The Age Old Questions Answered

[RFSims]

1/2 ton or 3/4 ton/ gas or diesel the two age old questions. I can answer those questions towing a travel trailer.


The trailer Rockwood Ultralite 2902WS. a 6902lb dry, rear kitchen, 33'9" trailer. Bath scale tongue weight with water 900lbs. Figure pushing 8,000lbs loaded. E2 1000/10000 lb hitch.


Old TV was a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE CCSB, L83 5.3 engine withe 3:42 gears, 6 speed tranny. 9100lbs max tow. The 2902WS was within ALL weight parameters of the truck.


New TV. 2019 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali, L5P Duramax, 6 speed Allison. CC, standard bed.


There really is NO discussion, but I'll try.


1/2 Ton did an OK job towing in rolling terrain from my home to the two lakes I fish. Pulled between 55-60 mph. However you knew you had a large trailer behind you and needed to be aware of that fact. I had no sway, but did have a little wiggle and bucking. Several of the hills maybe some short 6% , made the truck work. Nothing wrong with that, but keep me on my toes. 8-9 mpg.


The 2500 Denali Duramaz. Set the tow/haul mode mainly to tighten up the digital steering assist and changes the volt meter to transmission temp. Turn on the exhaust brake, set cruise to 65mph and drive. That's all. Truck never shifted out of high gear, never had to brake going down grade. Never knew when an 18 wheeler passed. Wife said it was a more comfortable ride than her 2018 Cadillac XT5.


Sorry gang THERE IS NO ARGUMENT. At least on towing a 34', 8000 lb travel trailer. Oh 11.5 mpg.

[007matman]

Hear ya bud. Congrats on the new TV.

I'm in the same camp. Better to have overkill.

[frank4711]

Congrats on the new TV .....

[Mrprovy]

Sweet, congrats!

[cboss]

Congrats on the 2902WS... LOL

[jenandrand]

Couldn't agree more!

[mopwr4me2003]

Yep should have bought a 1 Ton sounds like a poor setup [emoji12][emoji12]. Congrats on the upgrade [emoji106]

[old40ford]

I have a small 5th wheel that loaded only weighs 8,000 lbs and used to pull with a F-150 with a 5.0 engine. I really wanted a heavier truck so I go a F-250 this year with the 6.2 gas and to my mind it has not very much more power up hills and gas mileage sucks. Average on my recent 2,000 mile trip was a low of 7.3 to a high of 9.0 with my old truck I averaged 9.5 or better. I should not have believed the salesman or some of the others I talked to and just got the diesel.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Sorry...but if you don't have a 1-ton Diesel DRW, you don't have enough truck to pull anything above a 10' utility trailer with a Cub Cadet garden tractor on it.

[007matman]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Sorry...but if you don't have a 1-ton Diesel DRW, you don't have enough truck to pull anything above a 10' utility trailer with a Cub Cadet garden tractor on it.

Saw a guy pulling a 5'er just yesterday on the shoulder here in Georgia. It looked like he had a blowout on the rear of his SRW F350. The truck was halfway in the ditch and the trailer had a nasty rake. It appeared that he just about lost the whole thing trying to stop it.

Wouldn't have been an issue with a DRW.. just sayin..

OP's happy with his purchase.. let's just be happy for him. You wanna pull your camper with a golf cart or a Cub Cadet garden tractor, good for you. Stay away from me and my family.

I won't be stopping when I see you broke down on the road..I get to Nebraska a couple times a year.. so, it's a possibility ;-)

[PhoneDude 8289]

I have a 2014 8289WS 5th wheel when loaded for extended trips is very close to 10K#. For two years I pulled it with a 2008 Tundra limited 5.7. With airbags and E rated tires. it did OK but fuel milage was in the toilet, 7.5 - 8 mpg was the best it ever did. In 2016 I traded the tundra for a new to me 2014 Ram 2500 6.7 turbo cummins diesel air bags not needed. The Ram gives me on average 11 mpg. In the mountains it will get down to 8.5 mpg flatland 12 mpg all day. Tundra was a great truck but not really made for that kind of work. Had to raise the RV 2-5/8" for it to tow level behind the ram.

[frank4711]

Again with the Cub Cadet reference ... as a 25 year lawn man that's about enough

[Springerdad]

I hope this thread doesn't go downhill and turn into another pi$$ing match.
Congrats to the OP for his new TV!

[RFSims]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Saw a guy pulling a 5'er just yesterday on the shoulder here in Georgia. It looked like he had a blowout on the rear of his SRW F350. The truck was halfway in the ditch and the trailer had a nasty rake. It appeared that he just about lost the whole thing trying to stop it.

Wouldn't have been an issue with a DRW.. just sayin..

OP's happy with his purchase.. let's just be happy for him. You wanna pull your camper with a golf cart or a Cub Cadet garden tractor, good for you. Stay away from me and my family.

I won't be stopping when I see you broke down on the road..I get to Nebraska a couple times a year.. so, it's a possibility ;-)

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82
Sorry...but if you don't have a 1-ton Diesel DRW, you don't have enough truck to pull anything above a 10' utility trailer with a Cub Cadet garden tractor on it.



I think Mr Wolfpaq was making a joke about a rather popular attitude on this forum. At least that's the way I take it.

[goduc]

I went the other way sorta. 1/2 ton towing 7300 lbs to a 3/4 ton CTD towing the same 7300 lb TT then to a 9000 lb 5th wheel.
Then after 6 years of dealing with short trips in the cold winter went back to a 2500 6.4, 4.10 Hemi towing the same 9000 lb 5er and now a 9300 lb TT.
Living on the west coast I see lots of mtns. The Hemi works pretty good and I have only one regret about going to the 6.4 and thats the tow mpg. My CTD had a 35 gal tank and got around 10.5-11.5 all day towing.
The Hemi only gets 9 mpg tops when towing and with a 32 gal tank I need to keep a close watch on where my next gas station is when out in underpopulated areas.
I'm roughly 80 miles short on a tank with the Hemi. Thats a lot when it's 200 miles between stations and you're in high elevations and climbing several mtn grades along the way.
Braking's never been an issue.

Would've loved another diesel but didn't want to drop another $10K for one.

[67L48]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Sorry...but if you don't have a 1-ton Diesel DRW, you don't have enough truck to pull anything above a 10' utility trailer with a Cub Cadet garden tractor on it.

When do we get to retire this straw man argument?

Originally Posted by RFSims

[...] I think Mr Wolfpaq was making a joke about a rather popular attitude on this forum. At least that's the way I take it.

He is. I just can't recall that attitude really ever being espoused here. At least not in any consistent or popular manner.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by RFSims

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82
Sorry...but if you don't have a 1-ton Diesel DRW, you don't have enough truck to pull anything above a 10' utility trailer with a Cub Cadet garden tractor on it.



I think Mr Wolfpaq was making a joke about a rather popular attitude on this forum. At least that's the way I take it.

At least you figured it out.

Hey...the OP picked up a damn fine vehicle. I just sold my 2014 GMC Sierra 2500HD Duramax to my next door neighbor this summer to pull his Montana 5ver. That was great truck. Pulled my 11k Cherokee for the last two years and it did a fine job doing so.

[Littlebear]

2604ws 6800lbs. TV 2018 Ram 6.4 Hemi 3/4 ton. 10 mpg at 65mph. Gas still works

[wanderingbob]

I tow my 38 foot Grand Goliath fifth wheel 18,000 lbs with my Honda Ridgeline , I did have to put 'D' rated tires and Firestone air bags on it . Gets me about 19 miles per gallon as long as I stay under 80 miles per hour . Boy , its hard to type with tongue way over in yer check !

[Brother Les]

You should be doing better than 11.5 mpg. tune it??? check your set up???

I can get around to 15-17 mpg in my 18 year old 200,000 mile 7.3 smoker...