what size truck do i need to tow a 26' trailer

V6 Chevy Silverado is a 5000 pound max towing capacity truck.

I have a 2003 chevy silverado with a v6 4.3...will this be able to tow a 26' travel trailer, dry weight approx 5700 lbs. if not what kind of ford f-150 would i need?



Depending on your axle ratio, you should do fine on the flat but your truck will struggle going up the hills

As for a F-150, you cant go wrong with any of the 3 engines, (5.0, 2.7 and 3.5 ecoboost) however, I would go for the ecoboost. I used to have a 2008 F-150 4.6 with the 3.73. Pulling my Autumn Ridge 266rks which has similar length and weight as yours, I was fine except for the hills. it was pedal to the metal screaming up hills between 4000 and 4500 rpm.

I now have a 2017 F-150 with the 2.7 ecoboost with the 3.73 rear end and what a difference. It tows it really easy and it does it all between 2500 and 3000 rpm. For some of the steeper hills, I might see it go up to 3500 rpms . It certainly makes for a more enjoyable and quiet towing experiences.

My old truck had LT tires, this new one has P rated tires and at 35 PSI, I had a bit of sway compared to old truck. To help this, I pumped my tires to 50 in the back and 45 in the front and switched to a CURT Trutrack 17500 hitch. Again , wow what a difference, no sway and it tows like a charm.

Having said that, you dont need a F250 to tow a 26ft trailer that weight 5700lbs. For weekend camping, you might have between 200 to 300 pounds of stuff at the most in the RV. The only thing I would recommend is if you ever plan on going with bigger trailer, I would go with the 3.5 ecoboost.

Have fun with your RV

Back in 2011 I towed a 29ft Dutchmen TT with a new 2011 F150 at the time, while mine was an eco boost and the towing power was impressive the most important part being the brakes and suspension were more than up to task, mine when I went through the cat scales weighed in at just over 7000lbs (5400 listed dry weight) fully loaded and ready to boondock, so as heavy as I ever loaded it. TW was right around 1100 lbs but I ran one of those tongue mounted bike racks with 4 bikes on them - probably added 200lbs on the tongue i’d Say.

Long story short, the truck you’re looking at should be fairly well matched and those old 5.4 were good torque motors, maybe not ecoboost good but still very stout, much better than the 5.3 that GM used in the same era that my father towed with and owned 3 from 2001 to 2010.

For the 1500 GM rigs, the 2014 and later models have the 6 sp. Few and far between. Been looking over the last few months. Lots of newer ones like "I" want. Used......tougher options......

The 2500/3500 rigs got a 6 sp for the gas rigs about 2010 IIRC. I am recalling seeing a 2008 recently that had the 6 sp auto in it. 2010 for positive.

Marty

Your truck will struggle with that load with the old V6 and 4 speed. How did it feel driving it home or have you not hooked the trailer to it yet ?
Looking at older trucks, I'd go minimum with the big V8 half tons. 5.3 Chevy, 5.4 Ford, or 5.7 Hemi. If you can swing it and get into a new enough truck with a 6 speed trans (around 2010) or especially a 5.0 V8 2011 or newer Ford, it'll be a more pleasant towing experience.
Shoot for as low of gears as you can find. 3.73s for most trucks, can get 3.92s I believe most years in the Dodges. That will help too.
Keep your eyes peeled for the right deal and don't discount 3/4 ton gassers either. Won't have more power if you get V8s but will handle everything even better.

I agree with Maury82. If you are buying a different truck then the bigger is better, I guess. Like all things there are trade offs. More power, more money and typically less mileage. Will this be a daily driver for you? If so, the eco-boost makes a lot of sense.

I tow my Airstream that has an empty weight of 5380 and a max weight of 7300. I have weighed the trailer while on the road headed out for a week long trip and seldom am over 6500. I tow with a 5.7L Tundra that gets 381hp and 401 pounds of torque. I also average just at 11 mpg towing. I live in the PNW and pull over decent sized mountains all the time. No trouble whatsoever with this length and this weight. My half ton does just fine.

If, I were a full timer I probably would step up since I would be carrying lots more "stuff" with me and I wouldn't be driving my TV to work every day.

So, back to the OP, I agree that your 4.7 is a little too small for your trailer. Get something more powerful but don't think you HAVE to get a 3/4 ton or a diesel for that matter.

On the Airstream forum whenever anyone asks about hitches it takes but a few minutes before someone says you have to get a Hensley Arrow or a ProPride hitch. Check the price on those!

These forums are great but you ask for opinions. Be ready to read through them and do your own research.

Even a Dodge or a GM with the V8 options would tow a 7-8,000 lbs trailer in a 15 series fine. I would bet a 2014 or newer GM with the 4.3 and 6 sp trans would work too. As that motor has an additional 100 ponies and 50-80 lb ft of torque! Not to mention the two more gears!

With that said, The eco boost ford gas motor would be the BEST option for elevation, as the super charger keeps the sea level HP up to around 6000-8000' minimum, before starting lose HP to elevation. The dodge diesel would also be another option if you are at 5000+ feet of elevation a lot of the time.

ANY truck built in the last 5-10 years will be better than than one you have now! I've towed with that V6, its not bad, when under 5000, but the one you got, I would want the newest version, or something newer than the 07 ford too!

Marty

People on this forum crack me up. Really, he's going to get his 5600lb trailer up to 9,000lbs? I don't even add that much cargo wight into my 38' 5th wheel toyhauler with a 130 gallon water tank. I live in CA, have traveled the same areas and used to have a 2007 F-150 with the 5.4 V8 (hence the user name). Any relatively new F150 with the V8 or Ecoboost and the Max Tow package will easily haul that trailer. Period.

A 3/4 ton would obviously handle it even better but you have lower mpg, a worse turning radius, and in CA a much higher annual reg fees. Their rocker panels are about 4-5" higher off the ground so they're mildly harder to get into but by no means is it a chore.

drsteve wrote:

Maury82 wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
5700 dry will probsbly tranalate to around 9000 pounds loaded ready to go. While you could get by with a 150/1500 for nearly the same money you could step up to a 2500 and tow worry free. Ford is really proud of their 150 ecoboosts. And unless you got the max tow package I dont think you would be real happy.

When I first started lurking two years ago in order to learn about RVing, and what type of tow vehicle I needed. I knew little about towing a RV, but I knew which trailer I wasnted, and it's size weight and length I was looking at.

At first, I almost ate the information of needing a larger truck 3/4 truck for a certain amount of weight, but when I started reading these bias responses against 1/2 ton trucks, and this push towards getting a huge 3/4 ton or larger truck, then I had an epiphany... these are truck guys,and they love big trucks!!

All guys are not into this big huge truck thing, and I'm one of those guys who really don't care for trucks, but I need one for this RV. Without needing one for this RV, I wouldn't drive one if it was free.

I know some guys like really big, powerful and high torque trucks, and the bigger the better. Once I realized that, I completely tuned out all the comments about tow vehicle size.

I purchased a 37ft 8,300lbs dry travel trailer last year, and just ordered a F-150 SCrew, 3.5 EB, 4x4, XLT, 6.5 box, with the heavy duty payload package (11,500 tow/2,500lbs payload).

I know nothing about towing, but I trust my judgement on this one, much more than I trust these bias opinions about what size truck is needed to tow this size travel trailer.

That response to the OP was awful, and there is no way I would be so gullible to make such a serious decision based on that doom and gloom comment you made.

You should feel an obligation to help us new and inexperienced out there, and not impart you bias opinion towards your preference for huge trucks, when there are better options out there. Everyone doesn't want, nor like huge trucks, and we just need the size and save truck for the job.

The OP is asking about towing with his current truck, which has a normally aspirated 4.3 liter V6. You, OTOH, have ordered up the most heavy duty 1/2 ton truck you can get your hands on, one that has nearly the capability of some 3/4 ton trucks. There is no comparison between your truck, and the OP's.

But I have to ask... how is a 3/4 ton truck "huge"? The differences are mainly mechanical. The size of the truck is no different. The ride is stiffer, but that's about it.

I definitely agree that he needs more towing capacity than that V6 with that weight in the mountains, but just because he needs more towing capacity that doesn't mean he need to spring for a 3/4 ton to tow 5,700lbs. I'd get a powerful truck with plenty of towing power and payload, but to make this guy feel he has to get a 3/4 truck to tow a travel trailer thinking it is going to swell to an extra 3,000lbs is kind of taking advantage of his naive situation.

I rent the F-250 to tow my travel trailer, and have driven plenty of newer F-150, and that 3/4 ton is huge, longer, and sits much higher than your typical 1/2. I'm 6'2", 225 lbs, and in great shape, and that thing is a pure pain to get into. I have to duck my head a bit to get into my Honda, but that is actually better than having to climb way up into that 3/4 ton.

I priced a new 2/3 ton crew cab 4x4 Dodge 6.4 gas Laramie edition, and got was able to get a price lower than the 2018 F-150 XLT 301 package with less features, but both vehicle would have been trade-offs, and I went with the Ford because there were less trade-off than with the Dodge.

That Dodge would be more stable than the Ford, although the Ford would be very stable, but not as much as the Dodge, but the trade-off that was the deciding factor, would be the difference of which one would I want to drive when not towing...the less imposing Ford won out.

That Ford has the quickness and acceleration I'd want, as oppose to that heavy Dodge and that 3/4 Ford I rented, and it was lighter on it's feet in traffic. That Dodge would tow my RV a bit more stable, but that Ford ecoboost would give me more scoot in all situations, especially in the mountains of WV. I can see myself driving the Ford when not towing, but I would avoid the 3/4 Ford and Dodge if I wasn't towing. I hated climbing in those high 3/4 ton trucks I drove.

That Ford has more payload than the 2/3 ton Dodge, a more responsive transmission, better acceleration, and was the least compromising, and the closest thing to a car I could find that can safely handle that trailer.

I'll keep it short and sweet. Your 4.3L Chevy will struggle and maybe even expire trying to tow that trailer, especially in the mountains. The 2007 Ford, if it's in good shape, should be a pretty good match.