F150 vs. Suburban?

[smithlaw]

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!

[APT]

I would tow that TT with my 2011 3/4 ton Suburban. If you are having troubles towing with yours, it is likely a weight distribution issue, either not enough TW or poorly setup WDH. But I have a suspicion that the wife's company Suburban is the half ton rated only to about 8000 pounds and closer to 1400 pounds of payload. If that is the situation, then you are likely over a couple of it's ratings when loaded for a long weekend. Count the lug nuts or check the tire and loading sticker to confirm the half on vs. 3/4 ton Burb.

You really want a TV with at least 9000 pound tow rating and 1800+ pounds of payload. There are some half tons that fit that, but not many. Meanwhile, every late model 3/4 ton crew cab pickup would work well.

[jerem0621]

Other day we were on vacation and we were six floors up. Our stairwell overlooked the parking lot. There was a Tundra extended cab and a short bed ram 2500 quad cab sitting side by side... They were within inches of each other in length.

IMHO...you lose nothing size or maneuverability wise with a 2500 short bed... For your rig..a 2500 is an ideal match...fun fact...you may actually negotiate a 3/4 ton cheaper or the same price as a F150...depending on your trim level.

Another FYI...based on experience...

Our 32 ft TT was 4,900 lbs "dry"...we never towed with the water tanks full either...

When we weighed the camper it was nearly 7,000 lbs. No water in the tanks...

Many times that dry weight doesn't include propane, dealer add on options, drapes, etc Etc...weigh the camper ... Then you know.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[smithlaw]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Our total weight doesn't increase that much (for the trailer itself). We aren't adding any fresh water to the tanks (yet) and travel pretty light. The heaviest things are two bicycles. I would say at the very most the trailer goes from 7500 to 8500.

[TomG2]

Since the exterior dimensions are almost exactly the same, get the 250/2500 series pickup. Rent one first if you want to see how fast the white knuckle experience goes away.

[SouthpawHD]

I towed 6,000 pounds with a 1/2 ton, it can be a nerve-racking workout at times. At times, it can go perfectly smooth and it's no big deal. Just depends on traffic and weather (i.e. wind).

This weekend I had my maiden voyage with my new 3/4 ton and new trailer (around 8,000 pounds and 33' long) and I can tell you that I would NOT want tow that trailer with a 1/2 ton!! At least not on the interstate in traffic and wind.

Do yourself a favor, make your travels less stressful and get a smaller trailer or a bigger truck. I am not saying a 1/2 ton won't do it, it's just a 3/4 does it better. 1/2 tons are capable trucks, but 3/4 tons are built for it.

[fla-gypsy]

A Ford F-150 will not fix this issue. A F-250 could.

[camp-n-family]

Too much trailer for a 1/2 ton truck. You really need a 3/4t. The truck dimensions are pretty much the same, just the components that are heavier duty.

[eDUBz]

Buy the bigger truck park further away from the office. Seems like alot of people want big trailers but wont sacrifice some stuff. Id rather tow safe with my family and get the proper truck setup. congrats on the new trailer.

[Need-A-Vacation]

romore wrote:
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.

While I totally agree with the 150 vs 250, the trailer may not be north of 10k lbs.... Our 79XX (per yellow sticker, under 8k lbs...) 32 BHDS is only about 9200lbs loaded, but that is without any fresh water. I stated "about 9200lbs" as I scaled it at about 8800lbs (don't recall exact), but have added shelves in the front wardrobes and hall wardrobe, the 3 fence post sleeve mods, and the factory Jayco rear hitch/bike rack/bikes since weighing.

BUT....the op could have loaded way heavier than we do and is 10k+! Lol

The scales will be his best friend before shopping....

[IdaD]

WNYBob wrote:
A 150 and 250 are the same size!

Yep, the only way a heavy duty truck is materially larger is that it's taller. I've yet to find a parking garage that's a problem but there's one I go in regularly that's a bit tight up top.

For that size trailer I'd definitely want a heavy duty truck. I use mine as a daily driver and it's plenty comfortable, and when it comes time to tow the fifth wheel it's night and day better than any half ton.

[Need-A-Vacation]

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!

[DaveF-250SD]

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.

[coolbreeze01]

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

[WNYBob]

A 150 and 250 are the same size!

[romore]

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.