TBSS towing with 3200 RPM TC
 

Buddy of mine wants me to pull his Neon SRT-4 to Savannah for a track day. Car weighs 2400 lbs, and I have a dual axle, wood bed Top Hat 16' trailer.

Any concerns towing with a Circle D 3200 RPM torque converter and a Gearmesh built trans?

I tried the TBSS forum, but it just turns into a pissing match over who has the best TC.

Thanks

Should have bought a Yank! J/K

I would call up Circle D and see what they say.

That makes entirely too much sense Neal......lol.

I sent Chris at Circle D a message, we'll see what they say. I don't think there will be a problem, just want to be sure. I'm more worried about rear suspension and braking more than I am the ability of the truck to pull the load.

If his car weighs 2400 lbs he has done some SERIOUS weight reduction, are you sure that number is correct?

You still have airbags in the rear?

you know trailblazer ss are not for towing. they are race suv's.

ForceFed - not sure of that number at all, that's what he replied to a text where I asked him what it weighed. I know it's full interior, so no weight reduction that I know of.

Neal - No more airbags for me. Belltech shocks / springs.

JMD - if I wanted an SUV to race, i would have started with a GC SRT8, but the lack of towing turned me off.

I have pulled my 2400 pound boat numerous times with no issue, but this will be significantly more. Might end up just putting it on a dolly and calling it good. It's only a 2 hour ride, can't be that bad on a dolly.

Do you have electric fans we towed luckies car all over the place with shawns tb. Was monitoring trans temp with an extra digital guage.

I have e-fans and a trans cooler, and can monitor temps. Not worried about the trans really, as long as i can keep temps below 200 i'll be fine. And running on interstate, cooler functions amazingly, so shouldn't see much more than 190 or so.

google says the SRT weighs in at 2880

You'll be fine

I towed my 3500lb trans am with mine with a 3800-4000 vig in it. Once i got on the interstate it was fine

depending on the year 2400lbs could be correct even with almost everything on the car. I think they were around 2500-2900lbs. Spare tire and maybe lighter wheels would drop you almost 100lbs if you really wanted it without changing a thing.

The only problem I see is the neon fitting on an open car trailer without messing up the front bumper.....

The lightest srt-4 ever made was a one off made by Mopar that weighed 2500 lbs, every other year weighed 2900 lbs.

are we really discussing how much a skittle weighs....

biggest concern

I was just thinking about getting it on the trailer. Think I am going to suggest to him that he get a dolly and we just pull it that way, easier on my truck, and easier on his car.

Thanks for the input guys.

I was just correcting some information is all. Last time I checked 500 lbs is a lot.

On a front wheel drive car that would work well.

Once you level off at highway speed and your torque converter gets locked up, operating temperature shouldn't be hardly much more over normal cruise temperature. If you call for enough throttle demand % for the TCM to unlock the converter clutch, then you will be into your stall coupling of your converter and you will see some elevated temps.

I would also do the towing in Drive 3 gearshift position to lock out overdrive from being engaged. That way the rear planet isn't taking a hell of a towing load. Drive 3 has your trans limited to 3rd gear which is 1:1.

Towing while in overdrive is better left for the 4L80E for the Chevys and the E4OD/4R100s for the Fords. They have much bigger planetaries for overdrive than the smaller car/truck light duty 4L60/65/70E and the Ford AOD/E platforms.

Had me worried for a second, I pulled to western tennessee and back in OD mostly with around 4500lb behind me. However I do have the heavy ass 80, it has to be good for something other than eating HP and gas.

Towing locked up is key. I also run a circle D 3200 stall, but manually lock it with a button switch whenever possible. Is there anyway you give your self some throttle room in your tune to help keep it locked up?