Potential 02 Trailblazer owner with towing questions

[Bigj79]

Hi all, I'm a potential Trailblazer owner and new here. We kinda put the cart before the horse, found a pop up camper that we couldn't pass up but don't have the tow vehicle yet. The camper is a 2005 Viking Legend 2471st witha dry weight of 2358lbs, a GVWR of 3340lbs, electric brakes, and a travel length of 18'.

I'm looking at a 2002 Trailblazer with 128000 miles on it. It has the 4.2 I6. I haven't been able to confirm with the dealership if its 3.42, 3.73 or 4.10 ratio, but for the sake of this post, let's assume it's the 3.42.

The trailer, my family of 4 (2 adults, a 3 year old and a 10 month old), and our gear seem to be within the limitations of the Trailblazer's abilities, but i was just wondering your thoughts? Anyone else out there with a similar set up? Also, this will not be our daily driver, strictly a TV to be used on weekends in the summer. We live in Illinois, so not much in the way of mountains or even hills to deal with.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice!

 

[Hypnotoad]

Welcome! I don't do much towing myself, but there are a lot of folks around here that do. Good luck.

 

[Bigj79]

Thanks

 

[Robbabob]

Welcome to the Nation, Newbie!

Sounds like everything should be okay. I'm not a tow expert either, though.

One will chime in with more details on which braking unit you may want, etc.

 

[The_Roadie]

That will be a DREAM to tow with a TB of any gear ratio. I tow a Trailmanor hard-sided folding unit - 23 ft. closed up, but in the wind shadow of my Envoy, at just over 3000 pounds. You'll have plenty of safety margin. Recommend an aux tranny cooler like a $50 Hayden or equivalent just for peace of mind. And a Prodigy brake controller as many of us use with success. You won't even need a weight distributing hitch, but you should get the hitch ball at the right height with a drop-down mount, and learn how to pack the trailer with 10-15% of the weight on the hitch to reduce or eliminate sway.

Also inflate your tires to the max recommended, and make sure you have good new (not OEM) shocks. And you didn't say the one you're looking at is 4WD, but if it is, insist on service records showing the transfer case was serviced every 50L (not 100K) miles. All other fluids are also due at 100K, plus spark plugs. See if they got done.

 

[Playsinsnow]

I second the insisting to see service records for a tow vehicle with that many miles. Don't try to race anyone and you'll be fine. When I tow I use 3rd and drive with a real light foot just to take it easy. Also helps with not wondering if it is or was trying to shift or not.

 

[Bigj79]

Great stuff guys, thanks for your guidance

 

[Mark20]

I second Roadie's post. I also towed a pop up campers with the Envoy and it did very well.

 

[The_Roadie]

Popped up it's huge:

 

[RedEnvoyDenali]

I concur with everyone. I tow a 4000 lb boat with gas and goodies. I do have a V8 but the 4.2 is a torquey beast and should have no trouble with your load.

The cooler is one of the best investments you can do in addition to check and changing as necessary all diff and tranny fluids. The transfer case is especially important since it needs to attended to every 50K miles. i prefer synthetics in all places except the Transfer Case that is strickly a GM product.

 

[Ghoster]

Popped up it's huge:

Thats what they all say.

 

[The_Roadie]

Thats what they all say.

And people wonder where I get the idea that it's OK to hijack threads into the joke universe.

 

[DocBrown]

As Roadie said, it will tow like a dream. I used to tow a 3500# hybrid trailer with our old TB, I6 & 3:42 gears. That was a box and it towed beautifully. A pop-up doesn't have the wind resistance a travel trailer does. Don't worry about it and just have fun!

 

[Bigj79]

Nice set up, Roadie. We looked at a Trail Manor, but ultimately decided on the Viking.

 

[Hypnotoad]

It's funny how the same question over at Trailvoy hasn't produced any replies.

 

[Ghoster]

It's funny how the same question over at Trailvoy hasn't produced any replies.

Trailwho???


Roadie... How do you like your Trailmanor? I looked at a used one a year or so ago and the guy talked me out of it. He said it had leaked at every window. Was he just full of it and trying to push me towards something else?

 

[Bigj79]

Yes Hypnotoad, it is funny. Thanks for the tip!

 

[The_Roadie]

Roadie... How do you like your Trailmanor? I looked at a used one a year or so ago and the guy talked me out of it. He said it had leaked at every window. Was he just full of it and trying to push me towards something else?

Nice set up, Roadie. We looked at a Trail Manor, but ultimately decided on the Viking.

We used to ground tent for 20 years in New England. Got sick of the mud, and got a succession of larger and larger popups. Starcraft, then a couple of Jaycos. When we moved to Oregon in 1994, we discovered that canvas was the wrong technology in that climate - it could take a week or more to be able to dry the canvas out after a wet weekend camping. So we got the Trailmanor in 1995. No problems any more with mold and mildew.

Yes, they're pricey. Low production rates and great value as Transformer toys.

What year was the one you were looking at? They have done a fantastic job with continuous updates to items that needed improvements, but as long as the windows were installed properly and the vertical slider gaskets were OK, they just can't leak around the windows. I would get another one in an instant, given the new floor plans and updates. I have small problems with some wooden structure that was changed to aluminum channel design over ten years ago. And the overlapping edge gaskets seem to need renewing every 6-8 years. It's routine by now. I've done (as you might guess) a LOT of mods for living out of it on the road for a month at a time, which I used to get for vacation time in the 90's at my former company. But those days are long gone. Sigh.

It's funny how the same question over at Trailvoy hasn't produced any replies.

We all know the quality of the answers a question back there would get.

Q: What's the heaviest trailer I could tow safely?
A: That red wire is for the trailer brakes.

Q: My parking brake handle is stuck up and the rear end is smoking when I drive now. How come?!?
A: Search, noob. Change the ignition switch.

 

[Ghoster]

What year was the one you were looking at? They have done a fantastic job with continuous updates to items that needed improvements, but as long as the windows were installed properly and the vertical slider gaskets were OK, they just can't leak around the windows. I would get another one in an instant, given the new floor plans and updates. I have small problems with some wooden structure that was changed to aluminum channel design over ten years ago. And the overlapping edge gaskets seem to need renewing every 6-8 years. It's routine by now. I've done (as you might guess) a LOT of mods for living out of it on the road for a month at a time, which I used to get for vacation time in the 90's at my former company. But those days are long gone. Sigh.

I don't recall the year, it wasn't all that old. It was a trade in at a dealership. I got the feeling he wanted me to buy something pricier. The oin.y thing that made me nervous was the lift/lower mechanism. Seemed to be ummm.... highly breakable? for lack of the appropriate term. OH! and how tall is the interior in your popped up? It seemed like it was low to me.

I do recall commenting to the salesman that it kind of looked like it was built on a Friday. Lots of little stupid issues. A hinge on a door, an exterior door not locking right. All little stuff, probably just lack of good PM. Another good reason for me to walk away.

 

[The_Roadie]

The lift/lower mechanism is torsion bars, no springs, no gas struts. Just like an old car trunk. Forever warrantied, they're bulletproof. The old design latches can be a weak spot but they fixed them.

Interior headroom 6"4"

 

[Ghoster]

The lift/lower mechanism is torsion bars, no springs, no gas struts. Just like an old car trunk. Forever warrantied, they're bulletproof. The old design latches can be a weak spot but they fixed them.

Interior headroom 6"4"

That was the other issue, height. I had a hat on and it hit the ceiling when I stepped in. I am 6'2". With boots on I can't scratch my head without having to duck.


Did you notice the tow vehicle in this pic?

 

[Bigj79]

The headroom was one of my issues with the Trailmanor. I'm 6'5", and there's a bit more headroom in the Viking pop up

 

[AV8ER]

Mine is an EXT with 3.73 gears, a month or so ago was the first time pulling over 3k with it and it seemed to do decent. We also had the back of the TB full to the roof with our camping gear. Not a barnstormer by any means but still only had to drop to second gear for a very small number of the rolling hills. Your probably looking at around 12mpg towing that kind of weight.

 

[Bigj79]

Went to test drive that 02 TB tonight. In my rush to get to the city after work, I forgot to run the Carfax, and only remembered while they were appraising my Jeep. Thank god I remembered! I should have known something was fishy about a 2002 TB with 129000 on it for $3500, when it should have been listed near $5500. Well, sometime in the recent past, the odometer magically rolled back from 223000 to 129000! Of course the dealer played dumb, said that can't be right. This is a Chevy dealer btw, Kingdom Chevy in Chicago. I'm not saying Kingdom rolled it back, but they surely knew. No wonder they were more than happy to trade straight up for my 2001 Cherokee Classic with 136000mi. Oh well, keep looking.

 

[Bigj79]

Picked up a sweet, super clean '02 TB LTZ 4X4 with only 63,000 CERTIFIED miles on it tonight. Gonna throw a tranny cooler and brake controller on, then first trip is to Governor Dodge State Park in Wisconsin on Mother's Day weekend. Pumped!!

 

[Playsinsnow]

Picked up a sweet, super clean '02 TB LTZ 4X4 with only 63,000 CERTIFIED miles on it tonight.

Sounds great but no ?

 

[Bigj79]

Will take one tomorrow when it's light out again

 

[Mark20]

Congratulations and best wishes with it!

 

[DocBrown]

Picked up a sweet, super clean '02 TB LTZ 4X4 with only 63,000 CERTIFIED miles on it tonight. Gonna throw a tranny cooler and brake controller on, then first trip is to Governor Dodge State Park in Wisconsin on Mother's Day weekend. Pumped!!

Congratulations! Governer Dodge is one of our favorite WI state parks.

 

[Bigj79]

Thanks guys!

We've tent camped at Governor Dodge before, what a great place. Really looking forward to taking the new pop up there!

 

[Bigj79]

The deal on the Viking fell through, so we picked up our new 2014 Forest River Flagstaff 625D yesterday. You guys were right, it towed like a dream! I never felt power was an issue on the ride from Des Moines, IA to St Charles, IL. No problems with sway either. Smooth sailing. Thanks again for everyone's advice! I'll be sure and add some pics when we get it popped up Memorial Day Weekend

 

[Ghoster]

photo.JPG

The deal on the Viking fell through, so we picked up our new 2014 Forest River Flagstaff 625D yesterday. You guys were right, it towed like a dream! I never felt power was an issue on the ride from Des Moines, IA to St Charles, IL. No problems with sway either. Smooth sailing. Thanks again for everyone's advice! I'll be sure and add some pics when we get it popped up Memorial Day Weekend

looks like a very nice trailer! congrats.

 

[Robbabob]

Looks like a great combo!