Hi everyone. First post here. We just bought a 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH travel trailer. It's dry weight is approx. 7500lbs. We bought it to pull with my wife's company 2012 Chevy Suburban (rated for gross of 9400lbs). We have pulled it twice and the Suburban definitely knows it is back there. It causes a little white knuckling some. We have the Blue Ox sway system installed, brake controller, etc. I have thought about trading in my Audi sedan for a 2015 F150 (or similar 1/2 ton 4 door pickup). Would the F150 do a better job at pulling the camper or would it be worse? I know it has a longer wheel base but have also heard the 1/2 ton vs. 3/4 talk. I am hoping to get a good answer before taking those steps. P.S. - Someone may say "get the F250 to be safe." But, I am an attorney and have to find parking in tiny little lots all of the time and I don't really want something that much larger to be my daily driver. And, I don't have the space, or the funds to have another vehicle altogether. Thanks in advance!

IMHO, the F-150 would not be a noticeable improvement. Loaded and ready to go, your trailer will be north of 10,000 lb. Looks like you need that F-250 or a smaller trailer.

A 150 and 250 are the same size!

Time for your wife's company to step-up with a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup ;)

You have purchased the wrong trailer for a 1/2 ton truck or SUV. The dry weight of the trailer is without options, propane, and batteries. Trailer is likely around 8,000 lbs. by itself, before you load anything inside. Ready to travel, it will weigh in close to or a bit over 9,000 lbs., and the tongue weight will easily exceed 1,000 lbs. It is one inch shorter than 36 feet long. You can get an F-250 crew cab with a short bed, and it will be no longer than an F-150. Safety will be a major concern for you and your family. The 36 foot trailer will push a 1/2 ton vehicle all over the road, imagine the tail wagging the dog on a grand scale. An F-250 crew cab short bed with a 6.2 gas engine will have enough payload and stability to safely haul that trailer. It will be well within it's limitations. That trailer is way beyond the safe limits of a 1/2 ton vehicle.

Welcome and congrats on the new rig!!!The possible issue with the 150/1500 series is the payload. All passengers, cargo (coolers, firewood, bikes, etc), the wdh, AND the tt tw all count toward the rated payload that is stated on the yellow sticker n the drivers door jamb stating "All passengers and cargo not to exceed XXXXlbs". Any shopping you do you should look for this sticker on each vehicle you look at before deciding to but that exact one. The payload will vary from one vehicle to another based on options.Another limitation is the tv receiver hitch rating. If I recall correctly the Burb is only rated for 1000lbs tw w/ a wdh. The "brochure" dry tw for your trailer is 780lbs which does not include the weight of the propane tanks or a battery on the tongue which will add ~120lbs to the "brochure" weight before you load the trailer up with anything additional for a trip. Are you looking at a crew cab, 6.5' bed 150, or the 5.8" bed? Our Jayco 32 is about the same length, and the dry weight is a little heavier. Unless I absolutely had to there is no way I wound want to tow it with a 1500. I understand you have parking issues in regards to a crew cab 6.5' bed truck, but at ~8500lbs loaded, with maybe 1100lbs tw plus the family, plus any cargo in the bed you really are in 250/2500 territory. With that long of a trailer the longer the wheelbase the tv has the more stable the tow will be. Maybe a 150 w/ the tow package and HD payload package would be enough, but I don't know if that is available with the short bed.The best thing to do before buying a new truck is to load up everything you will normally take, and with the whole family onboard go weigh your rig. Follow my signature link for the CAT Scale how to and make sure you get three seperate weights as described to figure all the weights of you rig setup.Good luck!

F150 vs. Suburban? | Good Sam Community

calsdad
Explorer
Jun 03, 2016
How much does the new F150 that you're thinking of getting cost?

When you say the Suburban can feel the trailer back there - what do you mean by that?

If you mean that it feels down on power - there is a solution for that. It's called a Suburban/Yukon XL with a Duramax diesel swapped in.

But they're not cheap. What you're looking at is a used vehicle that's still going run somewhere in the $40k+ price range.
DaveF-250SD
Explorer
Jun 03, 2016
smithlaw wrote:
I have been in many forums but I have to say - this may be the most helpful one I have ever been in. You guys are awesome to say the least. I just posted another topic about a diesel vs. gas 2015 Chevy 2500. Based on the information I've gathered here, I am definitely going to the 3/4 ton. Now it is just a matter of which one. Here is a link to that topic. Thanks again!
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28901853/p/1.cfm

Glad to hear the good news. You will be so much happier, and safer with a 3/4 ton truck for your trailer. A 36 foot long, 11+ foot tall trailer is way too extreme for a half ton truck. With the 3/4 ton truck, you won't have to worry about bringing an extra kid, or extra box of food, case of soda, etc. with you for fear of being overloaded.
smithlaw
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
I have been in many forums but I have to say - this may be the most helpful one I have ever been in. You guys are awesome to say the least. I just posted another topic about a diesel vs. gas 2015 Chevy 2500. Based on the information I've gathered here, I am definitely going to the 3/4 ton. Now it is just a matter of which one. Here is a link to that topic. Thanks again!
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28901853/p/1.cfm
TomG2
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
It also matters where you will be towing. If it is not in my vicinity, "Load it up and go". I am being a little facetious, but it does increase the risk of an accident the more one hauls over their limits. I have done it plenty.
APT
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
The body and everything inside the cabin of the 3/4 ton Suburbans are the same as the half tons. The frame, axles, springs, wheels, engine, trans, shocks and some other components are different. Visually, they are difficult to tell apart except the relatively ugly 8-lug wheels and side by side the half ton is about 2" shorter in height. Here is an example.

Ours is a fairly well equipped LT with 2051 pounds of payload of comparison to yours. I can tow our TT to/from storage without WD compared to our prior half ton requiring it, although we only have 750-800 pounds of TW.

I think you are likely right at GVWR and rear axle, and over tow rating/GCWR assuming you have the 6-spd trans, 3.42 axle and HD towing package. I expect a very noticeable increase in stability with any late model 3/4 ton pickup, as well as if you can find a 3/4 ton Suburban or Yukon XL. I recommend 2008-2013 for the SUVs, or 2011+ for GM HD pickups.
BenK
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
Your current half ton Suburban 'can do it', but not for long and not a good
situation when the need to manhandle the whole setup during whatever emergency
situation you might encounter...

The wheels won't instantly fall off, but they will sooner than if
withing the 'true' ratings

Do your own risk management decision, or if you are just looking for the 'sure you can'
types of advice...you have and will get tons of that...but there is no skin in the
game here on these freebie forums...you can have a thousand different
copies of those "sure you can"..."I've been doing it for decades" and
they will NOT get the ticket...the driver will and/or is responsible
for the setup

How long is dependent on lots of things. Terrain, ambient's, how you drive, condition
of your Sub, etc
SouthpawHD
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
smithlaw wrote:
Actually, I now believe I have the 1/2 ton suburban. It has 6 lug nuts, not 8 on each wheel. In the door on the yellow sticker, it says "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 1402lbs." Is this what y'all are talking about when you say "payload"? Also, when calculating that, If I weight 170lbs, my wife is approx. 140lbs, each of two children are about 32lbs, and a 14lb dog, 2 small suitcases - I think we are ok...?
With all that being said, that reduces my towable weight substantially.

Also, does a 3/4 ton suburban look different than the 1/2? I would imagine it did since the normal trucks do. If so, I don't think I have ever seen one. I am currently looking at the 250's, and 2500's so we have a better TV.

If your travel trailer weighs about 9,000 (wet & ready to camp), assuming a 12% tongue weight, here is where you will be
TW = 1080
WD Hitch = 75
Humans = 375
Dog = 15
_____________
TOTAL = 1545 = OVER....by 143 pounds.

Before loading any other gear in the truck, you are over your payload capacity.

I know, I know, you want to use what you have. But learn from what's being posted here, and know that your SUV is not designed for towing something that large in this configuration.
badercubed
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
I went from towing a 9,500lb, 35ft trailer with a 2013 F-150 Crew Cab Max Tow to a 2015 F-250 Crew Cab and the difference is night and day. The F-150 could do it, and did it fine, until I tried the newer truck. After having the F-250 for a year now, I wouldn't go back unless it was an emergency.
BenK
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
GVWR...Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. RATING, as to what the OEM rates it for and
has certified it with regulatory agencies

A 'half ton' will have a GVWR in the 7K range. A '3/4 ton' will have a GVWR
in the 8.6K range

Why recommend folks use their GVWR's when talking about their trucks/SUVs.

"Payload" is what you can put onto/into it that is carried by the tires to pavement
That is what the OEM says it can and still be within the ratings...AKA GVWR

Why it is best to load it up as if going RV'ing and weigh it axle by axle

Most are surprised how much they actually weigh. Whatever is left after the
simple math taking your OEM GVWR minus your actual weight is what is left for
the trailer tongue and WD Hitch system
smithlaw
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
Actually, I now believe I have the 1/2 ton suburban. It has 6 lug nuts, not 8 on each wheel. In the door on the yellow sticker, it says "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 1402lbs." Is this what y'all are talking about when you say "payload"? Also, when calculating that, If I weight 170lbs, my wife is approx. 140lbs, each of two children are about 32lbs, and a 14lb dog, 2 small suitcases - I think we are ok...?
With all that being said, that reduces my towable weight substantially.

Also, does a 3/4 ton suburban look different than the 1/2? I would imagine it did since the normal trucks do. If so, I don't think I have ever seen one. I am currently looking at the 250's, and 2500's so we have a better TV.

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