A little help from the PU crowd please

[ford_up]

After 8 great years and 210K miles its time to retire the 2003 Yukon XL 8.1/4:10. I just acquired a 38' bumper tow that weighs about 9500 empty, with a hitch weight of they say 1100 lbs, but it feels a little heavier. The three vehicles I am looking at are a 2018 Sierra 3500 srw gasser for $66k CDN, a 2017 Sierra 3500 DRW gasser for 56k and a 2015 drw diesel for 61K-both used trucks have about 20k miles on them. I've never towed with a pu. Any recommendations?
Thanks

[troubledwaters]

Are you considering getting a dually and also using it as a daily driver?

[jamesu]

By referring to your new trailer as a "38' bumper pull" I assume that you mean a "38' travel trailer". Two totally different concepts. A "38' bumper pull" will tear off that bumper. A "38' TT" with with chassis welded ball receiver is what I hope you meant. I have read "bumper mount" on this forum several times recently. A extremely inaccurate concept. We are towing "TT's", not "bumper pulls",

[Grit_dog]

If you have the means, get the diesel. Idk what anyone would consider a gasser if the price and condition was similar to a diesel if towing.

[Tom_Barb]

ford up wrote:
Currently regular gas in Vancouver is approximately $4.05 US/ gallon, diesel a few cents less. My DEF fears are put to rest.

Plus the diesel will give better fuel milage than the gas, at a few pennies less to start with.

The milage over the gas will increase as the load goes up.

[ford_up]

Currently regular gas in Vancouver is approximately $4.05 US/ gallon, diesel a few cents less. My DEF fears are put to rest.

[Second_Chance]

dfm wrote:

ford up wrote:
Thanks. I’m just trying to rap my head around DEF fluid and there doesn’t seem to be anything cheap about it!

You will burn far more gas than you will use diesel and def.

1100 pounds hitch weight seems a tad light for that trailer, Assuming that is dry weight. I am 1300 dry.

We are full-timers pulling a 14K fifth wheel with a diesel. I spend about $12 - yes that's twelve - dollars every three or four months on DEF. It's a non-issue. A TT that weighs 9,500 lbs. loaded will be at least 11,000 lbs loaded with a tongue weight of 1,100 lbs or more. You will never regret a diesel dual rear wheel.

Rob

[4x4ord]

ScottG wrote:
A diesel dually isn't required but you will sure enjoy the pull if you have one.
Personally, I would not consider anything less than 1T SRW Diesel but if I were buying new, I would spend the few extra bucks on the dually. That really is a very large and heavy TT and the extra equipment would be well worth it.

I agree a diesel is not required but would be very nice to have. As for paying a little more for a dually I don't think that is the case. Anyway it used to be that a loaded 1 ton F350 SRW was just a touch more expensive than a loaded dually ...... the 4 x 20 inch aluminum wheels on the SRW where more expensive than the 6 x skinny dually wheels. There is no way I will buy a dually to pull a trailer that doesn't require duals. A 12000 lb trailer definitely doesn't require a dually.

[ScottG]

A diesel dually isn't required but you will sure enjoy the pull if you have one.
Personally, I would not consider anything less than 1T SRW Diesel but if I were buying new, I would spend the few extra bucks on the dually. That really is a very large and heavy TT and the extra equipment would be well worth it.

[ksss]

Dam that is long bumper trailer. It is as long as my fifth wheel Fuzion. I would go with a dually. It would be very helpful in the wind. I would go diesel. DEF is no issue to speak of.

[Tom_Barb]

ford up wrote:
After 8 great years and 210K miles its time to retire the 2003 Yukon XL 8.1/4:10. I just acquired a 38' bumper tow that weighs about 9500 empty, with a hitch weight of they say 1100 lbs, but it feels a little heavier. The three vehicles I am looking at are a 2018 Sierra 3500 srw gasser for $66k CDN, a 2017 Sierra 3500 DRW gasser for 56k and a 2015 drw diesel for 61K-both used trucks have about 20k miles on them. I've never towed with a pu. Any recommendations?
Thanks

Go with the dually.

[KD4UPL]

Any of those trucks will easily handle the trailer and be a huge upgrade form what you have. A dually is not required and probably not desirable for your situation. A diesel will make the towing experience much nicer due to the power and the exhaust brake. However, a diesel truck will cost more to buy and more to maintain.
If you have the money and tow a lot then get a diesel. If you are on a rather normal budget and don't tow every weekend I'd probably just get the gas truck.

[Chuck_thehammer]

a dually is NOT needed but real nice

diesel .. fuel is higher, maintenance is almost twice the price plus the Up charge... but will Tow alot more.

1100 hitch... not likely.. my 8,000 travel trailer is 1200

[ford_up]

My Yukon has a serious drinking problem. Just drove from Huston to Vancouver and averaged a best ever 7 mph. No head winds and 55 in CA probabily helped. The problem is it’s only 9 mpg as my daily driver in city’s

[dfm]

ford up wrote:
Thanks. I’m just trying to rap my head around DEF fluid and there doesn’t seem to be anything cheap about it!

You will burn far more gas than you will use diesel and def.

1100 pounds hitch weight seems a tad light for that trailer, Assuming that is dry weight. I am 1300 dry.

[ford_up]

Thanks. I’m just trying to rap my head around DEF fluid and there doesn’t seem to be anything cheap about it!