trailer weights and tow vehicle?

[Trout_Guide]

I tried looking for the answer as I am sure this is not the first time asked. So we just got a 1986 23' komfort tt with 2 axles. I found the weight of the trailer is 3,460. The tag by the door is to worn to read anything off of it for other weight info and cant find anything online.

So my question is how do I figure tongue weight? and what is the lightest vehicle that can tow this? My vehicle is just a little heavier then the trailer at 3,480 pounds. I was also going to add trailer brakes and with the weight distribution hitch was hoping this was doable.

Any thoughts or help would be of great value and really appreciated. New to this whole type of camping and really glad we have moved up and out of the tent camping. Just trying to figure it all out.
Thank you

[RCMAN46]

You might want to look at a small block 400. It has more low end power than a 350 and probably would work better with the overdrive 700R4 transmission.

May need a larger radiator to tow that big of a trailer. The speed shops have aftermarket radiators for the 56 chevys.

You will also need a transmission cooler for the load you will be towing.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Oh. My.

Remember the '56 Shasta trailer I mentioned that's sitting in my yard? Well, it's the blue-below model. Would go PERFECTLY with that wagon. A match made in Heaven!

It's completely unrestored due to my own procrastination, but if you're interested in a project and are willing to come here to get it, I think we need to talk. That baby deserves a real home and I'm not givin' it to her!

P.M. me if you're interested in a rescue operation...

[westend]

Very nice!
Thanks for taking the effort to post the picture, I love looking at the vintage stuff and that is a really nice setup!

[Trout_Guide]

Thanks Westend,
Hopefully this will work.

[westend]

New picture upload app. We can't see the picture from your desktop, it needs to be hosted so it has it's own URL.

[Trout_Guide]

Yes it is a Chevy 210 wagon 🙂 not sure how to get pictures but if this works, here is the wagon and boat.
/Users/apple/Desktop/P5291458.JPG

[Francesca_Knowl]

A Chevy 210 wagon, right?

[Trout_Guide]

Hey Westend, No it is not a nomad, It is a 4 door 210 wagon. We do a lot of road trips in her and has been in about 33 states and up into Canada. great family car.

[westend]

Trout G,
BTW, this wagon isn't a Nomad by any chance?

[Slate_CM]

The discussion about using older vehicles for towing brought back memories of the trailer we had when I was little.

I couldn't tell you what kind it was, but it had a dinette in front and bunk beds in the back. And no bathroom. We played in it a lot.

But I do recall my father towing it with a '64 GMC, kind of like a Suburban. It had a straight 6 and a 2 speed auto.

[PureMI]

2012Coleman makes some excellent points. I know people did tow with these old beasts back in the day, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea now.

Although my absolute favorite thing from this year's Woodward Dream Cruise was an Edsel wagon towing a vintage trailer (sadly, no pix), I'm pretty sure they didn't do any heavy-duty travelling in it.

[2012Coleman]

I have a 1956 Belair. I have done suspension and brake mods. I would not tow anything with it in it'd stock condition. We are talkling about single master cylinder, 4 wheel drum brakes and a seriously underpowered motor and trans - not to mention the age. These cars in stock form are all over the road. The only good thing is the frame. I can't believe anyone would consider towing 3500 + lbs with something of this vintage. Lots of luck to you and even more to those sharing the road with you.

[Trout_Guide]

I am actually thinking now of possibly trying to find a smaller lighter trailer. Maybe even an older one like some have suggested and then could hit classic shows as we love to travel.

[tatest]

In the early 1960s we pulled a 4000 pound TT 6000 miles with a 1960 Country Squire about the same weight empty, carrying at least 1000 pounds of people and stuff, 352 CID FE block and CruiseOMatic. The combo could keep up with traffic, cross the Rockies in Montana on pre-Interstate roads. But we did wear out that car (transmission, u-joints, rear axle, wheel bearings) in less than three years. We replaced it with a 63 Colony Park with the 390 CID version of the same engine, same transmission, wore that one out in three years.

We had friends who towed similar sizeTTs with full size sedans, using the big 3.8-4.2 liter sixes of the day or 260-300 inch V8s and three speed manual or two spead automatic transmissions (FordOMatic or PowerGlide). They just towed slower and didn't pass anybody. They replaced the cars every 2-3 years, as the rusted out that soon anyway in Michigan.

Times were different, in that we did not have Interstates for most of our trips, we cruised 50-60 mph most of the time rather than 70-80, and the big trucks ran even slower. Compared to today's equipment, tires and chassis parts were not as well made with respect to materials, but compensated some with larger sizes.

Considering how quickly we wore out those cars, I would not use a 50s classic for any serious amount of towing, a tow vehicle of that vintage has to be treated as disposable. Upgrading engine and transmission with modern components would be a start, but really you need to upgrade all of the chassis components, with particular attention to suspension, steering, and brakes, for safety towing at today's highway speeds and for longevity. I remember when car mags started doing comprehensive road tests in the early 60s, to learn that many cars of the era, and most earlier cars, when fully loaded could not achieve a panic stop from 70 mph with showing brake fade; front discs or big finned drums were soon to follow.

Think about how you plan to use this. As a show combination, drive carefully to get to shows, it is probably OK. For extensive use as a towing combination, I would be thinking about police interceptor or maybe even Grand National class of chassis upgrades, if you can still find any of those components. Otherwise, you could be grafting on late 60s or early 70s components (much later and you run into the unibody problem). Then the car is no longer a classic, rather a custom.