Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

[stevenhickeys]

In my quest to buy a decent tow vehicle (long trips), would it be out of the question to put a hitch on my 98 Le Sabre 3.8 and use this vehicle to tow a 19' Bluefin that weighs @ 1,600 lbs? It would be used for 10 mile trips to the launch and moving the boat around the yard.

Any advice and experiance with this matter would be most welcome. I believe the Buick is rated to tow @ 3000 lbs.

SH

 

[Bondo]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

Ayuh,.... It might work, but a front wheel drive sedan wouldn't be My 1st choice....

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

I used to tow a 1800# rig with a front wheel drive minivan. Worked fine on gravel ramps, never tried it on a slippery paved ramp though, I imagine traction could be a problem.

 

[backyardhockey3]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

I towed a heavier boat than that many, many miles with a 93 Park Avenue. Folks were amazed at how well it did at the ramp. Just take it easy on the throttle when pulling out. Still driving it, though not as a tow vehical.

 

[stevenhickeys]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

Thank you all for your input. I know it is a little risky with a car of that size and high milage but I think if I am careful and make sure I baby the transmission I should be all right.

Should I have the trailer hitch professionally installed or should I try to put it on myself? Any exp in that department??

SH

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

Steven, I have both a 1998 and a 2004 LeSabre, both with hitches, both have been used quite frequently to tow a small popup and a small utility trailer, primarily for camping, sometimes for picking up mulch or lumber or such. I installed those hitches myself, it really was not hard to do if you have a drill and bits. (Well, the 04 was harder to wire)

Max allowable is 1000lbs, I'd say we've probably at most done 1200lbs with the popup and a lot of gear. Supension (both have FE3), motor, trans (I installed external aux coolers, also) handled that no problem; biggest issue I ever had was vapor lock in the 1998 underhood fuel lines while towing the popup on James Dean highway on a really hot summer day.

All that said, I'd hesitate to do 1600lbs on a public road, especially if there are any hills. And does that 1600lbs really include everything? (hull, motor, trailer, fuel, gear, etc.)

Also, have you gotten the hardened 4th (OD) clutch shaft update? If not, definitely keep it in 3rd while towing anything.

P.S., if you do decide to go ahead, LMK. I'm planning to sell the 98 soon and I am going to remove the hitch to sell separately. Where you located, anyway?

 

[robert graham]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

I tow with a Buick Roadmaster, LT-1 V8, air shocks, trailer towing package, transmission cooler, positraction, etc., and it's fine, but a Buick front wheel drive 3.8V6(like my wife's Buick Regal), probably not so good for long highway towing and steep, slippery ramps. For short hauls/lighter weight boats to the local ramps you might be O.K....especially if it'll save you the expense of buying a specific "tow vehicle" Have a Real Trailer Hitch installed by a professional. Good Luck!

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

I tow with a Buick Roadmaster, LT-1 V8, air shocks, trailer towing package, transmission cooler, positraction, etc.,

Well, see now, that's a real car!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

I towed a similar (but smaller) boat with a similar car. Didn't work well. Was especially a pain on the ramps.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

10 miles--car rated for 3000#--boat is 1600#

No problem. Certainly not worth it to buy another vehicle or add tow packages to yours.

But you mention "long trips" not sure what that refers to. 10 miles is nothing.

front wheel drives are used all the time at ramps; unless yours is peculiar, should be OK; take it slow.

You can get your local Uhaul dealer to install a hitch and the light socket pretty cheap. If not, your lights will probably be a plug-in system.

Now, the 1967 leSabre my dad had could pull a train of your boats!

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

...car rated for 3000#...

A 1998 LeSabre? No way. It's rated for 1000#

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

A 1998 LeSabre? No way. It's rated for 1000#

I agree. I had a 1998 Olds Intrigue with a 3.8L, which I assume is almost identical. No way would I pull anywhere near that with it. Frankly, even the 1000 pounds would have been scary. Also, I am slightly skeptical of the 1600 pounds as being the loaded weight of boat and trailer, but I could be wrong on that part.

Sorry,
TerryMSU

 

[stevenhickeys]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

The best part of this forum is all of the ideas and advice. After some checking, the tow limit for the Buick is 1000 lbs and that will not safely work for my boat. I appologize for not checking out the limit before I posed the question. I was hoping there would be some way I could get the boat into the water a couple more times before I put it to bed for the winter.

Thank you all and if I want to tow something with the Buick it should be under 1000lbs.

SH

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

My LeSabre does great

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

That generation of 3.8 had a transmission that was shaky at best. I went through 2 of them in 2 seperate vehicles before I swore off 6 cyl FWD GM products for life. Now they're in our squads. We go through a squad about every 6 months and we only have 19 them. I wouldn't tow behind that vehicle even if it was within it's weight rating which I seriously doubt. Just my 2?.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

There's just not much about that Buick 3.8 V6 that's designed for towing...it's doing good to haul that car around!

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

I have no doubts of the 3800 towing. 4T65 isnt the but staying out of overdrive and installing a cooler will certainly help. I'd find a U body minivan with a 3800 for their towing capacity would exceed what youre trying to tow.

Or if you like sedans just get a Roadmaster and be done with ***

 

[skyking897]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

I'm surprised no one suggested a one ton dually diesel truck. Seems to be the tow vehicle of choice around here Just kidding. Back when I was young and foolish (just foolish now) I towed my 16ft. '76 Starcraft around with my '86 Cutlass Ciera with a 2.8L engine. Wouldn't wanted to have gone on a long (over 75 miles) trip, but did tow it 40-50 miles quite often to Mitchel's Bay and the car did quite well. Never had an issue with the steep concrete ramps either.

 

[Mason78]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

I found this link. Its a hitch for a 98 that claims a 3,500 pound capacity. But I belive its referring to the hitch and not the vehicle.

Is a 98 a unibody or body on frame?

http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-1998_Buick_LeSabre.htm

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Buick Le Sabre tow vehicle

I found this link. Its a hitch for a 98 that claims a 3,500 pound capacity. But I belive its referring to the hitch and not the vehicle.

Is a 98 a unibody or body on frame?

http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-1998_Buick_LeSabre.htm

That's exactly the hitch I have on my 1998 LeSabre.

It is unibody. The car itself is rated for 1000#