just wondering...how much can they tow? what did you have to change?

------------------
-Stock Tbi 305 with a lot of damn miles
-Edelbrock Z28 TES Headers
-3 inch Catco High Flow Cat
-3 inch Edelbrock Catback
-14x3 Summit Open Element Air Cleaner

Stereo
-Pioneer DEH-P4100 cd player
-Polk Dx9 6x9s

79 Jeep Cj7

 

I wouldn't even consider towing anything with one of these cars. I think that GM rated the towing recomendations as "Not recomended"

It would of course be interesting to hear about someone who does tow with one though

------------------
1987 IROC-Z Auto (LB9)
Black/grey with the stance of a streetfighter

Mods
Custom exhaust. 4 Inch pipe from the headders all the way back to a single muffler at the rear. No Cat.

Future mods:
K&Ns
RAM Air
New Underdrive pulleys-either March performance pulleys or Auto Specialties Performance
Air foil

 

My old 86 had a ball. I don't know what the previous owner did with it but the car ran great. It was an 86, 11 years when I got it and only 94K miles. What a POS, trans was built though and the thing ran great, sold her for more than I paid. I kind of feel bad, not for the money but for giving her up. If she's still with the kid I sold it to I think I'm going to get it back from him when I get out of school. She'll be fully restored and made into a daily driver. I've heard too many people cry because they let go of there first car and that 86 was mine so I think I should get her back.

------------------
, Jon (91 RS too many mods to list), getting new engine in summer

 

My uncle towed his boat to the lake and when he tried to pull it out of the water nothing but tire smoke. Another guy in a suburban helped him get the boat out.

 

ya.. i was at lake cumberland last year and seen a 82-85 z28 trying to pull out a trailer with dual jet ski's on it.. it just smoked the tires, and even looked like it was slipping down the ramp some.. and it was only about a 25 degree incline..


------------------
My `91 Z28 Convertible

 

Yes, that's why I have a Dodge Ram. I know it's not a chevy but my moto still stands..."If you cn't Dodge it...Ram It"


Rob

 

I've used mine, with a really little U-Haul. The hitch bolts to one of the bumper bolts on each side and to the underside of the frame-like reinforcement right in front of the same spots.

I don't think I'd ever try to pull more than about 1500 lbs with that rig... the hardware was 2 6mm bolts and 2 3/8" bolts. Not confidence inspiring.

I've seen people at the boat ramps too, I can't believe anybody would be that stoopid. The first rule of towing is you gotta have something to attach the hitch to.

------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

Last summer I saw a nice GTA towing a little fishing boat. Whatever.

 

about the only thing that i would tow with my f body is a jet ski with a matching paint job or maybe a little u haul if i ABSOLUTELY had to

i acutally saw a 85 z28 pull a boat out of a lake with little difficulty but there was no incline only like 15 degrees

------------------
1983 CHEVROLET CAMARO with a 1986
305 C.I.D.V8 BORED .030 OVER
HIGH VOLUME OIL PUMP
FLAT-TOP PISTONS
MILD CAM
3" CAT BACK EXHAUST W/ FLOWMASTER MUFFFLER
KEYSTONE CLASSIC WHEELS.
B&M RATCHET SHIFTER
STAGE THREE SHIFT KIT
(she'll spin em into third)

MUSTANGS SUCK

 

ya i had a dirtbike in mind

------------------
-Stock Tbi 305 with a lot of damn miles
-Edelbrock Z28 TES Headers
-3 inch Catco High Flow Cat
-3 inch Edelbrock Catback
-14x3 Summit Open Element Air Cleaner

Stereo
-Pioneer DEH-P4100 cd player
-Polk Dx9 6x9s

79 Jeep Cj7

 

My cousin had a 250cc Honda dirtbike on a trailer towing it with his '87 GTA...He even smoked a 5.0 mustang towing the bike!

 

I see some guy towing a trailer with mowers, trimmers, and a bunch of grass during the summer. Unibody cars don't like to tow very much. They don't have a solid frame to attach the hitch. I forgot to mention that the above camaro has 20ft CB antenna's attached to the bumper on each side.

------------------
82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

 

Why would you want to subject a beautiful F-body to towing when you can buy a truck, even a 1000K beater, that does it better? Just curious. Buy something with a frame if you want to safely and effectively tow with it.

 

i think its sacriligous(i know i butchered that word) to tow something with an f-body, my brother in law thinks its fine, he's towed like 1k lbs with his before, but i hate it, and i let him know it everytime he does it. if your going to tow, why have an f body for the job? just doesnt mix

 

I Tow a small Fiberglass boat about 20 miles
with my 92 v-6 Bird.I have a "hidden hitch"
pro installed made by Putnam.You cannot
see it unless the ball and reciver are
in place. It is not a heavy duty hitch.
I have no problem on ramps.Just put in low
and almost idel right out.

 

well i already have a beater, but its not working at the moment, and I never said that I was going to subject my camaro (even though its far from beatiful) to towing. thats why I was asking before I did it

------------------
-Stock Tbi 305 with a lot of damn miles
-Edelbrock Z28 TES Headers
-3 inch Catco High Flow Cat
-3 inch Edelbrock Catback
-14x3 Summit Open Element Air Cleaner

Stereo
-Pioneer DEH-P4100 cd player
-Polk Dx9 6x9s

79 Jeep Cj7

 

Here is your chance if you own a 4thgen too:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cg...item=558110695


[This message has been edited by 89ragtop (edited February 15, 2001).]

 

that looks so ******* when you see a sports car pulling stuff

 

I was just wondering what circumstances would make you want to tow with a Camaro. It's your car, tow with it if that's what makes you happy .

 

I agree, but I have a seadoo, and if I had no other choice(I have a van for towing) I would definetly put a hidden hitch on my TA. I love cars, but you cant top the sun, water, seadoo and bikini-@ss *****es!!



------------------
Godti
'89 Trans Am (Red)
305 TBI 5spd

 

The one time mine towed, was a few months ago... my brother-in-law was moving to Denver and I had just moved to So Cal (both from Memphis); he had no car at all, and I had no car here, so I was renting one. I let him tow the smallest U-Haul they have with my car to Denver, and then drive it the rest of the way to San Diego to deliver it to me, and we paid his way back to Denver. I took the hitch off when it got here.

He said it sucked driving it with the trailer. He was real glad to get rid of it for the second 1200 mile leg of his trip.

Sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do. By doing what I did, 2 people got moved, and I got to quit renting a car. My car isn't some kind of trailer queen, nor is it a piece of ******* trailer trash, it's a piece of mechanical transportation equipment. On the other hand, like alot of people have said, it isn't designed to be a tow vehicle, especially not anything more than Class 1. I would never dream of towing my boat with it, for example (a real 4000 lb boat, not a little jet-ski).

------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

When I bought my car it had a ball on it but I never used it. I sold it to a friend with an '89rs and he tows a motorcycle trailer with it. It seems to work fine, no problems at all but he rarely puts more than 1 bike on the trailer.

 

I have the trailer hitch on my car right now.. I've been meaning to take it off, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Anyways, on the hitch itself, it says not to tow anything greater than 200 pounds.

That's some mean towing power there.

------------------
89 iroc-z 305 tbi
k&n filtercharger, open element air filter. nuffin' else

 

Ok, everybody will love this.

I saw a 2nd gen cavalier z24 towing a mustang once, it was using a chain to pull it, it was cool.

------------------
1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula LO3 Auto
-180 degree stat
-Hooker Cat-Back
*****Possible summer '01 mods*****
Open Element, Auburn Posi, Keyless Entry, wonder Bar off the IROC, 4th gen seats, T/A tail lights

1985 Camaro IROC-Z LB9 Auto
http://www.geocities.com/krt80/

 

Hahaha kieth...i would have paid money to see that.

------------------
89 Firebird (AKA "Money")
2.8 V6 w/ t5 tranny Flowmaster 80 series, 3" Intermediate, 3" custom made y-pipe, SS Tips, Random Tech Cat, Msd Coil, MSD 6a, Cold Air Intake w/ K&N, Lakewood LCA's, Brushed aluminum Hood pins ETC...
Next:
New Color Paint (Grey), 4thgen seats, 2" cowl hood. Possibly 1.6 rockers if I have any money!
-------------------------
My Site:
www.geocities.com/firebird89white

" I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT run at all ".

 

I used to tow my 18' Hydrostream speed boat behind my 1st T/A ('83 LG4 700R-4) all the time. I thought it looked pretty cool; an 80 mph boat behind a T/A.

I routinely towed it up to our house in Maine from where I used to live in Mass, and never had any problems with the car, or pulling it out of the water. It always did just fine. Besides, what is the difference between the driveline of our cars, and that of a Chevy pickup? Same engine, trans and even rear axle. Our cars actually have better brakes. My car towed very well. Granted, I would not use my current T/A to tow. But now I have a Jeep J-20 for that stuff!

BTW I sold that car with 200,000 mi, with origional engine, trans, and rear ax, so I definatly don't feel that towing was detrimental to the power train.

 

Well a full size pick has a 12 bolt rear end, but s-10's have about the same rear end we do.

The biggest worry I would have is how much weight the car has to support, I bet our rear springs aren't meant to hold a whole heck of a lot.

If the object you are towing weighs too much it would kinda throw you around the road more than a full size truck would be thrown, well come to think about it our weight shouldn't be much different than an s10's.

But then again how common is it to see s10's pulling anything?

[This message has been edited by Keith5 (edited February 16, 2001).]

 

My owner's manual says it's recommended to have trailer brakes on trailers over 1,000 pounds. It also says to shift into drive if you have a trailer 4,000 pounds or more.

 

I saw a 4th gen T/A towing 2 sea doos on a trailer, and it wasn't sagging in the back or anything. Now my suspension on the other hand, I wouldnt subject it to that sorta load - hell 4 people in the car and its almost dragging the muffler.

------------------
1983 Pontiac Firebird SE
LG4-Based Chevy 400
700R4 Tansmission
Modified 4 Barrel Q-Jet Carb
Accel Super Stock 8mm Wires
Edelbrock Pro-Flo Air Cleaner
3.23 Posi Rear
14X7" Cragar SS/T Wheels
Clarion 45X4 CD/AM/FM Head Unit
100WX2 Amp
2 Pioneer 12" Subs in Custom Box
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is only half an engine"

 

I'd love to tow a jet-ski with my Firebird... of course, I'd have to paint the jet-ski's trailer to match my car...

Small stuff, sure. Big stuff, no way!


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

I thought it was pretty cool when I Towed my zx7 to bike week (almost 4000 mi round trip), unloaded it and took home 2nd place in the 750cc hp shootout contest at mmi. My z is so comfortable that it was the perfect choice for towing my bike. Ive since gotten rid of the 7 and am looking at a sweet 9 to be pulled by my old third gen. And I tow a 5000 lb sport boat with my v8 s10 blazer, no sweat.

------------------
87z 383,afr 190's, crane hyd roller(224/230-.509/.528,112 sep),Ported and polished mini ram, 30lb inj, 3.42 gears, strange 12 bolt, tremec 5spd, , 1,3/4" slp headers.
"Just remember children, no man can beat you once youv'e found the cliterous." 'chef'

[This message has been edited by 87Z-ya (edited February 16, 2001).]

 

My s-10 ZR2 Blazer has the same rear as a Z71 fullsize pickup, just shortened axles. Much tougher than the rear under my IROC. Granted, the driveline is similar to the Camaro but it doesn't sag on the back end and the hitch is a good distance from the ground, and also bolted to a reinforced frame. A good s-10 is much better for towing than a Camaro, IMO.

 

Keith5, All full size Chevy 1500's come with a corporate 10 bolt -same as ours. 2500'scan have either a 10 or 12 bolt, depending on the options, and a 3500 has 12 or 14 bolt depending on the options.

My girlfriend has a '95 1500 and it has -guess what- a 10 bolt.

 

I wouldn't haul anything with my 'Bird. The 2.8 barely hauls me and a passenger around
However, the RPO's for my car had a code V81 stating "Trailer provisions, not to exceed 2000 lbs, SAE", though there's no hitch, ball, etc.

------------------
Mike Davis 1984 Pontiac Firebird
2.8L V6 LC1
Camaro Z28 mag rims
Kenwood KDC-215 CD receiver
"Oh I've seen better days
The pain of these memories I cannot drive away" - Econoline Crush "Nowhere Now"

 

I could swear my dad's truck has a 12 bolt, oh well. What did big block 1500's come with 10 bolts?

 

Ok, I went to carparts.com, even the 454 had a 10 bolt, but 4th gen's have 10 bolts too, they are stronger than ours, so I would think that one that is put behind a 454 that will be towing would be stronger than ours too.

 

Anyone need a tow bar? You pay the shipping and it's yours!!

Willie

 

A 10 bolt is a 10 bolt (at least from the factory). Don't forget the 454 only made a weak 235 hp. The TPI 350 does better than that. And the 4th gen F-Bodies are pushing well over 300hp through 10 bolts.

I really don't think that towing with auto equiped f-bods is bad in anyway UNLESS you have the trailer improperly loaded so that there is excessive tongue weight. The tongue weight of my boat was (don't have it any more) about 70 lbs. That will in NO WAY hurt the rear springs or susp components.

One more advantage to towing with a third gen, gas milage. I could easily get over 18 mpg with my LG4 towing my boat. Try that with any brand of full size pickup.

Reminder: I do not tow with my current T/A; it has a 5 speed (hard on the clutch) and my boat has grown in size and weight.

 

i have a 91 RS automatic. we bolted on a class 2 hitch and tow a 1971 carlson ski boat. in the 5 years we have done this there has been absolutley no tire smoke and no problems towing anything up to about 2000lbs(and the boats pushing 2 grand) we've had no problems with towing stuff(we moved with a trailer hooked to my 'maro)i plan to haul two or three dirt bikes on a trailer when i get around to finding the right bike

------------------
1991 RS LO3
mods: 14" chrome air cleaner, straight-piped after cat exhaust with one chrome dual tip on the left side.
future mods: headers, removing smog equipment, and as many cheap mods as i can find
aol s/n: budman8503

 

4th gen 10 bolts are stronger than ours, their case is stiffer, yeah the guts are the same. Trucks have different cases too(I think). The are setup for leaf srings, and I think the tubes and axles are probably different lengths than ours.

 

I got a 90 Lumina 3.1 with 120,000 and I pull my boat fine and my car is front wheel drive. Its fine on the ramps too and the boat is about 1300 LBS the hitch from U-HAUL bolts right ot the bottom of the trunk with 6 bolts. Your car is fine

 

my brother's 1981 1500 p/u has a 12 bolt

------------------
350, Comp 262, Edelbrock Performer intake 600 cfm carb and exhaust, headers
-JVC, Eclipse, Pioneer, MTX, Phoenix Gold, Planet Audio

 

That's cool. But I was kinda talking about trucks that are generally still on the road. Seriously I was talking about '88 and newer.

The only difference between a truck 10 bolt and our 10 bolt is that the truck ones lack the mounting area for the torque arm.

------------------
'83 Trans Am. 400 CID, 224/234 crane cam, Summit aluminum roller rockers, hand ported intake, home bored 2.09" (53mm) throttle bodies, MSD 454 injectors(75 lb/hr), Holley 255LPH fuel pump, custum modded FPR w/Vacuum port added, Edelbrock TES headers, empty cat, SLP 3" stainless steel cat back, stock ECM & chip. Borg/Warner T-5 World Class, 12" Corvette rotors and clipers, GTA 16" wheels, South Side Machine subframe connectors, 1LE sway bars, 3.45 ring and pinion, Alpine sound.
Best E.T. 13.532
Best MPH 102.24

 

1981 Chevy trucks are still on the road.

Do the trucks have places for coil springs? Are they the same width?

What are the torque numbers on a TBI 454?

 

on the people at the ramps towing stuff...they probably have no idea what the hell they arre doing espescially with a sports car you cant floor the pedal and expect to haul a ton worth of boat out of the water you take it slow and easy. my dad has been launching boats since he was fourteen and me and him have never spun the tires on the ramps(except for this one time when a kid was in our way....kid almost **** his pants hehe ) still you can haul two jet ski's out of the water in a metro on a 40 degree incline.....you just have to know what your doing to pull it off

------------------
1991 RS LO3
mods: 14" chrome air cleaner, straight-piped after cat exhaust with one chrome dual tip on the left side.
future mods: headers, removing smog equipment, and as many cheap mods as i can find
aol s/n: budman8503

SUCKING GAS AND HAULING *** -The American Dream

 

Must go to different ramps than some I've been to with about 4" deep wet gravel and mud or just bubblegum mud down the bank of a lake .

 

A 10 bolt is a ten bolt! Sorry, but no. Not all 10 bolts are the same. 7.5 inch, 8.2 inch, and 8.5 inch exist. Fullsize trucks with a 10 bolt got the bigger ring gear, or got a 12 bolt. Late model S10's could also get the bigger ring gear. But all third gens with a 10 bolt got the small ring gear. The bolt count on the diff cover is just an easy way to distinguish different rear-ends. All that matters is what is inside.

------------------
82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

 

Correct. My ZR2 has an 8.5" ring gear.

 

Awesome. That's what I'd like to hear. Do you know about how much the boat weighed? I may, out of necessity, need to tow alot of weight behind mine, if it's at all possible. Thanks alot.

 

Um, sorry, no. 200 lbs is the TONGUE WEIGHT. This is not how much you can tow, it just means that the trailer has to be leveled proprely such that the tongue of the trailer does not exert more than 200 lbs on your hitch. The max is 2000 lbs.