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Blazer tow for 23LSV?


wakeboarder3780

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So I'm in the market for a new boat, planning on getting a 23LSV. I currently have a blazer without a transcooler that is towing my 89 sunsetter. I think it tows alright, but the stopping power leaves a little to be desired. We *are* putting away both money for the LSV and a new tow vehicle. My question is which to buy first.

Conservatively, I wanted to buy the tow vehicle first to make sure we had towing locked down. However, if I could get away with towing with the blazer for a half a year or so, that would allow me much more time to look for that LSV. My question is, assuming I get a trailer with brakes on it for the LSV, do you think I could safely tow it with the blazer? Or am I just asking for trouble?

Note: I don't care if it's sluggish going up hills and I have to wind down. I care about stopping power. (I normally tow the boat 5 miles to get to the lake) I would be willing to live with equal stopping power that I have now, but not worse stopping power. So the question I guess is will the trailer brakes make up for the extra weight?

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The trailer brakes on my 23 work fine. I have the boatmate with duals and disk brakes. I say fine, not 'awesome'. I think my Moomba stopped better not because the boat was lighter but because the surge shock was looser. I wish I could adjust the surge on my 23 and let it kick a little harder.

However, overall the surge brakes are going to handle the boat, so if you are comfortable towing your current boat the 23 is going to work as well.

I can't speak to the transcooler, though. My buddy that builds supercars is always worried about transmission temp. If you have a lot hills between you and the dock, it might be something to consider.

I know I'd love to upgrade my tow vehicle, but I'm much happier having the boat. :)

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No, I dont think the trailer brakes will make that much of a difference. That is a large boat that will push around that small wheel-based blazer. For everyone's safety I think you should get a tow vehicle first.

(Buuutttt, back in my dummer years I've pulled bigger things with smaller vehicles... Not saying I'd recommend it or condone it. But if a screaming deal came along on a 23 that you were in love with, I'd grab it and plan a truck upgrade asap. A few miles with your flashers on to the lake would be ok on an occasional basis as long as there arent any big hills, but no highway or long road trips for sure.) More important than the wear and tare on the vehicle is the safety of the passengers and others on the road.

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I just bought a 23 LSV it came on a DHM trailer that has four surge actuated disc brakes and is somehow sequenced with an electrical signal, not an actual brake controller? Anyway, the new trailer has more stopping power than my 21' VLX trailer with 2 surge actuated drum brakes, especially considering the weight diff between the two boats???

So, Im not sure how the exteme trailer brakes are usually set up, but if you get an LSV with only 2 brakes you might add brakes to all four wheels?

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I think there is too much missing information to answer your question completely. What year Blazer do you have? i.e. is it a full size or a mid-size? Second, what year 23 LSV are you planning on purchasing? The weight of the 23 LSV has changed considerably. I agree with Chadwick02. The issue is not whether the trailer has brakes on one or both axles. The issue is the difference in weight between the tow vehicle and boat & trailer, combined with the wheelbase of the tow vehicle. Even if you had the greatest brakes in the world on the boat trailer, I do not believe it would be safe to tow that boat with a small blazer. If you had to slam on your brakes or make a sudden maneuver, the boat would throw the tow vehicle around like a rag doll.

It is my understanding that the electrical signal in the surge brakes Tchood referred to is related to backing the trailer. Most surge brake systems have an electric solenoid that is activated when you put your tow vehicle in reverse. It locks out the brakes so they cannot activate when backing up.

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What model is the blazer? We tow with an Envoy XL and it handles fine and stops well with electric drum brakes ( I never have really cared for surge brakes ) it just lacks a little power with the 6 cylinder. I normally tow with an extended cab truck, you can feel the difference when towing with the Envoy because of the softer suspension but other then that it does well, no swaying or uneasy feel of the boat pushing it around, however we only tow an 01 Sunsetter VLX. The wheel base on the Envoy XL is close to what most short bed extended cab trucks are, 10-12 inches shorter. I think you would be ok with the XL model and only driving 5 miles with trailer brakes.

Edited by mainekneeboarder
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sorry guys its a 2000 blazer 4x4. It's got a 5.3l 6 cylinder if I recall correctly. I'll be honest - the weight difference between the vehicle and the boat is definitely what scares me the most and I know what you're talking about by the boat throwing the vehicle around on a hard stop especially in a crisis where I'm trying to turn at the same time.

So anyways I guess with the new information let me know if you guys think it'll be alright or not. I know it wouldn't be the greatest thing in the world to tow with the blazer. I'm simply asking if it's do-able if I'm cautious. It comes down to being able to stop for yellow lights or people that cut in front of you i guess.

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OK, we're talking S10 blazer here with the 4.3L V6.

I wouldn't tow a 23LSV with that. I had an extended cab S10 ZR2 with that engine, 4 wheel disk brakes, and longer wheelbase than what you have and our Sunsetter VLX would get it a little squirrely at times. The 23 LSV is significantly heavier than that.

If you're towing a few miles, it might get the job done, but you'll be over the GVWR and maximum trailering spec for that truck. Personally, I'd upgrade to a half ton pickup or older Suburban/Tahoe/Expedition or something like that. You can find those for cheap.

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I have a friend who towed his LSV with his V6 Traileblazer. Definitely over capacity, but he never towed far. If you're on flat ground, not going fast, and not towing far (like a mile or two), I'd say go for it. If you're out on the open road and have to tow a distance where the safetfy of yourself and others is involved, I wouldn't. I'd worry about both stopping and the transmission in that V6. That boat alone weighs almost as much as your Blazer, then add a 1200 lb trailer + 50 gallons of gas + gear and it will weigh at least 1000 lbs more than the Blazer.

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Sounds about right. That's what I figured but didn't want to have to sacrifice possible time with the new shiny boat unless I had to. Sounds like I'll just have to ;) Thanks for the input ladies and gents :D

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I would definitely upgrade your tow vehicle before purchasing that boat. The blazer is too small for a big boat like the LSV. I have a newer Tacoma and just barely get by towing my 21' vRide. I would never try to pull a 23 LSV with it and will be upgrading to a full size truck in the near future. I only tow across town 2-3 times per year so it's not a big deal, but if I was doing any more than that, I wouldn't even pull the 21' vRide with the Tacoma and the Tacoma has a longer wheelbase than the blazer I'm pretty sure.

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You said 5.3L and V6. The 5.3L is a V8, the 4.3L is a V6. Lots of difference there.

I had 2 Astro vans with the 4.3L V6. I pulled a boat that weighted about 2500 pounds with it.

I would not try a 23' boat with your blazer. the Astro is bigger and heavier than the Blazer, and mine pushed me around. The boat you are looking at is probably 2x the weight i was pulling. You are talking about pulling a lot of weight behind a little engine and transmission.

I would start with a more robust tow vehicle, then get the boat.

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Would a suburban 1500 be enough or would I need to step up to the 2500?

I have a 2007 Silverado (1/2 ton) = Suburban 1500 for my 21.5 LSV.

It has the 5.3L.

It has the transmission cooler and trailering package and is fine on the road.

A little sluggish on big hills.

A 2500 would give you waay more capability.

Other option is the Denali, which i think you can get the 6.0L in the 1500 version.

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Yeah I'm not really concerned with not having enough power going up hills. I just care about having a safe tow vehicle. I don't need to win any races, I just need to get there safely.

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I had a 91 Sunsetter and a 2001 Blazer and it towed OK on the short 2 mile trips to the lake and not above 45 MPH, but it did not take long to upgrade to a Silverado 1500 so I could take the boat anywhere I wanted without worry. I now have a 2000 LSV and a 2003 Avalanche 1500. With the Avalanche and Silverado I never noticed the sunsetter was behind me, and the truck was definetly in control. With the LSV I can tell it is back there. The trailer brakes help to keep the truck in control, and with common since trailer driving there are never any worries, but the LSV could probably toss the avalanche around in a drastic situation, there is a lot more weight there.

I would never put the LSV behind the smaller S10 size Blazer on the road with other vehicles or family or friends in the car. Maybe to pull out of the garage or something, but again never on the road. It is trouble is waiting to happen.

Maybe you have a friend that will let you use their truck to pull to the lake until you can upgrade yours.

Suburban 1500 should be fine for you 5 mile trips and a 2500 would even be better if you are towing a lot or farther distances.

Edited by lf133
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Have 2010 Yukon Xl 2500. We pull our 247lsv with it and you can fell it back there. It is a heavy boat. Had a older 2500 GMC deisle wife did not like the ride but I loved the pulling power. Could not tell the boat was back there now I fell it. If you can upgrade I would for your saftey and others. Just my 2 cents.

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sorry guys its a 2000 blazer 4x4. It's got a 5.3l 6 cylinder if I recall correctly. I'll be honest - the weight difference between the vehicle and the boat is definitely what scares me the most and I know what you're talking about by the boat throwing the vehicle around on a hard stop especially in a crisis where I'm trying to turn at the same time.

So anyways I guess with the new information let me know if you guys think it'll be alright or not. I know it wouldn't be the greatest thing in the world to tow with the blazer. I'm simply asking if it's do-able if I'm cautious. It comes down to being able to stop for yellow lights or people that cut in front of you i guess.

Yeah no way you want to rock that as your tow vehicle, MAYBE if it was a once a year trip to the launch ramp and you rent a bigger truck to pull it out with. The brakes just won't be able to stop that rig, even with the tandem disc brakes.

That said I have a '04 3/4 ton Suburban that would tow your future boat wonderfully!

-Chris

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Owning a 23 LSV, and having towed with three vehicles, let me add my opinion:

When I purchased the boat I was in the process of trading an 02 Tahoe Z71 for an 05 Ram Diesel 2500. I towed the boat one time with the Tahoe. It did OK. The LSV is not technically the top of the Tahoe weight range, but it felt like plenty back there. It pushed hard on hills and I did need to be very careful what gear I was in on downhills.

With the Ram 2500, it was so easy to tow I felt comfortable anywhere, anytime. I bought that truck just to tow, and heavier loads than the LSV. The difference in any model truck between 1/2 and 3/4 ton is huge when towing. The stopping power is tremendous with larger brakes and axles. And diesel power is the way to go towing, if you can afford it.

Reality set in and I needed less car payments. The truck went away (supposed to temporary, but more than 3 years now.) Now We have a Dodge Durango HEMI which is the wife's car, family truckster and pulls the boat to the lake, about 250 miles each way, throuhg the Ozark mountains.

Every time I miss my diesel truck. But I will say the Durango is up to the task. I am very careful about what gear on hills, as I did burn up a front set of brake rotors on a long downhill to a stop at the end. The trailer is dual axle disc brakes, but it simply cannot stop the boat by itself. Like the 1/2 ton Tahoe, the boat is actually way under the max tow rating, but I could not imagine towing a larger boat. Something with electric brakes, sure, but not the boat trailer.

The reason the Durango stays and I don't get another truck is economics. The Durango gets decent mileage for something it's size (a lot better than my Tahoe did) and is very comfortable. While I would LIKE to have something bigger, it is not a NEED.

If I were looking at Suburban's, I would run the numbers on both purchase price and operating cost of 1500 vs 2500. The 2500 comes with the 6.0 standard. I have buddies with these trucks (we pull Jeep's on trailers and the weight can get up there fast) and they tow great, but the around town mileage is not close to the 5.3 in the 1/2 ton.

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I wouldn't pull my 23LSV with an S10 Blazer (I think that's what we are talking about here?) The 23LSV is pretty heavy when all loaded up and that seems like an unbalanced equation. It isn't that you need a 3/4 ton truck... or even a long wheelbase... you just need something designed to tow a boat that heavy/long. I tow with a 08 VW Touareg V10TDI... might even have a shorter WB than the S10 Blazer... but it weighs 6K pounds and was designed to tow (and tow it does!) I don't even know my boat is back there an i can tow through the hills at 75MPG without the motor missing a beat or showing any signs of struggling.

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I'm definitely OK upgrading but now you guys are starting to worry me a bit. I've had 2 votes leaning towards getting the Suburban 2500 (3/4 ton) and no one has said the 1/2 ton (1500) would be alright.

I have a confession, I was definitely planning on getting a 1500 suburban. Is that seriously not going to be enough either? Longest trip I'll be making on a yearly basis is 1.5 hour trip and I don't live in the mountains or anything. I've gotta believe that with an 8400 tow rating in the 1/2 ton (1500) coupled with trailer brakes that I should be fine right? I mean the boat itself weighs 4k, the trailer can't weigh more than 2k, throw in some gear lets just be conservative and say 1k lbs of gear thats still 7k - 1400lbs under the tow max of the 1500.

That being said I know you guys are trying to get me the bigger safest vehicle, but the 1500 would also work fine right?

Edited by wakeboarder3780
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I'm definitely OK upgrading but now you guys are starting to worry me a bit. I've had 2 votes leaning towards getting the Suburban 2500 (3/4 ton) and no one has said the 1/2 ton (1500) would be alright.

I have a confession, I was definitely planning on getting a 1500 suburban. Is that seriously not going to be enough either? Longest trip I'll be making on a yearly basis is 1.5 hour trip and I don't live in the mountains or anything. I've gotta believe that with an 8400 tow rating in the 1/2 ton (1500) coupled with trailer brakes that I should be fine right? I mean the boat itself weighs 4k, the trailer can't weigh more than 2k, throw in some gear lets just be conservative and say 1k lbs of gear thats still 7k - 1400lbs under the tow max of the 1500.

That being said I know you guys are trying to get me the bigger safest vehicle, but the 1500 would also work fine right?

Yes the 1500 will be fine. If you were doing that 1.5 hr trip regularly than you'd probably want something bigger. For regular 5 mile outtings and the odd 1.5 hr trip the 1500 will do just fine.

BTW Trailers are usually around 1200 lbs and your equipment and gear/gas will probably start at 1k. Either way your well within the saftey of the vehicle.

Edited by TrickyNicky
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Ok, let's get down to some facts.

You never did say what year LSV 23, so I'll guess it's the current model at 4000 pounds. With trailer and gear you are easily looking at 5500 pounds.

GM has rated the 2000 Blazer 4x4 at 5900 pounds for towing. There are lots of dirty words you can use when describing auto manufacturers, but one thing they don't do is overstate these types capabilities. You can't define exhilarating or sporty, so they will use these all over the place. However, in a court of law you can define precisely what 5900 pounds towing capacity means. Therefore these numbers are not only fuly tested, they are very conservative.

So you are at the upper range for towing a fully loaded newer LSV with the Blazer, but you are not placing yourself, your family or anyone else on the road in undue risk. I have not driven something close to your vehicle, but for towing I would much rather have a lighter SUV than a heavier pickup. I've driven all kinds of pickups in all kinds of conditions and having 75% of the weight up front make a huge difference in braking power and maneuverability under braking. Pickups just can't put traction and braking to the rear tires as well as more balanced vehicles. So when someone tells you that your Blazer won't work but a 5000 pound pickup will, you will actually have the same or less weight over the rear tires. I've seen pickups with large trailer loads buckle up or sideways at the hitch when I don't think an SUV would have.

I can't make your decision for you. But I can let the facts speak for themselves. You are not exceeding the stated limits for your vehicle and in 5 miles, you aren't going to miss the extra power. I wish my Aviator had more power, but I'm not going to upgrade for a couple years because it's doing the job.

Make your own decision, just make sure you do it based on facts, not someone saying 'well, that's pretty heavy, so you need a bigger vehicle'.

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