Pulling with 1/2 ton

[tls5150]

Looking for feedback on trying to pull a rockwood ultra lite 26’ with a 2014 z71 Ltd 4wd, with 3:42 rear end. Dry weight of the trailer is 6300lbs. Any advice?

[time2roll]

TurnThePage wrote:

time2roll wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
In reference specifically to half ton towing, why do people say, "use the max trailer weight?"

Some trailers have 3000 lbs of cargo capacity (Who's going to use all that?!). Some have under a 1000.

Even with excessive amounts of tools, backup parts, winter supplies, summer supplies, extra battery, solar panels, various added accessories, food, 50 gallons of water, grill, camp stove, camp table, camp chairs, cast iron pots and pans, and assorted other sundries, I can't seem to get over about 1500 lbs of stuff in my trailer.

What is your trailer dry weight, actual weight and GVWR?
What is your towing capacity?

I'll have to be approximate.
Dry weight: 4800 lbs
Actual weight: 6100 last time weighed, as high as 6500 lbs
Trlr GVWR: 6000 lbs
Ram half ton towing capacity: 10,600 lbs

So you are fine and it does show how easy it is to go over the trailer GVWR.

Even if you used GVWR and went with a 10,600 GVWR trailer with 3,000 carry capacity but used only 1,500 would put you at 9,100 real towing weight and is probably a bit much. This tells me you will not be stuck with an undersize trailer for using the GVWR.

That is the method to my madness using GVWR instead of dry weight.

And of course the alternative is to consider a 9,600 dry weight trailer when you think you will only carry 1,000 pounds of junk. Then you find out the delivered weight is over 10,000 and your junk is 2,000..... and then you looking for a diesel dually.

[TurnThePage]

time2roll wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
In reference specifically to half ton towing, why do people say, "use the max trailer weight?"

Some trailers have 3000 lbs of cargo capacity (Who's going to use all that?!). Some have under a 1000.

Even with excessive amounts of tools, backup parts, winter supplies, summer supplies, extra battery, solar panels, various added accessories, food, 50 gallons of water, grill, camp stove, camp table, camp chairs, cast iron pots and pans, and assorted other sundries, I can't seem to get over about 1500 lbs of stuff in my trailer.

What is your trailer dry weight, actual weight and GVWR?
What is your towing capacity?

I'll have to be approximate.
Dry weight: 4800 lbs
Actual weight: 6100 last time weighed, as high as 6500 lbs
Trlr GVWR: 6000 lbs
Ram half ton towing capacity: 10,600 lbs

[gmckenzie]

gmckenzie wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
In reference specifically to half ton towing, why do people say, "use the max trailer weight?"

Some trailers have 3000 lbs of cargo capacity (Who's going to use all that?!). Some have under a 1000.

Even with excessive amounts of tools, backup parts, winter supplies, summer supplies, extra battery, solar panels, various added accessories, food, 50 gallons of water, grill, camp stove, camp table, camp chairs, cast iron pots and pans, and assorted other sundries, I can't seem to get over about 1500 lbs of stuff in my trailer.

I don't think you will find a trailer that can be towed by a 1/2 ton with 3K carrying capacity. 1500 seems more the norm (and I've been looking at this lately).

And I just found one, so ppbbbtttt!!!! to me.

[Mickeyfan0805]

TurnThePage wrote:
In reference specifically to half ton towing, why do people say, "use the max trailer weight?"

Some trailers have 3000 lbs of cargo capacity (Who's going to use all that?!). Some have under a 1000.

I've made this argument a number of times. The best example I can find in the few minutes I have to look right now is from the Keystone Passport line. The 239MLWE is a 25'5" trailer with a dry weight of 4,402 and a carrying capacity of 998. The 2210RBWE is a 26'3" trailer with a 4,796 and a carrying capacity of 2,704. The two trailers are very similar off the lot (save a couple inches and 394 pounds), but the first has a GVWR of 5,400 while the latter has a GVWR of 7,500.

In either case, most people are going to load them the same. Thus, for example, let's say they load 1,500 pounds of propane, liquids, extras, gear and food. The person that buys the 239MLWE would have a trailer that weighs 5,902 pounds and is 502 pound OVERloaded. The person who bought the 2210RBWE, on the other hand, would have a trailer that weighs 6,296 and is still more than 1,200 pounds UNDERloaded.

In this instance, if the person was comfortable with up to 6,500 pounds loaded, they would have bought the 239MLWE based on the 'buy based on GVWR' advice but, in fact, would have had a much safer set-up with the 2210RBWE.

[time2roll]

TurnThePage wrote:
In reference specifically to half ton towing, why do people say, "use the max trailer weight?"

Some trailers have 3000 lbs of cargo capacity (Who's going to use all that?!). Some have under a 1000.

Even with excessive amounts of tools, backup parts, winter supplies, summer supplies, extra battery, solar panels, various added accessories, food, 50 gallons of water, grill, camp stove, camp table, camp chairs, cast iron pots and pans, and assorted other sundries, I can't seem to get over about 1500 lbs of stuff in my trailer.

What is your trailer dry weight, actual weight and GVWR?
What is your towing capacity?

[gmckenzie]

mnaquaman wrote:

I run a 1/2 ton Chevy Silverado, 3:42 gears, 5.3L, and all of the towing options pulling a Jayco 23BHM that has a max weight of 6250lbs.
I try not to exceed 75% of the vehicle tow capacity.

Why 3:42 gears - there are in the middle, not stump pullers and not mileage gears! I can pull the mountains - I might not be able to blast up them at 65MPH but I can get up them!

Just on the 3.42.

My 1500 with the max trailering has a 6 sp and 3.73 gears. Newer versions have a 10 spd and 3.42 gears. The newer truck have an overall higher numerical final drive in 1st gear due to a better 1st on the 10 spd vs the older 6 spd.

I think it changed in 2017 (mine is 2015).

[gmckenzie]

TurnThePage wrote:
In reference specifically to half ton towing, why do people say, "use the max trailer weight?"

Some trailers have 3000 lbs of cargo capacity (Who's going to use all that?!). Some have under a 1000.

Even with excessive amounts of tools, backup parts, winter supplies, summer supplies, extra battery, solar panels, various added accessories, food, 50 gallons of water, grill, camp stove, camp table, camp chairs, cast iron pots and pans, and assorted other sundries, I can't seem to get over about 1500 lbs of stuff in my trailer.

I don't think you will find a trailer that can be towed by a 1/2 ton with 3K carrying capacity. 1500 seems more the norm (and I've been looking at this lately).

[TurnThePage]

In reference specifically to half ton towing, why do people say, "use the max trailer weight?"

Some trailers have 3000 lbs of cargo capacity (Who's going to use all that?!). Some have under a 1000.

Even with excessive amounts of tools, backup parts, winter supplies, summer supplies, extra battery, solar panels, various added accessories, food, 50 gallons of water, grill, camp stove, camp table, camp chairs, cast iron pots and pans, and assorted other sundries, I can't seem to get over about 1500 lbs of stuff in my trailer.

[mnaquaman]

For what it is worth here are my thought!

Getting others feedback on their experiences never hurts. Then again ignore the ones that simply say 3:42 gears are not enough, I wont pull anything with out a diesel and lastly the guy that can pull anything with his Honda!

Like others have commented - use the max trailer weight not the dry weight.

I run a 1/2 ton Chevy Silverado, 3:42 gears, 5.3L, and all of the towing options pulling a Jayco 23BHM that has a max weight of 6250lbs.
I try not to exceed 75% of the vehicle tow capacity.

Why 3:42 gears - there are in the middle, not stump pullers and not mileage gears! I can pull the mountains - I might not be able to blast up them at 65MPH but I can get up them!

I have towed at max capacity and for me it was not a comfortable experience.

Find a capacity calculator on-line. Run your own numbers and make up your own choices.

I found a calculator that calculated all of the capacities based on your particular circumstances. It told me that how many lbs I was under or over the manufactures weight limits.

Happy Camping 7 Safe travels!

[Vintage465]

tls5150 wrote:
Thank you all for the responses!! My 1/2 ton is rated to pull 9,400. Was considering the new 1/2 Silverado with max tow package rated at 11,300. It is just DW and I nothing unusual as far as packing except two bicycles just struggling on what to do

As you can see the answers are all over the radar. For the most part everyone likes what they tow with. I've towed with 3/4 tons, 1 tons, 1/2 tons.....all the same 7000 pound trailer. All of them towed fine. Actually the 1/2 ton was '99 Suburban 4x4 with 5.7 and a tow package and it towed the best overall compared to the other rigs. Likely cause it had the best power. It was real stable, though not as stable as the 1 ton. That 1 ton thing towed like a train with a car on rails. And as mentioned, wind is the big enemy to 1/2 ton rigs. And I don't mean a cross wind, I don't think there should ever be an issue with cross wind if your lash up, suspension and tires are correct. I mean a head wind. I tow with a diesel and a head wind means nothing to me. Doesn't slow the truck a bit or make the engine louder. It just uses more fuel. With the gas engine'd rigs I had, head winds were maddening

[am1958]

Desert Captain wrote:
So what is "odd"? :h

We both had rigs that towed well at or near our payload limits. What was your alleged towing capacity? I'm guessing Ford told you it was 9K# or more but we both know better.

:C

What is odd is that you say 6500lb "is all it could handle" which, to me, implies that anything more and the rig becomes unwieldy or unable to pull efficiently yet I'm pulling 1000lb more than that and find it all very manageable. Not saying you are wrong or anything just observing that our separate experiences are so disparate.

I can't even remember what the tow rating is but I know it was way more than I'd ever want or need.

[martinto]

martinto wrote:

tls5150 wrote:
Thank you all for the responses!! My 1/2 ton is rated to pull 9,400. Was considering the new 1/2 Silverado with max tow package rated at 11,300. It is just DW and I nothing unusual as far as packing except two bicycles just struggling on what to do

GMC Sierra 1/2 ton 6.2L with Max Tow Pkg. 28 ft. TT loaded for a cross country trip out west...weighed in 7000 Lbs +/-. No problem pulling or braking. If truck is maintained to near spec level and you know it’s limitations, the set up and pulling of a properly loaded rig will allow you to travel safely.

It’s just me and my wife, and two small dogs. BTW...looked for my truck for over 6 months...found a 2016 Texas Edition Sierra in Charlotte NC, 90 miles north of our house. Crazy thing, we retired to S.C. from Houston, TX,, and end up with a Texas Edition Sierra located in NC. I guess it was meant to be!

[martinto]

tls5150 wrote:
Thank you all for the responses!! My 1/2 ton is rated to pull 9,400. Was considering the new 1/2 Silverado with max tow package rated at 11,300. It is just DW and I nothing unusual as far as packing except two bicycles just struggling on what to do

GMC Sierra 1/2 ton 6.2L with Max Tow Pkg. 28 ft. TT loaded for a cross country trip out west...weighed in 7000 Lbs +/-. No problem pulling or braking. If truck is maintained to near spec level and you know it’s limitations, the set up and pulling of a properly loaded rig will allow you to travel safely.

[tls5150]

Sorry everyone I failed to mentioned we had to sell out a few years ago due to moving to Houston and had no storage, since then we moved to Austin and are trying to get back into camping

[Desert_Captain]

am1958 wrote:

Desert Captain wrote:
My SCab F-150 was rated for 8,600 max tow but my 5,600# 22' TT was alll that it could handle - it towed well but I was near or even at my max payload almost every trip.

:C

Odd... My SCrew F-150 EcoBoost has towed a 6500lb dry/7500 loaded Bullet Premiere 31BHPR, (31'), with a measured tongue weight of 940 putting me pretty much at the limit of the advertised payload just over 17000 miles in the last 4.5 years without incident. I've taken it through the Blue Ridge Mountains a few times and have no problem on the hills and sometimes, when windy - high wind warning to be accurate, the F-150 sway control kicks in which is a very benign incident where I usually just re-engage cruise and carry on.

So what is "odd"? :h

We both had rigs that towed well at or near our payload limits. What was your alleged towing capacity? I'm guessing Ford told you it was 9K# or more but we both know better.

:C