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Old 06-24-2020, 08:42 AM   #21
Ken / Claudia
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One thing sure sure, people will and do overload every size of truck. The last few months of doing seven, 900 mile round trips on the freeway and living in RV parks the last 3 weeks. I seen many I would have stopped for overload, improper tow mirrors, a few for excess trailer sway. Last week a f250 had mushed out rear tires with a giant 5er attached park several slots away.
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Old 06-24-2020, 08:53 AM   #22
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Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia View Post
One thing sure sure, people will and do overload every size of truck. The last few months of doing 7,900 mile round trip on the freeway and living in RV parks the last 3 weeks. I seen many I would have stopped for overload, improper tow mirrors, a few for excess trailer sway. Last week a f250 had mushed out rear tires with a giant 5er attached park several slots away.
Curious by what an "improper tow mirror" would look like. I have tow mirror you pull out manually about 4 inches I guess (base model clunker) and my last truck had mirrors on aluminum braces you couldn't see out of (96 F250) and I added some big clunky looking black mirror arms that attached to the aluminum frame and those things stuck out about a foot from the original mirrors. They sell them on etrailer I think.
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Old 06-24-2020, 09:07 AM   #23
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The sales of RVs are up due to our "pandemic" unfortunately we are going to see much more unsuitable tow vehicles, loaded to the hilt, with the current wave of new RV owners, that have NEVER towed anything, before mostly because of useless information posted by truck/RV manufacturers & lying salespeople that only have 1 agenda, sell you whatever they can regardless of safety.
Lately there have been several on different forums asking about their 1/2 tons, Tundras/Tacoma's, Titans/Frontiers & even a few different SUV brands towability, unfortunately most are asking AFTER they've already been suckered into buying more than they can possibly safely tow with what they currently have & trying very hard to justify doing so. The sad thing is most will tow with what they have which puts them & the rest of us at risk being on the highway with them because "the salesman said" or "according to the brochure for my truck/rv".
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Old 06-24-2020, 04:54 PM   #24
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Improper towing mirrors will not allow the driver to see along side or past the trailer.
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Old 06-24-2020, 05:38 PM   #25
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Improper towing mirrors come on virtually every 1/2 ton truck unless a particular truck has the option for "towing" mirrors. Regular 1/2 ton OE mirrors do not let you see anything down the side of the trailer (btdt). "Add on" mirrors that attach to the OE mirrors should be outlawed. I assisted one lady with them...the last time. They are useless; they shook so bad I couldn't tell what the heck I was looking at. Told her to throw them in the dump and get solid mirrors.
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Old 06-24-2020, 06:49 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by sourdough View Post
Improper towing mirrors come on virtually every 1/2 ton truck unless a particular truck has the option for "towing" mirrors. Regular 1/2 ton OE mirrors do not let you see anything down the side of the trailer (btdt). "Add on" mirrors that attach to the OE mirrors should be outlawed. I assisted one lady with them...the last time. They are useless; they shook so bad I couldn't tell what the heck I was looking at. Told her to throw them in the dump and get solid mirrors.
I believe these were the mirrors I used and they worked pretty well; no vibration.
https://www.etrailer.com/Towing-Mirr...ce/KS3990.html
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Old 06-28-2020, 07:17 AM   #27
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I am looking at the 29MBS 5th wheel. I have a 2019 1500 silverado. With my specs, the truck can tow 9,800lbs total.

The RV dealer told me that it is not recommended to tow more than 8,800lbs. (Specifically said 1,000lbs less than Chevy)

The 29MBS I want is 9,100lbs. That is 300lbs over the RV dealer's recommendations but 700lbs under Chevy's recommendations.

I can upgrade the gear ratio of the rear end and upgrade to a limited slip differential for about $2,700 and gain an additional 2,000lbs or more. I can also put air bags on the rear end to counter the drop. (Haven't got a quote yet)

Can someone explain why the RV dealer says 1,000 lbs less then Chevy.

Do i need to spend about $5,000 to make upgrades to my truck?

Thanks in advance

PS... a new, bigger truck is NOT in the package at the moment.
Start looking at TTs under 30'. All but one 1/2 ton truck is not much more than a grocery getter. Save the $5K for a truck as even $5.00 or $50K will not help except as a down payment.
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Old 06-28-2020, 07:34 AM   #28
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Old Question

There are a number of issues that your post brings to mind, some of which have been commented on previously. I will add my opinion.

There is a rated max tow rating for a trailer and fifth wheel from your truck manufacturer. This tells you what you can legally tow when the trailer is loaded. It can never be changed and it does not matter what modifications you do to your truck. Also, you must use the loaded weight of the trailer not the dry weight. So to make an estimate, most take the max loaded weight of a trailer.

The next issue is the payload of the truck. This is not the max towing weight but the total payload that your can put in the truck and on your truck. It includes all the people, tools, hitch etc. And when you put a trailer on your hitch wether bumper pull or fifth wheel, there is a transfer of weight to your bed and must be included. It is typically between 15 and 25% of the loaded weight of your trailer. So it is possible to be within the towing max weight of the truck but over the payload of the truck. Also, the payload capacity can never be changed once the manufacturer labels the truck. When purchasing a trailer after you have the truck, you need to know these numbers in order to purchase the right trailer. Of course the best way is to purchase the trailer first and then purchase the appropriate truck for your trailer. And it is NEVER the responsibility of an RV dealership to tell you the trailer is the right one for your truck. It is your responsibility. Of course a good dealership will help you find the information and steer you towards the correct and legal trailer. I hope this is helpful to new owners and especially to others who are contemplating purchasing an RV.
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Old 06-28-2020, 08:23 AM   #29
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Originally Posted by wiredgeorge View Post
Our weight patrol squad is like a bunch of reformed smokers! Bwhahahaha Sad thing is this seems to be a recurring issue with new camper owners or prospective owners and notwithstanding tire talk and the sure fate of owning China bombs, this has to be the most popular topic on this forum. The saddest thing is when someone comes onto the forum, asks for advice regarding the suitability of a tow vehicle vis a vis a particular camper and then argues numbers which only exist on sales brochures or flow from the mouth of an RV salesman.

Does anyone ever recall a situation where a newb came in and was told they had way more truck than needed and the newb lamented they didn't buy a much heavier trailer? If you take your DW into a sales lot and go through a 27' trailer then a 37' trailer, which will be the favorite? Room (aka weight) is a distinct advantage and is a lure.

The main problem many have when getting bit by the camping bug is they have a pickup owned by the bank that was originally used as a commuter and probably isn't suitable for any trailer hauling and they can't afford to trade in (are upside down on their note) for a suitable towing truck. There is the usual cause of denial and the inclination to believe stats and specs that bear no relevance to their awkward towing situation.
You've made a great point.
Whenever we were out shopping for a trailer to tow with our Tacoma, I drew a line in the sand at 4000 pounds. The Tacoma was rated at 6700 pounds.
The problem was, the appeal of a slide-out, and our lack of experience. That slide out added close to 1000 pounds. It ended up around 4700 pounds dry.
The Tacoma towed it pretty well. It had more than enough power, and handled grades fine. The problem I had was I felt like the trailer was pushing the truck around a bit when taking a downhill curve.
We ended up trading off the Tacoma. I hated that, because the Tacoma was really nice and it looked "bitchin" pulling the trailer too.
We replaced it with a real 1/2 ton with a pretty good tow rating. It handles our travel trailer better, and gets better fuel economy too.

My advice to anyone going into the purchase of either a truck or trailer is to keep the trailer weight around half of what the truck is rated tom pull.
That is unless you're talking toy hauler. Those things are made to carry a lot of weight and have their own set of rules.
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Old 06-28-2020, 08:35 AM   #30
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It took a lot of comments to get to what I believe is the answer to the original question "Over weight??? Truck upgrades???". The best upgrade is upgrading to a larger truck.
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Old 06-28-2020, 08:38 AM   #31
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Originally Posted by travelin texans View Post
The sales of RVs are up due to our "pandemic" unfortunately we are going to see much more unsuitable tow vehicles, loaded to the hilt, with the current wave of new RV owners, that have NEVER towed anything, before mostly because of useless information posted by truck/RV manufacturers & lying salespeople that only have 1 agenda, sell you whatever they can regardless of safety.
Lately there have been several on different forums asking about their 1/2 tons, Tundras/Tacoma's, Titans/Frontiers & even a few different SUV brands towability, unfortunately most are asking AFTER they've already been suckered into buying more than they can possibly safely tow with what they currently have & trying very hard to justify doing so. The sad thing is most will tow with what they have which puts them & the rest of us at risk being on the highway with them because "the salesman said" or "according to the brochure for my truck/rv".
That, is a "Pandemic" in itself. It was already rampant before Covid-19 and now it will be even worse. God help us all!
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Old 06-28-2020, 08:41 AM   #32
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Cavediver brings up an important point that is crucial. Legal liability. If in an accident, lawyers will easily figure this out and insurance companies will decline to pay.
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Old 06-28-2020, 08:58 AM   #33
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You all know the OP stopped stopped answering your questions and making comment 6 days ago.

You did not give him the answer he wanted!

He was one of those looking for justification for overloading his 1/2 ton PU!
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Old 06-28-2020, 10:08 AM   #34
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Originally Posted by N6ZCM View Post
You all know the OP stopped stopped answering your questions and making comment 6 days ago.

You did not give him the answer he wanted!

He was one of those looking for justification for overloading his 1/2 ton PU!
Look at the keyboard worrier. I have read EVERY post and comment on here the same day it gets posted. Yes, it wasn't the answer I wanted but bit was the answer I needed.

I thank everyone who posted an honest answer and stated facts, rather than blowing smoke out of their blow hole to make themselves fell important.

If you read my original post I HAVE NOT BOUGHT THE TRAILER!!!

I did not need or want justification for anything since I have not spent any money.

So thank you, but your uneducated smart @$$ comments are not needed here.
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Old 06-28-2020, 10:32 AM   #35
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Originally Posted by blubuckaroo View Post
You've made a great point.
Whenever we were out shopping for a trailer to tow with our Tacoma, I drew a line in the sand at 4000 pounds. The Tacoma was rated at 6700 pounds.
The problem was, the appeal of a slide-out, and our lack of experience. That slide out added close to 1000 pounds. It ended up around 4700 pounds dry.
The Tacoma towed it pretty well. It had more than enough power, and handled grades fine. The problem I had was I felt like the trailer was pushing the truck around a bit when taking a downhill curve.
We ended up trading off the Tacoma. I hated that, because the Tacoma was really nice and it looked "bitchin" pulling the trailer too.
We replaced it with a real 1/2 ton with a pretty good tow rating. It handles our travel trailer better, and gets better fuel economy too.

My advice to anyone going into the purchase of either a truck or trailer is to keep the trailer weight around half of what the truck is rated tom pull.
That is unless you're talking toy hauler. Those things are made to carry a lot of weight and have their own set of rules.

Glad you got more truck!
But again the max tow rating for ANY truck means absolutely nothing, as do RV dry weights, when determining suitable RV weights to tow.
The only numbers that you need are YOUR trucks payload, which WILL BE exceeded long before you reach max tow weight, & the GVWR of YOUR RV. These 2 numbers, with the appropriate percentages for tongue/pin weights, you can figure what weight RV, either TT or 5th wheel, you can tow with what truck.
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Old 06-28-2020, 10:41 AM   #36
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Originally Posted by vancouverbrian View Post
There are a number of issues that your post brings to mind, some of which have been commented on previously. I will add my opinion.

There is a rated max tow rating for a trailer and fifth wheel from your truck manufacturer. This tells you what you can legally tow when the trailer is loaded. It can never be changed and it does not matter what modifications you do to your truck. Also, you must use the loaded weight of the trailer not the dry weight. So to make an estimate, most take the max loaded weight of a trailer.

The next issue is the payload of the truck. This is not the max towing weight but the total payload that your can put in the truck and on your truck. It includes all the people, tools, hitch etc. And when you put a trailer on your hitch wether bumper pull or fifth wheel, there is a transfer of weight to your bed and must be included. It is typically between 15 and 25% of the loaded weight of your trailer. So it is possible to be within the towing max weight of the truck but over the payload of the truck. Also, the payload capacity can never be changed once the manufacturer labels the truck. When purchasing a trailer after you have the truck, you need to know these numbers in order to purchase the right trailer. Of course the best way is to purchase the trailer first and then purchase the appropriate truck for your trailer. And it is NEVER the responsibility of an RV dealership to tell you the trailer is the right one for your truck. It is your responsibility. Of course a good dealership will help you find the information and steer you towards the correct and legal trailer. I hope this is helpful to new owners and especially to others who are contemplating purchasing an RV.
Another thing the dealers of the RV and maybe the truck do not tell you is you need to take a written test and road test for the license you need to tow legally in BC. If you don't have that and have an accident, you have NO insurance as you are driving without a license. It's not an easy test, I took 2 tries and my wife 3. We used a professional truck driver trainer to prepare. Legally you have to pay a licensed driver to drive it off the lot unless you get the license beforehand which can't be done without a truck and trailer.
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Old 06-28-2020, 10:43 AM   #37
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Originally Posted by N6ZCM View Post
You all know the OP stopped stopped answering your questions and making comment 6 days ago.

You did not give him the answer he wanted!

He was one of those looking for justification for overloading his 1/2 ton PU!
It takes time to look at the numbers, to process the answers to a question. To ensure that the next step is well thought out.

The best posts are when someone heeds that advice and posts his NEW TV or TT and everything is matched nicely.
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Old 06-28-2020, 11:07 AM   #38
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Another thing the dealers of the RV and maybe the truck do not tell you is you need to take a written test and road test for the license you need to tow legally in BC. If you don't have that and have an accident, you have NO insurance as you are driving without a license. It's not an easy test, I took 2 tries and my wife 3. We used a professional truck driver trainer to prepare. Legally you have to pay a licensed driver to drive it off the lot unless you get the license beforehand which can't be done without a truck and trailer.
I just wanted to clarify your post. In BC, to tow a trailer over 10000lbs, you need an rv trailer endorsement on your basic driver's license. And what you say is correct. I have just retired as a professional driver and my license allows me to drive my rv trailer. If I chose to give up my professional license, they will give me an rv trailer license with no test.
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Old 06-28-2020, 11:16 AM   #39
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Please take the advice offered on this forum. I have a 3500 Ram long bed, bilstein shocks, air bags, engine brake, etc. Have a 42' Montana and 35' toy hauler (Saliun tires, load range G). As I live AZ most of the places other than south lead to mountains, passes, and long downhills. Do not use a 1500 for anything more than pulling a popup, otherwise your rig will be like the tail wagging the dog. Terribly dangerous to you, your family, and everyone on the road around you. We put 16k miles pulling the toy hauler last year all over the States. I think I've seen it all - too many folks pulling rigs with not enough truck. AND keep the speed down - I see too many roaring down the highway at 80 mph or more. Many have no idea how much they weigh loaded (truck + rig) and what speed their tires are rated for. I know it's tough to swallow - just spent a large chunk on a rig and then having to get a larger truck. Just scroll thru some of the forums/internet to see the results of inadequate tow vehicles. Good luck.
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Old 06-28-2020, 11:51 AM   #40
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Look at the keyboard worrier. I have read EVERY post and comment on here the same day it gets posted. Yes, it wasn't the answer I wanted but bit was the answer I needed.

I thank everyone who posted an honest answer and stated facts, rather than blowing smoke out of their blow hole to make themselves fell important.

If you read my original post I HAVE NOT BOUGHT THE TRAILER!!!

I did not need or want justification for anything since I have not spent any money.

So thank you, but your uneducated smart @$$ comments are not needed here.

Cody, you said a new truck was not in the equation. The initial trailer you mentioned was just too much for a 1/2 ton. It's unfortunate that RV manufacturers dream up such terms as "1/2 ton towable" as a sales pitch knowing good and well that they can't.

A lot of mentions were made about that unit being too big and one of the primary reasons is that it is a 5th wheel. Being a 5ver means that it puts a LOT more weight onto the truck; think 20-25% of the gvw vs 10-15% for a bumper pull. That makes a HUGE difference when trying to fit a trailer to a specific truck and its capabilities so that might be a consideration.

BTW, I see you are from Allen TX. Little brother works at Collin College in Allen - small world.
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