Pulling with 1/2 ton

So you're always going to pull it empty?

Your Chevy’s payload is? Remember, pull AND carry. What will you carry in the Chevy...weight? TT dry weight is useless.

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I tow with a half ton, but wouldn't tow one that heavy. My personal max with a half ton is 6,000# GVWR. Yours exceeds that, empty.

Here is how I determined my maximum tow weight:
Truck payload rating is 1895#.
DW and I weigh 400#, leavng 1495#.
I have a topper, 200#, leaving 1295#.
WD hitch, 100#, leaving 1195#.
I have a boat I sometimes put on top of the truck, 150#, leaving 1045#.
Generator and its fuel, 70#, leaving 975#.
Assorted camping gear, 150#, leaving 825#.

Since tongue weight should be 10% to 15% of trailer weight, I divide 825# by 10% and 15% to get a range. That gives me 8250# right at the bleeding edge of capacities, or 5500# at most conservative. I like having extra capacity, so I rounded 5500# up to the nearest 1000#, giving me 6000#.

Your number will vary depending on your tow vehicle's payload rating and what you normally carry. You may have a lower payload rating, but not have a topper or boat. Do the math for your vehicle.

Use your trailers GVWR, not its dry weight.

Dry weight is really about 6,600 because they do not include the batteries or the propane tanks or propane in that figure.

I did that with our Tahoe and toy hauler,
It did ok for short trips and the flats, we had to baby it going up the hills. We ended up just getting a 2500 Diesel. Much more comfortable and safe with the family.

Six thousand is my limit, bobbo.

I pull my 7000 pound boat with my Tundra. Its rated for 10400 lbs. It pulls it just fine, but I don't think I would want to go cross country with it.

3.42 final ratio is too low, unless you have a 10 speed transmission.

I'm towing this with my F150. It's #7000 GVWR and has a dry weight figure too, but it's not dry anymore and I figure it weighs every bit of it's GVWR the way I load it for travel.. It's a Rockwood 2511 "Mini Lite" (ha, ha) it ain't "Lite" at all!



I do fine with it, but would not want to go any heavier..

Do all the math you want, but in the end, it's how you load it and what it weighs after all you load or do not load in it.

Good luck!

Mitch