13000 ib - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Racerguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

13000 ib

Byrdy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Whats your opinion on how much truck I should get to tow around aprox 13000 lb dry wieght 5er. Very ignorant on subject, and searching forum!

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good question – hard to answer factually. Dry weight means little. The question is how much will the trailer weight when you have it ready to travel and the tanks (at least the fresh water) full. Also, is that the “real” dry weight from a scale or the manufactures dry weight before options are added? That trailer will probably weight 15,000+ when loaded for the road. Maybe (probably) more

You also need to know the loaded pin weight – the hitch weight on the truck.

Depending on the year of manufacture, a ¾ ton (2500 / F-250) might be OK. But a one ton DRW is always “better” for a lot of reasons having to do with numbers, not preference. In general, diesel is always better at towing than gas. A look at the difference in specifications is the basis for that view.

I know, and others know, how to run the real numbers to determine all this based on the actual trailer weight and the truck based on the truck’s individual specifications. (All F-250’s / 2500’s / 3500 / F-350’s are not the same depending on year and brand.) But without those true numbers anything, here or elsewhere, is just speculation.

I know this doesn’t help much, but better to be real than just hopeful on this important decision.

Bill

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Tom,

Don't stop with knowing the gross vehicular weight rating (GVWR) of the trailer. You also need to know the GCVW (Gross Combined Vehicular Weight) of the truck as well. In fact, the GCVW is more important than towing weight. Towing weight is what a lot of vehicle manufacturers want to give you. GCVW is the combined GVWR weights of both the truck and the trailer.

Here is an example: We own a 2008 Ford F450, which Ford lists as a "towing weight" of 24,600 lbs. Our GCVW is 33,000 lbs. If I were to be towing 24,600 lbs, I would only be able for our truck to weigh 8400 lbs without going over the 33,000 GCVW.

Our fifth wheel has a GVWR of 18500 lbs (which we are pretty close to) and our truck's GVWR is 14,500 lbs. Add those two numbers together and you get 33,000lbs, which would be full capacity on our GCVW. Now, more than likely one won't get a truck to its full GVWR, so that will give one some "cushion" on the capacity of the truck.

Most of us like to have a "cushion" to work with when calculating for towing. A number of old 18-wheeler operators like to say that it would be better to have too much truck than to be saddled with too much trailer. While a lighter truck might "pull" a trailer OK, stopping it might be an entirely different matter. (More than one person has traded up in truck sizes after a emergency stop revealed their original truck was too light.)

Now, if your 13,000 dry weight trailer has a cargo carrying capacity of 2500 lbs, you will have a GVWR on the trailer of 15,500 lbs. Allowing for "cushion" on the weights (truck more capable than trailer and truck weighs), nothing less than the Ford F350 or GM and Dodge 3500 series trucks will do.

Good luck with the research and planning, and feel free to ask as questions as you think of them. An unanswered question (because it wasn't asked) can certainly lead to headaches.

Terry

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Tom:

May I add to make one of many important points to be clearer as many people read these posts for information and this is a key element:

The ratings of all the trucks nominally used, Chevy, Dodge, Ford’s, have changed significantly in the last two years. Chevy and Ford, beginning with the 2011 year, changed their capacities significantly. For example the 2012 3500HD Chevy’s went from a 23,500 Combined Weight Rating for a 2005 model (total for truck and trailer) to 30,500lbs. The 2012 Ford F-350 went to 30,000lbs if memory serves. These were big increases and both are very capable trucks for the 5er you are looking at. Dodge went up as well but in different years as I recall.

The point is, depending on the year of manufacture the marketing “badge” on the side of the truck, 3500, F-250, whatever, means nothing. You have to check the ratings for the specific truck you are purchasing, especially if it is “used.” In the past Ford’s, for example, were all over the place ratings wise depending on the powertrain. So you just have to check the specific truck (and trailer) in question.

That said, for a simple answer – a Diesel Ford F-350 or Chevy 3500HD, current model year, would handle the trailer in question without concern. Both are very capable trucks – but ride like Cadillac’s in comparison to earlier years.

Bill

Byrdy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you all for your insight, it has helped me a great deal. I feel I can make a much more informed decision. Thanks for all the replys, Bill thanks for that new info just made me a little MORE educated!