I'm kind of curious as to why the 5 speed manual transmission in a Blazer has a lower towing capacity than the automatic...

Is the 5 speed not built as durable? A heat build up issue? Or just something GM does because they figure most people won't know how to pull a trailer properly anyway... ?

 

dont now but i had a 5-speed in my 4x4 s10 and now have a auto blazer and the 5 speed pulled a mountain better than my auto. but they both pull great on interstate and on flat roads

 

The 5 speed has better ratios... but the manual says it tows 1000lbs less than the auto version, lol.

 

I think your weak link becomes the torque capacity of either the gears themselves and/or the clutch.

 

Bollocks! lol

Guess I'll be installing a higher capacity clutch when this one wears out...

 

hey could it that the 5 speed is only offered in the 2 door, which is a shorter wheelbase truck? correct me if im wrong, but i dont think the 5speed was offered in the 4 door trim. if that is true then i think that might be the reason for th elowered tow capacity of the manual vs auto.

 

That's where my 1000lbs comes from... In the owners manual, comparing 2 door, 4x4's auto vs. manual, the auto tows 4,900lbs and the manual tows 3,900lbs.

From what I've been able to dig up, there's good chance the only real issue I'm going to have is the clutch... Because Dodge Dakota's with the NV3500 have a higher towing capacity... Even with the same gearing, lol.

Ahhh well, I plan on dropping in a T56 anyway, since the current transmission is pretty likely to blow once I drop the 5.3 into it...

 

Random update:

Apparently, the 5-speed with 3.73 gears can tow 4200lbs, according to this...

Interesting...

 

Hey drperry, thanks for that link. It kinda answers all my questions about the differencesbetween the Blazer,eXtreme & ZR2.

On that press release it had the GM communication guy's name & e-mail address so I've asked him (if he's still there!) where the Jap Blazers were built. (just curious)

 

It should say on the drivers side door... Unless the stickers are faded/gone