The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk towing capacity of a 3/4 ton

I have a '54 3/4 ton long bed Chevy, I would like to know what the towing capacity is for one of these. I tried a quick search here and on google and did not see anything.

Also is there any way to increase the towing capacity? I would need at least the ability to tow another vehicle. Thanks for any answers I can get.

Also I plan on dropping in a V8 with an auto trans. I also have a IFS from a '70 ish 3/4 ton I could use.

i don't know what the max is, i tow 8000 lbs all the time in my 64 3/4 ton. i have towed 10,000 lbs before wihout issue. that's 15,000 with the weight of the truck. you can get overloads for the back, also convert the rear to duals.

There is no published towing capacity for these old trucks. And I've not found any standard 'formula' that would give you a good number.

I believe towing capacity is the combination of several factors, any one of which might limit the capacity.

The first and most importance is brakes. If you can't stop the load you should not start pulling it. When you see towing capacity on a modern vehicle its usually got as much to do with the brakes as anything else.

You say nothing about rear axle or brakes in your question. Far more than the V-8 and automatic, your decisions about brakes will determine true towing capacity.

Second, in my humble opinion, is stability and handling with a load. This means attaching a hitch and trailer does not compromise your ability to control the vehicle. I think this means the suspension and steering all works properly and the hitch is located in a way that attaches the load without adversly impacting handling.

Third is can you move the load. Since trucks like yours have been used to move some pretty heavy loads, the answer is likely to be yes.

But if you can't stop it, and can't control it, you don't have the capacity to tow it.

Those are my thoughts, I'm sure someone will come along and say I missed something. They may be right--I'm on my second beer...

I think the answer regarding increasing towing capacity is an extension of the above. Increase braking performance, improve handling, and improve power.

I'm bulding a '55 1st GMC 1-ton to pull a trailer so I've spent some time looking for the same kind of answers you are. I didn't find much. My decision was to build something that meets or exceeds in specifications those of something that will tow the load I want.

My target is to tow 7,000 to 9,999 across Wyoming at the speed limit (75 mph) and feel like I can pass if I want to. The last time I towed across Wyoming I was driving a 454 powered 1-ton 4x4 that weighs upwards of 6,000 with a trailer and load adding another 6,000. Figure a combined load of nearly 12,000. My plan is to out perform that truck.

I expect my finished 1-ton to weigh less than 5,000 and will power it with a 500 Cadillac. Transmission will be a TH 400 (same as the 4x4 Chevy) and rear axle will be a GM 14-bolt full float similar to the Dana 70HD in the other truck.

Brakes on the 14-bolt are the same size as those on the Dana and that's what I think matters most. Otherwise the Dana might be stouter than the 14-bolt. However the 14-bolt has 3.42 gears which I think are near ideal for my purposes. It won't have the same grunt down low as the 4.11 gears in the Dana, but with lower weight and more torque I expect to be okay.

Up front I'm installing the IFS from a '72 3/4-ton. Starting in '71 these suspensions came with disk brakes. If yours is earlier and has drum brakes I'd look for another one.

The part numbers on the brakes on the'72 C20 match those on a '72 C30 (single wheel) in the catalog where I checked things, and since I believe the brakes are the most important part, I feel those brakes will be adequate.

My IFS was under a big block truck so I'm not worried about using it under the Cadillac motor.

I hope I haven't bored you with my story. I told it here to illustrate how I think you can increase towing capacity on one of these old trucks.

Thanks for the reply. This would be used for my more light duty towing needs. Stuff like towing my lighter cars (model T) around where ever I may need to take them. Taking frames to get blasted and stuff like that. I currently use a '04 1 ton Chevy for the big stuff. I would like to keep the stock rear axle but not opposed to getting another one if needed. The IFS, I will have to go out and check on the brakes. I do know that the later spindles are a direct swap (1 ton as well) so I can add the disc brakes. Is there a disc brake (8 lug) swap for the stock spindles? I do plan on adding power brakes to help out.

I don't think that modern pickups with the large towing capacity have brakes designed to stop the trailer too. After a certain weight (1500 lbs where I live) you have to have trailer brakes. Proper trailer brakes with the break free automatic brakes make it a safer combination.

I don't know what a Model T weighs. I would guess combined T and trailer at maybe 3500 to 4000 pounds depending on your trailer and what model the T happens to be.

In my neighborhood the law requires trailer brakes at I think 3000 pounds, or the trailer weight exceeding some fraction of the towing vehicles weight. I don't know how much those rules vary state to state and certainly could not say what they are in the land of our northern neighbors.

Irrespective of the rules, my opinion is with or without trailer brakes that the most important towing capacity issue is brakes. Just because the people who make the rules say something is so sure doesn't make it so...

My trailer weighs in at around 2200 pounds. My Ts will average around 2000 pounds But I also have a few heavier ones. This truck will be more for local trips not cross country hauling. I am guessing I would need around a 6500 pound towing capacity which is the same as a new full size with a V6.

Your trailer is heavier than mine.

At 6500 your load is about 150% the weight of your truck. Trailer brakes are real important because your load will want to push your truck around. With 6500 behind a 4000 (3700 curb, plus driver and whatever) pound truck, your combined weight is 10,500 against a rating of 6900.

When your trailer brakes work you are probably fine.

If this is just local hauling and not at highway speeds, the stock engine and transmission can probably do the job, though not with great speed.

It's still the brakes that are most important. Compare your brakes to those of the new full size with a V-6.

I may seem to have a one-track mind here, but once you've been pushed through an intersection by your trailer because your truck didn't have what it took to stop the load you'll preach the same message. While I'm a strong believer in trailer brakes, I also believe you want enough brakes on your truck to stay in control when the trailer brakes fail.

The hardest part to find replacements for in your current brake system is the drums. Since in '54 you have Bendix brakes, one thought I have is you could upgrade to sintered metal linings and improve braking performance. Of course the down side is your drums will wear quicker...

Four Wheeler for July 09, has an article on towing. In the article they mention some of the various regulations for a few states, as examples. Apparently in Massachusetts you can tow a 40 foot trailer weighing 10,000 lbs. without trailer brakes!

Trailer brakes are a must. My dad has towed 10,000 lbs. in a 2,000lb trailer plus six men and all of our tools with his 2000 Ford F-250, which is the equivalent of a 3/4 ton truck. It had the power stroke diesel, and it would do 70 mph. Local hauling with a T bucket and a trailer like yours should be no problem with a 3/4 ton. As far as increasing the capacity, you'd have to change out the axle bearing and possibly the axle because of the bearing's capacity along with the suspension. You should be able to tell if you're going to overload the springs by loading the trailer slowly. Try your best to center the load, but if necessary, you could shift the weight a hair backwards to keep less tongue weight. The engine will handle anything. They used essentially the same drive line set up in the larger trucks too. It's not going to go anywhere quick though. I have a 70 GMC 1/2 ton that will in theory haul a 6000 pound bobcat with trailer. Although my truck does have the axillary leaf springs, it's still a 1/2 ton. You'll be fine with as long as you have the trailer brakes.

you got an 8 lug, so you have heavy duty suspension. I got a 59 1 ton panel. I've towed a uhaul trailer with a 1950 Buick on it on a 150 mile trip. no probs. and just last week I towed a uhaul trailer with a corvair on it. no big deal you'd say, but I was also carrying about 2,000 pounds in my truck (2 Lincoln 370 engines). I've had no probs at all. I installed the hitch myself (Kurt,class I can't remember, something heavy). called the trailer place, gave them frame dimensions, and they sent me the hitch and I just bolted it on. you just have to remember to keep your distance, your brakes aren't as good as a new chevy 2500 truck. oh and all that towing above I do with a stock truck, 235 with a sm420 4speed trans (granny 1st, is great to get the combination rolling)

I took a look at the truck I have to get the IFS from and it has drum brakes on it, it is the '67 - '72 body style. Does anyone know for sure what year they went to disc brakes in the '67 - '72 trucks with the 3/4 ton chassis?

Is there anyone that makes a disc brake 3/4 ton kit that will fit the stock axle on the truck rather than doing the IFS swap?

Also will inner fenders from a '50 or '51 work with a '54?

'71 was the first year for disk brakes.

Unless its just come out, there is no commercial kit that puts disk brakes on the front of a 3/4-ton that preserves the 8-lug hubs and towing capacity.

Several people have managed to make a conversion and your best bet is to search out pictures of those and study what they did. Its much easier to do if you do NOT need to keep the original wheels.

Basically you find a rotor that will adapt to your hub, then choose a caliper and build a bracket to mount the caliper in the right place. Easy enough....

After researching it a bit I ended up deciding to go with an IFS swap instead, but the reasons weren't really the brakes, but some of the other problems IFS solved.

Did the IFS bolt into your truck just as easy as it unbolted from the donor truck? Did it lower or raise the truck any? did it push the wheels out any farther than stock?

No. But that answer isn't enough of the story...

I'm not finished with the conversion. Today the IFS is on a table a few feet from the front of the frame. I've not unbolted it yet, I cut the frame just rear of the shocks. I did it this way to preserve the mounting points for use in detemining where I need to locate pieces on the new (older) frame.

I expect it will slightly raise the frame. But that has as much to do with how I'm managing the mounting as anything else. Also I'm working on a 1-ton and the profile of the frame rails may be a little different than a 3/4-ton. I'm working to a concept I understand pretty well, and standing tall is part of that concept. Not lifted, just standing tall. If lowering is your goal this is the wrong approach. You may be able to maintain stock height this way and for those wishing IFS at stock height this is a good approach.

And while I've yet to put wheels on it, yes the wheel mounting surfaces will be a bit further out than stock. Offset wheels and narrowed crossmember are two ways others have dealt with this. I'm considering widening the fenders. My concept is more concerned about road handling and towing capacity than anything else, and wider is better for my purposes.

So not the answers you were looking for, but I hope helpful as you continue to look ahead.

I've posted quite a bit about this project and the research I've done. I guess I could maintain a record of those threads, but I have not. You might search for my name and IFS and you'll find more about that research including pictures of a couple of completed projects I've seen.