Visit our Popular Forums

TouringDan · 05-11-2010, 06:40 PM

Bex

Welcome. Finally I get to help somebody. The folks on the Forum have certainly helped me a lot.

I have a 93 conversion van that sounds like it has the same specs as yours- 5.7L, 6600 gvrw, transmission cooler, 3.42 rear end, etc. I have a printout of the GM specs for my van. Not a whole lot more important info on it other than the trans is a 4L60E. I think the hp is only about 195.

I towed a large 31 ft Excella with my van. The weight was about 7500# loaded. This was between unacceptable and marginal. The van was way underpowered. I dealt with it the best way I knew how- shift manually, keep the revs up and go slow. The going slow also helped in another department- stopping. Now difficulty in stopping was not all the vans fault. Drum brakes just don't provide enough stopping power for a loaded 7500# trailer. Occasionally I would tow my 24 ft Argosy. This only weighed about 4500# and felt fine.

The numbers say you can tow more, but I would not tow anything more than 5000# with this vehicle.

Bex · 05-11-2010, 09:51 PM

rangebowdrie. I believe it is a 3/4 ton, I decoded the VIN and my auto Guy says it is as well/

TouringDan Interesting comment regarding the Excella, I am getting back to a seller about one tomorrow, a 31ft, so your reply is timely. I don't wantt o wast his time (or mine) and this gives me the answer I am looking for (for now) as regards this trailer. I also realise from another posting that this will not be my first or last TV but for now its what I have, with no intention to change it. The trailer will be bought with this in mind but also with short to medium term useage in mind as well. We have three growing kids and need enough room for them for now, but pretty soon they will not want to bother, so we don't want/need something too large either. The 31 ft was a possibility but I still prefer the idea of a 26 ft and one of the kids get to bunk in the van!

Bex

Jammer · 05-12-2010, 09:17 AM

Bex the van should have eight lug nuts on each wheel if it is 3/4 ton. If it is 1/2 ton it will have five or six.

TouringDan · 05-12-2010, 10:41 PM

My old tv van, a 93 G20 Chevrolet, is supposidly a 3/4 ton model, but it only has 5 bolt wheel lugs. I have seen lots of G20 vans, but I don't think I have ever seen one with 8 bolt lugs. I always thought that my van was a 3/4 ton, but it never felt like a 3/4 ton. Also, the gvwr of 6600 lbs doesn't sound like a 3/4 ton. So I would say that maybe GM called this van a 3/4 ton, but in many respects (or all?) it is only a 1/2 ton vehicle.

Bex · 05-13-2010, 06:12 AM

Now I am really struggling.
5 bolt is what I have, so a 1/2 ton?
Many 1/2 tons (from what I have read) make better, or more efficient TV's than 3/4 tons, might this now be the case with mine?
Also, what the seller of this vehicle told me was the trans cooler is actually not. But I have one being fitted this week.
What about pros/cons of a brake controller and sway bars, both a must have? I am thinking yes for the sway bar set up and potentially for the brake controller, we do get high winds here, never stops being windy!
I realise this is probably for another thread and if someone wants to move it......
Its just easier, whilst there are good people looking here.

Bex

richinny · 05-13-2010, 06:26 AM

good people are all over :-)

if you use the google search you'll find lots to read. the brake controller is a must.

weight distribution and sway control are also needed for safety and comfortable towing.

Beginner · 05-13-2010, 07:13 AM

Bex
You will then have to call the General Motors Customer Service people. They have to keep that information for litigation purposes.
You will have to press and when met with resistance just request to speak to their supervisor because you are not talking to the right person (take names).
It took me several weeks to get mine (1990 Rally S
TX G3500, 5.7L (350ci) window van, see my pictures) 12,500 lbs. By the way, my van has eight lug wheels. Its my understanding that the 3/4 ton should have 6 lug and the 1/2 5 lug wheels. If you have a 3/4 ton with 5 lug wheels then check the axle ratings, they will not be the heavest available for that year.
I tow a 1984 Excella 31 foot.
Beginner

Silverhobby · 05-13-2010, 07:20 AM

A member in our club logged 120K miles towing a 1975 31' Sovereign since the van was new. 1997 3/4 ton Chevy. Never a problem encountered. 3.42 gears, 5.7 gas engine. FYI

Bex · 05-13-2010, 08:24 AM

I just got hold of GM and they directed me to their vintages dept. Then told me they would charge $52.50 for the info pertaining to my vehicle but that might not include all I want to know.
This is proving more difficult than I could have imagined!

Bex

TouringDan · 05-17-2010, 06:42 AM

Beginner- Some how the numbers just don't add up, but maybe I have missed something. My G20 van is supposedly a 3/4 ton with a GVWR of 6,600 lbs. Your G30 van is one ton with a CGVWR of 12,500. A reasonable assumption might be that your fully loaded van with trailer attached (assume 500 lbs tongue weight) weighs 7,500 lbs. With a CGVWR of 12,500 lbs your max trailer weight is 12,500-7500+500 (tongue wt) = 5,500 lbs. So if you can only tow 5,500 lbs with a G30 one ton van, I would not exceed 4,500 lbs with a G20 3/4 ton van.

Bex- My 08 Tundra 1/2 ton has a CGVWR of 16,000 lbs. It will easily tow twice what my G20 van will tow as it has Twice the hp, lots more torque and a 4.3 rear end with a 6 speed transmission. It does not make much sense to me that my 08 1/2 ton truck has can tow 3,500 more lbs than a G30 1 ton van. The weak link in your G20 van is the low 195 hp and the 3.42 rear end. I think in 1995 or so the power was increased substantially to about 250 hp but that does not help you. I would say that your loaded van is going to be bumping or even higher than the GVWR of 6,600 lbs, so I would not consider towing any trailer heavier than about 5,000 lbs.