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bought a 1960....need advice on trailering

firstgear

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Joined
Oct 11, 2003
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Location
Norwalk, Ohio
Corvette
15 Z06, 01 Vert, 63 SWC & 60 ALL RED
Just bought a 1960 Vette...but I have to go get it.....I have a 2000 Blazer ZR2 with a trailer hitch....it can tow up to 5000 pounds and take a tongue weight of 500 pounds....I know it all depends on how you load the trailer....I need some advice/experience on loading a vette on a trailer and getting balanced properly.

I have to drive from Baltimore to Toledo, Ohio.....hopefully this will take place next weekend, so need those comments sooner than later....

thanks...Herb
 
firstgear said:
Just bought a 1960 Vette...but I have to go get it.....I have a 2000 Blazer ZR2 with a trailer hitch....it can tow up to 5000 pounds and take a tongue weight of 500 pounds....I know it all depends on how you load the trailer....I need some advice/experience on loading a vette on a trailer and getting balanced properly.

I have to drive from Baltimore to Toledo, Ohio.....hopefully this will take place next weekend, so need those comments sooner than later....

thanks...Herb
Congrats on your purchase and enjoy the car.As for loading it.Its quite easy get it up on the trailer and pull or roll it back and forth To make it as neutral as possible on your tow vechicle's tow hitch.too far back unloads the tonge weight and too far foward loads the tounge.Pretty easy to figure out when there is a load on the trailer.

Do you own the trailer? or are you renting one.I always run with electric brakes and it really makes for a safe and secure trip.make sure you have a spare and proper lug wrench,make sure you have extra saftey straps,Road flares and also question your insurance company about the trip and make sure your covered in case of a miss hap.

My biggest mistake I make when trailering is that I have a trailer behind me with speeding. meaning its important to understand Your truck will probably get it rolling NO PROBLEM but stopping time is greatly increased.Dont use a car cover because they always flap and can damage the paint.

I alway cross my tie down straps and strap to the frame.But I have heard recent talks on a forum about crossing the straps are incorrect.And also to strap to the tires instead of the frame.

Is a 2000 blazer the small size truck? or is it full size?
Good luck and be safe.

PS check your rig now and test all lighting.
 
2000 Blazer is the mid size, 2 Door....built on the S10 platform...the ZR2 options puts wider axels and BIG TRUCK tires on it....raises up the body 3 inches and puts skid plates underneath....heavy duty suspension.....

4.6Liter engine....4WD...automatic engine...the owners manual says it can tow up to 5000 pounds, trailer and car with a tongue weight of 500 pounds.

Vette weighs 3000 pounds....now need to find a trailer around 1000 to 1500 pounds.....with electric brakes...contemplating buying an 18 foot trailer with electric brakes.....
 
Do you have the 4.3L V6 in that Blazer? (EDIT: You mention a 4.6L. Is that the small V8?)

If so, you'll have some difficulties making some hills. Hopefully, you have a transmission oil cooler.

The 4.3 is a good engine, but a bit under-powered to handle this long trip. I'd be very cautious with braking all that weight with the Blazer's brakes.

Good luck....safe trip.
 
I have a 2003 S-10 with similar equipment. The truck is rated at 5,500 lbs with a weight distributing hitch - 3,500 lbs without the weight distributing hitch. Your Blazer is probably the same except for 5,000 lb total rating.

For what it is worth, from the discussions I have had with people who know more than I do, the safety issue is stopping in a panic situation. Simply stated if you do not have electric brakes with a electric brake controller in the truck, in a panic situation the truck will stop but the trailer won't. 99% of the time there will be no problem.

If you decide to tow it, work very hard to make certain you do not get into a situation you where you have to stop quickly.

Dave
:beer
 
Lots of good advice above. For what its worth here is mine... I trailered my 61 from Cleveland to Glens Falls, NY (1 hr. North of Albany NY). I rented a twin axle car trailer with brakes from U-Haul. (Was cheaper to take the empty trailer with me and return it to where I got it) It was a breeze and very smooth especially compared to towing my 20 ft bow rider boat with a single axle trailer. I don't think you will have much trouble as long as the trailer has brakes and you are prudent in your driving. Is your Blazer standard or auto? If your Blazer has overdrive turn it off. Use your lower gear to help with braking when needed ie. long steep down grades, don't ride the brake pedal. Watch yourself at the toll boths if you ain't use to trailering. Better to be a little forward on the trailer than a bit too far back. Of course don't strap anything around the body. Make sure the engine hood hinges and latches are solid as well as the deck lid. Does the car need resto or is it already a beauty? Well good luck & congrats.!
 
Towed a 62' on a full size u-haul trailer for about 200 miles with a 97 Blazer about a year ago. Did OK but going was slower than posted speed and did need to make sure I had plenty of braking room and decent room in traffic. Good Luck and have fun with all the admiring looks you will get from other drivers.
Claude
 
Watch yourself at the toll boths if you ain't use to trailering

That ones good.The trailer is wider then the tow vechicle and your so used to getting in close to the toll booth to pay the toll make sure your remember to leave your self some extra room or else the trailer tires will hit the curbs in the tool booth.
 
Two years ago I trailered my '62 from Lebanon, MO (rather hilly) to Detroit with my 2000 4-door Blazer (4.3 liter V-6, auto transmission) on a U-Haul dual axle car trailer (with brakes) and had no problems, other than the trailer wasn't so great and one of the four trailer tires was practically bald after 700 miles.

Even in the hilly areas in Missouri, the truck rarely down-shifted to get up a hill at speed. In fact, I think it only down-shifted once the entire trip. I went 65-70 most of the way but made sure to leave plenty of room between me and the cars in front of me. Braking distance seemed to be about double, although I never tested the limits. Remember to keep it in third gear as opposed to overdrive.

Also, if you're renting from U-Haul via the website or 800 number, be aware that they may not be willing to rent you the trailer if you tell them you're towing a C1 with an S-10 Blazer. Per their books, contrary to what your door sticker says, the S-10 can't handle it. I can't remember their logic (I think it has something to do with the weight of the towing vehicle versus the weight of the vehicle being towed) but a buddy of mine at Jeep Truck engineering said the Blazer is perfectly capable of towing up to and slightly beyond it's towing rating, despite what U-Haul says. So, when I called back the second time, I told U-Haul I was towing an '86 Honda CRX and they didn't blink an eye. The people at the location where you pick up the trailer will never know (and probably don't care) because you won't have both cars with you when you pick up the trailer. If I recall correctly, you can use the online rental tool to identify the approved combinations.

Good luck.
 
got her home safe and sound....will post pictures later....ended up borrowing a truck from a guy I work with...F-250 with trailer package....absolutely NO PROBLEM.....and used a uhaul trailer.....

thanks to all with the comments....gave me some extra safety things to think about as I was driving....

thanks again!!!!
 

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