cephas02
missouri
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Joined: 07/24/2010
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This will be a "newby" question, so bear with me- I'm thinking about buying a travel trailer, but I want to make sure I buy one I can pull. My tow vehicle is a '07 GMC C1500 ext cab 2WD. My GCWR is 12,000 lbs, and my max trailer weight rating is 6,700 lbs.
I am looking at 30' bumper pull campers, and limiting my search to trailers that weigh under 6,000 lbs off the factory floor. My question is this: am I giving myself enough cushion under my weight ratings? I don't plan to exceed my capacities, but I don't know if I can load up to them and still be safe. Is there a common percentage under the GCWR that I should maintain as a safety factor, and to protect my tow vehicle?
Thanks for any advice you can provide- I'd love to hear from someone who has tried a similar tow package to know what your experiences were.
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Sailbad
Bernardo, New Mexico or Quartzsite
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You are looking at the correct rating. BUT you need to be looking at the GVW when shopping for a trailer. That's probably going to put you in a smaller trailer.
Dave C.
2005 Silverado 2500 CC
Duramax 6.6 3.73 V-2
2003 Wildcat 27RL
B&W with Companion
Prodigy
Keep Your Powder Dry....This Ain't Gonna Be Fun
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skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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Your GCVWR just tells you where the cut off is for warranty work. Exceed it and the manufacturer will not honor the warranty. Can you TRUST it? Of course you can, your guarantee is in writing. The GCVWR does NOT tell you anything about whether you will be satisfied with how it tows that weight however. That is your personal decision. Good luck / Skip
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR -
2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles)
2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population
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cephas02
missouri
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My truck is already out of warranty, so I'm really just trying to avoid making an easily avoidable mistake before I buy.
Maybe a better question to ask would be this- if I buy a camper that loads me up to (but does not exceed) my weight ratings, can I reasonably expect to be able to pull moderate distances (under 200 miles) in flat to hilly terrain (not mountainous) without doing tranmission or other damage to my truck?
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JIMNLIN
out here
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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Yes, you can trust your truck manufactures GCWR. Its their number so take full advantage of it.
Your going to get lots of advise from folks saying you should tow this or tow that or 80 percent of the trucks tow ratings. Keep in mind what the truck manufacture gives you for pulling a TT as a max. Some folks are comfortable towing max and some are not.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers
'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 gvwr two slides
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cephas02
missouri
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Thanks for noting that- my GVW on the truck is about 5000 lbs, so my limiting factor will be the 6,700 lb max trailer rating, correct?
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TXiceman
(Near) Houston,TX
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First off the 6700# factory tow rating is a MAXIMUM and is based on a base model truck, no cargo, no options, no hitch and only a 150# driver in the truck. Add hitch, cargo, passengers and that 6700# is reduced by the same pounds you add. So you may be down to a realistic tow rating of 5500# or so.
Your trailer weight is 6000# dry. Dry means nothing included on the trailer that is listed as an option in the sales brochure. So you add, A/C, microwave, batteries, awning, TV and so on, before you even fill the propane bottles or add a little fresh water to the tank. First thing you know, your trailer will weight 7000# or possibly more.
Now you are towing a 7000# trailer with a truck that has the capacity to tow 5500 to maybe 6000#.
At this point, I will say forget it and look for a smaller trailer (something in the 25' range or plan to get a 3/4 ton truck.
ken
Amateur Radio Operator.
Vintage 1989 Avion Silver, 34V, toted by a 2002 F350, crewcab dually, 7.3L,4.10 axle,SCMT. Travel with one miniature Schnauzers, one standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot. Practicing for retirement!
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kaydeejay
SE Michigan, USA
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If I can add to what TXiceman said - weigh your truck, loaded and ready to travel.
Subtract that weight from your #12,000 GCWR.
The result is the max LOADED trailer you can pull to stay under GCWR.
I suspect Ken's numbers are pretty close.
You may be looking for a 4500# empty trailer.
And a comment on GCWR - towing at that weight is OK on level roads but you will need a lot of patience in high head winds or on significant grades. You will be pushing your truck to the limit.
Keith J.
1999 Sunnybrook 27RKFS Fiver.
2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD CC/SB/DA 2WD, LBZ air cleaner, 52 gal Titan tank, Bilsteins, Line-X, Westin steps, Prodigy, Retrax cover, 16K Superglide, 5th-Airborne pin-box, Multi-vex mirrors, TST TPMS.
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Sandia Man
Rio Rancho, NM
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With the numbers you stated you will be too close for comfort IMO. Best to use TT GVWR versus dry weight to get a better grasp on what your TV can tow effectively.
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cephas02
missouri
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Thanks for those last few posts- it's the opinions of those who have tried this already that I'm after, so I don't buy something I'll regret later.
I'll do exactly what kdj suggested and weigh my tow vehicle with an "average" load in it. The smaller of the GCWR minus the truck GVW or the trailer max rating will be the guiding number I'll use.
To TXiceman's point, I may not be allowing for enough add-on weight over the dry weight, and I probably need to lower my target dry weight. I'll be sure to weigh the trailer too, to confirm the "loaded" weight.
Thanks, jimnlin for putting your .02 in on loading to the max. I want to get all I can out of my truck, but I just want to make sure I have a reasonable chance of getting good performance if I do. Sometimes those mfgr specs don't take all the possible variables into account. I don't know what a new transmission in my GMC would cost, but I bet it would hurt.
Thanks-
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