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what would be the best way to tow a car.
i will be needing to do this shortly.
my mom has a 99 blazer, full size, 4wd, with the 4.3L
can it SAFELY tow a car, several hundred miles. my mom and dad think that it cant, and the tranny will get messed up or something.
my dad also ahs a 92 f150, with a 5.8L. he dont want to use it because its got high miles on it, plus gas milage is horrible!
we are thinking about renting a truck froma rental company, but id rather take the blazer!
also, i doubt this, but could my contour tow it? 
im sure the motor could pull it, but suspension and tranny wouldnt i would think!
im looking for the cheapest way!
Russell
Oval Port 3L Nearly Done
MTX75 w/ Homebrew Zetec FD and Torsen Complete
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Originally posted by Russell-3L:
my mom has a 99 blazer, full size, 4wd, with the 4.3L
can it SAFELY tow a car, several hundred miles. my mom and dad think that it cant, and the tranny will get messed up or something.
Shes right, its a Chevy, cant handle it
Former owner of a 1995 Ford Contour GL w/ 2.0L ATX
Proud owner of a 2005 Ford Taurus SE 3.0L V6 Vulcan 
--Looking for Commodore stuff (Drives, Units, Amiga, games, etc)If anyone has any of this laying around and wants it gone, lemme know --
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What is the max. towing load on the Chevy, if it is equal to or more than the weight of the car than yes it can tow it.
Plus the thing has a good size engine in it, so that will help out.
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3L contour- no
blazer- probably
f150- for sure
E1 CSVT
s/c-----x
turbo---x
3L------check
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It takes a pretty burly rig to tow a car (presumably a car on a car trailer). Seriously consider renting a full-size pickup truck, with a trailer or tow bar. I know renting will cost some bucks, but it sounds like your parents don't think the Blazer will make it.
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Originally posted by Russell-3L:
what would be the best way to tow a car.
...SAFELY tow a car, several hundred miles.
...we are thinking about renting a truck froma rental ....
The 4.3 could handle a tow across town, but man, you're asking a lot. If the F-150 has high miles already, it too, should be used around town. I wouldn't even try to tow with the 'Tour. Just not durable for that kind of work.
Get the rental with a hitch and a 'tow dolly'. Really, you're looking for headaches & big buck repairs if you use your own vehicles. The 'tow dolly' is lightweight & quite effective. Just be sure the drive wheels are on the dolly to minimize stresses on the 'towed vehicle' drive train.
Avoid tight turns, large wide turn radii are in order to keep things from getting damaged. Tight right handers should performed only if ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED, U-turns ARE OUT. Come back around three or four blocks taking left hand turns at traffic lights if you miss a turn-off or driveway. Go wide (especially on the right-handers) & use all your lane every where you go.
Must be that jumbly-wumbly thing happening again.
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Joined: May 2002
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I have no life
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Yeah, the 4.3L isn't really that much of an engine for that big of a vehicle. A 4.3L blazer is slower than my car, and I'm sure you'll agree with me Russell, that's really really slow. Rent a turbo diesel truck and chip it for the trip. That would be fun.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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Originally posted by Kremithefrog:
Yeah, the 4.3L isn't really that much of an engine for that big of a vehicle. A 4.3L blazer is slower than my car, and I'm sure you'll agree with me Russell, that's really really slow. Rent a turbo diesel truck and chip it for the trip. That would be fun.
naw, its not accually that slow, not fast by any means, but i beat a durango in a race with mine
Russell
Oval Port 3L Nearly Done
MTX75 w/ Homebrew Zetec FD and Torsen Complete
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Joined: May 2002
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I have no life
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I have no life
Joined: May 2002
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Originally posted by Russell-3L:
Originally posted by Kremithefrog:
Yeah, the 4.3L isn't really that much of an engine for that big of a vehicle. A 4.3L blazer is slower than my car, and I'm sure you'll agree with me Russell, that's really really slow. Rent a turbo diesel truck and chip it for the trip. That would be fun.
naw, its not accually that slow, not fast by any means, but i beat a durango in a race with mine
Then the durango is super super super slow.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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You failed to mention what you are towing and what terain you will cover. The blazer even with the small engine would be fine in say, the south west. The F-150 could even have trouble in the rockies. Terain is a big factor to consider. Personally I would get a U-haul dolly and jump in the Ford. I'm partial of course, I wouldn't trust the Blazer to haul my groceries. If the F-150 is old and high miles then you might as well give it one good last haul, then do a drivetrain build, although I don't think you will need it. 
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