CKNSLS wrote:
Need-A-Vacation wrote:
CKNSLS wrote:
owenssailor wrote:
The payload capability in "1/2 ton" pickups is a very real issue. It is not hard to hit the rated limits for the truck. The WD hitch and tongue weight can add up very quickly.
That limit will be reached far sooner than the towing rating.
Everything you said is correct but the OP isn't going to have those problems based on the trailer he is considering.
As a general rule you will never be able to tow the maximum ratings in a half-ton when you take payload in to consideration.
While it sounds like the OP should be fine, until he tells us everything he plans on doing to the truck and what he will load in the bed, it is hard to say for sure.
Will he add a spray in bed liner, cab high (or taller) bed cap, weeks worth of firewood, etc??? OP also stated truck will be a crew cab, but never has posted how many family members, or even the total "rough" weight of all passengers.
Does it sound like a good match, yes, but without knowing all what the OP will have in the truck it is still a "Conditional Yes" IMHO.
And I can't believe GM isn't offering a tow mirror option on the '14's!!! Wonder why!!!??? Though I haven't tried to build one myself.
Acut2660,
Do you currently have a truck/suv? If so, I know this is a crazy thought, BUT, go weigh the vehicle empty: no passenger, coolers, firewood, etc, that you think you would normally load in the new truck/ Now go home, load all passengers (even if all won't be going camping on all trips), coolers, chairs, firewood, etc up and go reweigh the vehicle. This will give you a good idea what your payload will be in the new truck. Now add about 100lbs for the hitch, then see what you have leeft over to compare to the Sierra's payload. Then decide if have enough for the trailer tongue weight and anything else you would like to do to the truck: bed cap, spray in liner, etc.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
Chris
Chris,
I just did what others on here say is impossible. I just completed an 8 month-8,000 mile towing trip (32 states) with my half-ton and 29 foot trailer. A a matter of fact I put on another 10,000 miles on the truck over and above the towing miles using the truck for touring and and seeing the sights. So yes, I know a thing or two about towing with a half-ton. And I must add I had ZERO problems on the trip. Not even a flat tire running Carlisle RH tires.
Trying to get others a "buy in" to tow with a half-ton on this forum is a complete waste of time-I guess the OP doesn't know this. Your as likely to tell him to tow with a half-ton as you are to tell him to run ST tires.
CK,
If I have taken your reply the wrong way I will appologize in advance, but this is the way I read it- Please correct me if I am wrong!
I don't see where I ever stated, nor implied you don't know what your talking about when it comes to YOUR setup! Maybe re-read what I posted: The fact the OP has never even told us how much passenger weight will be in the truck, let alone what he/she plans on loading in the bed of the truck! SO what I DID say was that to be a safe answer, it is a "Conditional Yes", you should be ok with that setup.
As for your 18k mile trip you just completed, it sounds like a great trip! And yes, it gives you a good basis for making suggestions, but I go back to the fact that we (all of us who have replied to this thread) still don't know what the OP's truck will have in it before the trailer is hooked up.
As for making a statement about me telling him "you're as likely to tell him to tow with half-tons as you are to tell him to run ST tires", I didn't think you knew me. For the record, I RUN ST TIRES on our trailer!!!! Carlisle RH's as well!!! ONLY reason I would switch to LT's is not because of the "China bomb" fear, but because of the speed rating of 65mph for ST's! I know what the limitations are, so with that in mind I keep the speed down- not that I want to tow a trailer at 80+mph! Being AT the speed rating is my only concern by towing at 65ish mph. Just like moving up a load rating on a tire when the rim allows (psi rating) to have a little more margin.
And being a former (stock except LT tires, truck cap, step bars, mud flaps, vent visors, and a Curt class v hitch to eliminate the CHEAP factory round tube hitch!) '10 Chevy CCSB 4x4 5.3/6 spd/3.42 owner myself, I also know what the limitations are. I used to be in the "the trailer weight is below the tow rating, so we are all set" group! Then I learned the correct way! As I have mentioned in other post, we were about 200lbs over our gvwr, but about 200 under the rawr on our 1500. That was with a full gas tank, a family of four that weighs about 475lbs total (for now- we have twin 10yo boys who are growing!), about 130lbs of (4) bikes in the bed, a cab high Century truck cap (about 200lbs), spray in bed liner (50lbs???), tool box & milk crate with a bottle jack and a couple boards for the jack (maybe 50lbs???). Our tw was 920lbs if I remember right (scale slips are at home). Yellow sticker rated payload was 1550lbs. Didn't even have any coolers or firewood in the truck (they were in the trailer when we hed the 1500), and we were over the gvwr. And my wife wanted the coolers & (when we take it) firewood out of the trailer and in the truck bed! That is the main reason we now have a 2500HD!!! With 3 coolers (1-adult drinks, 1-bottled water, and a smaller 1-kids drinks), plus 2 totes of firewood (that weigh about 150lbs/each) we would have been even further over the gvwr. Even with moving the bikes to the rear of the trailer on a bike rack when I get a proper setup for it!
I, like many on here who have learned, found out just how quick weight adds up!!!! Even if it's just small things: camp chairs, Coleman Roadtrip grill, propane bottles for the grill, E Z Up, etc... It adds up quick!!!!
And yes, I had the option to remove the topper during the summer, storing it was an issue though, and it is nice having a covered bed, though a tonneau cover would have helped in that area to an extent!
Again, if I took your reply the wrong way, I apologize!!!! I am only trying to get the OP to think about EVERYTHING that will be going in the truck weight wise before even hooking the trailer up.
Chris
