Truck/Trailer match

[asantanajr]

What a complex task to choose the trailer and truck! We have been looking for our first trailer. We liked the 29ft internal length of the first trailers we saw, but the truck to pull them may be too big for us. We are now looking for the ones with 25ft internal. We found one we liked and wwe thought that a 1/2 ton truck would be right until we came to the payload topic. Realistically speaking, the decisive factor will be the tongue weight above all other parameters, right? And shall I ignore the manufacturer's data and stick to 13% of GVWR? It looks like a 1/2 ton truck can't pull this trailer we liked.

 

[Kirk]

Realistically speaking, the decisive factor will be the tongue weight above all other parameters, right? And shall I ignore the manufacturer's data and stick to 13% of GVWR? It looks like a 1/2 ton truck can't pull this trailer we liked.

You have not given us enough information to be able to give advice, but you are right to be comparing weights before you buy. Are you shopping for both a truck and a travel trailer? The truck terms of half ton, three quarter ton, and such really do not apply today which is the reason that more common now are 150/1500, 250/2500, & 350/3500. Cargo carrying capacities have changed dramatically in recent years and not all 150/1500 trucks are the same, so the specific make & model is important when comparing capabilities. It is also important to understand that the towing weights are based on a flatbed trailer with weights added to it, so they do not consider the effect of wind drag that you experience towing an RV with a large frontal area and sidewalls that are greatly effected by wind and passing trucks. The wheelbase of a typical 150/1500 truck is just over 100" while a typical 150/1500 crew-cab, long box, 4 door truck will be near 160".

 

[Mr Lars]

When you say; “the truck for them are too big for us” are you referring to the physical size of the truck, or the capacities of the trucks?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

As Kirk says, we would need more details to give useful advice.

You can't generalize about what a half ton (150/1500) truck can pull or how much cargo it can carry. The way the truck is configured makes a huge difference, e.g. wheelbase, bed length & cab style, CCC, rear axle GAWR, tires, trim options, and more. Those are often inter-related, i.e. choosing a long bed means it will have a longer wheelbase. Ditto for a crew cab vs regular or extended cab. For that reason, every pickup truck now has a factory-certified set of ratings for GVWR, CCC, and axle GAWR, and all the major truck makers also use an SAE standard method of determining tow pull weight rating (aka Max Tow).

As for the trailer, for truck selection purposes assume the trailer tongue weight will be 12% of trailer GVWR. If the truck CCC can handle that in addition to the passengers and gear in the truck, you should be fine.

Your first step will be to get the trailer GVWR for trailers you like. Longer trailers generally are heavier, but so is better quality construction. In parallel with that look at some trucks that are equipped with the style & conveniences you want and take notes of the range of CCC and Tow Ratings they offer. Look at the truck makers Tow Guide (they all have one) to see the range of capabilities available for a given size & style of truck. Chances are good you can get one that suits your desires, but you might have to special order it. However, major truck dealers will have 50-100 trucks on their lot, everything from work trucks to luxo-barges. They might have what you need.

 

[DutchmenSport]

When my wife and I were first married (40 years ago) we wanted to camp. We both came from RVing families. It was always my life-long dream to someday have a pick-up truck and a really nice fifth wheel camper. I was so envious of folks who had them.

The reality was, I was in the Army at the time, living a pretty transient life. Money was tight, and we had big dreams. So, what did we do? We purchased a 4 man pup tent and ended up getting a Chevy S-10 pick-up truck brand new that had only an AM radio, no air conditioning, manual transmission, no power windows, seats, or electric anything. It didn't even have carpet on the floor. I bought a shell for the bed, and we went camping!

We both realized, it was the adventure of being able to "go" more than the container we "went" in.

Moral of the story .... you may have to start out with less or vastly different than you really want, but starting out WILL lead to bigger and better things in the future.

 

[SpencerPJ]

@ OP asantanajr
I think you are on track and understand! You will get many debates, but truth is, most RV brochures understate (mislead) what the trailer really weighs, and most truck brochures overestimate capabilities (mislead). Your areas towing (flatland vs hills vs mountains) Many people underestimate what frontal and side winds do while towing. Not to intimidate you, but much more information plays into a happy towing experience. As a general, 25' box, 29' overall, and gross weight of 7500# will be the max upper end of better towing capable 1/2 ton trucks.

 

[asantanajr]

I will try to give more details while answering to your questions. Before that, thanks a lot for the help you are already providing.

I'm shopping for both truck and trailer and trying to find a trailer that can be pulled by a 1/2 ton truck. I don't know much about trucks so my reference is how much I trust regular cars and in this case there is only one brand I trust, which is Toyota so I automatically prefer a Tundra or a Tacoma, but it looks like payload is an issue for Tundra even more than other trucks. This will actually be my next question in this forum: which older trucks will give me the least headache, but let's leave it for later.

About saying 3/4 ton may be too much, it is more a non-informed concern about costs to maintain the truck when compared to 1/2 ton.

Our first desired size was a 29', but it looks like too much for a couple and a dog so we are going down to 24 to 25 feet.

A few models that I liked the floorplan, although I'm worried about their quality, but I don't think the weight specs will be far from these ones here for reference:
Trailer/UVW/GVWR
2023 Jayco white hawk 26FK/6,875/8,500
2025 Avenger 25MKO/6153/7830
2023 KZ CONNECT SE C221RESE/5240/7000
2024 Keystone RV Hideout 28RKD/7180/9153
2024 Grand Design RV Imagine XLS 22MLE/5423/6995
2023 Dutchmen RV Aspen Trail 2560RKS/6156/8800

 

[Firstime RVer]

In our case we started out tent camping. Then worked our way up to a conversion van, that I converted due to limited finances. We happily used it for years. The conversion finally died at 180,000 miles, and we focused on raising our family.
As we reached retirement age we decided to purchase a TT that we could be comfortable in.
FWIW It ended up being a 20 ft Aspen trail, that was luxurious compared to that van. Fully loaded weighes in at 6,600 lbs, towed it with a Chevy Silverado 1500 6 cylinder crew cab unit.

After 2 years, we ended up trading the truck in to purchase an 8 cylinder 5.3 liter engine with 8 speed tranny, and tow package, so that we could more easily handle the hills in Maine etc. We couldn't be happier with the combo.
I chose a 1/2 ton because I use it as my primary source of day to day transportation, and the trailer because it was easily towed with the truck, and the layout suited my wife and I perfectly.

The design is simple, reliable, (no slideouts) and at our age, the layout is easy to get around in.
It has a full size walk around queen bed, so we dont have to climb over each other or deal with the likes of a murphy bed every day.

With tandem axels it has a Cargo capacity of 3,400 lbs (with our current 2,000 lbs of cargo, we're near the max tongue weight for our truck}.

Take your time and look at all the factors that are important to you, and make your decision. ie: do you plan on going cross country, weekend trips, boondock for extended periods, full hook up,
how many people will use the TT, etc.

Safe travels and all the best.

 

[tlmgcamp1]

I will try to give more details while answering to your questions. Before that, thanks a lot for the help you are already providing.

I'm shopping for both truck and trailer and trying to find a trailer that can be pulled by a 1/2 ton truck. I don't know much about trucks so my reference is how much I trust regular cars and in this case there is only one brand I trust, which is Toyota so I automatically prefer a Tundra or a Tacoma, but it looks like payload is an issue for Tundra even more than other trucks. This will actually be my next question in this forum: which older trucks will give me the least headache, but let's leave it for later.

About saying 3/4 ton may be too much, it is more a non-informed concern about costs to maintain the truck when compared to 1/2 ton.

Our first desired size was a 29', but it looks like too much for a couple and a dog so we are going down to 24 to 25 feet.

A few models that I liked the floorplan, although I'm worried about their quality, but I don't think the weight specs will be far from these ones here for reference:
Trailer/UVW/GVWR
2023 Jayco white hawk 26FK/6,875/8,500
2025 Avenger 25MKO/6153/7830
2023 KZ CONNECT SE C221RESE/5240/7000
2024 Keystone RV Hideout 28RKD/7180/9153
2024 Grand Design RV Imagine XLS 22MLE/5423/6995
2023 Dutchmen RV Aspen Trail 2560RKS/6156/8800

I tow a 4700 gross weight TT with a 2022 Tacoma. I would not recommend larger

 

[RayIN]

read this: Towing Capacity Calculator
Keep in mind, pickup manufacturers calculate towing capacity using a 150# driver,no passengers, ½ tank fuel, nothing in bed of truck.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Keep in mind, pickup manufacturers calculate towing capacity using a 150# driver,no passengers, ½ tank fuel, nothing in bed of truck.

That is [mostly] no longer true. All the major light duty truck manufacturers have adopted the SAE towing standard J2807. Among numerous other things, that calls for a driver and passenger at 150 lbs each. Also the weight of all necessary towing equipment and whatever options were in use on the test vehicle. And it sets performance standards as well, e.g. acceleration and braking. It pretty much eliminates the old practice of low-balling the truck equipment and exaggerating the trailer size/weight.
That said, J2807 is not specific to RV-type trailers, which have some attributes that make it harder to tow, e.g.a high frontal wind resistance, high center of gravity, and a balance that increases the tongue or pin weight vs utility trailers and car haulers. RV trailers should stay below the J2807-rated towing max.

 

[Kirk]

While the Toyota trucks have a good track record for longevity and reliability, they are very seldom seen listed as preferred in the RV community. In all of the reviews of RV towing ability and reliability that I am familiar with, the top two are the Ram (Dodge) and the Ford, and which one is first varies. The GM trucks have their supporters as well, but Toyota and Nisson are seldom mentioned. I do have experience towing with both a Ford and later a Dodge and both trucks were reliable and lived up to the ratings that they had. My son today is towing a 27' travel trailer by Alliance with his Ford F350 which is more truck than needed but he chose it because he wanted the ability to upgrade to a much larger trailer that is a fifth wheel when he retires in a few years. If you buy a used truck I suggest that you consider one of these trucks with a history and reputation.

You still have not shared the type of use you expect to have with your truck & trailer. Remember that if you buy one of the 150/1500 series trucks you will be limited in your options to upgrade at some future time, without also upgrading the truck. If you are thinking only of weekends and vacations, you will need less trailer and truck than you would if you plan to become a snowbird and spend all winter or if you want to go on the road fulltime. Another important factor in what you can be comfortable in is the height and girth of the people who plan to spend time in it. My wife and I are both relatively small people with pretty average girth and we came from a tenting background, so we have been very comfortable and happy in smaller RVs that many of our friends. But we also lived our lives in modest sized houses and that too can play a part in what you will enjoy and be comfortable in. Will it be just two people or will this be a family RV? What about pets, since they need space too?

All of the RVs you have listed are also used so do you have the expertise to know what sort of condition they are in? Since only the Avenger is new, that can be a very important consideration.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Also understand that the more options you buy on the truck, the more it weighs and the less payload it will have. Typically, RAM products have the lowest payloads even on modestly equipped models.

As Gary noted, RV trailers need to stay below the truck's max numbers. RV's do not pull like other trailers. They are usually taller, blunt on the front (even new cargo haulers are V nosed nowdays), taller, and with A/C units and solar panels, vents and other stuff on the roof, an awning on the side, you have a lot of wind resistance you don't see in a flat bed loaded with bricks. Ford even specifies a maximum frontal area for trailers.

All of the manufacturers have rather informative towing manuals which will be worth you getting one when you buy a tow vehicle.

Charles

 

[Joezeppy]

...ended up getting a Chevy S-10 pick-up truck brand new that had only an AM radio, no air conditioning, manual transmission, no power windows, seats, or electric anything. It didn't even have carpet on the floor.

Sounds just like my first ever new vehicle - a 1991 Chevy S-10 - same list of equipment (or lack thereof) except mine didn't even have a radio. It had one factory option - a rear bumper.

 

[Firstime RVer]

Been pulling my 6,600 lb TT for the last 8 years with my Chevy Silverado
1500 5.3L with 8 speed tranny and tow package for the last 8 years witn no problem. Dont see what the issue is??
Safe travels and all the best.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Most half-ton trucks can comfortably handle a travel trailer up to around 7500 lb GVWR. North of that, you would need to be careful to get one configured for a higher payload & tow rating than typical. They exist, but you won't find them on every car lot, new or used. Many have sufficient pulling power (max tow rating) but the payload (cargo capacity) come up short as the gross weight goes up. A 9000 lb trailer, for example, will need a tow vehicle with a usable payload around 2000 lbs. A "work truck" configuration often has that, but a comfortably equipped personal use truck often whittles down the payload with the weight of the trim and comfort & convenience options.

 

[Bearcatrp]

What ever you decide on, make sure it has a tow package. That cooling package for the transmission will help with longevity. I started off with a half ton pulling a 28 foot trailer. Numbers were real close for towing capacity. It’s doable but you don’t want to go over those numbers. Will make your truck work harder. If you do find one that works, don’t forget to add the weight of all the stuff that goes in the camper too. Chairs, tables, games, etc all add up. If your wife is like mine that wants everything from home plus the kitchen sink, you may end up over weight. One of the reasons I drive a 3500. Plenty of carrying weight. Good luck.