# Silverado 1500 Towing A 292Bh?



## thefulminator

So my wife and I were daydreaming about upgrading the 21RS to a 292BH. I've started to wonder if it's too far fetched to tow it with my existing truck.

The truck:
2009 Silverado 1500 4x4 crew cab, short box, 5.3L, 3.42 gears, heavy duty cooling and trailering package, rated to tow 9,600 lbs. The wheelbase is 143.5".

The trailer:
2012 Outback 292BH, 8,200 lbs gross, 850 lbs tongue weight, 32'-9" long.

I've seen the formula for towing length, 20' of trailer for the first 110" of wheelbase. Add 1' of trailer for each additional 4" of wheelbase. That means the truck should handle 28'-4 1/2" of trailer. I've also seen where (David's RV tips) where you can add a few feet in using a sway control hitch.

Advantages:
Getting the weight out of the truck and into the trailer. I'm always around 500 lbs over on the rear axle when we camp.
Much more living space.
Much more storage space.

Disadvantages:
More tongue weight.
Pushing the trailer length limit.

Is this combination realistic or is the trailer just too long?


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## desperado

We had a 2009 1500 same as yours and we had no problem with our 2011 298RE. Now we were in the flat midwest and never had to pull in a hilly area. we did have a weight dist. / anti sway hitch


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## luverofpeanuts

I'd check to see how close you are to the payload limit. Most of the crew cab 1/2 tons are really slim on capacity unless you are able to score a heavy duty payload option on it. I think Ford and Chevy both started adding such a package to their crew cabs finally. 
Check you have leftover on your truck by weighing it and then subtracting this weight from the GVWR. Sometimes there is a yellow sticker on the door jamb that says what the leftover payload is after it left the factory.

Subtract a reasonable estimate of the trailer toungue weight (probably more than what is listed on the spec), weights of passengers and cargo that will be in the truck, and see what you have leftover.

Personally... because I never know what extra gear I'm taking...I like a few hundred pounds minimum leftover from the base people, cargo, and tongue weight.


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## thefulminator

That is part of my problem. I'm always over the gross weight and rear axle weight on the truck. Although the tongue weight on the 292BH is higher, the majority of the stuff I haul in the truck could be put into the trailer with that model. I would be well under the GCWR and towing capability of the truck if I did that.


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## Insomniak

Same problem here with very low payload numbers. Fortunately, almost everything we bring fits in the trailer. I might have some pieces of wood and a kid bike or two in the back of the truck, if anything. That scenario doesn't do much for total weight, but at least it gets distributed a bit better.


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## thefulminator

Come on everyone, I need more data than this.


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## CamperKev

I am picking up our 2012 292BH next week! What is your trucks payload?? I am pushing my payload #'s with this trailer also, I have a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with Max Tow Pkg and 157" wheelbase.I have a tow rating of 11,200lbs but my payload is only 1700lbs. I asked the same exact question about 2-3 weeks ago. I was told that the tongue weight will be around 1000lbs+/- which is about 12-13% of the grvwr(8200) so that leaves me roughly 700lbs left for the wife ,kids,fuel, and the kids bikes in bed of truck. I will be under my rating but not by much. Not sure about your payload but i think your biggest problem will be the 3.42 gears. That 5.3L will not like the hills to much but that doesn't mean you couldn't do it? Not sure what you were able to get for pricing but i think i made out very well!! I ended up getting mine for $20,990.00 (Pete rv in Vermont).I am getting a older 2012 with the white front cap and white cabinets inside. I didn't care for the newer outside graphics with the Chocolate colored front cap... Good luck with your choice!! Kevin


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## thefulminator

I have a similar payload. The idea was to take most everything we haul in the truck bed and move it into the trailer. I am curious about the overall length vs. wheelbase.


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## Insomniak

thefulminator said:


> Come on everyone, I need more data than this.


Oh, just go ahead and do it. You know you "need" a bigger trailer, and the numbers aren't THAT far off. My Tundra has specs very similar to yours, other than my towing limit being 500lb higher, and the engine being a bit bigger. We're towing a trailer that's slightly longer than what you're considering and with our hitch and anti-sway setup, we do absolutely fine. I agree that the 3.42 rear-end will probably be your Achille's heel, but in a year or so you can start looking at new tow vehicles. You'll love the extra space, everyone will be much more comfortable and you'll wonder why you waited so long to make the upgrade. If the truck lugs on hills, you can swap the rear-end for a higher gear ratio, or just tell the wife you need a new diesel truck. All in the interest of safety and less stress of course.


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## wolverine

All of the new Chevy 1500's have a 6 speed transmission and 3.42 gears are the highest you can get. I don't think they even offer 4.10 gears on the 2500HD with a 6 speed transmission (only 3.73 gears)


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## rsm7

thefulminator said:


> I have a similar payload. The idea was to take most everything we haul in the truck bed and move it into the trailer. I am curious about the overall length vs. wheelbase.


Well all i can say is I've done it. I had a 33 footer with a half ton Silverado. Obviously its not the greatest combination but you can do it. I would call the sway and or trailer "movement" annoying but not to where I felt unsafe. The motor is a little small but adequate. You already pull a trailer so it wont be alot different. Maybe 5-10 mph slower then your current trailer on a steep grade? I guess it depends on the type of towing your doing. If its just weekend stuff then I'd say get er done! If you tow a lot of long trips across mountains its too much trailer. Like Insomniak says just do it. Then tell your wife you screwed up and "we're gonna need a bigger truck".


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## CamperKev

If you have a big problem with sway then i would spend the extra $$ and get either the ProPride or Hensley Hitch. All though a bit pricey i have only read positive things about them and customers stating having no sway what so ever since switching to one of these hitches. I am going to try the Equal-i-zer which my dealer sells and if i have any problems i will spend the money for one.


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## therink

wolverine said:


> All of the new Chevy 1500's have a 6 speed transmission and 3.42 gears are the highest you can get. I don't think they even offer 4.10 gears on the 2500HD with a 6 speed transmission (only 3.73 gears)


Yes, GM does offer the 4:10 with the 6.0 but rare to find on a lot. I had to order it on my last two trucks. 
For the OP: in my opinion you are likely exceeding the payload of the truck with the tongue weight. The LT tires may enhance the sway issues with the trailer length. I would seriously consider a larger truck or smaller trailer. I use to tow a 31' tt with a 3/4 ton truck with 6.0 and 4:10 and Reese dual cam sway control. I had plenty of tow power but the swaying was too much for me on interstates. Not an issue now with the 5th wheel.
I have had buyers remorse. I hate to see someone else go through that. 
Steve


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## jake's outback

When I pulled my 260 FL with the 2009 1500 crew 4X4 I was in the same situation as you are looking at. I did not notice an issue with the length of trailer and the wheelbase of the truck. yes I could see the back of the trailer, I will call it swaying slightly from side to side but nothing that was out of control but I did know it was there.

The fresh water tank was right at the front of my trailer and we like taking the water from home so if we were camping close I filled it. I looked to see where the water tank was and it seems to be in front of the axle on this one as well! If it was closer to the back it could have even out the tongue weight.

Yes I did what you are planning... I called it creative loading. But as you have stated right now you are overloading the rear axle of your truck and if you are good with that carry on. I wasn't comfortable with the set up.

Since I wasn't I moved to a new truck. Hope this helped.









My 6 liter has the 3.73 gear and things are good for my set up.

What rsm7 stated...Like Insomniak says just do it. _*Then tell your wife you screwed up and "we're gonna need a bigger truck".
SHHH *_don't tell my wife that may have been my angle.... _*Shhhh
*_


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## Jewellfamily

thefulminator said:


> So my wife and I were daydreaming about upgrading the 21RS to a 292BH. I've started to wonder if it's too far fetched to tow it with my existing truck.
> 
> The truck:
> 2009 Silverado 1500 4x4 crew cab, short box, 5.3L, 3.42 gears, heavy duty cooling and trailering package, rated to tow 9,600 lbs. The wheelbase is 143.5".
> 
> The trailer:
> 2012 Outback 292BH, 8,200 lbs gross, 850 lbs tongue weight, 32'-9" long.
> 
> I've seen the formula for towing length, 20' of trailer for the first 110" of wheelbase. Add 1' of trailer for each additional 4" of wheelbase. That means the truck should handle 28'-4 1/2" of trailer. I've also seen where (David's RV tips) where you can add a few feet in using a sway control hitch.
> 
> Advantages:
> Getting the weight out of the truck and into the trailer. I'm always around 500 lbs over on the rear axle when we camp.
> Much more living space.
> Much more storage space.
> 
> Disadvantages:
> More tongue weight.
> Pushing the trailer length limit.
> 
> Is this combination realistic or is the trailer just too long?


I have the 312BH and a 1/2 ton pickup (see signature). The difference is mine has the 6.0L and 3.73 gears. From a power stand point in your configuration (gearing and engine), you're not going to win any races and you'll be on the top end of capability. Long, hard pulls might be pretty slow, but the standard fare should be ok. My vehicle handled very poorly even with a WDH until I put airbags on the rear of it. Now I use the WDH and the airbags at about 40 psi and it helped a bunch. I still need a better WDH for the sway control. I'm going to get an Equal-I-Zer 4 way this spring. I've found anything over about 26' starts to get a little uncomfortable with sway with a 1/2 ton vehicle and you have to start doing the little extras to help (i.e better hitch). If you're concerned about the tongue weight vs. what to haul in the bed, the airbags are really the way to go. If you have a little more weight in the bed or the trailer, you can adjust the bags accordingly to bring the truck back to level. They are generally inexpensive as well if you look on line. I paid less than $300. I dont have the onboard compressor yet, I just have a small air tank that I throw in to use on the trip.


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## Scoutr2

When we bought our 2007 29BHS, we pulled it off the dealer's lot with our 2003 1500 Suburban, which struggled mightily to pull that load. Handling was a nightmare. The RV salesman told us that our 1/2-ton Suburban would pull anything on their lot. Four short trips of pulling a 30' long, 7800# trailer was enough to convince me to upgrade to a 3/4-ton truck. No more white-knuckle trips!

Towing ability with your 1/2-ton is not in question, although, over long distances your transmission is the weakest link and the one most likely to fail. (We lost a tranny on our 1999 1/2-ton Suburban shortly after a 5000 mile trip pulling our large Coleman pop-up!). The problem with using ANY 1/2-ton TV to pull a full sized trailer is the limitation of the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR, or cargo capacity). The GVWR is the weight rating that the manufacturer says the truck can safely and reliably carry on all four axles. It is a reflection of the capacity of the tires and the suspension. Tires you can change. But the suspension is what it is - which was not designed to carry and handle that much weight/length. (Consider that you have a 30'+ long by 10' tall HEAVY sail behind you!) You can add air bags, extra spring leafs, and all sorts of other gadgets, but those will only mask the symptoms of the larger problem - cargo capacity.

As mentioned earlier, by the time you put the tongue on the hitch, gear in the trailer and in the bed of the truck, passengers, etc(all of which add to the GVWR), most 1/2-tons are overloaded. A weight distributing hitch is a must, but it doesn't lessen the load on your truck's four axles - it only ensures that some of the tongue weight gets shared with the front axles. And the advertised "dry" tongue weight of the trailer does not include the awning, propane tanks, batteries, spare tire, gear and food in the trailer, nor the weight of the weight distributing hitch - all of which will add to the tongue weight (GVWR). My 29BHS, without water in the forward 50 gallon tank - is close to 1000#, all of which adds to the GVWR. (And when I fill the 50 gallon water tank, even my 3/4-ton knows the 800# difference!)

Also - the suspension on most 1/2-ton trucks cannot control a heavy trailer well in windy conditions or when making emergency maneuvers. And there are a lot of idiots out there. The 3/4-ton pickup got me a larger engine, 4:10 axle ratio, HD transmission with lockup clutch, external tranny cooler, external engine oil cooler, larger capacity radiator, HD brakes, and, of course, a suspension that will handle that length and weight when it counts most.

My advice - for the safety of you, your family, and everyone else on the road - consider a trade up to a 3/4-ton truck.

Just my experienced opinion.

Mike


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## rsm7

Well I'll play devil's advocate for the sake of argument and tell you that having towed with Tahoes, Suburbans, abd Silverados there is no comparison between an 03 suburban and an 09 Silverado. The new 6l80 6 speed transmission (which is a beast of a tranny compared to what was in the old burb) and higher horsepowr 5.3l blows away the old combination from 03. Plus the Suburbans WB is only 130" compared to probably around 139 on your Silverado. The Silverado will also have alot stiffer leaf spring rear suspension. Fulminator I have done it with a 1500 Silverado and it is not scarry or nerve racking. Handling could be better but my biggest complaint was power. It will do the job. Its rated for 9600lbs. It can and will do the job. Yes you will have payload issues. A 3/4 ton would be better. Perhaps the dealer would let you do a test tow?


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## Carey

X2. An 03 Burb is almost an ancient vehicle compared with a 1/2 ton truck of today.

Carey


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## Scoutr2

Carey said:


> X2. An 03 Burb is almost an ancient vehicle compared with a 1/2 ton truck of today.
> 
> Carey


But it still has a 1/2-ton suspension and GVWR that won't safely handle a trailer that long and that heavy. In most cases, people are overloading their trucks and don't consider the cargo capacity. They only focus on the advertised claims of how much weight their truck can "pull," which is a selling point for a salesman. That is the main point in my reply.

There are a couple of hitches on the market (Sean Woodruff is a member here) that can take care of the cargo capacity problem by putting the trailer hitch on a ball above dolly wheels, which eliminates the tongue weight problem. But I'd have to drive a 1/2-ton so equipped to convince me that the 1/2-ton suspension can handle that much length and weight in an emergency situation, or when encountering stiff crosswinds.

Just my opinion.

Mike


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## CamperKev

Scoutr2 said:


> X2. An 03 Burb is almost an ancient vehicle compared with a 1/2 ton truck of today.
> 
> Carey


But it still has a 1/2-ton suspension and GVWR that won't safely handle a trailer that long and that heavy. In most cases, people are overloading their trucks and don't consider the cargo capacity. They only focus on the advertised claims of how much weight their truck can "pull," which is a selling point for a salesman. That is the main point in my reply.

There are a couple of hitches on the market (Sean Woodruff is a member here) that can take care of the cargo capacity problem by putting the trailer hitch on a ball above dolly wheels, which eliminates the tongue weight problem. But I'd have to drive a 1/2-ton so equipped to convince me that the 1/2-ton suspension can handle that much length and weight in an emergency situation, or when encountering stiff crosswinds.

Just my opinion.

Mike
[/quote]Just out of curiosity what is the wheel base and payload of your 3/4 ton??? I am picking up the same trailer on monday and I figured I had all the #'s worked out?? I would be very close to my payload but not over and be at about 70_80% of my tow rating. This was with figuring 12-13% of the gvwr of trailer for tongue weight. I also have a half ton truck its a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 157" wheelbase with max tow pkg and 373 gears.


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## luverofpeanuts

CamperKev said:


> Just out of curiosity what is the wheel base and payload of your 3/4 ton??? I am picking up the same trailer on monday and I figured I had all the #'s worked out?? I would be very close to my payload but not over and be at about 70_80% of my tow rating. This was with figuring 12-13% of the gvwr of trailer for tongue weight. I also have a half ton truck its a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 157" wheelbase with max tow pkg and 373 gears.


I'll answer for me; wheelbase is about 157" ... pretty much the same as the F150 crew cab wheelbase. Payload as the truck left the factory (from the sticker) was 2322. rear GAWR is 6100.

I'd be curious how that compares to your 2011 F150 payload and rear GAWR. I'm guessing the rear GAWR has to be 1000 or more less, but I'm not sure about the payload; I still think it's in the 1500 range...not sure if it's a little more or a little less. Do you have a door sticker that lists payload or did you have it weighed?

I heard for 2012, Ford came out with a heavy duty payload package for the crew cabs (finally). That is good news.


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## CamperKev

Just out of curiosity what is the wheel base and payload of your 3/4 ton??? I am picking up the same trailer on monday and I figured I had all the #'s worked out?? I would be very close to my payload but not over and be at about 70_80% of my tow rating. This was with figuring 12-13% of the gvwr of trailer for tongue weight. I also have a half ton truck its a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 157" wheelbase with max tow pkg and 373 gears.
[/quote]

I'll answer for me; wheelbase is about 157" ... pretty much the same as the F150 crew cab wheelbase. Payload as the truck left the factory (from the sticker) was 2322. rear GAWR is 6100.

I'd be curious how that compares to your 2011 F150 payload and rear GAWR. I'm guessing the rear GAWR has to be 1000 or more less, but I'm not sure about the payload; I still think it's in the 1500 range...not sure if it's a little more or a little less. Do you have a door sticker that lists payload or did you have it weighed?

I heard for 2012, Ford came out with a heavy duty payload package for the crew cabs (finally). That is good news.
[/quote] I should have waited one more year just because of the HD package Ford now offers on the 2012 models! My payload is rated at 1890lbs on Fords charts but with my trucks options and being an FX4 the door tag reads 1693lbs for payload. My GAWR is 4050lbs. I will give it a try and of im not comfortable towing with this truck then it looks like I will upgrade..


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## luverofpeanuts

CamperKev said:


> Just out of curiosity what is the wheel base and payload of your 3/4 ton??? I am picking up the same trailer on monday and I figured I had all the #'s worked out?? I would be very close to my payload but not over and be at about 70_80% of my tow rating. This was with figuring 12-13% of the gvwr of trailer for tongue weight. I also have a half ton truck its a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 157" wheelbase with max tow pkg and 373 gears.
> 
> 
> 
> I'll answer for me; wheelbase is about 157" ... pretty much the same as the F150 crew cab wheelbase. Payload as the truck left the factory (from the sticker) was 2322. rear GAWR is 6100.
> 
> I'd be curious how that compares to your 2011 F150 payload and rear GAWR. I'm guessing the rear GAWR has to be 1000 or more less, but I'm not sure about the payload; I still think it's in the 1500 range...not sure if it's a little more or a little less. Do you have a door sticker that lists payload or did you have it weighed?
> 
> I heard for 2012, Ford came out with a heavy duty payload package for the crew cabs (finally). That is good news.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I should have waited one more year just because of the HD package Ford now offers on the 2012 models! My payload is rated at 1890lbs on Fords charts but with my trucks options and being an FX4 the door tag reads 1693lbs for payload. My GAWR is 4050lbs. I will give it a try and of im not comfortable towing with this truck then it looks like I will upgrade..
Click to expand...

1693 is a little better than I expected. I think the addition of the Ecoboost models added a couple of hundred to the payload. If you run the numbers and aren't over, I suspect you'll be just fine. Heck, you'll probably be fine either way. The paper exercise is only part of the game; when it comes right down to it, it's how secure it feels on the road. I would, if you have the chance, do some hard braking, and other 'testing' of the handling while the trailer isn't loaded with stuff ;-) just so you get a good full impression of how secure it is. After you get it loaded with your stuff, make a trip to a good scale and get the actual numbers for all your axles and see how things add up.

The 2012 HD package Ford now offers.... and some of the HD options on the GM vehicles really make it hard on decision making ;-) I have a buddy that switched from a 2009 F350 FX4 to a 2011 F150 FX4 and he hasn't regretted it. His towing was snowmobile trailers though, nothing really heavy or with large frontal area. On the other hand, on the F350 he could carry TWO snowmobiles on the bed of truck (on a platform). He won't be doing that on his F150. He said, daily driving the ecoboost was quite a bit better than his diesel... towing, however, it was a tad worse. His F150 FX4 looks pretty sexy though ;-) I do love the looks of the massive new Ford Super Duty's.....


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## CamperKev

I will give it a shot. I almost pulled the trigger on a 2011 F350 diesel before getting this. Knock on wood, the Ecoboost has been running great! I heard the new Powerstroke is having some issues with the fuel system..If i end up wanting to upgrade i will probably get a F350 with the 6.2L Gasser.. I too love the look of the new SuperDuty's!! What i love most with my F150 is it fits in the garage...


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## Scoutr2

CamperKev said:


> X2. An 03 Burb is almost an ancient vehicle compared with a 1/2 ton truck of today.
> 
> Carey


But it still has a 1/2-ton suspension and GVWR that won't safely handle a trailer that long and that heavy. In most cases, people are overloading their trucks and don't consider the cargo capacity. They only focus on the advertised claims of how much weight their truck can "pull," which is a selling point for a salesman. That is the main point in my reply.

There are a couple of hitches on the market (Sean Woodruff is a member here) that can take care of the cargo capacity problem by putting the trailer hitch on a ball above dolly wheels, which eliminates the tongue weight problem. But I'd have to drive a 1/2-ton so equipped to convince me that the 1/2-ton suspension can handle that much length and weight in an emergency situation, or when encountering stiff crosswinds.

Just my opinion.

Mike
[/quote]Just out of curiosity what is the wheel base and payload of your 3/4 ton??? I am picking up the same trailer on monday and I figured I had all the #'s worked out?? I would be very close to my payload but not over and be at about 70_80% of my tow rating. This was with figuring 12-13% of the gvwr of trailer for tongue weight. I also have a half ton truck its a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 157" wheelbase with max tow pkg and 373 gears.
[/quote]

Wheelbase length is 153 inches - I have the 6-1/2 foot bed. (The 8 foot bed is 157 inches.) GVWR is 9200#, which allows me 3200# of cargo capacity (about twice that of the 1500HD). It's rated at 353 HP with 373 ft/lbs of torque @ 4400 rpm. Towing capacity is 13,000#. The only drawback to theis gasser is the 26 gallon fuel tank - which is the larges offered by GM. And with getting only 8.5 mpg when towing my trailer, I only have a range of about 200 miles, and then I'm looking for a gas station. On long trips, I carry three 5-gallon gas cans in my covered bed - just in case!

Other than that, my truck tows and handles this big trailer well. With the Equal-i-zer brand of weight distributing hitch, I hardly know the trailer is back there when we are cruising down the interstate! Between the performance of the hitch and the truck suspension, my mind is at ease and I enjoy towing - as opposed to the white-knuckle, nerve-wracking experience with my old 1500 Suburban!

Heres a LINK to the spec sheet.

You might find this interesting, as well: Why Truck Tow Ratings Don't Add Up

Mike


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## CamperKev

Scoutr2 said:


> X2. An 03 Burb is almost an ancient vehicle compared with a 1/2 ton truck of today.
> 
> Carey


But it still has a 1/2-ton suspension and GVWR that won't safely handle a trailer that long and that heavy. In most cases, people are overloading their trucks and don't consider the cargo capacity. They only focus on the advertised claims of how much weight their truck can "pull," which is a selling point for a salesman. That is the main point in my reply.

There are a couple of hitches on the market (Sean Woodruff is a member here) that can take care of the cargo capacity problem by putting the trailer hitch on a ball above dolly wheels, which eliminates the tongue weight problem. But I'd have to drive a 1/2-ton so equipped to convince me that the 1/2-ton suspension can handle that much length and weight in an emergency situation, or when encountering stiff crosswinds.

Just my opinion.

Mike
[/quote]Just out of curiosity what is the wheel base and payload of your 3/4 ton??? I am picking up the same trailer on monday and I figured I had all the #'s worked out?? I would be very close to my payload but not over and be at about 70_80% of my tow rating. This was with figuring 12-13% of the gvwr of trailer for tongue weight. I also have a half ton truck its a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 157" wheelbase with max tow pkg and 373 gears.
[/quote]

Wheelbase length is 153 inches - I have the 6-1/2 foot bed. (The 8 foot bed is 157 inches.) GVWR is 9200#, which allows me 3200# of cargo capacity (about twice that of the 1500HD). It's rated at 353 HP with 373 ft/lbs of torque @ 4400 rpm. Towing capacity is 13,000#. The only drawback to theis gasser is the 26 gallon fuel tank - which is the larges offered by GM. And with getting only 8.5 mpg when towing my trailer, I only have a range of about 200 miles, and then I'm looking for a gas station. On long trips, I carry three 5-gallon gas cans in my covered bed - just in case!

Other than that, my truck tows and handles this big trailer well. With the Equal-i-zer brand of weight distributing hitch, I hardly know the trailer is back there when we are cruising down the interstate! Between the performance of the hitch and the truck suspension, my mind is at ease and I enjoy towing - as opposed to the white-knuckle, nerve-wracking experience with my old 1500 Suburban!

Heres a LINK to the spec sheet.

You might find this interesting, as well: Why Truck Tow Ratings Don't Add Up

Mike
[/quote]
I too have a 26 gallon fuel tank! 2012 they came out with the 36 gallon.. I also have a 6.5 ft bed ,7700 GVWR, and the engine is rated at 365hp and 420ft/tq @ 2700 rpm. But i only wish i had 3200lbs of cargo. I'm at about half that (1700lbs.)


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## Hummingbird4

Scoutr2 said:


> When we bought our 2007 29BHS, we pulled it off the dealer's lot with our 2003 1500 Suburban, which struggled mightily to pull that load. Handling was a nightmare. The RV salesman told us that our 1/2-ton Suburban would pull anything on their lot. Four short trips of pulling a 30' long, 7800# trailer was enough to convince me to upgrade to a 3/4-ton truck. No more white-knuckle trips!
> 
> Towing ability with your 1/2-ton is not in question, although, over long distances your transmission is the weakest link and the one most likely to fail. (We lost a tranny on our 1999 1/2-ton Suburban shortly after a 5000 mile trip pulling our large Coleman pop-up!). The problem with using ANY 1/2-ton TV to pull a full sized trailer is the limitation of the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR, or cargo capacity). The GVWR is the weight rating that the manufacturer says the truck can safely and reliably carry on all four axles. It is a reflection of the capacity of the tires and the suspension. Tires you can change. But the suspension is what it is - which was not designed to carry and handle that much weight/length. (Consider that you have a 30'+ long by 10' tall HEAVY sail behind you!) You can add air bags, extra spring leafs, and all sorts of other gadgets, but those will only mask the symptoms of the larger problem - cargo capacity.
> 
> As mentioned earlier, by the time you put the tongue on the hitch, gear in the trailer and in the bed of the truck, passengers, etc(all of which add to the GVWR), most 1/2-tons are overloaded. A weight distributing hitch is a must, but it doesn't lessen the load on your truck's four axles - it only ensures that some of the tongue weight gets shared with the front axles. And the advertised "dry" tongue weight of the trailer does not include the awning, propane tanks, batteries, spare tire, gear and food in the trailer, nor the weight of the weight distributing hitch - all of which will add to the tongue weight (GVWR). My 29BHS, without water in the forward 50 gallon tank - is close to 1000#, all of which adds to the GVWR. (And when I fill the 50 gallon water tank, even my 3/4-ton knows the 800# difference!)
> 
> Also - the suspension on most 1/2-ton trucks cannot control a heavy trailer well in windy conditions or when making emergency maneuvers. And there are a lot of idiots out there. The 3/4-ton pickup got me a larger engine, 4:10 axle ratio, HD transmission with lockup clutch, external tranny cooler, external engine oil cooler, larger capacity radiator, HD brakes, and, of course, a suspension that will handle that length and weight when it counts most.
> 
> My advice - for the safety of you, your family, and everyone else on the road - consider a trade up to a 3/4-ton truck.
> 
> Just my experienced opinion.
> 
> Mike


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## rsm7

What about an SOB? Here's a new model from Crossroads. Specs aren't released yet but it's supposed to only weigh 4986 lbs.

http://www.crossroadsrv.com/slingshot/floorplan_detail.asp?fp=GT32QB&type=tt


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## wolverine

Scoutr2 said:


> X2. An 03 Burb is almost an ancient vehicle compared with a 1/2 ton truck of today.
> 
> Carey


But it still has a 1/2-ton suspension and GVWR that won't safely handle a trailer that long and that heavy. In most cases, people are overloading their trucks and don't consider the cargo capacity. They only focus on the advertised claims of how much weight their truck can "pull," which is a selling point for a salesman. That is the main point in my reply.

There are a couple of hitches on the market (Sean Woodruff is a member here) that can take care of the cargo capacity problem by putting the trailer hitch on a ball above dolly wheels, which eliminates the tongue weight problem. But I'd have to drive a 1/2-ton so equipped to convince me that the 1/2-ton suspension can handle that much length and weight in an emergency situation, or when encountering stiff crosswinds.

Just my opinion.

Mike
[/quote]Just out of curiosity what is the wheel base and payload of your 3/4 ton??? I am picking up the same trailer on monday and I figured I had all the #'s worked out?? I would be very close to my payload but not over and be at about 70_80% of my tow rating. This was with figuring 12-13% of the gvwr of trailer for tongue weight. I also have a half ton truck its a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 157" wheelbase with max tow pkg and 373 gears.
[/quote]

Wheelbase length is 153 inches - I have the 6-1/2 foot bed. (The 8 foot bed is 157 inches.) GVWR is 9200#, which allows me 3200# of cargo capacity (about twice that of the 1500HD). It's rated at 353 HP with 373 ft/lbs of torque @ 4400 rpm. Towing capacity is 13,000#. The only drawback to theis gasser is the 26 gallon fuel tank - which is the larges offered by GM. And with getting only 8.5 mpg when towing my trailer, I only have a range of about 200 miles, and then I'm looking for a gas station. On long trips, I carry three 5-gallon gas cans in my covered bed - just in case!

Other than that, my truck tows and handles this big trailer well. With the Equal-i-zer brand of weight distributing hitch, I hardly know the trailer is back there when we are cruising down the interstate! Between the performance of the hitch and the truck suspension, my mind is at ease and I enjoy towing - as opposed to the white-knuckle, nerve-wracking experience with my old 1500 Suburban!

Heres a LINK to the spec sheet.

You might find this interesting, as well: Why Truck Tow Ratings Don't Add Up

Mike
[/quote]

Mike,

Your link is to a 2007 1/2 Silverado. Your 2007 Silverado Classic has the same 6.0L (300 hp) as my 2007 Silverado 1500HD. My payload is 2670lbs, which is only 530 lbs less than your truck. A 1500 HD is a 3/4 ton truck and not a beefed up 1/2 ton. I feel your pain about the small gas tanks, but the 2011 2500 HD does have a much bigger gas tank on the short box.


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## Scoutr2

wolverine said:


> X2. An 03 Burb is almost an ancient vehicle compared with a 1/2 ton truck of today.
> 
> Carey


But it still has a 1/2-ton suspension and GVWR that won't safely handle a trailer that long and that heavy. In most cases, people are overloading their trucks and don't consider the cargo capacity. They only focus on the advertised claims of how much weight their truck can "pull," which is a selling point for a salesman. That is the main point in my reply.

There are a couple of hitches on the market (Sean Woodruff is a member here) that can take care of the cargo capacity problem by putting the trailer hitch on a ball above dolly wheels, which eliminates the tongue weight problem. But I'd have to drive a 1/2-ton so equipped to convince me that the 1/2-ton suspension can handle that much length and weight in an emergency situation, or when encountering stiff crosswinds.

Just my opinion.

Mike
[/quote]Just out of curiosity what is the wheel base and payload of your 3/4 ton??? I am picking up the same trailer on monday and I figured I had all the #'s worked out?? I would be very close to my payload but not over and be at about 70_80% of my tow rating. This was with figuring 12-13% of the gvwr of trailer for tongue weight. I also have a half ton truck its a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 157" wheelbase with max tow pkg and 373 gears.
[/quote]

Wheelbase length is 153 inches - I have the 6-1/2 foot bed. (The 8 foot bed is 157 inches.) GVWR is 9200#, which allows me 3200# of cargo capacity (about twice that of the 1500HD). It's rated at 353 HP with 373 ft/lbs of torque @ 4400 rpm. Towing capacity is 13,000#. The only drawback to theis gasser is the 26 gallon fuel tank - which is the larges offered by GM. And with getting only 8.5 mpg when towing my trailer, I only have a range of about 200 miles, and then I'm looking for a gas station. On long trips, I carry three 5-gallon gas cans in my covered bed - just in case!

Other than that, my truck tows and handles this big trailer well. With the Equal-i-zer brand of weight distributing hitch, I hardly know the trailer is back there when we are cruising down the interstate! Between the performance of the hitch and the truck suspension, my mind is at ease and I enjoy towing - as opposed to the white-knuckle, nerve-wracking experience with my old 1500 Suburban!

Heres a LINK to the spec sheet.

You might find this interesting, as well: Why Truck Tow Ratings Don't Add Up

Mike
[/quote]

Mike,

Your link is to a 2007 1/2 Silverado. Your 2007 Silverado Classic has the same 6.0L (300 hp) as my 2007 Silverado 1500HD. My payload is 2670lbs, which is only 530 lbs less than your truck. A 1500 HD is a 3/4 ton truck and not a beefed up 1/2 ton. I feel your pain about the small gas tanks, but the 2011 2500 HD does have a much bigger gas tank on the short box.
[/quote]

When I click the link, the page says Silverado 2500HD.

Mike


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## wolverine

Scoutr2 said:


> X2. An 03 Burb is almost an ancient vehicle compared with a 1/2 ton truck of today.
> 
> Carey


But it still has a 1/2-ton suspension and GVWR that won't safely handle a trailer that long and that heavy. In most cases, people are overloading their trucks and don't consider the cargo capacity. They only focus on the advertised claims of how much weight their truck can "pull," which is a selling point for a salesman. That is the main point in my reply.

There are a couple of hitches on the market (Sean Woodruff is a member here) that can take care of the cargo capacity problem by putting the trailer hitch on a ball above dolly wheels, which eliminates the tongue weight problem. But I'd have to drive a 1/2-ton so equipped to convince me that the 1/2-ton suspension can handle that much length and weight in an emergency situation, or when encountering stiff crosswinds.

Just my opinion.

Mike
[/quote]Just out of curiosity what is the wheel base and payload of your 3/4 ton??? I am picking up the same trailer on monday and I figured I had all the #'s worked out?? I would be very close to my payload but not over and be at about 70_80% of my tow rating. This was with figuring 12-13% of the gvwr of trailer for tongue weight. I also have a half ton truck its a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 157" wheelbase with max tow pkg and 373 gears.
[/quote]

Wheelbase length is 153 inches - I have the 6-1/2 foot bed. (The 8 foot bed is 157 inches.) GVWR is 9200#, which allows me 3200# of cargo capacity (about twice that of the 1500HD). It's rated at 353 HP with 373 ft/lbs of torque @ 4400 rpm. Towing capacity is 13,000#. The only drawback to theis gasser is the 26 gallon fuel tank - which is the larges offered by GM. And with getting only 8.5 mpg when towing my trailer, I only have a range of about 200 miles, and then I'm looking for a gas station. On long trips, I carry three 5-gallon gas cans in my covered bed - just in case!

Other than that, my truck tows and handles this big trailer well. With the Equal-i-zer brand of weight distributing hitch, I hardly know the trailer is back there when we are cruising down the interstate! Between the performance of the hitch and the truck suspension, my mind is at ease and I enjoy towing - as opposed to the white-knuckle, nerve-wracking experience with my old 1500 Suburban!

Heres a LINK to the spec sheet.

You might find this interesting, as well: Why Truck Tow Ratings Don't Add Up

Mike
[/quote]

Mike,

Your link is to a 2007 1/2 Silverado. Your 2007 Silverado Classic has the same 6.0L (300 hp) as my 2007 Silverado 1500HD. My payload is 2670lbs, which is only 530 lbs less than your truck. A 1500 HD is a 3/4 ton truck and not a beefed up 1/2 ton. I feel your pain about the small gas tanks, but the 2011 2500 HD does have a much bigger gas tank on the short box.
[/quote]

When I click the link, the page says Silverado 2500HD.

Mike
[/quote]

Mike,

Keep in mind Chevy built 2 different 2500HD trucks in 2007 (classic and the new body style).

Here is a link to your truck. 
http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/silverado-2500hd-classic/2007/features-specs.html?style=100709734

Here is a link to Trailer Lifes 2007 Towing Guide. 
http://www.trailerlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Trailer-Life-Towing-Guide-2007.pdf 
It looks like your truck is located on the bottom right hand side of page 2. Your truck appears to have a tow rating of 9800 lbs and not 13,000 lbs.

I hope this will help.


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