GMC Jimmy tow Porsche?

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

Hi I am moving cross country in the spring 2000+ miles. I want to travel as cheaply as possible. I have a 96 GMC Jimmy (I know SUVs suck) it has 4.3 litre engine. Would it be able to tow my 77 911 on a car trailer or would it be too hard on the truck? Otherwise it'll cost me $1200 Cdn (760 US) to ship it on an open carrier.

What are your opinions?

Please help, I will also be driving a uhaul with my furniture and it will be towing my Dodge truck. But yes there are more than one drivers haha

Thanks in advance

Shawn

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

It can be done...depending on how heavy the TRAILER is...probably best to use a tow dolly. GOOD Lightweight trailers are expensive. Also depends on the tongue weight rating of your hitch.

Get AAA, if you already have it...get the AAA Plus.

pwd72s · 12-04-2001, 04:42 PM

I'd suggest getting figures on car/trailer weight, tongue weight, etc. Then ask your local GM dealer if he thinks the little Jimmy is up to the task. I haven't towed cars...only boats. Are you going to cross the Rockies, or whatever you call the continental divide up there? IMHO, the least I'd want to tow my Porsche behind would be a full sized pickemup or sports Ute with a 5 liter or bigger V-8. But that's just my opinion...your GM dealer may have a different view.

RarlyL8 · RarlyL8's Garage

One of my P-mechanic buddies has this same vehicle specifically for towing customer cars. Travels many miles a year.
The secret is his trailer - all alluminum.
Actually, that is only part of it. Steel trailers only weigh a few hundred pounds more. We live in the midwest, dreadfully flat country.

If you wish to tow with your Jimmy, here are a few tips:
No significant hills. The torque is not there and the 700R4 tranny will heat up.
Tow in 3rd gear (you already know this).
Use a tongue weight stabilizer, worth their weight in gold.
Keep the weight of the entire rig as low as you can.
Use a trailer with good brakes.

On the other hand, could you tow the Porsche with the Dodge truck?

pohsche · 12-04-2001, 08:16 PM

Towed my 77 Carrera 3.0 from Buffalo to Phoenix with My Dodge Caravan with a 3.3 V-6. Had little problem, but took it easy on the hills that I did encounter. Used a U-Haul tow dolly and as an added benefit, it made my van handle like...well, a Porsche! Go for it!

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

Thanks everyone

No I will not be crossing the Rockies, I am stopping just short of them. Close enough to ski in the winter

I am thinking of renting the trailer from UHaul,

RarlyL8 Great advice I will ensure I do all of the above.

TOW DOLLY? Mikez and pohsche both recommend them, I was thinking that the rear end would be "dragging" the whole way and might be harder on the car, even if I take of the driveshafts?

As for the Dodge towing it, that truck is an 84 Beater that I use in the winter, and it only has a 6 anyways. But we need the Jimmy for my dogs too.

Thanks everyone, anyone else?

Jim Smolka · 12-05-2001, 02:50 AM

davis911s,

Tow Dolly and dragging the rear... Hmmm. What does everyone thing about having the rear on the Tow Dolly and then adj the front ride height higher. Be sure to count the number of turns of the torrsion bar adj.

pohsche · 12-05-2001, 05:10 AM

My Carrera 3.0 is lowered to euro ride height and had no clearance problems. And as far as your drivelines, they would be turning if you were driving the car. I did this 2 years ago and I can tell you that there was no adverse effect to the car in anyway. But, know that I think about it, I did have to remove the front valance for clearance on the dolly. Also, U-haul does not want the responsibility of towing a Porsche on a dolly, so tell them it is for a VW. They will ask! But believe me, there is no problem whatsoever it towing your baby. I would never do anything to hurt my love, I mean my Porsche.

Al

Planter91C2 · 12-05-2001, 05:35 AM

you will have no problem at all if you have at least a class 3 hitch.

and suv's don't suck.

Dug89 · 12-05-2001, 06:00 AM

The problems with the smaller GM products towing is generally transmission related. They get too hot and boil/burn the fluid.

You might add an addtional trans cooler in line with the stock on in the radiator. You can get these kits anywhere. Be sure to keep the stock trans cooler, just add the additional cooler in series with the stock cooler.

On towing, NEVER use overdrive. Rent a trailer. If there are no trailer brakes (Uhaul uses hydraulic brakes) give lots of room when stopping.

You need 10 to 15% of the total trailer weight on the tongue. In your case about 400 pounds.

Happy Towing.

Doug '84 911 ROW