[A/S] towing capacity

["r_ekiss" <r_ekiss@xxxxxxxxx>]

I've been towing every kind of trailer since 1974. 
First a  1200 lb. tent trailer that I hauled with a
datsun 1600.  It was fine on flat and low hills. 
after I hit 3000 feet I started to lose power and
finally pulled over and parked the truck cause it got
too hot.  I went home and got my 1978 Granada and
hooked it up and pulled it up and down hills for two
years.  Went into Canada, over to Vancouver Island
with not trouble. 
I tent camped out of a 1976 Ford 360 F150 for three
years and then in 1987 bought a 28 foot  Alumalite
fifth wheel and the ford  pulled well on the low
hills, but lost power in the mountains.  I traded the
truck up to a Chevrolet 3500 454 and had no trouble
pulling the Alumalite.  

The next trailer was a  1976 20 foot argosy that I
pulled with a 1994 jeep grand cherokee V8.  The
matchup was great and towing was a dream.  I sold the
jeep and pulled it with a 1988 Chevrolet Suburban 350
engine and it towed with no problems as well.  

My next trailer was a 2001 Airstream 25 foot Six
Sleeper empty weight 4700 lbx gross a little over 6000
lbs, and I matched it with a 2001 Chevrolet 1500 auto
trans with the 5.3 engine.  On flats low hills it was
great, but when I hit 5000 feet altitude the power
started to lessen and at almost 9000 feet I was down
to a 5 to 10 mile speedlimit and wondering if I would
make the summitt.  After a couple of trips to the
dealership and no satisfaction I traded the 2001 Chev
with 5.3 in for a 2004 Chevrolet 6.6 duramax with the
Allison transmission.  I towed across the country the
gread divide, and all point high and low with no
trouble at all.  OK I probably woulda bought a Cummins
if they hadn't upcharged the engine by 2500 bucks.  

My advice don't by the least amount of power that will
get you through the flat land and low hills, get the
vehicle that will get you through the high hills and
the mountains.  

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.