Anyone tow with a 1992 OLDS Custom Cruiser?

[COLONEL]

Does anyone tow with a 1992 OLDS Custom Cruiser?... Or a 1991 - 1996 Buick Roadmaster Wagon?
I have hauled my 1958 Flying Cloud for 10 years with a 1958 Cadillac. I just sold it and replaced it with a GM B Body wagon; 1992 Olds. I was looking for some advice or experience from wagon owners with the same.
Dick

[Globie64]

The later Buicks are better, because of the 350V8 rather than the earlier 305, and I think it's the LT version from the Corvette. I don't know if Olds made a similar engine specification. I looked into using one because good friend's were selling their dad's low mileage Roadmaster. I think the last B bodies are pretty well regarded as tow vehicles, at least for smaller trailers

[overlander64]

Greetings Dick!

Welcome to the Forums!

Originally Posted by COL

Does anyone tow with a 1992 OLDS Custom Cruiser?... Or a 1991 - 1996 Buick Roadmaster Wagon?
I have hauled my 1958 Flying Cloud for 10 years with a 1958 Cadillac. I just sold it and replaced it with a GM B Body wagon; 1992 Olds. I was looking for some advice or experience from wagon owners with the same.
Dick

As Globbie64 suggested, the base 5.0 Liter V8 has very little extra oomph for towing. I do use my mother's last car, a 1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham Luxury Sedan to tow my Argosy once in a great while. The Minuet is a 6.0 Metre (20 ft.) coach that has a ready to travel weight of 3,100 pounds. With its factory heavy duty trailering package, the Oldsmobile has a 5,000 pound trailer towing package and is quite acceptable for the Minuet, I would, however, be reluctant to go more than 4,000 pounds with my Oldsmobile and its 5.0 Liter V8 and 3.23 differential.

My notes indicate that Oldsmobile offered a 5.7 Liter V8 as an option in the 1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser. While I don't have my book with 1992 Oldsmobile towing specifications handy, I believe that Oldsmobile rated it at either 6,000 or 6,500 pounds with 3.23 differential gears and the heavy duty trailer towing package. I considered an Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser as a tow vehicle for my 6,000 pound Overlander, but was disuaded by the poor performance of the Chevrolet K1500 Z71 pickup that I was trading with the 5.7 Liter V8. My suspicion is that the Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with the 5.7 Liter V8 and 3.23 differential gearing would make a good tow vehicle for an Airstream with a ready to travel weight of 5,000 pounds or less.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

[COLONEL]

Thanks for the comments. 1991 Olds Custom Cruiser had the 305 cu in. Mine is a 1992 5.7 throttle body injection. It has the 3.23 towing option posi trac (Limited Slip Differential). It is the last OLDs rear wheel drive and the only one in the 1992 line up. It was discontinued after '92. My wagon weighs 4300 lbs.

A couple years later the Buicks and Caprice wagons had the LT1 5.7 port injected.
I have towed my 1958 Flying Cloud for about 3500 mile so far with the Olds. I have not weighed it yet. Airstream listed it as 2730 lbs empty. I pulled it up Donner Pass in CA last fall. An LT1 would have been nice but mine was adequate and never heated up.

I am going on a year long trip next year so will start a thread about it.
Dick

[COLONEL]

Kevin,
Old news now but I upgraded my rear differential to 3.73:1 LSD. It is perfect for towing the 22' Cloud. Quicker with out the AS too.
Dick

Originally Posted by overlander64

Greetings Dick!

Welcome to the Forums!



As Globbie64 suggested, the base 5.0 Liter V8 has very little extra oomph for towing. I do use my mother's last car, a 1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham Luxury Sedan to tow my Argosy once in a great while. The Minuet is a 6.0 Metre (20 ft.) coach that has a ready to travel weight of 3,100 pounds. With its factory heavy duty trailering package, the Oldsmobile has a 5,000 pound trailer towing package and is quite acceptable for the Minuet, I would, however, be reluctant to go more than 4,000 pounds with my Oldsmobile and its 5.0 Liter V8 and 3.23 differential.

My notes indicate that Oldsmobile offered a 5.7 Liter V8 as an option in the 1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser. While I don't have my book with 1992 Oldsmobile towing specifications handy, I believe that Oldsmobile rated it at either 6,000 or 6,500 pounds with 3.23 differential gears and the heavy duty trailer towing package. I considered an Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser as a tow vehicle for my 6,000 pound Overlander, but was disuaded by the poor performance of the Chevrolet K1500 Z71 pickup that I was trading with the 5.7 Liter V8. My suspicion is that the Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with the 5.7 Liter V8 and 3.23 differential gearing would make a good tow vehicle for an Airstream with a ready to travel weight of 5,000 pounds or less.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin