towing with a 1/2 ton

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jime5244

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Sep 7, 2006
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Hi to all,  My name is Jim and I'm just getting started and need to know if my 1/2 ton GM with the 5.3 liter will pull a 6-7000 lb. trailer like the Holiday rambler savoy. Holiday says it will put thought I'd see what the people who are pulling thought. Thanks for the input.
 
Jim....lots of folks will chime in on this.

First thing to find out is your truck's actual GVWR.? Look in your owner's manual, and it should give you a figure for your engine / transmission / rear end set up.

Take that figure.....let's say for example it's 12,000 lbs. (generous for a half ton)? Dedect 10% if you're towing in the mountain west, and you have 10,800.? Some say "but I only tow on flat surfaces".? Sooner or later, you'll want to go some places that require lugging the trailer up a grade.? Out here in the west, there are mountains.? Big ones.? Deduct 20% out here.

Now, deduct out the weight of the truck.? The title will give you an estimate of what it weighs without passengers, fuel, luggage etc.? Add back in full fuel tanks, passenger weight, luggage weight, etc.? Let's say that figure is 4500 lbs for your half tonner. Deduct that from the 10,800 and you now have 6300.?

Let's say your trailer weighs 6000 empty, and you want to do some boondocking.? Your water tank holds 30 gallons x 8 lbs per gallon.? Add 240 pounds.? Fill both propane tanks, add food, bedding, toiletries, clothing, camping gear, a generator, gasoline for the gennie, etc etc. and you can figure in another 300-500 lbs.

At the very minimum you would? be at about 6600-6700.?

In other words, over the limit of your truck.? Dangerously over.? Half ton pickups are very light duty vehicles.

My figures are just an example of how to caluculate, we need the actual figures for your truck to make an accurate assessment.? The veterans will chime in soon with much more detailed info.? They've become veterans because they're careful.? Listen to their advice.

My advice, just guessing at your numbers??  Buy a lighter trailer or a bigger truck. 


Oh....incidentall.....a lot of dealerships will tell you whatever you want to hear just to make the sale.? Caveat Emptor.
Good luck.


 
jime5244 said:
Hi to all,? My name is Jim and I'm just getting started and need to know if my 1/2 ton GM with the 5.3 liter will pull a 6-7000 lb. trailer like the Holiday rambler savoy. Holiday says it will put thought I'd see what the people who are pulling thought. Thanks for the input.

You do not give the model year or the cab configuration.? ?Tow rating tables like Trailer Life's need at least those to look up tow ratings.? ? Your trailer weight of 6000-7000 lbs is too indefinite.? ? It also probably is the dry weight of the trailer.? Dry weight is a calculated weight that does not include common options like awnings, and your gear, foodstuffs, water, contents of black and grey water tanks, and propane.?In evaluating a trailer, use the trailer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) which can be found on the DOT plate on the side of the trailer.? ?

If you tow in eastern North America, discount truck tow ratings by 10% for a safety factor to allow for aging and maintenance.? ?If you tow in the mountain or Pacific west, make that 20% to allow for HP losses at altitude and long, long 8% grades even on interstates.

The shortest answer is that your truck is at best marginal, and is most likely inadequate for your suggested trailer.? ?A 1500/F-150 is a light duty truck and should not be considered for a trailer with a GVWR of more than about 6000 lbs..? ?Note that weight is GVWR, not dry weight.

By the way do not think you will just travel light.  You won't.  No one does.

And finally, please remember that salesmen are not paid to tell you the truth, they are paid to sell you trailers.
 
Carl Lundquist said:
By the way do not think you will just travel light.? You won't.? ?No one does.


Sure they do.  ;)

Well, at least they start out light.  But then the kids wanna bring their bikes, X box, iPod, skateboard, and baseball card collection.  Wife's just gotta have her entire collection of books.  And hey, we can't expect a red blooded American guy to go off without 400 lbs of tools, fishing tackle, and beer now can we?  ;D  And hey, we don't want to run out of water boondocking, so let's throw in eight 6 gallon jerry cans full of water.

It's amazing how quickly this stuff adds up.
 
Fer cornsakes!  And the salesman says it could be pulled by a 1500!  Yeah, sure, just as far as the edge of the dealer's lot.  But that's all that counts, right?    :mad:
 
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