? much help will 3/4 ton make for ride quality comp to 1/2?

[rsaylor3]

I just posted about weighing my new travel trailer. Thankfully I did because the dry weight was quite a bit higher than what the manufacturer listed.

I have a 2015 Viewfinder 32rlss. My tow vehicle is a 2013 Silverado 1500 with 5.3 6 speed. I knew I would be pushing it when I bought it but also knew I would be under the max payload and tow capacity by a safe bit. I also will be doingost of my camping in Florida to atart with.Now after hitting the scales as well as pulling my first camper I am realizing that a 3/4 ton is in my future.

My question is more about towing comfort and sway. I have a Blue Ox with 1,000 lb bars. Being my first travel trailer I really don't know how good or bad the ride is. I can say that doing 65 mph, I feel some bigger SUV's, going under overpasses and for sure when buses and semi's overtake me. I feel the push and pull. It was very windy on my first drive home last weekend after picking her up in Georgia and camping at Stone Mountain. Felt the wind all the way home. Never swayed out of control or had to reach for the manual override; but definitely felt different than towing big boats that I have plenty of experience with. Not what I would call white knuckle, but a bit exhausting for sure.

Will a 3/4 ton help stabilize my drive? I know the pulling will be easier and the stiffer suspension will be welcomed, but how much if any will it help with the ride qualities above? I know a pullpride would make a difference and I almost bought one to start with but thought I would try the Blue Ox first. Figure I will end up with one even with a new truck, should I get the pullpride first? Truck probably won't happen till late this year.

Thanks and sorry for such a long post!

[zogg]

jerem0621 wrote:
I went from a half ton F150 to a Crew Cab Long bed dually...

People who say they can't feel the trailer back there are exaggerating....grossly. I felt semis and vans and cars and SUV's pass me in the dually just like I did in the F150. It's 100% normal and it's fine. You will get use to it.

Both of my trucks were properly set up and they both did a good job.

Up trucking is often used on this forum as a symptomatic treatment for a bad set up.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

I agree...I always feel the push and pull from passing trucks....not bad but it is there. Drove a dually last summer with a friend a nd still felt the same. The heavy duty trucks do handle it better that a half ton....th e re is a big difference.

I had a 2011 gmc 3/4 and hated it. We towed from st louis to milwaukee and my wife wanted me to trade it in before we drove back. Rode like******loaded and empty, shifted constantly, awful mpg, and very unstable. My ram is by far better in every respect....imo

[4X4Dodger]

rsaylor3 wrote:
I took a video if out the back window of the truck today looking straight back at the trailer. I just watched it and there was no sway.

I starting to think that I just need to get used to this new feel if the tow.

Will I still get the push pull of semis with the propride? My father in law says he doesn't feel it with his fifth wheel but I question that. He's got to feel that as well right?

I agree that instead of running out and buying unneeded expensive truck or equipment just keep pulling it and get the feel of it while monitoring the trailer. It is bound to handle differently and you will feel the trailer for sure, but that doesnt mean anything is amiss.

[jaycocreek]

People who say they can't feel the trailer back there are exaggerating....grossly. I felt semis and vans and cars and SUV's pass me in the dually just like I did in the F150. It's 100% normal and it's fine. You will get use to it.

Yup!

Owe and the huge difference between my sons 2500 HD and my F-150 is 300 lbs in curb weight..Wow...What a difference!

[Huntindog]

aftermath wrote:
According to you, you don't have any trailer sway and that is a good thing, a great thing actually. Will you feel the push pull when being passed? I say you will. You can spend a few thousand bucks for a new hitch and it might be a bit less but you will probably still feel something. I have a Tundra and when I was towing with the original P metrics I did notice some loosey goosey behavior on turns. I replaced the tires with some sturdy LT LRD, pumped them up to close to 80 and haven't had any issues since. I have towed 10s of thousands of miles with my current setup and will "feel" the big trucks passing, especially if it is also windy outside. No sway at all, just the push pull that you described.

You might still need to move up to a 3/4 ton truck because of axle ratings and/or carrying capacity. Your numbers should dictate.

CAUTION !!! LRD max is 65 PSI.

[jerem0621]

I went from a half ton F150 to a Crew Cab Long bed dually...

People who say they can't feel the trailer back there are exaggerating....grossly. I felt semis and vans and cars and SUV's pass me in the dually just like I did in the F150. It's 100% normal and it's fine. You will get use to it.

Both of my trucks were properly set up and they both did a good job.

Up trucking is often used on this forum as a symptomatic treatment for a bad set up.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[RinconVTR]

rsaylor3 wrote:
I agree spoon, but I also think a heavier and longer wheelbase truck will help my ride. At least I'm hoping it will!

Your ride without the trailer will not be as good, and you expect not to feel any buffeting or push from semi's and other large vehicles with a simple truck upgrade??? Good luck man.

What you're feeling is perfectly normal, so long as your trailer isn't swaying and you don't have lateral wiggle from tire squirm. And you stated you dont. So, I think you're going down a path of very little return.

If you really do buy a 3/4 ton, then I'd jump right into 5th wheel as well to realize substantial improvement. They are not issue free, but they tow all together better than any bumper pull trailer.

[keymastr]

It all depends on what you feel comfortable with. You could spend a couple grand putting load range E tires and suspension mods on your current truck and end up with a rig that tows fine but rides terrible when empty or you could get a 3/4 ton and enjoy driving empty or full. Since you are very close to your limit with this truck it seems prudent to upgrade to one with more capacity. Longer wheelbase and stiffer tires will go a long way to adding stability.

[TomG2]

rsaylor3 wrote:
Ok guys after pulling it a few more times I have decided that I am getting a 3/4 ton. Couple questions now.

Looking at 2012 GMC 2500 crew cab 4x4 with 6.0 gas. Tell me how much different the 4.10 is compared to the 3.73. It seems there are a lot more used 3.73's out there. Also with the 2500, is the wheelbase longer than my Silverado 1500 crew? Longer bed? When climbing hills how will the different rear ends act?

Thanks guys I appreciate all your advice and knowledge.

I have had both and there is not much practical difference now that we have six speed transmissions. One might have to run in fourth with the 3.73 instead of fifth with the 4.10, but the tow will be very similar.

[cruz-in]

I tow a 37 foot TT that is 12'6" tall with a F-250 and an hensley...Works great...would not consider towing such a big trailer without a hensley or Propride....

Another option is using airtabs or vorblades to improve the aerodynamics. I know from experience Vorblades help greatly with wind and truck affects on a towed trailer...had them on the old trailer and they are going on the new one this week.

[rsaylor3]

I agree spoon, but I also think a heavier and longer wheelbase truck will help my ride. At least I'm hoping it will!

[spoon059]

You do need to remember, you have a 7000+ lb trailer behind a 6000 lb truck, and that trailer is a very large sail.

OP, I would be very wary of listening to some advice you get here. Comments like the above are quite... interesting. It seems a half ton shouldn't weigh less than your trailer, but once you bump up to a 3/4 or 1 ton truck its perfectly acceptable to tow a trailer that weighs twice as much (or more) than your tow vehicle.

[rsaylor3]

Ok guys after pulling it a few more times I have decided that I am getting a 3/4 ton. Couple questions now.

Looking at 2012 GMC 2500 crew cab 4x4 with 6.0 gas. Tell me how much different the 4.10 is compared to the 3.73. It seems there are a lot more used 3.73's out there. Also with the 2500, is the wheelbase longer than my Silverado 1500 crew? Longer bed? When climbing hills how will the different rear ends act?

Thanks guys I appreciate all your advice and knowledge.

[rbpru]

In the end it comes down to how uncomfortable are you with your present rig vs how much are you willing spend to make it go away.

You will be trading one set of variables for another. Hopefully you will like them better.

[zogg]

campigloo wrote:
My trailer is 36'5" bumper to tongue and weighs close to 10,000 lbs. pulled behind a 2500 Ram. I don't get sway but do feel passing large vehicles. That is just the way a TT Is. It's nowhere near a nuisance or uncontrollable, just something I can feel. Your springs bars might be a little light too. Stronger bars should take more weight off the rear and send it to the steering wheels. Stable Loads are a small investment and can help stiffen the rear end and reduce proposing a great deal. Good shocks will stabilize it a lot. Best answer, more truck

I have a tad smaller and towed it last summer with a half ton....I now own a 3/4 ton for the added stability, brakes, payload, etc. Etc.Etc.

The unloaded ride is rough compared to the half ton, but much better with the trailer loaded.

I just feel that I would rather have more truck than I need than need more truck than I have.

[campigloo]

My trailer is 36'5" bumper to tongue and weighs close to 10,000 lbs. pulled behind a 2500 Ram. I don't get sway but do feel passing large vehicles. That is just the way a TT Is. It's nowhere near a nuisance or uncontrollable, just something I can feel. Your springs bars might be a little light too. Stronger bars should take more weight off the rear and send it to the steering wheels. Stable Loads are a small investment and can help stiffen the rear end and reduce proposing a great deal. Good shocks will stabilize it a lot. Best answer, more truck