Towing with Big 10

[Martinez823]

I have a 79 BIG 10 regular cab lwb and I'm wanting to know if it would be safe to tow a 6000 to 7000lb load( 18 ft open deck equipment trailer with brakes on all 4) maybe a few times a month.i cant find a gcvwr for these trucks so i wouldnt know the max capacity. Truck has a healthy 350 and rebuild th350. 6200 gvwr 12 bolt rear with 3.73 gears. I plan on adding a trans cooler and rear discs. . I'm going to be using a weight distributing hitch with sway control and a brake controller. Would this be an ok setup for this much weight? I also have the option of swapping out the suspension for 3/4 ton 8 lug fronts and a 3.73 14 bolt ff rear with discs along with a double wall back half frame if the 1/2 Ton setup isn't up to the task.

 

[Jims86]

I have a 79 BIG 10 regular cab lwb and I'm wanting to know if it would be safe to tow a 6000 to 7000lb load( 18 ft open deck equipment trailer with brakes on all 4) maybe a few times a month.i cant find a gcvwr for these trucks so i wouldnt know the max capacity. Truck has a healthy 350 and rebuild th350. 6200 gvwr 12 bolt rear with 3.73 gears. I plan on adding a trans cooler and rear discs. . I'm going to be using a weight distributing hitch with sway control and a brake controller. Would this be an ok setup for this much weight? I also have the option of swapping out the suspension for 3/4 ton 8 lug fronts and a 3.73 14 bolt ff rear with discs along with a double wall back half frame if the 1/2 Ton setup isn't up to the task.

Should move it ok, I would add an extra trans cooler. As long as the trailer has its own brakes, and you watch the tongue weight, you should be good.

 

[Martinez823]

Should move it ok, I would add an extra trans cooler. As long as the trailer has its own brakes, and you watch the tongue weight, you should be good.

Sounds plausible. I'm probably going to add a good sized stack plate cooler along with an additional finned tube one. Do you think that the 12 bolt would be able to handle the weight? The last thing I want is to lose a c-clip and have the wheel come flying off at 55mph

 

[Driver4r]

Even tho my 12bolt has a little bit deeper gears(4.11's). I would never be affraid of hooking up to a trailer, exspecially if it has its own brakes. A 6k Load is pretty much the same as my truck on a trailer. Since your running a more squaty tire, I say you shold have ANY problems with 3.73's. And with an added cooler, your golden.

Probly your issue would be a weigh station. If you cant find the Weight cap. Then idk what they would do.

 

[HotRodPC]

Yep, sounds like you'll be OK so long as you do as suggested. Watch the tongue weight. You'll want some tongue weight, but try to balance the load so it's not to much. IIRC, GVWR on a Big 10 is 6200lbs. If some LEO gives you **** about exceeding the GVWR, just play it off with the truth, that the GCVWR (Gross Combination Vehicle Weight Rating) is much higher so long as the combination vehicle (The trailer) has it's own braking system. Which it does.