Towing Capacity

pat said:

I was looking through some old threads but became overwhelmed so thought I would just ask again.

I'm buying a 24' Forest River Work & Play toyhauler for competitions. The tag on the trailer has a GVWR of 11,010. Can I realistically and safely pull this with a 3/4 ton truck? A friend swears I need a v10 or diesel to pull it.

I am clueless when it comes to these things. Does the 11,010 account for an empty trailer or something different? :icon_blush: Thanks!!

Click to expand...

Yes, you CAN and should pull it with a 3/4 ton truck. The GVWR is the MAXIMUM weigh that the trailer can weigh, when you have the maximum amount of cargo (per the mfr) in it.
I don't see a 24 foot work and play in their lineup right now with a gvwr or 11010, so i don't see the specific specs. So you need to find out what the "dry weight" or unladen weight of the trailer is, then add the weight of your cargo, and THAT is the weight of your trailer. Most 3/4 ton trucks can safely and legally pull at least 10,000 pounds (even my 1997 Suburban 2500 can), and it's unlikely that your 24' trailer will exceed that. VERY unlikely.

That said, if your truck has a V6 or a small V8 and you live in the mountains, it's gonna be huffin' and puffin' its way up if your trailer is in the 10k lbs weight range. But as far as having too small a truck (with a 3/4 ton), it's unlikely. And the lighter (softer) sprung 3/4 ton truck will be MUCH more gentle on your trailer and its contents than an otherwise-similar 1 ton truck.

I've had big trucks and small trucks, and I've trailered quite a bit - cross country, around town, and in the mountains. Be sure to get yourself a GOOD brake controller - I'd strongly suggest a Tekonsha Prodigy (or P3) or a Jordan. A cheap brake controller makes for a crappy ride.

And... I will add that a good equalizer hitch set up properly will make a huge difference as well.

At the camper forum I belong to, the Yurripeen members are amazed at what we tow with. We are amazed with what they tow with.

Yurripeen towing ratings are much higher than ours. My Volvo wagon is rated by Volvo to tow 3,500 pounds -- with a 3.2 litre straight six.

The main thing is to make sure you have trailer brakes on a heavy trailer, so you can stop without jackknifing. The other thing is to add a transmission cooler to automatics, if you don't already have one.

If you have an overdrive top gear, you may not be able to use it, and you may not be able to safely do 70 MPH with the trailer in tow, but a 3/4-ton pickup should easily tow that trailer.

CD

Ron_L said:

Without knowing the year, manufacturer and model of the truck, and what engine and rear differential it has I wouldn't be so bold. For example, I looked at the 2011 Chevy 2500 and found towing capacities ranging from 9000 lbs to 16000 lbs depending on the configuration.

Plus, nothing has been said about the tongue weight of the trailer and the cargo carrying capacity of the trunk, the amount of cargo and weight of passengers, etc.

And, unless the trailer has been put on a scale with full tanks and all of the cargo the actual towing weight is unknown, so the GVWR is the safest weight to use. Most "experts" recommend at least 15% headroom over the max trailer weight for safety, so if the GVWR is 11,000 lbs the truck should be capable of handling at least 12,650 lbs to be safe.

Yes, the right 3/4 ton should have no problems, but the wrong one would be a big problem.

I agree 100% on the brake controller. A proportional controller like the Prodigy or P3 is mandatory. Some trucks (Ford in particular) have one built in as an option.

Click to expand...

Agreed, Ron. I've towed so much and often I chat on forums where guys have been towing for fifty years so I take a bunch for granted here. No doubt, the idea is that you MUST know the legit towing capacity of the tow vehicle, as well as the ACTUAL loaded trailer weight to be safe. And don't forget to account for cargo weight IN the tow vehicle, and that includes passengers.

The only part I have to bite my tongue before I agree with is the part of the "headroom"...in theory, the towing capacity of the tow vehicle should actually be the towing capacity of the tow vehicle. But since there is no real standard nor is there an outside agency with any real authority that establishes the towing capacities (typically set by the vehicle manufacturer at what often seems like a pretty arbitrary value), I understand why some "experts" suggest the headroom.

As you say, though, no doubt a properly loaded / balanced trailer, as well as a decent weight-distribution hitch (yes, even for you guys with one-ton trucks) and a GOOD sway controller (think dual-cam or Hensley or the like) and a good brake controller ... all make for potentially safe trailering.

And though I haven't used one, I have seen plenty of good reports on the integrated brake controllers.

caseydog said:

At the camper forum I belong to, the Yurripeen members are amazed at what we tow with. We are amazed with what they tow with.

Yurripeen towing ratings are much higher than ours. My Volvo wagon is rated by Volvo to tow 3,500 pounds -- with a 3.2 litre straight six.

The main thing is to make sure you have trailer brakes on a heavy trailer, so you can stop without jackknifing. The other thing is to add a transmission cooler to automatics, if you don't already have one.

Click to expand...

Same with some in Canada. Elsewhere in the world, they simply don't have the huge vehicles we have here in the US - yet they manage to tow some impressive loads. Often, their vehicles and their hitches are beefed up - an art that is all but lost in most of the US. It's hard to find a place that will modify a vehicle or its suspension or its hitch here -- in large part because the ability is lost - and then there's the liability and the cost. But check out Can Am RV in Canada. They make some impressive (although admittedly sometimes downright scary) tow vehicle-trailer combos.

Read the specs on front surface as well. It does impact towing. Pulling 10,000 lbs with a blunt nose with a gas engine will have a real serious impact on mpg. Probably less than 50% and winds make it worse. A diesel makes a huge difference.

Pat, my theory is that you can never have too much truck . Then again, trucks cost bucks and dollars are in short supply right now.

Rookie'48 said:

Pat, my theory is that you can never have too much truck .

Click to expand...

I live in Dallas, where way too many people have too much truck. You really don't need an F250 Super-Duty to commute to an office job, and tow a 22-foot boat ten days a year.

CD

Yes! No V10 or diesel needed. My 6.2 L is plenty enough to haul an 11 ton mini excavator on it. Transmissions is where you get towing, not engine (to a point) My 2012 F250 has been set up with the heavy duty front springs and integral brake controller. My truck also has the trailer sway control on it.

As RonL said, the 3/4 truck aren't even across the board. Check manufacturers load ratings for your truck using the VIN number.

Bigger is better!

I have a 2011 Chevy 1500 5.3L rated to pull 9,500 and I pull a 26ft toyhauler weighing around 8k, GVWR 10k. I wish I had a diesel, but I manage with what I have. I normally drive around 60mph @3k rpm. I could pull it faster, but it seems to like 60 without downshifting too much. If I could do it over I probably would have bought a super-lite.

It hasn't been mentioned, so let me add that a transmission cooler is an absolute must for hauling. If you truck has the "towing package" you probably have one from the factory, if not, you either add one now or later along with your new tranny after you've burned up the first one.

EDIT: Oops, sorry. Casey did mention this earlier. Advice still applies.

Rich Parker said:

Bigger is better!

Click to expand...

Exactly :thumb:

Lots of good info here already but I'll add my $.02.

Because the trailer is a toy hauler the actual dry weight would probably most likely be under 7,000 lbs depending on the model. As others have mentioned add the dry weight with the weight of your cargo including water and batteries etc... The dry weight should be on a yellow sticker (look on the screen door towards the bottom) dry weight plus cargo should not exceed the gvwr.

The truck you posted should be adequate but I would recommend doing a little research on it. What I did when I purchased my used 2500HD to pull my TT was since it was used and didn't have the dealer options sheet I took a picture of the RPO codes. On a GM the RPO codes are in the glove box the Ford I believe has them on the drivers door post. Then you can research those codes on the internet to find out how the truck is equip't from rear axle ratio, engine, transmission and any trailering packages it may have. Rear axle ratio is important IMO 4:10 is ideal. Here is a good resource for RPO codes http://www.rpocodes.com/ Ford Option Codes are on the right and example RPO code is X4N which is a Limited Slip differential/4:10 Ratio.

pat said:

Thanks to everyone for the replies! I found what I think is a winner tonight...."1999 Ford F-250 Super Duty XLT Supercab 6.8 10 Cyl. Electronic Fuel Injection Gasoline".

Does this sound sufficient? They were closed so I couldn't open the door to see the tag etc. Thanks again for all the help!

Click to expand...

If you are looking for a Ford pre 2004 get a F250 7.3L diesel that will last longer than the truck and will pull a house.

I picked up a F350 6.0L diesel last night to haul my trailer around. I married into a Chevy Avalanche that can easily pull the trailer but almost all of my bbq comps are over 3 hours from home and I don't want to torture the truck running high rpm's for that kind of distance. In my opinion if you are staying around home where the truck won't have to work that hard for a considerable amount of time get a half ton if not get a 3/4 ton. I can't say gas or diesel because I haven't had mine a full day yet but damn the diesel sounds good.

Edit: When looking at the Ford trucks before buying take the vin to a dealer and ask for the oasis report which will give you the service done to it during the warranty.

Just remember, most pickups will pull anything, you also have to be able to stop it, that is the hard part.

That being said, we pull a camper with our Goldwing motorcycle and just ride a little slower and stop earlier.