New guy needing opinion's please

[super_commando]

Another newbie here. Hello everybody. I know ya'll probably get sick of these ?'s but I just need some honest advice, and I really want me and my family to be comfortable and safe, so please bare with me. Short and sweet, Mortgaged our house, really want to start camping, stumbled across a Keystone Fireside 26TB, says 5010lbs with tanks full, will be me, wife and little girl in the truck, usual family stuff in the camper, fishing poles, food, clothes. I don't have a truck yet and am not brand loyal anymore, so what type of truck would handle this comfortably? Leaning toward the GM 5.3, or 3/4 6.0 if need be. And yes I would love to be rolling black smoke too but diesels have just gotten ridiculously overpriced, IMO. It would probably be an older model truck, 2000-05, something I can pay cash for, then make payments on the camper. I know to look for tow pack, low gears, sway bars and all that. Just don't want to be tank slappin' down the road in a 1/2 ton if it wont handle it. Anyway, I really appreciate your time, and have a good one.

 

[Foto-n-T]

As long as you're not "Brand Loyal" and aren't looking to purchase new don't rule out a used diesel pickup.  Any Ford 250 or single rear wheel 350 with a 7.3 in it would be great for what you're looking at dragging around.  Late 1990's or early 2000's Dodges with the Cummins engines would also be attractive.  Keep in mind that depending upon your location that a stick shift diesel truck would at times be a couple of thousand dollars cheaper than an auto simply because in non-rural areas they can be hard to sell, not to mention that it would pretty much eliminate your worries about smoking an auto transmission pulling a camper.

 

[warsw]

I would go with any of the 3/4 ton PUs or larger with a large gas or diesel motor. It is funny how one starts out thinking a small TT and not too far in the future bigger becomes better. Best to get a truck you can grow with. It will be cheeper in the long run.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A suitable configured half ton pick-up should handle a 5000 lb bumper-pull trailer easily enough - most will be rated around 7000 lbs or so. However, the GVWR on that trailer is 6500 lbs and that is the weight you should plan for - the trailer will not be 5010 when you are towing it. plus, you will have passengers and gear in the truck and that weight counts too. You need to be looking at a truck with a tow rating in the 7500 lb arena. Get familiar with the meaning of tow capacity (max tow) and GCWR so you can evaluate the trucks you look at. Cab style, bed length, rear axle, engine size and transmission type all affect the tow capacity, so you need to dig into the details on each and every truck you look at.  You can find trailer tow ratings online, either at the Trailer Life website or in many cases the truck manufacturer web site. Ford produces excellent towing guides and is real good about keeping prior years available online.

http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides/

http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/

http://www.dodge.com/towing/D/vehicle_to_weight.jsp

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-tow-vehicles-ratings.shtml

 

[Frizlefrak]

While some of the half tonners are up to it, I agree with the others....get a 3/4 ton pickup.  If you're planning on towing in the mountains, a diesel is a big plus.  Flat lands, you'll be OK with a gasser, just get the biggest engine you can and get ready for 7-8 mpg towing.

The closer you get to the trucks limitations, the less fun towing is.  Buy more truck than you need.