Yet another what can I tow question
All these numbers are very confusing! I need help understanding what I can safely tow with my 1/2 ton truck. Can someone help me determine what travel trailer UVW and GVWR I should be looking at? H...
Forum Discussion
You're going to hear varying degrees of good advice on RV forums and A LOT of solid recommendations based on years of experience. After considering any or everything read here, please please go out to one of the reputable sites like Shereline and run all the TV and TT specs. Find a worksheet that uses all the specs all the way down to the wheelbase, do not use a simple "pulling capacity" worksheet produced by TV manufacturers. "Can" you haul something that big behind a 1500 (any make)? Sure. Will it be unsafe or kill the truck? Possibly. Run the numbers, even those wheelbase specs are important. Let the science behind towing be your first guide. Then decide on a TT within those parameters. Lastly, please know dry weight & tongue weight issued by TT mfgrs can be a little optimistic on the low side. We used a tongue scale to find out our hitch weight is about 100lbs more than advertised.
Just a few tow capacity Links. Google, be our friend. http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-trailer-weight-tt.shtml https://www.huskytow.com/towing-calculator/ https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwiSiKGvqrXgAhUO24MKHYk-A70QFjAAegQIChAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popthetop.com%2Ffiles%2FTowingCapacityWorksheet.xls&usg=AOvVaw2fZsU5Xv3ayY7Zcblc9aui
And pulled from the site we’re on:
You also need to consider what length is safe to haul. Have seen this formula for length, pretty sure there's some science behind it but wasn't quoted: "Rule of thumb (20’ for 110” wheelbase + 1’ for each additional 4” of wheelbase)" That was adopted (plagiarized) from a veteran RVer on this forum. With this formula, my previous GMC 1500 was right at the safe limit of (27.9' calculated) and my RV is 28' hitch to bumper. For what it's worth.
Just a few tow capacity Links. Google, be our friend. http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-trailer-weight-tt.shtml https://www.huskytow.com/towing-calculator/ https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwiSiKGvqrXgAhUO24MKHYk-A70QFjAAegQIChAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popthetop.com%2Ffiles%2FTowingCapacityWorksheet.xls&usg=AOvVaw2fZsU5Xv3ayY7Zcblc9aui
And pulled from the site we’re on:
You also need to consider what length is safe to haul. Have seen this formula for length, pretty sure there's some science behind it but wasn't quoted: "Rule of thumb (20’ for 110” wheelbase + 1’ for each additional 4” of wheelbase)" That was adopted (plagiarized) from a veteran RVer on this forum. With this formula, my previous GMC 1500 was right at the safe limit of (27.9' calculated) and my RV is 28' hitch to bumper. For what it's worth.
