Truck to pull Toy hauler

[taylor1955]

We have a Grey Wolf 19rr , about 24 foot long, dry weight 4180, hitch 574 lbs.
Looking at a newer truck thinking Chevy 1500 lt. Had heard a story that Chevy 1500 and couldn't get over 55 mph on interstate towing (but didnt have all details) , others said it be fine to pull as towing cap and payload on chevy with 5.3 V8 wsa 11K and 2180.

Anyone have problems towing with 1500 Chevy. Thanks..

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by taylor1955

We have a Grey Wolf 19rr , about 24 foot long, dry weight 4180, hitch 574 lbs.
others said it be fine to pull as towing cap and payload on chevy with 5.3 V8 wsa 11K and 2180.

You're making a couple of mistakes here.
1. You're using fictional brochure/website dry numbers, which are bsaed on a stripped down version of the trailer. NO trailer weighs those numbers when it leaves the factory.
2. Those chevy numbers are the max numbers, also based on a basic truck, 2 door 4x2 lower trim level model.

Use 13-15% of the trailer's GVWR for a ballpark loaded tongue weight.
Look for a truck with enough payload capacity to handle the loaded tongue weight number, along with the weights of everyone in the truck, the WDH and truck cargo.

[taylor1955]

Thanks .. wdh?

[dbledan]

Originally Posted by taylor1955

We have a Grey Wolf 19rr , about 24 foot long, dry weight 4180, hitch 574 lbs.
Looking at a newer truck thinking Chevy 1500 lt. Had heard a story that Chevy 1500 and couldn't get over 55 mph on interstate towing (but didnt have all details) , others said it be fine to pull as towing cap and payload on chevy with 5.3 V8 wsa 11K and 2180.

Anyone have problems towing with 1500 Chevy. Thanks..

Your going to want to be conscious of your gross weights (not dry weights they only weigh that at birth and never again) and gearing. This is where the stories vary so much because one guy has really low gears and the other very high. Low gears will pull better when towing with poor gas milage when not towing, high gears will get better milage not towing and struggle when towing.

Toy haulers are usually tongue heavy without the toy and things can get squirrely depending on where you can place the toy when fully loaded so keep this in mind as well.

It may be best to compare gross vehicle ratings rather than dry weights. Most trailers carry 1000lbs of cargo where you can have 3100lbs because gross weight rating on that model is 7500lbs which can challenge many half tons and 4200lbs most half tons will have no issues with at all.

To answer your question as best I can.
I would bet very few folks with a half ton have issues at 4200lbs for travel Trailers (maybe some trouble with 4.10 gears)
At 7500 lbs you will find a very mixed bag depending on truck gearing and trailer balance.

Worth noting is Tongue weight at 7500lbs is 900-1100lbs depending on the trailer. Pulling is less of a problem, stability and control will be where folks have opnions once the tongue weight gets over 1000 from my experience and payload is how you estimate this when buying a new truck. Use the trucks sticker on the door jam and not the brocure.

Hope this helps! Good luck.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by taylor1955

Thanks .. wdh?

Weight Distributing Hitch

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by taylor1955

Thanks .. wdh?

Likely yes because the receiver rating is too low without one. Most have 2 ratings one w/o and one w/WDH

[Mandog]

Your going to be with in the allowable limits it seems. Even when loaded. Here’s the thing. 1/2 tons are really built to ride well and they do sacrifice the larger sway bars and typically don’t have towing gear ratios. 4.10 bears are great for towing especially with these 10 and 11 speed trannies. . A 3/4 ton truck isn’t that much more and offers greater ability’s. If I were you I’d buy once scream once instead of being sorry and eventually reading in for a 3/4 ton. Or putting up with sub par performance in the tuff situations. Heck I’m still pulling with my 2005 2500HD 6.0 liter Chevrolet. Just now at 40,000 miles. Heck I can’t afford another truck these days. And the new 2500’s are rated at double what my truck is . 16,000 combined and 10,400 towing for my old girl. Just my opinion though....

[taylor1955]

Thanks for you advice , we are currently driving a 2006 2500 Chevy but ours has 140K miles, starting to show her age.. Thxs again

[IsleDog]

We have a 17RP (smaller brother to yours) and tow with an F150. we are roughly in the same category as you weight wise. we have a crew cab long box with 3.73 gears and the 5.4L engine and 6 speed transmission. you will be just fine as long as you keep your payload numbers in check. 1/2 ton trucks hardly ever run out of "towing capacity" but will almost always run into payload capacity issues. find a 1500 that fits your needs with an axle in the 3.5-4.10 range and has the payload numbers you need and you will be fine.

for refference we dont use a weight distribution hitch as we are right at that magic 500lbs weight on the hitch. we do have a sway bar to handle sway issues. we average 10-12 mpg towing at 62mph.

keep an eye on where your water tanks are under the camper. if yours is like ours, i'll bet that your black tank will be the furthest forward, gray behind that (and just in front of the axles) and your fresh water is probably just behind the axles. this can greatly affect your towing experience. we will not tow with water since it causes sway issues. but having our 1000+lbs golf cart in there just slightly behind the axle does not.

enjoy your camper, its a great rig!!

[campfool]

Originally Posted by taylor1955

We have a Grey Wolf 19rr , about 24 foot long, dry weight 4180, hitch 574 lbs.
Looking at a newer truck thinking Chevy 1500 lt. Had heard a story that Chevy 1500 and couldn't get over 55 mph on interstate towing (but didnt have all details) , others said it be fine to pull as towing cap and payload on chevy with 5.3 V8 wsa 11K and 2180.

Anyone have problems towing with 1500 Chevy. Thanks..

Recently upgraded our tow vehicle to a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 (5.3 L engine) with the max trailering package. It is an SLT so it has extra bells and whistles but my door sticker is 1789 lbs for payload. We haul a 2015 2504S Minilite which is likely in the neighborhood of 5500 lbs with our gear. Never carry fresh water. Only had it out on one trip so far but it was a dream compared to our old Chevy Avalanche. The Sierra has a 10 speed tranny so it was hunting a bit at 85 km/hr (~55 mph) but no issues using cruise and hot outside temperatures. With the Avalanche, every trip was a white knuckle experience so now I am a happy camper!

Highly recommend this truck if you are in the market for a new tow vehicle. Happy camping!!

[mnoland30]

Picture your trailer brakes going out for some reason on a long downgrade. Do you want a lighter truck with smaller brake shoes, or a heavier truck with heavy duty brakes? I've opted for a 3/4 ton truck ever since. I finally went with a diesel, and it has made the towing experience great. No sway, no worries about weight, and I can drive as fast as I want (or as I can afford) up the hills. I haul 6 people, my canoe, and my trailer.

That said, I pulled my 3500 lb. boat with a 1/2 ton very comfortably in a GMC 1/2 ton last summer. I've heard lots of good things about the eco-boosts, but whatever you buy, be sure it has the tow package.

[mulehauler]

Always go a step bigger - that’s my motto.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by mnoland30

That said, I pulled my 3500 lb. boat with a 1/2 ton very comfortably in a GMC 1/2 ton last summer. I've heard lots of good things about the eco-boosts, but whatever you buy, be sure it has the tow package.

Modern 1/2 tons often have more than one tow package options. For example, Ford has the Max Tow package and the Heavy Duty Payload package, in addition to the basic tow package and the HD tow package.
So just don't accept that it has a tow package. Find out which one.

[moose074]

Originally Posted by mnoland30

Picture your trailer brakes going out for some reason on a long downgrade. Do you want a lighter truck with smaller brake shoes, or a heavier truck with heavy duty brakes? I've opted for a 3/4 ton truck ever since. I finally went with a diesel, and it has made the towing experience great. No sway, no worries about weight, and I can drive as fast as I want (or as I can afford) up the hills. I haul 6 people, my canoe, and my trailer.



That said, I pulled my 3500 lb. boat with a 1/2 ton very comfortably in a GMC 1/2 ton last summer. I've heard lots of good things about the eco-boosts, but whatever you buy, be sure it has the tow package.

While your imaging the brakes going out, imagine an 18 wheeler catching fire in front of you a volcano exploding behind you and a meteor getting ready to destroy the world. Not sure anyone wins a game of hypotheticals. After all hypothetically speaking since the 1/2 ton is lighter physics is on its side the total load of the moving object is less thus easier to stop. Unless you put all that extra trust in a few extra inches of brake pads.

[rdmjohnstons]

I had a dodge 1500 that specs said was ok but it was miserable to tow with. I should've known just looking at the HP & TQ, where it was made and what the gear ratios were. That truck was not built to tow, many 1/2 tons are. Especially the "heavy halfs." After 3 tows we ended up buying a F-250 and didn't look back. The F-350 has capacity to spare, both with power and with weight carrying. I've purchased 2 1/2 ton pickups 40 years of owning vehicles. At some point in the ownership of both, I regretted not having a 3/4 ton. I don't think I will buy a 3rd.

[ijon]

You are better off getting more truck than you need.

[itat]

Originally Posted by taylor1955

We have a Grey Wolf 19rr , about 24 foot long, dry weight 4180, hitch 574 lbs.
Looking at a newer truck thinking Chevy 1500 lt. Had heard a story that Chevy 1500 and couldn't get over 55 mph on interstate towing (but didnt have all details) , others said it be fine to pull as towing cap and payload on chevy with 5.3 V8 wsa 11K and 2180.

Anyone have problems towing with 1500 Chevy. Thanks..

Originally Posted by taylor1955

Thanks for you advice , we are currently driving a 2006 2500 Chevy but ours has 140K miles, starting to show her age.. Thxs again

A modern 1/2 ton should be able to do the job IF properly equipped. Bikendan is correct to focus on payload capacity.

Now, since you already have a 3/4 ton pickup, does that mean you use that capability? If so, get a 3/4 ton gasser and you’ll have the added benefit of being a bit future-proof in case you decide later on to upgrade to a bigger trailer. If you prefer a diesel engine, seriously consider a 1 ton instead of a 3/4 ton. You do not need a 1 ton pickup (or even a 3/4 ton for that matter) for the trailer you’re looking at but if you want more than a 1/2 ton and you want a diesel engine, then I would skip the 3/4 ton because the diesel eats up a lot of payload rating. If you’re into hauling toys, it might be a wise investment.

[tomkatb]

The most informative site was the Ram payload capacity site.

Play around there for an hour and things will become clear.

Ford and the general were still in some other land on this subject last time I looked.

I remember when the payload capacity of the Ford 150 was up to #4,000. True!

Course some things were missing! The bed, tailgate, spare tire were options at that time.

[Diesel Dale]

Originally Posted by taylor1955

We have a Grey Wolf 19rr , about 24 foot long, dry weight 4180, hitch 574 lbs.
Looking at a newer truck thinking Chevy 1500 lt. Had heard a story that Chevy 1500 and couldn't get over 55 mph on interstate towing (but didnt have all details) , others said it be fine to pull as towing cap and payload on chevy with 5.3 V8 wsa 11K and 2180.

Anyone have problems towing with 1500 Chevy. Thanks..

I had a 19rr and pulled with a 16 1500 Silverado , hauled 2 Harley's 1Bagger and 1 Softail without a problem .

[Mike134]

I'm pulling a 28' trailer with a GVWR of 7700lbs. Using a '19 F150.


No worries with that combo at all. Glad I didn't pay attention to the folks that preach GOT TO GO BIG! I'd have been crazy to get my bones pounded driving a 3/4 ton. As to trailer brakes failing the 1/2 ton has been tested by the SAE and can stop a 11,000lb trailer using just the trucks brakes within the required distance.