Towing limits exceeded?

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Thanks for that perspective. The dilemma is not only about towing and camping but normal use of truck like commuting to work in terms of gas. I do take 6-8 camping trips in a season and generally range from 1-1-1/2 hours away from home. I should also say that my TT tongue of 210 should be multipleed by 5 which gets mw to 1,050 and Toyota recommended 10% of 9,700 so I am over just on dry if I have to look at it this way.
 
The gas mileage is a dilemma. There is probably no real world difference between a 3/4 ton and a one ton. Unfortunately, there is a big difference between a half ton and the heavier trucks. With the 2015 F-250 6.2 gasser, I got about 14 mpg normal day to day use, and about 9-10 mpg towing about 9500# trailer.
 
Definitely. I was comparing Tundra with GMC sierra 2500HD for gas and I didn?t think GMC was going to be any much over what I am getting with Tundra. Tundra is 13/17 and GMC would be about 12/16 so not much difference but towing and all that there is big difference. I like Sierras. Any feedback on those?
 
No feedback from me. I haven't driven a newer GM trucks for quite a few years. There's nothing wrong with them, I just have no experience to pass along. As stated before, watch payload on the 3/4 ton trucks, especially on Rams. I have no problems with Ford, GM, or Ram. Check them all out, and get the one that meets your requirements and one your wife likes! ;D
 
Lol here we go again, the wife aspect. Isn?t it so true that we have to make sure wife likes it even though she is afraid to drive the truck. Yes, I will check payload yellow sticker on any others I consider, but as it stands, and if I did the scale correctly, I am over Toyota?s recommended tongue weight for trailer being as dry, would you agree or I still have to obtain yellow sticker numbers to confirm? Thanks again.
 
If planning on buying a bigger truck, consider a diesel. It would get as good or better mileage than your tundra. Towing it would be an even bigger difference. Gas trucks are fuel hogs when loaded and towing.
 
Run through the exercise anyway, if for no other reason than to just understand what you need, and what information to have in hand while shopping. This way you will not be influenced by the BS spouted by many of the sales people you will encounter.
 
I knew someone with a Tundra that towed a toy hauler. Dealer said "No problem!" After they replaced the transmission for the second time, they sold the Tundra and bought a diesel 3/4 ton. It was their first trailer, and they didn't know any better.
 
muskoka guy said:
If planning on buying a bigger truck, consider a diesel. It would get as good or better mileage than your tundra. Towing it would be an even bigger difference. Gas trucks are fuel hogs when loaded and towing.

Agreed x 100.

There is basically no such thing as too much truck.
Get at least a 2500 Diesel and it should be good even for when you upgrade the trailer you have now.
IF there is even a possibility of you someday getting a 5th Wheel trailer then look at the 3500 units as they are not too much more $$$.

If you get another gas unit you might have to also upgrade that truck again too - that gets expensive.

One more thing - I HAVE a tongue scale and the weight can change a whole lot from how you pack your trailer.
I can see a hundred or more pounds of difference just by moving things around in my trailer.
 
Welcome to the Forum!  Thanks for asking BEFORE purchase!!

Lots of very good advise above!

Tongue wt MUST BE AT LEAST 10% of actual hitch wt, regardless of what Toyota may say.  I had a utility trailer with too little hitch wt jump off the ball.  Chains kept it in control, but I had to change underwear.  Less than 10% and you get much more trailer sway and bouncing, and a white knuckle drive.

Payload capacity.  That chart is nice, but for a specific configuration, it includes NO OPTIONS.  Options add weight and reduce Payload.  They will advertise the highest number possible.  Basically they claim they can make a truck in that configuration with that payload.  They DO NOT say your truck will handle that payload.  CHECK THE YELLOW PLACARD which is specific to your truck.

Is your truck capable?  Get the CCC / Payload from the yellow placard.  Now add up the weight of all passengers, all cargo, firewood, tools in the truck, your wife's purse, the weight of your hitch (80#) and the hitch weight of the camper (1000#).  The load must be less than the carrying capacity.  It may compute okay, but you may not like the way it handles the camper.

New(er) truck.  All three, Chevy / GMC, Ford and Ram make quality trucks.  "drive all 3 and get the one your wife likes"  The biggest difference between a 250 / 2500 and a 350 / 3500 SRW is the payload capacity.  On a new truck with identical configuration, the difference is less than $1,000, but the payload will be nearly 1500# higher for the 1 ton.  The size of the two are virtually identical.  Available options are virtually identical.  Fuel mileage will be the same.  The 1 ton has a heavier spring pack.

Keep asking questions!!
 
This is great feedback. Well I did just all that you just stated. Basically my now remeasured TT tongue weight of my completely empty TT is 825 (includes batteries and propane tanks). So after adding in all my camping chairs tables grill generators and everything else I need while camping plus food and clothes, I am estimating tongue to be about 1,100 or so. After adding in passengers and some firewood, I am sure that I am over the yellow sticker which says 1380. So what does it really mean when you exceed this number? What does WD system do, does it take weight off of tongue so I could land below this number?
 
You need at least a 3/4 ton for a 35' trailer.  The WD helps with sway and moves some of the weight to the front axle.  I used to have a 2500HD Silverado.  It would work for you.
 
The yellow sticker says your truck is not designed to carry more than 1380 pounds.  Period.  Past that, you risk overloading the suspension, possibly overloading frame components, exceeding braking capabilities, possibly overloading the tires, or axles.  In short, it is NOT suggested.  Will the truck self destruct if you are 10 pounds over?  Heavens NO!  100 pounds over - same answer. 100 pounds over is only 7% over.  500 pounds is a whopping 36% overweight.

The weight distribution hitch DOES NOT remove weight from the truck - or not very much.  As a rough estimate, if you have a 1000 lb hitch wt without a WD hitch, all of which is carried on the back bumper, it may add 1200 lb to the rear axle and take 200 lbs off the front axle (leverage).  A WD hitch will redistribute that weight, maybe add 600 lbs to the rear axle, 300 lbs to the front axle and 100 lbs back on the TT axle.  The truck still carries almost all the weight.

As RVRAC said, you need more truck.

Since this is your daily driver, a different ? ton MAY meet your needs. 
Ford offers a Heavy Duty Payload package on the F150 which includes 3.73 rear end, heavier rear axle, heavier springs, aux transmission cooler and bigger tires.  With any truck (or car) more options add weight, which reduces Payload.  Likewise for bigger cabs.  Go with the smallest cab and fewest options you will feel comfortable with.  Add HD Payload pkg and see where you land.  Note, this may be very hard to find on a lot somewhere, and that makes it hard to see the yellow placard.
 
Barak said:
No worries, you?re not offending in any way. This is good information for me to consider while I am speculating if I need to upgrade to a 3/4 ton truck. My tundra has class 4 hitch which allows for at least 3,500 lbs tong weight if not even up to 5,000 lbs. Rear gear ratio is 4.30 with tow package tested just like any other brands. Owners manual says for conventional trailer the gross trailer weight should be distributed so that the tongue weight is 9-11%. And it says if using Wad system, which I am, that front axle is returned to same weight as before trailer connected. I am getting that, however the rear saggs about 2 inches down from original hight.

The rating for a class 4 hitch is what the HITCH can handle. That does not mean the vehicle can handle it. The yellow sticker that others have mentioned will give the maximum weight your vehicle can carry.  This includes stuff in the truck, passengers AND tongue weight. Tongue weight is 10 to 15 percent of the trailers weight. Less is a recipe for dissaster.

An example is my RAM 2500 diesel. It has 2000 lb load capacity ( passengers, cargo, and tongue weight). Gas versions of the same truck have a higher load rating because the gas versions are lighter allowing more load. But carrying it with a gas engine.
 

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