F150 vs. Suburban?
Hi everyone. First post here. We just bought a 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH travel trailer. It's dry weight is approx. 7500lbs. We bought it to pull with my wife's company 2012 Chevy Suburban ...
Forum Discussion
The lighter F150 will be quicker and maybe stop in a bit less distance,
but both are 'half ton' TV's...best to use their GVWR's as there are
over a dozen F150's varying from +6K GVWR to about 7.6K GVWR
Half ton Sub's range from around 7K GVWR to about 7.4K GVWR. They no longer
make a 3/4 ton Sub (8.6K GVWR) because the vast majority of buyers will
only purchase a half for 'ride quality', not towing capacity
Then there are further attribute changes to their ratings with suffix
and prefix to the marketing badging...a F150HD is a fake half ton
with an almost 3/4 ton GVWR and older had same/similar RGAWR
On that MTWR ((max tow weight rating)...it is based on the stripper model,
AKA curb, and only has one option...the tow option, and one 150 lb driver
So, if you order or the previous owner ordered options...those options
take away from the MTWR pound for pound.
Plus, if you weigh more thant 150lbs, the MTWR is pound for pound less...and
if you have more people/cargo/luggage/pets/ice-chest/etc...all take
away from the MTWR, pound for pound
Lugs vary from OEM to OEM and era to era. Some older era 3/4 ton had
6 lugs and today's half tons generally have 6 lugs...some fake half
ton's have 7 lugs, etc...and...that fake half ton has a GVWR of just
under 8K and some older fake half tons have 8.2K GVWR
Since most pickups and full sized SUV's all have very similar sq/ft
on pavement...they are all about the same in maneuvering. The big
difference is their height.
Some/most of today's TVs are way higher because folks 'think' they are
more capable and with higher GVWR's if taller. Not so, just for looks.
The real difference in class (half ton vs 3/4 ton) is that the frame
is that much bigger. Suspension is bigger...etc. Even the tires are
of higher class. Most half ton has 'P' class tires (passenger) and
needs to be de-rated a min of 9% when used on trucks (the OEM has
already done that). 3/4 ton (8K GWVR and higher) comes with "LT" class
tires (light truck)
So, decide if car stuff is more important vs towing performance (not
just go, but stopping and ability to manhandle the setup during an
emergency situation)
That ability to manhandle up to the OEM's ratings is during that moment
when Mr Murphy crosses your path.
Either you have the right sized stuff spot on or not. No time to go
back to the store for better/bigger/etc stuff.
Ditto the setup, either it is setup right or not and no time to redo
Since you are a lawyer, assume you understand that all of the OEM
ratings/system has fine print modifying/qualifying those ratings
numbers...that most folks take as absolute with little to no understanding
of how a contract's fine print/caps/bold/etc works...
Either get a higher class TV or smaller trailer for your existing TV
Good luck...you'll need it with your current setup.
but both are 'half ton' TV's...best to use their GVWR's as there are
over a dozen F150's varying from +6K GVWR to about 7.6K GVWR
Half ton Sub's range from around 7K GVWR to about 7.4K GVWR. They no longer
make a 3/4 ton Sub (8.6K GVWR) because the vast majority of buyers will
only purchase a half for 'ride quality', not towing capacity
Then there are further attribute changes to their ratings with suffix
and prefix to the marketing badging...a F150HD is a fake half ton
with an almost 3/4 ton GVWR and older had same/similar RGAWR
On that MTWR ((max tow weight rating)...it is based on the stripper model,
AKA curb, and only has one option...the tow option, and one 150 lb driver
So, if you order or the previous owner ordered options...those options
take away from the MTWR pound for pound.
Plus, if you weigh more thant 150lbs, the MTWR is pound for pound less...and
if you have more people/cargo/luggage/pets/ice-chest/etc...all take
away from the MTWR, pound for pound
Lugs vary from OEM to OEM and era to era. Some older era 3/4 ton had
6 lugs and today's half tons generally have 6 lugs...some fake half
ton's have 7 lugs, etc...and...that fake half ton has a GVWR of just
under 8K and some older fake half tons have 8.2K GVWR
Since most pickups and full sized SUV's all have very similar sq/ft
on pavement...they are all about the same in maneuvering. The big
difference is their height.
Some/most of today's TVs are way higher because folks 'think' they are
more capable and with higher GVWR's if taller. Not so, just for looks.
The real difference in class (half ton vs 3/4 ton) is that the frame
is that much bigger. Suspension is bigger...etc. Even the tires are
of higher class. Most half ton has 'P' class tires (passenger) and
needs to be de-rated a min of 9% when used on trucks (the OEM has
already done that). 3/4 ton (8K GWVR and higher) comes with "LT" class
tires (light truck)
So, decide if car stuff is more important vs towing performance (not
just go, but stopping and ability to manhandle the setup during an
emergency situation)
That ability to manhandle up to the OEM's ratings is during that moment
when Mr Murphy crosses your path.
Either you have the right sized stuff spot on or not. No time to go
back to the store for better/bigger/etc stuff.
Ditto the setup, either it is setup right or not and no time to redo
Since you are a lawyer, assume you understand that all of the OEM
ratings/system has fine print modifying/qualifying those ratings
numbers...that most folks take as absolute with little to no understanding
of how a contract's fine print/caps/bold/etc works...
Either get a higher class TV or smaller trailer for your existing TV
Good luck...you'll need it with your current setup.
