Community Forums

lotery7 · 06-15-2020, 08:00 AM

So my truck will haul 9200lbs. We are looking at a travel trailer that is 34.5ft loan dry weight of 8130. We would be driving 400 miles once a year. should we buy this camper or is my truck to small.

Jshopes81 · 06-15-2020, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lotery7

So my truck will haul 9200lbs. We are looking at a travel trailer that is 34.5ft loan dry weight of 8130. We would be driving 400 miles once a year. should we buy this camper or is my truck to small.

Too small for a few other reasons but you cant go by dry weight. You dont travel empty. Whats the truck? What are the axle ratings?

lotery7 · 06-15-2020, 08:22 AM

I don't know the axle ratings. Gmc Sierra 1500 I do have towing controls factory installed. We would be able to load the bare minimum in camper as we will be taking another vehicle also.

sirtate · 06-15-2020, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lotery7

I don't know the axle ratings. Gmc Sierra 1500 I do have towing controls factory installed. We would be able to load the bare minimum in camper as we will be taking another vehicle also.

Axle ratings are on a placard on the drivers door frame...

tuffr2 · 06-15-2020, 08:54 AM

That trailer is about what I would tow with my 2017 F-250 and wonder how my truck would do.

What year is your truck? If it is a 2019/20 my next question is that 400 miles round trip?

Can you take back roads and stay off the 75mph freeway?

As you go faster the more difficult it is to control the trailer. Thinking it would be best on back roads where you can drive 35 to 55mph.

If you want to travel 800 miles round trip on the freeway - are you crazy? Would be my question. Your truck will not be able to control that trailer with wind and semi's blowing by you. A semi will 1st push you off the highway then as it passes it will suck you back onto the highway. There is simply too much surface area on those big trailers with big high flat sides. The big flat back actually acts like a vacuum sucking the trailer backward.

With the typical 150/1500 series truck 6,000lbs and 28' is a comfortable range. With the newest GM 1500 series trucks I might try 7,000lbs and 32' as the redesigned trucks are larger.

I towed a 5,500lb 2008 Gulfstream Streamlite 22 SLB with a 2011 F-150 5.0 litre engine with a Drawtite WD hitch and thought that was a good match. That is why I think 6,000lbs is a comfortable limit for 150/1500 series trucks.

runamuck · 06-15-2020, 08:58 AM

this has been hashed out a bit already. the 1500 gmc will be pretty maxed out. that trailer is a lot longer than the truck and will be a handful. my "17 sierra slt 4x4 ccsb with 5.3 motor and 6 spd. struggled towing our 28' 6000# trailer. if you have no choice, plan to stay off the interstate and go slow..for once a year trip you could make it work. what tuffr2 said

grindstone01 · 06-15-2020, 09:02 AM

You could always try to tow it and see how it feels to drive. If you don't like the towing, it may be cheaper to pay someone to tow the camper for you. Check with local RV/boat dealers or local Craig List ads.

lotery7 · 06-15-2020, 09:29 AM

My Truck is a 2016 GMC Sierra 5.3 8cy. Yeah would be 274 miles interstate then back roads. So sounds like I should pass on this trailer.

TXiceman · 06-15-2020, 09:32 AM

First do not use the trailer dry weight when looking at truck ratings. Use the trailer GVWR or take the dry weight and add the cargo capacity.

I would not want to tow that trailer with your truck. You need less trailer or more truck.

Ken

L.C.Gray · 06-15-2020, 10:53 AM

No your truck won't haul 9,200 lbs... its rated to tow 9,200 lbs. Big difference.

And tow capacity is a very misleading number. You'll virtually never reach it before exceeding your payload (hauling) capacity.

Dry weight is another misleading number. You'll never own or pull the trailer at dry weight....

tuffr2 · 06-15-2020, 12:05 PM

A 2016 GM 1500 series truck with the 5.3 litre engine is not enough truck for that big trailer.

But once you look at a big trailer is it is not easy to look at and buy a smaller trailer. You stepped in deep Doo Doo with that big trailer.

Good luck finding a nice 28' 6,000lb. travel trailer that is more suitable for your truck.

lotery7 · 06-15-2020, 12:36 PM

So the camper is actually 30ft but overall with tongue is 34.5 would this make a difference. We go to Wisconsin once a year and other trips would be within an hour of home. Final thoughts

knightstorm · 06-15-2020, 01:13 PM

I have a 2015 Sierra 1500 with the NHT package (7,600lb GVWR) rated to tow 10,800lbs, and I wouldn’t want to tow that much trailer with my truck. I was comfortable towing a 6,000 lb (7,500lb GVWR) 27’ trailer.

I would not be comfortable towing the trailer you are describing. My guess, and that’s all it is until you go to a set of scales, is that you would exceed your rear axle rating and possibly the truck GVWR as well. If you manage to get the trailer tongue weight low enough to avoid overloading your truck you will have a problem with trailer sway.
Here are two towing calculators that discuss this in more detail.
https://rvtowcheck.com/

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-...eight-tt.shtml

6_Riders · 06-20-2020, 05:27 AM

Your truck can pull its rated weight. It will do it. What it won't do is pull that rated weight in a 30' long 10' high box of a sail. As other have said, max weight 6500# not over, at all. Remember to account for weight of cargo, water, batteries and anything else you put in/on the trailer. After all that, you still need to be under 6500#.
I wouldn't tow more than a 28' box with your truck either, and keep the trailer height as low as possible.
A 5.3 is not an ideal tow motor and it will make hills (both up and down) a white knuckler. I had a 1 Ton gmc van that I towed a 7500# trailer with and it sucked. The van could handle it, the motor on the other hand, not so much. I have a 1 ton diesel now, it doesn't even hiccup towing 9k.