2006 KEYSTONE LAREDO 26BH - How much truck to tow?

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kylekylekyle

kylekylekyle

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I travel alone and am thinking about road tripping full time. I like the 2006 KEYSTONE LAREDO 26BH because it has 3 bunks (for storage) and a wide open floor plan (no walls). My questions is what kind of truck do I need?

I see the tutorial here: http://www.rvforum.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=187:calculate-trailer-towing-capacity&catid=26&Itemid=132

Unit info is here: http://www.keystonerv.com/previous-years?brand=Laredo&year=2006

It says...
Shipping Weight 7040 (is this the GVWR?)
Carrying Capacity 2960 (what do i do with this?)
Hitch 1390 (is this the same as tongue weight?)

How do I use those numbers correctly OR what size truck would be good to tow (assume western mountains)? 
 
Adding dry weight (which is probably light) to the carrying capacity gives you about 10000  pounds gross weight. That weight along with over 1300 puonds.of tongue weight will definitely put you in the range of a 3/4ton or better truck. I pretty much maxed out my 1/2 ton pulling mine semi-loaded, but I wouldn't even consider a 1/2 ton truck for that trailer.
 
A modern 2500 (ie "3/4 ton") or better.  Diesel is highly recommended if you'll do a lot of towing in the mountains.
 
im going to disagree with both the other posters in that yes a 3/4 ton is better not only now but in the future - i wish i had bought a 3/4 ton sooner rather than later - but it is what it is. Most 1/2 tons will pull it no problem and if your buying a truck - CHECK THAT SPECIFIC TRUCK FOR ITS CAPABILITIES as not all trucks are the same and even 3/4tons are not created equal. you dont say what you have currently - right now northern states ie montana have tons of low mileage slightly used trucks for sale ( they are lease returns from Albertas oil patch ) some with only a couple thousand miles cheap
 
Add the Carrying Capacity to the Shipping Weight to get GVWR - that will be very close if not spot on. That yields 10,000 lbs if fully loaded (and that's the weight you should plan for, even if you don't expect to be fully loaded).

Hitch weight and tongue weight are one and the same, so you need a truck that can handle that 1390 lbs hung on the back. Most half ton trucks would struggle with that, definitely so if you carry much other weight in/on the truck. For that reason, I would suggest a 3/4 ton truck (F250/2500 model). However, there will be a few half tons  (F150/1500 models) rated with enough tow capacity (pulling power) and payload capacity (weight carrying) to do the job. I would suggest a minimum Payload Rating of 1800 lbs and a minimum Tow Rating of 11,000 lbs.
 
There's a chasm of difference in getting the job done, and getting it done comfortably.  Yes, there are some half tons that can be configured to tow a trailer of that substance, but you may not like how it feels going down the road.  If you've ever towed for a long period of time with a marginal vehicle and then upgraded to one with plenty of spare capacity, you will kick yourself for not doing it sooner.

 
2015 Ford f150 tow capacity 12,200 cargo capacity 3300 lbs is well within your means -IM NOT SUGGESTING YOU DO IT BUT its capable
 
Be careful... Just because a vehicle post big cargo capacities you have to remember to SUBTRACT all passengers, all cargo, etc. Because that wonderfully large number is based on a 150 pound driver, full tank of fuel and ZERO cargo. So by the time you get done with all your personal stuff and passengers and camping gear that number will be much lower. So I highly suggest to weigh your vehicles to see actual weights.

Like my 2002 Dodge Cummins is rated for 13.250 pound of trailer but because of cargo in the truck and passengers I'm at GVWR of the truck already with a mere 8,020 pound of trailer. This is what I mean about cargo and actual weight because advertise weight looks impressive till you actually use it and get on the scale.
 
To Michael's point...the toolbox in my truck full of stuff is probably close to 300 lbs all by itself.  That of course comes off your payload and towing capacity.  Now wifey and I are both fairly thin, but her weight and a slice of mine still gets deducted.  How about that huge heavy weight distributing hitch....the one I struggle to lift...yep, take that off too.  Even the weight of my bedliner has to come off the payload.  My mountain bike and road bike go with us everywhere.  I've been known to toss 100 lbs of firewood in the back of the truck....mine is seasoned in the hot El Paso summer sun and will basically light with a match...not like the stuff you buy there that's too green to burn.  There goes another 100 off my tow rating. 

You get the picture.

Too much truck is just right.
 
This is why I have problem with people just looking at the spec sheet of a truck and saying "The GVWR is with the tow rating of the truck I'm safe." That is so far from the truth. Because like Frizie's example is perfect. So a towing like  his and mine tend to be reduce the tow rating rather quickly and end up looking a lower numbers too like the tow vehicle GVWR. I'm sure all the newer vehicles are squeezing a bit more but you have to still consider the GVWR as well.
 
agreed with the other posters -  but in this case as an example and you cannot compare on 02 dodge to an 2015 for its.. like cows and horses difference .
with a hitch of 1390 and a cargo of 3300, that leaves 1910 for wife kits bikes dogs etc @ 1000lbs it still leave 910lbs my point being a new truck far exceeds the capabilities of a 12 or 15 yr old truck regardless of brand or size 1/2 ton or 3500 check the capabilities of the truck your considering. and your budget - personally although my wife pulls our boat 5000lbs (trailer fuel boards tubes etc incl.) with a 1/2 ton it was all i could afford at the time and i used it to pull my 7300lbs travel trailer was it capable yes would i do it again MAYBE if i were a rich man i would have bought a 3/4 ton from the start but i could not afford to at the time.  Truck manufactures error on the side of caution to protect them selves but if your towing 3-4 times a year maybe all you need is a 1/2 ton. some will have you believe you need a semi to push a wheelbarrow and in a n ideal world yes it would be nice but ....
 
some will have you believe you need a semi to push a wheelbarrow and in a n ideal world yes it would be nice but
Click to expand...

Not all is about pulling the load but its about stability. Agreed my half ton does just fine towing 7,000 pounds that is 12 foot long but horrid towing 31 foot long 8,000 pounds. So it not always about just weight and muscle but also length of trailers too. But like most here having too much truck just adds to that stability where if your at your margins its makes for more white knuckle rides when things changes like sudden cross wind gusts or some cuts you off. So yes to a point you can get away with a 1/2 ton truck but length of trailer has to be considered because life happens and nothing is ever "Lab Perfect" in life.  ;)
 
Mopar1973Man said:
This is why I have problem with people just looking at the spec sheet of a truck and saying "The GVWR is with the tow rating of the truck I'm safe." That is so far from the truth. Because like Frizie's example is perfect. So a towing like  his and mine tend to be reduce the tow rating rather quickly and end up looking a lower numbers too like the tow vehicle GVWR. I'm sure all the newer vehicles are squeezing a bit more but you have to still consider the GVWR as well.
Click to expand...
Yeah.....there is no F150 that can carry 3300 lbs in the bed. Some  forget the truck makers payload is a GVWR payload and with "some" (not all) of these high GVWR new gen 1/2 and 3/4 and one ton SRW trucks are  going over RAWR when the GVWR payload is all put in the bed.

GVWR payloads sounds impressive.

Using Fords specs shows a F150HD 5.0 reg cab 141" wheelbase has a 4800 RAWR. Specs also shows the truck has a 1843 lb rear axle dry weight as it leaves the factory. Now add that 3300 lb payload and the rear axle is at 5143 lbs for a 350 lb overload.

The F150HD is a poor match up with any year model Dodge/Cummins truck with those big full floater 6000/6084/6200 or 6500 lb RAWR for load carrying capacities.

Will the F150HD 5.0 or the 3.5 EB engine handle the OP trailer. Sure no problems and would make a great towing platform for ever larger trailers than the OP trailer as long as total payloads in the bed/on the bumper are kept under 2300-2400 lb range.

IMO just another folly of using high GVWR numbers to determine how much hitch/pin/truck camper weight we can carry in the bed.
Now if we were a plumber with a overhead rack on the F150HD that sits in the bed and on the main frame rails at the front of the truck then a 3300 lb payload is spread over the trucks GVWR ie; (front and rear axle).
 
Still in all the GVWR is going to be the lowest limit you'll hit first.

Now if I exclude GVWR (of my truck) that go for axle weights (5200 + 6084) = 11284 - 8800 = 2484 over GVWR. So that would put well over the limits of the vehicle a long ways. Like I said the GVWR is the lowest limit most everyone will hit first. Then again no one I know weighs exactly 150 pound travels with no passengers or cargo. So those high cargo numbers at still that high...
 
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