Campfire Time wrote:
I'd be more concerned with the TBs ability to tow that trailer. The trailer you are looking at seems to have a GVWR of 6000#. Granted you may not load it to it's full potential, but with two growing boys you will be closer to the GVWR than the unloaded weight. Probably very close to the 5500# rating of the truck. Worse your payload is probably only 1100# or 1200#. Between the tongue weight, hitch weight, your kids, wife, and "stuff" in the truck, you'll be over your payload.
I used to have a Trailblazer, I6, 3:42 gears and towed two hybrids with it. One had a GVWR of 3500#. The TB towed it beautifully. Then we towed our current X20E with it. It has a GVWR of 4500#. The TB towed it OK, but nothing stellar about the experience. It struggled a bit when fighting wind. For short trips it was fine but we got the Sierra because the TB had a lot of miles and was not going to cut for mountains. I can't see you having a good experience towing the trailer you are considering.
I understand your concerns.
I've had the TB since new, its what I have to tow with as I'm not buy a truck for prob 3 years. When I buy a truck, I may go to a larger camper accordingly. I don't see a shorter 17 ft trailer cutting it for us, so if we pudder along at 60 MPH in the TB for a couple years I can live with that. If it blows the engine I can live with that.
Mainly I'd love you guys input about the camper availability, quality and overall value for the money for what I hope will be about 3 years of ownership, and if it goes well I might keep it longer, but I'll buy a truck in 3 years.
