Help with TV concerns - new to towing trailer

ScottG wrote:
People that say you can't tow with "any" half ton just aren't with the times.
Todays 1/2 tons out tow the diesels and 3/4 tons of the 90's in many cases.
Your truck is capable of towing what the manufacturer says it can and probably a bit more since much of that number is based on what the warranty dept. says.

Don't worry and enjoy your new trailer!

X2

If the payload stats at the link are accurate, you should be fine:

1999 GMC Sierra 1500

Keep in mind, some of the numbers used by truck manufacturers and RV sales people, can be quite unrealistic.

Dry weight -- There are trailer sales people, who will tell you, as long as the dry weight is within your tow rating, you'll be fine. What they don't tell you is, that dry weight number is what the trailer weighed when it left the factory, the trailer gained weight at the dealership, and it will gain more weight when you load it. Before you buy the trailer, it no longer weighs 5300 lbs. When you are loaded for camping, the trailer will weigh approximately 1200 lbs more than it did at the dealership.

Tow Capacity --- Is the weight the truck manufacturer says it can pull behind it. Keyword is "behind". Your truck probably can pull an 8200 lb sled, because a sled doesn't add weight to the truck. With a travel trailer, 10 - 15% of it's loaded weight, is being carried by the truck.

Payload --- This is the difference between GVWR and what the truck actually weighed, when it left the factory. Any accessories / options added, by a dealer or consumer, deduct from the payload, pound for pound. ie; add a 200 lb bed cap, your payload is now 200 lbs less. Even a set of floor mats, will reduce your payload by what ever their weight happens to be.

Available payload -- This is the difference between your GVWR and what your truck actually weighs, now. This is the weight room you have for passengers, truck cargo, weight distribution hitch, and trailer tongue weight.

It is quite common to run out of payload and exceed GVWR, before you get close to your tow capacity. You'll see a lot of posts where, folks recommend loaded trailer weights should not exceed 75 - 80 percent of your tow capacity. That is mainly due to tongue weight.

Your 8200 tow capacity, at 80 percent would be 6560 loaded trailer. At 6560 loaded weight, your tongue weight would be about 790, plus the weight of the distribution hitch. You would need close to 900 lbs available payload for this.

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Honestly I can't tell if your in good shape or not without knowing any ratings for your truck. A 99 is not built like the 1/2 tons of today.
What is the payload rating of your truck? What is the hitch rating.
Does it have a tow package of any kind?
You really need to know your ratings and weigh your truck to determine how well matched your combo will be. Otherwise it's just a guess by a bunch of guys over the internet.

Welcome to the forum. Okay here is my take on things here. First your truck is going to do just fine. I have a99 1/2 ton Dodge Ram 1500 5.2 v8 and pull a 18foot Pioneer TT, and it does just fine. Granted your not going to be winning any races going down the road, but you shouldn't be anyway.If going on the interstate stay in the right lane whenever possible, and let people pass you,dont be in any hurry. I run between 60-65 and not any more. Here might be a couple things to consider putting on your truck just to make the towing a little more enjoyable,a little less stressful. A couple of things I did to do this was put on some airbags on my truck,and I fill them up to about 65# before hooking up the trailer. I my opinion this just helps keep a little more weight on the front end of my truck. Also a Anti Sway Bar helps keeping your trailer going in a straight line. Oh and a good brake controller, you gotta be able to stop that thing when the need arises.
I hope this helps and enjoy your new TT. Take it out on a few short trips at first to get a feel for it and you'll be just fine

Great replys, thanks to everyone! I'm getting all the fluids changed on the truck and making sure it's scheduled maintenance is all up to snuff, brakes and tires. Mark and Linda, did you find the sway bars made a difference? I'm considering an Equalizer, Reese Straitline or all out for a Hensley/Propride. The dealership is giving me a WD hitch "for free", it's a Curt, but I don't hear much about them and I want to be sure we're set up right, it's my family I'm towing around. What a great forum!

I tow a 2009 Puma 25RS with my 2007 Chevrolet Silverado with the 5.3 L. I have a Prodigy P2 which I installed myself. I also installed a set of Timbren Suspension Enhancement Blocks on it. I had to readjust my WDH when I did this addition. Like it has been mentioned, you won't win not races..but who cares. I love towing mine on the two lane roads. I have no problem in the campgrounds backing or anything. I added a Friction Sway bar to mine, I also have a ProSeries WDH with SC on it. No problems...

I towed a similar sized TT with an 06 Silverado, 5.3L. It's doable, just don't get in a hurry.

Ooops - posted by mistake.