Hey Everyone!My wife and I are looking to buy a truck and trailer within the next year and need some guidance. I posted in the TT forum with this same type of question and I am getting some good responses, but thought I would post here as well just in case there are more/different opinions here.We are looking to buy a bunkhouse style TT with a GVWR of around 7,500 lbs. To pull it our initial thought was to us a 2018 F150 2 wheel drive V8. The math works on the payload, towing, and gross weight, but it is pushing the upper limits of what the truck is able to do.What do people here use to pull trailers like this?What kind of margin do y'all like to keep between what you are pulling and the limits of your truck?Would it be better to go with a slightly older 3/4 ton truck than a slightly newer 1/2 ton truck?Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Before this is all over, I’m sure u will be told to get the 3/4 well no it will be a 3500 dually diesel... lol jk guys. Seriously though some newer 1/2 tons will be fine for that. A 3/4 gas or diesel will work but most likely overkill unless u plan to get a larger camper in the future. Big area on all truck is payload. Check on your camper how much tongue weight it will put on the truck plus the extras that you carry. Passengers, toys ect... most half ton trucks give u minimal 1500 lbs payload, some up to 2400. While some diesel 3/4 tons have a payload of 2400.... cause of the weight of the engine. Gas 3/4 will give you 2900 at least. Don’t get caught up in the hype of how much any vehicle will tow... the manufacturer always uses the most base of trucks to get that number. Ford does offer a nice equipped 1/2 ton F150 with ecoboost with a great payload over 2k. Hope this helps, I’m sure others will chime in.

I wonder how many times we are going to hear "You can never have too much truck" or "I never heard someone complain that they had too much truck"....

1/2 to 3/4 difference1/2 to 3/4 again1/2 to 3/4 again again

If the truck is truly equipped to handle the full GVWR you should be just fine. Payload can still be an issue if you start to accumulate other items to fill the truck bed. I would go F150 with max towing and max payload options.

I tow a 28 foot TT with a GVWR slightly above yours with a Ford F150, 3.5L ecoboost, 10 spd transmission, HDPP and couldn't be happier. You won't find a F150 with the HDPP on the lot, it will have to be ordered. Best truck I ever owned, even better then the F250 I just got rid of. 10± mpg towing, 15± mpg as a daily driver 20+ mpg on the freeway.

1/2 ton or 3/4 ton | Good Sam Community

blt2ski
Moderator
Oct 22, 2019
2oldman wrote:
ShinerBock wrote:
I wonder how many times we are going to hear "You can never have too much truck" or "I never heard someone complain that they had too much truck"....
or, "You won't even know it's back there."

I know I have a trailer behind my empty 12k lb international. Be it a 3000-12,000 lb trailer. Knew it behind my dmax dually too.
One should always know feel that a trailer is back their vs no trailer.
As far as 15 vs 25 vs 35 series. My rwd reg cab basic 2500 has/had 300 lbs less door sticker payload than my mid trim dmax, 4wd crew cab dually...... But, if you go with axle ratings, dually is 2000+ lbs ahead of 2500.
It is no fun having to little suspension ability, as it is being shy on power. I'll take a correct sized chassis underpowered I've an overpowered under chassid'd rig.

Marty
jerem0621
Explorer II
Oct 22, 2019
The answer is it depends.

Lightly loaded half ton truck with 175 lb man and a 120 lb woman and a mini dog... no problem.

1,000 lbs of flesh in the Cab plus a bed full of camping gear and 1,000 lbs of tongue weight and you are looking at an average half ton waiting for a scene of the accident

Thanks!

Jeremiah
CaLBaR
Explorer
Oct 22, 2019
2oldman wrote:
ShinerBock wrote:
I wonder how many times we are going to hear "You can never have too much truck" or "I never heard someone complain that they had too much truck"....
or, "You won't even know it's back there."

Just bought a RAM 3500 SRW with the 6.7 Cummins and I still know the trailer is back there and it is 9500 lbs loaded. Anyone who says they can't feel the trailer back there even if they have way more truck that they need isn't paying enough attention.

To the OP sorry to hijack the thread. You will be fine with a properly setup 1/2 ton. I did it for 11 years with a trailer same weight as yours.
demiles
Explorer
Oct 22, 2019
Which TV is most appropriate is going to depend on the trailer itself and not just its overall weight. It’s weight distribution by design (yaw inertia), axle position, tongue weight, and how it’s loaded will make a difference. Both could be capable from a general point of view of overall weight and payload.
Me_Again
Explorer III
Oct 22, 2019
While boating and talking about right-a-way we always said tonnage wins hand down. The same can be said for tow vehicles. We towed a 16K 39' 5th wheel and now a 8K 27' TT with the same 2015 3500 RAM 4x4 CC SB. It towed/tows both just fine. Do I want to get rid of the 3500 now that the 5th wheel is parked in our summer RV park, nope! I love the 3500 diesel RAM. Chris
mtofell1
Explorer
Oct 23, 2019
A capable 1/2 ton is doable with a 7500# trailer but you may have to pay attention to what/where you're packing. How much weight you carry in the truck (people, gear in the bed, etc.) is also a big factor. A 3/4 ton would pretty much allow you to just forget about weight and bring anything (or anyone) you want. So, if you want to have a good excuse to leave your mother-in-law at home, get the 1/2 ton. If not, get a 3/4 ton :)
wowens79
Explorer III
Oct 23, 2019
My bunkhouse is a similar weight, and I tow with a 1500hd tha GM mad in the early 2000's, it has the drive train I'v a 3/4 and a 1/2 ton body. It handles the trailer pretty well, but could use a little more power. I'm looking at new trucks, and will definatley be going 3/4 ton, and probably with a gas engine.

You could tow with a proper 1/2 ton, but if you are buying a truck I'd go ahead and get the 3/4. The prices are not that much more, so the is not much downside.
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Oct 23, 2019
seems like the first topic of feedback is payload/etc. etc. However, IMHO there are a few other differences that could sway you one way or the other. My observations.

1) Many 1/2 ton "crew cab's" have a shorter std box than a 3/4 ton. less cargo room.
2) Many 1/2 ton are shorter overall than the comparable 3/4 ton.
3) Many 1/2 tons have a lower step in height than 3/4 ton.

So, before deciding just on payload etc. look at the box length, interior room, overall length and decide what fits YOUR needs and wants best.

For us, a long enough short box to haul motorcycles or loads of dirt, a large back seat to take 5 adults comfortably was high priority, and I sacrificed overall length, and step in height and turning radius and went with 3/4 ton. But again that was OUR priority, decide based on YOUR priorities.
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Oct 23, 2019
The math works fine as long as you don't go bigger. If you think you might someday go 3/4 ton
owenssailor
Explorer
Oct 23, 2019
My 2017 Silverado 1500 has a payload rating of 1980 lb. Our 31 ft trailer loaded for winter travel weighs 6700 lb. The truck handles that with no problems at all. with the equal-i-zer hitch we do not get bothered by transports passing on freeways. With the 8 spd tranny the 5.3 V8 has enough power everywhere we have travelled which includes the atlantic coast along the Gulf and over to the Pacific at San Diego. The truck was oedered to tow the trailer an does what it is supposed to do.