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Old 06-20-2018, 12:30 PM   #21
Northofu1
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Well I guess if I'm wrong you will see me on youtube's epic RV fails.
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Old 06-20-2018, 01:13 PM   #22
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It's a painful thought. But it's not too bad for us because we thought we'd upgrade truck and trailer in a couple years if we enjoyed this as much as we thought we would. This is just forcing me to upgrade the truck earlier than planned. And, I'll probably get more for the truck now compared to a couple years from now.
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Old 06-20-2018, 01:51 PM   #23
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Well I guess if I'm wrong you will see me on youtube's epic RV fails.
Here's how this works.... If you are wrong the best case scenario is... you scare the crap out of yourself and anyone in close proximity to you.. Worse case, you maim or kill yourself and maybe others...


If we're wrong, you get to tell us.... I told you so...


Think I'll stick to being us..
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Old 06-20-2018, 02:03 PM   #24
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NTL

You're right. I'm already letting me mind begin to get comfortable with the $$$ outlay for a 1-ton.

Mike, if you are going to full time and upgrade to a larger trailer I would suggest going to the one ton now wholeheartedly. I went to a 3/4 ton saying we have the trailer we love (and we do) - but, 1) they don't last forever, 2) they're always coming out with new "stuff" and 3) when you stay in one for months bigger always sounds nicer. Now, I am actively looking (it takes me a while) for a one ton that will fit my needs for a good while. Much better payload, very little more money and....heaven forbid....I may even look into one of those diesel gadgets! In your case, if you think you will continue to grow in trailer size to something pretty large, consider a DRW, now, at this point - if you have a place to put it.

Trading a new vehicle off is painful and not cost effective, especially when you trade to change colors, body style, engine, or get a different interior as I used to do, BUT, upgrading in your situation makes complete sense, unlike many of the trades I made years ago. So, wipe the sweat off your brow, take a Tylenol, have a cold one and sign the papers....then have another cold one!! Then you can start thinking about that next 5th wheel - (see how easy it is for me to spend your money?)!!
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Old 06-20-2018, 02:18 PM   #25
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Ok, I have a question now on the same topic. Looking at my set up, would it be that my rig is too small for the trailer?
I ask because I did not have a problem towing it for the 15 hours I have had it hooked up.
What are the specs for your truck? Have you had it weighed with the trailer? If not, you would need the gvw, gawr (f/r), gcvwr and payload for your truck. All found on the placards inside the driver door. But just a quick glance at the specs of the trailer (7500 gvw) I would say you probably are over your truck's limits. And as was pointed out; how it "pulls" really has nothing to do with towing safely and within your weight limits.
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Old 06-20-2018, 04:56 PM   #26
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Hey sour,
I am pretty sure my truck can handle it. One of my trips was through driving rain. I drive on ice for a living. It took me a year to figure out what truck I wanted and what I could tow and took me a year and a half figuring out floorplans, weights, reviews, prices etc.
I ultimately figured out that I could keep chasing my tail trying to keep up with bigger is better for a long time. When I figured out all the numbers it came down to I could pull the weight of my trailer safely. Taking my time on the road and making sure I had good tires, brakes, suspension. My uncle spent his career as a GMC mechanic, and is my mechanic. I installed a really good hard wired rear view cam on my trailer and can see everything behind me. I have always been confident in my choices because I ponder them, sometimes too long. As I have said in this forum previously you can spend alot of money on all the latest and the greatest equipment money can buy, and that's great if folks have that kind of money to throw around, I don't.

I am unsure what the axle weights are. GCVWR is 15 K, Payload is 2080 lbs towing is 9200lbs, my TT and TV are level when connected.

Thanks for your help
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Old 06-20-2018, 04:59 PM   #27
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LOL Javi, not an I told you so kinda guy. I am pretty sure I will be ok
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Old 06-20-2018, 05:18 PM   #28
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Hey sour,
I am pretty sure my truck can handle it. One of my trips was through driving rain. I drive on ice for a living. It took me a year to figure out what truck I wanted and what I could tow and took me a year and a half figuring out floorplans, weights, reviews, prices etc.
I ultimately figured out that I could keep chasing my tail trying to keep up with bigger is better for a long time. When I figured out all the numbers it came down to I could pull the weight of my trailer safely. Taking my time on the road and making sure I had good tires, brakes, suspension. My uncle spent his career as a GMC mechanic, and is my mechanic. I installed a really good hard wired rear view cam on my trailer and can see everything behind me. I have always been confident in my choices because I ponder them, sometimes too long. As I have said in this forum previously you can spend alot of money on all the latest and the greatest equipment money can buy, and that's great if folks have that kind of money to throw around, I don't.

I am unsure what the axle weights are. GCVWR is 15 K, Payload is 2080 lbs towing is 9200lbs, my TT and TV are level when connected.

Thanks for your help

I responded to your initial inquiry because you sounded unsure of your setup, then, made a 2nd post as if no one responded so if you were wrong you were going to end up on a youtube video as one of those epic fails.

I responded to your question with zero information about anything other than what was in your post but wanted to give you some sort of feedback. If you were so confident of your truck/trailer combination, your expertise and your uncle mechanic why did you post in the first place? Tongue in cheek or ??? It's somewhat irritating for someone to post things like that and not mean it. If you think you have a problem, I/we worry about that and try to help. If you post things to just jerk folks' string it is inappropriate IMO.

And, it still sounds to me like you are only concerned about "pulling" ability, not "towing" ability. You know the payload, gcvwr and max tow numbers; not much for a year and a half of research. If you're happy, and think you've got it covered, you have no need of my thoughts or anyone else's - and I assume that was the situation before the post.
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Old 06-20-2018, 05:31 PM   #29
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Not my mission in life to jerk anyone around, Mike's post seemed like his truck was way under powered to tow his trailer. His numbers of his weights are similar to mine, and the answers from the forum were making it seem like his truck is under powered. And some answers suggested I might wreak havoc on the hiway, lol. I don't feel that way.
This was no shot at you Sour, I appreciate the effort and advice you contribute here.
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Old 06-24-2018, 08:38 AM   #30
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Just do what I did. Buy a 2016 Ram 3500 w/ the Cummins engine and you can pretty much tow anything your heart desires.😁
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Old 06-24-2018, 09:43 AM   #31
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Just do what I did. Buy a 2016 Ram 3500 w/ the Cummins engine and you can pretty much tow anything your heart desires.😁
Or the F150 3.6 EcoBoost??!!!!
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Old 06-24-2018, 05:33 PM   #32
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After 9 years, 52 camping trips, and 1 year 6 days total camping time in our 230RS Outback we had to say good bye to our beloved 2005 Silverado 4x4 5.3 extended cab! Even though our trailer weighs 59?? pounds dry, I am sure we were near overweight with all our gold prospecting / camping gear, full water tank, and extra water tanks plus a fiberglass camper shell on that poor 1/2 ton truck to boot! I put Load range E tires on it to avoid flats while towing and going off road - (works GREAT) so our tires were no concern. (If you keep your 1/2 ton, get load range E tires!) Yet after towing that trailer 104 times - it had oval-ized the keeper pin hole on the trailer hitch! We KNEW e-v-e-n-t-u-a-l-l-y we will want a bigger trailer - so last week I bought a 2018 Chevy Silverado 2500 LTZ 4x4 Double cab ---> Diesel! ($61K out the door). Oh My GOSH what an upgrade from a 5.3 liter screaming its guts out every hill it had to climb over when compared to a diesel! Coming home - empty in the diesel at 76 MPH its loping along at 1200rpm! We looked at 1 ton trucks, but in REALITY they just take a 3/4 ton 2500 - and add an extra overload spring to it and Shazam - its NOW a one ton truck! No frame / brake / or any other changes to a 2500 except a different leaf spring pack, + one extra overload spring! (Oh, 3500's use 18" rims, like I chose, and 20" rims are not an option.) I put our trailer on the truck ball for the first time to measure the sag, and get the new truck / ball height set to the correct height and that 600++ pound tongue weight dropped the truck a staggering 1.5" down from stock height! No Wonder they say you do not need load leveling springs, until you go past 10K pounds in trailer weight on a 2500! A 2500 diesel can tow 13K pounds on its hitch!

So my suggestion, is just get either a 2500 or 3500 DIESEL - and never look back! The end of year sales should be starting soon, and man o man dose GMC / Chevy / Ram have a TON of 2018 diesel trucks sitting on their lots in CA! (33 white GMC 2500 4x4's SLT's in Bakersfield, CA alone - all on one lot! 79 diesel's total at that one dealership! But they still will not give a GREAT deal so we went to Watsonville to get ours!) I think its a Crying SHAME that Keystone sells so many trailers saying "they can be towed with only a 1/2 ton truck!"
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Old 06-25-2018, 11:11 AM   #33
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It's been said here many, many times over and over and sometimes it can seem like people are being elitist when they say "buy a bigger truck", but it comes from experience to say that a 1/2 ton can pull a lot of weight BUT it cannot carry a lot of weight. So you cannot hook up and tow what it will pull. I laugh when you read "1/2 ton towable" Do the math and you will find almost all are not. Buy a 1 ton over a 3/4 ton. The extra weight you can carry and not worry is worth every penny. They will both drive the same. I changed to a 2016 F350 from a F150 and would never go back. Engine braking downhill is wonderful. 1500 RPM @ 100 KM/H (60 MPH) NP. Be safe. Long gone are the days where you just over loaded everything and went. IF you ever got in an accident even if it's just you; you can fully expect insurance to have someone to check the loaded weights. They will not pay you a dime and you will be on the hook. Trust me, they know the numbers. Hope that helps.
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