Towing with 1500

[Slick87SS]

I am looking buy a used TT for me and my family. Def want a bunk house trailer with slide for the extra room. I will be towing with Silverado 1500 with 9200 tow cap. and 1850 payload. Also I will be using WD hitch. What should I be looking for as far as dry weights for trailers. It would be our first TT though I do have experience towing my 14 foot work trailer I wouldn't want a white knuckle trip every time I pull it. Most I have checked out and liked are anywhere between 5800-6900 dry weight. Any info would be super helpful.

[IdaD]

MitchF150 wrote:
I towed the same TT for over 12 years with a 97 F150 and I was over it's GVWR and it's rear GAWR the whole time and it had 255,000 miles on it when I traded... The only reason I traded was because I could afford a new truck after owning the 97 for over 12 years and it was just time.. \

I do wish I could have kept that 97, as it was a great truck and never had any issues.. Never left me on the side of the road.. Well, it did when the alternator went out on it around 2002.. And that was after I jump started a car with my engine running... Lesson learned.. Don't jump start a dead battery vehicle with YOUR engine running.. 😉

It'll kill your alternator big time!

Anyway, look real close to see if you have a full float axle rear end on your 3/4 ton rig... I've seen some that do have 8 lug axles, but don't have the full float bearings...

Mitch

I do but mine isn't five years old either. I know some of the tweener 3/4 tons like the old f250 that looked like the half ton in the 90s were lighter duty.

I don't have a source on the duty cycle thing other than common sense based on experience.

[MitchF150]

I towed the same TT for over 12 years with a 97 F150 and I was over it's GVWR and it's rear GAWR the whole time and it had 255,000 miles on it when I traded... The only reason I traded was because I could afford a new truck after owning the 97 for over 12 years and it was just time.. \

I do wish I could have kept that 97, as it was a great truck and never had any issues.. Never left me on the side of the road.. Well, it did when the alternator went out on it around 2002.. And that was after I jump started a car with my engine running... Lesson learned.. Don't jump start a dead battery vehicle with YOUR engine running.. 😉

It'll kill your alternator big time!

Anyway, look real close to see if you have a full float axle rear end on your 3/4 ton rig... I've seen some that do have 8 lug axles, but don't have the full float bearings...

Mitch

[itguy08]

IdaD wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
All arguing aside. the guys that believe the 1500s, and 150s have no payload haven't looked at them since they bought their over kill trucks. The newer 150s, and 1500 are more truck than a so called 3/4 ton truck was 5 years ago, and BTW. My 04 has plenty of payload of as well. According to the book. and scales

I see this posted from time to time here and it's just not true. Maybe it's accurate as it relates to straight up power output, but in no other respect is it true. That five year old 3/4 ton has a much stouter drivetrain and a higher duty cycle. Which current half tons have full floating axles these days? I missed that press release.

It has a much stouter drive train because it can carry more weight and weighs 1500-2000 lbs more. So it has to carry that extra weight.

I'd love to see a source for this duty cycle claim.

[MitchF150]

This has nothing to do with the OP's truck, but here is mine..





I weighed my rig all hitched up with a #5000 GVWR TT and I was basically within #400 of the rear axle weight rating and #600 of the GVWR.

If I were to hitch up a $6800 Dry weight TT, I'm sure I'd be over some weight rating..

I have not weighed my truck all by itself, so I can't say how much of that #1900 "payload" is accurate, but I load a lot of stuff in the bed and there is only 2 of us in the cab, so there you go.. 😉

Mitch

[IdaD]

Terryallan wrote:
All arguing aside. the guys that believe the 1500s, and 150s have no payload haven't looked at them since they bought their over kill trucks. The newer 150s, and 1500 are more truck than a so called 3/4 ton truck was 5 years ago, and BTW. My 04 has plenty of payload of as well. According to the book. and scales

I see this posted from time to time here and it's just not true. Maybe it's accurate as it relates to straight up power output, but in no other respect is it true. That five year old 3/4 ton has a much stouter drivetrain and a higher duty cycle. Which current half tons have full floating axles these days? I missed that press release.

[Slick87SS]

So it looks like I am settling on a 2015 aspen Trail 2810bhs dry weight is 6474. I know people say not to use dry weight but it's what I got. TV is a Silverado double cab posted earlier in the thread. What do you guys think? Opinions on the TT are welcome as well since it's my first TT and don't have much to compare to. Thanks a bunch

[tomkaren13]

Do use a Weight Distribution Hitch and Anti Sway. Our 2002 GMC Sierra pulls our 30' 5500 lb TT well but goes slowly up big hills.

[Camper_G]

1750 payload is more like it for the ops truck.

My 2015 silverado cc, 4x4, 5.5 foot bed,z71, 5.3l/3.42 geared truck has a 9200lb tow rating and a 1740 lb payload. It handles my 6k gvwr Layton good.

STOP SHOPPING TTs BY DRY WEIGHTS! They are useless numbers. What is the campers gvwr your looking at? If it's that heavy "dry" i think you'll be at the trucks limits when loaded and I'd not want to work a brand new truck that hard. ....just my .02

[Tequila]

Yes, but you are at your upper limit, IMO. Its not only about what the truck is rated for, its components wear on that truck. I would at least get a set of Torklift stable loads installed

[Slick87SS]

Hey fellas I have a that 04 Laredo that I could steal for 5k. It has a dry weight of 6860. Could I pull that with my 2015 Silverado. Keep in mind I won't be carrying water.

[rbpru]

It is obvious that not all F-150s are the same. My 2011 E-boost 4x4 with the tow package is rated for 1411 lbs. max cargo on the sticker.

I lost 200 lbs. of the cargo capacity with the fiberglass cap. I do get 15 to 16 mpg in town and an honest 19 to 20 on the highway. It is my day to day vehicle also.

The F-150 is a great match to my 25 ft Dutchmen Lite and though the CAT scale shows I am at or near its recommended weight limit. It has provided consistent performance for over 11,000 miles of towing.

So it would think a 1700+ lb. payload would be a good match for a TT with 1000 lbs. of tongue weight.

[Hornnumb2]

My trailer came with the side to side front storage only, no other outside compartments. Keep that in mind for Tounge weight.

[Hunterred]

At 6300 dry you will likely be 7500-8000 loaded for a week. That is a hitch weight of around 850-1000 lbs plus 4 people you should be good, close but properly loaded, very doable. Let us know what you pick for a trailer

[Slick87SS]

Ok the specific truck I am purchasing says 1750 payload. The salesman was a bit off but still not bad. Tow cap 9200#. V8 3.42 gears. This is from the door sticker except the tow cap. this came from the website with this rear end with the v8. So what should I be looking for as far as TT's? I figure a 6300# dry weight max. If I am wrong let me know please. Also I will be carrying 2-4 adults. OMG just realized I need to consider my son as an adult-ish!?? most of my travels will be New England and the east coast.

[ZeeLet50]

My '09 Sierra has a payload of 1710lbs. That is with standard cab,4wd 3:73 gears and 5.3 with 4sp. Just to note, a standard cab with the shorter wheelbase will tend to bounce more than the longer wheel based models.