Help! Trailer weight math not adding up!

[sande005]

I’m sure this next topic will get people going too, but I believe if you planning on towing anything greater than 7000lbs, you should be in a HD 3/4 or 1 ton truck. I know the manufacturers out there say their 1/2 can tow 10,000lbs, but are they Heavy Duty enough? Are the brake pads thicker, are the rotors larger, beefier suspension to handle that 25-35’ trailer you’re pulling behind you? Traditionally, the components in a 1/2 ton vs 3/4 is huge. Maybe they have changed, but older versions of pickups had no comparison. I’d rather be safe with extra cushion than be towing near the max.

There was an earlier post with links to all the "official" standards that manufacturers have to adhere to - and brakes are adequately sized to meet the CGVWR rating of the TV. So yes, they are made to handle the weight of the trailer. And in normal circumstances the trailer brakes also greatly reduce the load and wear and tear on the TV brakes. Ditto on suspension - as long as the GVWR of the TV is not exceeded when hitched up, you are fine. Wheelbase and GVWR of the TV, as does "oversizing" the capacities, do come into play for a better to much better towing experience, and might even get better longevity. Push anything close to the limits, and performance will degrade. So if one is within spec, the components are "Heavy Duty" enough. But not saying bigger isn't better - it definitely can be, as many who have upsized can attest.

[tonywelle]

As many have already posted, head to the CAT scales for the real numbers. Don't sweat being a few hundred (200-300) pounds over the payload max. I have the same truck pulling a GD 2600RB without any issue covering over 16k in two years. You will be thankful for the larger fuel tank.

The Tundra was under sprung in the rear and exhibited a mild tendency to porpoise in certain road conditions (i.e. expansion joints). We added Sumo springs & Bilstein shocks to correct the issue. I realize that a 3/4 ton truck would work better, but the incremental cost was not acceptable.

Good Luck and please post the actuals so we know where you end up.

[JohnnyBadger]

Guido, I recommend you get the bigger TV. You will be “Street-legal” and you will sleep better at night knowing that. One other comment regarding the legal/criminal ramifications of operating with too much weight. I speculate that if you do, and you are involved in an accident in which someone dies, and you have substantial assets, you can bet dimes to dollars an attorney will pursue the weight issue in a wrongful death suit. That’s what caused me to get the dually when I bought the 375. I think I might have squeaked by with my previous TV (Ram 3500 SRW). After all, the previous owner of the rig used a F350 SRW. In the end, I decided that all the nervous anxiety about whether I would need to go back to work for the rest of my life and the remorse of being involved in an accident in which someone else died wasn’t worth it.