'94 RaodMaster Wagon Questions

Located a nice '94 Wagon and need a few questions answered.....First the Description<P>Clean body, runs strong, 110K highway Lady-driven miles, dealer-maintained. Fully loaded - power everything, leather interior in mint condition. Towing package (H.D. cooling...etc) and 2.93 Posi rear, and automatic ride height adjustable suspension (what was this called...?)<P>OK....Questions<P>1) Approx value ?<P>2) What typically goes on these drive trains with high milage?<P>3) Towing package - what class hitch...Max towing capabilities ? <P>3b) The adjust. suspension....Is this Air shocks, Air bags, ??? Is this a coil spring susp. in the rear ? How does this system hold up under towing ?<P>4) Posi - what size rear is this ? 8.5 corporate 12 bolt ? what posi ? Eaton ?<P>5) What tranny is this ? 700R4 ??<P>6)What kind of gas milage could i expect on the highway (Without towing) and around town ....assuming good running tune ??<P><BR>Im looking to possible tow my GS with this (Trailer and car approaching 5-6000 lbs....) as well as a daily driver....<P>Thanks all for your help<P>Alan

I believe you will find that the rated tow capacity is 1000lbs, which is a Class I rating. Even with whatever the "tow package" might include.<P>Otherwise, 350 V-8, Turbo 700R4 trans, 2.93 GM 10 bolt rear axle, automatic leveling with rear air shocks, probably low to mid 20s mpg on the road (steady cruise with no wind on flat roads), town mileage will depend on locale and driving/traffic patterns.<P>As a side issue, even with the Class I receiver (1" square shank), the Caprices would drag the hitches on the pavement when entering steep driveways, etc. To my knowledge, no one lists any type of hitch heavier than a Class I for those vehicles.<P>A much better tow vehicle would be a HD 3/4 ton (8600 GVW) pickup (of whatever brand preference you might have, but hopefully GM). The suspension, brakes, and other chassis components are much better suited to safely handling the weight of your GS on the trailer. You can add the necessary Class III or gooseneck hitch to keep things safely under control. Even on the GM pickups, the tow package only consists of extra coolers, trailer hitch (Class III), and wiring leads leads (on the newer ones). These trucks typically have 3.73 rear axle gears which suits your intended use much better also. The only reasonably common item might be the 350 engine.<P>People used to use full size vehicle to tow travel trailers and other things with in the past, but even then, the vehicles had to have modifications to the suspension and such to safely do it, even at the restricted speeds they could tow back then.<P>I suspect that you could find an extended cab, Chevy or GMC 2500 pickup (8600 lb GVW) that you could use for a dual purpose vehicle, but the fuel economy might not be as good, although that would be a minor tradeoff to damage to yourself and/or your GS if an emergency situation might take place.<P>The final decision is yours . . .

To answer some of your questions...<P>I get about 17 in town and 22 plus on the road (80MPH) I've gotten as good as 24 where the speed limit is less than 75 MPH. EPA is 16/24. <P>The drivetrains are solid, the '94 has the LT-1 engine with 250 HP at the rear wheels, my '93 has about 190 or so. <P>The tow capacity for my car is 7500 lbs, not 1000! I have not ever towed anything with it, however. <P>The load leveler system is a compressor and air shocks. Gabriel air shocks were a direct replacement for mine that began to leak. <P>Not sure if tranny is a 700 or a 200. <P>My car has 82,000 on it and we love it. <P>Weak points? The black body side moldings attached to the stainless trim come unglued and need to be reattached and the window regulators break. Other than that, I have loved everything about it. If you want more input, go to stationwagon.com and send their group a questionaire.

My apologies on the tow rating. I found a 1995 Cadillac listing for the rear wheel drive Fleetwood which states "an available package that allows trailering of up to 7000lbs GVW" so that would coincide with the 7500lbs mentioned.<P>I do know that we had complaints of the Class I hitches dragging on the Caprices we put them on, even with the "trailer package" from the factory, but not automatic levelling (which was not a Caprice item).<P>The transmission should be the 4L60 or Turbo700.<P>In any event, follow the recommendations in the owner's manual for any trailering recommendations.<P>The Caprice SS or Caprice police car rear disc brakes are a bolt on situation for the rear axle. Changing the whole rear axle assembly (to get the rear discs) would also generate about a 3.42 rear axle ratio in the process (much better for towing than the 2.93 you mentioned).<P>One of the major trailering magazines did a car and trailer test with a similar Cadillac rear wheel drive Fleetwood sedan in about 1994 (as it still had the 200 horse 5.7L V-8). They also ran fuel economy tests for empty and towing as well as acceleration/braking tests. That article should answer any questions you might have on how well those particular chassis GM cars do at close to their max rated tow capacity.<BR>Seems like it was "Trailer Life" or something like that. I should have it somewhere . . .

<P> 1) Whatever YOU think its worth. If you pay twenty bucks for it someone will still say they could have done better.<P> 2) If the wagon was used a lot for trailering, double check the rear axle bearings for side play. If they fail, it gets real expensive. Check for the usual signs of engine overheating or other abuse.<P> 3) The major components of the trailering package are the engine driven cooling fan, the 2.93 axle, and the Automatic Level Control. The hitch was not supplied at the factory. The hitch manufacturer should have a rating on it.<P> 3b) The G67 Auto Level rear uses air shocks, coil springs, and trailing arms. There is a ride hieght sensor, and an on board compressor mounted in the left front corner of the nose of the car. Like all B Bodys, this hardware is pretty substantial.<BR> <BR> 4) This is an 8.5 gear. The trailering option did not automatically come with the Positraction axle. Look for code G80 on the SPID label to see if you have the Eaton locking differential.<P> 5) All Wagon LT1 powertrains came with 4L60E transmissions. <P> 6) The 2.56 gear gives around 20 MPG. Your milage will probably be closer to 18-19.<P> The rear disc setup from a B Body sedan can't be fitted to a Wagon. The entire axle housing assembly is wider in the Wagon, and the suspension mount points are different.

You Guys are GREAT !!!! Thanks for all the info<P>The Window sticker was in the glove box, thankfully, and it definately has the 2.93 POSI axle....<P>"The rear disc setup from a B Body sedan can't be fitted to a Wagon. The entire axle housing assembly is wider in the Wagon, and the suspension mount points are different"<P>Does that mean that if it takes a crap I'm out hunting for a Wagon-ONLY rear ?!?!<P>As the son described it to me, his Mom drove the car daily ~100 miles to work and back with trips to their summerhouse on the odd weekends. The Car did trailer a ~20' boat - I guess i should check for excessive rust in the rear of the car from launching a boat into salt water ? <P>I placed a similar post on the GSCA site, and someone chimed in about the 4L60E being prone to 100K mile failure as well as the Idler arms and stock shocks being weak...??<P>I know i'd be better off with a 3/4 ton truck or suburban, but i really dont want to drive that around daily. Towing duty wouldn't be more than a few times a year to drag the GS to the Nats....Long trips but not alot of them.<P>With my GS and trailer being at least 5000lbs, I'd be well over the 7500GVW - Im sure they're conserative on their ratings but ...? I saw several Wagons pulling cars the past few Nats, some even older 60's SportWagons Is Old-Tech better than New-Tech ?<P>Thanks bunches for all the help Guys !!<P>Alan

<P> The last gen Wagon rear axle ring and pinion and differential are the same across the B Body line. The housing and axle shafts are unique to the Wagon, which is why you need to keep an eye on the condition of the rear bearings. <P> As you posted, there are a lot of people out there towing their trailer queens with these Wagons. The computer controlled LT1 gives superior fuel efficiency and performance over the early engines in this application. A 455 equipped car would have more torque, but you would'nt want to pay the gas bill when towing a two and half ton load.

this is my 2 cents but i would not use that car for towing your GS. i would go with a 2 wheel drive 2500 Pickup or suburban and here is shy.<P>the suspension on thos e cars are not made for that kind of use. no matter what the dealer states when these cars were new. the brakes, tranny cooling and the stress on the frame are going to kil that car in the long run. i tow my GS with a 1997 silverado with the tow package, 350, 4L60E tranny, 3:73 posi rear and the trailering package, aftermarket coil over spring shocks and such. that wagon's rear springs are going to have to be changed, the rear of that car will be planted on the pavement and the front disc brakes are going to be taxed to their limit. i have troulbe with my trucks front brakes.<P>the wagon is no larger than the suburban (legnth wise). for the headache, the truck or suburban is better.<P>john

oh. one more thing. the are going to have to be modifications to that wagon also. the gears will have to be at least 3.42:1, the shocks (not the springs) will have to be changed to take the load and give you a proper ride height, and i do not think that they make a direct fit class III hitch for that car (i have a 1989 chevy wagon and they do not make it for that). so you will ahve to retro fit a universal one (which takes some drilling into the frame). <P>the main thing is that even though the wagon is rated for 7500 lbs, it is not ment to tow a car trailer. a boat or a utility trailer yes but not a car. i have a car trailer with the stabilizer bars on it and such and i can't image that rig being towed by a wagon. <P>your first priority in towing should be your GS. and i do not think it will be safe to tow it with that wagon.<P>john