Tow Vehicle purchase Recommendation

[BubbaChris]

Thanks everyone for the great input on this. We ended up purchasing the 3/4 ton Sierra last night . Being that it's a gas 6.0L motor, I'm sure I'll get hit on the mpg both towing and commute but the safety and future proofing arguments won't out. Also read great things on the reliability of these Chevy workhorses, that was a big factor for me.

Next, on to the TT haggling process, will start a different thread for that one

Thanks again all.

My brother-in-law absolutely loves his Sierra gasser for towing his Jayco Eagle H/T fiver, so I think you'll do just fine. Congratulations.

Best regards,
Chris

[Schiefswret]

my vote: f-150 XLT 5.0L 3.55 gears with tow pkg or HDTT 53a and 36 gal gas tnk.

[KB5SET]

Just be sure you don't skimp on the tow vehicle. I currently have a 2017 Chevy Duramax and it handles my RSTS 297 with no problem what so ever. The trailer has a GVW of right at 10,000 pounds. We had a trailer brake failure about 500 miles from home. The truck handled the extra braking pressure with no problem. Better too much tow vehicle than undersized if you plan to haul it any distance at all. Good luck!

[Heavy Half Ton]

Why do they call it a 5/8 ton? Looking at threads like this, https://www.titanxdforum.com/threads...y.35105/page-2 , and they seem to have f150ish payloads? And certainly do not come close to the f150 hdpp. Just curious, I really know nothing about Nissans.

[Boom 'r Bust]

Why do they call it a 5/8 ton? Looking at threads like this, https://www.titanxdforum.com/threads...y.35105/page-2 , and they seem to have f150ish payloads? And certainly do not come close to the f150 hdpp. Just curious, I really know nothing about Nissans.

Here are the main reasons they call it a 5/8 ton:

1. Upgraded boxed ladder frame similar to a 3/4 ton
2. Rear axle from thier NV 3500 1 ton cargo van
3. 14 inch disc brakes vs 10 or 12 inch on other 1/2 ton
4. UVW of 6700# for a gas and over 7000# for diesel vs around 4800# for most 1/2 tons
5. Length of 249 inches in a crew cab vs most other 1/2 tons around 232 - 238 inches
6. GVWR of 8800#, 1000# more than any other 1/2 ton

Most experienced towers will tell you that towing with a heavier and longer TV gives you more stability and confidence. The weak spots for the Titan XD are the payload and gas mileage. Both of those numbers can be attributed to being heavier and longer (the main reasons it makes a good tow vehicle).

For small 5th wheels and almost all travel trailers it's a great choice. But when you start getting 5th wheel hitch weights above 1500#, the numbers just don't work well in my opinion.

[Marauderer]

GM, RAM, and Ford all make great tow vehicles and they all have their pros and cons.

I have been a GM person my whole life and they have worked for me. So get what you like but it should be at least a 2500HD which will give you some wiggle room if you want to move up.

I am also a big fan of diesel power and having that extra cushion gives me a little my peace of mind.

On the other hand you need to go with what you are comfortable and have confidence in.

Remember your RV dealer is always the best input for a tow vehicle.

[scottjohn5150]

You definitely do not need to purchase a diesel. I know there are plenty of diesel lovers on this forum, and I'm one of them, but pulling a trailer like the 2800BH, a gas engine is plenty. However, saying that, I would go with a 3/4 ton gas engine.

[Boom 'r Bust]

Remember your RV dealer is always the best input for a tow vehicle.

Barry I'm glad you have had a good experience with recommendations from your RV dealer. However not all dealers have the same integrity. A good friend of mine wanted to buy a big beautiful Solitude 5th wheel 2 months ago. He sat down with the dealer's 'towing expert'. They went thru the spec sheets and the expert told him his 2018 Platinum F350 SRW 6.7L turbo could easily handle the 5th wheel. The 'expert' never once looked at labels on the door frame. It was all done with downloaded spec sheets. Based on the expert's conclusion, he bought the Solitude.

Long story short, one week later he had to trade his newish F350 in for new F350 dually. It cost him many thousands of $ that it shouldn't have. With just him in the truck with no gear he was 500# over his payload. My experience is that dealers are VERY quick to cut corners and mislead customers. I was also misled by my dealer but to a lesser extent.

Sooo.... do your homework and buyer beware!

[Heavy Half Ton]

^^^^^When I first started looking into rv’s 20 months ago, the GD salesman was all set to sell me a 29rls (TT) to tow behind my Expedition. That would have been a hot mess.

[FordmanNJ]

Since no one else has put in their 2 cents(I kid I kid)... I will put mine in. Since you are new to show here is some personal experience.

2011- I purchased a 1999 F150 Super cab short bed with a 5.4 and towing package with the intent of buying a trailer. At the time, we were looking at getting something in the 5,000 pound range. We wound up with a 30 foot 6,000 pound ultralite trailer which we wound up keeping for 7 years. I can tell you I was over weight a few times. However it was rated for 7800 pounds. In short no pun intended, my wife and i found out that our choice of trailer made long journeys borderline enjoyable after a trip from New Jersey to Florida and back. During that trip, we found anything long haul was going to need something a bit more up to the task. Shorter trips were not as much of a concern. The F150 had no problem pulling the trailer as long as you kept an eye on things during the trip like trans temps and the like.

2013- Bought a F250 (3/4 ton class) Crew cab short bed 6.2 gasser with tow package and the like. There truck was closer to a lower end 350 than a 250 in build specs. It was a world of difference with the same trailer in tow. We took our first long haul trip later in the year (Summer vacation trip to Myrtle Beach). It was much more pleasurable experience even with the mishaps that happened during that trip. I was sold on the newer super duty platform in the 2011-16 generation. Over the next few years we took the same trip to Florida twice. Not a single problem. Just an enjoyable experience. Our regular and once off short trips were the same thing.

2018- I lost the F250 to a nasty vehicle wreck. It had relatively low miles as just over 115K miles on the odometer. The truck was in good condition. The usual wear and tear of a 7 year old truck. Overall it was a solid dependable truck and most of all it was paid off. A couple of months later, I found my current truck a F350 with the same basic build. A couple of months after that, my wife and I decided to look for our next trailer since the one we had was too small. IN July of that year, we joined the Grand Design's RV community. Prior to the purchase of the GDRV, I towed the same trailer with no problem.

Current- We did a few trips this year that would be over 4 hours in drive time. To us, that is a long trip since we work full time and sometimes do not have access to the time off. This year we checked off NC, DE, and MD on the map as places we have stay for longer than 1 night. Each trip has been pretty easy going and overall a perfect ride even when the traffic is around us. I really cannot complain on the choice of towing vehicle.

Here is my advice. Sure you can go out and purchase your choice of brand and engine combo. I am going to be partial to Ford. Others on here are going to be partial to GM, Ram, Toyota or Nissan. Engines is another land mine field of very strong opinions. Will a 1/2 ton pick up tow an 8,000 pound trailer? (Hold your Ears weight police) Sure it will. Most late models will do the job. They should if properly equipped with options like towing package, max weight, max payload, etc. However, if you decide the 2800BH is not fitting your lifestyle, then you will be truck limited. Will your towing experience change if you get a 3/4 or 1 ton truck? Most likely. However, do you want the cost of that 1 ton truck. For example, my GDRV weighs in 9500 pounds. Would I use a F150 Max payload or towing package to regularly tow it? Probably not. Then again I have like many others have grown accustom to running heavier trucks with varying power plants.

So my recommendation would not to truck limit yourself. I would go with what you can afford. If new, great. if not new but used, great. As for the commuter side of things, I would suggest finding a cheap econobox for those days. I would check with your state's DMV regulations regarding registrations and licensing. Some states charge quite a bit more when it comes going up to a 1 ton vehicle. Hence why some people purchase the 3/4 ton or 250/2500 series with a 10,000 weight tag. It circumvents the insurance and registration issues in some places. Here in New Jersey, my registration is based on weight and it only went up another 40 bucks a year which is fine. My insurance carrier pricing was the same cost with either a 250 or 350. If it went up anything it was because it was slightly newer than my old truck.

Good luck with future purchases. If you have anything to ask, shoot me a PM I would be glad to discuss further.