Towing question

[silverado122775]

[quote=kmschna]Has any of the responders to the oringinal question 'actually' pulled this large amount of weight with a 1500???
QUOTE]

I have towed quite a bit of weight behind my '00 Silverado Z71 1/2 3/73 gears.

It will tow just about anything.. the thing I was more worried about was bottoming out. Stopping is an issue as was mentioned.. don't stay too close to anybody.. Going up hills is a choir. I was only able to do 45mph up the mountains. If I had the 4.10 gears, I would have been able to get up the hills better. I was pulling fulling loaded 6x12 Uhaul Trailer + and fully loaded bed and extended cab. estimated weight was about 7000lbs. But I do not do this all the time to justify getting a 3/4ton truck. But since you will be, then get the bigger truck

[twomorestrokes]

[quote=silverado122775]

Originally Posted by kmschna

Has any of the responders to the oringinal question 'actually' pulled this large amount of weight with a 1500???
QUOTE]

I have towed quite a bit of weight behind my '00 Silverado Z71 1/2 3/73 gears.

It will tow just about anything.. the thing I was more worried about was bottoming out. Stopping is an issue as was mentioned.. don't stay too close to anybody.. Going up hills is a choir. I was only able to do 45mph up the mountains. If I had the 4.10 gears, I would have been able to get up the hills better. I was pulling fulling loaded 6x12 Uhaul Trailer + and fully loaded bed and extended cab. estimated weight was about 7000lbs. But I do not do this all the time to justify getting a 3/4ton truck. But since you will be, then get the bigger truck

I have towed a lot less with a 1500 and it was really working it. I think 122775 answered things pretty well as he towed a trailer and load that he estimates at 1000+ pounds less. He states that his 1500 will tow just about anything, but then goes on to say that it doesn't have enough gear, won't go up hills well, won't stop, and he worries about bottom out.

[silverado122775]

I guess what I am saying is that it will move just about anything.. but again.. we are talking about safety. the things I mentioned above are the things you have to worry about if you are going to tow something heavy continously (several times a year). That's all.

[twomorestrokes]

Originally Posted by silverado122775

I guess what I am saying is that it will move just about anything.. but again.. we are talking about safety. the things I mentioned above are the things you have to worry about if you are going to tow something heavy continously (several times a year). That's all.

I figured that. I was serious that you answered the original question well, as you have first hand experience with doing the same thing he wants to do with even a little less weight and you have had the same problems that we were warning him about.

I agree that your situation does not warrant a larger truck as your load was unusual, but if the original poster is going to tow the trailer on a regular basis, he should consider a bigger truck. Well said.

[silverado122775]

Thank you.. I appreciate the compliment..
Hard to tell if someone is being sarcastic...LOL

[Mork]

I personally think braking is not an issue between the 15oo and 2500 series unless the truck is actually carrying the load in the back. By law any trailers weighing over 2000 lbs must have it's own braking system. I know when I haul the TT I own @ 8000 lb, breaking capacity of the truck is not a concern.

[silverado122775]

Originally Posted by Mork

I personally think braking is not an issue between the 15oo and 2500 series unless the truck is actually carrying the load in the back. By law any trailers weighing over 2000 lbs must have it's own braking system. I know when I haul the TT I own @ 8000 lb, breaking capacity of the truck is not a concern.

There is a big differance in the braking.. look at the pads on a 2500 then look at your 1500. A 2500 braking pad are bigger and thicker. Infact, if you never towed anything serious with a 2500, you could potientally never need to replace your brakes for the life of the truck.. that is how thick they are.

Not sure about you, but those brakes on the trailers are designed to keep the trailer from swaying when you stop.. they are not used for actually stopping the trialer.

[Mork]

Originally Posted by silverado122775

There is a big differance in the braking.. look at the pads on a 2500 then look at your 1500. A 2500 braking pad are bigger and thicker. Infact, if you never towed anything serious with a 2500, you could potientally never need to replace your brakes for the life of the truck.. that is how thick they are.

Not sure about you, but those brakes on the trailers are designed to keep the trailer from swaying when you stop.. they are not used for actually stopping the trialer.

Nope, the trailer brakes of any trailer is meant as an auxilary braking system to slow/stop its own weight. All trailer brakes are rated to stop the rated load of the trailer itself.
There is no way any 2500 series truck is going to safely stop a 8000lb trailer on it's own, period. And besides, towing one without trailer brakes is against the law.

[Elbert]

Originally Posted by Mork

I personally think braking is not an issue between the 15oo and 2500 series unless the truck is actually carrying the load in the back. By law any trailers weighing over 2000 lbs must have it's own braking system. I know when I haul the TT I own @ 8000 lb, breaking capacity of the truck is not a concern.

brakes are an issue. why do you think they make the brakes larger on a 2500 than a 1500?. More weight equals larger brake system required to stop safely. The bottom line is that a 2500 is designed from the ground up to tow greater weight than a 1500. Its just a fact of design.

IF you are hauling or towing weight that is marginal or even questionable you should consider how well you can stop, and how well the truck handles the weight. There's far more to it than being able to move the load on flat ground.

[Mork]

Re-read my post! The question is about trailer towing/breaking. The 2500 series has a definated advatage in towing and load carrying ability but nothing in breaking when hauling a properly equipped trailer. The heavier suspension, braking, and larger engine of the 2500 series make a better tow vehicle but does not make for much if any better stopping vehical when the trailer being towed has a operational secondary braking system. As any reputable RV dealer.

[silverado122775]

Have you ever had your brakes burn out on you? you will if you are towing anything with a load. Let's say you are driving down a hill with an RV (as you mentioned) in a 1500. you see something ahead that is requiring you to stop. you hit the brakes in an attempt to stop. Opps the "auxilary brakes" do not work on the trailer. now you have to rely on your front brakes of your 1500 pickup. Opps your brakes start to smoke because there is too much load on them. opps you just ran into the car in front of you. damn.. now whose fault is that?
Now if you had a 2500 or higher, your brakes would not fail on you because they have better stopping power.. Brakes make all the word in differance when it comes to towing. NOt sure about you, but I would not rely on the tailer brakes, I do not care if it is the law to have them, doesn't mean they have to work properly.

[twomorestrokes]

Originally Posted by Mork

Re-read my post! The question is about trailer towing/breaking. The 2500 series has a definated advatage in towing and load carrying ability but nothing in breaking when hauling a properly equipped trailer. The heavier suspension, braking, and larger engine of the 2500 series make a better tow vehicle but does not make for much if any better stopping vehical when the trailer being towed has a operational secondary braking system. As any reputable RV dealer.

Depends what size "properly equipped" trailer. Many snowmobile and car hauling trailers are not equipped with brakes. A light car hauler can suddenly become very heavy when the vehicle being transported is larger than usual.

And please don't spell it "breaking" when we are talking about the load capability of the 1500 as there has been a lot of broken frames at the rear section on the '99 and newer half tons when they haul more than they are designed for.

[twomorestrokes]

Originally Posted by silverado122775

Have you ever had your brakes burn out on you? you will if you are towing anything with a load. Let's say you are driving down a hill with an RV (as you mentioned) in a 1500. you see something ahead that is requiring you to stop. you hit the brakes in an attempt to stop. Opps the "auxilary brakes" do not work on the trailer. now you have to rely on your front brakes of your 1500 pickup. Opps your brakes start to smoke because there is too much load on them. opps you just ran into the car in front of you. damn.. now whose fault is that?
Now if you had a 2500 or higher, your brakes would not fail on you because they have better stopping power.. Brakes make all the word in differance when it comes to towing. NOt sure about you, but I would not rely on the tailer brakes, I do not care if it is the law to have them, doesn't mean they have to work properly.

I tend to agree. Besides, GVWR is GVWR whether you have trailer brakes or not. I work in the truck and motor home suspension business, and I've got to admit, if people quit overloading their tow vehicles, we would see a big drop in profits. However, it is downright amazing hearing what people are towing with their daily driver 1500. I would not want to be on the same road is they are. It is a normal conversation to hear someone say that they need help for the extreme suspension sag on their 1500 because they go up north with a 4000 pound plus slide in camper in the back and their 21' speedboat hooked onto an extended trailer hitch reciever. Hope they have a loud horn to so they can warn folks ahead of them before running over them.