Can my 1994 K1500 tow a camper with a dry weight of 5500lbs?
It has a Z71 package, 5.7L V8, 3.42 ratio, 4x4, heavy duty trans and engine oil cooler, extra leaf spring, electric break controller, and weight distribution hitch with sway control. I know after loading the camper it will more than likely weight about 6500Lbs.
Oh I forgot to mention the brakes have been upgraded to a heavier duty stopping power.
The real problem is the age of your truck- and the mileage- after touring around the earth 4 times (100,000 miles) for nearly 25 years now you want to treat it like a beast of burden?
I understand the concern with age so let me clear that up. The previous owner did a complete overhaul on the engine and transmission a few years ago. Unfortunately he did not upgrade the gear ratio. He was not doing any heavy hauling and wanted to keep his good gas mileage. After adding all the upgrades that did my main concern is the 3.42 gearing. I will be upgrading that to a 3.73 in the future but for now is the 3.42 able to handle it? And just out of curiosity with my current set up what weight could I tow safely and when I switch to the 3.73 how much will that help?
I would rather have a 20th Century truck too- my concern was with the maintenance and repairs- rebuilt, not a problem- and that ratio should be fine- just go easy on the starts from stop- I would only add that my dream hauler would be rebuilt, from the sixties- with a camper to match lol
