Trailblazer towing

[danlehosky]

Will my 2002 Trailblazer straight 6 4.3 tow a 25' flying cloud. I will have stabilizer bars and hitch weight taken care of? Also how will the brakes hook up. Will I just have to plug into the factory reciever
Thanks

[dznf0g]

What axle ratio? Does it have the HD tow package?
IIRC if it's a 3.73 with tow package...it has 6200# tow rating. What does the FC weigh fully loaded?

[danlehosky]

Hello, to answer some of your questions. The axle ratio is 3.73. It has the vortec 4300 sfi 16 whatever that means. It came with a trailer hitch and receiver from the factory. The trailer weight is 5400 lbs. Thanks

[bike_addict]

It's 5,400lbs empty. the gvwr is 7,300lbs.

[slowmover]

From Edmunds:

. . an all-new inline six-cylinder that boasts 270-HP & 275-TQ. . . allows the Trailblazer to tow a respectable 6,400 pound properly equipped. (Looks like the range is 5,300 to 5,800 with the 3.7 rear.)

The revised suspension consists of dual A-arms with coilover shocks in front and a solid axle and a five-link system in the rear. The new pieces are mounted to an all-new hydroformed frame that is substantially stronger than before, providing a stiffer overall structure and much improved ride quality. Rack-and-pinion steering has replaced the old reciprocating ball setup

That all looks good for starters.


Common problems on this vehicle are failures of the Cooling Fan Clutch, (4.2L engine only)

Worth noting and planning for. Towing can place quite a strain on the cooling and electrical system.

Occasional problems with this vehicle is the failure of the 2-3 Shift Solenoid in the Transmission,

An occasional problem on this vehicle is failure of the Front and Rear Stabilizer Bar Links. Failure of the Front and Rear Stabilizer Bar Links directly affects vehicle stability and handling characteristics.

All worth looking into and correcting beforehand, IMO.

Here's a link to a Hitch Hints article, included for the discussion about tire rating and size (even though the vehicle comparisons may be a little off). Sloppy tires are no friend of the TV (tow vehicle), so I'd recommend more searching, and even an e-mail to Andy Thomson on the subject.

A well-sorted TV (new fluids, filters, etc) with ideal tires and the willingness to set up hitch rigging according to weight scale formulas will make for the best performance.

TW (tongue weight) is the general "restriction" when using towing guides. That weight has to be "distributed" across the vehicles in a proper manner.

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