Towing performance ideas

Buck Hunter · 03-14-2008, 07:36 PM

I have a 1991 chev 3/4 ton HD 4x4 that I tow a camper as well as a flat bed trailer for hauling small farm tractors with.Does anyone have performance tips for me that wont cost me the farm? It has a 350 tbi and only 115,000 original miles.
Do the performance chips that are available work?

ikos10 · 03-15-2008, 10:13 AM

I Do Not Trust Them, Open Up The Exhaust And Intake For Better Airflow. See If That Helps First. Least What I Would Do.

stumpuller454 · 03-16-2008, 10:47 AM

ditto, do those first and go from there...

fbhart@wk.net · 03-16-2008, 09:16 PM

i have a old style 2000 model chevy 3/4 ton with 350 engine, 4l80e transmission and 3.73 gears, 2 wheel drive with 80K miles.

Tow rating on these trucks is around 7100# little less on a 4x4.
Biggest problem is 350 truck engine (255 hp with 330 pds torque).

If you are towing anything close to 7100# you just need a bigger truck, as you need 15-20 % play on towing capacity. I have never towed over 6000# with my truck and always towed in 3 rd gear. Just got truck back from transmission shop, replace torque converter.

My experience, towing you really need lots of torque, not hp and to get high torque you have to step up to a diesel engine.

Start rodding the little (truck) 350 and it could blow on you. I do not believe its the same 350 they put in hot chevy cars.

crabtruck · 03-17-2008, 02:48 AM

I have a 94 k1500 w/ 5.7 4L60 and 3.73 in it. Has well over 100k on it.
Probably done somewhere around 30k dragging a 5-7000 lbs box
(depending on trip) using a weight distrib hitch. About 10mpg.
CA and Oregon hill country.
Never had problems with any part of drive train, trans fluid changes
which were not too often showed no signs of abuse. Still going.
You may want to double check your tranny cooler is in good shape.
Trailers don't require much when up to speed, it's accel and hills that kill.
I drove pretty kindly since I knew I was maxing the setup.
If you drive like a jackrabbit or a bat out of hades
you'll be seeing the shop guys often, even with your larger set up

leolkfrm · 03-17-2008, 07:29 AM

You might want to stop by your local performance shop, ask them about cams, GM starting detuning motors back in the 80's (air polution regs) by changing cam specs.

jarhead2001 · 03-17-2008, 07:22 PM

bigest weak link in power for the tbi trucks besides the week cam is your tbi rework the top of the throttel bores to help get some air in the motor

03-14-2008, 07:36 PM	#1
Buck Hunter Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 1	Towing performance ideas I have a 1991 chev 3/4 ton HD 4x4 that I tow a camper as well as a flat bed trailer for hauling small farm tractors with.Does anyone have performance tips for me that wont cost me the farm? It has a 350 tbi and only 115,000 original miles. Do the performance chips that are available work?

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03-15-2008, 10:13 AM	#2
ikos10 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: york, PA Posts: 85	I Do Not Trust Them, Open Up The Exhaust And Intake For Better Airflow. See If That Helps First. Least What I Would Do.

03-16-2008, 10:47 AM	#3
stumpuller454 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Really FAR NORTH! Posts: 1,029	ditto, do those first and go from there...

03-16-2008, 09:16 PM	#4
fbhart@wk.net Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 90	i have a old style 2000 model chevy 3/4 ton with 350 engine, 4l80e transmission and 3.73 gears, 2 wheel drive with 80K miles. Tow rating on these trucks is around 7100# little less on a 4x4. Biggest problem is 350 truck engine (255 hp with 330 pds torque). If you are towing anything close to 7100# you just need a bigger truck, as you need 15-20 % play on towing capacity. I have never towed over 6000# with my truck and always towed in 3 rd gear. Just got truck back from transmission shop, replace torque converter. My experience, towing you really need lots of torque, not hp and to get high torque you have to step up to a diesel engine. Start rodding the little (truck) 350 and it could blow on you. I do not believe its the same 350 they put in hot chevy cars.

03-17-2008, 02:48 AM	#5
crabtruck Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,474	I have a 94 k1500 w/ 5.7 4L60 and 3.73 in it. Has well over 100k on it. Probably done somewhere around 30k dragging a 5-7000 lbs box (depending on trip) using a weight distrib hitch. About 10mpg. CA and Oregon hill country. Never had problems with any part of drive train, trans fluid changes which were not too often showed no signs of abuse. Still going. You may want to double check your tranny cooler is in good shape. Trailers don't require much when up to speed, it's accel and hills that kill. I drove pretty kindly since I knew I was maxing the setup. If you drive like a jackrabbit or a bat out of hades you'll be seeing the shop guys often, even with your larger set up

03-17-2008, 07:29 AM	#6
leolkfrm Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: N.Y. Posts: 1,442	You might want to stop by your local performance shop, ask them about cams, GM starting detuning motors back in the 80's (air polution regs) by changing cam specs.

03-17-2008, 07:22 PM	#7
jarhead2001 Full Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 28	bigest weak link in power for the tbi trucks besides the week cam is your tbi rework the top of the throttel bores to help get some air in the motor