new truck - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

new truck

Ranger guy · RV-Dreams Family Member

just sold My 2008 ford ranger so we can get a new truck to tow the new trailer it`s a 28 foot tow behind 6000lbs I towed it with my friends 2012 chev 5.3 and it worked great but was wondering if a 4.8 or a ford 5.0l will work what do you guys tow with?

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Chris,

While I am like Lucky Mike in not knowing whether the 6,000 lbs is GVWR or not, I will tell of my experience when we bought a 26' Salem travel trailer. At the time, I had a Ford F150, and our RV dealership outright told me that our truck was not heavy enough to handle a 26' trailer. I ended up with a gas powered F250 with the club cab.

The size of the engine is only one small part of the formula as to what makes a good truck for towing. Engine, transmission, rear differential ratio, and type of fuel all have a factor with regards to what one needs to tow. (Diesel engines generally have better capacities than gasoline.) Keep in mind that towing is also only part of the equation, and that one's truck needs to be able to handle the trailer with regards to stopping and handling in crosswinds.

I recommend that you find out for sure what the Gross Vehicular Weight Rating for the trailer is and go see a truck dealer and see what they recommend for that wieght of a trailer. There is an old saying, especially among former 18-wheeler operators, that one can never have too much truck, but it is very easy to have too much trailer for the truck.

Good luck in finding a good truck for your trailer.

Terry

VanMar · RV-Dreams Family Member

Chris,

Short answer--No. From experience. I have a Chevy, 1/2 ton, 5.3 and pulled a 6000# GVW 25 footer. Like Mike said, on flat ground it was ok. X2 on what Terry said. Put the 5.3 in a 3/4 ton and it's a whole nuther story.

There are numerous posts here, probably under 'Tow Vehicles', where this topic has been thrashed. That's where I've learned a great deal concerning TV's that I know will contribute greatly to this newbie's success getting started in fulltiming.

Vance

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

doing something the proper way normally lowers problems by 80% or better...........doing it because everybody else was doing it normally will get you grounded or placed on detention , or a whooping out behind the barn.

Researching and making sure you are doing something right protects you....your property and in some cases a life...........pull a trailer with an improper vehicle and the bottom line will be your insurance wont cover it.........you can be held personally and in alot of states criminally responsible.............and telling a judge everyone else is doing it will put him over the edge.

Blow a edo4 ford transmission average rebuild is 25 to 3500 dollars......if you lose the rear end or gears about the same........blow the oilpump hauling overloaded your looking at 5 grand for an engine rebuild.

loose control because towing vehicle cannot fully control load being towed...........lose your home....lose your bank account.....lose everything you worked for , or even worse someone loses there life.

I know this sounds a little drastic .........but it has to be.

go to the ford dealer tell him what your towing and ask what a proper tow package would be for this unit.......that will answer your question.

or save a buck follow the crowd and when something happens there will always be someone else to put the blame on.

-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Saturday 3rd of November 2012 04:30:51 PM

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well, we took it that you were asking for advice and that is what you got. Now, if you don't wish to take sound advice and do what is safe, someone out there, that is a victim of an accident because of an overloaded truck, will be looking for places that advertise this:

Just because others wish to be fools, doesn't mean we have to attempt to imitate them. Most of the time on the forums here, everyone tends to choose their trailer first and then match a truck that will SAFELY tow that trailer. Going with a half ton will possibly put you into danger as well as possible liability.

Be advised that no one on this site has suggested anything in the way of any half-ton truck for towing a trailer of your size. If you end up with serious issues with your truck or injuries to yourself, your family, or anyone else on the road, no one here is liable.

Terry

-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Saturday 3rd of November 2012 05:46:34 PM

Racerguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

On the other hand a newer Toyota Tundra1/2 ton will easily handle the trailer.Might be something to consider.:)

-- Edited by Racerguy on Saturday 3rd of November 2012 07:34:48 PM

Ranger guy · RV-Dreams Family Member

just so you know a few things about me I am not a full time camper our season in from may to october and most of our trips are under a hour from home we might take one or two trips a year that are around 300 to 400 miles the trailer is 6000lbs dry weight so buying a 3/4 tone or 1 tone is not for us 90% of the people in our area do the same thing and all use 1/2 tone trucks with a 4.6l 4.8l 5.3l 5.4l and know alot are going with the new F150 with the v6 eco boost and are towing trailer 2000lbs more than the one I have !

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

As for the Toyota Tundra, I will have to remain skeptical for the moment. They are giving some encouraging numbers with regards to "towing weights," but I couldn't find anywhere in their brochure what the GCVW was for each of the models. Without that information, I would be hesitant to accept their towing weight numbers.

Here is why. Even on my Ford F450, which has a GCVW of 33,000 lbs, if I were to try to tow a trailer that weighed what they claimed the towing weight was for the F450, I could very well be over on GCVW. Ford lists my F450 as having a 24,600 lb towing weight. With a GCVW of 33,000 lbs, that would mean that my truck by itself could not weigh over 8400 lbs, even though the specs show the GVWR for the F450 to be 14,500 lbs.

Again, I strongly advise anyone looking to check with the dealerships and get the true numbers for each individual truck.

Terry

Racerguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

2013 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 4x2 5.7 V-8 w/"tow package"
Curb weight 5335 lbs
gross weight rating(probably closer to what it weighs with passengers and stuff) 7000 lbs
GCWR 15,300( downgraded this year from 16,000) My opinion and mine only I would feel good at around 8000 lbs gross and no more on the trailer.Once again my opinion and the opinion of many others the 80% rule is pretty subjective.Do whatever floats your boat on that. The above numbers are for the stated vehicle and would have to be adjusted accordingly depending on cab configuration and options.Actually I'm a Dodge guy but a friend tows a 28 foot bumper pull all over the country with his Tundra and says the truck works flawlessly.That says a lot because like Terry he is the King of overkill. :)

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

factory specs are factory specs..........but your right on the salesman, call the Mfg. ......Try a tech. or take your chances and ask a stranger.

so many choices , but having common sense , which would have the best outcome?

Spending a good portion of my career as a Service tech in hazardous area's and the rest of it as a Flite paramedic and deputy coroner ......you would think I would be able to see a bad situation coming.

I can definitely tell you how situations end.

-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Monday 5th of November 2012 07:35:47 PM

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

We currently have a 2010 Toyota Tundra, pulling a 29 foot travel trailer. We have the V8 engine with the tow package. If we didn't carry nearly 1000 lbs in weight for our art show booth set up "stuff", plus the tools needed for our work, we would be well within the weight parameters. However, we've found that when we're fully loaded for work trips combined with vacation trips that we are overloaded. For the vacation trips where we only have our bicycles and hiking gear, we've not had any issues towing and that includes towing through the Cascades and Sawtooth Mountains.

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

I still think a simple trip to the truck dealer and a trip to the rv dealer.....would Get the correct answer......Better to have all the facts and make a sound decision.......than to have a basket full of opinions and take a guess at it

you can cut a tree down with a butter knife it will work.....you can also cut a stick of butter with a saw, but doing either of these things without all the facts could cause one time serious consequences for everyone involved

to be naive is to do something that is wrong and not understand the outcome.
To be stupid or negligent is to understand what you are doing is wrong and then go ahead and do it without respect to yourself and others!!!

Racerguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

With all due respect Mike....You honestly think you will get the correct information from a truck salesman or an RV salesman? Most truck salesmen don't know the difference between a dipstick and a windshield wiper blade and most RV salesmen don't know much more about what they are selling.:)