6000# Towing Capacity 0n 74 Charger?

[Cranky]

I only flat towed with a car but never towed with a trailer behind a car but a buddy of mine did that all the time with a 75 (iirc) Charger and it did pretty well but his race car was a hair less than 3000 lbs and the trailer was aluminum. Had no idea how much the trailer weighed but know it was light. One day we went to Louisiana with my car (3200) on the trailer and on the way home a trailer tire gave up. I was asleep in the back seat (worked a double shift the day before) and when I felt the car get a tug, I woke up to see the trailer....and my car....at about 45 degree angle to the road. The straps held on and so did the trailer and the tow car and nothing was damaged except for the trailer tire. Not sure a pickup back then could have done any better.

 

[Paul_G]

There is someone who still tows a car hauler regularly with a 69 Charger. Chris Birdsong, Junkerup #chris birdsong. He uses a light weight steel trailer, but I would guess he is still close to the max weight limit.

 

[Cranky]

There is someone who still tows a car hauler regularly with a 69 Charger. Chris Birdsong, Junkerup #chris birdsong. He uses a light weight steel trailer, but I would guess he is still close to the max weight limit.

Light weight steel? Must be a 'flexy flyer' then.....

 

[eldubb440]

my AMC Rebel Machine had a trailer hitch, we ditched it long ago (4 speed car)

pretty sure it was chrome, not a joke........ there's a joke in there somewhere

 

[terrywalker]

@KernDog. Yes, my 20 ft RV trailer has electric brakes. I believe that most of the RV trailers over 18 ft do come with electric brakes. Tent trailers, some do.
Terry W.

 

[Don Frelier]

My 77 fury had a trailer towing package.
It had everything:
360 2barrel dual sprocket steel timing chain
Heavy duty radiator with a big fan
727 Trans
Trans cooler
Power steering cooler
100 amp alternator
9 - 1/4" rear axle with big drums
Brake controller
15" steel wheels with hub caps only.

It was heavy duty pretty much the same hardware as a police vehicle but without the 4 barrell.
But the 2 barrell was a 500 cfm Holley so it didn't make a great difference.

 

[71dodgechargerrt]

 

[71dodgechargerrt]

My first Charger, late 70's.

 

[69 hemibee]

Most people back in those days only had one vehicle, so a trailer hitch was added to their car.

Same as it is in Europe to this day. I travel across Belgium and Netherlands for clients and there's cars carrying horses, sheep's etc.

 

[JC Boatguy]

Keep in mind a hitch rated at 6k HAS TO BE A FRAME HITCH, not a "bumper" hitch

 

[F4R/T]

I don't worry so much about the ability to pull the trailer. I worry about stopping the trailer. Do they have brakes in them?

I also believe front axle weight or weight distribution is very critical ... stopping is key!!!!

 

[Detective D]

My 78 Monaco had a trailer hitch on it. Owner that bought it from the county auction used it for almost 3 decades to pull his pop-up camper from Shawano area up to Michigan UP.
The guy I got it from, kept it, so he could put it on his brother in laws 74 Charger. They had a small enclosed trailer they took to shows/swap meets.

The mount for this hitch was on the rails, it was designed to use the bolts that go through the trunk floor, through the rails, and then had big nuts on the bottom. There are 4 of those bolts, with steel plates to tie them together in pairs in the trunk.
I don't see any evidence on the rear bumper that anything was hooked up there, but I might have to go scrutinize it more. Certainly nothing on the chrome face surface.
The bolts through the trunk floor are certainly stout enough to hold 6000lbs. The guy told me "factory type hitch. Probably got from a dealer after the auction. Pretty rare, most people just stuck a bumper hitch on."

For those that don't know, my Monaco was a county detective car, so it has all the gov't/police stuff on it, and had a big block in it. I imagine it pulled a camper without breaking a sweat.

 

[Kevin McCabe]

I was reading the 74 Charger sales brochure and saw where a 6000# towing capacity package was available. I am surprised that with the right package, these cars could tow something that heavy. I nteresting. I can't recall seeing a 71 to 74 Charger with that package. Where was the 7 pin ATA connector, in the rear valance? It appears it had a variable load turn signal flasher and an electric brake controller. What all was in the heavy duty suspension ? what size was the transmission cooler and was it in the radiator or external to it? Does anyone have this package on their car now?
Terry W.

View attachment 1677487

Trailer tow consisted of heavy duty torsion bars, leaf springs, shocks, likely an 8-3/4 rear axle and at least a 3.55:1 gearset. Also part of it was the largest rad available, a seven blade clutch fan and likely an external transmission oil cooler, plumbed in with the cooler in the bottom of the rad (transmission to cooler to rad to transmission). There may have been a power steering oil cooler as well. Check the FSM for exactly how the wiring was picked up for the trailer connections. And the hitch was frame mounted. It doesn't touch the rear bumper. HD turn signal flasher and bigger if not the biggest alternator as well. There'll also be bigger brakes, bigger wheels and bigger tires too. The whole car gets the heavy duty touch. A late very good friend of mine was the chief chassis and suspension engineer at Chrysler when these cars were in production and he insisted/cajoled/demanded that a full package be added to the car unlike GM where every HD piece was an individual add-on.

 

[Kevin McCabe]

I also believe front axle weight or weight distribution is very critical ... stopping is key!!!!

That's why it's called an equalizing hitch! LOL!

 

[Kevin McCabe]

I realize our cars back then were used for towing. My dad used his 72 or 73 Plymouth (?) Fury Suburban station wagon for towing our tent trailer. I didn't realize the Charger could tow 6000# with the unibody construction. I figured maybe 2500#. I have a 74 Charger, waiting to be restored, that has a trailer hitch on it but I'm sure it was added as it doesn't have any of the other tow package equipment listed on the brochure. I've thought about setting it up for towing but need to see some photos such as the equalizer hitch, trans cooler, electrical plug location, etc. That would be an interesting setup. Anyone have any photos?
Terry W.

View attachment 1677566

View attachment 1677567

View attachment 1677568

I wouldn't pull anything over about 2000lbs with a hitch like that.

 

[gdrill]

I didn't say the word. I didn’t type the topic. I read this thread. Then this shows up on my phone.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7cZj6sM6Bl/&h=AT1SLEaLY0ho7iiA8okayZEB0mPdI1TBJa2pR3myLWuJSxv4HchExzIw7KPpHmsLFrg3S7cN-_D14H_mdbG2oty6h0p4UXePXkeJesp3a3PmNJtq2Ag9A413ud2yQYKk3SvItCfEmntMfDQ&s=1

 

[F4R/T]

I never see many folks using a equalizing hitches and I often wonder why? I have one and it also has sway control with it making towing very nice. It requires little effort to use but many folks are lazy and can barely put the lock pin in the the latch.