Completely agree with you. My brother use to brag about his f150s towing capacity until a loaded dump trailer pushed him down a hill because he didn’t adjust the brakes. He now has an f350 like me.
Exactly. I loved Air brakes on my tractor trailer. Adjusted properly, they were solid and reliable (just had to be careful in below freezing Temps n chock wheels when stop for long mandatory breaks.
THANK YOU for saying “Just because you can tow it doesn’t mean you should “. I just recently saw a tundra towing a 37’ fifth wheel, I had a 2017 Silverado 3500 single rear wheel and found we were 800lbs overloaded. We went and got a 2020 Silverado 3500 dually, to not only ensure I was safe for my family but safe for everyone else around me on the road. It infuriates me when I see Tundras and Titans towing things I wouldn’t tow with a 2500HD. GREAT VIDEO, Thank you for bringing this to us.
You're welcome Paul! That is insane that a Tundra was pulling a 37' 5th wheel! I love Tundra's and I even considered buying one. But their payload capacity is too low, especially for a big rig like that. You made a respectable decision! It sounds like you have a much better setup. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Lol, I still don't see the resemblance although there must be one since you're one of several people that have commented about it! Thanks for watching!
I always say, it’s better to over-truck your trailer than it is to over-trailer your truck. This is a perfect example of this. You have left yourself a lot of room in the weight department which makes for a much more enjoyable camping experience. You did a great job with the video as well.
I had a F150 to pull my 28”Rv, as I saw lots videos like yours, I sold it and got a GMC 2500 HD. My safety and the others around matters a lot. Safety is more important for me than fuel economy.Thanks for you very well done video.
Thanks for putting this out for all to see the truth of what they are doing to their family and everyone else on the road. When I lived in Caryville TN it was a sport to see how long we could go between crashed campers on the southbound I-75 between Caryville and Oak Ridge TN. Please remember folks, its not a contest as to who can pull the most. At some point you have to keep it all under control on grades as well as emergency stopping.
You're welcome Jason! Well said man! Some people don't realize those weight ratings are to keep yourself and everyone else on the road SAFE! Thanks for watching and the comment!
This is very good advice and it's critically important for safety. It doesn't matter how your truck can tow, it matters how much your truck can STOP in an emergency situation.
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback! Honest RV dealers/sales people usually give some good information, but unfortunately there are the guys out there just looking to make a buck and don't think of the safety risks involved in not setting people up properly.
Lol, the ones selling don't care. If something catastrophic happens, they don't assume any liability, yet you can be sure they promise the world to get a sale.... Then they sell more after. Ugh.
and that's the thing most people don't understand. you little truck could probably yank 10k down the road at a decent speed but you're going to have some trouble slowing down.
A couple of notes about 1/2 ton towing(also applies to SUVs). Your stock tires are probably not gonna cut it. 8 ply tires will dramatically improve side to side sway. Get the best weight distributing hitch you can afford. Hensley arrows, Reese dual cams. They make all the difference. Don't drive 70mph when towing with a 1/2 ton. Like others have stated, it's the stopping ability that matters. There is definitely a difference between trying to stop at 55-60 vs 70 when towing with a 1/2 ton. And get a good brake controller. I'm a fan of Prodigy, but there are other good brands. The last thing you want in an emergency is a brake controller that won't give enough power to your trailer brakes.
Great Straight Forward Advice.... As a recreational tow driver with moderate experience with a 1/2 ton Suburban, 5200 lb Camper, Family & Gear I'll add, A.) Air-Up your oem tires before a trip. B.) Get to know your Brake Controler, so you can "Tune It" on-the-fly to better match road & weather conditions. and C.) Towing any kind of real weight is not a race... Feel Out your tow vehicle and trailer, Together they behave unlike any other. Each combination has its own personality. Find your Rigs speed, braking, wind resistance and abrupt steering input stability/recovery Sweet Spots and stay within them.... it's not about driving your car/truck somewhere, it's about Transporting a Heavy Load to its destination.
I have a 2022 Colorado. Max is 7700 lbs with about 1500 lb payload capacity. I tow 26' long 6200 lbs with it pretty regularly. I did by a weight distribution hitch but nothing extra. My front end raises less that one half inch when hitched. Never had an issue but I keep it speed limit. I live in the foothills and we camp at state parks all over middle US.
Glad it works out for you. Trucks have come a long way! I have a 2007 Isuzu I-290 which was identical to a Colorado back then. I think my tow capacity was 1,500lbs. That was also with a 4 cylinder engine.
Sometimes people are just unaware. When we bought our last travel trailer, i got the impression the sales person thought we limiting our choices by only looking at trailers around 3000 lbs. Since we already had experience towing with our first trailer, i didnt want to have the new trailer to heavy. We have a 1st gen v6 tacoma which has a tow capacity of 5-6000 lbs. Our last truck was also a 4 cylinder tacoma with only a 3500 lb tow capacity with a 2400 lb trailer. So i aways want my truck heavier than the trailer we tow and to be with the manufactures specifications. Thanks for the video.
It sounds like you guys are properly setup! How does the Tacoma tow for you guys? Our 4Runner did a great job with our hybrid camper. I agree that sometimes people are just unaware - I think most newbies to the RV industry fall into that category. Of course there are the bad apples out there that don't care about the numbers or have any interest in understanding them. That's a great point and something I probably should have mentioned - the weight of your tow vehicle. Our tow vehicle has always weighed more then our camper and we have never had issues. I'll probably do another video down the road which talks about sizing your tow vehicle to your camper, I'll be sure to mention it in that video! Thanks for the tip!
@@ColoradoCamperman they both were able to tow out trailer, however, as the driver, the 4 cylinder was not the best driving experience. Thats why we bought the v6 which doesnt struggle. They are both 1st gen tacomas. The 4 cylinder was a 2000 xtracab with a 5 speed manual mated to a 3.73:1 rear differential. The v6 is a 2003 double cab with a 3 speed automatic + overdrive mated to a 4.10:1 rear differential. (i dont use overdrive when towing). The 4 cylinder gets 12-14 mpg towing and 25 - 28 mpg not towing. v6 gets 10 - 12 mpg towing and 19 - 21 mpg not towing. The two trucks are designed for different purposes. the 2000 is a sr5 basic truck and the 2003 is a trd offroad with big tires and a factory lift. I know a full size truck would get same or better mpg towing, however, i like the older toy trucks so i just have to keep the trailers smaller and lighter. Sorry for the long winded response, i really enjoy trucks and campers. Have a good one
Great info for towing, but if you put a slide in camper in a Chevy you need to look at a sticker in the glovebox it will show a weight for the camper which will be lower than the cargo weight. I have a 2013 Chevy Silverado 2500HD LT and max weight of a slide in camper for it is 2080 lbs.
Thanx for this video, my wife has an unrealistic idea of how my 150 can tow or how much I can put in the 6'5" bed for landscaping, and her desire for a camper.. This brought reality to to her misconception
Right on brother! You are so right that towing only 68% of your capacity gives you piece of mind. I’m in about the same boat. My tow capacity on my half ton is 8,800 lbs and my camper fully loaded is about 4,900 lbs. So I’m only about 56%. Makes me feel pretty good going down the road!
Thank you! It really is good piece of mind to be a well under the tow capacity of the truck. If we were like 90%, I'd feel like I'm beating the heck out of my truck every time we would go camping, lol. 56% is great, good for you man! That is a good cushion to have.
Colorado Camperman LOL, so I did some more digging. My capacity actually is only 7800 pounds, not 8800 which puts me at like 63 percent,so still good there. However, I dug out my cat scale printouts and dug into the GVWR, GAWR and GCWR. All of my numbers are well with the great range except for my rear axel. I have a half ton Ram 5.7 Hemi with the 3.21. My rear axel rating is 3990, and the CAT scale with trailer hooked up reads a hair over 5,000 on my rear axel. Only a little over 2,000 pounds rides on my trailer axels. But when you step back and look at my rig, it is perfectly level and rides great. I have a quality weight distribution system but now I’m thinking it is working TOO well. I’m a little perplexed.
@@cslay06 That's good you're still well under your tow capacity. I'm surprised to hear about your rear axle being over though. What do you carry in the rear of your truck? Sounds like you should be more then good with your setup, and it rides level too?!? That would perplex me as well.
@@ColoradoCamperman Yeah, I'm not TOO worried about it, but I'm a guy that takes the best care of my equipment as I can and it bothers me a little bit. That weight was with nothing in the back of the truck. I should try a weigh without the weight distribution bars hooked up, I'm sure I'll get very different results. I remember measuring my tongue weight 2 years ago, and I was just over 10% of the trailer weight, so I was happy with that, so it's gotta be the weight distribution that is shifting serious weight up into the frame of the truck. This isn't a bad thing, but I'm surprised how MUCH weight it's actually redistributing. Oh well, not gonna worry about it. Thanks for the reply, Brian. I hope you and the fam can get out on some private property soon and start camping. I've been out twice already boondocking and will probably go again next weekend : ) Thanks for the reply and the conversation!
Need to know the weight ratings Of the steer axle drive axle and trailer axles Now fuel truck top off the water tanks include the black water tank. Add the propane. Now go weight the truck at a cat scale. Subtract the axle ratings of every axle set with the empty weight of the cat scale. That is what you can haul. On each axle set up to the Gross Combined Weight Rating of your set up. Get the heaviest rated tires you can find. E rated is my minimum for truck tires. If possible run the same size tire all around. On the same wheel if possible. If not have a spare tire for each type tire/wheel. And a hydraulic bottle jack. Impact wrench and torque wrench. To be able to change the tire on the side of the road. Should also have a set of safety triangles like a semi is required to carry and an ABC fire extinguisher. In the truck. When loaded go back to the same cat scale and weigh again. This is your gross weight. Keep it with your vehicle registration and insurance card. Keep a copy of your trailer registration and insurance card for the trailer with it as well. It looks more professional when you do.
Great video, wish I had seen it sooner. I had recently bought a camper and asked the salesman (i know never ask a salesman if you want an honest answer) if my truck would be ok pulling the camper I was buying. "yeah your are fine" he says! towing capacity I was fine and load capacity I was fine. Of course that was until you filled the propane tanks, put batteries on the trailer, put your camper accessories in the pass through, maybe put some water in the water tank, through some stuff in the bed of the truck...etc and now your over your load capacity (double the load capacity of the Tundra I had). Now have a GMC 2500 HD.
Great video. I must say I learned something from your video ( thought I wouldn't to be honest) and I've been trailering boats and cargo trailers for 20 plus years and now I am towing a 30' RV Travel Trailer. I never knew you had to subtract the payload capacity from the tow rating. Thanks.
Cat Scales centers are a great way to double check your tow setup especially if you have a consistent setup. There are lots of videos about using this service. Also, I towed with a 1500 at 80% of max and 2500 with 80% of max and the 2500 hands down behaves way better on the road. Thanks for doing this video I learned something.
Thanks for the comment and watching! Yeah, Cat Scales are really nice. I was intimidated going to a scale at first, but I've always had a great experience. Totally true with what you said on the difference between 1500 and 2500, very noticeable difference!
Great information I learned a lot and now I know what to look for when I am buying a camper. I was thinking about buying a camper that weighed 6,000 lbs. but after your video I can only haul 4,600lbs which is 80 percent. Thank you for the video
Thank you for this. I believe that there are "heavier duty" 1500 series truck, just like the one GMC used to make. We bought the GMC Sierra 1500 with the NHT package, and it lists at 7600 GVWR, with a maximum of 11700lbs of towing capacity. Indeed, we try to leave 15% of the capacity intact, so we can tow safely, and where ever we want to go (hills, mountains, rockies, etc...). Great calculation will lead to safer trailering indeed! Be safe all! Thanks again :-)
You're welcome! That seems like a pretty decent GVWR, a lot of 1500 trucks seem to sit around 7,000lbs so that's great you're 10% higher then them. Good call on leaving the 15%, I really think that is a safe way to go. Thanks for watching!
We also just bought a new beefier GMC 1500 with good solid numbers just for our ultra lite which is in fact basically a bit lighter is about what it boils down to but there is comfort in the numbers now!
Grim dumping stops at minute 2:26 just for those wondering Aside from the long-winded naggy beginning, (I recognize why it was necessary to throughly explain the example provided because, common sense is absolutely not common) the video is very informative and much appreciated!! Thank you
You should mention the weight numbers on the camper are always much less than the camper actually weighs and often don’t include things such as batteries, propane, awning, etc. Also, a tongue weight scale is essential. I’ve seen travel trailers have double the tongue weight they claim, particularly due to what I previously stated combined with whatever and where you load your cargo. For example, a front kitchen will be loaded with food and pans. Front bedroom can add up quickly. Depending on where the water tanks are can drastically affect this number.
"I can tow my 5th wheel with my Dodge Dakota and I don't even know it's back there". Famous final words as the next Darwin Award winner gets ready kick his bucket.
Hahaha 😂 I googled "5th wheel trailers for half ton trucks" out of curiosity (I know almost all of them are too heavy). Very first article tried to tell me that there's DOZENS of 5th wheels that work with half tons. PLENTY OF OPTIONS lol yeah right.
Very informative and lots of food for thought! I was leaning toward a Tacoma with 6’ bed for hauling yard waste, some light house remodeling debris once in a while. I hadn’t given thought of towing. We don’t currently own a trailer camper…wouldn’t mind one as an empty nester…I need to rethink my truck strategy now….
Thanks for the great information. The camper dealerships are horrible at telling people bad information. I pulled up all the information and did the math. 2018 Toyota Tundra 5.7 4x4 crewmax With tow package. GVWR 7,200 with full tank gas Trailer 6,740 GCWR 13,940 My max GCWR 16,000 that gives me 2,060
@@ColoradoCamperman No problem, people forget this and suddenly discover what they thought their tongue weight was is actually significantly higher after loading everything up.
For our Ford 150 hybrid with a built in generator and a lithium battery, we figured out how much we can safely can pull for towing a travel trailer. But we never thought about weighing our truck, which I think is a smart thing to do that he thinks is too much to do. But great video.
Thank you for posting this video, really love it. For everyone's sake home that Dakota breaks down soon, and the owner is smart enough to get a cummins after that.
That’s awesome! There was an old guy by me that would haul 8 round hay bales on a Gooseneck trailer with a Chevy s10 pickup. His pickup looked like a low rider. It was hilarious to watch him drive by everyday!
Good explanation. I have a 2018 2500 nearly identical to yours. The numbers are the same. I didn't see where Chevy's tow capacity numbers included the payload of your truck. Right now we are only towing a hybrid very similar to what you used to have, but in the future want to upgrade to a fifth wheel. Some of these ratings I swear are meant to confuse you so you don't know for sure what is legal and what isn't. If I did the math correctly, and some of that depends on the pin weight of the fifth wheel, I think I max out around 11,300 GVWR on the fifth wheel. Great video.
Thank you! I agree, it is super confusing! So the curb weight on my truck is around 7,058lbs with a full tank of gas (no gear or passengers, just the truck & gas). GCWR is 21,100lbs. In the trailering guide, it states 13,900lbs is the towing capacity. So, if you add 7,058lbs+13,900lbs = 20,958lbs (that's where they get the 21,100lbs). As you can see, they add payload and hitch towing in the 13,900lbs. The payload I have available is 9,900GVWR-7,058curb weight = 2,842lbs payload. If you put aside passengers & gear (say 600lbs) that would give you 2,242lbs left for a 5th wheel hitch and the pin weight. If I maxed out my payload I should have 11,200lbs left (21,100 GCWR -9,900 GVWR). Hopefully that makes sense and I didn't confuse you more, lol! Thanks for watching!
Very good explanation! My 2006 Tundra has the tow package which is good with the tow/haul mode, trans cooler, larger brakes etc. but it still only has a tow rating of 7300 Lbs with a 1350 Lb CCC. I'm looking at a Winnebago Micro Minnie trailer that has a dry weight of 3660 lbs, max weight 5000 Lbs, hitch weight 380 lbs, 2-3000 axles. I will max out on gear at aprox 800 lbs for a loaded weight aprox 4500 Lbs. This will be aprox 70% of my truck's tow rate. My problem will be my CCC. I want to add a topper at 200Lbs, hitch weight of 400 Lbs, this will give me aprox 750 Lbs left over for my Golden, myself, extra water and extra gas. I figure I will be at about 100 Lbs less than my CCC which is closer than I like but doable. I will use a equalizer WDH/anti sway. I am going to add air bags also. I intend to take the WDH bars off as soon as I get off the highway and use the bags to level out with. At 30% less than tow max, my tow package, able to get the hitch to 12-15% of trailer weight, early in life 20 years plus semi driver and heavy equip op before I went through the Sheriff's Training Academy at 40. I think I'm sitting good as long as I stay to a smaller light weight trailer.
Thanks Richard! It sounds like you really have your numbers down and are good with that setup. Those Winnebago Micro MInnie's are pretty sweet! I really like those trailers. Anything that size sounds like it will be perfect. It's crazy how once you run the numbers, everything adds up quickly! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Question about your "max weight 5000 Lbs, hitch weight 380 lbs". I'm thinking that the hitch weight with your Minnie loaded to 5000# would be more in the 500#-750# range based on the 10%-15% guidelines, right? That would add another couple hundred pounds to your CCC. You might want to check this with a hitch scale.
@@barrynash1126 You're on target with the hitch weight. These RV manufacturers are relentless with false numbers for their hitch weights that they advertise.
Gotta know the type of trailer too. Some People think all trailers are the same. Just because I’d pull a 9-10,000 lb boat trailer with my tundra on flat land 12 miles to the boat ramp dosent mean I want to go get a 10k lb camper and take it through the mountains on windy days. Know your trailer and where your taking it. Picking the truck you need will make your day much easier. If you’re buying a truck to tow all the time. Go bigger. It definitely won’t hurt.
Thanks for bringing up a good point, I agree with you 100%. I also agree to buy a bigger truck then you think you'll need. Most people don't regret buying too big of a truck, but the reverse happens all the time. Thanks for watching!
Wow! A video on UA-cam that actually was full of useful information and wasn't trying to sell me something. This is the greatest informational video I have seen in years. Thank you! Here's a question for you: What class of truck would you recommend to tow a Tent Trailer weighing in at 2500 to 3500 pounds? I don't want to spend too much on a truck if I don't have to!
Thanks for the kind words Ryan! We had a Toyota 4Runner that pulled out pop-up camper very nicely. It had a max tow capacity of 5,000lbs so it was plenty capable. I think our trailer only weighed around 2,000lbs. Pop-up/tent trailers tow very easy. You don't get hardly any wind/air drag since they have such a low profile. A vehicle that had a tow capacity of 5-6,000lbs, would be adequate enough for a 2,500-3,500lb trailer. IMO, you can't go wrong on getting too much tow vehicle. So if you find a similarly priced tow vehicle with a higher tow capacity, you may want to consider going that route. That way if you upgrade to a heavier trailer down the road, you don't have to upgrade your tow vehicle again. That will also give you a larger cushion in your tow capacity and your towing experience will likely be better. I hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman Thanks! Do you think a Silverado 1500 with a V6 and 7900 towing capacity would be enough for a travel trailer around 4,000 lbs? I'm trying to decide between a pop up trailer or a lightweight travel trailer.
@@pwrof3 Is that the dry weight or the gross weight of the trailer? If that is the gross weight, it looks like you have plenty of room in your towing capacity. A pop-up trailer will naturally tow much easier because of wind drag. So even if you the pop-up and TT weighed the same, the pop-up would be much easier to tow.
Thanks for great video. Also really critical that folks keep an eye on weight carrying vs weight distributing ratings. Example being F150 - through model year 2020 in ANY configuration, including max towing package that will have alleged capacity of 13,200lbs, the absolute max for a weight carrying two is still only 5,000lbs! Even a 2016 F350 dually diesel has a maximum weight carrying towing capacity of only 8,500lbs. For Ford, there was a big bump from 2017 model year for Super Duty but F150 remains 5,000.
@@ColoradoCamperman I think he's talking about a Weight Distribution Hitch. I don't like how chevy's (other's might do the same) have that v-5 hitch without ALL THE INFORMATION on them. The max hitch weight on you're hitch is with a weight distribution hitch. You're max hitch weight would be around 1/2 that without.
Ford lists weight carrying at 500/5000 because the bumper itself is rated at that, and is the limit they set per SAE J2807 for unloaded steering. GM is 700/7000. WDH ratings are where the real numbers are. Again, they are all set to SAE J2807 specs and they have to have 33% of all vehicles sold be capable of those ratings, for all manufacturers that use the J2807 standards, which by now they all should be. Those are all set at 10% tongue weight and 15 % pin weight, and are meant for flat bed cargo trailers, car carriers, etc that tow easy with little sway at 10% TW, but anyone who has towed a travel trailer at 10% TW will know, thats not a good idea. IOW take the tow numbers with a grain of salt because you won't ever be able to actually tow that much trailer with the majority of trucks sold.
I live close to a BLM off road recreation area. The biggest problem truck is the Ford F-150. I see three axle trailers often. Either sagging or with a ‘load leveler’. 1/2 tons have C channel frames, whereas 3/4 & up have box frames.
Holy smokes a F150 towing a 3 axle trailer?!? Who in their right mind would think that is a good idea? You're spot on with the different frames. A lot of people don't consider that when comparing a 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Anytime you see a pick up and or SUV towing a boat or trailer and the front of the truck/suv is pointed up and rear looks like it is sitting on the ground....GET AWAY from that vehicle as it is an accident waiting to happen. If it hits a bump the truck can loose all contact with the road and wreak. You don't even have to be going fast.
The fellow towing that fifth wheel with his Dakota was also dragging the connecting wires on the pavement. Doesn't even look to have been a harness there, just a couple of wires dangling and scraping pavement so the trailer likely had no lights. That being said I doubt a judge would give that fellow a life sentence unless prior records, even with a death.
Simply put, the dealer and or salesperson isn't going to pay the ticket and fines for being over your payload capacity, know your numbers everyone, I like the one comment here, more truck than trailer safety safety safety 👍🏼
I heard the same b s from r v dealer we have 150 v 8 (you can pull 10000 lbs) have a air stream 16 foot loaded out 3500 lbs not using distribution hitch 3.31 rear end when towing 15 miles per gallon all day long only thing done to truck airbags for squat. My wife and I love this combination only change too air stream was adding sink in the wet bath for hand washing. Never payed any attention to what or how people are until I started at least 30 percent of towers towering dangerously .
A lot of good info! I have a Ram 1500, and we're looking into trailers. Says it can pull 7600 lbs, but as I am looking around I realize that doesn't necessarily mean I should get 7600 GVWR. Looking for a lighter option.
Great advice and video. You are right you gotta know the weights yourself don’t depend on a truck or RV salesman to shoot you straight into. They’re gonna tell you what you want to hear to sell you a rig. Also I might add your trucks towing capacity will also depend on gear ratio and which transmission is installed on your particular truck.
Thanks Kevin! Good point, I should have talked about that. I may have to do a part 2 where I talked about that and axle weight rating as well. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Really useful video, and exactly the info I've been looking into. I have a 4-door wrangler I love, and am having it regeared for better low-end torque (live in New Mexico). There are only two travel trailers that are in contention (SafariCondo) and Casita. We're new to this, so don't want to experiment with a $50K SafariCondo trailer, so it's probably the Casita. Just me, my wife, and my dog. There's so much to explore in the West, and we want to do it in short trips. Thanks again
You're welcome! Glad you found some useful info out of the video. Those Casita's are pretty sweet! I hope you find one that works out for you! Thanks for the comment and watching!
I'm sorry, but the Dodge Dakota had its tailgate down to decrease drag and increase fuel mileage - that has to count for something!! Great video - very helpful - thanks.
Totally agree about camper salesmen, maybe about 1/2 know what they are talking about and maybe only about 1/4 of salesmen can even hook up a camper. Another scary thing is there is no test or anything people buy a 30 plus foot camper, and the camper store send them on their way.
I sold and helped installed trailer hitches of all makes for 17 years and I found the majority of the dealers salesmen do not know anything about towing and they will tell the customer any thing to sell the truck. Many times they would call to schedule us to install trailer wiring on a truck and I would tell to walk to the back of the truck and they would see it already had the wiring there as it was included by the factory. The smart salesmen would call and tell me the year make model of the truck and what the customer wanted and I would then tell them what needed to be done to make it happen or that is was not possible for that vehicle. My favorite was a customer brought in a Ford Explorer Sport Trac ( the Explorer with small pickup bed ) and wanted the largest trailer hitch we could put on the vehicle. I asked him what did he plan to tow and he said he had a four horse trailer he was going to tow. Told him he did not have enough truck to tow that kind of load and he said they dealer told him it could handle the load with no problem. He would not listen to me so I sold him and installed the heaviest duty hitch available for the vehicle and took his money. A month later he was back in with a Ford F350 Super Duty that he has us set up to tow the horse trailer.
Thank you! Lol, good! That is probably worse then what this guy was doing. I tried calling the state troopers but *CSP was not working. I tried a few other numbers and no luck, I don't know what the deal was there. You used to be able to call *CSP and report drivers. They must have stopped doing that because they were probably getting hammered with calls. Thanks for watching and the comment Keith!
Colorado Camperman, I think you could call 911 in that situation. Tell them right up front, “I’m not sure if this warrants 911, but it could very shortly.” And go on to explain. I think a responding officer would agree with your call. Nobody wants to be the tattle-tail, but I’d rather that, than hear a news story about someone killed by the guy.
I have had dealers try to sell me a heavier camper trailer because they thought my truck was capable of towing the weight. Buyers be aware. It could cost your lives.
I looked at a huge Grand Design 5th wheel to kill some time, while my wife was at the hair salon across the street. The 1st thing the sales guy told me was "looks like you have the truck to pull it", he had no idea nor did he care that my 3500 SRW lacked the towing capacity to safely tow that huge 5thwheel. Sales guys are in the business of selling not setting up a tow package, I ALWAYS tell anyone who asks to STOP and research the towing capacity necessary for whatever RV purchase they intend to make AND THEN discuss a purchase based upon one's due diligence, knowledge of the RV. So many people put the cart before the horse during an RV purchase.
I learned the hard way like most. I bought a 25ft travel trailer with a Dodge Durango SUV tow vehicle. Yup I got the trailer to my house but I was almost blown off the HWY by a big rig. I had trailer breaks installed and I bought a $1200 weight distribution hitch. Getting my trailer home was so traumatic that the trailer STAYED AT HOME! Now I have a new F-250 and a whole lot of confidence! And I can move up to a 5th wheel like I plan to do in the future... Folks DO NOT think for a second that the camper store is going to give you good advice. All they care about is you pulling the trailer off their lot and they will tell you anything to make that happen.
Jeez, sorry to hear about that. I've heard similar stories. It's a shame some sales people are so unethical that they will put people at risk like that. The weight distribution hitch should have been setup when you bought it. Did you end up using the trailer or did you get rid of it? Thanks for watching!
Very nice presentation. I tow lots and see countless people struggling while towing. Unaware of the risk they are taking . I have a 3/4 ton diesel. It tows everything I need with ease where a half ton would be maxed out.
Since I'm bad with math, this is why I bought a dually, for my 2301 8000 pounds boat ,stops great too i don't need a lawsuit, or prison time be smart people
FWIW. If you tow with a Mercedes Sprinter, and probably some other Euro style vans... There is a difference between Detroit Iron tow calculations and Sprinter tow calculations. Most Sprinters are 5000# trailer with 500# tongue weight. Some Sprinter models are 7500/750. The only deduction including payload capacity during towing is to subtract the actual tongue weight. Up to the payload capacity: fuel, number of passengers, etc. are not deducted. It makes the Sprinter calculations less complex.
According to the CAT scale my 30' travel trailer weights 7,014 lbs loaded and ready to go. The hitch weight is 850 lbs. My problem was I refuse to drive two vehicles to every (any) camping trip with our family of 6. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a SUV with a payload more than 1,700 lbs???? The trailer weight and family exceeds almost every SUV payload rating. The only vehicle I know of that did not require me to drive with child in a front bench, was the heavy duty Suburban. And they stopped making those in 2019. I agree with you, the extra capacity does make the road trip more enjoyable.
An interesting figure that’s often overlooked that would have been applicable to talk about in your video is what the rear axle is rated for and where you’re at with that figure with your rig all loaded down for a trip. I’m sure you’d still have room to spare there too, but I think the rear gawr is often the first number to be exceeded, even before payload or towing capacities.
I bet it does, you actually had to work and go through training to get a CDL. Clowns like this dude didn't do crap and are putting tons of people in danger by driving overloaded. Thanks for watching Daniel!
The dude in the fifth wheel gives me hope. I just bought a 3300 lb Wolf Pup to pull with my Colorado. After seeing that I don't think I'll have any issues.
Pause video when you are watching the dude in the dodge pulling the 5th wheel. If you notice there are wires dragging on the road. I’m curious if these are the trailer brake wires. Also looks like the door to propane storage is loose. Great video!
Lol, I did see a old Tacoma pulling a 30'+ bumper pull camper once. He was doing about 45-50mph and struggling bad. He too was at least double his payload and towing capacity. Thanks for watching!
Good vid! I see so many people obviously overweight driving 1500’s towing monster campers. Dealers really won’t tell you this, if they even know! I had a 1500, upgraded my camper, crunched some numbers and soon realized that just me getting in the drivers seat threw it overweight, let alone any passengers, tools, gear, etc. I ended up getting a 2500HD specifically for towing my monster and my cushion is about 1500lbs after all said and done. Now, i tell folks to not pay attention to towing capacity, but rather gcvwr. Just because you can tow it, doesn’t mean you should. Besides, the 2500 just feels much more stable towing my current monster than my 1500 did towing my last camper. That HD suspension is night and day, though stiff af without a load lol. The fines alone for being overweight will dampen anyones camping season(s), more importantly, better safe than sorry.
Glad you got a 2500HD that was better setup for your rig! Like you said, there is a huge difference in stability when you tow with a 2500HD vs 1500. A 2500 will weigh probably 1,500-2,000lbs more than a 1500. That right there makes a massive difference, especially if you're towing a bigger trailer. Thanks for the comment and watching Cory!
Unbelievable what some will do. Saw almost the same, the guy was towing with a Nissan Frontier. How on earth did the FW hitch even get mounted. It puts everyone at risk.
Hi Brian what's going on man thank you for Doing this video you are a great person to show the pay load for a vehicle any time you put a camper or a pull trailer or 5th wheel its gotta be a 1 Ton Full size 4 door crew cab 1 ton 4x4
Hey David, thanks for the comment! I like to practice what I preach, lol! While driving my truck is not the easiest, I love the benefits of a crew cab and a long bed. And of course 4x4! Things are going well here, I can't wait to get out camping! We're going to need a retreat to the mountains after all this corona craziness. How have you been?
Actually a single cab 2wd will have a greater cargo carrying capacity, greater tow capacity and thus greater GVWR for same year make and model. People often choose the 4 door 4wd and not realize they are giving up a bit in carrying capacity as the truck is significantly heavier and not any stronger.
We have the same sort of idiots over here in Australia as well. Quite frankly, their total lack of common sense and disregard for safety astounds me. But, you can't fix stupid.
I was wanting to tow a 28 foot fifth wheel with my f250 and believe it or not THAT was too close to max...PAYLOAD, by the time I filled the water tanks,gear,food,clothing, propane tanks and hitch weight, spare tires and a small tool kit,+ us for our 15000 km dream road trip. I could have towed it but I had only about 200 pounds to MAX PAYLOAD, so I decided to wait a year after buying the fifth wheel and traded up to a f350 super duty diesel. I'm glad I did. No trouble now I have the drivetrain,engine and suspension and good breaks to do this safely. The dude at the trailer sales said to me...no no no you dont need a f350...a f250 is enough but I went home and did all the math and calculated all the weight... he was wrong. He was worried he wasn't going to make the sale that's all. My f250 could pull Noah's ark but it is not about tow capacity it is about payload capacity(you have to be able to get stopped) and respecting your vehicle.THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO IT IS EXCELLENT..MORE SHOULD WATCH THESE! IM PRAYING FOR THAT DUDE AND EVERYONE AROUND HIM. The trailer sales dept should lose their business license for allowing this and sending him out on public roads like that. I hope you reported this!
Good for you for crunching the numbers most people in your situation would have just listened to that salesman. That's why we have dudes in the video on the road. I tried calling the troopers on him and couldn't get through. I slowed down to follow behind him and someone was behind him on the phone, hopefully talking to the troopers. Thanks for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman Just to let you know..I hauled steel for two years. I trained on a 48 foot enclosed trailer (van) for a year with another driver before they allowed me to go long haul on my own (before the driving hours restrictions). I drove a 79 freightliner 425 cat diesel with four axles...a four legger one lift axle. (20000 pound per axle here in Canada) 120000 GVW. We had tack cards and if we went over 90 km/hr ...we got one warning...that's it. Because you just can't get stopped hauling that much. At normal braking conditions dry pavement at 90 km per hour it took 500 feet to stop..thats almost two football fields. I quit because I found it too nerve wracking.I was tensing behind the wheel.I found it hard to relax behind the wheel.
Or...Carolina Squat. In Florida, there are tons of people that do it. They will put a 6" suspension lift on the front and leave the back on the ground! It is dangerous, ugly, and illegal!
@@ColoradoCamperman me neither!!! Is it retarded! I couldn't even stand it when I towed a trailer and my back end squatted a little, so I added airbags!
I agree with you completely. But im always wondering why anyone buys a 3/4 ton ? Same size, and weight .... and almost the same price as the similarly equipped 1 ton that gives you a lot more capability.
I bought a 3/4 ton vs 1 ton because that is all I could find. I couldn't find a SRW 1 ton with the gas engine, crew cab, long bed configuration. Even if I could have, I didn't want to spend anymore then what we did on our truck. Thanks for watching!
Colorado Camperman Same here. I have a 2019 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 double cab short bed 6.0l and with a payload of 2,985 I’m good to go to tow anything I’d want to tow ! Plus at a OTD price of $33k I’m very happy with the purchase. Over 5,000 miles towing on it so far from California to Minnesota I know I’m as safe as I can be towing. If I was towing 15k then I’d have another truck. Great video! 👍
...and for your next video, "child locks". Very informative info I once lost a trailer on the hwy, wrong ball size. Good thing I had strong safety chains on. 👍
Re: The camper/bicycle picture. I think I've seen that picture before. I'm pretty sure that's in southeast Asia. H's not towing the camper, it's attached like a truck camper. Yep here it is www.wired.com/2009/08/camper-bike-a-home-on-three-wheels/ And Here: www.kevincyr.net/index.php?/project/camper-bike/
Hi colorado camperman! This video is very useful for me. I was looking at small camper trailers for my acura rdx suv. I was able to lookup the gvwr, gawr and did some basic math with the torque my 6 cyl 3.5 liter vehicle produces and figure out that all I can haul safely is a micro pop up. Apparently my vehicle is a sport suv that's designed for speed and highway performance, and not hauling heavy loads . So thank you. Time for a second car that can actually haul a decent sized camper.
The Dakota Dude already had a problem with the tailgate and the gooseneck tangling. He very likely high centered going over a bump or something like that and the trailer bottomed out on the tailgate, tweaking it to a point where it can't be closed properly. "Here's your sign!" 🤪🙄👍
I did some stupid shit when I was young and broke that fortunately never resulted in an accident. There were a couple white knuckle hairy occasions though and I'll be the first to tell you that just because you can pull it, it doesn't mean you can stop it.
Thanks! Just Google "2019 Chevy trailering guide." There's a PDF guide with all the info you need. I don't know how many years that guide goes back. Thanks for watching!
Well here's what I don't understand..... Why doesn't the government just just recall and destroy all of the half-ton trucks (since people, other than me, hate them) and use the material and add to it to make one tons??!!! Just make every truck, outside of the 450s, or 4500 etc and up, a one ton. Just makes sense to me.
You make a good point about 1/2 ton pickups. When my dad was buying a truck that was intended to pull a 5th wheel camper, the salesman tried to talk him into a 1/2 ton. I told my dad that yes, the newer 1/2 tons could probably haul the 8k lb 5th wheel, but 3/4 ton trucks have bigger brakes, bigger transmissions, bigger axles, etc. and since he was intending to haul a camper a bunch, than the 3/4 ton is a much better option. Bottom line: Salesman are there to sell you a truck, they don't give a shit whether or not it is actually the right vehicle for you. Bonus points for those that understand that some salesman may actually sell you something that they know will possibly fail so that their service department can gain work and sales
When it comes to towing, my number one concern is not how much weight can i pull, but how much weight can I stop.
Good point, thanks for watching!
If your trailer has brakes it should stop itself, if you know what i mean.
Completely agree with you. My brother use to brag about his f150s towing capacity until a loaded dump trailer pushed him down a hill because he didn’t adjust the brakes. He now has an f350 like me.
Exactly. I loved Air brakes on my tractor trailer. Adjusted properly, they were solid and reliable (just had to be careful in below freezing Temps n chock wheels when stop for long mandatory breaks.
Thank u as long as u have trailer brakes ur good
THANK YOU for saying “Just because you can tow it doesn’t mean you should “. I just recently saw a tundra towing a 37’ fifth wheel, I had a 2017 Silverado 3500 single rear wheel and found we were 800lbs overloaded. We went and got a 2020 Silverado 3500 dually, to not only ensure I was safe for my family but safe for everyone else around me on the road. It infuriates me when I see Tundras and Titans towing things I wouldn’t tow with a 2500HD. GREAT VIDEO, Thank you for bringing this to us.
You're welcome Paul! That is insane that a Tundra was pulling a 37' 5th wheel! I love Tundra's and I even considered buying one. But their payload capacity is too low, especially for a big rig like that. You made a respectable decision! It sounds like you have a much better setup. Thanks for the comment and watching!
After seeing that small Dakota tow a fifth wheel. I no longer need the numbers. I have the confidence.
Nicholas Cage is very knowledgeable when is come to towing. Who would of thought... :)
Lol, I still don't see the resemblance although there must be one since you're one of several people that have commented about it! Thanks for watching!
you are mistaken........that's Aaron Rodgers...........
I'm pretty sure this is Ryan Reynolds. DeadPool camping
More like Ethan Hawk
Lol he do look like Nickolas cage, as well as Aron rogers 🤣 y'all funny
Truck driver/ RVer. Glad to see people paying attention to the numbers that matter 👍
Heck yeah! Thanks for the comment and watching!
I always say, it’s better to over-truck your trailer than it is to over-trailer your truck. This is a perfect example of this. You have left yourself a lot of room in the weight department which makes for a much more enjoyable camping experience. You did a great job with the video as well.
Well put! I like that saying and it makes a ton of sense. Thanks for the compliment and watching!
I had a F150 to pull my 28”Rv, as I saw lots videos like yours, I sold it and got a GMC 2500 HD. My safety and the others around matters a lot. Safety is more important for me than fuel economy.Thanks for you very well done video.
Thanks! Good for you! That is a much better setup and like you said, a lot safer. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for putting this out for all to see the truth of what they are doing to their family and everyone else on the road. When I lived in Caryville TN it was a sport to see how long we could go between crashed campers on the southbound I-75 between Caryville and Oak Ridge TN. Please remember folks, its not a contest as to who can pull the most. At some point you have to keep it all under control on grades as well as emergency stopping.
You're welcome Jason! Well said man! Some people don't realize those weight ratings are to keep yourself and everyone else on the road SAFE! Thanks for watching and the comment!
Hisenberg is that you
You talking about going down jellico
It is also very important to check your tire rating. If you have stock tires, you might want an upgrade
Very good point! Thanks for the comment and watching!
This is very good advice and it's critically important for safety. It doesn't matter how your truck can tow, it matters how much your truck can STOP in an emergency situation.
Thank you! I agree with you 100%. Thanks for watching!
Your video should be required viewing for anybody buying or selling an RV. Great job
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback! Honest RV dealers/sales people usually give some good information, but unfortunately there are the guys out there just looking to make a buck and don't think of the safety risks involved in not setting people up properly.
I agree!!!! Hell....I'd go as far as saying Dealers need to watch it as well. They are all idiots!
Lol, the ones selling don't care. If something catastrophic happens, they don't assume any liability, yet you can be sure they promise the world to get a sale.... Then they sell more after. Ugh.
@@ColoradoCamperman same with motorcycles. Sadly, the new inexperienced owners pay a high price.
@@birdlady2725 Yeah, that is sad and unfortunate! You definitely have to do plenty of your own research prior to buying a large item like that.
Suspension and brakes are generally maxed out well before the motor. It's the whoa not the go that's the problem
I agree 100%, thanks for watching!
I move an 11000 camper with my Tacoma in the campground wow never on the road 5 to 10 mph I had a hard time stopping
It’s all about physics. A full size pickup is nothing if the RV breaks traction. 4 to 6 small patches of rubber is all that keeps you in control.
and that's the thing most people don't understand. you little truck could probably yank 10k down the road at a decent speed but you're going to have some trouble slowing down.
I appreciate a breakdown of what the advertised numbers mean versus an actual use-case scenario. The context is incredibly important
Glad the breakdown could be helpful! Thanks for the comment and watching!
A couple of notes about 1/2 ton towing(also applies to SUVs). Your stock tires are probably not gonna cut it. 8 ply tires will dramatically improve side to side sway. Get the best weight distributing hitch you can afford. Hensley arrows, Reese dual cams. They make all the difference. Don't drive 70mph when towing with a 1/2 ton. Like others have stated, it's the stopping ability that matters. There is definitely a difference between trying to stop at 55-60 vs 70 when towing with a 1/2 ton. And get a good brake controller. I'm a fan of Prodigy, but there are other good brands. The last thing you want in an emergency is a brake controller that won't give enough power to your trailer brakes.
Well said, thanks for sharing those tips! Thanks for watching!
Great Straight Forward Advice.... As a recreational tow driver with moderate experience with a 1/2 ton Suburban, 5200 lb Camper, Family & Gear I'll add, A.) Air-Up your oem tires before a trip. B.) Get to know your Brake Controler, so you can "Tune It" on-the-fly to better match road & weather conditions. and C.) Towing any kind of real weight is not a race... Feel Out your tow vehicle and trailer, Together they behave unlike any other. Each combination has its own personality. Find your Rigs speed, braking, wind resistance and abrupt steering input stability/recovery Sweet Spots and stay within them.... it's not about driving your car/truck somewhere, it's about Transporting a Heavy Load to its destination.
why does this video have 204 dislikes? pretty knowledgeable guy here... and everything he's saying is true.
Lol, you got me! It must be the Dakota driver and his buddies who like to tow unsafely down the road. Thanks for watching!
Because internet experts are always in comments
I have a 2022 Colorado. Max is 7700 lbs with about 1500 lb payload capacity. I tow 26' long 6200 lbs with it pretty regularly. I did by a weight distribution hitch but nothing extra. My front end raises less that one half inch when hitched. Never had an issue but I keep it speed limit. I live in the foothills and we camp at state parks all over middle US.
Glad it works out for you. Trucks have come a long way! I have a 2007 Isuzu I-290 which was identical to a Colorado back then. I think my tow capacity was 1,500lbs. That was also with a 4 cylinder engine.
How are your brakes?
@OGamputee Good. No wear beyond normal and it stops well. I do have trailer brakes though.
Sometimes people are just unaware. When we bought our last travel trailer, i got the impression the sales person thought we limiting our choices by only looking at trailers around 3000 lbs. Since we already had experience towing with our first trailer, i didnt want to have the new trailer to heavy. We have a 1st gen v6 tacoma which has a tow capacity of 5-6000 lbs. Our last truck was also a 4 cylinder tacoma with only a 3500 lb tow capacity with a 2400 lb trailer. So i aways want my truck heavier than the trailer we tow and to be with the manufactures specifications. Thanks for the video.
It sounds like you guys are properly setup! How does the Tacoma tow for you guys? Our 4Runner did a great job with our hybrid camper. I agree that sometimes people are just unaware - I think most newbies to the RV industry fall into that category. Of course there are the bad apples out there that don't care about the numbers or have any interest in understanding them.
That's a great point and something I probably should have mentioned - the weight of your tow vehicle. Our tow vehicle has always weighed more then our camper and we have never had issues. I'll probably do another video down the road which talks about sizing your tow vehicle to your camper, I'll be sure to mention it in that video! Thanks for the tip!
@@ColoradoCamperman they both were able to tow out trailer, however, as the driver, the 4 cylinder was not the best driving experience. Thats why we bought the v6 which doesnt struggle. They are both 1st gen tacomas. The 4 cylinder was a 2000 xtracab with a 5 speed manual mated to a 3.73:1 rear differential. The v6 is a 2003 double cab with a 3 speed automatic + overdrive mated to a 4.10:1 rear differential. (i dont use overdrive when towing). The 4 cylinder gets 12-14 mpg towing and 25 - 28 mpg not towing. v6 gets 10 - 12 mpg towing and 19 - 21 mpg not towing. The two trucks are designed for different purposes. the 2000 is a sr5 basic truck and the 2003 is a trd offroad with big tires and a factory lift. I know a full size truck would get same or better mpg towing, however, i like the older toy trucks so i just have to keep the trailers smaller and lighter. Sorry for the long winded response, i really enjoy trucks and campers. Have a good one
Great info for towing, but if you put a slide in camper in a Chevy you need to look at a sticker in the glovebox it will show a weight for the camper which will be lower than the cargo weight. I have a 2013 Chevy Silverado 2500HD LT and max weight of a slide in camper for it is 2080 lbs.
Yes, I know I have a sticker in there as well. Thanks for watching!
I also like the 75 - 80% for cargo weight in trailer.
Good tip, thanks for the comment and watching!
If they are required by OSHA in the ratings of the trucks. Most manufacturers I think can only state 75% of the failure rate.
Throw some airbags on that Dakota and maybe a chrome exhaust tip and he’s good to go! 😂
In the harley shop that I use to work in the quote was, "Chrome dont get you home, but Shiney may get you hiney."
Lol! Thanks for watching!
Thanx for this video, my wife has an unrealistic idea of how my 150 can tow or how much I can put in the 6'5" bed for landscaping, and her desire for a camper.. This brought reality to to her misconception
@@p.t.benzinger2179 lol, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for watching
YEE YEE
Right on brother! You are so right that towing only 68% of your capacity gives you piece of mind. I’m in about the same boat. My tow capacity on my half ton is 8,800 lbs and my camper fully loaded is about 4,900 lbs. So I’m only about 56%. Makes me feel pretty good going down the road!
Thank you! It really is good piece of mind to be a well under the tow capacity of the truck. If we were like 90%, I'd feel like I'm beating the heck out of my truck every time we would go camping, lol. 56% is great, good for you man! That is a good cushion to have.
Colorado Camperman LOL, so I did some more digging. My capacity actually is only 7800 pounds, not 8800 which puts me at like 63 percent,so still good there. However, I dug out my cat scale printouts and dug into the GVWR, GAWR and GCWR. All of my numbers are well with the great range except for my rear axel. I have a half ton Ram 5.7 Hemi with the 3.21. My rear axel rating is 3990, and the CAT scale with trailer hooked up reads a hair over 5,000 on my rear axel. Only a little over 2,000 pounds rides on my trailer axels. But when you step back and look at my rig, it is perfectly level and rides great. I have a quality weight distribution system but now I’m thinking it is working TOO well. I’m a little perplexed.
@@cslay06 That's good you're still well under your tow capacity. I'm surprised to hear about your rear axle being over though. What do you carry in the rear of your truck? Sounds like you should be more then good with your setup, and it rides level too?!? That would perplex me as well.
@@ColoradoCamperman Yeah, I'm not TOO worried about it, but I'm a guy that takes the best care of my equipment as I can and it bothers me a little bit. That weight was with nothing in the back of the truck. I should try a weigh without the weight distribution bars hooked up, I'm sure I'll get very different results. I remember measuring my tongue weight 2 years ago, and I was just over 10% of the trailer weight, so I was happy with that, so it's gotta be the weight distribution that is shifting serious weight up into the frame of the truck. This isn't a bad thing, but I'm surprised how MUCH weight it's actually redistributing. Oh well, not gonna worry about it. Thanks for the reply, Brian. I hope you and the fam can get out on some private property soon and start camping. I've been out twice already boondocking and will probably go again next weekend : ) Thanks for the reply and the conversation!
17 hours to find this video! Best explanation of how to find these numbers and what they mean!
Glad you found the video and that it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Need to know the weight ratings
Of the steer axle drive axle and trailer axles
Now fuel truck top off the water tanks include the black water tank.
Add the propane.
Now go weight the truck at a cat scale. Subtract the axle ratings of every axle set with the empty weight of the cat scale. That is what you can haul. On each axle set up to the Gross Combined Weight Rating of your set up.
Get the heaviest rated tires you can find. E rated is my minimum for truck tires. If possible run the same size tire all around. On the same wheel if possible. If not have a spare tire for each type tire/wheel. And a hydraulic bottle jack. Impact wrench and torque wrench. To be able to change the tire on the side of the road. Should also have a set of safety triangles like a semi is required to carry and an ABC fire extinguisher. In the truck. When loaded go back to the same cat scale and weigh again. This is your gross weight. Keep it with your vehicle registration and insurance card. Keep a copy of your trailer registration and insurance card for the trailer with it as well. It looks more professional when you do.
Thanks for the excellent information and comment Jerry! That is the perfect way to do things!
Great video, wish I had seen it sooner. I had recently bought a camper and asked the salesman (i know never ask a salesman if you want an honest answer) if my truck would be ok pulling the camper I was buying. "yeah your are fine" he says! towing capacity I was fine and load capacity I was fine. Of course that was until you filled the propane tanks, put batteries on the trailer, put your camper accessories in the pass through, maybe put some water in the water tank, through some stuff in the bed of the truck...etc and now your over your load capacity (double the load capacity of the Tundra I had). Now have a GMC 2500 HD.
Thank you! I wish salesmen wouldn't do that. Glad you have a truck that is better for your setup. Thanks for watching!
Great video. I must say I learned something from your video ( thought I wouldn't to be honest) and I've been trailering boats and cargo trailers for 20 plus years and now I am towing a 30' RV Travel Trailer. I never knew you had to subtract the payload capacity from the tow rating. Thanks.
Thank you! Yeah, that was new to me as well! Thanks for watching!
Cat Scales centers are a great way to double check your tow setup especially if you have a consistent setup. There are lots of videos about using this service.
Also, I towed with a 1500 at 80% of max and 2500 with 80% of max and the 2500 hands down behaves way better on the road. Thanks for doing this video I learned something.
Thanks for the comment and watching! Yeah, Cat Scales are really nice. I was intimidated going to a scale at first, but I've always had a great experience. Totally true with what you said on the difference between 1500 and 2500, very noticeable difference!
Correction, airbags also help with safety in the form of load leveling and sway control.
True. Thanks for watching.
Great information I learned a lot and now I know what to look for when I am buying a camper. I was thinking about buying a camper that weighed 6,000 lbs. but after your video I can only haul 4,600lbs which is 80 percent. Thank you for the video
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching and enjoy your new camper!
Thank you for this. I believe that there are "heavier duty" 1500 series truck, just like the one GMC used to make. We bought the GMC Sierra 1500 with the NHT package, and it lists at 7600 GVWR, with a maximum of 11700lbs of towing capacity. Indeed, we try to leave 15% of the capacity intact, so we can tow safely, and where ever we want to go (hills, mountains, rockies, etc...). Great calculation will lead to safer trailering indeed! Be safe all! Thanks again :-)
You're welcome! That seems like a pretty decent GVWR, a lot of 1500 trucks seem to sit around 7,000lbs so that's great you're 10% higher then them. Good call on leaving the 15%, I really think that is a safe way to go. Thanks for watching!
We also just bought a new beefier GMC 1500 with good solid numbers just for our ultra lite which is in fact basically a bit lighter is about what it boils down to but there is comfort in the numbers now!
I have an f150 with a 7700 gvwr. Sterling 10.25” rear end with the HD transmission. 7 lug
@@Upliftyourbrothers That's cool I did not know that those trucks existed. Thanks for watching
@@darlene6670 That's sweet I had no idea there were trucks like that. Thanks for watching.
I've got a 454 in an S-10. I can tow anything.
Rabble Rabble Rabble
Lol, at first I didn't see the rabble rabble rabble. Good ole South Park! Thanks for watching!
Tow yes, stop...not so much.😂
Til your 'anything' runs you and s10 over going down a steep grade lol!
To those who missed it. It was a joke.
God bless you for taking the time from your schedule to educate people on what to look for as far as tow capacity, pay load etc. Great stuff!!
Thank you for the kind works and for watching!
Grim dumping stops at minute 2:26 just for those wondering
Aside from the long-winded naggy beginning, (I recognize why it was necessary to throughly explain the example provided because, common sense is absolutely not common) the video is very informative and much appreciated!! Thank you
Thanks for watching.
You should mention the weight numbers on the camper are always much less than the camper actually weighs and often don’t include things such as batteries, propane, awning, etc. Also, a tongue weight scale is essential. I’ve seen travel trailers have double the tongue weight they claim, particularly due to what I previously stated combined with whatever and where you load your cargo. For example, a front kitchen will be loaded with food and pans. Front bedroom can add up quickly. Depending on where the water tanks are can drastically affect this number.
Good points Mike! Thanks for the comment and watching!
"I can tow my 5th wheel with my Dodge Dakota and I don't even know it's back there". Famous final words as the next Darwin Award winner gets ready kick his bucket.
Lol!! Thanks for the laugh and watching!
Hahaha 😂
I googled "5th wheel trailers for half ton trucks" out of curiosity (I know almost all of them are too heavy). Very first article tried to tell me that there's DOZENS of 5th wheels that work with half tons. PLENTY OF OPTIONS lol yeah right.
Very informative and lots of food for thought! I was leaning toward a Tacoma with 6’ bed for hauling yard waste, some light house remodeling debris once in a while. I hadn’t given thought of towing. We don’t currently own a trailer camper…wouldn’t mind one as an empty nester…I need to rethink my truck strategy now….
Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the great information. The camper dealerships are horrible at telling people bad information. I pulled up all the information and did the math.
2018 Toyota Tundra 5.7 4x4 crewmax
With tow package.
GVWR 7,200 with full tank gas
Trailer 6,740
GCWR 13,940
My max GCWR 16,000 that gives me 2,060
You're welcome! Glad you could get everything figured out. Thanks for watching!
Tongue weight
on the trailer is when it's empty, you have to scale it after you get all your gear and stuff in it to get your true tongue weight.
Thanks for the heads up on that and for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman No problem, people forget this and suddenly discover what they thought their tongue weight was is actually significantly higher after loading everything up.
For our Ford 150 hybrid with a built in generator and a lithium battery, we figured out how much we can safely can pull for towing a travel trailer. But we never thought about weighing our truck, which I think is a smart thing to do that he thinks is too much to do. But great video.
It'd a pretty quick process to weigh your vehicle. Depending on where you live, it may just be hard to find a weigh station. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for posting this video, really love it. For everyone's sake home that Dakota breaks down soon, and the owner is smart enough to get a cummins after that.
You're welcome, thanks for watching Jon!
However, that Dakota is probably more reliable daily driver vehicle that the newer Cummins out there😁🤙.
Let’s be honest, dude couldn’t swing the 1500 no way he’s affording a Cummins
@@j.l.salayao8055 o.O
That’s awesome! There was an old guy by me that would haul 8 round hay bales on a Gooseneck trailer with a Chevy s10 pickup. His pickup looked like a low rider. It was hilarious to watch him drive by everyday!
Lol, that's hilarious! Thanks for watching!
Good explanation. I have a 2018 2500 nearly identical to yours. The numbers are the same. I didn't see where Chevy's tow capacity numbers included the payload of your truck. Right now we are only towing a hybrid very similar to what you used to have, but in the future want to upgrade to a fifth wheel. Some of these ratings I swear are meant to confuse you so you don't know for sure what is legal and what isn't. If I did the math correctly, and some of that depends on the pin weight of the fifth wheel, I think I max out around 11,300 GVWR on the fifth wheel. Great video.
Thank you! I agree, it is super confusing! So the curb weight on my truck is around 7,058lbs with a full tank of gas (no gear or passengers, just the truck & gas). GCWR is 21,100lbs. In the trailering guide, it states 13,900lbs is the towing capacity. So, if you add 7,058lbs+13,900lbs = 20,958lbs (that's where they get the 21,100lbs). As you can see, they add payload and hitch towing in the 13,900lbs.
The payload I have available is 9,900GVWR-7,058curb weight = 2,842lbs payload. If you put aside passengers & gear (say 600lbs) that would give you 2,242lbs left for a 5th wheel hitch and the pin weight. If I maxed out my payload I should have 11,200lbs left (21,100 GCWR -9,900 GVWR).
Hopefully that makes sense and I didn't confuse you more, lol! Thanks for watching!
Good video, I’ve been towing for years, lowboy etc. your video and numbers are right on. I’m in Carbondale and have run the mountains for 30 years.
Thanks Keith! I appreciate your comment and you watching!
Very good explanation! My 2006 Tundra has the tow package which is good with the tow/haul mode, trans cooler, larger brakes etc. but it still only has a tow rating of 7300 Lbs with a 1350 Lb CCC. I'm looking at a Winnebago Micro Minnie trailer that has a dry weight of 3660 lbs, max weight 5000 Lbs, hitch weight 380 lbs, 2-3000 axles. I will max out on gear at aprox 800 lbs for a loaded weight aprox 4500 Lbs. This will be aprox 70% of my truck's tow rate. My problem will be my CCC. I want to add a topper at 200Lbs, hitch weight of 400 Lbs, this will give me aprox 750 Lbs left over for my Golden, myself, extra water and extra gas. I figure I will be at about 100 Lbs less than my CCC which is closer than I like but doable. I will use a equalizer WDH/anti sway. I am going to add air bags also. I intend to take the WDH bars off as soon as I get off the highway and use the bags to level out with.
At 30% less than tow max, my tow package, able to get the hitch to 12-15% of trailer weight, early in life 20 years plus semi driver and heavy equip op before I went through the Sheriff's Training Academy at 40. I think I'm sitting good as long as I stay to a smaller light weight trailer.
Thanks Richard! It sounds like you really have your numbers down and are good with that setup. Those Winnebago Micro MInnie's are pretty sweet! I really like those trailers. Anything that size sounds like it will be perfect. It's crazy how once you run the numbers, everything adds up quickly! Thanks for the comment and watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman I love those smaller trailers :)
Question about your "max weight 5000 Lbs, hitch weight 380 lbs". I'm thinking that the hitch weight with your Minnie loaded to 5000# would be more in the 500#-750# range based on the 10%-15% guidelines, right? That would add another couple hundred pounds to your CCC. You might want to check this with a hitch scale.
@@barrynash1126 You're on target with the hitch weight. These RV manufacturers are relentless with false numbers for their hitch weights that they advertise.
Gotta know the type of trailer too. Some People think all trailers are the same. Just because I’d pull a 9-10,000 lb boat trailer with my tundra on flat land 12 miles to the boat ramp dosent mean I want to go get a 10k lb camper and take it through the mountains on windy days. Know your trailer and where your taking it. Picking the truck you need will make your day much easier. If you’re buying a truck to tow all the time. Go bigger. It definitely won’t hurt.
Thanks for bringing up a good point, I agree with you 100%. I also agree to buy a bigger truck then you think you'll need. Most people don't regret buying too big of a truck, but the reverse happens all the time. Thanks for watching!
Wow! A video on UA-cam that actually was full of useful information and wasn't trying to sell me something. This is the greatest informational video I have seen in years. Thank you!
Here's a question for you: What class of truck would you recommend to tow a Tent Trailer weighing in at 2500 to 3500 pounds? I don't want to spend too much on a truck if I don't have to!
Thanks for the kind words Ryan! We had a Toyota 4Runner that pulled out pop-up camper very nicely. It had a max tow capacity of 5,000lbs so it was plenty capable. I think our trailer only weighed around 2,000lbs. Pop-up/tent trailers tow very easy. You don't get hardly any wind/air drag since they have such a low profile. A vehicle that had a tow capacity of 5-6,000lbs, would be adequate enough for a 2,500-3,500lb trailer.
IMO, you can't go wrong on getting too much tow vehicle. So if you find a similarly priced tow vehicle with a higher tow capacity, you may want to consider going that route. That way if you upgrade to a heavier trailer down the road, you don't have to upgrade your tow vehicle again. That will also give you a larger cushion in your tow capacity and your towing experience will likely be better. I hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman Thanks! Do you think a Silverado 1500 with a V6 and 7900 towing capacity would be enough for a travel trailer around 4,000 lbs? I'm trying to decide between a pop up trailer or a lightweight travel trailer.
@@pwrof3 Is that the dry weight or the gross weight of the trailer? If that is the gross weight, it looks like you have plenty of room in your towing capacity. A pop-up trailer will naturally tow much easier because of wind drag. So even if you the pop-up and TT weighed the same, the pop-up would be much easier to tow.
Thanks for the video!
After watching many videos, yours explains it the best so far!
You're welcome! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for great video. Also really critical that folks keep an eye on weight carrying vs weight distributing ratings. Example being F150 - through model year 2020 in ANY configuration, including max towing package that will have alleged capacity of 13,200lbs, the absolute max for a weight carrying two is still only 5,000lbs! Even a 2016 F350 dually diesel has a maximum weight carrying towing capacity of only 8,500lbs. For Ford, there was a big bump from 2017 model year for Super Duty but F150 remains 5,000.
You're welcome, thanks for watching! When you say weight carrying, do you mean payload capacity?
@@ColoradoCamperman I think he's talking about a Weight Distribution Hitch. I don't like how chevy's (other's might do the same) have that v-5 hitch without ALL THE INFORMATION on them. The max hitch weight on you're hitch is with a weight distribution hitch. You're max hitch weight would be around 1/2 that without.
Ford lists weight carrying at 500/5000 because the bumper itself is rated at that, and is the limit they set per SAE J2807 for unloaded steering. GM is 700/7000. WDH ratings are where the real numbers are. Again, they are all set to SAE J2807 specs and they have to have 33% of all vehicles sold be capable of those ratings, for all manufacturers that use the J2807 standards, which by now they all should be. Those are all set at 10% tongue weight and 15 % pin weight, and are meant for flat bed cargo trailers, car carriers, etc that tow easy with little sway at 10% TW, but anyone who has towed a travel trailer at 10% TW will know, thats not a good idea. IOW take the tow numbers with a grain of salt because you won't ever be able to actually tow that much trailer with the majority of trucks sold.
I live close to a BLM off road recreation area. The biggest problem truck is the Ford F-150. I see three axle trailers often. Either sagging or with a ‘load leveler’. 1/2 tons have C channel frames, whereas 3/4 & up have box frames.
Holy smokes a F150 towing a 3 axle trailer?!? Who in their right mind would think that is a good idea? You're spot on with the different frames. A lot of people don't consider that when comparing a 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Anytime you see a pick up and or SUV towing a boat or trailer and the front of the truck/suv is pointed up and rear looks like it is sitting on the ground....GET AWAY from that vehicle as it is an accident waiting to happen. If it hits a bump the truck can loose all contact with the road and wreak. You don't even have to be going fast.
I agree 💯! Thanks for watching Greg!
Most of the newer F250 superduties will squat like that unless the owner installs airbags. My 99 superduty sits level when loaded like that.
GVWR, also remember to include the options weight, wench, 4 wheel/max tow package, if you changed from “18” to 20” wheels and tires etc!
Good point, thanks for watching!
The fellow towing that fifth wheel with his Dakota was also dragging the connecting wires on the pavement. Doesn't even look to have been a harness there, just a couple of wires dangling and scraping pavement so the trailer likely had no lights. That being said I doubt a judge would give that fellow a life sentence unless prior records, even with a death.
Lol, I noticed that too! Yeah, I mis-spoke about the life sentence. Thanks for watching!
Simply put, the dealer and or salesperson isn't going to pay the ticket and fines for being over your payload capacity, know your numbers everyone, I like the one comment here, more truck than trailer safety safety safety 👍🏼
That is a good rule of thumb to go by: more truck than trailer. Thanks for the comment and watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman you're welcome and thanks for the great video!
Easiest to comprehend and figure out your gcwr on a video I’ve seen so far. Thx!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Ohh you right ,he was good and clear
I heard the same b s from r v dealer we have 150 v 8 (you can pull 10000 lbs) have a air stream 16 foot loaded out 3500 lbs not using distribution hitch 3.31 rear end when towing 15 miles per gallon all day long only thing done to truck airbags for squat. My wife and I love this combination only change too air stream was adding sink in the wet bath for hand washing. Never payed any attention to what or how people are until I started at least 30 percent of towers towering dangerously .
Sounds like a good setup David. Thanks for watching!
A lot of good info! I have a Ram 1500, and we're looking into trailers. Says it can pull 7600 lbs, but as I am looking around I realize that doesn't necessarily mean I should get 7600 GVWR. Looking for a lighter option.
Good thinking! A little cushion is the safe way to go. Thanks for watching!
Great video. Extra towing capacity is always better than not enough.
Thank you! I agree 100%, that was our thinking when we got our truck. Thanks for watching.
I have to say I respect your channel and appreciate your gems. Living here in NYC this channel open my eyes a lot. Peace and Love...
Thanks! Thanks for binging my videos!
Great advice and video. You are right you gotta know the weights yourself don’t depend on a truck or RV salesman to shoot you straight into. They’re gonna tell you what you want to hear to sell you a rig. Also I might add your trucks towing capacity will also depend on gear ratio and which transmission is installed on your particular truck.
Thanks Kevin! Good point, I should have talked about that. I may have to do a part 2 where I talked about that and axle weight rating as well. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Really useful video, and exactly the info I've been looking into. I have a 4-door wrangler I love, and am having it regeared for better low-end torque (live in New Mexico). There are only two travel trailers that are in contention (SafariCondo) and Casita. We're new to this, so don't want to experiment with a $50K SafariCondo trailer, so it's probably the Casita. Just me, my wife, and my dog. There's so much to explore in the West, and we want to do it in short trips. Thanks again
You're welcome! Glad you found some useful info out of the video. Those Casita's are pretty sweet! I hope you find one that works out for you! Thanks for the comment and watching!
I'm sorry, but the Dodge Dakota had its tailgate down to decrease drag and increase fuel mileage - that has to count for something!! Great video - very helpful - thanks.
Lol! Thanks for watching!
And the big emphasis is..."don't listen to the salesman!"
Agreed! Some of them are great and they will set you up properly. Others are just concerned about their commission and pushing you to buying an RV.
Totally agree about camper salesmen, maybe about 1/2 know what they are talking about and maybe only about 1/4 of salesmen can even hook up a camper. Another scary thing is there is no test or anything people buy a 30 plus foot camper, and the camper store send them on their way.
I sold and helped installed trailer hitches of all makes for 17 years and I found the majority of the dealers salesmen do not know anything about towing and they will tell the customer any thing to sell the truck. Many times they would call to schedule us to install trailer wiring on a truck and I would tell to walk to the back of the truck and they would see it already had the wiring there as it was included by the factory. The smart salesmen would call and tell me the year make model of the truck and what the customer wanted and I would then tell them what needed to be done to make it happen or that is was not possible for that vehicle. My favorite was a customer brought in a Ford Explorer Sport Trac ( the Explorer with small pickup bed ) and wanted the largest trailer hitch we could put on the vehicle. I asked him what did he plan to tow and he said he had a four horse trailer he was going to tow. Told him he did not have enough truck to tow that kind of load and he said they dealer told him it could handle the load with no problem. He would not listen to me so I sold him and installed the heaviest duty hitch available for the vehicle and took his money. A month later he was back in with a Ford F350 Super Duty that he has us set up to tow the horse trailer.
Just started camping and was considered about the towing and cargo numbers. You gave a great explanation, simple so easy to understand. Thanks
Glad the video could be helpful! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Great video and warning. Down here in Pueblo I went by when the police had someone pulled over who was pulling a fifth wheel with a early 90s s-10
Thank you! Lol, good! That is probably worse then what this guy was doing. I tried calling the state troopers but *CSP was not working. I tried a few other numbers and no luck, I don't know what the deal was there. You used to be able to call *CSP and report drivers. They must have stopped doing that because they were probably getting hammered with calls. Thanks for watching and the comment Keith!
Colorado Camperman, I think you could call 911 in that situation. Tell them right up front, “I’m not sure if this warrants 911, but it could very shortly.” And go on to explain. I think a responding officer would agree with your call. Nobody wants to be the tattle-tail, but I’d rather that, than hear a news story about someone killed by the guy.
I have the newly designed 2020 GMC AT4 diesel 2500 with the Allison 10 speed and the GCWR is 27000 and the payload is 3200. The hitch weight is 1800.
Nice, that's a sweet truck! Thanks for watching.
I have had dealers try to sell me a heavier camper trailer because they thought my truck was capable of towing the weight. Buyers be aware. It could cost your lives.
I've heard that story often! Good for you for not giving in. Thanks for watching!
Yes, we've had a million 'opinion's' on how much weight we can haul! Still trying to figure it out so we can buy a darn camper at some point?!
I looked at a huge Grand Design 5th wheel to kill some time, while my wife was at the hair salon across the street. The 1st thing the sales guy told me was "looks like you have the truck to pull it", he had no idea nor did he care that my 3500 SRW lacked the towing capacity to safely tow that huge 5thwheel. Sales guys are in the business of selling not setting up a tow package, I ALWAYS tell anyone who asks to STOP and research the towing capacity necessary for whatever RV purchase they intend to make AND THEN discuss a purchase based upon one's due diligence, knowledge of the RV. So many people put the cart before the horse during an RV purchase.
I learned the hard way like most. I bought a 25ft travel trailer with a Dodge Durango SUV tow vehicle. Yup I got the trailer to my house but I was almost blown off the HWY by a big rig. I had trailer breaks installed and I bought a $1200 weight distribution hitch. Getting my trailer home was so traumatic that the trailer STAYED AT HOME!
Now I have a new F-250 and a whole lot of confidence! And I can move up to a 5th wheel like I plan to do in the future...
Folks DO NOT think for a second that the camper store is going to give you good advice. All they care about is you pulling the trailer off their lot and they will tell you anything to make that happen.
Jeez, sorry to hear about that. I've heard similar stories. It's a shame some sales people are so unethical that they will put people at risk like that. The weight distribution hitch should have been setup when you bought it. Did you end up using the trailer or did you get rid of it? Thanks for watching!
That dakota driver is insane! What the heck! Great video man, I'm looking at campers and this vid answered every question I had👍
Agreed! Glad you could find the video helpful, thanks for watching!
Very nice presentation. I tow lots and see countless people struggling while towing. Unaware of the risk they are taking . I have a 3/4 ton diesel. It tows everything I need with ease where a half ton would be maxed out.
Thanks Lloyd! Thanks for watching too!
Since I'm bad with math, this is why I bought a dually, for my 2301 8000 pounds boat ,stops great too i don't need a lawsuit, or prison time be smart people
Lol, that is one way to do it! Thanks for watching!
FWIW. If you tow with a Mercedes Sprinter, and probably some other Euro style vans... There is a difference between Detroit Iron tow calculations and Sprinter tow calculations. Most Sprinters are 5000# trailer with 500# tongue weight. Some Sprinter models are 7500/750. The only deduction including payload capacity during towing is to subtract the actual tongue weight. Up to the payload capacity: fuel, number of passengers, etc. are not deducted. It makes the Sprinter calculations less complex.
Thanks for that information and for watching!
According to the CAT scale my 30' travel trailer weights 7,014 lbs loaded and ready to go. The hitch weight is 850 lbs. My problem was I refuse to drive two vehicles to every (any) camping trip with our family of 6.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a SUV with a payload more than 1,700 lbs????
The trailer weight and family exceeds almost every SUV payload rating. The only vehicle I know of that did not require me to drive with child in a front bench, was the heavy duty Suburban. And they stopped making those in 2019.
I agree with you, the extra capacity does make the road trip more enjoyable.
Wow, good for you in knowing all your numbers and keeping the family safe. Hopefully you figure something out. Thanks for watching!
An interesting figure that’s often overlooked that would have been applicable to talk about in your video is what the rear axle is rated for and where you’re at with that figure with your rig all loaded down for a trip. I’m sure you’d still have room to spare there too, but I think the rear gawr is often the first number to be exceeded, even before payload or towing capacities.
Thanks for the information and comment! Yes, I should have said something about that. Thanks for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman Happy campin!
I have a CDL. Pisses me off seeing stuff like that. Those guys are never pulled over or into weigh stations.
I bet it does, you actually had to work and go through training to get a CDL. Clowns like this dude didn't do crap and are putting tons of people in danger by driving overloaded. Thanks for watching Daniel!
I also am a truck driver and I have seen so many wrecks caused by people thinking their pickup can do more than it can I could never remember them all
The dude in the fifth wheel gives me hope. I just bought a 3300 lb Wolf Pup to pull with my Colorado. After seeing that I don't think I'll have any issues.
Lol, sounds like you are a better setup! Thanks for watching!
This is an excellent, clear, informative video.
Thank you! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Pause video when you are watching the dude in the dodge pulling the 5th wheel. If you notice there are wires dragging on the road. I’m curious if these are the trailer brake wires. Also looks like the door to propane storage is loose. Great video!
Lol, I noticed all that too! Thanks for watching!
So proud to be Dodge Dakota owner after seeing that,a Tacoma couldn't even handle that 5th wheel
Lol, I did see a old Tacoma pulling a 30'+ bumper pull camper once. He was doing about 45-50mph and struggling bad. He too was at least double his payload and towing capacity. Thanks for watching!
@@mkaestn I know what you're talking about, I just saw a Tundra towing a pretty big 5th wheel the other day! Thanks for watching!
Good vid! I see so many people obviously overweight driving 1500’s towing monster campers. Dealers really won’t tell you this, if they even know! I had a 1500, upgraded my camper, crunched some numbers and soon realized that just me getting in the drivers seat threw it overweight, let alone any passengers, tools, gear, etc. I ended up getting a 2500HD specifically for towing my monster and my cushion is about 1500lbs after all said and done. Now, i tell folks to not pay attention to towing capacity, but rather gcvwr. Just because you can tow it, doesn’t mean you should. Besides, the 2500 just feels much more stable towing my current monster than my 1500 did towing my last camper. That HD suspension is night and day, though stiff af without a load lol.
The fines alone for being overweight will dampen anyones camping season(s), more importantly, better safe than sorry.
Glad you got a 2500HD that was better setup for your rig! Like you said, there is a huge difference in stability when you tow with a 2500HD vs 1500. A 2500 will weigh probably 1,500-2,000lbs more than a 1500. That right there makes a massive difference, especially if you're towing a bigger trailer. Thanks for the comment and watching Cory!
That dodge dakota was definitely overloaded! LOL
Lol, yes it was! I wish I could have gotten some better footage, it was ridiculous!
Unbelievable what some will do. Saw almost the same, the guy was towing with a Nissan Frontier. How on earth did the FW hitch even get mounted. It puts everyone at risk.
Jeez, that is equally as sketchy! I was wondering the same thing! Thanks for watching!
2:23 the guy with the bicycle camper 😂
Lol, I want to see what that thing looks like inside! Thanks for watching!
Thanks so much! This is a gift to those like me shopping for Travel Trailers. You demystified the numbers and provided a reality check as well.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!
This really helped understand the weight ratings better. Thanks for the video.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Hi Brian what's going on man thank you for Doing this video you are a great person to show the pay load for a vehicle any time you put a camper or a pull trailer or 5th wheel its gotta be a 1 Ton Full size 4 door crew cab 1 ton 4x4
Hey David, thanks for the comment! I like to practice what I preach, lol! While driving my truck is not the easiest, I love the benefits of a crew cab and a long bed. And of course 4x4! Things are going well here, I can't wait to get out camping! We're going to need a retreat to the mountains after all this corona craziness. How have you been?
Actually a single cab 2wd will have a greater cargo carrying capacity, greater tow capacity and thus greater GVWR for same year make and model. People often choose the 4 door 4wd and not realize they are giving up a bit in carrying capacity as the truck is significantly heavier and not any stronger.
We have the same sort of idiots over here in Australia as well. Quite frankly, their total lack of common sense and disregard for safety astounds me. But, you can't fix stupid.
Well said James! Thanks for watching and stopping by from Australia!
I was wanting to tow a 28 foot fifth wheel with my f250 and believe it or not THAT was too close to max...PAYLOAD, by the time I filled the water tanks,gear,food,clothing, propane tanks and hitch weight, spare tires and a small tool kit,+ us for our 15000 km dream road trip. I could have towed it but I had only about 200 pounds to MAX PAYLOAD, so I decided to wait a year after buying the fifth wheel and traded up to a f350 super duty diesel. I'm glad I did. No trouble now I have the drivetrain,engine and suspension and good breaks to do this safely. The dude at the trailer sales said to me...no no no you dont need a f350...a f250 is enough but I went home and did all the math and calculated all the weight... he was wrong. He was worried he wasn't going to make the sale that's all. My f250 could pull Noah's ark but it is not about tow capacity it is about payload capacity(you have to be able to get stopped) and respecting your vehicle.THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO IT IS EXCELLENT..MORE SHOULD WATCH THESE! IM PRAYING FOR THAT DUDE AND EVERYONE AROUND HIM. The trailer sales dept should lose their business license for allowing this and sending him out on public roads like that. I hope you reported this!
Good for you for crunching the numbers most people in your situation would have just listened to that salesman. That's why we have dudes in the video on the road. I tried calling the troopers on him and couldn't get through. I slowed down to follow behind him and someone was behind him on the phone, hopefully talking to the troopers. Thanks for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman Just to let you know..I hauled steel for two years. I trained on a 48 foot enclosed trailer (van) for a year with another driver before they allowed me to go long haul on my own (before the driving hours restrictions). I drove a 79 freightliner 425 cat diesel with four axles...a four legger one lift axle. (20000 pound per axle here in Canada) 120000 GVW. We had tack cards and if we went over 90 km/hr ...we got one warning...that's it. Because you just can't get stopped hauling that much. At normal braking conditions dry pavement at 90 km per hour it took 500 feet to stop..thats almost two football fields. I quit because I found it too nerve wracking.I was tensing behind the wheel.I found it hard to relax behind the wheel.
0:27 The truck is just stanced bro nothing to worry about, CALI LEAN
Lol! I honestly didn't know that was a thing until I just Googled it after your comment. Thanks for the laugh and watching!
Or...Carolina Squat.
In Florida, there are tons of people that do it. They will put a 6" suspension lift on the front and leave the back on the ground! It is dangerous, ugly, and illegal!
@@charlieodom9107 yes
@@charlieodom9107 Man I don't understand that, but to each their own I guess.
@@ColoradoCamperman me neither!!! Is it retarded! I couldn't even stand it when I towed a trailer and my back end squatted a little, so I added airbags!
I agree with you completely. But im always wondering why anyone buys a 3/4 ton ? Same size, and weight .... and almost the same price as the similarly equipped 1 ton that gives you a lot more capability.
I bought a 3/4 ton vs 1 ton because that is all I could find. I couldn't find a SRW 1 ton with the gas engine, crew cab, long bed configuration. Even if I could have, I didn't want to spend anymore then what we did on our truck. Thanks for watching!
Colorado Camperman
Same here. I have a 2019 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 double cab short bed 6.0l and with a payload of 2,985 I’m good to go to tow anything I’d want to tow ! Plus at a OTD price of $33k I’m very happy with the purchase. Over 5,000 miles towing on it so far from California to Minnesota I know I’m as safe as I can be towing. If I was towing 15k then I’d have another truck.
Great video! 👍
...and for your next video, "child locks". Very informative info I once lost a trailer on the hwy, wrong ball size. Good thing I had strong safety chains on. 👍
Good tip! Thanks for watching!
Great video. Don’t forget the weight of your hitch!! Installed a B&W 5th wheel and gave up 300lbs of payload capacity. Great hitch but VERY heavy.
Great point! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Alright the dude whos towing his trailer with bicycle is frekin hilarious hahaha
Agreed! I would love to see that little camper in person! Thanks for watching!
Re: The camper/bicycle picture. I think I've seen that picture before. I'm pretty sure that's in southeast Asia. H's not towing the camper, it's attached like a truck camper.
Yep here it is www.wired.com/2009/08/camper-bike-a-home-on-three-wheels/
And Here: www.kevincyr.net/index.php?/project/camper-bike/
Hi colorado camperman! This video is very useful for me. I was looking at small camper trailers for my acura rdx suv. I was able to lookup the gvwr, gawr and did some basic math with the torque my 6 cyl 3.5 liter vehicle produces and figure out that all I can haul safely is a micro pop up. Apparently my vehicle is a sport suv that's designed for speed and highway performance, and not hauling heavy loads . So thank you. Time for a second car that can actually haul a decent sized camper.
Hello! I am glad that the video was helpful to you! Hopefully your Acura will tow the micro popup well for you. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Good to know we agree 100%
Awesome, thanks for watching!
The Dakota Dude already had a problem with the tailgate and the gooseneck tangling. He very likely high centered going over a bump or something like that and the trailer bottomed out on the tailgate, tweaking it to a point where it can't be closed properly. "Here's your sign!" 🤪🙄👍
Agreed! Thanks for watching!
Gee, if you going to tow a trailer that's too big for your truck at least make sure it looks like it can tow it.
Lol, right?!? That setup just doesn't look right and should have been an indicator to this dude not to tow the camper. Thanks for watching!
Just throw some airbags on the rear and it will look leveled. 👌🏻
Reminds me of the VW beetle I saw one time pulling a pop-up.
I did some stupid shit when I was young and broke that fortunately never resulted in an accident. There were a couple white knuckle hairy occasions though and I'll be the first to tell you that just because you can pull it, it doesn't mean you can stop it.
Good point, thanks for watching!
Great video, I like to know where you found the info about your max towing and needing to subtract the payload, to get the real max towing number?
Thanks! Just Google "2019 Chevy trailering guide." There's a PDF guide with all the info you need. I don't know how many years that guide goes back. Thanks for watching!
Well here's what I don't understand.....
Why doesn't the government just just recall and destroy all of the half-ton trucks (since people, other than me, hate them) and use the material and add to it to make one tons??!!!
Just make every truck, outside of the 450s, or 4500 etc and up, a one ton.
Just makes sense to me.
We don't need anymore government interventions, lol! Nearly everything they touch get screwed up in some way.
@@ColoradoCamperman Good point! I didn't see it that way
I have NEVER seen anything that crazy. I don't even know how his front wheels where even still on the ground.
Lol, it was a pretty crazy sight to see! Thanks for watching!
Because its a 5th wheel. It that were a TT he never would have left the spot where he connected.
@@wsmcook I bet you're right, that much tongue weight on bumper hitch and he would have been bottomed out. Thanks for watching!
You make a good point about 1/2 ton pickups. When my dad was buying a truck that was intended to pull a 5th wheel camper, the salesman tried to talk him into a 1/2 ton. I told my dad that yes, the newer 1/2 tons could probably haul the 8k lb 5th wheel, but 3/4 ton trucks have bigger brakes, bigger transmissions, bigger axles, etc. and since he was intending to haul a camper a bunch, than the 3/4 ton is a much better option.
Bottom line: Salesman are there to sell you a truck, they don't give a shit whether or not it is actually the right vehicle for you. Bonus points for those that understand that some salesman may actually sell you something that they know will possibly fail so that their service department can gain work and sales
Glad you intervened and helped out your Dad! I agree with you, most salesman are out to make the sale. Thanks for watching!