Tow Vehicle

[duffer]

I am new to the forum, but I have done a lot of looking around about specific towing weights, different vehicles, etc. Lots of good information and very helpful folks. Here is my situation:

I have a 2007 Chevy Extended Cab, 5.3L V8, 3.73 axle ratio. Owners manual lists towing capacity at 7500 lbs. Currently I tow our 23 foot TT (dry wieght of 3200 lbs, plus 800 lbs of gear, which includes a full tank of water). I am not using any sway control or WD hitch and it tows very well.

We are looking at upgrading to a Bullet 272BHS next year. Dealer confims the actual weight is about 5100 lbs. If I fill it with water and our typical gear, I will be pulling maximum of 6000-6200 lbs. I plan on adding a WD hitch with sway control.

All of our camping trips are within 50-60 miles of home. No mountains, moslty flat roads, no interstate. Total camping usually amounts to about 12 weekends per year, roughly 100 miles round trip for each.

Does my truck have enough in it to handle this? My gut tells me yes, but I want to hear some more experienced opinions.

[BulletOwner1]

If your weights are accurate then I think you'll be fine. Two things I'd check would be 1) tongue weight, and 2) is your truck running P tires?. If so I would recommend LT's. With the WD hitch you will be transferring extra weight to the truck and LT tires will handle better.

[Desert185]

I don't have your pickup, but I do tow 7,000# bumper pull carhauler and covered utility trailers without WD hitch with no issues. If hitch weight is within limits I don't see a problem towing with your rig...but someone may object. :)

[GaryWT]

Just double check tongue weight vs payload.

[duffer]

TW of the trailer is a shade under 550.

[Bluewater]

We assume it is a 1500 not a 2500????

[duffer]

We assume it is a 1500 not a 2500????

Sorry, I didn't specify because I didn't think the 2500 came with an engine as small as a 5.3L. Yes, it is a 1500.

[GaryWT]

I would guess that tongue weight might be more like 800 or so.

[Ken / Claudia]

I think your truck will work. You already have it, might as will try it. I would start thinking no if you go much bigger of a trailer. Be safe and use the WDH and sway system. My listed trailer loaded up, full of water, gear etc has a tongue about 900 lbs the manual says dry 530 lbs. Check it out over a scale and get the real weights as soon as you can just to see where your at regarding what the truck lists as max. wt. vs real tow wt.

[therink]

Just as said above, you should be fine as long as loaded weight is under 6500 or so and you have a good properly adjusted WD hitch. Your ideal tounge weight should be around 13 percent so that will mean around 845 tongue. Just watch your payload and don't over load the truck to stay within your gvwr. Load Range E or LT tires for the truck are a good idea, which will help with stability and reduce sway potential.
Your 3:73 axle is a plus with the 5.3, especially on hills. Watch the transmission temperatures.

[duffer]

Thanks for responses everybody. I will give it a shot with my truck. I really would like to upgrade the TV in the future, but it's hard getting rid of something that's paid for with fairly low miles on it! I appreciate the help.

[{tpc}]

I pull a 2300bh with my chevy 5.3 v8 and 3.73 gears. I don't think you will have a problem towing it. The only issue you may have is with the length of the rig vs your truck. If you can swing it, I would suggest one of the more expensive WDH like a hensley or propride or something like that. Or at least research into that aspect of it.

If you don't have an auxiliary trans cooler, get one. You probably already have one, but that made an immediate difference for me and my truck that didn't come with it. I still watch them but I don't worry about it near as much as prior to the cooler.

You can pick up a factory cooler with trans lines for less than $100 online. Doing the work can be a challenge, but it isn't impossible.