What could I be missing?

OP. You will likely be over on some of your trucks ratings. If your ok with that then be prepared for a different experience then towing a car hauler with bronco. A travel trailer makes a bronco look like one of those mpg cars university students build for competitions.

txdxrider wrote:
Well UNDER the estimated 1400-1600# cargo

1400-1600#?

The sticker on your driver's side door post will give a definitive number, not a range. What is the payload as stated on this sticker?

Bruce

I see nothing wrong with using the Burb with the trailer and weight you have planned. I had a 97 Dodge conv. van that towed a similar length and weight trailer with no issues. I had 3.90 gears. with the 3.42`s and the 6 speed auto your gearing will end up near what I had. I see no issues. You definitely want to go to a load range "C" or "D" tire. and yes around 12% tongue weight is what you are after.

I know it's a little outside the topic but if I were fulltiming with my family I'd sacrifice on the comfortable TV to get a larger, more comfortable trailer. 2-3 weeks is one thing, but a year or more, I'd want a larger TT or 5th wheel.

That said I think your right to look at 4500 or less with that combo and a loaded TV. Good luck!

PS...the MTWR you listed as 7,900 lbs is derived from a Curb TV...by your own calculations, you will be several hundred over curb....meaning your actual MTWR will be pound for pound less

Repeat the why of weighing your rig fully loaded

So much depends....

Mainly where you will towing and how you drive

Struggling would be my expectations with head winds and hills. Some won't think so, but it would not be pleasant for my style and/or expectations of driving

An external ATF cooler is part of the tow option.

GMT900's have a welded on receiver and is NOT removable....it is the bumper's main structural member....in...addition to being the receiver. Also limited to a WD rating of 1k lbs

Best to load up with EVERYTHING as if going camping and weigh it. Suburban's surprise most, as they can hold so much. Am hoping yours is the exception...as most in your situation end up very close to their GVWR without hooking up....on that, a good thing you are going to upgrade to the next higher class tires...especially if you will be both close to your GVWR and towing on top of that

Good luck

PS....I have driven several GMT900's and do know them well enough in comparison to the GMT800's and GMT400's I've also driven

Wes Tausend wrote:
...

If the OEM tires are "P" (passenger), not "LT" (light truck), I would seriously consider upgrading them. LT allows Load Range C, equivalent to the old 6-ply, "D"~8-ply, "E"~10-ply etc.

The TT (any length) will drag a lot more wind than the trailered Bronco. It wouldn't hurt to plan on 55 mph on the flats, if you can take the pace. Large hills might be slower, and the truck will thank you for somewhat less than wide open uphill.

Wes
...

Yes I plan on upgrading the tires as well- and figured 50-55 ish- just for fuel mileage as well as having no set plans...

I am going to have the burb weighed with me and full tank....then recalculate.

And please don't get me wrong- I have calculated and researched for three weeks before I even started to post- the safety and security of my family is top priority- hence the reason for the post...

As for the 700# passenger yes...well almost...
Me, wife, 3 boys, pet =600 (+\-)
8.33# at 29 gal = 242
So slightly off... = 842#

Well UNDER the estimated 1400-1600# cargo (based off sticker) since there will be very little gear in the burb-"hopefully"...

And yes adding the modifications does not change the sticker but it does change the towing capacity- just like if I changed from the 3.42 to 4.11 gears- my towing #age is increased. I was estimating 12% for tongue weight - so basing off 6500# puts the TW at 744- hence replacing the OEM class III with a class IV....

Still basing everything from the sticker, etc... I still feel a bit "uneasy" about it - would rather be closer to the 4000-4500# dry weight this putting less wear on the TV. And yes I do realize the importance if using actual weights- but in prior experience the stickers are not too far off.

Spoon059- I agree- we are looking to take a year or so and travel- up north/ Canada in the summer, NE in the fall- south in the winter and back around- no rush, no "set"'plans- and probably more back roads than interstates - and being in Texas I know the heat issue...

All that being said- can I afford to go get a 1-ton dually - yes, do I want to no... Three boys in the second row if a truck will drive us both nuts and them as well.... At the same time I have owned this burb most of its life- and not really wanting to go with something older like an excursion or someone else's problem they are selling - the "unknown" factor.....

...

It looks to me that you understand what you need, and have it together. The tranny cooler is a good idea.

If the OEM tires are "P" (passenger), not "LT" (light truck), I would seriously consider upgrading them. LT allows Load Range C, equivalent to the old 6-ply, "D"~8-ply, "E"~10-ply etc.

The TT (any length) will drag a lot more wind than the trailered Bronco. It wouldn't hurt to plan on 55 mph on the flats, if you can take the pace. Large hills might be slower, and the truck will thank you for somewhat less than wide open uphill.

Have a great trip and keep us informed.

Wes
...

PA12DRVR wrote:

- 700#'s for 5 people and gear and fuel? Unrealistic.
- Don't forget that 15 - 20% of the TT load will be on your hitch
- Use the GVWR of the trailer when calculating loads, not the estimated or stickered weight.

- All the upgrades may or may not make the 'burb into the equivalent of a higher-rated burb...but they won't change the door sticker.

700 lbs for driver (200) a wife (120) and 3 kids (125 each, 375 lbs total) is realistic. My math has us at 695 lbs. He knows his family better than you do...
15-20% is more along the lines of a 5er. A travel trailer is more like 12-14% tongue weight.
I do agree that the OP needs to realize that the loaded weight of the trailer, and loaded tongue weight, will be much higher than dry weights.

My suggestion is to load the family up and fuel the truck up and take it across a scale. Pay the couple of bucks to get it weighed and know your axle weights. Then you will know if you have enough truck left over to handle the trailer you want.

Adding a trans cooler and upgrading brake lines are great and will make the experience better, but you don't want to overload your vehicle and have mechanical issues 2000 miles from home.

I went across country with my family for 6 weeks when I was a kid. Our van's transmission went out on the trip. Got it rebuilt. Went out a second time. Got it rebuilt under warranty. We got home and finished our trip, but a simple trans cooler (and perhaps a lighter trailer) would have saved a lot of aggravation.

Enjoy the trip, take plenty of time. One complaint that I had on our trip was the relatively brisk pace over a 6 week period. There were days where we drove from morning through to evening to stay on schedule. Driving across north Texas was unbearable...