# Can I Tow A 25Rss



## jwhorne (Jul 28, 2011)

I am looking at purchasing a 2008 25rss and want to know will I have any problems towing it with a 2008 crew cab, long bed Silverado 3.42 gears with factory tow package. I will be using eq. hitch and electric brakes to help out on the handiling end but I am worrid about the drive train handiling the weight. Appreiciate any feed back that will help me make a good decision to buy the 25rss are down size to the 21ft.


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

To determine what you can tow, you are going to need a little more information like engine size and type (gas or diesel), 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton, suspension type and what kind of tranny cooler you have. For example, when I bought my 2009 Silverado it could come with a tranny cooler in the towing package or the extra heavy duty tranny cooler. Find your configuration in the 2008 towing guide for what weight you are supposed to be able to tow. I have included the link for the other trailer life towing guides. The 2008 guide is missing from that page so I have attached a copy I found on-line. Be sure to hunt down all the notes for each configuration in the guide to be sure it matches yours. Length is another issue but I am guessing that if you have a long bed, that you shouldn't have any problems with the 25RSS.

Trailer Life Towing Guides


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## Duanesz (Jul 10, 2009)

I have a 06 25rss. I started out pulling it with a 03 f-150 it had a 5.4L with 3.55 gears. It pulled it ok on the flat ground not so well in the hills. The problem with my truck was when pulling in drive at 60mph the rpms were to low and it was a real dog. If I picked the speed up above 70mph the rpms were over 3K it felt better. I did not like towing that fast.

Where do you live what kind of distance are you going to be towing? If your in a hilly area I would think you would need more gear for that truck. The 25rss is lighter on the tongue weight that most other trailers of that size. What size engine does the Chevy have?

Duane


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## jwhorne (Jul 28, 2011)

thefulminator said:


> To determine what you can tow, you are going to need a little more information like engine size and type (gas or diesel), 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton, suspension type and what kind of tranny cooler you have. For example, when I bought my 2009 Silverado it could come with a tranny cooler in the towing package or the extra heavy duty tranny cooler. Find your configuration in the 2008 towing guide for what weight you are supposed to be able to tow. I have included the link for the other trailer life towing guides. The 2008 guide is missing from that page so I have attached a copy I found on-line. Be sure to hunt down all the notes for each configuration in the guide to be sure it matches yours. Length is another issue but I am guessing that if you have a long bed, that you shouldn't have any problems with the 25RSS.
> 
> Trailer Life Towing Guides


Thanks for the info and here is what I left out. The tow vehicle is a 1500 ½ ton 5.3L it has the ore transmission cooler that was added by the towing package. From the specs you sent and what the owners manual show it looks like I am limited to 6500 lbs and the trailer is rated around 5900. I just worry that the trailer is too close to the max weight that the truck can tow and we would have trouble on a 300 or 400 mile tow.


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## Bob in Virginia (Jul 15, 2010)

If you are limited to 6500, and the trailer is at 5900, you will likely be over weight once you add yourself and passengers to the truck, plus anything you add into the bed of the truck. Like other threads have said, yes, you can pull it with a 1/2 ton, but you won't like it, and the truck won't like it either.


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Is the 5900 lbs gross weight of the trailer? I used to have a 1999 Silverado 1500 extended cab 4x4, 5.3L, 3.73 gears with towing package but without Z71 suspension. Our 21RS has a gross weight of 6500 lbs but I have never gotten close to that weight. I occasionally weigh it at a local weigh station and the heaviest it has ever been was 5450 lbs. I don't haul it with full water/waste tanks so there is room for additional weight. I talked to keystone at one time about the weight ratings. They said that it is based off the capability of the axles not what they really expected the trailer to weigh. You may want to check in with some other 25RSS owners to see if they know what their actual weights have been.

The 25RSS isn't shown in the 2008 brochure but it is in the 2007 brochure. Here is a copy in case you are interested.


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## jwhorne (Jul 28, 2011)

Duanesz said:


> I have a 06 25rss. I started out pulling it with a 03 f-150 it had a 5.4L with 3.55 gears. It pulled it ok on the flat ground not so well in the hills. The problem with my truck was when pulling in drive at 60mph the rpms were to low and it was a real dog. If I picked the speed up above 70mph the rpms were over 3K it felt better. I did not like towing that fast.
> 
> Where do you live what kind of distance are you going to be towing? If your in a hilly area I would think you would need more gear for that truck. The 25rss is lighter on the tongue weight that most other trailers of that size. What size engine does the Chevy have?
> 
> Duane


Duan, I live in southwest Missouri just south of Springfield and we do hav some pertty good hills to climb. The truck has the 5.3L engine and 3.42 gears. Thanks for the reply. What do you use to pull it with now. My wife has fallen in love with the 25rss it truly has everthing in a camper that we wolud every want.


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## Fuzz4141 (Dec 14, 2010)

Wow thats it for towing on a halfton Chev???? My 06 Nissan Frontier was rated for 6300lbs!!! The Titan we have now pulls our 2011 250rs nicely with it loaded, even with water... Hopefully all works out for u, Outbacks are great units!!

On the 2008 Tow guide link it shows: 1500 CC Shortbed 4WD 5.3L V-8 7,500 (g)
1500 CC Shortbed 4WD 5.3L V-8 8,500 (i)

Unless I am reading it wrong....


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## Duanesz (Jul 10, 2009)

jwhorne said:


> I have a 06 25rss. I started out pulling it with a 03 f-150 it had a 5.4L with 3.55 gears. It pulled it ok on the flat ground not so well in the hills. The problem with my truck was when pulling in drive at 60mph the rpms were to low and it was a real dog. If I picked the speed up above 70mph the rpms were over 3K it felt better. I did not like towing that fast.
> 
> Where do you live what kind of distance are you going to be towing? If your in a hilly area I would think you would need more gear for that truck. The 25rss is lighter on the tongue weight that most other trailers of that size. What size engine does the Chevy have?
> 
> Duane


Duan, I live in southwest Missouri just south of Springfield and we do hav some pertty good hills to climb. The truck has the 5.3L engine and 3.42 gears. Thanks for the reply. What do you use to pull it with now. My wife has fallen in love with the 25rss it truly has everthing in a camper that we wolud every want.
[/quote]

I now have a 2000 superduty with a 7.3 diesel. Its over kill for what I have but I might upgrade in the near future. Is your truck a 2wd? Switching gears would help your truck a ton. My trailer weights on a real scale 5500lbs with propane tanks batteries and lawn chairs grill etc in camper. Dont get me wrong my 150 towed the camper OK. I am just a guy who thinks a little more is good and lots more is even better as far a power goes. My truck now has a set of stage II's injectors 4 in exhaust and chip. It now feels like I can rip the tongue off the trailer from a dead stop.


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## wolverine (Mar 5, 2009)

Fuzz4141 said:


> Wow thats it for towing on a halfton Chev???? My 06 Nissan Frontier was rated for 6300lbs!!! The Titan we have now pulls our 2011 250rs nicely with it loaded, even with water... Hopefully all works out for u, Outbacks are great units!!
> 
> On the 2008 Tow guide link it shows: 1500 CC Shortbed 4WD 5.3L V-8 7,500 (g)
> 1500 CC Shortbed 4WD 5.3L V-8 8,500 (i)
> ...


It's the 3.42 gear ratio he has that brings the tow rating down. The new 1500 Chevy's have the 3.42 rear end, but they also have a 6 speed tranny with a tow rating around 10,000 lbs.


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

jwhorne said:


> I am looking at purchasing a 2008 25rss and want to know will I have any problems towing it with a 2008 crew cab, long bed Silverado 3.42 gears with factory tow package. I will be using eq. hitch and electric brakes to help out on the handiling end but I am worrid about the drive train handiling the weight. Appreiciate any feed back that will help me make a good decision to buy the 25rss are down size to the 21ft.


I have a 250RS which is basically the same model only the changed the number in 2009. We are pulling ours with a RAM 2500 with 3.73 gears rated at 8800lbs max towing. After taking the TT and TV to the scales and doing some number crunching we are just about where we should be with regards to towing.

As mentioned previously, theres more to it than just tow ratings. You'll get lots of great advice here - its up to you to do some homework and figure out if this will work for you.

I know with the 3.73 rear, I do fine, but stand still on a hill is a killer.

Good Luck and Welcome!


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## outbackgeorgia (Jan 28, 2004)

Agree on the rear axle ratio. You really need closer to a 4.11 on that truck. I have a 3.55 and a Hemi, but it is slow up the hills! 
Dave


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