Towing with sbc 350!!!

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dAT OBS

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Any guy or gals out there towing with 350 sbc?
What you towing & do you think it worth using a 350....but I'm hot shoting just towing car here and there





I have purchased a 92 c3500 crew cab looong bed! 2wd with 350 sbc
 

Mark Gilbert

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Your rear gears and transmission will have just as much, if not more, impact on your towing.

The 350 is a good motor, there is a reason it has been around for so long and been swapped into just about everything...

Of course maintenance of said motor will also play a factor.

Keep in mind in the 80's Toyota used to have a 1 ton truck with a 4 cylinder... It's more than just the motor...
 

JavaMan

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On a one ton truck shouldn't it have a good ratio for towing? Did they have an optional 'sucks for towing' ratio back then?

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stutaeng

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My 2000 K3500 CCLB SRW has a 5.7 Vortec with 4.10 rear gear ratio. Per the manual, the 4.10 was standard on the C/K3500s. Optional was 4.56.

Towing (2000 model owner's manual) with the 4.10 is 6,500 lbs. There is a difference of 500 lb less for the K3500 vs C3500 due to extra weight of the t-case, so C3500 is 7,000 lbs. Doesn't sound like a lot by today's standards, but I think those numbers were conservative back then. Check glove box for ratio and manual for towing capacity.

Mind you, yours has the TBI, so less HP, but roughly the same torque. It should do fine towing a car around. You still have the 14 bolt full float, hydroboost brakes, engine and trans. cooler and the heavy duty transmission, not sure if the 4L80 or turbo 400 for that year (either are extremely strong.) That all adds to a robust towing rig. Just make sure everything is working properly.

BTW, '92 was the first year of the GMT400 crew cabs. Previous generation crew cabs were the RV-series.
 
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TacosnBeer

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If the 350 is healthy, that isn't the thing that you should be asking... its the transmission that I would be concerned about.

2 words "Transmission Cooler"
 
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