Towing 10,000# 1/2 ton Chevy

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Until that braking system fails .....


Turbs

And 1/2 T tires locked up sliding on pavement won't slide much farther than 3/4 T tires locked up and sliding on pavement. What happens if you have a 1T Dually and the trailer brakes go out and the rear wheels fall of the truck at the same time? Holy smoke, gimme a break!

[B and B]

Originally Posted by elind

Like having your trailer plug come loose when you hit a stop light. After you FINAILLY get it to a stop, you go into your RV to change your Fruit of the Looms.

My plug locks in the bed connector. I push and check. It shouldn't come out so long as the lid or spring isn't broken, My truck will tell me if disconnected.

[B and B]

It is obvious this thread does not apply as i tow with a Ford....

[jimdd810]

Originally Posted by DDC

To those that are worried about stopping with a 1/2 ton, you do realize that the trailer is supposed to be set up to stop using it's own brakes, 1/2, 3/4, 1 ton it does not matter the trailer should be doing its own braking.

Remind me to not drive in front of you. There is a ton of difference between the 1/2 ton brakes and a 3/4 ton.
Trailer brakes are simple systems known to fail on occasion. The truck is the Main stopping force.
Take it from me been a well respected service tech for almost 25 years.


Life is a highway!!!!!

[rockfordroo]

Fourn3833: I think your thread got a bit hijacked. Anyway, I just looked at the 2011 Silverado Owners Manual.

For a 4.8L, Crew Cab, short bed (you don't say what rear end or 2WD/4WD):

2WD (pg 9-92)
3:23 - 4700 lbs
3:73 - 6700 lbs

4WD (pg 9-95)
3:42 - 5500 lbs

He should plop his Owner's Manual in front of the salesman, point to these numbers, and see what he has to say.

[Taranwanderer]

FWIW: between downshifting and my exhaust brake, I can roll off an interstate exit ramp without touching my brake pedal (or activating the trailer brakes) until the very last section of the stop, right at the SS. Try that with a half ton.

[rlocicero]

Our 829FKSS Flagstaff weighs in as 6213lbs with factory options installed. We carry no water in any tanks except water heater and we travel light. Levelers are plastic, no planks, resin chairs in back of truck, no firewood, minimal food and bottled water, rhino sewer system etc. and no kids. I am guessing that we are at about 7500 lbs including 2 passengers. My 1/2 ton tows and stops just fine. Towing is not rocket science. You need to match the truck to the tt you are towing. Yes, the brakes can fail, plugs can come out if not secured properly, and yes, you can be towing down the road and a blue block if poop ice can fall out of the sky from a plane and kill you. 1/2 ton trucks can and do tow very well if you do not exceed their capability. They say my truck can tow up to 11,300 lbs. Would I try? absolutely not. Would I try to tow something around 8500? Yes, if needed, but I like to stay around 7500 lbs.. If you want to tow a behemoth trailer or 5'er, you absolutely need a 3/4 or one ton truck. If you are down around 7500 or 8000 lbs, it very doable with a properly equipped 1/2 ton. This comes from 45 years of towing all kinds of rv and commercial trailers and managing a 2000 vehicle fleet.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

FWIW: between downshifting and my exhaust brake, I can roll off an interstate exit ramp without touching my brake pedal (or activating the trailer brakes) until the very last section of the stop, right at the SS. Try that with a half ton.

Wow, I'm impressed. I can do the same (other than no exh. brake) in my weak kneed 1/2T Silverado with the gear shift also.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Wow, I'm impressed. I can do the same (other than no exh. brake) in my weak kneed 1/2T Silverado with the gear shift also.

I know OC is pulling close to 9000 lbs if not over with his 1/2 ton, He built race cars I'm with him on this one.....

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

And 1/2 T tires locked up sliding on pavement won't slide much farther than 3/4 T tires locked up and sliding on pavement. What happens if you have a 1T Dually and the trailer brakes go out and the rear wheels fall of the truck at the same time? Holy smoke, gimme a break!

OC, you and Mark Twain know you can't win this argument here. Even if you do, there seems to be no prize. To some, every 1/2 is exactly like every other 1/2 ton... and some are sharing their experience from 25 years ago. When I worked on Space Shuttle's Flight Computer Operating System software, the discussions of redundant systems and fail-safe software operation would continue forever - until I stopped the discussion by asking "... and what happens if a hand grenade blows up in an astronaut's pocket?" As I've said before, many here recommend that others buy a Caterpillar D9 bulldozer tractor to tow a grocery cart that's more than half full of cereal.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by jimdd810

Remind me to not drive in front of you. There is a ton of difference between the 1/2 ton brakes and a 3/4 ton.
Trailer brakes are simple systems known to fail on occasion. The truck is the Main stopping force.
Take it from me been a well respected service tech for almost 25 years.


Life is a highway!!!!!

Is there a differece between the rotors and pads between a 3/4 ton ford f250 and a f350 ? or are the rotors and the breaks the same, just want to know for myself. Also isn't the the difference in a 3/4 ton suspension is only an extra spring on the f350 is what I have been told is this correct? Please clear this up for me...Thanks in advance after 25 years I think you would know. I'm talking about a one wheel 1 ton not a dully.

[mud yapster]

I tow my 5er Toy hauler with my 7.3L diesel 1 Ton SRW and loaded I'm at 16,000 lbs. it tows the load really good at 60 to 65mph. I keep the speed at close to 60 mph for the most part cause the ST tires are rated at 65 mph.
I had a 33' TT weighing 8000# empty before my 5er toy hauler and there is no way I would tow a TT 8000# empty trailer with a 1/2 ton truck.
Heck sometimes I feel I need a F450 for this 5er I have now. More truck is better than a marginal truck any day of the week. My next TV will be a F450 or F550 if I keep this 5er we just bought. JM2C

[whj77372]

My V-Cross fiver was 7,791 lbs empty and all loaded up, just under 10,000 lbs and there is no way that I would even try it with a 1/2 ton. I use a 2011 F250 CC diesel RWD longbed. Good Luck and you are in a nice spot for this time of year.

[elind]

Originally Posted by rlocicero

Our 829FKSS Flagstaff weighs in as 6213lbs with factory options installed. We carry no water in any tanks except water heater and we travel light. Levelers are plastic, no planks, resin chairs in back of truck, no firewood, minimal food and bottled water, rhino sewer system etc. and no kids. I am guessing that we are at about 7500 lbs including 2 passengers. My 1/2 ton tows and stops just fine. Towing is not rocket science. You need to match the truck to the tt you are towing. Yes, the brakes can fail, plugs can come out if not secured properly, and yes, you can be towing down the road and a blue block if poop ice can fall out of the sky from a plane and kill you. 1/2 ton trucks can and do tow very well if you do not exceed their capability. They say my truck can tow up to 11,300 lbs. Would I try? absolutely not. Would I try to tow something around 8500? Yes, if needed, but I like to stay around 7500 lbs.. If you want to tow a behemoth trailer or 5'er, you absolutely need a 3/4 or one ton truck. If you are down around 7500 or 8000 lbs, it very doable with a properly equipped 1/2 ton. This comes from 45 years of towing all kinds of rv and commercial trailers and managing a 2000 vehicle fleet.

I like your approach to towing RV's.

[RubyDually]

Originally Posted by elind

Like having your trailer plug come loose when you hit a stop light. After you FINAILLY get it to a stop, you go into your RV to change your Fruit of the Looms.

Mine came loose last year coming down the hill into Deadwood SD. Really wasn't a big deal. Allison tranny did it's thing and stopped at the bottom of the hill to plug it back in.

[Steelframer]

Got to put my 2cents in.
I don't care what rig you use to pull a TT, what I care about is your ability to handle it. Just because someone has a 1ton diesel with all the bells and whistles doesn't mean squat if you do t have the skills to drive and tow with it. I'm more afraid of the idiots who think just because it's bigger, more powerful, and can do 80 mph, they think they should.
Just my dumb opinion.


TT-2015 Cherokee 274dbh TV-2010 Jeep Commander Limited

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Steelframer

Got to put my 2cents in.
I don't care what rig you use to pull a TT, what I care about is your ability to handle it. Just because someone has a 1ton diesel with all the bells and whistles doesn't mean squat if you do t have the skills to drive and tow with it. I'm more afraid of the idiots who think just because it's bigger, more powerful, and can do 80 mph, they think they should.
Just my dumb opinion.

X2!

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

Is there a differece between the rotors and pads between a 3/4 ton ford f250 and a f350 ? or are the rotors and the breaks the same, just want to know for myself. Also isn't the the difference in a 3/4 ton suspension is only an extra spring on the f350 is what I have been told is this correct? Please clear this up for me...Thanks in advance after 25 years I think you would know. I'm talking about a one wheel 1 ton not a dully.

I think the silence indicates your answer. I also love the crowing about stopping a 10K camper that loses brakes with a 1/2 ton(GVWR 7Kish). The same crew has no problem or uses that argument against towing 16K with a 1 ton (GVWR 11Kish). Do the math: 1.42X GVWR on the 1/2 ton. 1.45X GVWR on the 1 ton. Looks like you'd be up the same creek to me.

But, I do see their point. I regularly see overloaded 1/2 tons unable to stop and sliding through intersections and read about them careening off the road because they lost breaks….. Oh wait, no I don't.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

...I regularly see overloaded 1/2 tons unable to stop and sliding through intersections and read about them careening off the road because they lost breaks….. Oh wait, no I don't.

The streets/highways/byways and interstates are littered with all of them. Junkyards full of them all over the US.

[EricInColorado]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

many here recommend that others buy a Caterpillar D9 bulldozer tractor to tow a grocery cart that's more than half full of cereal.

If it's wet cereal, the D9 might be beyond its GVWR.