TOWING CAPACITY

[MANNY]

Greetings:

I have a 93GMC 1/2 ton. ex. cab. short bed.5.7. 4:11. I have installed a flowmaster dual exhaust system, K&N air intake system. Positraction.,cyberchip. etc. My question is: Would I have trouble pulling a Flagstaff 31ft trailer. dry weight about 5500, loaded about 7700, but probably be about 6600 with what I usually carry in my present trailer. I have been towing an 18ft prowler, dry 3000/4500.
any opinions would be appreciated.

thanks

mANNY

[MANNY]

Greetings:

I have a 93GMC 1/2 ton. ex. cab. short bed.5.7. 4:11. I have installed a flowmaster dual exhaust system, K&N air intake system. Positraction.,cyberchip. etc. My question is: Would I have trouble pulling a Flagstaff 31ft trailer. dry weight about 5500, loaded about 7700, but probably be about 6600 with what I usually carry in my present trailer. I have been towing an 18ft prowler, dry 3000/4500.
any opinions would be appreciated.

thanks

mANNY

[Paul Heuvelhorst]

Manny,
In my opinion, you are pushing the upper limits of your truck, both with the length of the trailer and its weight.

Common sense tells us that tongue weight should be somewhere between 10-15% of the trailer weight and that the "wet trailer weight" should be in the range of 75-80% of the tow rating of the tow vehicle, to be on the safe side.

Look at my configuration. Ford tells me the tow rating on my truck is about 8200#. My trailer, when loaded is in the neighborhood of 5000#. I purposely bought a light-weight trailer so I can safely tow it. I considered 7800# trailers and decided against them.

I have found my rig to be a well-matched, easy towing combination that has over 35,000 towing miles on it and I love it.

[TXiceman]

It will pull the trailer, but I agree with Paul that you are really pushing the limits. You are going to spend a lot of time in lower gears listening to the engine wind up. Also, a 31' trailer is really BIG load for a 1/2 ton truck. The problems are going to be with the suspension, brakes and drive line.

And Manny, welcome to IRV2.

Ken