Towing question

[rsdata]

Looking for a truck that is able to handle a travel trailer Cherokee 36ft 7900 dry weight. In general, Will a 150/1500 model truck handle the load?

Another thing to look at when sizing your next tow vehicle is... What is the primary purpose for the vehicle? Is it also a daily driver?

gas consumption, ride comfort all come into play when towing is only a secondary consideration...

If your usage is 30-50% towing and your trips are long and over mountains, then get a 2500. If you keep your tow vacations close to home and don't plan on anything much over several hundred miles from home in fairly flat land and the truck is a daily driver then get the 1500 for better mileage and easier ride when not towing. If going the 1500 route, then payload capacity is the number that you will bump into... 1500's generally have the towing capacity but not always the payload as others have indicated.

[2 in a Roo]

Wow! There is a lot of misleading advice here. You need to do your homework and research and find the truck that work for you. You DONT need a diesel and you don't need a true 3/4 ton truck. A properly equipped 1/2 ton can get the job done well. Today's Daily Pick had a thread about a guy pulling a fifth wheel with his Tundra. Several Ford and Chevy 1/2 ton owners then piped in with their fiver experiences.

My 07 Tundra CrewMax with the 5.7 hemi, 6 speed tranny and tow package can pull a little over 10,000 pounds and has a cargo capacity of 1,600 pounds. That's stock and it's classified as a 1/2 ton. I think you'll find Ford and Chevy trucks with the tow packages and big V8s will spec out in the same neighborhood.

Just do your homework and stay within specs. You don't need a diesel.

[larry2c]

Originally Posted by 2 in a Roo

My 07 Tundra CrewMax with the 5.7 hemi, 6 speed tranny and tow package can pull a little over 10,000 pounds and has a cargo capacity of 1,600 pounds.

So the OP says his TT has a dry weight of 7900 #'s. Just to make it easy let's say he adds 1000 of camping stuff in his TT so now his TT weighs 8900 lbs. Average tongue weight is 13% of the trailer weight so that means the TT uses around 1157 lbs of the truck's cargo limit. Take away around 90#'s for the WDH and you are down to 353#'s left for wife/significant other, kids, dogs, snacks and anything else that you might want to carry. Ooops, you've exceeded your cargo limit - and for most half ton trucks that is where they come up short. Not the tow capacity but the cargo capacity.

[doc73]

This is the sad truth and why people seem to hate the weight police... You run out of CCC (payload) LONG before you ever hit your towing capacity. But no one seems to remember this (or wants to remember this is more like it).

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by sdmunoz

Looking for a truck that is able to handle a travel trailer Cherokee 36ft 7900 dry weight. In general, Will a 150/1500 model truck handle the load?

My view...
No knowledge on 1500 capabilities.
F-150 with max payload package (gets payload limit over 3,000 lbs), max tow package, and a 3.5 EB engine would likely work. You would likely be inside all the max weight issues. If not max payload - you need to stay with a lower trim level and, as others have stated, really pay attention to payload (lots of >2014 Lariat and XLT trucks are > 1,900 lbs - see spreadsheet available in a payload thread on the F150forum.com). The 3.5 EB engine will comfortably pull a heavy trailer.
I've read a number of posts that a 1/2 ton doesn't have the brakes to stop a heavy trailer. Personally, I expect the trailer brakes to stop the trailer and doubt even a 1 ton would do the job in many cases if the trailer brakes fail. Also, I've been surprised that the idea of upgrading the trailer installing disc brakes doesn't show up regularly (reported cost of about $2k). Seems to me that that would help a lot with the stopping issue and support use of a 1/2 ton as a daily driver.
I would spring for the safest WD hitch you can afford and recommend the Propride or Hensley if you decide on the 1/2 ton truck.
YMMV...

[llr]

I would not buy any 1/2 ton to tow that size. If you already had a well equipped 1/2 ton you c it try it carefully. Since you don't have a truck now you could wind up buying 2 trucks if the 1/2 ton is not working.
I have a similar size and weight trailer and start with a f150, power was OK, it just never felt stable and safe. I went with a 3/4 after 3 short trips, much better

[TheWolfPaq82]

Here's a little note. My 2018 Cherokee is 7914 dry, 900 hitch, and a gross of 11,060. (3146 cargo cap) Towed home dry with 2013 Silverado 1500 crew. Hill with stop light outside dealer. To get thru light I hit 6000 rpm's to top hill. Month later towing home from dealer with 2014 GMC 2500HD diesel and all our camping gear in trailer. Hit same light and was at 1900 rpm's when I topped the same hill.
My Two cents.

[joshuajim]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Here's a little note. My 2018 Cherokee is 7914 dry, 900 hitch, and a gross of 11,060. (3146 cargo cap) Towed home dry with 2013 Silverado 1500 crew. Hill with stop light outside dealer. To get thru light I hit 6000 rpm's to top hill. Month later towing home from dealer with 2014 GMC 2500HD diesel and all our camping gear in trailer. Hit same light and was at 1900 rpm's when I topped the same hill.
My Two cents.

Just goes to prove that the gasser will get you there just like the diesel!

[T11ravis]

Originally Posted by joshuajim

Just goes to prove that the gasser will get you there just like the diesel!

My god.
That's the example you choose to prove your point?!

[rockfordroo]

I just can't for the life of me figure out why people keep quoting dry weights. Their trailer never weighed that and never will!

DRY WEIGHTS ARE FOR SUCKERS!

[timfromma]

Use the GVWR of the trailer when deciding how much tow vehicle you need.

[joshuajim]

Originally Posted by T11ravis

My god.
That's the example you choose to prove your point?!

YEP, it definitely proves that the gasser will get you there just like the diesel.

[mwdilday]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Here's a little note. My 2018 Cherokee is 7914 dry, 900 hitch, and a gross of 11,060. (3146 cargo cap) Towed home dry with 2013 Silverado 1500 crew. Hill with stop light outside dealer. To get thru light I hit 6000 rpm's to top hill. Month later towing home from dealer with 2014 GMC 2500HD diesel and all our camping gear in trailer. Hit same light and was at 1900 rpm's when I topped the same hill.
My Two cents.

That's a lot of RPMs. WOW.

[itat]

The OP decided what they are going to get in Post #12. How did this thread get to over 50 posts!?

[timfromma]

Originally Posted by itat

The OP decided what they are going to get in Post #12. How did this thread get to over 50 posts!?

Becasue as of this post, 44 more messages have been posted.

[itat]

Originally Posted by timfromma

Becasue as of this post, 42 more messages have been posted.

...because most of those 42 other posters didn’t bother to read the first 12 to discover that the OP has already made their decision!