Best balance of tow vehicle and everyday ride?

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by Lecasmer

As far as the change goes, I have considered swapping my 4p Equalizer hitch for a ProPride or Hensley, but again I'm not sure I'm having a sway issue.

ProPride helps with anything causing the trailer to not follow the TV obediently. Earlier this year, I came around the bend on I-75 NB heading into Lexington Ky. The wind had picked up during the trip and was blowing NB with gusts hitting 40 mph. I knew the wind was blowing, I would have felt that wind even if I wasn't towing. I know the wind was strong - it partially deployed one of my sets of trailer steps (factory standard fold-up). However, I did not sense being out of control. The trailer followed "like a little puppy". I was concerned about how strong the wind was getting, only because it could tip the rig over - and a 350 wouldn't have helped with that.

With that said, your concern on TW is a real issue that you should address - either with a 1/2 ton with max weight (different from max tow) or a bigger truck.

FWIW, I recently saw a post from someone who upgraded their truck from a 1/2 ton to something larger. He noted that he kept his ProPride hitch because of how well it controlled the trailer.

Good luck with whatever you do.

[skacatz]

Was towing my 30’ TT with a 1500 Suburban. Did a decent job but I found the power a bit lacking. Rode like a car without the trailer behind it.

Sold the 1500 and found a really nice 2500 Suburban with a 6.0 liter gas engine. Pulls the trailer great. Running solo it’s a rough ride. Thank God for seatbelts because on a rough road it might bounce your head off the ceiling. Gas mileage is poor but this thing is a towing beast. I don’t use it as a daily driver nor would I want to. I look at it as a “special purpose tool”.

[bhirmiz]

i had a 2001 1500 suburban z71 8600 lbs max tow. our its was my wifes daily driver with 3 kids. we bought a 2019 FR 294bh. we live in arizona and the north is all mountains. gets worse in Utah and Colorado. so we decided to sell and upgrade to the KING of suvs( 2002 EXCURSION 7.3 DIESEL) 11K lbs max tow. this this is Awesome we load the "X" up with the whole family and the trailer is c loaded close to but not to 9985 lbs. we have everything that we needed loaded in our trailer. but the X loaded can take the 8% to 10% steep roads like nothing i dont even feel the 36 ft long trailer. its was worth the money spend on the excursion. if you have a big family get an Excursion. if just couple of people get a F-250/2500 truck. if for get a Arizona/California 7.3. it will be pricey but its soooo Reliable. durmax always reliable.

i would post a pic of my rig but i guess i dont have permission

[Sgt. Schultz]

Originally Posted by Smiletwice

OK, our trailer is 6300 dry and 7600 gross. We don't travel with fresh water so rarely would exceed 7000 lbs. My GMC Sierra 1500 does fine for the most part and I'm well within all thresholds for weight. Having said that, mountain inclines are typically 50 MPH adventures at best. Thinking about stepping up to a 250/2500 but whatever I get will be my everyday ride. The 1500 is really nice, rides great, good mileage. 5.3 gas engine. Never owned a diesel but not totally averse.

Interested in thoughts on a the best balance between a comfortable ride with decent mileage for every day use that will also make the towing experience that much better. Thanks for your input!

Not sure when you are looking to change but these may be something to consider:
https://2019besttrucks.com/chevrolet...o-1500-diesel/
.
3.0L Power Stroke vs 3.0L EcoDiesel | Diesel F-150, Ram 1500 Comparison
.
https://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/trucks/titan-xd.html

[Off Rez]

I'm a bit late to the party, sorry, but GREAT THREAD!
I was recently considering the same change from my Ram 1500 towing 29' TT. 99% of the time I'm not towing anything so I have a hard time justifying a 3/4 ton truck. The Ram is very comfortable daily driver but it doesn't get that much better mpg than a larger truck. I avg about 18.
I like what some of the previous posters said about increasing the curb weight with a 2500 so that big lever (TT) doesn't leverage the truck around so much. Crosswinds and truck blast make highway driving nerve wracking!
Another post mentioned the diesel allows for using truck fuel islands for stops. I always have to use a satellite image of gas stations to see if I have enough room to maneuver! I'm 55' from nose to tail and need copious amounts of room to feel comfortable.
What stops me from going bigger is the price tag. New(er) diesels are $50k and up. If you buy used you still pay $35k for something that has 150k miles and is 10+years old.
My solution for the time being is upgrading the Ram. Stepped up to 3.92 rear end from 3.55. The hemi likes that so far! Airlifter 1000s to level the ride. Made a big difference in tow characteristics. And arriving this week is a new rear sway bar. All this costs a lot less than a 2500.
My problem is that the Ram struggles at high altitude. The coolant and transmission have excellent HD coolers but the oil temp has almost gotten to 300° So, now an oil cooler is on the way. Lots of mods for towing 1% of the time but none have altered the Ram's empty characteristics negatively and are non-permanent(even the gears!).
Thanks for the thread and the willingness to share your knowledge guys!

[Mad Cow]

Well, what a person needs the pickup for outside of towing also comes in to play. It is not a pretty sight to see 6 - 55 gallon drums of oil in the back of a 1500. Or well over a ton of material. My 2500 takes it in stride. Also, I have to clean out about 1000 feet of driveway of snow every winter, and even sometimes have to cut a path 2 miles to the nearest hard top road. My 2500 with snow plow prep is designed for that. On the towing side, even the most max tow equipped 1/2 ton does not have the beefed up overall suspension, frame components, and brakes of a good 3/4 ton. There is a lot more to towing than hp, torque, and OEM claims that are marketing oriented.

As a daily driver, mine will never be except during very nasty weather. I would much rather ride in my Cadillac than a pickup as a daily driver. More economical also!

If a 1/2 ton does the trick, then go for it. I have a lot of things that I need a good pickup for, and a 1/2 ton just doesn't cut it for all of them. And as it pertains to the GM lineup, and maybe others, I don't have to deal with all the EPA/Government/Union inspired nonsense like cylinder deactivation, direct injection, and other goofy stuff that goes on that adds complexity, price, and problems. The L96 6.0 gasser in my Chevy 2500 is a rock solid platform that has stood the test of time in many commercial, marine, and general user applications. And the mpg is only about 2 mpg less overall than I got with a 5.3L 1500 I screwed up and bought on a whim. I was inventing new swear words over that ride and had to get rid of it to maintain my sanity.

Each of us has differing needs. Just go into any purchase with eyes wide open. And if one checks around, a well equipped 3/4 ton is usually lower price (sometimes by several thousand dollars) than any 1/2 ton that even tries to comes close in capability. That market is what influences actual pricing. Since so many jump on 1/2 ton pickups, the 3/4 and 1 tons are easy to negotiate a rock bottom price out the door. Of course, that is not the diesels I am talking about.