Towing a travel trailer

Eddie0469 · May 19, 2017

I have a 2012 silverado 1500 5.3L v8 with gear ratio 3.42. I believe my max towing is 9,500 lbs. Is it safe to tow a travel trailer with a dry weight of 7,600 lbs?

O_J_Simpson · May 19, 2017

yes

Nathan79 · May 19, 2017

I had that same truck. Trailer loaded weight was 7500lb.

It was a horrible experience. Trailer controlled the truck. Tongue wt was near the receiver max. Was over on payload. Temperatures pulling up mountains was always increasing to uncomfortable lwvels.

We decided to upgraded to an HD gasser. Best decision ever.

Waaazooo · May 19, 2017

I have a 2012 silverado 1500 5.3L v8 with gear ratio 3.42. I believe my max towing is 9,500 lbs. Is it safe to tow a travel trailer with a dry weight of 7,600 lbs?

I hope you're not committed in the trailer. Dry weight of 7600 means you're going to be mad at yourself when the truck is on the road.

I have the same truck and similar trailer that's a little lighter. I'm learning the hard and expensive way.

Tow capacity is the weight you can pull but a travel trailer is 2 dimensional, tow capacity and payload capacity. Your truck (like mine) will allow you about 1500-1700lbs of payload, figure close to 1000-1200 in trailer tongue weight. So now you're down to 500 lbs of payload before you sit in it. Gas is about another 200+ lbs and you still haven't sat in it. Throw your family.

I put airbags on the rear end and an equalizer hitch. I'm hoping the rear end holds up the tranny too.

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Eddie0469 · May 19, 2017

Not committed yet. IMaybe between that 7600 lb one and a 5600 lb trailer. I might just purchase the 5600 lb trziler

Eddie0469 · May 19, 2017

I hope you're not committed in the trailer. Dry weight of 7600 means you're going to be mad at yourself when the truck is on the road.

I have the same truck and similar trailer that's a little lighter. I'm learning the hard and expensive way.

Tow capacity is the weight you can pull but a travel trailer is 2 dimensional, tow capacity and payload capacity. Your truck (like mine) will allow you about 1500-1700lbs of payload, figure close to 1000-1200 in trailer tongue weight. So now you're down to 500 lbs of payload before you sit in it. Gas is about another 200+ lbs and you still haven't sat in it. Throw your family.

I put airbags on the rear end and an equalizer hitch. I'm hoping the rear end holds up the tranny too.

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I might just purchase the 5,600 lb trailer instead.

Waaazooo · May 19, 2017

I might just purchase the 5,600 lb trailer instead.

Just be mindful of the total picture of the trailer. I have a tongue weight scale that I use to make sure I don't go over 900-950 on my tongue weight but I I know I need at least 700lbs to keep the trailer stable in-tow. You don't want to buy a trailer that is too small then regret the purchase.

I don't know if it's a law or a recommendation, but you are supposed to stay under 15k lbs in combined weight as well. I would have to look it up, but I remember that being told to me by either Yoda or my Father-in-law.

Don't get me wrong the truck will pull the trailer without hesitation, it's just the "is it worth it if I have a failure and if I do, will we walk away from the accident" that goes through my mind. By when you go to the RV park you'll see all kinds of trucks that are way out of their limits and seem to hold up fine.

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Eddie0469 · May 19, 2017

Just be mindful of the total picture of the trailer. I have a tongue weight scale that I use to make sure I don't go over 900-950 on my tongue weight but I I know I need at least 700lbs to keep the trailer stable in-tow. You don't want to buy a trailer that is too small then regret the purchase.

I don't know if it's a law or a recommendation, but you are supposed to stay under 15k lbs in combined weight as well. I would have to look it up, but I remember that being told to me by either Yoda or my Father-in-law.

Don't get me wrong the truck will pull the trailer without hesitation, it's just the "is it worth it if I have a failure and if I do, will we walk away from the accident" that goes through my mind. By when you go to the RV park you'll see all kinds of trucks that are way out of their limits and seem to hold up fine.

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thank you for the info. The trailer weighing 5600 lbs is very nice as well. But I don't want to risk my family's well being in a worst case scenario.

Eddie0469 · May 19, 2017

Here are the specs of the trailer.

2017 Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf 26DBHYear 2017Manufacturer Forest RiverModel Name Cherokee Grey WolfTrim Name 26DBHGeneric Type (Primary) Travel TrailerWeightsHitch Weight Ratio 725 lbs.Unloaded Weight 5795 lbs.Gross Axle Weight Rating, Front 5032 lbs.Gross Axle Weight Rating, Rear 5032 lbs.Weight, As Shipped 5757 lbs.GVWR 7725 lbs. w/BrakesDimensionsOverall Length 31' 7"Overall Height 10' 6" w/ACOverall Width 97"Bedroom Height 78'' InteriorAwning Size 15 ftSofa Size 58"CapacitiesCargo Capacity 1930 lbs.Fresh Water Capacity 46 gal.Gray Water Capacity 38 gal.Black Water Capacity 28 gal.Furnace Output 20,000 BTU

Waaazooo · May 19, 2017

Here are the specs of the trailer.

2017 Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf 26DBHYear 2017Manufacturer Forest RiverModel Name Cherokee Grey WolfTrim Name 26DBHGeneric Type (Primary) Travel TrailerWeightsHitch Weight Ratio 725 lbs.Unloaded Weight 5795 lbs.Gross Axle Weight Rating, Front 5032 lbs.Gross Axle Weight Rating, Rear 5032 lbs.Weight, As Shipped 5757 lbs.GVWR 7725 lbs. w/BrakesDimensionsOverall Length 31' 7"Overall Height 10' 6" w/ACOverall Width 97"Bedroom Height 78'' InteriorAwning Size 15 ftSofa Size 58"CapacitiesCargo Capacity 1930 lbs.Fresh Water Capacity 46 gal.Gray Water Capacity 38 gal.Black Water Capacity 28 gal.Furnace Output 20,000 BTU

Sounds like a nice one. My neighbor swears by his Forrest River. I have a jayco, we enjoy it, even when it's in the driveway... it's a great getaway for my son.

Don't forget some slide out braces if your kids are bigger. I have a 20 y/o, 14 y/o, and 10 y/o.. we also foster care kids. So we've also had another 10 y/o too. The brace was important because the all like to wrestle in the slide out.

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gmckenzie · May 20, 2017

Forget the dry weights. Forget the tow ratings and focus on payload, as you will exceed that first. Just look at the max weight. I've got a 2015 NHT, so 10,800 towing and 2015 payload. My trailer is 8200 loaded (dry plus carrying capacity) and I hit that weight easily. When hooked up, I was withing 60 pounds of the trucks GVW. I was 7540 on the scale for the truck rated 7600 GVW. My trailer is ~6600 dry an I wouldn't tow any more than this with a 1/2 ton.

centralmepistol · May 22, 2017

I just went through something similar in setting up my new camper...

What I have found is that dry weight, wet weight, axel weight, all that really isn't as important as the total weight- or Gross Combined Weight Rating.

The GCWR will be what you top out first.

I have a similar truck to you; book says I can tow 9,500lbs. Perfect! But wait, my hitch can only take a tongue weight of 500lbs- So I get a Weight Distributing Hitch. Perfect Again! But hang on, now the weight in my truck is different-

I have just distributed more of the weight from the trailer into my truck... My truck Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is 7,500lbs (give or take a couple on that can't recall specifically off the top of my head). The weight includes Myself, Passengers, Cargo, AND tongue weight. Damn it.

So when all is said and done I now have 7,000lbs of weight on the truck. Well, if my GCWR (Remember combined is truck and trailer) is 15,000lbs I only have 8,000 pounds left for the trailer (remembering that some is now on the truck).

But the book SAYS I can tow 9,500 pounds!

So, in the end it is all one big game of weights. In my opinion the most important starting place is, GCWR- from there you can work on balancing where the weight will go.

I like to use a trailer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating as a realistic picture of how much it will weigh, sure it might be less, but I likely won't go over it. If that rating and your truck GVWR add to over the stated GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) than you are too heavy. If it's still under then you have something you can work with... It could still be the wrong fit for other reasons (tongue weight, axel ratios, trans cooler?), but it gives you an easy starting point!

sdeeter19555 · May 22, 2017

Here are the specs of the trailer.

2017 Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf 26DBHYear 2017Manufacturer Forest RiverModel Name Cherokee Grey WolfTrim Name 26DBHGeneric Type (Primary) Travel TrailerWeightsHitch Weight Ratio 725 lbs.Unloaded Weight 5795 lbs.Gross Axle Weight Rating, Front 5032 lbs.Gross Axle Weight Rating, Rear 5032 lbs.Weight, As Shipped 5757 lbs.GVWR 7725 lbs. w/BrakesDimensionsOverall Length 31' 7"Overall Height 10' 6" w/ACOverall Width 97"Bedroom Height 78'' InteriorAwning Size 15 ftSofa Size 58"CapacitiesCargo Capacity 1930 lbs.Fresh Water Capacity 46 gal.Gray Water Capacity 38 gal.Black Water Capacity 28 gal.Furnace Output 20,000 BTU

So they are expecting the loaded weight to be over 10k (two 5k pound axles, plus hitch weight).

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Blue2500CC · June 3, 2017

I have a 2012 silverado 1500 5.3L v8 with gear ratio 3.42. I believe my max towing is 9,500 lbs. Is it safe to tow a travel trailer with a dry weight of 7,600 lbs?

Eddie,

Unfortunately the "tow rating" is an ideal situation with (before the tow standard) only the driver at 150lbs, and a flat bed trailer with only 10% tw (tongue weight). When towing a high walled, rolling brick the tw generally needs to be 12-15% of the loaded tt (travel trailer) weight to prevent sway.

Look in your drivers door jamb for a yellow sticker that states: "All occupants and cargo not to exceed XXXXlbs". That is the rated payload for your truck as it rolled off the assembly line.

Now understand that the weights of the following ALL COUNT toward the trucks payload: all of occupants (including the driver), any cargo (coolers, bikes, firewood, etc), any accessories added to the truck (tonneau cover/ truck topper, step bars, bed liner, etc), the wdh (weight distribution hitch), AND the tt tw!

Our '10 Silverado CCSB 4x4 had a payload of 155Xlbs, would guess yours is similar. So compare the payload of your truck to the family weight, estimated cargo weight, and possibly 100lbs for the wdh to see what is left for the loaded tt tw.

The "brochure" dry weights should only be used as a very rough starting point. The hitch/tongue weight (tw) of 725lbs is without the weight of the propane tanks or a battery on the tongue. Those add ~120lbs for 2-20lb tanks and a battery, or ~160lbs for 2-30lb tanks and a battery. That's why a lot of people suggest to estimate the loaded tw by using 13% of the gvwr of the tt, which is 1000lbs. The average family adds ~ 1000lbs to the "dry weight", so if you were to estimate the tw based on that loaded weight, you are looking at ~ 840lbs- 1050lbs (12-15% of 7000lbs, figured 1200lbs as a "cushion").

Chances are the heavier tt would be way to much for your truck. Would it pull it, YES, but you would probably be exceeding the trucks payload, AND the trucks factory mounted receiver hitch. The receiver hitch can be replaced, and even if under the tw rating, I would suggest doing so anyway. The factory round tube hitch can "wind up" or twist when using a wdh with a higher tw when installing the wd bars. A square tube hitch will prevent this.

Not sure if the 26 DBH front storage is a "pass through" where it has a door on each side of the tt, or just the entry door/curb side. But it is easy to add a fair amount of weight to the tongue when loading the front storage or under the queen bed if there is storage there as well.

As a comparison, (we do pack a little heavier) our 32 BHDS has a "brochure" dry tw of 910lbs, but the one time I have weighed it so far we had a 1400lb tw, without any fresh water in the tanks (have 2-40g tanks). I estimate our 32 now weighs ~ 9200lbs loaded, which is about 1200lbs over the yellow sticker weight of our rig as it rolled off the assembly line, 79XXlbs. The as built weight is about 400lbs heavier than the "brochure" dry weight.

Regarding the stabilizers under the slide, most manufactures state not to use them under the slides. Reasoning being is that if the trailer settles some, but not the slide stabilizers (or the slide stabilizers are installed to tight) they may cause damage to the slide. Our rig seems to settle up to 1" after being set up for a day depending on the soil type. I use 2x10's under the low side tires, and try to use 1/2" plywood under the slide side if that's the high side to help prevent sinking. Most times it is maybe 1/4" or so drop, but if I don't have the boards under the slide side tires it has been almost a 1" drop in sandy/soft soil.

One thing I did was to buy another set of the scissor jack stabilizers, and mounted a set just in front of the wheels for three on each side due to our rig being almost 36' long. I moved the stock 24" jacks to the center, and bought 30" jacks for the rear. That way if on a sloped campsite the rear jacks are taller. May eventually buy a set of 30" for the front for the same reason.

Check my Mods Link in my signature for ideas if needed. Highly suggest a switch to shut the battery off unless you unhook the battery or leave the tt plugged in all the time. Reason being is the CO/propane detector, plus possibly the radio can kill the battery within a week or so.

Do get a good wdh with integrated sway control. The Reese Dual Cam, Reese SC, and the Equal-I-Zer 4 way system are all very good for the money. The Husky Centerline seems to be a pretty good model also from reviews along with the R6 (cant remember the model name, maybe Recurve???) wdh system.

Good luck shopping!!!

sdeeter19555 · June 3, 2017

Just be mindful of the total picture of the trailer. I have a tongue weight scale that I use to make sure I don't go over 900-950 on my tongue weight but I I know I need at least 700lbs to keep the trailer stable in-tow. You don't want to buy a trailer that is too small then regret the purchase.

I don't know if it's a law or a recommendation, but you are supposed to stay under 15k lbs in combined weight as well. I would have to look it up, but I remember that being told to me by either Yoda or my Father-in-law.

Don't get me wrong the truck will pull the trailer without hesitation, it's just the "is it worth it if I have a failure and if I do, will we walk away from the accident" that goes through my mind. By when you go to the RV park you'll see all kinds of trucks that are way out of their limits and seem to hold up fine.

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No law restricting private towing as long as the equipment is rated for it...when you get into the commercial world, then the 10k trailer rules start getting looked at, but you already have to be at 26k with the truck alone before the trailer causes you grief that way even.

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