I need some help from members who are knowledgeable with towing, etc.
I've got a 1978 Chevrolet K20 4x4 (3/4 ton, 8 ft. bed) pickup back in WV that my grandmother gave me. It was my grandfather's farm truck and it is not in the best of shape, but I would still like to have it and restore it over the next few years. It would not be able to be driven back to MI since it has sat for so long. I'd like to tow it back to MI, but I'm not sure that I can.

I've got a 2005 Toyota 4Runner 4x4 Sport Edition V6. I don't think that it will tow the pickup on a trailer, but I wondered if it could pull it back with a tow bar. I have not been able to find out an exact weight for the pickup, but a 1988 3/4 ton 4x4 weighs 4,692 pounds. I believe my 4Runner will pull 5,000 pounds.

Hopefully some of you have some experience with towing, etc. and can tell me what you think.

Thanks in advance.

 

You may be able to tow it, but get ready for a white knuckle trip at times. You may have a bigger problem stopping than towing. Remember the pickup and trailer will weigh more than your 4 Runner. I just don't think it would be very safe. Read your owners manual, and visit your dealer to see what they say. If you decide to tow it, I wish you the best of luck.

 

OOOPPPSSS, I just re-read the post, bag the trailer part, but you may still be in for a white knuckle trip at times, and stopping may still be an issue. If the front end on the old truck is worn bad, the old truck may get the dreaded death wobble in the front end at highway speeds like my old jeep did. Not a fun thing while towing... I had to tow it under 50 MPH to keep the front wheels from doing the bad wobble routine. Still, I wish you a good and safe trip.

 

Rent a Uhaul & trailer - ruin their stuff instead of your own.
Is the pickup an automatic tranny, or stick?
I don't think you're supposed to tow autos are you?

 

i second the uhaul trailer, try to get one with trailer brakes and you will have no problems at all. just don't put it in overdrive or you will fry your tranny.

 

The '78 pickup is a manual tranny. My 4Runner is an auto.

Think a tow dolly would be better?

 

RPM, see if you can, rent a full size window van, with a trailer hitch. Rent a towbar that clamps onto the bumper, tell U-Haul you're towing an old 60's car with a solidly attached front bumper "pre-1973".
Just make sure you disconnect the rear drive shaft on the Chevy, (unless it's a stick shift).
I'm afraid your Toyota may be too light weight to do the job. As BigPappa mentioned, if the front suspension is pretty loose, you could wind up doing the "shimmy."

 

Hmmm. Decisions, decisions.
Guys, the pickup is in bad shape, but I'd still love to have it c/o the sentimental value, etc.. I posted some photos of it on Flickr. If you don't mind, check them out and let me know if you think it's even worth taking on:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8037187...7600241186055/

Thanks.

 

Ah... You've just hit a topic that I just resolved for my use of pulling the car out to the track... I used to drive a Toyota Tundra 4x4 XLT and rent a "car hauler" from U-Haul ($50 per day)... It worked fine, but decided to sell it for something that had an enclosed rear-end Van / SUV... So my tools and spares were not so exposed...

I just bought an old (1998) Chevy Suburban K3500 4x4 with a 7.4L to tow the car and trailer...

Your 4 Runner will be really unstable with the car and trailer, let alone it's lack of ability to stop the added weight... The other truck, providing it's in good working order should be fine and is more suitable for towing that weight... Make sure it has a class 3 or better tow system attached to the frame and not the bumper...

You car weighs 3,100 lbs, the trailer weighs 2,000 lbs...

The worse case scenario is that you rent a P/U truck from U-Haul (they have F-150's) and a car hauler...

Why don't you just pay your buddy a few bucks to drive with you and drive the car back ?

 

I have an old 75 Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4 that is a total rust bucket with about 400,000 miles on it and it runs most of the time. I only use it for hauling junk to the dump. If someone would offer me $5,000 for the thing I would take it... LOL Heck, I would be happy to take $500 cash, or even give it to the right person. For me it just isn't worth fixing up. But if ya need a beater, like most guys do, then go for it. I am going to try to attach a pic that shows some of the old thing, but shows mostly my old beetle. Good luck with the truck.

DSCN1098.JPG

 

RPM
I would definitely go for it, It should make a great restoration project. Plus, like you said you can't put a price on the sentimental value. IMO the best way to get it back to MI safely is on a trailer pulled by the longest wheelbase tow vehicle you can find for stability on expressway. (Full-size van or Pickup with a gas V8 or a diesel). Let us know what you decide.

 

That would work but, I know NO ONE in MI. Besides the 3 people I work with, that's basically it.

 

OK, I'm bringing this topic back up.
I've got that 1978 K20 3/4 ton 4wd truck in Bluefield, WV (24701).
I need to get it to Freeland, Michigan (48623).
U-Haul, etc. will not rent a trailer to tow it because the old truck is 'so big and weighs so much.' My best estimate is that it weighs close to 4,692 lbs (that's what a 1988 K20 4wd weighs).
My 4Runner will pull 5,000 pounds.

Anybody know of someone who does shipping on the side?
Or, does anybody know of a setup I could rent?

Any advice/help is much appreciated.

Thanks guys.

 

OK. Scratch the part about me trying to tow it back.
Found 2 shippers that will deliver it door to door for less than $500 (pretty good deal IMO).

Now, for all you restorers out there:
I'm going to go inspect the truck next week. If the frame has rot, I'm basically going to let it rest in peace (don't you think?). Anything else I should look for that would make it a 'lost cause?'

Thanks in advance.

 

RPM, I think you're going to need a new rear bumper...J/K...If the frame is rotted and you were going to do a body off restoration anyway, I would look for a good frame to work with. I have seen 50 year old frames on cars from Arizona that looked no worse than one that I had spent just 1 winter in Michigan. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you need to go to AZ, I'm sure you can find one in decent condition closer to home. Plus the first thing to do is to determine what you got to work with on the truck. By the way great price on shipping. It would have cost you more to do it yourself.
Good luck on the resto and take you time and $$$ to make it right... Are you doing an original resto or custom?