1/2 ton towing advice

[Jthornto]

Hello - I have a 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 with 5.3L and 3:42 gears. The owners manual indicates a max towing capability of 9500 lbs for my model but I'm looking for some user advise as to what I can really expect to comfortably tow. We are looking at a 30' TT with a dry weight of about 5500 lbs and a GVWR of 7000. The RV dealers I've talked to say that weight will be "no problem" but they aren't the ones out there on the road.

Has anyone out there had experience with a truck similarly equipped towing this weight or more? It's only me and my wife traveling and we don't anticipate adding much in the way of additional weight. I don't intend to buy a new truck so I'm looking for what weights folks with experience would be comfortable hauling.

Thanks in advance!
Jim T.
Lago Vista, TX

[Jthornto]

Thank you all for the replies. I knew that I would get far better answers and information in an RV users forum. I think the smart bet for us will be to go back and look again at some of the smaller units like the Rockwood Mini Lites. Not as much room but we want to see some of the great places in North America and not be limited because our TT is too big to want to take that far.

Many blessings!
Jim

[lawrosa]

We are looking at a 30' TT with a dry weight of about 5500 lbs and a GVWR of 7000.

Can you post make and model? That seems a bit light...

[OutdoorPhotogra]

I'm an F-150 owner with with max tow and I've run the numbers everyway but loose and I keep hitting a limit at 6500 because of tongue weight. I can't give you experience on the half ton because I'm sticking with my popup until I upgrade the truck or bite the bullet and buy a small Class A or Class C.

But, I have crossed the Rockies towing this PUP with a prior undersized tow vehicle. I will never do that again! Even in rolling hills it was frustrating, even if not unsafe. I was within specs but at the max - and that was without a large frontal do deal with. I won't come close to limits again other than tongue weight. I want slack on gross combined weight and tow rating. Btw, my F-150 is rated to tow 9500 lbs but I can't get close to that with a TT>

[DutchmenSport]

I am one of those advocates for getting the heftiest truck you can possibly afford to tow a tear drop! 😉 And I still basically am.

But this last Summer we've done a lot of camping at a lot of different campgrounds across Indiana, from North to South, and I am amazed what folks are towing with. Every conception of the 1500 / F150 has been blown out of my "personal waters!"

I for one, would never feel comfortable towing something that large with a 150 / 1500, but that is just me. Evidently, a lot of people are towing with these, and even towing with vehicles smaller than this. I'm really amazed at the SUV's, the Suburbans, and some vehicles, I have no clue what they are, that people are towing with.

Now, I honestly do not know what kind of towing experience they all have, but evidently they are doing it.


My advise now would be ... go ahead and try towing with your vehicle of choice. But if the experience is unpleasant, don't hesitate a second to trade for a "heftier" vehicle. (or) spare yourself the uncertainty and just "go for the throat" and go "Hefty" right out the gate!

Here's a little word of advise: If you have doubts, your doubts are probably correct! When you start driving the roads with $75,000 - $100,000 worth of vehicles you are in control of behind the steering wheel, there is no room for any "doubt". You need to have 100% confidence that your tow vehicle and your camper are adequately match and you have no hesitation from the very first moment.

[dspencer]

I have the virtual twin to your truck, a 2012 Chevy Silverado. I am pulling a 26ft Bunk House which had a dry weight of 4700 and loaded just under 6500. It does a fine job towing it but truthfully I wouldn't want to tow anything any longer no matter the weight.

Now yes I see them towing what your talking about all the time but I don't think I would want to. Your going to be encountering the tail wagging the dog on that length of trailer IMHO. This is just my opinion from my experience.

[IdaD]

Check your payload, axle and tire ratings to be sure, but that weight is doable. That is a pretty long trailer to pull behind a half ton, however. You can do it and probably pretty safely if you set up your hitch properly and stay within all limitations, provided it's within your comfort zone. If you aren't traveling far from home you shouldn't encounter much in the way of challenging terrain.

Personally the limit where I'd want to move to a HD model is somewhere is probably in the 6-7000 range. To get to the higher end of the half ton tow ratings you see advertised have to move to the top engines and start adding towing and payload packages. I figure once you hit that point you can pay a comparable amount to get into an HD truck instead, and you've got a much more capable platform to work with. I see a lot more mountains than you, though, which is certainly a consideration.

[fla-gypsy]

It is safe to do if you do not exceed any of the various weight limits and use a quality integrated WD/Sway control hitch IMO.

[gcloss]

Of course the RV dealer said "no problem." Just keep in mind RV dealers will say anything to get a sale. They have no other interests.

[Larry337]

You'll get a lot of different opinions. The other thing is your setup would be an in betweener. Some folks would want more power and more truck. Some would be content with that setup. My opinion is larger travel trailers are best handled by 3/4 ton trucks and bigger. Hills, crosswinds, headwinds and passing semi's will give you cause for concern. But you can do it if you're not in a hurry and you're willing to pull over when weather and winds dictate it. You're small v8 will strain and rev high to get up hills but it will do it. I guess it comes down to how much towing you will be doing and in what kind of terrain. 3-4 hour weekend trips in good weather on flat terrain should be no problem. If you want to travel the country and criss cross the rockies back and forth you'll likely want more truck. A travel trailer is big sail and is one of the worst, if not the worst, towing trailer there is. A 9000lb boat or flat bed would probably tow nicer then the 7000lb TT you're looking at. So I say you can do it but with some limitation, extra caution, and reduced speed for safety (60ish, no more then 65)