Towing

[jag7720]

Is the M1009 set up for long distance towing?

I want to be able to tow long distance with my M1009. The vehicle only has 30K on it.
What can/should I do to tranny to insure it is functioning properly and is strong enough to tow.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Uhm...yes and no. The drivetrain is but the axles aren't and you'd need to get a hitch on there obviously.

What are you planning on towing?

 

[IRWFO]

I'm on the No side. Like AJM said the engine and tranny are fine. It's that 3:08 gear ration that is going to hurt. A quality AUX. Trany Cooler is a good idea.

 

[papercu]

No too, but not because of engine and/or transmission, just to loud. Wayne

 

[LanceRobson]

The M1009 has a pintle and an official towing capacity so, of course, it's "set up to tow long distances" To answer your question in the way seem to want, we'd need better information.

As asked above, how much weight?

What do you consider "long distance"? What kind of speeds, roads and terrain?

As stated above, I'd recommend a transmission cooler for any extended towing. To put it in front of the radiator (where it will work best) you'd need to pull the brush guard and grill. It would be cheap insurance to protect the transmission from it's worst enemy, heat.

If the trailer is over about 1000 pounds you'll need an electric brake controller or trailer hydraulic surge brakes. With it's short wheelbase and low rear end weight the M1009 is prone to jack knifeing without them.

Regardless of the mileage on your truck, remember it's more than 20 years old. If you haven't already done so, replace the belts, hoses, transmission vacuum lines etc. Make sure you have good fuel and air filters. Check and service the brakes and front bearings. Consider changing the transmission filter and fluid along with the differential lube. Make sure your tires are in good shape and not dry rotted.

Lance

 

[AJMBLAZER]

I think the rated tow capacity of a similar civilian K5 was like 3500-lbs. Folks tend to over estimate what these things were designed to tow back in the day compared to today where 7k is on the small side even for a half ton.

 

[wkbrdngsnw]

I drag a power wagon (8000lb with trailer) around sometimes when I can't find anyone with a 1 ton to pull it and at most its 40 miles. Modified a civilian hitch and use a equalizer to keep the front wheels on the ground. Electric brakes are a must. Definitely not for going up hills and highway on ramps can be quite interesting. So it can be done.

Lower gears, overdrive, larger fluid coolers, and a turbo and you would have a 90's 3/4 ton and it would be perfectly fine.

 

[jag7720]

Long distance to me means over 1K miles

Tires are new
Air and fuel filters are new
Prolly need to change the tranny filter and fluid along with front and rear diffs. The transfer case has new fluid.

I plan on having all seats occupied.. Two adults and kids in the back along with gear in the bed.
Trailer is a Single Axle - 2,000 lb capacity and I'd like to plan for it being full.
I have a turbo on the way and should be installed soon.
I have a bumper hitch but a frame hitch is in the works.

Doesn't the tranny cool into the radiator already? is that not enough?


If speed is one of the major issue... what would an expectable speed be fully loaded with the 3.08 axels?

 

[hobie237]

Turbo, 3.08 gears, large load in truck with sizable trailer sounds like a recipe for a gov-bomb explosion.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

How big of a trailer are we talking? Pop up or small, short travel trailer? A K5 can probably do that...but you get much bigger and they get squirrelly.


Mom and dad had a '92 Blazer K1500. Newer suspension, heavier ratings, better towing ability, etc etc and it was a bit squirrelly once they got past into 20' trailer.

 

[m38inmaine]

About 60 miles or less after you are on the road you will get a nice shower of ATF on your tailgate/window. That's too much weight for a stock M1009, they are geared too high to tow that much any distance. It's going to overheat the transmission and blow ATF out the rear output seal.

 

[LanceRobson]

I agree that it's asking too much of an M1009.

Regarding the stock tranny cooling system; transmission coolers are cheap, repairs are expensive.

As far as speed, the 6.2 is no barn burner and you'll be going mighty slow on even fairly gentle hills.

Turbo or not, the engine and tranny are a quarter century or more old. Especially if the trailer has a big frontal area I'd think the question to ask is not if it can be done but, how willing are you to have a catastrophic breakdown with the trailer and family a 1,000 miles from home?

Lance

 

[jag7720]

The trailer is a small 4x8
TILT TRAILERS, TRAILERS AND TOW DOLLIES, Products

Does the M1009 have a trans cooler in with the radiator?

If not where do you tap into the trans to add a cooler and will that solve the over heating issue?

 

[jag7720]

OK, so it doesn't have a trans cooler in it with the radiator... I was looking at the oil lines.

So where do you tap into the tranny for an aux cooler and will that solve the overheating issue?

 

[hobie237]

Pretty much every auto trans vehicle I've ever dealt with has had a trans cooler built into the radiator. People here are discussing auxiliary fluid/air trans coolers. If you get one, better to get one that's thermostatically (or manually) controlled so you're not overcooling the trans all the time you're unloaded.

 

[m38inmaine]

It does have one built in, it is not sufficient for heavy towing. No matter how many coolers you plumb in, you still have to face the fact that the 3.08 gearing of the M1009 is not tow friendly.

 

[IRWFO]

Long distance to me means over 1K miles


I plan on having all seats occupied.. Two adults and kids in the back along with gear in the bed.
Trailer is a Single Axle - 2,000 lb capacity and I'd like to plan for it being full.
I have a turbo on the way and should be installed soon.
I have a bumper hitch but a frame hitch is in the works.

Doesn't the tranny cool into the radiator already? is that not enough?


If speed is one of the major issue... what would an expectable speed be fully loaded with the 3.08 axels?

I see several problems. First off is that 1K in a un-insulated Blazer is going to get real tiring for your family fast. If you don't think it is loud in there, take a small trip with some ear plugs on and a block from your destination pull them out.
That is a lot of weight for a bumper hitch. Especially since you are looking at long distance. A good frame hitch is easy to find cheap.
I don't have a turbo and never drove a 6.2 with one so I can't honestly comment on how it will pull the load.
Yes your truck has a factory tranny cooler and an oil one too. What cools it off? The hot water from your radiator. Run a non intercooled turbo, pulling a heavy load with a weighed down truck up a long grade in a lower then optimum RPM because of the 3:08 gears and see how hot your antifreeze gets. Your T400 is great but if you want it to last you have to keep it cool. Most tranny failures are from heat. Want to prevent that? Get the cooler. They are cheap and worth the time to install.

 

[maybefixit]

It might be worth noting that in many cases, (at least in that vehicle's age range) the "factory towing package" often included a fluid-to-air transmission cooler.

In any case, more cooling capacity often means more lifespan, both for engine and transmission. By removing the transmission's cooling load from the radiator, the engine will have an easier time keeping its peak temperatures low, helping the oil stay useful longer. Adding a turbo will tend to raise the air intake temperature, and the peak efficiency, which will add to heat generated.

Remember - your vehicle was built by the lowest bidder - the trans cooler in the radiator is the cheapest way to make that vehicle reach its warranty expiration date.

If you're looking for just one large trip, have you thought about renting a van/SUV? It might be a lot more comfortable and wouldn't require any strain on your M1009. And if something goes wrong, someone else delivers a new truck to you.

 

[maybefixit]

Oh, the trans cooler should be on the driver's side of the radiator. There will be a top line and a bottom line. I've been told that the cooler lines on a M1009 are metal; on all the civi vehicles I've serviced, there were 1/4"- 3/8" rubber lines connecting the metal lines to the inputs on the radiator. The cooler is hidden inside the radiator's side 'tank' space on the driver's side. You should be able to disconnect those lines from the radiator, and either cut and flare them for rubber lines, or add brass fittings to accept the rubber tubing. If you like, you can put threaded plugs in the old cooler's holes to seal them. A new radiator will come with those plugs in place, since it's usually not worth the parts store's time to build a radiator for manual and one for automatic, so they all come with the cooler. You'll need to refill the trans fluid after installing the cooler, but be sure to get the trans fully warmed up before final top-off.

Under the vehicle, there should be 2 similar sized lines coming off the transmission. If they are rubber, and are old, this is a fine time to replace those. Just replace them one at a time so that they do not end up reversed.

The factory cooler type is constantly bathed in engine coolant, and referred to as a "oil-water" type cooler, since the hot trans oil gives its heat to the water coolant. The water coolant then releases its heat in the "air-water" cooler that is the radiator itself. You'll be converting the transmission to an "oil-air" system when you install the trans cooler ahead of the radiator. Don't worry about blocking part of the radiator's air; you'll be making the system more capable overall.

I don't have a MV, so sorry for some of the vagueness in the posting. Best of luck with your modifications and your trip!

 

[LanceRobson]

The lines are steel. They will bend with a standard tubing bender if you need to reroute them at all. I didn't need to on my M1008.

You can install the aftermarket cooler as a stand alone cooler or in series with the radiator cooler. Series is more efficient for cooling the tranny with a more cooling load on the engine.

If you want to use a stand alone cooler: cut both lines, run the rubber lines that typically come with the cooler around to the front of the radiator and follow the package directions to hang the cooler.

For a series installation, cut the old cooler lines and splice the new cooler on the return side of the radiator. That'll provide the maximum tranny cooling.

If you are at all unsure which line is the line from the tranny and which is the return line, start with a cold engine and tranny and start the engine. Within a few seconds the line coming from the tranny to the radiator will feel warm. That'll positively ID it. It'll also show how fast tranny heat builds up and make a tranny cooler believer out of you.

Most coolers come with clear instructions and the all hardware and hoses needeed for the install. Don't buy a kit without them. A good cooler should cost in the $60 and down range, depending on how big you go.

Lance