Tow vehicle advice

Michael Maros

Michael Maros

Well-known member
I'm considering purchasing a Chevy 1500 4 x 4 extended cab 5.7 liter pickup with a tow package, electric brakes etc. I plan to tow a pointed front 24ft. enclosed trailer and 2650lb. car and gear. Can anyone comment about the ability of this size truck to haul a trailer? Do I need to go to a 2500 series?
Michael Maros
#136 PRO3 Jagermeister
 
From my experience towing with that truck and a 20' enclosed trailer, it'll be do-able (power-wise), but slightly challenging. You'll also probably want either airbags for the truck or a load-balancing hitch... I used to get high-beamed all the time because the weight of the trailer made the truck lean back a little.

(OTOH, I know of a 2500HD regular cab for sale.)
 
My 24' steel trailer is probably about 7500lbs loaded with all my gear and my car, which is a bit under 2500lbs without driver. The 3/4 ton would give a better towing experience, particularly when driving through the Gorge or over the mountains. Diesel is also nice for towing economy and power to climb hills, but adds to the price upfront. I have yet to be sorry for dropping the extra cash on a PSD Excursion. Sometimes you forget the trailer is back there as you tow down the freeway.
 
Many times there is a substantial difference in the brakes between 1/2 ton and 3/4-1 ton trucks. Braking is the #1 consideration I have found.
 
Don't do it. If you can, go for at least a 3/4 ton, diesel if you can (not the 6.5 chevy or 6.9 ford though--lots of problems there). Just sayin'.
 
Hi Michael!

There are several capacities to consider:
  • Max trailer weight, which is about the ability of the tow vehicle's suspension and steering to wag and not be wagged.
  • Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR). This is the max allowed total weight of the truck and trailer and all contents - what the drive train has to pull up the Vantage grade and the brakes have to be able to stop on the way down (albeit with the help of trailer brakes).
  • Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), which is the max the truck can weigh, including the weight of the trailer tongue.

Your trailer empty is probably 4000 lbs, and you'll want to be able to haul 1000 lbs or more of ancillary racing crap. With race car that's approaching 8000 lbs, and depending on how you load it, maybe 700-800 lbs of tongue weight. With a 5000 lb truck you'll need 13000 lbs of GCWR. You can find candidate truck capacities on the web with a little digging, but I think you'll find that half tons aren't up to it.

It was very windy driving back from ORP last night via US-97, I-82, and I-90, and that route has a lot of elevation change too. If I had a nickel for every bow-high, underpowered, overloaded tow vehicle doing 36MPH up an Interstate grade or making unintended wind gust-induced lane changes I saw on that trip... I'd have about a buck and a quarter. :tongue:
 
Since you are saying 1500 and 5.7, I assume you mean a little older truck. The older 1500's don't have a great tow rating like the new with 6.0 or 6.2 trucks do and the 5.7 will be working extra hard. It is all about the budget, the best truck you can buy is the newest diesel HD model, but they are a lot of money. i don't use my truck for anything but this use and have a 94 3500 4x4 with a 7.4. This tows great, handles the weight, brakes are rated for this use, but of course it sucks gas, however it was $5500 not $50,000! It doesn't bother me to have it sit in the driveway when not in use either. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for all the sage advice. As usual, I only have to ask to receive instant help from the group.
The 2003 Chevy ZR71 4 x 4 extended cab 1500 series truck I was looking at is rated with 8,800lbs. capacity. It has a 5.3 liter gas engine. While it will be used a dozen or more times a year to tow the race car the rest of the year it will be a semi-daily driver, so I was trying to find a vehicle that less like a semi-truck and more like a car for off season excursions. That's also the reason for the backseat.
The trailer is 3,220lbs. Add a 2,650lb car plus 1,000 lbs. of tires, gas, canopy etc. and it will be over 7,000lbs. That seems safely under the 8,800lb limit. I have load distribution bars on the trailer and new electric brakes. It sounds like the engine can tow it but stability in the wind could be an issue. How about over-heating of the engine, transmission, differential? Does the factory towing package address these areas?
I think I'll find a 2500 series and see what is it like to drive.
 
For 10 year old trucks, I don't think you'll pay much more for a 3/4 ton vs. a 1/2 ton. Fuel mileage will be poor either way. Unless you need to haul around a load of bark, I was happy to take Tom's advise and get a 3/4 ton 1999 Suburban. Long wheel base is nice.
 
I have loved my excursion... granted Eric and others have already chimed in as well. I don't rock a PSD, but I do rock a gas guzzling 6.8 V10... it tows really well and after a few things (weight dist. hitch & airbags) it's rock solid.

The price was right (can be found with 80-120k for $8-$10k) and it's a solid "family" hauler.
 
My son blasts up the hills in his 2500 - 454 Suburban. He did upgrade to a 15K tow hitch and added better shocks, but iot does great towing a 20' enclosed with car and stuff. Wouldn't think of towing our stuff in a 1/2 ton.

The V-10 Excursion is a very good option, unless your a Chevy guy!

Bill-
 
We were a GM family my whole life... my parents met while working there. But when my old Suburban 1500 needed more work than it was worth, I decided on a diesel for more power. GM couldn't deliver a diesel SUV so I had to go to the dark side. But so far the Excursion has delivered.
 
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