thoughts on a jayco toy hauler on a 1500 silverado

rcmike · December 13, 2015

The toy hauler weighs 6400lbs dry. I will probably put around 1000lbs in it which includes the water tanks, dirt bikes ,food. Do you think that much weight {7400 } is pushing the envelope of strain on a 14 CC 1500 Silverado 5.3l . the book says it will tow about 9k,but I want the truck to last about 2 more years with out any tranny problems. I will be using a WDH with sway control .

ttopcamaro86 · December 13, 2015

What is the rear gear?

[email protected] · December 13, 2015

I'll bet you add far more than 1000lbs to it. Batteries. Propane. Hitch. Full water is about 4-600lbs on most rvs.

Not saying it won't do it. But keep in mind that toy haulers are built tongue heavy to compensate for the potential added weight in the rear from the toys.

Buddy with the max tow f150 just upgraded to an f350 because his jayco toyhauler with an at va and dirt bike was too much. (Probaby same size youre looking at) And that truck was rater for 11000

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rcmike · December 13, 2015

3.42 is rear end gear,,,, I'm not going to fill the water tanks to capacity. My trips will only be one to three day trips, battery and propane is in the 6400 pound number. Its just food, toys (dirt bike is roughly 215 pounds) or toy. I read somewhere that you only want to go up to 75 or 80 % of your towing capacity to be safe with a comfort zone, anyone else heard something like that ? thx

grampadirt · December 13, 2015

I'll bet you add far more than 1000lbs to it. Batteries. Propane. Hitch. Full water is about 4-600lbs on most rvs.

Not saying it won't do it. But keep in mind that toy haulers are built tongue heavy to compensate for the potential added weight in the rear from the toys.

Buddy with the max tow f150 just upgraded to an f350 because his jayco toyhauler with an at va and dirt bike was too much. (Probaby same size youre looking at) And that truck was rater for 11000

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This.

I made the same mistake.I tried towing my toy hauler with wife's '99 Suburban K1500(with tow pkg.)and got scared the first time I tried to stop.Went to the local scales and weighed it....7,700lbs..Dry weight of the trailer is 5,000lbs.It's easy to add a lot of weight to it.With four dirtbikes,a little quad,a portable Honda generator,food camping gear,firewood and fresh water(at 8lbs. per gallon even 50 gal. weighs in at 400lbs.) it was just too much for the 1/2t. Burb so I bought a '95 3/4t 4x4 Burb with a big block and 4l80e trans and it's been doing great for almost eight years now.

So a word to the wise....careful how much weight you pull(and stop) with the 1/2t truck.

I would agree on the 80% tow amount.A safety zone is a good thing.

rcmike · December 13, 2015

This.

I made the same mistake.I tried towing my toy hauler with wife's '99 Suburban K1500(with tow pkg.)and got scared the first time I tried to stop.Went to the local scales and weighed it....7,700lbs..Dry weight of the trailer is 5,000lbs.It's easy to add a lot of weight to it.With four dirtbikes,a little quad,a portable Honda generator,food camping gear,firewood and fresh water(at 8lbs. per gallon even 50 gal. weighs in at 400lbs.) it was just too much for the 1/2t. Burb so I bought a '95 3/4t 4x4 Burb with a big block and 4l80e trans and it's been doing great for almost eight years now.

So a word to the wise....careful how much weight you pull(and stop) with the 1/2t truck.

I would agree on the 80% tow amount.A safety zone is a good thing.

. Im curious, do you use a brake controller ? I've got a p3 right now that I use for a cargo trailer and works like a dream. I plan on readjusting it when I get the TH or TT cause there also equipped with brakes. Thx

grampadirt · December 13, 2015

. Im curious, do you use a brake controller ? I've got a p3 right now that I use for a cargo trailer and works like a dream. I plan on readjusting it when I get the TH or TT cause there also equipped with brakes. Thx

Yes,I use a P2.Works great.Every time I hook up the toy hauler I re-adjust the controller due to the weight in the trailer can be different each time.

Chris · December 13, 2015

Yes,I use a P2.Works great.Every time I hook up the toy hauler I re-adjust the controller due to the weight in the trailer can be different time.

Get a p3 and have dofferent memory settings

grampadirt · December 13, 2015

Get a p3 and have dofferent memory settings

I'm too cheap! lol

GsBowtie · December 14, 2015

I think it's doable but double check your weights. I pull a 6k loaded weight tt with my 15 silverado and it pulls and stops it just fine. I do use a wdh and i tow with all tanks dry.

But i also have a family of 4 and bed loaded with gear and firewood.

Yes it gets worked in the mountains but any small block with that much weight would.

I also don't think the comparison between the 99 burb and 14 silverado towing is valid. These new trucks have extremely good brakes compared to that generation burb and pickups. I had an 89 k1500. Night and day difference all the way around. Today's half ton trucks are many times rated for over 3/4 ton of pay. I believe my truck is rated for 1740.

Blue2500CC · December 15, 2015

3.42 is rear end gear,,,, I'm not going to fill the water tanks to capacity. My trips will only be one to three day trips, battery and propane is in the 6400 pound number. Its just food, toys (dirt bike is roughly 215 pounds) or toy. I read somewhere that you only want to go up to 75 or 80 % of your towing capacity to be safe with a comfort zone, anyone else heard something like that ? thx

The biggest hurdle for a 1500/150 truck/suv is not the total trailer weight, it is the rated payload capacity for your actual truck.

There is a sticker in the drivers door jamb that states, "All passengers/occupants and cargo must not exceed XXXXlbs". This amount is specific for your truck. As stated, all passengers in the truck (including the driver), any cargo weight in the cab or bed, any accessories added to the truck after it left the factory (step bars, mud flaps, tonneau cover, etc), the wdh (weight distribution hitch) - about 100lbs depending on model , AND the tw (tongue weight) of the trailer must all be included toward this rated cargo capacity of your truck's yellow payload sticker. And the rear axle rating is the next hurdle for 1500's.

In looking at Jayco's site, I am guessing you are looking at the Octane Super Lite 273. The manufactures "brochure" dry weight does not include options, sometimes even those options which are mandatory. As you stated, you need to add the battery and propane weight as well. Know that the "dry" tw does not include the propane or a battery either. That adds about 160lbs for 2-30lb tanks and a battery.l, about 120lbs for 2-20lb tanks and battery.

The average family/person adds about 1,000lbs to a trailer as built empty weight. Being a toy hauler, how many dirt bikes? One post you said "dirt bikes", then another stated "toys, dirt bike or toys"... What else may you pack?

How many are in the family that would be going camping most of the time. What do you plan on hauling in the bed of the truck when towing? Looking at the floorplan (if the correct one), it looks like (educated guess) the waste tanks, and probably the fresh water tank are located forward of the axles. If so, that will add to the tw as well once loaded, even with a dirt bike or two loaded in the back.

Will your truck pull ~8000lbs, yes it will. I have towed ~7200lbs with a '10-1500 CCSB 4x4 w/ a 5.3/6spd/3.42 combo. Never felt I needed more power, and with the new gen trucks having more power now, it will do it. BUT....

The major concern is you may be over your truck's rated payload. Knowing how much the passengers weigh, and if you will have anything in the bed will help further answer the question.

With our '10 loaded up for a trip, with 4 bikes and a tool box in the bed, we were over our gvwr by up to 200lbs depending on just how we were loaded. And just under the rear axle rating by 40-50lbs. This was towing the travel trailer that was ~7200lbs, ~920lbs tw.

If you do go for it, I would highly suggest at the minimum adding a set of LT tires, at least LR C's. P rated tires can/will have side wall flex when towing heavier, having what I refer to as the p-rated "wiggle". Feels like the rear of the truck is moving back and forth (side to side) as you travel down the road.

Good luck, and post back with some more info.