Can she do it, hot shot towing

[Rlwalker]

Hi everyone, new here. I have a k10 4x4 350 with granny low, 373 rear gear, 780 carb, 36inch tires. 8 inch lift. I am looking to get into hotshot towing, moving freight or car hauling. I'm wondering if the k10 can do it and not be turn to high of rpm with the 373, pulling a 30 to 35ft trailer 500mi plus trips. I plan on converting to tbi for better mpg, and getting 33 in tires drop to 4 inch lift. What are y'alls opinions can she do it

 

[Arkansas_V8]

Even with TBI thats gonna be quite a bit of gas.

Everything needs to be in tip top shape.

Hope you like the right lane. Lol

 

[bucket]

It can do it, it just won't last very long. You need 4.10 gears with 33's for towing those loads, and 3/4 ton axles for two reasons. That rear axle is going to die a quick death and you need the bigger 3/4 ton brakes. Yes, the front pads and calipers are the same, but the rotors are larger diameter and that makes a big difference. And just like Arkansas_V8 said, the right lane will be your friend. Unless a healthy big block is in the works.

 

[bucket]

Is this a long bed truck I hope?

 

[dvdswan]

Welcome to the site. 30-35' trailer? Find yourself a 1T truck with the bigger brake system for towing large loads. Don't be that guy.

 

[HotRodPC]

I'm going with NO !!! Not for a business. The occasional job? Sure, no problem. You ever driven a tow truck as a job full time? The only thing you've got right in that combo is the 4 speed manual transmission. Wrong tires, wrong lift, wrong engine, wrong gear ratio, the color of the truck is probably even wrong. NOPE. Just my opinion.

 

[HotRodPC]

Welcome to the site. 30-35' trailer? Find yourself a 1T truck with the bigger brake system for towing large loads. Don't be that guy.

That's a good point too but that don't even scare me much. You get the right trailer with the right brakes on the trailer, it'll stop for the most part. All it'll take though is for there to be a simple trailer brake problem, like a controller issue, a wire pulled loose or grounded out and you're a gonner.

 

[HotRodPC]

Spend all that money on TBI to go from 6mpg to 7.5 mpg. You ever dropped a live mouse in the toilet and watch is swim it's ass off as is it's swirling down the toilet when it's being flushed? That's what that 350 is going to be going through.

 

[Turbo4whl]

The thing about towing, every truck is rated by the manufacture for what it can safely tow. Sure you can beef it up, brakes, axles etc. but you still need to get it re-registered for the new specs. In Pennsylvania this would involve a safety inspector to sign off on it.

If you did not change the registration, and were in an accident, it would be your fault no manner what. A lawyer could prove you should not have even been on the road towing more that the truck was designed to tow.

I know every state has different rules, but every state has lawyers.

The other issue here in PA, unless you know the inspector, and he/she knows you, it will be hard to re-register a 34 year old truck for more capacity.

 

[bucket]

...the color of the truck is probably even wrong.

 

[84 M1008]

That's friggin hilarious

 

[HotRodPC]

I bet OP don't think so, but I hope he gets the point.

 

[Big Chip]

I think the first weigh station would be the end of the trip with that truck even with an empty trailer.

 

[waynew]

Back in the day I had a '76 K20 350/350 and 4.10 rear ends. I pulled a loaded goose neck from MO to WY. That was some trip. I got 4mpg and was down to 40mph on some of the hills. I never did that again.

 

[broketiredugly]

f450 minimum.