Thoughts on Silverado 1500 towing a 320TG TT

[nothnagc]

Hello,

I'm currently looking at purchasing a Keystone Laredo 320TG TT and I'm wondering if my 1500 is enough for towing.

The 320TG has a dry weight of approximately 7800 lbs, GVWR 9500 and a hitch weight of 900. My truck is a 2012 Silverado 1500 with a 5.3L V8, it has the heavy-duty cooling package and a 3.43 gear ratio. According to the book it's rated for 9500 lbs with its current configuration.

My question is whether or not this camper is too much for the truck? We generally take 5 or 6 trips a year. The majority are 45 minutes or less on the road, one or two may be a 3, 4 hour ride. I tend to keep it around 60 MPH or less whenever possible.

Any input / thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

-Craig

[JRTJH]

You left out one very important piece of information: Your truck payload. With an empty hitch weight of 900 pounds, add a hitch of about 100 pounds and you're at 1000 pounds of payload before you consider passengers and cargo in your truck. Depending on how many people are in your family (that will be accompanying you when you tow the trailer) and how much cargo you put in the truck (as well as how much cargo you load in the trailer), you may be approaching your truck's GVW or possibly exceeding it.

[nothnagc]

Would the GVW be the same as the GCWR (Gross combination weight rating) on the trucks spec sheet? It's listed at 15,000.

[therink]

In my opinion, any travel trailer with greater than 7000 gvwr is too much to safely tow behind any 1/2 ton truck. I wouldn't do it.

Also, the loaded hitch weight of that trailer is likely going to at around 1200 pounds.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by nothnagc

Would the GVW be the same as the GCWR (Gross combination weight rating) on the trucks spec sheet? It's listed at 15,000.

GVWR is how heavy your truck can be
GCWR is how heavy truck and trailer can be

[sourdough]

IMO, after having just gone through this, it's too much trailer. Your payload, by what I can find, will be 1500-1700 lbs. Your GCVWR is either 14,000 or 15,000 lbs. If you put all your stuff in your trailer, the humans, dogs and all the items you want to take in the bed of your truck you will have a problem. Your payload which will include at least 1000lbs for hitch and tongue weight; probably more depending on what is at the front of the trailer. Remember whatever you put over the tongue is going to transer to the tongue weight. That leaves you about 500 lbs (or less) for everything in your truck, and depending on how Chevy does it, you may have to add in 30 or so gallons of fuel at 8lbs per gallon.

If your GCVWR is 15,000lbs you have these to consider; 9500 lbs for the trailer plus truck weight (probably about 5500 lbs) then payload of 1500 lbs. That puts you considerably overweight and you are going to have to go very light on what you put in the truck. You will have to leave behind many of the things you would like to take to try to just keep the vehicle somewhere close to its weight limits. Plus, pulling a 9500lb trailer and a truck maxed on payload with a 5.3L and 3.42 rearend will make you very unhappy...and probably toast your tranny in pretty short order.

I've done this. 2012 Ram 1500 5.7L hemi (which is a stronger engine than the 5.3L) with a 3.92 axle (far better for towing than a 3.42) pulling a trailer that was 8025lbs dry and 900 on hitch per the sticker (very close to yours). I took it to FL from W Texas and returned. Went down and bought a 3/4 ton pickup about 4 months ago after the return - it just was not worth the worry of being overweight and the handling of a 1/2 ton pulling that much weight. A 3/4 ton does it so much better. IMHO you need to find a smaller trailer (not over 6500 max dry) or get a bigger truck.

[mikebrls]

Big heavy trailer for any 1500 but I see people tow trailers like that with 1500's
all the time .

I was going to be one of those guy's but I didn't want to take the risk, I ended up putting a deposit down on a new Laredo LHT 28 bh that weigh's 6000 lbs dry and 7500 lbs soaking wet , with family in truck to big of risk for me but like I said other's do it

there are guy's on the ecodiesel forum pulling 10 to 12,000 lbs with there 1500 diesel's " way over loaded " and swear they handle great , I have pulled my lawn service trailer @ around 8500 lb twice and it pulled it fine but it was a short distance and in local area that I new , now a travel trailer you are going to be taking it to the unknown with even more risk ,
They make that same trailer with out the bunk slide that is quite a bit lighter @ 6600 lbs dry vs 7800 for the one your looking at

mike
2014 Ram ecodiesel 4x4 crew

[Richard6959]

I purchased the Laredo 320TG and pull it with a 1500 4X4 5.7 Crew cab. Its A LOT of trailer. Loaded our 320 TG comes in at the max 9500. We are at our limits all over the place. Can it be done? Yes! Can it be done safely? Yes. But there is also A LOT of risk. We are upgrading to a 2500 soon.

The last 30 days we went from Florida where we purchased it, to North Alabama, down to New Orleans, over to Houston and then up to Maryland all without incident. But I wont continue this way. We simply put more weight in the trailer then I ever imagined we would. Luckily, we are relocating so my wife drove her SUV that carried all the extras.

[sourdough]

Anyone pulling a 12,000lb trailer with a 1/2 ton pickup is not doing the right thing. Just because you can, at the moment, doesn't mean it's right or great. The ecodiesel is rated for 9200 lbs. max towing. Remember, it's only a 3L V6. Plus, a 1/2 ton just does not have the suspension for handling something that big. Think about it, pulling a trailer that is well over twice the weight of the truck on a very soft 1/2 ton suspension. Not good. Folks saying their 1/2 ton pulling that weight is doing "great", no problems etc. just haven't had the misfortune of having an "OH NO" moment and tried to do something drastic. When that happens that 12k trailer will twist the suspension on the 1/2 into a pretzel.

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by Richard6959

We are at our limits all over the place. Can it be done? Yes! Can it be done safely? Yes. But there is also A LOT of risk.

The last 30 days we went from Florida where we purchased it, to North Alabama, down to New Orleans, over to Houston and then up to Maryland all without incident. But I wont continue this way. We simply put more weight in the trailer then I ever imagined we would. Luckily, we are relocating so my wife drove her SUV that carried all the extras.

Richard6959 -
When you went on this trip, I understand that you did not have your wife as a passenger nor did you load your RV with "all the extras". Were these extras items that you would normally take with you on a camping trip or things you would leave behind? Without this additional passenger and cargo weight, you admit that your are "at your limits all over the place" and even though your trip was "without incident" you "won't continue this way" and there was "a lot of risk" involved. If you add your wife and any of the children that went in the SUVG plus some of the stuff you didn't take along then you won't be "at your limits" you'll be over them.

If your TV/RV combination is as safe as you claim, why are you concerned about continuing this way with your 1/2T knowing that by doing so it will be very risky?

After having read your post and especially the above statements from you, I am puzzled why you would tell someone that towing an RV of that size/weight with a 1/2T is "safe". "I did it once without incident so you should be ok" isn't exactly the kind of advice that I would be wanting to hear.

[mikebrls]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Anyone pulling a 12,000lb trailer with a 1/2 ton pickup is not doing the right thing. Just because you can, at the moment, doesn't mean it's right or great. The ecodiesel is rated for 9200 lbs. max towing. Remember, it's only a 3L V6. Plus, a 1/2 ton just does not have the suspension for handling something that big. Think about it, pulling a trailer that is well over twice the weight of the truck on a very soft 1/2 ton suspension. Not good. Folks saying their 1/2 ton pulling that weight is doing "great", no problems etc. just haven't had the misfortune of having an "OH NO" moment and tried to do something drastic. When that happens that 12k trailer will twist the suspension on the 1/2 into a pretzel.

yes I thought it was crazy also
I was looking at 9500 lb max weight trailer's myself after reading all what thee guys are towing but decided it wasn't worth the risk , for long distance driving .
now if I had to pull 12,000 lbs down a short street one time I would probably do just to see if the truck can
I did say that I pulled 8500 lbs with my truck a short distance because my work truck broke down " 3500 dully " and I was close to a 1000 lbs over weight and it pulled just fine " I also have timbrems for suspension sag " but I chose not to for a travel trailer that will be towed long distance with family in truck , it just make's no cents when there are plenty of trailer's that are lighter . After all we are supposed to be camping
when I had my class A condo I would say we where Yankee camping
Moral of the story be safe

[greengiant]

I wouldn't do it. My 3/4 ton is maxxed out on GVWR when towing my TT which comes in dry ~7200 and from the cat scale this summer-loaded at ~8700. That's with a good 1100lbs tongue combined with fam of 5, 130lbs of dog, 400lb fiberglass cap with thule racks and bikes aloft.....you get the point. I don't think a half ton will be safe or fun to tow that TT.

[wayfun]

I think going by the numbers you probably should go with a larger truck if you plan on traveling extensively in all kinds of terrain. But if as you stated, you're trips will be less than an hour a few times a year and you are in fairly flat areas you may get by.

I recently towed my Laredo 322RL 1000 miles to get it to Florida where it will stay. Based on the numbers I was overloaded and I knew it. However, I could not justify a 3/4 ton truck that would ultimately be used to move the trailer a 100 miles on the flat roads of Florida twice a year. Although I considered it.

I towed the trailer down I75 through KY, TN, GA and FL with a 6.2L Tahoe with the full tow package. I paid very close attention to the axle ratings and did my best to stay within them although I was 150 lbs over the rear axle rating. The Tahoe has a GCVWR of 14,000 lbs. I weighed the whole rig coming down as loaded and I was at 15,500 lbs. I did everything I could to mitigate the risk and never did I feel out of control or at risk. Before departing the truck was fully serviced including the transmission. At every stop I inspected and checked all tires with an infrared thermometer to make sure I didn't have tire going bad and heating up. I drove very cautiously at 55 mph max. I monitored the transmission temperature constantly and most of the time it ran between 180 and 190. One short stretch in stop and go traffic it hit 210. I maintained an extremely long following distance. If someone jumped in that closed it up I backed off to maintain it. I times my travel to hit the high traffic area through Atlanta late at night to avoid the traffic.

Was this an enjoyable drive down? Absolutely not! The trip took longer than it otherwise should. I made sure to keep myself out of conditions where things could go very wrong. The truck had more than enough power to "pull". My greatest fear was the rear tires on the Tahoe. I didn't exceed the Michellin's load capacity but I was pushing it. If I had intended to take this trip each year with the trailer I would certainly have another truck or make other arrangements. This was a one-time tow.

I've said all of this to let the OP know that only he knows the conditions at which he will be towing and there may be ways to safely do it. However, on average, for worry free traveling I would opt for another truck.

[Richard6959]

As I stated earlier, we are upgrading the truck. But can it be done? Yes. But there is A Lot of risk. Did everyone read that part??

[sourdough]

Richard6959,

You're doing the right thing as far as I'm concerned. I had the Ram 1500 pulling a trailer that was about 200lbs heavier than yours. It did fine and probably would have if I had chosen to keep it even though I was at or over my limits. The problem is when that one chance happening comes up, as it inevitably will, and then all the fudging will come into play. A 5300lb 1/2 ton with light springs is no match for a 9-10,000lb trailer in full getaway mode. Good luck on your new truck.

[JohnD]

Had the same set up, truck and same weight trailer. I was happy until I had one of those uh-oh moments with my thirteen year old and Luke the dog in the cab, could not stop.(accident averted by the slimmest of margins). I have since upgraded to a 2012 3500 Duramax in preparation for my 5th wheel purchase. Took our last trip of the season with the tt and the 3500.....Night and day!
IMO had I known starting out what I know now would have went 3/4 ton.

[maverick_415]

According to most RV dealers the answer is SURE, you can tow that, no problem!

Originally Posted by nothnagc

Hello,

I'm currently looking at purchasing a Keystone Laredo 320TG TT and I'm wondering if my 1500 is enough for towing.

The 320TG has a dry weight of approximately 7800 lbs, GVWR 9500 and a hitch weight of 900. My truck is a 2012 Silverado 1500 with a 5.3L V8, it has the heavy-duty cooling package and a 3.43 gear ratio. According to the book it's rated for 9500 lbs with its current configuration.

My question is whether or not this camper is too much for the truck? We generally take 5 or 6 trips a year. The majority are 45 minutes or less on the road, one or two may be a 3, 4 hour ride. I tend to keep it around 60 MPH or less whenever possible.

Any input / thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

-Craig

[notanlines]

All of you need to click on the latest post under the "Towing" section titled "What the heck."