Forum Discussion
Sandia_Man
Jul 09, 2018Explorer II
With your current truck there are some very nice TTs you can tow under 25', if you want to go longer you can look at some ultra-light models although their overall durability and insulative factors may not be comparable. Look at your door jamb label to see your available payload, everything loaded into the truck including passengers and hitch subtracts from payload.
A properly loaded TT will place about 15 percent of its total weight on the hitch ball, look at the GVWR of the TT to estimate the tongue weight that your truck has to carry, this is where half ton trucks have the most issues since payload capacity is sorely lacking under most circumstances. If the numbers look good, get a WD/SC hitch and get out and have some fun.
As for onboard generators, standard TTs rarely have them but they are commonly found on toyhauler TTs. Unfortunately, these type of TTs are not best suited for towing by half ton trucks as they are much heavier with large loading capacities for motorized toys. Many have no toys and just use the garage as an extra room for whatever they want, need at least a 3/4 ton truck.
Since the vast majority of TTs and 5ers don't have onboard generators many will purchase a quality inverter generator that are quiet and fuel efficient. Some stow them in their truck and others in their TT's storage bay, if you need to power your RV AC unit about 3K watts is minimum for reliable service at most elevations. We use a Champion 3100 remote start genny that easily runs our AC.
A properly loaded TT will place about 15 percent of its total weight on the hitch ball, look at the GVWR of the TT to estimate the tongue weight that your truck has to carry, this is where half ton trucks have the most issues since payload capacity is sorely lacking under most circumstances. If the numbers look good, get a WD/SC hitch and get out and have some fun.
As for onboard generators, standard TTs rarely have them but they are commonly found on toyhauler TTs. Unfortunately, these type of TTs are not best suited for towing by half ton trucks as they are much heavier with large loading capacities for motorized toys. Many have no toys and just use the garage as an extra room for whatever they want, need at least a 3/4 ton truck.
Since the vast majority of TTs and 5ers don't have onboard generators many will purchase a quality inverter generator that are quiet and fuel efficient. Some stow them in their truck and others in their TT's storage bay, if you need to power your RV AC unit about 3K watts is minimum for reliable service at most elevations. We use a Champion 3100 remote start genny that easily runs our AC.
About RV Newbies
4,032 PostsLatest Activity: Dec 23, 2025