Truck is too small

I had a similar problem. We bought a Jay-co 23F trailer from a dealer and they looked at our tow vehicle and said no problem. We have a 2001 GMC Yukon with the 5.3l in it.

We hooked up and left for our first trip and found that the truck was working very hard to pull itself down the road. Now in my area we have a ton of steep hills to climb, the Yukon would climb the hills with the trailer but it took everything. After replacing three fuel pumps and two ac condensers we started looking for a tow vehicle. We found a young kid that needed to off load a 03 ford 6.0.

This was the best thing we could have done. The Ford will pull the trailer fully loaded up anything hill, in fact I now pass other towing up hill.

The lesson I learned was the Toyota Tundra may have pulled the Shuttle but it was on flat ground with no wind.

goducks10 wrote:
Bigger IS better, but not always needed.

Not always...... Check out Chevies 3500 numbers on this model. That's less than some 1/2 tons in towing the exact same as my F150.

Silverado 3500 HD, regular cab, long box, 4WD DRW (6.0 and 3.73:1 axle) 9,300 (9,300)

Skid Row Joe wrote:
Check!ALL HD diesels have 4.10 rear ends.

Nope. Mine has a 3.73 which I believe is standard.

Bigger IS better, but not always needed.

Supercharged wrote:

jdavin03 wrote:
At an RV show this Winter my wife and I decided to purchase our first travel trailer. Not know much about tow weights we gave the dealer our truck information to have him help us get a trailer that would be pulled by my truck. After purchasing the camper and hauling it home I found out that my truck is not big enough. I am looking for suggestions on what truck and size to look at? I currently have a 07 silverado crew cab 4.8 3.25 gear ratio. The trailer is 5700 lbs 26tbss wildwood.

Thanks for the help and advice

4.10 gears. end of problem

Check!

ALL HD diesels have 4.10 rear ends.

dadmomh wrote:
Sitting in our "little" 2604 one evening and admiring that it is just what we need...no more, no less. DH mentioned my dear cousin - and others who have to have the biggest toys on the block - and wondered "what the H... do they need X feet and 3 or 4 slides for 2 people???" Doesn't always have to be the biggest and the best to have the most enjoyment.....as long as you're safe doing it. End of fuss.

Hehe ... we have 3 slides and the trailer is just over 30'. Just right for the two of us.

One of the slides is a wardrobe which we really appreciate since we had no wardrobe or clothes storage space in previous RVs. The other slides are sofabed and booth dinette. DW sits at that while browsing the Internet while I am on the sofa watching Tv or reading on my tablet) with a nice open space between the slides adding to the 'airyness' of the trailer. When our camping friends come over for dinner the space does not seen to disappear - they just fit and tire is still space to spare. l like that. :)

No intention of being critical of anyone here, but there is a strong tendency to lean toward "size matters" and "bigger is better". Some valid point to it, but some folks have to make the best decisions they can to find a trailer that will work safely with the tow vehicle they have. Our '03 F-150CC is rated for 8000#. We barely knew our ROO 23SS was back there and we had wiggle room to spare. Our new TT has a GVWR of 6629#...we're not even near that number, still have wiggle room, still safe, but there is a noticeable difference between towing the 2604 and the ROO. I'm sure DH would love to run to the dealer and come home with a shiny new F250, but that's not gonna happen. IMHO, there is just way too much leaning toward the "just go buy it" and "gotta have at least 30' or 32' or whatever". Simply doesn't work for everyone. I would love to see some hearty recommendations once in a while for something in a great 24 - 25' for a small family with a suitable truck to tow it.

Sitting in our "little" 2604 one evening and admiring that it is just what we need...no more, no less. DH mentioned my dear cousin - and others who have to have the biggest toys on the block - and wondered "what the H... do they need X feet and 3 or 4 slides for 2 people???" Doesn't always have to be the biggest and the best to have the most enjoyment.....as long as you're safe doing it. End of fuss.

clubhouse wrote:

skyboy wrote:
This forum has great information, but every time someone asks "what should I pull this with?" I see everyone recommend a 3/4 truck. I've towed 6000 lbs travel trailer with a 1/2 ton 5.3 3.42 and experience no problems then what is expected with this weight. Yes a 3/4 truck would tow better and allow more payload and GVWR. It would also be better if you plan to upgrade to a larger heavier TT later on. I wouldn't rule out a 1/2 with a tow package as a TV to use JMHO

OP has a triple bunk house, I would assume a couple kids are traveling with them. That means more stuff, more weight. You might be right, a 1/2 might get the job done, but if shopping for a new TV why not just get the 3/4 ton. A 260/2500 is just wholly a better choice for towing plus offers more options as kids grow and RV changes happen.

It's great you are happy with 1/2 ton gasser...I wasn't happy when pulling our 6000 29' TT with 800 TW and 2 kids. My Duramax was the best upgrade I made and I think the OP will have a similar experience if he goes 250/2500 especially if he gets diesel.

I bought a capable 1/2 ton to tow my trailer because it's my daily driver and I wanted a better ride and mileage on my commute to and from work. Also, my 1/2 ton with the short box fits in my garage while a 3/4 ton would have not.

I realize the OP's TT is heavier than mine but people are way too quick to discount a 1/2 ton's capabilities as a TV. They're not your daddy's 1/2 tons anymore.

We do plan to keep this camper fir 10 years or so. We tried to anticipate our children growing. I agree a 3/4 ton truck would be best but I drive 50 miles round trip each day since this is my primary vehicle. But I think everyone has provided me with the information I need to find a capable truck.

skyboy wrote:
This forum has great information, but every time someone asks "what should I pull this with?" I see everyone recommend a 3/4 truck. I've towed 6000 lbs travel trailer with a 1/2 ton 5.3 3.42 and experience no problems then what is expected with this weight. Yes a 3/4 truck would tow better and allow more payload and GVWR. It would also be better if you plan to upgrade to a larger heavier TT later on. I wouldn't rule out a 1/2 with a tow package as a TV to use JMHO

OP has a triple bunk house, I would assume a couple kids are traveling with them. That means more stuff, more weight. You might be right, a 1/2 might get the job done, but if shopping for a new TV why not just get the 3/4 ton. A 260/2500 is just wholly a better choice for towing plus offers more options as kids grow and RV changes happen.

It's great you are happy with 1/2 ton gasser...I wasn't happy when pulling our 6000 29' TT with 800 TW and 2 kids. My Duramax was the best upgrade I made and I think the OP will have a similar experience if he goes 250/2500 especially if he gets diesel.