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Towing with A W-body


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Posted

I have an opportunity to acquire a small 12 foot bass boat with newer engine and trailer, the works for 750 bucks. It's a sweet deal.

 

Have any of you had any experience getting a trailer hitch put on a W-body, specifically a Cutlass? I was thinking that mabe I could get new struts with the coil springs and keep the monoleaf. Think the Olds could handle it, we're not talking about extreme weight here, it's pretty light.

 

Thoughts and ideas welcome.......

Posted

should be able to it no problem..

 

we tow both of our see doos up north with our mercury sable

Posted

If your easy with it, it will be fine. But people are going to say dont do it, mainly for the reason that people have tranny problems without towing anything. But after you tow it where its needed to go, Id change the tranny fluid.

 

And like you said, help in the ass end wouldnt hurt either.

Posted

Keep it in "D"

x2

 

drive gentle... and the addition of a tranny cooler would not hurt either.

 

if you need additonal hieght.... you might just grab the rear leaf srping lift blocks, availible from napa. gp1138 wrote a thread about those.

however... they aren't an add and remove as needed thing.

Posted

i have a hitch reciever, and the only thing i ever towed with it was a small flatbed trailer with my old tranny to the junkyard! :lol:

Posted

My uncle tows a 14 foot boat with his 92 Regal. Never has had any trouble. I aslo know someone that used to tow junked cars on a flatdeck trailer with a 92 lesabre. Never had any trans issues either. Just keep it in D, and don't overload the car either and you will be fine. I would get a trans cooler installed just for extra protection though.

 

Posted

If it's a small boat nothing should happen IMO.

 

3.4's have a trans cooler from the factory. For added proctection I might get a bigger one. How many miles are on this tranny?

Posted
How many miles are on this tranny?

 

About 150K miles. Great shape, never slipped or anything. Due for a fluid & filter change though.

 

So I could use the sprung rear struts with the monoleaf? She has the typical W Body ass-end sag, kind of like an older woman. :lol:

 

Believe me, I'd baby the Olds when towing.

 

Thanks for all the input, I gotta check out trailer hitch costs. This boat is really nice-basic and tight, perfect for river bass fishing. Spring pick-up I have all winter to prep up the Olds.

Posted
How many miles are on this tranny?

 

About 150K miles. Great shape, never slipped or anything. Due for a fluid & filter change though.

 

So I could use the sprung rear struts with the monoleaf? She has the typical W Body ass-end sag, kind of like an older woman. :lol:

 

Believe me, I'd baby the Olds when towing.

 

Thanks for all the input, I gotta check out trailer hitch costs. This boat is really nice-basic and tight, perfect for river bass fishing. Spring pick-up I have all winter to prep up the Olds.

 

I'd do it. But, I know nothing about boats. Nor how big a 12 footer is/weighs.

Posted

DOHCRagtopguy, i would like to see a pic of your OEM tranny cooler. do verts get one? all the verts i have seen have a brace to blcoks the factory cooler loctaion. is should be on the drivers side ahead of the radiator and condensor. AND if not a pic, how about measurements at least?

 

all 91-93 3.4 cars, (and probably 3800's as well) came standard with the tranny cooler, to my knowledge... would like to know what you find.

Posted

I dunno if it has a tranny cooler or not. I thought that the Tranny lines just went into the radiator to get cooled. I'll look and see.

 

My bro-in-law says the weight of the boat and trailer is under 1000# so I really don't see my Olds having a problem pulling that light weight. And I see that I can order a Class 1 hitch on-line for under $150 and bolt it up myself.

 

This is looking more and more like a slam-dunk to me.

Posted

Less than 1000# shouldn't be a problem.

These trannies run pretty hot normally and the brakes are undersized so towing isn't something I'd recommend doing too often.

 

Posted

Less than 1000# shouldn't be a problem.

These trannies run pretty hot normally and the brakes are undersized so towing isn't something I'd recommend doing too often.

 

 

What does the owner's manual say?

Posted

Do not run in "D" that will allow the car to go in and out overdrive and you don't want this!!! run it in the position below "D"

 

top of page 2 FTW

Posted

Semantics.

Older W-bodies have a regular sized D for 3rd gear and a small D with a circle around it for OD (4th gear).

Newer ones have 3 for 3rd and D for 4th.

 

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