We purchased a Jayco TT and have a 2012 Chevy 1500 with a 5.3L, which did fine on our first trip but it was mostly rolling hills. Our second trip was a lot of steep grades and at times I was in 2nd gear at 5200 RPM and 40 MPH and still loosing speed. I cruse those people that do 40 in 70 and I don’t want to one of them, I need to at least be able to maintain 55 or 60. Visited our neighbors Chevy dealership and ended up buying a 2013 2500HD Ext Cab (6 ½ foot bed) with a diesel engine. I think that will pull my 24 foot Jayco TT with a dry weight of 5272 and a 7000lbs full loaded. I don’t pick it up till Monday. I didn’t get the long bed because it going to double duty as daily diver also and 8 foot bed won’t fit in my garage. Also, I can see an upgrade to 5th wheel in my future… This truck has the 20” tires and I don’t know if that is a plus or minus for towing?

CWSWine wrote:We purchased a Jayco TT and have a 2012 Chevy 1500 with a 5.3L, which did fine on our first trip but it was mostly rolling hills. Our second trip was a lot of steep grades and at times I was in 2nd gear at 5200 RPM and 40 MPH and still loosing speed. I cruse those people that do 40 in 70 and I don’t want to one of them, I need to at least be able to maintain 55 or 60. Visited our neighbors Chevy dealership and ended up buying a 2013 2500HD Ext Cab (6 ½ foot bed) with a diesel engine. I think that will pull my 24 foot Jayco TT with a dry weight of 5272 and a 7000lbs full loaded. I don’t pick it up till Monday. I didn’t get the long bed because it going to double duty as daily diver also and 8 foot bed won’t fit in my garage. Also, I can see an upgrade to 5th wheel in my future… This truck has the 20” tires and I don’t know if that is a plus or minus for towing?Wow. big change. Congrats on the new truck.had to hurt taking that much hit for the first year

Welcome to the Duramax Club! It should more than handle that little trailer. The LML are rated so much higher than older trucks. Make sure the dealer tops off the DEF for ya. There will be no comparison between towing with the half ton to the 3/4 Diesel with the exhaust brake. I don't even use my brakes now with it. Assuming you got the trailer package witch comes with the integrated trailer brake, which is pretty sweet.

For a fifth wheel, you better check the weight capacity of that truck. Probably not going to handle a 2,200 pound hitch pin weight + the 150 pound hitch, and have any capacity left over for the passengers. You will be fine with the travel trailers though.Fred.

Wow, I have a 32 foot tt that weighs in at about 6774lbs. dry. My 5.0 f150 with 3.55 gears tows it great. I think your old Chevy might have been geared too high. You have more than enough truck with that Duramax. Overkill even. But you did say a 5th wheel was in your future, so you'll be ready when that time comes for sure.

Villain2000 wrote:Wow, I have a 32 foot tt that weighs in at about 6774lbs. dry. My 5.0 f150 with 3.55 gears tows it great. I think your old Chevy might have been geared too high. You have more than enough truck with that Duramax. Overkill even. But you did say a 5th wheel was in your future, so you'll be ready when that time comes for sure.My sister had a 1500 Chevy, and it would overheat on even small mountains, so she traded it in on a F-150 Ecoboost that tows the same toyhauler up and down the hills just fine. I also had a 1985 GMC class C, that also overheated when driven on flat ground in 95F heat. The only solution was to install a much larger transmission cooler to pre-cool the fluid before it went into the bottom of the radiator, and also keep the transmission cooler on the outlet of the radiator, then install a water pump system to spray water onto the radiator when it was over 95F to keep the temperatures down. I traded it for a class A Ford, and put the same transmission gauge on it, never went over 200F unless I was climbing a mountain, then would peak around 215F. Fred.

Upgraded My Truck | Good Sam Community

Villain2000
Explorer
Jul 26, 2013
Wow, I have a 32 foot tt that weighs in at about 6774lbs. dry. My 5.0 f150 with 3.55 gears tows it great. I think your old Chevy might have been geared too high. You have more than enough truck with that Duramax. Overkill even. But you did say a 5th wheel was in your future, so you'll be ready when that time comes for sure.
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Jul 26, 2013
For a fifth wheel, you better check the weight capacity of that truck. Probably not going to handle a 2,200 pound hitch pin weight + the 150 pound hitch, and have any capacity left over for the passengers.

You will be fine with the travel trailers though.

Fred.
Goose2448
Explorer
Jul 26, 2013
Welcome to the Duramax Club! It should more than handle that little trailer. The LML are rated so much higher than older trucks. Make sure the dealer tops off the DEF for ya. There will be no comparison between towing with the half ton to the 3/4 Diesel with the exhaust brake. I don't even use my brakes now with it. Assuming you got the trailer package witch comes with the integrated trailer brake, which is pretty sweet.
popupcamping
Explorer
Jul 26, 2013
CWSWine wrote:
We purchased a Jayco TT and have a 2012 Chevy 1500 with a 5.3L, which did fine on our first trip but it was mostly rolling hills. Our second trip was a lot of steep grades and at times I was in 2nd gear at 5200 RPM and 40 MPH and still loosing speed. I cruse those people that do 40 in 70 and I don’t want to one of them, I need to at least be able to maintain 55 or 60. Visited our neighbors Chevy dealership and ended up buying a 2013 2500HD Ext Cab (6 ½ foot bed) with a diesel engine. I think that will pull my 24 foot Jayco TT with a dry weight of 5272 and a 7000lbs full loaded. I don’t pick it up till Monday. I didn’t get the long bed because it going to double duty as daily diver also and 8 foot bed won’t fit in my garage. Also, I can see an upgrade to 5th wheel in my future…
This truck has the 20” tires and I don’t know if that is a plus or minus for towing?

Wow. big change. Congrats on the new truck.

had to hurt taking that much hit for the first year

Forum Discussion

Upgraded My Truck

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Upgrades to my truck

RV Upgrade

Upgrading fuel capacity

Upgrading tow vehicle

Truck