Pulling a dead K1500 ext cab LB on a tow dolly

[Steve Addy]

Hey all
I've searched and I found a few comments on other forums but I need some information to better judge a transport question.

I have 94 K1500 6.5 AT reg cab LB and I there's 93 K1500 ex cab LB about 300 miles from me that I want to go and retrieve.

I have a trailer but it's a utility trailer and just isn't wide enough to handle it.

I also have two tow dollies, one of which is 77" wide and and has working surge brake.

I have read other posts elsewhere that suggest the K1500 (in stock form) will fit on a tow dolly 76" wide but it is tight. I've measured the front of my K1500 and it looks to be 75" wide so I think the dead truck should fit. I have some early steel wheels with narrower tires that seem to have less positive offset and might reduce the width slightly as well.

So before I embark on this trip I'd like to hear what people have to say. This will not be transported on the interstate, it'll be on two lane highways where speed will be kept pretty low and stops will be frequent.

I'm curious about how much the front of a K1500 weighs (5.7L AT) so I can know whether it'll actually be over the dolly limit. Dolly has good ST tires

Thanks

Steve

 

[Caman96]

Did you try? I’ve got a great story on that!

 

[Hipster]

I really can't recommend to tow anything with a tow dolly. Well, maybe a Honda. There's a lack of tongue weight involved with a tow dolly where the towee can push the tower. Been there, done that, got the prize.

 

[Supercharged111]

I really can't recommend to tow anything with a tow dolly. Well, maybe a Honda. There's a lack of tongue weight involved with a tow dolly where the towee can push the tower. Been there, done that, got the prize.

A picture's worth a thousand words.

 

[Caman96]

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Four different agents from U-Haul guaranteed my 2018 Silverado w/tow package to tow 96 K1500. When I went to pick up dolly U-Haul dealer was saying no way. He called up the ladder and came back and said ok I was good to go. Got to truck, it fit fine with width, strapped it down. I drove about 20’ and “BANG’ a strap popped off! That was it, I was done. Here you go Supercharged111.

 

[Caman96]

Another pic....

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[Hipster]

A picture's worth a thousand words.

Yes they are but we didn't walk around with cell phones in our pockets 30 years ago to photograph our road side dilemma's.

It's no big secret the load can slide the tow vehicle's ass end without enough weight on the axle.

 

[Supercharged111]

Yes they are but we didn't walk around with cell phones in our pockets 30 years ago to photograph our road side dilemma's.

It's no big secret the load can slide the tow vehicle's ass end without enough weight on the axle.

Was it just a code brown or was metal bent?

 

[Erik the Awful]

Years ago I had a photo of some Navy guys unloading a trailer-mounted 220 kW Trilectron generator from a semi. The driver headed down the loading ramp and hit the brakes, but the generator is somewhere north of 10,000 lbs, and the towbar was angled up in relation to the pintle hook. It jacked the rear of the Blazer in the air, and the towbar latched in the upright position. The driver couldn't let his foot off the brake, and putting it in park wouldn't have done anything. I don't know what they did to get it down. /storytime

 

[DerekTheGreat]

Intriguing thread. So far, all the cars I've towed I did so with a dolly and my K1500. A 1979 G10 Sport Van and a 1997 Yukon. The Yukon was a bigger bear to me than the van was, but I got the job done in both cases. I think I towed the van ~120 miles and the Yukon about 60. Scary part was the brakes- the dolly had none of it's own. While I'm aware most people drive like asshats daily, I was nearly terrified of them while towing the last leg in the city. ******' A.

EDIT: Add a 1989 F150 long box to that list. Definitely considering a flatbed if I'm going to make a habit of all of this.