In need for a new DD truck to tow small TT

A new F150 3.5EB or 5.0V8 with max tow / max payload package and 3.73 gears will tow your TT very well and safely.

RavensFan24 wrote:
Just a thought: The 350lbs may be a false tongue weight with the set up in that picture. The trailer is tilted up, so more weight is going to the back of the trailer. You should really have the trailer level or even pointing down just a touch for a true tongue weight measurement. You're right that the max TW should only be 500lbs or so assuming 15% TW.

In the end, any half ton truck should be able to handle your set up assuming it has a tow package. My Tahoe has a GCWR of 14000lbs, which means I can handle up to 7500lbs of trailer with about 500lbs of stuff/people in the vehicle besides myself. The towing capacity says its 8200, but if I pushed it that far, I'd be over payload. My truck was 5980 with a full tank of gas and me in it. Adding 500lbs of people/stuff puts me at 6500lbs. 7500+6500=14000lbs. 6500 is under my 7300 GVWR. A WDH helps to make sure that my rear axle doesn't take all the weight and you don't exceed the axle weight ratings. If I didn't have the tow package, the Tahoe is only rated to tow like 5400lbs instead of 8200.

With a 3500lb trailer, I can only see you needing to make sure whatever half ton you choose has the tow package and you're golden. Other than that, pick something you love and that works for you and your crew.

Thank you!

Also, I scaled my trailer leveled.
what you see in the pic is me UNLOADING it from the ball (you can see my legs next to the tongue jack LOL, I have to crank it really high in order to disconnect the Andersen No Sway WDH, once it's disconnected I leveled the trailer before scaling.


Current setup:

Just a thought: The 350lbs may be a false tongue weight with the set up in that picture. The trailer is tilted up, so more weight is going to the back of the trailer. You should really have the trailer level or even pointing down just a touch for a true tongue weight measurement. You're right that the max TW should only be 500lbs or so assuming 15% TW.

In the end, any half ton truck should be able to handle your set up assuming it has a tow package. My Tahoe has a GCWR of 14000lbs, which means I can handle up to 7500lbs of trailer with about 500lbs of stuff/people in the vehicle besides myself. The towing capacity says its 8200, but if I pushed it that far, I'd be over payload. My truck was 5980 with a full tank of gas and me in it. Adding 500lbs of people/stuff puts me at 6500lbs. 7500+6500=14000lbs. 6500 is under my 7300 GVWR. A WDH helps to make sure that my rear axle doesn't take all the weight and you don't exceed the axle weight ratings. If I didn't have the tow package, the Tahoe is only rated to tow like 5400lbs instead of 8200.

With a 3500lb trailer, I can only see you needing to make sure whatever half ton you choose has the tow package and you're golden. Other than that, pick something you love and that works for you and your crew.

Need-A-Vacation wrote:
Dream Girl,

Have you measured the tw of the trailer? Jayco lists the dry tw as 300lbs, but that does not include a battery or a propane tank on the tongue. That alone will add about 90lbs to the tw even before loading the trailer for a trip (based on one battery and one propane tank). In the pic, was that when you were first picking up the 184, before they put the propane tank on the tongue?

For the new GM twins ('14/'15 Silverado/ Sierra), the hitch is rated up to 1k lbs tw or so without the need for a wdh. The older ('13 and older) I believe still had the need for a wdh over 500 or 600lbs tw.

BUT.... as mentioned, if you load the bed up with cargo, plus the tw and you would probably feel a wdh is needed to help the ride and making the steering more solid instead of "floating".

The GM twins with a 5..3 and a set of 3.42 gears would be plenty to tow your trailer. It would also allow you to step up to a little larger trailer down the road powerwise, and even payload (pending how you load the truck bed) if you upgrade. When looking at different trucks, look in the drivers door jamb for the yellow sticker!!! It will state "Passengers and cargo not to exceed XXXXlbs". The higher the better!!! Just make sure it has the hd cooling, tow package, and the correctsuspension package for the higher tow rating if you do think you may upgrade trailers while you still have this truck. The integrated brake controller GM has works very well if you can find a truck with one!!!

As for the process of hitching/unhitching when using a wdh, a power tongue jack makes it very easy, even with a lighter tw like you have!!!

Good luck deciding!!!! And keep us posted!!!

Yes, I have scaled my Trailer, the TW was at 350lb.
I removed the propane tank for that trip.


Thank you for your post.
I am very puzzled and confused at the moment, as I can't get a decisive answer for my question, all the answers that I'm getting are very generic, such as "CGVW - The higher the better", how do I know what is "high" when I don't know what is the range?

At the moment I am thinking about a F-150 Super Crew short bed with Max payload package... but not all trucks are build the same and I don't understand what to look for, I need numbers... axle ratio, engine size and etc
My trailer is only 3200lb Loaded, with a max TW of 500lb on a bad day.
Unless I win the jackpot, I can't see myself upgrading to a bigger trailer anytime soon (I just got that one - new!)


I scaled my trailer leveled.

Dream Girl,

Have you measured the tw of the trailer? Jayco lists the dry tw as 300lbs, but that does not include a battery or a propane tank on the tongue. That alone will add about 90lbs to the tw even before loading the trailer for a trip (based on one battery and one propane tank). In the pic, was that when you were first picking up the 184, before they put the propane tank on the tongue?

For the new GM twins ('14/'15 Silverado/ Sierra), the hitch is rated up to 1k lbs tw or so without the need for a wdh. The older ('13 and older) I believe still had the need for a wdh over 500 or 600lbs tw.

BUT.... as mentioned, if you load the bed up with cargo, plus the tw and you would probably feel a wdh is needed to help the ride and making the steering more solid instead of "floating".

The GM twins with a 5..3 and a set of 3.42 gears would be plenty to tow your trailer. It would also allow you to step up to a little larger trailer down the road powerwise, and even payload (pending how you load the truck bed) if you upgrade. When looking at different trucks, look in the drivers door jamb for the yellow sticker!!! It will state "Passengers and cargo not to exceed XXXXlbs". The higher the better!!! Just make sure it has the hd cooling, tow package, and the correctsuspension package for the higher tow rating if you do think you may upgrade trailers while you still have this truck. The integrated brake controller GM has works very well if you can find a truck with one!!!

As for the process of hitching/unhitching when using a wdh, a power tongue jack makes it very easy, even with a lighter tw like you have!!!

Good luck deciding!!!! And keep us posted!!!

I have to say that towing without a WDH would be nice. It's not difficult at all to hook up and unhook a WDH, but it is an extra step that would be nice to not have to do. This is especially true for those who travel long distances with lots of one-night stops.

I have a 3/4 ton Denali that I tow a 17ft Bigfoot without WDH.Tows fine.I have 4 trailers and do not use a WDH on any

Don't forget my personal favorite, the Tundra. Mine tows 5,600 nicely. If you are looking at new, they now have an integrated trailer brake and an available 36 gallon fuel tank.

I can only speak from my experience, but after owning two GMs, a Blazer and an Impala, I don't think I could ever go back. Problem after problem with leaks, modules, steering system, sensors etc.

My Toyota has only had oil changes, and one set of tires and brakes in 55,000 miles. It drives the same as when it was new.

DreamGirl, my tirade was not directed at you. And the general comments regarding "this truck doesn't need it" are also way too general (many posts say they don't use WDH). Some trucks have stiffer suspensions, and are built for heavier payloads/tongue weights, even in the same class - half-ton, ¾-ton, etc. Just because one ¾-ton can handle a 500 lb tongue without a WDH, does not mean the next can. Each suspension configuration can handle different weights.

Bottom line is, it depends on the individual truck you are looking at, and what (and where) you are putting in the truck (payload), not just the weight classification of the truck. One half-ton may work, while another ¾-ton won't do the job. Just saying "be careful", and check all the specs for the specific truck.

I have around 400 lbs of tongue weight on my little camper and use no WDH, drops the back of my truck about an inch. My truck is a 1500, I would guess most half tons would be the same.