Best sized rv for GMC Sierra 1500 gas w/5.3 Litre engine

[kdeerman]

I am new to RV'ing, and looking to purchase a used rv to pull with my GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab 4WD gas burner w/5.3 Litre engine. I have two daughters, age 11 & 12, so it will be for a family of 4. I've never owned a cawper or RV, so just looking for any advice to help me make the right decisions. Probably only short trips, 600 miles or less, but not necessarily traveling that far in just one day.
Thanks

[kdeerman]

Thanks everyone.

[DE88ROX]

Understanding Gross Vehicle Weight Rating


Knowing and understanding GVWR is important to towing because it tells you explicitly the maximum weight of passengers and cargo you can safely carry in your truck or SUV. GVWR is the total combined weight of truck, including all passengers, fuel, fluids and cargo. GVWR is constant and does not change, regardless of what you tow. It’s engineered in when the vehicle is manufactured.

Because tongue weight must be included in the GVWR, you will need to know how much weight capacity you need to have “left over” for when you hook up your trailer.

For example, if you have a 5,000-pound truck with a 6,200 pound GVWR, you can safely carry 1,200 pounds in the vehicle. If you are towing a trailer with a 300-pound tongue weight, the amount of passengers and gear you can carry decreases to 900 pounds. Simple, right?

To be sure you choose the right tow vehicle, you must find the vehicle with a tow rating high enough to meet your needs. It’s usually a good idea to get a bit more capacity than what your currents needs are. But at the very least, be certain the towed load and tongue weight are within your vehicle’s capacity.

[wmoses]

It may well take a generation in order to see a change in the perceptions regarding 1/2 ton trucks and what some opine that they can or cannot do based on the decrepit technology of the past.

The fact of the matter is that progress is made, more advanced gearboxes are designed, and vehicles are better today - delivering more output from smaller engines. The 6-speed transmission is solid and has transformed our trucks - that has been discussed ad nauseam even if some cannot help but think of the old "half-ton" when commenting. Other trucks have 8 speed transmissions and I am sure that they too will see good success because of that, and power to them. Others, GM included, will follow.

[BUFFALODAN]

That's kind of what I'm thinking too.
a number of half tons are built with very high gears ratio (numerically lower numbers) to maximize fuel economy, and that makes for a bad experience towing.

Speaking for GM's 6 speed transmission, not true.

My '11 GMC crew cab had the 3.42/6 speed combo. Best towing experience I've had with my trailer, and I've towed it with an 04 Dodge Ram, 3.92/5 speed 05 Suburban 3.42 4 speed, and 07 Suburban 3.73 5 speed. Only towed one time with my '14 Chevy with the 3.42/6 speed and again it pulled great.

If the OP has the 5.3 with the 3.42/6 speed combo, towing a rig similar in specs to my 27' 5500lb KZ will be a very good match for his truck.

[Doug33]

Campfire Time wrote:

Doug33 wrote:
I tow a 5200 lb dry weight 28' TT with mine. It works fine - I tow shorter distances in mostly flat terrain.

Dry weight is a myth. It doesn't exist except for when it's at the factory and has no options installed. No one tows a trailer at it's dry weight. You're trailer is most likely well over 6k ready to haul.

GVWR is the best number to work with. While it's true that many people will never use the full cargo capacity of their trailer, many more do. Planning for the full potential weight of the trailer and sizing it for your TV will give you the comfort room to make for a pleasurable towing experience. To handye9's point, I have towed close to capacity twice over the years. Yes, it was safe and it worked fine. and like some say, "I had no problems". But I can tell you from experience that towing with a wide margin is FAR better than pushing the limits.

I wasn't intimating that dry weight is the determining factor. It's not a myth - it's a starting point. I've been towing RVs for 25 years, so I know what is safe and practical, and don't need a lecture on the subject. His tow vehicle is essentially the same as mine, so I was giving him my opinion based on comparing apples to apples. The differences will be how much he has additional in "wet" weight as well as cargo.

[trail-explorer]

donn0128 wrote:
So far as you have described things, I could suggest nothing more than 5000 pounds GVWR trailer for your needs.

That's kind of what I'm thinking too.
a number of half tons are built with very high gears ratio (numerically lower numbers) to maximize fuel economy, and that makes for a bad experience towing.

[BUFFALODAN]

A small tent trailer will work. Have fun.

Real helpful answer.

[Campfire_Time]

Doug33 wrote:
I tow a 5200 lb dry weight 28' TT with mine. It works fine - I tow shorter distances in mostly flat terrain.

Dry weight is a myth. It doesn't exist except for when it's at the factory and has no options installed. No one tows a trailer at it's dry weight. You're trailer is most likely well over 6k ready to haul.

GVWR is the best number to work with. While it's true that many people will never use the full cargo capacity of their trailer, many more do. Planning for the full potential weight of the trailer and sizing it for your TV will give you the comfort room to make for a pleasurable towing experience. To handye9's point, I have towed close to capacity twice over the years. Yes, it was safe and it worked fine. and like some say, "I had no problems". But I can tell you from experience that towing with a wide margin is FAR better than pushing the limits.

[Doug33]

I tow a 5200 lb dry weight 28' TT with mine. It works fine - I tow shorter distances in mostly flat terrain.

[kdeerman]

I understand. Thanks for everyone's help.

[handye9]

kdeerman wrote:
I wouldn't think my truck has 4:10 gears, so would that mean a max of 7400 lbs.

Keep in mind, that 7400 lbs is what GM says that truck was rated to tow, when it left the factory. It was calculated considering the driver weighed 150 lbs, and he had NO passengers or cargo.

Any weight added to the vehicle (bed liner, bed cover, step bars, etc), passengers, and cargo, deduct from that tow capacity number and available payload, pound for pound.

If you put 600 lbs of people in your truck, that 7400 lb tow capacity goes down to 6800lbs. Add a fiberglass bed cap and you may be down to 6600lbs. Throw a 200 lb generator in the truck bed, your down to 6400 lbs.

As you can see, payload and tow capacity can get eaten up, very fast.

Many folks will tell you, towing at or near your max weight, is frequently unpleasant.

[CptnBG]

From the codes it looks like you have a 3.73 rear end. So yes, 7400lbs BUT, I would leave a good amount of margin, as someone said, your payload will probably limit you.

[kdeerman]

I wouldn't think my truck has 4:10 gears, so would that mean a max of 7400 lbs., as shar3890's Tahoe? I didn't know how to determine the gear ratio from the numbers in the glove box. Thanks everyone.

[kdeerman]

Here are pictures of door jamb labe and glove box labels. I also included info from the manual. My truc is at the bottom of the page, 'K1500 Crew Cab (4WD)

http://s1369.photobucket.com/user/kdeerman16kdeerman/library/