Towing with Syclone

[IROCFAST]

Can, or I guess the question is should I tow with my syclone. I am thinking about joining the ranks of owning one, but need to be able to tow my race car back and forth to the track. Would a syclone be able to do this without alot of trouble? Also, what kind of maintenance problems are common with these trucks. Thanks

 

[smeagol]

Short answer, No.

Long answer, Syclone's came with a poor payload rating from the factory, like 500lbs.

The lowered suspension can't handle more than that, the trannies break with the power they make stock, let alone the added stress of towing. Towing would put the truck in boost a lot more, creating more heat and stress. It makes mad torque & power, and would be ok in that area, but I'm sure you've driven a turbo diesel towing truck...those will stay in boost for minutes, hours at a time possibly. Try that in a Syty and you'll be picking up parts down a mile or two stretch of road.

Reliable? HA! Sorry, no again. Trannies break, engines break when not running 100%, ignition system has to be watched like a hawk, they run hot, break heater cores like it's going out of style. Vacuum lines need to be watched as well, since the high underhood heat eats 'em. The turbo & wastegate are crappy, and you'll have boost control problems, which could lead to detonation & dead motor. If you can remedy these problems & live with them, and learn to understand the trucks at a basic level, you can finally then enjoy the trucks.

GM just didn't put the R&D into the trucks that they deserve. :evil:

 

[ParTyBoy]

Reliable? HA! Sorry, no again. Trannies break, engines break when not running 100%, ignition system has to be watched like a hawk, they run hot, break heater cores like it's going out of style. Vacuum lines need to be watched as well, since the high underhood heat eats 'em. The turbo & wastegate are crappy, and you'll have boost control problems, which could lead to detonation & dead motor. If you can remedy these problems & live with them, and learn to understand the trucks at a basic level, you can finally then enjoy the trucks.

GM just didn't put the R&D into the trucks that they deserve. :evil:

Everybody run while you still can

 

[smeagol]

Just being brutally honest, as that's the type of answer he needs.

 

[TheObiJuan]

i was going through the same thing you were. i chilled here and kept on reading...no i will never leave. sorry guys, your stuck with me. as soon as i get older and a real job that pays more than my current 25k a year i will get a ty. damnit i will. but for now my 1800 dsm will have to do. get the syclone, you wont regret it. stock they are awesome, minus a few weak points that can be fixed easily. this is one of the best communities for any cars. the support is crazy here.

 

[smeagol]

Reread his post.

He wants a tow vehicle truck.

Syclone ain't it, bottom line.

 

[TheObiJuan]

doh! oh well, with al's suspension, a good hitch, and brian's upgraded tranny it will do fine for towing. btw, those mods should be standard if you want to go fast.

 

[Zac]

The guy want's to tow a race car. I don't think Al's suspension, A brian tranny, and a hitch would do it. Buy a fullsize Pickup to tow, not a syclone.

My .02,
ZAC

 

[TheObiJuan]

I am thinking about joining the ranks of owning one,

chris, read that. he is not getting a sy just to tow, he wants to know if he gets it, because it is a performance vehicle can he tow. stock, no. modified, imho, yes.

 

[smeagol]

Ugh, why do threads like this turn retarded?

read this portion then:
but need to be able to tow my race car back and forth to the track.


I don't care how you modify it, short of adding a dually rear axle, lifting it and putting a massive diesel motor in it, a Syclone will not make a good tow vehicle for a race car. It is a dinky little S series truck, with a troubled driveline, lowered, and a motor & tranny that generate a ton of heat. I've never seen a 4x4 Blazer towing a race car & trailer, let alone a version of that vehicle that has more problems, and is lowered.

Fullsize trucks with adequate power & suspensions even have TOW PACKAGE options from the factory to help them out in towing situations.

 

[Opie]

There's no way a Syclone will reliably tow a race car. Doesn't matter if it's a stock Syclone or ar modified one. The Syclone drivetrain will get ripped up.

Now, if he was only towing a 500 lb trailer with a jet ski on it, I might tell him to go for it ... but not a car trailer with a race car sitting on top of it.

Irocfast, it wouldn't work out very well for you. You're better off getting a vehicle designed to tow. Sorry.

Cheers,

Rick Waller
--SyTy Militia--

 

[TheObiJuan]

Ugh, why do threads like this turn retarded?

read this portion then:
but need to be able to tow my race car back and forth to the track.


I don't care how you modify it, short of adding a dually rear axle, lifting it and putting a massive diesel motor in it, a Syclone will not make a good tow vehicle for a race car. It is a dinky little S series truck, with a troubled driveline, lowered, and a motor & tranny that generate a ton of heat. I've never seen a 4x4 Blazer towing a race car & trailer, let alone a version of that vehicle that has more problems, and is lowered.

Fullsize trucks with adequate power & suspensions even have TOW PACKAGE options from the factory to help them out in towing situations.

well your rude ass made it clear not to get one to tow virtually anything.

if i had i syty i would know its limitations more, but i dont. sorry. my bad guys. 8)

 

[Wes]

Simple solution here. Buy the Syclone. Sell the race car, use the money to mod the Sy, then the Sy will be the race car. And it wouldn't need to be towed to the track.

 

[FLSY2730]

You have to be able to stop safely when you are towing something, i dont think the syty would be towing candidates at all, hell you would have to be crazy to tow a race car and trailer with a sy, gotta be around 4000lbs unless you have a superlight racecar. Just buy a duramax!!!

 

[spooldup]

you should probably get a lightning. :roll:

 

[IROCFAST]

Thanks for all the answers guys. I appreciate your honesty even if it isn't what I wanted to here. Also, just to give you a heads up, my father used to tow his 68 camaro everywhere with his 4wd S10 and had no problems whatsoever. In no way am I saying that his S10 was anything like a Sy, but it seemed some were concerned with the S platform being able to tow period. I had concerns about the trailer causing it to run in boost all the time and I guess I was right. As far as selling the car...do you see that MPH??? With alot of suspension work and a little more fine tuning on the engine, this is a 10sec ride. I also drive it 3-4 times a week and have taken it on 300+ mile trips (thank God for overdrive). I just thought it would be cool to have a fast tow vehicle also.

 

[TyGuyJeff]

Ever slam on the brakes in a syty with bad abs? I bet that would be similar to towing a trailer WITH frt/rear upgraded disk brakes. Basic rule of thumb is never tow more than the tow vehicles weight, and the syclone is light enough.

 

[FLSY2730]

Ever slam on the brakes in a syty with bad abs? I bet that would be similar to towing a trailer WITH frt/rear upgraded disk brakes. Basic rule of thumb is never tow more than the tow vehicles weight, and the syclone is light enough.

Where did you come up with that? My duramax is rated to pull 15900lbs with a fifth wheel setup and the truck wieghs 6600lbs, most newer S10s with a 4.3 are rated to pull about 5000lbs and my 98 S10 longbed 2wd wieghs 3000lbs. I regularly pull about 9000 lbs with a pintle type trailer with the duramax.

 

[FLSY2730]

Of course , anyone pulling over 5000lbs with out trailer brakes is a fool anyway.

 

[TyGuyJeff]

A heavy duty truck is not part of my equation. I was speaking as a general rule of thumb. HD trucks are made for that, NOT a syclone. I will speak no more of the subject when it comes to comparing apples and doorknobs- two very different things, with two very different purposes.