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Old 01-24-2013, 09:20 PM   #21
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" White Knuckle NIGHTMARES "

Thank all of you for your testimonials. Some of these stories are truly the "WHITE KNUCKLE NIGHTMARES" that we all want to avoid. Having a safe and comfortable trip for the family and others makes all the difference.

This thread is a great learning tool or should I say teaching tool for those who are new to towing and a reminder for us that have been camping for several years.
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Old 01-24-2013, 09:48 PM   #22
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There are a few things that need to be looked at and the first thing in my mine is the hitch work, it is very important that the hitch work is set up correctly with travel trailes..... I had a real bad time with a bad hitch job from the RV Dealer.

This happen with my 3/4 ton GMC Suburban the same one that I mention in this thread and with the very same camper. I was on I-76 heading to Hershey, I-76 is 65 mph as soon as I reached 51 mph the Suburban and Rockwood started to sway I was all over the road teying to get I under control, It was so bad I thought I was going to loose it, to make a long story sort I did get things under control and continue my trip at of a speed of 45 mph, once I park the camper in our site and unhooked and drank a cold beer the next thing I knew both of my rear tires went flate, now the tires where 3 weeks new and they where 10 ply tires "E" rated come to find out from the near out of control sway it had damaged the bead on both tires, once we left the campground after replacing the rear tires I toke the camper back to the dealer and what they had found was that the hitch too low and the sway bars where not in the correct position, they had to take the entire hitch system off and start over, once it was corrected I never had another problem. I also found out that the tech that did the work on my hitch was new at it, so t with this type of short order training it could have killed me and my family or I could have kill someone else...,So yes you do have to have the correct tow vehicle for what you are towing but as far as 1/2 tons they can be used safely.
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Old 01-25-2013, 02:32 PM   #23
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REALLY sorry this excellent post degraded into a truck debate.
James, thank you for posting your story.
It should give folks something to think about.

Herk
If more people were educated by camper dealers in the first place a lot could be avoided. They only want the sale though. I've seen many that have said " your truck can pull it", but what they didn't say was " it shouldn't pull it". Many of us have been in his shoes. I bought my first gas engine dually to pull my first 5er only to find out I couldn't run the speed limit on the interstates. After many mods, I still wasn't comfortable doing so, so I ended up buying a diesel dually to do it. Now I pay more attention to ratings.
I'm not getting into a debate which manufacturer is better, gas or diesel, I was simply trying to pull too much weight with a gas engine. I, and others thought I would have no trouble pulling it, however I did. Lesson learned.
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Old 01-25-2013, 03:33 PM   #24
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There are many issues - safety being first and foremost of course. Longevity I'd put second - why wear out your truck needlessly? Comfort/convenience is third - sure, 70mph up hills can be nice but you'll still get there at 45mph.

Problem is few people get to tow a 'big' trailer with multiple vehicles to know what's 'best' and whats 'acceptable' and what's too little.

My expy does fine wiht my 28' ~6300lb loaded trailer. Or so I think it does. But i've pulled a lot of various trailers and have a 12' ft cargo trailer now. Except for acceleration and visability i'd rather pull the 28' trailer over the cargo trailer for safety/comfort. The WD hitch and trailer brakes make a BIG difference.

Sure, a 3500 diesel will be 'better' than a 1500 truck but is it necessary?
I'd say take the tow ratings as a starting point but consider GCWR just as important and allow for a cushion between your load and the limits. Being at the limits is of course going to stress the equipment and the driver more.

I'll know more come april/may when I tow with the new TV. Does WB make a difference? I'm add 24" of it so if it does I should see/feel it. Moving from GCWR of 12,500 to 14,400, from no margin of 'safety' to nearly 15%. Torque is similar but HP will be up 30%.

I'd also like to say that if you have to modify your tow rig to handle your load you chose the wrong tow rig.
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Old 01-27-2013, 09:46 PM   #25
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Wow

VERY interesting reads......and now that I THOUGHT I did a good thing trading in my 2005 Burb with 180K miles on it for a spiffy new 2012 Burb (yes the 1/2 ton) I read all of the postings here and now have doubts.

I will be towing a new Roo 233S which isn't really rated to be that heavy (GVWR @ 5764) and my new Burb has the Integrated Brake Controller with a 5.3L V-8, 6 speed electronic HD AT, HD Trailering Package with the 3.42 rear end and External Air-Oil and Air-Trans Coolers. By GM specs tow rating is 8100 lbs so I "believe" that I am WELL underneath that.

Granted I haven't taken ownership of my new Roo to tow it around yet, but I sure hope that I don't end up finding out a 3/4 ton purchase would have made more sense :-(
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Old 01-27-2013, 11:00 PM   #26
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VERY interesting reads......and now that I THOUGHT I did a good thing trading in my 2005 Burb with 180K miles on it for a spiffy new 2012 Burb (yes the 1/2 ton) I read all of the postings here and now have doubts.

I will be towing a new Roo 233S which isn't really rated to be that heavy (GVWR @ 5764) and my new Burb has the Integrated Brake Controller with a 5.3L V-8, 6 speed electronic HD AT, HD Trailering Package with the 3.42 rear end and External Air-Oil and Air-Trans Coolers. By GM specs tow rating is 8100 lbs so I "believe" that I am WELL underneath that.

Granted I haven't taken ownership of my new Roo to tow it around yet, but I sure hope that I don't end up finding out a 3/4 ton purchase would have made more sense :-(
I haven't looked at your numbers but I know others will.
I know what you mean! you think and do your best to do the right thing only to find out that you need a math or engineering degree to realize that you need a bigger truck. I have a feeling 90% of RV'ers do not visit the RV forum sites and learn about all this. Most of them look in the truck manual, listen to the dealers and get an RV and off they go. And you know what? for the main part, they are doing just fine! I like to educate myself and know the ins and outs of the equipement I use so I come to the forums and learn. The rest comes from experience.
Just do your best with the rig and TT. If you still feel uneasy about the setup after a couple of trips, then you should trade the truck or the TT. Otherwise, sleep tight.
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Old 01-27-2013, 11:14 PM   #27
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As I started visiting a couple of RV forums I noticed it wasn't so simple as knowing a couple of numbers. Everytime I thought I had a good choice in mind I quickly found out otherwise.

It can be sad to put trust into a salesperson only to find out later that they were either clueless or couldn't care less.
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Old 01-27-2013, 11:28 PM   #28
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oh and by the way.... I chose very carefully to match the truck *that was recommended by an RV salesman as well as a truck salesman and my brother in law and my dad* .... get the picture? to get a 5th wheel to match the truck after spending a year reading the forums.... only to find out that pin weight and hitch weight were different.... after I bought the 5th wheel.
it is NOT easy buying a truck and a TT or 5th wheel on round 1
We are all doing our best.
Our truck is 2010 and we are not ready to trade in so it is what it is.
Having said all that, if I could do it all over again, I would not worry so much and just enjoy the rig as it is. .... like I do now!
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Old 01-28-2013, 05:24 AM   #29
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I hear you! I am pretty confident that I will be fine pulling my little Roo with my new Burb. At the same time, I have picked up a lot of good insight and information on these forums so I do understand the various possibilities of what to expect. What interests me most is final ownership...actually having my TV &TT wieghed so that I can see what I really am dealing with in the end.

Thanks for all of the input and the awesome information shared here.

Ed
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Old 01-28-2013, 06:20 AM   #30
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VERY interesting reads......and now that I THOUGHT I did a good thing trading in my 2005 Burb with 180K miles on it for a spiffy new 2012 Burb (yes the 1/2 ton) I read all of the postings here and now have doubts.

I will be towing a new Roo 233S which isn't really rated to be that heavy (GVWR @ 5764) and my new Burb has the Integrated Brake Controller with a 5.3L V-8, 6 speed electronic HD AT, HD Trailering Package with the 3.42 rear end and External Air-Oil and Air-Trans Coolers. By GM specs tow rating is 8100 lbs so I "believe" that I am WELL underneath that.

Granted I haven't taken ownership of my new Roo to tow it around yet, but I sure hope that I don't end up finding out a 3/4 ton purchase would have made more sense :-(
One thing: I had all of that "blah blah blah" that manufacturers put onto all kinds of vehicles.... I had the 5.3L V-8, the 4L60E with HD trailering package, HD Power Steering, Oil to Air and 40K LB Tranny Cooler HD... PLUS I had the 4:10 axle ratio with a tow rating of 8100 lbs. I will never give a hoot again about ANYTHING that ANY engineer or marketing person says about a vehicle. It is all B.S. All of it... There is an old saying in the JEEP community which I belonged to for decades. "JEEPS are built, not bought". The same holds true it would seem for most trucks and SUV's. I have found that I literally had to take apart and undo what manufacturers have done so that I could put it all back together with stronger components that SHOULD have been there from the git-go.
I don't understand the "let's just put out the cheapest crap we can while we still can" mentality of car manufacturers. I'm serious when I say I would pay the extra money for parts that actually perform and last as they should... My God, there have been times when spending an extra buck-fifty for a part would have made world of difference!! But did the car companies do it? No.

Okay.. sorry. The decline of quality manufacturing in our country and especially our auto industry just sets me off. I will stop now.

Ebemis: I don't mean to make you nervous with any of my thread. You DO HAVE the 6-speed tranny. This will go a long way toward making your towing experience manageable. Just go with it and have fun! My only advice is what I said in my very first post. IF you find that your 1500 isn't cutting it for towing your particular rig... don't waste money on shocks, lift kits, air bags, deeper axle ratio's, aftermarket exhaust kits or "tuners" or "chips".... for love of Pete, just get rid of either the SUV or the Trailer. You will just end up heart broken from all the work you've done to find out you cannot turn a 1500 into a 2500.

James
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Old 01-28-2013, 07:52 AM   #31
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Hey James.....how do i say it?......I feel your pain!!!

First off, thanks for the follow through and encouragement, I kind of figure that I am EXACTLY where you suggest...what I have I have currenlty, and I refuse to sink any funds into trying to improve something that is brand new. Should my TV not be happy with the TT I have selected my plan is just what you suggest, ditch one or the other and try something different! :-)

Second...YES I too am frustrated by the apparent lack of concern to build ANYTHING anymore with quality and durable pieces and parts. Nothing frustrates me more than spending so much money on a brand new vehcile or item only to find cheap plastic and whimpy parts that don't seem to last worth a darn!!!

I camped with my family as a kid growing up for years...78' Chevy panel van dragging around Coachmen's and Prowler's up to 24 feet from what i remember...never had any issues then. Have been tent camping with my wife and kids now for years watching all the RV folks come and go and dreaming of being able to trailer camp again. I truly hope that I end up pleasantly surprised and find that my current TV/TT combination "behaves" itself around "flat Florida" with occassional North Georgia and Western NC runs.

Thanks again for the information and sharing, I truly appreciate learning from everyone else's experiences!

Ed
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Old 01-28-2013, 08:25 AM   #32
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FYI, If you haven't you might want to do the math. Just a suggestion

Tow Vehicle Sizing
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Old 01-28-2013, 08:28 AM   #33
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Ed,

You are very welcome for any experience I can share with you.

Like you, my Dad drug around a camper behind... get this... a 1971 Oldsmobile Delta Custom car! Of course it had the big 454 motor, but still... it seemed like back then you could hook up just about anything behind vehicle made and tow it.

I am pretty sure your saving grace will be GM's new 6-speed tranny. Having the extra 2 gears worth of "grunt" would have been nice on my 2004... add the 4:10 gears and I would have probably been okay for this part of the country.

We go out west to Colorado and Utah every couple of years to camp though... and there was absolutely NO WAY I was taking the Burb out there. When you have 6 and 7 percent grade for 20 miles stretches at a time... just no.

Please report back and give us a "true-boots-on-the-ground" assessment of your experiences with the newer model 1500 Burb. Also, after visiting a CAT scale, let us know your actual weights. I am genuinely interested in knowing if GM did it right this time.

Take care,

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Old 01-28-2013, 08:47 AM   #34
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VERY interesting reads......and now that I THOUGHT I did a good thing trading in my 2005 Burb with 180K miles on it for a spiffy new 2012 Burb (yes the 1/2 ton) I read all of the postings here and now have doubts.

I will be towing a new Roo 233S which isn't really rated to be that heavy (GVWR @ 5764) and my new Burb has the Integrated Brake Controller with a 5.3L V-8, 6 speed electronic HD AT, HD Trailering Package with the 3.42 rear end and External Air-Oil and Air-Trans Coolers. By GM specs tow rating is 8100 lbs so I "believe" that I am WELL underneath that.

Granted I haven't taken ownership of my new Roo to tow it around yet, but I sure hope that I don't end up finding out a 3/4 ton purchase would have made more sense :-(
I think yoiu should be fine - but close. You say the GVWR of the trailer is 5700 - on the door will be a sticker telling you what the factory weight is complete with options. Add 150 for gas bottles and batter, another 100 for the WD hitch stuff, add up yourself, your family, dog, etc that go in the truck. I'm thinking you'll have a weight of 5500ish. Now you have to try and guesstimate (or load and go weigh) what you'll have for bath stuff, chairs/tables/mats/light, dishes, food, bedding, clothing (1000lbs? others here may may have an idea what is 'normal' for trailer cargo). THis assumes you have no water/waste in the TT of course. so now you're at 6500ish. Water can add 300-500lbs to that.

So if you figure 7,000 lbs for trailer and cargo in the 'burb, what is the weight of the burb and what is the GCWR of the burb (these should be on the sticker on the door frame).

YOu can't do much to realistically raise your capacity - 2500 trucks (they tell me) have heavier frames, transmissions, bigger/better cooling, bigger brakes, heavier axles, springs, etc.
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Old 01-28-2013, 09:03 AM   #35
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I will be towing a new Roo 233S which isn't really rated to be that heavy (GVWR @ 5764) and my new Burb has the Integrated Brake Controller with a 5.3L V-8, 6 speed electronic HD AT, HD Trailering Package with the 3.42 rear end and External Air-Oil and Air-Trans Coolers. By GM specs tow rating is 8100 lbs so I "believe" that I am WELL underneath that.

Granted I haven't taken ownership of my new Roo to tow it around yet, but I sure hope that I don't end up finding out a 3/4 ton purchase would have made more sense :-(
Before buying that new Roo, take your Burb to some scales (local landfill, quarry, or CAT scales) with the family (including pets) loaded up a full tank of gas, and all expected additional cargo (camping gear, personal gear, luggage, etc) to see what it weighs. Subtract that figure from the GVWR listed on the driver's door. If any weight is left, than that is what your maximum trailer tongue weight is gonna be before reaching your GVWR. For that particular Roo, you might have as much as a 600 lb. tongue weight when loaded.

Also, find out the GCWR of the Burb. The listed 8100 lb. maximum towing weight is usually determined with an empty vehicle with just a 150 lb. driver. If the Burb is near the GVWR, then the 8100 lb. towing weight is going to drop significantly.
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Old 01-28-2013, 10:49 AM   #36
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Excellent responses from ALL of you, thanks once again!
Unfortunately all of the “purchasing” has already been done and all I am waiting on is the actual “take possession” step of our Roo purchase which is this Thursday. We don’t plan on boon-docking so I have no plans to pull water around, leaving me only to struggle with the cargo and person load. I don’t anticipate loading too much into the Burb other than maybe food and clothes, our thoughts were everything else would be inside the TT itself.
By the sticker on my TV door, my GVWR is 7200 # and the GAWR RR is 4200 # and according to my owner’s manual (1500 Series 2WD Long Wheel Base w/ K5L HD Cooling Pkg) the GCWR is reported as being 14,000 #. I need to get to my TT to see the sticker on its door, but according to the manufacturer’s brochure, the GVWR on the TT is 5764 #, which yes I am taking with a grain of salt. We will be using the Equalizer WDH System so I know correct packing and setup can zero the tongue weight in where it needs to be.
SO despite all of the “on paper figures from my stickers and manuals” YES I AM VERY MUCH looking forward to hitting the scales and finding out just where things end up! I will post back once that happens and after a few drives to let you all know how things worked out.
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Old 01-28-2013, 11:56 AM   #37
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It is not only the weight you have to consider, but also how far you are going, when we left Montreal, Quebec for Calgary, our 3/4 ton GM, Minna was her name, did not even feel the weight. I have to go back to work, the wife is calling.
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Old 01-28-2013, 01:18 PM   #38
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yup that makes sense too Al! I'm not real worried as a Florida flatlander, I don't see myself making it out west for mountains, and we really don't pack heavy so im thinking i should be alright.....BUT I am interested in getting actual weights in on everything that is for sure!
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Old 01-28-2013, 02:41 PM   #39
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DSN46 - we could have been in your situation. We have an '02 Durango. Yeah, the smaller one before they made them a bit bigger. We'd been dreaming of a TT for years and in 2011, finally made the decision to buy one. The practical side of me wondered how we'd pull this thing and my DH assured me that the Durango WOULD pull it. I was a nervous wreck from the moment we put the deposit down, wondering how we'd get this thing home, let alone pull it fully loaded. It was karma.....5 days before we were to pick it up (not knowing that it would only be 5 days), my DH walked into the Dodge garage for something unrelated, and there it was....the truck we were "building" in our minds. They were taking photos of it to put up on their website. Gently used Dodge, extended cab, 8-foot bed, diesel, running boards, 50K miles, etc., etc., etc. We crunched the numbers...could we afford it....it will be a hardship for a while...can we get two loans at the same time? We couldn't afford NOT to get this truck. We picked it up at 5pm on Friday and by noon on Saturday we were leaving the lot with our brand new TT. And I was sooooooo relieved. This truck pulls our TT effortlessly and I don't have to worry about us killing ourselves or someone else because the Durango can't handle the load. So here's my advice to everyone....get the TV first, then get the TT. Your lives depend on it.
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Old 01-28-2013, 03:20 PM   #40
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GVWR is gross vehicle - how much it can weight LOADED to the max.
What you also need is the ACTUAL WEIGHT of the vehicle. THis sticker should be on the inside of the screen door on your TT and may be on your truck's door.

We're not big on campfire but I see some folks draggin 1/2 cord of wood along. We do bring bikes though - 20-30lb per bike times 4 bikes is another 100ish lbs.

While you may not fill your tanks you will have some fluids in there - nobody that I know drains completely before moving, so 6gal in the water heater, 3 more in the pipes, some in the toilet bowl - and as my neighbor advised keep 10 in the fresh tank for emergency (radiator, potty breaks, etc) and most black tanks want some water in them with a chem so you don't get odors. So what, 20 gallons? 160 lbs.

A case of beverages weights something - I've switched to canned beer as it's lighter than bottles and easier to pack in the fridge. My wife has coke. my son sprite and then a case of water bottles...4 cases of drinks is around 80lbs.

Get a memory foam mattress topper (for the camper and home - they're great) but add another 20 some lbs.

Leveling wood, wheel chocks, better sewer hose, vent covers, water filter, longer ele cord and adapters...

It adds up.
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