Size of truck

maxwell11 wrote:
I think you need a truck designed to pull and carry at least 20% more than the weight of your trailer.

If you follow that golden rule of towing you will be fine.

remember: pulling the trailer in only about 10% of the issue.

its when some #$%%^& pulls out in front of you and you have to shut her down to a dead stop while you and your passengers are screaming.

that's when you just can not have enough truck!!!!!!!!!!

bigger is better when it comes to hp and torque and brakes, did I say stopping ability !!!!!!!!!!!!

Having an HD truck doesn't guarantee you will stop any faster than a Half ton. Matter of fact my Half ton F150 out handled, out cornered, out stopped my F350. The 20% golden rule is not a standard at all. The truck will carry up to its GVWR and the trucks brakes will perform as designed. The trailer brakes stops the trailer.

If you lose trailer brakes you are at the mercy of luck in either a Half Ton or a HD truck.

Another fallacy that is proliferated on RV.net and other sites is that is it's not OK to be over GVW on a half ton by 1 lb.... but... and here is the fallacy... its OK to overload a HD truck if you add springs, tires, etc.

Here is my opinion and how to break this all down simply.

Forget half-ton, 3/4 ton, 1 ton designations.

1) figure out your trailers GVWR, if its a TT multiply that by 15%, if its a fiver multiply that GVWR number by 25%. Now you have two important numbers

Pin/Tongue weight and GVWR.

2) Calculate what your truck Has to carry normally... this number will be passengers, and gear in the truck (while towing I suggest loading the trailer and use the vehicle for passengers while towing.. JMHO, especially if you have a lighter payload number)

3) Add the normal cargo number and the Pin/Tongue weight... this will give you an approximate MAX that your truck will be required to carry.

Does your truck or the truck you are thinking about buying measure up?

Example...

I have a family of four...

Me- Decreas payload by -85 (150 of which is calculated in the curb weight of the truck, so decrease payload by 85 lbs, I weigh 225 lbs)
DW - decrease available payload by -150lbs
DS1- Decrease available payload by -175lbs (will increase as child ages)
DS2- Decrease Available payload by -155 lbs (will increase as child ages)
Misc weight- diabetic meds, snacks, purse, video game junk, pillows, blankets etc... -100 lbs.

Weight my truck HAS to carry = 665 lbs, or round up to 700 lbs.

I want a really nice BunkHouse for my boys... so I have to go out and find one that when loaded for camping in our style will have a tongue weight around 700-800 lbs.

Don't forget to account for the weight of the hitch too.

Thanks!

Jeremiah