Towing challenges with flagstaff 25FKS

[Metzfamily]

We are brand new RVers
We purchased a flagstaff 25FKS July 2020. We tow with a 2020 Chevrolet 1500 5.3 L Silverado that has a 3.23 rear ratio and a towing package with built in sway control.
It took 3 months to get the husky load distribution hatch set correctly and the trailer not sway all over the place. We have the sway under control with load distribution hitch and sway bar.
We only get on average about 7 MPG.
We go on long distance trips normally 1000 miles one way. Fuel stops are often.
We are considering purchasing a 2500 truck with a diesel

Will the bigger truck help with the sway?

Should we expect better fuel mileage?

Are we making a good choice going to the bigger truck?

Would you purchase a diesel or bigger gas engine?

If you purchased the diesel would it be a Cummins or Duramax with Allison transmission?

[Grit_dog]

badsix wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:

Metzfamily wrote:
We tow with a 2020 Chevrolet 1500 Silverado that has a 3.23 rear ratio and a towing package with built in sway control.

You did not mention the engine size or the transmission !

A 3.23 rear ratio is simply the wrong ratio ! Minimum of a 3.73. Withe the CORRECT engine, transmission, rear axle and load package a 1/2 ton should pull that trailer fine.

the available gear ratio is 3.42, and this is what you should have. i have a 2010 gmc 1500 crew cab 4x4 and tow a 27' T/T ready to camp at 6500 AND IT TOWS PERFECT! it runs around 10 m/p/g towing and 18 -20 unloaded on the hiway and the ride is smooth and comfortable.
Jay D.

Nope 3.23/24 is the std gears behind the 8 speed and likely OPs truck.
And also not even closely comparable to your truck which is 2 full generations/chassis older than the truck in question. However the new one will out tow yours every day of the week, so good evidence that the OPs truck is more than enough for his purposes.

[badsix]

GrandpaKip wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

Lantley wrote:
That sounds OK on paper. But a 5.3 does not go up the hill like a diesel. More importantly all the big 3 late model diesels now have a factory exhaust brakes. A 5.3 doesn't come down the hill like a diesel either.
The one thing you must do is think about it. Simply put going up and down the mountain with a 5.3 will require more driver input.... not less.

Ya, think? Of course, looking at new prices, $40k vs $70k for diesel means it's probably worth going up hills a little slower for most people.

Of course, Michigan isn't well known for lots of long steep grades. Modern gas engines with tow/haul do surprisingly well on downgrades.

No, my truck does not behave like a diesel. But I don’t need one, either. And, it has gone up every hill at least at the speed limit. I live in the mountains, so, to leave I gotta go downhill and to get home I gotta go uphill. Yep, it does rev up, drop a gear or two, so what? Toodles right up those hills.

my 2010 5.3 will pull my 6500 T/T up any hill at the speed limit and going down is no problem mine has the 6 speed and when in the tow haul mode on you just tap the brakes and it will keep you at about 55mph i go down 2-3 mile steep inclines and never touch my brakes. diesels way over rated.
Jay D.

[badsix]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

Metzfamily wrote:
We tow with a 2020 Chevrolet 1500 Silverado that has a 3.23 rear ratio and a towing package with built in sway control.

You did not mention the engine size or the transmission !

A 3.23 rear ratio is simply the wrong ratio ! Minimum of a 3.73. Withe the CORRECT engine, transmission, rear axle and load package a 1/2 ton should pull that trailer fine.

the available gear ratio is 3.42, and this is what you should have. i have a 2010 gmc 1500 crew cab 4x4 and tow a 27' T/T ready to camp at 6500 AND IT TOWS PERFECT! it runs around 10 m/p/g towing and 18 -20 unloaded on the hiway and the ride is smooth and comfortable.
Jay D.

[Grit_dog]

Well said Lantley.
It’s good to see folks separate minor “perceptions “ issues from “necessities” once in a while on here.

[blaczero]

GrandpaKip wrote:
Toodles right up those hills.

My window sticker didn't list a Toodler. What is the MSRP on one of those?

[GrandpaKip]

valhalla360 wrote:

Lantley wrote:
That sounds OK on paper. But a 5.3 does not go up the hill like a diesel. More importantly all the big 3 late model diesels now have a factory exhaust brakes. A 5.3 doesn't come down the hill like a diesel either.
The one thing you must do is think about it. Simply put going up and down the mountain with a 5.3 will require more driver input.... not less.

Ya, think? Of course, looking at new prices, $40k vs $70k for diesel means it's probably worth going up hills a little slower for most people.

Of course, Michigan isn't well known for lots of long steep grades. Modern gas engines with tow/haul do surprisingly well on downgrades.

No, my truck does not behave like a diesel. But I don’t need one, either. And, it has gone up every hill at least at the speed limit. I live in the mountains, so, to leave I gotta go downhill and to get home I gotta go uphill. Yep, it does rev up, drop a gear or two, so what? Toodles right up those hills.

[Lantley]

afidel wrote:
I vote for measuring the tongue weight. This trailer starts at 12% and almost 100% of the storage is WELL in front of the axles. Also measure the rear axle weight and compare to factory spec. That's the only way to know if you have an actual problem or a perceived problem. Perceived problems are up to the driver and their wallet to decide on, actual problems are a safety issue and call for immediate action.

Afidel you raise a good point. I agree the OP has a perceived problem.
He is not happy with how is combo is performing.
I agree his current truck is capable of towing his trailer, however for 1000 mile trips there are better options. Better options will cost more money. It is up to the OP to decide if he wants to spend more $$ to fix the perceived problems. I think the OP is willing to make a significant change, but want assurance the change will resolve his issue.
Perceived problems are more subjective than a safety issues that must be fixed vs. are an option to fix.
Expectations are a big factor in perceived issues.

[valhalla360]

Lantley wrote:
That sounds OK on paper. But a 5.3 does not go up the hill like a diesel. More importantly all the big 3 late model diesels now have a factory exhaust brakes. A 5.3 doesn't come down the hill like a diesel either.
The one thing you must do is think about it. Simply put going up and down the mountain with a 5.3 will require more driver input.... not less.

Ya, think? Of course, looking at new prices, $40k vs $70k for diesel means it's probably worth going up hills a little slower for most people.

Of course, Michigan isn't well known for lots of long steep grades. Modern gas engines with tow/haul do surprisingly well on downgrades.

[afidel]

I vote for measuring the tongue weight. This trailer starts at 12% and almost 100% of the storage is WELL in front of the axles. Also measure the rear axle weight and compare to factory spec. That's the only way to know if you have an actual problem or a perceived problem. Perceived problems are up to the driver and their wallet to decide on, actual problems are a safety issue and call for immediate action.

[msmith1_wa]

Another vote for you do not need a diesel for this trailer. A 2500 would be nice, but also should not be needed for you trailer. If I am looking at the correct information your trailer has a gross weight rating of 7500lbs, well within the ratings of a 1500 series truck.

[Grit_dog]

And a Q speed rating is 99mph.

This is like the weight cops preaching payload like the gospel on Sunday morning.
I'm just here to let the folks that are less knowledgeable know that many of the "suggestions" by members of this forum that are put forth as some sort of absolute requirement are actually only suggestions or sometimes just their own opinion, and not fact.

I will not jynx myself and comment about how long trailer tires last and how fast you can drive safely on them. Bad karma...
But suffice it to say, if you have the proper pressure and tires aren't overloaded or aged out or otherwise defective or hit a road hazard, they will live a long healthy life traveling faster than 65mph.

Now, driving slower can help overcome other deficiencies and not result in tire failure, so feel free to apply your own personal factors of safety to towing and anything else you do. Lets just try to refrain from posting those things as requirements.

And yes this is way off topic, however I'm not the first person to de-rail threads, pretty much ever. But it seems real easy for some to do that.

[Grit_dog]

time2roll wrote:

Click on the "Trailer Tire Care and FAQ"

I found this among the questions:

"Can I go faster than the recommended 65mph when towing a trailer?

Maxxis recommends that you do not exceed 65mph when towing a trailer."



There are other trailer tires with higher speed ratings.

Key word being "recommends."

Another quote from someone who asked Maxxis about their speed rating.

"High Speed" is used to differentiate the M8008 ST Radial from other products we offer that are intended for industrial and/or commercial use, in slow speed applications. The Maxxis M8008 ST Radial carries a "Q" speed rating. However, according to the Tire and Rim Association, the U.S. tire industry specification authority, inflation pressures and load specifications in general for any ST Radial trailer tires without a service description, regardless of the manufacturer, are designed and rated at 65 MPH. However, if the speed is higher than 65 MPH, the pressure and load need to be adjusted according to the following guidelines:
From 66 to 75 MPH – the tire inflation pressure needs to increase 10 PSI (not to exceed the maximum PSI the tire is rated for) but requires no load adjustment.
From 76 to 85 MPH – the tire inflation pressure needs to increase 10 PSI (not to exceed the maximum PSI the tire is rated for) and load should be reduced by 10%.
We hope this information is helpful. Thanks for your inquiry and interest in Maxxis Tires.
Best Regards,
Your Maxxis Support Team
--
Maxxis International – USA
Email: MaxxisSupport@maxxis.com | Web: maxxis.com

[Lantley]

GrandpaKip wrote:

Lantley wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:
Personally, I wouldn't want to tow long distances on a regular basis with a 1500 truck. Especially one with the 5.3 engine. That said, your trailer should be well within the capabilities of the truck.

The 5.3 isn't the most powerful engine that goes in a 1500, but it is one of the more fuel efficient. How fast are you pulling the trailer?

The most economical solution to your issue is spend some time getting the WDH set up properly. Ask for help if you need it. And slow down. Slower speeds will make more of a difference in MPG than going from a relatively fuel efficient gasser to a diesel.

You are going to take a bath trading a 2020 truck in.

Your first statement says it all.
The OP is not going to the local state park down the road. The OP is taking 1000 mile trips on a regular basis.
Granted his trailer is within the parameters of a 1/2 ton. His desire to travel far and wide necessitates a bigger truck.
The OP is also not satisfied with his MPG's or more important his travel range/distance.
Sure he could suffer through with his current truck. But I'm not looking to suffer on too many 1000 mile trips before making a change.
Sounds like the OP is also tired of making do.
You can either enjoy the journey or suffer through. Cost is relative if the trips are not enjoyable. Saving $$ by using the wrong truck is not really saving
A 3/4 ton diesel would resolve all his issues and deliver a much more relaxing tow. A 1 ton SRW would do the same plus provide some growing room for the future without costing much more.
Either way an upgrade is in order not due to the size of the trailer. But due to the distance traveled. Towing 1000 miles regularly with a 5.3 in not an enjoyable experience.

Have to disagree. I don’t find that having the 5.3 detracts from driving at all. Just got back from a 2020 mile trip. It goes up mountains and back down with no problem. Put it in tow/haul and don’t even think about it.

That sounds OK on paper. But a 5.3 does not go up the hill like a diesel. More importantly all the big 3 late model diesels now have a factory exhaust brakes. A 5.3 doesn't come down the hill like a diesel either.
The one thing you must do is think about it. Simply put going up and down the mountain with a 5.3 will require more driver input.... not less.

[time2roll]

Grit dog wrote:

time2roll wrote:
Maxxis trailer tires are rated 65 mph

That’s a blanket statement that is incorrect for many maxxis trailer tires and same for other brands.

OK I go to the MAXXIS website and click "trailer tires".
M8008 is the only tire shown.
Click on the "Trailer Tire Care and FAQ"

I found this among the questions:

"Can I go faster than the recommended 65mph when towing a trailer?

Maxxis recommends that you do not exceed 65mph when towing a trailer."

https://www.maxxis.com/trailer/trailer-tire-care-and-faq

OP posted that MAXXIS trailer tires were put on the trailer. OP was edited 12/12/20 and this info seems to be missing. If the MAXXIS are still on I will continue to recommend 65 or less.

There are other trailer tires with higher speed ratings.

[valhalla360]

Grit dog wrote:

Metzfamily wrote:


When we get past Lansing going north on 127 then I75 it just seems like there are not as many gas st...

Fuel stations aren’t rare in N MI, compared to other parts of the country.
But it’s all relative. If one is used to 3 gas stations on every 3rd corner in the city, then it must seem like the Wild West once you get away from the city lights.

Yeah, used to live 20 miles north of Lansing and covered both the UP and upper lower penninsula for work...rare to be more than 10-15 miles to the next gas station.

But if he feels uncomfortable, it's an issue. Much cheaper options than upgrading to a diesel dually. The simple expedient of a full 5 gal jug of gas will give him an extra 35 miles of range if he miscalculates. Or he could upgrade to a built in tank tied into the fuel system.