, and I would not recommend doing that. Even with the tires pumped to the maximum recommended pressure, the rear frame rail section was 'walking', which was not confidence inspiring.

Brakes are the number one thing when it comes to towing, in order to be able to stop that combination, you need brakes that are working properly on the truck.

 

[Biggershaft96]

Might not want to hear this but you would be money and effort ahead if you just bite the bullet and stick a 454 in with a rv cam and port polish heads. A tbi 454 is somewhere around the 385ft lb from the factory.

 

[Jorge6.5]

I noticed you mentioned a semi floater rear end?? If so that's not a 2500hd, you would need to have the full floater 14 bolt to be the HD.

As a comparison, I drive a 98 k2500 with the full floater, 454 and 5 speed. It's only rated for towing 10,000lbs

 

[Jorge6.5]

Also, if it is the semi floater 14 bolt, those trucks were rated at 7200lb gvwr