Towing with a 1987 760 GLE? auto?

Hi all,

According to the owner's manual, I can tow 3,300 lbs at 80km/h max with my 1987 Volvo 760
(B280F, 4spd Auto)

I am planning to tow my race car on a small single axle trailer (the race car weighs 1500
lbs, the trailer would weigh no more than 800 for a total weight of around 2300 lbs).
The race car is a mid engined car, so I will have to balance the car on the trailer to get
no more than 180 lbs tongue weight, which shouldn't be too hard to do. I probably will
add either electric or surge brakes to the trailer to ease the braking the Volvo has to
do.

I will be loading up tools and equipment into the trunk of the Volvo, maybe a set of spare
(lightweight) rims/tires on a roof rack.

So, my question is, will a 760 GLE with 250kms do all this?? The motor still runs
soooooooo sweet and strong, a little bit of driveline vibration when getting to speed with
a heavy load (could be u-joints, but they don't make noise at all?!?!). I may need to
replace the rad with a new one, just to be on the safe side (STILL ORIGINAL!!!!), I think
I have a small coolant leak somewhere, and it is more than likely from the rad.

I'd so rather tow all my race car stuff with my car instead of buying another van (I had a
full size Chevy before with a tandem axle trailer, while it was great for all this, it was
terrible on fuel and rusted like no tomorrow).

But driving to the race track (no real hills actually), at 80km/h?!?!? ouch, can't a 760
(280F, 4spd auto) take a 2 hour haul at 100km/h?

I love my Volvo, and I don't really want to get anything else (unless it is a 760 wagon).

I know there is someone in this newsgroup in the UK that tows his race car with a V70
wagon (my next car eventually), and he only has minor troubles.


Any ideas are appreciated!!

 

I talked to my father about his experience with towing our 2000+lbs of
trailer, gear, plus the family on long family trips. He said the car had no
trouble doing normal highway speeds (105-110 usually, occasionally slightly
faster on long open stretches... maybe 115-120). Up hills he said he would
take it easier, and always making to sure to leave very long stopping
distances (no brakes on the trailer).

Car was a 1989 745 GLE 16 Valve, so 153hp, 150lbft of torque.

Our current car, a 965 has no trouble pulling 2000lbs. Much easier then with
the old 740.

 

Sounds reasonable, but I'd fit an oil cooler to the transmission.

 

I though Volvo auto's had one already fitted?

 

They have one built into the radiator, for towing I would install a larger
more efficient auxilary cooler though.

 

Still better then most cars tho, right?

We've never had an overheat issue with any of our Volvo's, tranny or cooling
system (ie, the tranny fluid comes out the proper colour, never black or
brown).

 

You'll have no problems doing what you want. Your car would already
have an air cooled transmission cooler (look between the rad and
condenser). Keep in mind that all the "specs" are for towing up and
down mountains on really hot days.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

And make sure that the race car/trailer combo is slightly nose heavy (about
75kg) for stability.

Cheers, Peter.

: On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 14:01:12 -0500, "Myron Samila"
:
: >I am planning to tow my race car on a small single axle trailer
:
: Sounds reasonable, but I'd fit an oil cooler to the transmission.