Newb advice for finding used truck for towing travel trailer

Based on my looking at and recently buying a GMC Sierra, you can do this with a properly equipped 1/2 ton. But I'm talking new or near-new as the 1/2 tons are a different breed than they were just a few years ago.

Couple of things. Ignore the dry weight. And your hitch weight won't be 678 lbs. Use the GVWR of 7678 and work from there. Hitch will be 12-15% of that so worse case is 1,151. My trailer is a GVWR of 8,200 and my hitch weight is 1,050. Sticker say 520 or something stupid.

Truck I bought is a 2015 GMC Sierra Crew Cab short box with the max trailer package. 5.3l, 6 spd and 3.73 gears. Towing capacity is 10,800 and the carrying capacity is 2,015 as per the door sticker. I looked at Fords but could not find one with their max payload package so the carrying capacity was well under the 2K mark. I don't think the Tundra's have the same ratings as the Fords or GM's and with the recent buy-backs by Dodge, I didn't even look at them.

I moved from a 2001 3/4 Diesel so I know I took a bit of a step back in towing ability, but my trailer is within the weight limits and feels comfortable behind the new truck. I wanted new and wasn't paying for a diesel this time around. As I don't tow a lot, I also wanted to stay with a 1/2 ton. The 3/4 tons would have been a fair bit more money as they did not have the same deals on them.

You can't do anything to a 1/2 ton to make it carry or pull more weight. Air bags etc. don't change the sticker that the DOT looks at if you are stopped. They may make carrying the same weight easier (I'm thinking of adding Timbrens or air bags to mine) but they don't change the actual capacity.

I agree 3/4 ton. Ours is only 31ft and I started off with a 1/2 ton, but quickly changed after a couple pulls.

Any of the 3/4 ton trucks will work best, for a 33' TT of that weight. Most 3/4 tons will be set up ready to tow. Just the right 1/2 ton, may work, but hard to find used.

It is best to buy a truck with all needed towing options, than to buy one without, and add things, trying to make it work.

Jerry

Having went through this recently myself, I would say that a 7500+ lb trailer with my half ton (2011 Sierra 1500) was more than I wanted to deal with. I bought a 26 ft Tracer 2640RLS, that loaded is 5900lbs. Im really happy with how it pulls overall. I don't know that I would like it with another 1500+lbs.

As others say, do the math, and give yourself some margin. Last thing you want is to be so close that stopping for a Big Mac puts you over!!!(grin).

Mike

What ever truck you look at, you need to calculate your entire payload requirement, and compare that to the payload of the individual truck. Depending on installed options, each truck will have it's own available payload. There are F150's with as little as 750 lbs available payload, and, there are F150's with as much as 3100 lbs available payload. Many versions of Tundra, have 12 - 1300 lbs available payload. Ram and GM trucks, also have variations in their carrying capacity.

Check the tire and loading sticker (on drivers door post) on every truck you look at.

Average camping load (dishes, pots and pans, camping gear, BBQ, groceries, and water, will add 800 - 1000 lbs to the trailer's dry weight.

The trailer you listed above, when loaded for camping, will need close to 1000 lbs of available payload.

That means:

Add up the weight of all the aftermarket accessories (bed liner, bed cap, running boards, etc), people, and cargo, you plan to haul, plus 100 lbs for a weight distributing hitch, and 12 - 15 percent of your estimated (loaded) trailer weight. All of these things eat into the truck's payload.

If the truck only has 1300 lbs payload (AKA cargo carrying capacity), and you add a 200 lb bed cap, add 100 lbs of tools and camping gear in the truck bed, then hang 1000 lbs of tongue weight on the back, you would have no payload left to carry any people.

In many cases, you'll run out of payload, before you get close that mythical towing capacity number.

If you plan on buying for the long term, a 3/4 ton truck is well suited for towing a trailer greater than 6500 lb gvwr.
I don't recommend using a trucks advertised "tow rating" (what it can pull), as a guideline. I would be more concerned with the truck payload rating, suspension, brake size, axle rating, tire load range, etc. A HD truck makes for a much better towing experience, especially for long hauls.
As far as power, any of the big 3 late model gassers will effortlessly tow up to 10k. If diesel is in your budget, even better yet.

I had a quick look at a 2013 F 150. Towing can range from 5500 pounds maximum up to 11,300 pounds.

As you said, there is definitely more to it that that!

You need to carefully research the capabilities of the year, make, and model of the truck you are considering.

Certainly, if you are looking at a first rig and plan to go that length, you will likely scare the pants out of yourself a few times.

I am now towing about 9000 pounds in a fifth wheel with a F350 diesel, and it scares me sometimes. Going towards a rig that weighs as much or more than the truck means all those loons that get right in front of you and hope you can stop when they do is just so much fun. NOT!

I would get a 3/4 ton truck and diesel if you can afford one.
bigger brakes, heavier frame and springs, bigger cooling system,

just my two cents, I have owned a 1/2 tom pulling a trailer and do not like to have to go 80 mph before every hill to make it up the hill.

always best to have more truck than you need, rather than less power.