So grateful for all of your comments!! We are on family vacation right now but I will make ample time to read everyone’s comments when we return. Thanks so much for your engagement. It’s sincerely appreciated.
Speed, towing too fast. Just because you can pull it at 70 MPH, should you? I don't drive over 60 when I tow. My family is number one, the faster you tow, the harder it is to recover if something happens. A flat, deer, or anything else you can think of. Have a great day and be safe.
Sir you said that the vehicles are set up wrong. In actuality it is the person behind the wheel of the towing vehicle. I am a CDL driver for 20 years and have seen it all. I watch out for the drivers pulling a trailer more than any others. Most get brave and forget that weight behind them. Granted set up of the towing vehicle has a lot to do with how they drive. It doesn't matter if you got a 1 ton dually towing a 26 foot ultra lite if the person behind the wheel is driving at 80 and cuts trucks off and acts like they are only in the pickup truck. Driving up beside a tractor trailer at that speed and not paying attention to the suction that they create is plain dumb. I have seen too many drivers get near my front end and they aren't looking and because of the suction the trailer almost makes contact with my tractor. When that happens I got to move over or hit the brakes hard. The set up of your tow vehicle is a big priority but the biggest priority is set yourself up for driving that vehicle because you are the biggest wild card. Learn as much as you can by reading and watching videos but get some time behind that wheel with a knowledgable driver sitting beside you. CDL drivers have to go and learn how to drive 80 000 lb vehicles but pulling a travel trailer just requires you to have a standard license. Look at it this way your truck weighs 6000 lbs and the trailer weighs 6000 lbs that is 12,000 lbs you are moving up and down the road so be smart and learn how to properly do it. It is more fun to get there safely than being upside down in the median.
I've been towing travel trailers of varying sizes for 40 years now and agree with everything you said. I would add that speed is a major factor in most mishaps. Especially when windy. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD do something.
Regardless of whether you are doing 50 mph or 70 mph if you have setup your truck and trailer to fail, there will come the time when failure will occur. My fear is somebody's poor setup could cost me my life!
I’ve been an RV dealer for over 40 years, our Mom and Pop store has always been diligent in matching tow vehicle to trailer and beat that into our sales people’s heads. But many RV dealers are not so concerned unfortunately and it makes us all look bad. Use your common sense to evaluate your dealer and salesperson. Pick your dealer first then your trailer. My number one safety tip is slow down, conditions and hazards can change very quickly. Don’t be in a hurry to relax, start off relaxed and alert. Good points in this video for sure.
Up to the owner of the vehicle to know what weight limits of them are. Last time I got a truck I got one will all the towing accessories. Even then be realistic on what you can tow. Weight distribution hitch, sway control, and proper brake controlers are very important
@@joerogers4227 well you may be educated you are in the minority. Most people who walk into an RV dealer believe their truck can tow anything no problem. Unfortunately most sales people are more concerned about closing a deal and making commission over others safety.
Rand- What you said really resonates with me. My husband and I are buying our first camper. A 2021 Bushwacker 15ft tear drop. I called my Toyota dealership, gave them my VIN number and asked if my 6 cylinder/ automatic/ 4x4 could pull this tear drop with a max weight of 3000lbs. My truck has a factory tow package. They said yes. My truck was rated for 6500lbs. Does " rated" mean my pay load? Thank you ~ Diane
@@dianehall5345 hi, I would need more information to comment on your particular situation. Pay load would be the amount of weight your vehicle can carry IN IT including cargo, people, dogs , weight pushing down on the hitch the total of everything. Towing capacity is the weight of the trailer being pulled. This number also includes everything put in the trailer. There is also a wind resistance factor that is a guess , in the case of a tear drop trailer that would be a very small factor . Towing capacity is your main concern. I hope that helps, glad to answer any further questions. Cheers
Rand- Thanks for your comments. Two people, no dogs, minimal gear. We are farmers and want to take mostly day trips and over nighters, to visits friends. If we can't pull this small tear drop, we have a problem. No way am I crawling into a bunk tear drop with an outside kitchen at my age. Our mechanic will be going through the truck, as well as the RV dealership..
We recently went from a 1,100lb uhaul fiberglass camper to now having a 5,000lb Avion, and we had to learn a lot of what you mentioned real fast. I think most important is the towing capacity. Everyone should understand that towing accounts for truck weight, how much the people and equipment weigh and the tongue weight of your trailer all get factored in. It is very important, and I believe people should definitely do their research to keep everyone safe on the roads. Thanks for the honest video!
Great video. I can't tell you how many times I see someone towing down the highway with not nearly enough towing vehicles. Two things people don't realize: You can get pulled over and weighed, it is a very large fine if your tow vehicle is not adequate, plus they won't let you leave until you have a proper tow vehicle. And more importantly, if you ever cause a wreck and your tow vehicle is not big enough, your insurance company probably will not cover you.
Well said! Started with a used pop up and my 1500 was great! Upgraded camper to a 29’ double axle travel trailer (and not an ultra-lite model). Used my 1500 on several, close-to-home weekenders in the flat heartland of this great nation. After only “several” of these trips I knew it was a bad match (even though the salesman assured it was enough truck)! Upgraded truck to a 3/4 ton diesel and the difference it makes (even in the “feel”) is unbelievable! Thanks again. Everyone please be safe.
What is Payload Capacity? A vehicle’s payload capacity is the amount of weight the vehicle can carry within its cabin or on the truck bed. Anything you put inside your vehicle, whether it be cargo or passengers, counts towards the vehicle’s payload. The payload capacity of a vehicle, in general, is less than the vehicle’s towing capacity because the entire payload weight is weighing down on the vehicle’s wheels. Going above your vehicle’s payload capacity can put unwanted strain on your vehicle and lead to damage. What is Towing Capacity? Towing capacity is the amount of weight your vehicle can pull behind it and is often much higher than the payload capacity, as the weight of what you are towing does not rest on the frame of the vehicle. No matter how you tow something, whether it be a frame-mounted receiver hitch or an in-bed hitch, it all has the same impact on your vehicle’s towing capacity. The towing capacity of a vehicle model can vary between trim levels, despite the vehicles sharing the same model name. This is because the towing capacity is impacted by the power of the vehicle’s engine and the vehicle’s configuration.
I might have to disagree on one point, "as the weight of what you are towing does not rest on the frame of the vehicle." IF there is no weight from the trailer on your frame, you should be able to lift the tongue of the trailer with your hand to the height of your towing ball. The simple fact is there IS weight from the trailer that is transferred to your frame if your load is properly distributed (more wt between the trailer axle and hitch than behind the trailer axle)
In reference to "myth" number 3. I purchased an all aluminum trailer for weight reduction and rust prevention. After purchasing, I contacted the manufacture and asked about putting a sway bar on. The employee told me that if I put a sway bar or distribution hitch on the trailer "being an aluminum frame" that it would void the warranty. Instead they put the emphasis on weight distribution. Ensuring that the tongue weight is 10 to 15 percent of the trailer weight, which I have always practiced in the past. You achieve that with moving your weight within the trailer. So if the tongue weight is to much for your tow vehicle, then you need to consider, at least in my case, tow vehicle changes, because you still need to balance the trailer. Thank you for allowing feedback. Just got back from a 2500 mile trip. Mileage sucked but trailer towed true. 2018 Neo 7x14x6.5 Vnose.
I really appreciate that you are humble enough to admit that you don't know everything!! The fact that you do the research and put out the proper information to help keep everyone safe is refreshing!!!! Thank you for your hard work!!!!
I purchased my first travel trailer in February and while looking over a year for the perfect unit I found that the dealers were the worst educators on all things hitch related. They were happy to sell you one and charge you to install it but not teach you how to properly use it and adjust it. This is what's lacking in the industry teaching people how to be safe. The dealers just want to charge you for every little thing but not teach you. In fact the worst part of buying my trailer was dealing with all the idiotic dealerships. Their ignorance and greed was off the scale.
@@dlakerguy True but you are missing the point! When you are buying a big ticket item like this and add to this the potential DANGERS of hauling 5+ ton trailers dealers are being negligent when they will only help you with hitches/etc. if you pay them to do it.
Agree with travel trailers being safe to tow. The key is quality components, hitch, sway bars/load distribution, payload, tongue weight, tow vehicle, and most importantly, the operator him/herself.
I am considering my options for traveling in the future, I really appreciate you covering this topic... Beyond that I respect your call for dialogue and opinions backed up with facts. I hope none of us are ever to old to learn... Discussing a topic without anger, we need more if that on these channels! Thank you. 👏
im a hot shot driver, and i transport rvs as well. i honestly started this video expecting to correct you lol. great job man, most accurate video on towing i've seen in a long time. especially the tow vehicle being inadequate. lots of people find out the hard way that a 1 ton dually or even a 4500 is not enough for the super large 5ers out there. usually takes a few dead transmissions or other major breakdowns then they are calling a guy like me with my 2014 Freightliner Cascadia (single axle day cab) to pull their 18k-25k lbs triple axle beast. sure the sticker says you can do it. the rv dealer says you can do it. and yes you can do it. but no you don't really have actual control over it and no the truck will not survive long doing it. especially in the mountains or hill country. dealers (both truck and rv) keep me in business with the crap they tell people to sell them
I love this video... I just did a truck change from a 2011 F350 6.7L to 2018 F250 6.2L gas. Found out that the 5th Wheel I just bought was out of the payload capacity of the F350, and actually fit comfortably into the F250. The Payload on the F350 was 1900+/-, and the F250 is near 3000# because of the lighter weight of the truck...(don't remember the actual) Keep up the great videos!
I like all the info you gave which was spot on!!! Before I purchased my first toy hauler, I got educated on towing, hauling, payload, GVWR, and other items in the RV towing from my father. His big rig driving experience at the time was 40 years plus, so I was able to start towing a toy hauler with the confidence needed to start and I now have 17 years of towing experience under my belt just by paying attention and listening to my dad when he explained to me the intricacies of hauling and towing. Know your limits and be as safe as you can because it can be a matter of life and death. This video hit all the factors of towing a travel trailer right on the head. Good job, and keep up the good work!!
Agree with almost everything you say....especially your take on Gas vs Diesel. On airbags, I've had them of 2 of my trucks over the years & I can unequivocally say they were awesome to have.....especially on tag trailer setups I employed them with.
Great video and conversation starter. Payload/diesel myth was eye opening. With regard to loading up the rear--when we first bought our TT, we did not latch the hitch when we drove it home; it was just sitting on the ball without being secured. If we had too much weight in the rear we definitely would have popped that trailer off. I have told my wife and kids when they were learning how to tow: "When in doubt, slow down or even pull over."
Great video. We went from a 24’ travel trailer to a 31’ fifth wheel and had to get another truck because of my payload number. My Ram 1500 pulled it fine, but I was always going to be at least 300 lbs over payload no matter what. I got a Ram 2500 and we are now good-to-go. Wife was mad at me for about a month because the 1500 had ALL the bells & whistles and the 2500 has NO bells & whistles...except it tows our 5th wheel safely and that’s the only bell or whistle I care about.😉
Excellent video. Experience on the air bags. I tow with weight distro and sway control. I added airbags, mostly for ride. Just know, more air is not always better. I had a terrible initial tow with it. I started adjusting air pressure (lowering it). Found the sweet spot. Also, take your rig loaded and unloaded over the scales. Knowledge of true weight is key. Once I sorted thru all of that, I now have my setup tweaked to an excellent tow. It just took crunching numbers and making adjustments where I could. Keep the highway speeds down too. Control of your tow is success.
Good info, I haven't been towing an RV very long but have found that there's a lot of conflicting info on payload and GVWR, etc. I tend to agree that the payload is the most important. Thanks for the briefing
I love the opening. He's asking us to debate BUT keep it civil. Really interested to learn from anyone that can be civilized AND open minded. Subscribed :)
Spot on information. Along with being unsafe, its also a good way of getting your rig impounded if you're "towing out of class". Law enforcement who know these tow weights and vehicle capacities will pull you over based on their observation alone of a rig being too heavy for the tow vehicle.
I tow a 27 foot travel trailer with an F-150 and a sway control/weight distribution hitch. I taught my wife how to tow safely, and she now drives about 30% of the time. From the first lesson I preached the mindset that you need to RESPECT the weight and momentum of the trailer. Change lanes slowly. Keep your speed at 65 or under. Come to almost a complete stop when making a turn at an intersection. You can't flip the trailer if you don't allow the sideways momentum to build up.
Yep. That's why I've stopped towing my parents' 28' trailer with my Silverado 1500 for anything except shunting it from storage to their house. (It's not payload that's the problem. The thing will happily cruise down the highway with 2000lbs in the bed, no squat. But the 7000lbs of trailer is too much for the engine to pull up a hill, and too much for the brakes to handle with no brake controller.) Then for the actual trip, we load up my dad's Ram 2500 Powerwagon, and the trailer's weight vanishes.
I long hauled for almost 50 years and seen campers running down the internet states loaded wrong and wounder if they got to were ever they were going because of the way they were swaying running down the hwy that was really smart way to simulate with a treadmill to show the public what happens when you don’t know how to even your weight out in your equipment great video keep up the great work
Hey from Canada. I agree 100% with everything you said. Our situation was I bought a brand new Silverado in May 2018. Z71, tow package etc... loaded. Anyway, in the fall, we went and bought a trailer and didn't do enough research and ended up with a 35 foot Herritage Glen with multiple slides etc... we were over the truck GVWR, and though the hitch weight was 900lbs, by the time you had that, plus two adults, two teenage boys, 3 dogs and some tools... our cargo capacity was out the window! So this spring, just as camping season started for us up here in April, I traded in the Chevy and bought a 2019 RAM 3500HD dually with a 5th wheel tow prep and a Cummins with 1000lbft of torque. You can hardly feel the camper on the back of this truck. Was the truck a bit over kill for our camper, probably... but every time I'm going down a steep grade and I let off the throttle and the exhaust break is able to hold everything back without touching the brakes, I smile and feel good about my decision. My family is much safer, your family is much safer and when we move to a larger 5th wheel once the boys have moved on, we will have zero worries about the truck! Cheers!
Mark, this is a VERY valid point. Even with the truck/trailer (5W) balanced, one needs to keep an eye on the speed; think STOPPING capability! IMO, a lot of probs could be avoided, if the driver would stay in the 60-65 mph range, instead of the "normal" highway limits.
Wheteher I'm pulling my camper, gooseneck, bass boat or my 14 foot jon boat no more than 60 mph ith my 3500 drw. 60 mph max, go ahead pass me I don't care. I'll wave when I pass you on the side of the road with over heated brakes or broke whatever.
Thank you. I just towed a small (1500#) camper across the country with a little Honda element. Luckily I DID research it for many months and observed ALL the tips you point out. There was a lot of misinformation out there about every specification. Following these guidelines I had almost zero trailer fish tailing in panic moves, in the rain. By observing the 10% weight on the tongue, staying within vehicle hitch capacity and moving weight forward (and low) in the camper, and always leaving enough stopping distance, the whole trip was a breeze.
Very good advice. Its hard to tell people your point about payload, especially with the diesel trucks. People just dont comprehend that you need to look at payload first and calculate the weight of passengers, gear, or mods done to the tow vehicle. Then subtract that from your payload and that number gives you the available payload that will be the tongue weight of your travel trailer. I am taking your advice and buying a ProPride Weight distribution hitch to help make my towing experience better and safer.👍👍👍
We our tundra didn't have enough payload for our trailer tongue so we bought 2019 Duramax 2500. Pulled the trailer great.....all 6 times a year. But as a daily driver it was terrible. Our little town has so many red lights the exhaust particulate filter would fill up every 80 miles, so every week I had to drive it to the next town and back to do the Regen. Kept it 15 months and traded for 2020 GMC 2500 with the new gas engine. It pulls our 8k lb trailer just fine and driving is fun again.
Jim Collins most people in the know would recommend the gas engine to those not over the 8500-10,000 pound mark depending on the manufacturer. The gas engine has the added benefit of being easier and cheaper to maintain. Gas engine oil change is around fifty dollars. Diesel oil change is around $150.00. Fuel filter on the gas truck is around forty dollars . Diesel fuel filter change is around $200-250 dollars. Just something to think about.
Not sure who the "in the know" people are. RV dealer tells you your existing vehicle will handle anything on his lot, and the car dealer tries to push you to most expensive truck. We actually initially went to try out 2019 gas 2500 truck but unimpressed with 6.0L, so got the diesel knowing full well about higher maintenance cost. I failed to do my due dilligence on emissions driveability issues. If the truck was usable in town I would still have it.
Jim Collins I truly understand. I, too, made a purchase of a vehicle that was inadequate for its intended use my 3/4 ton crew cab single rear wheel diesel trucks suspension struggled to handle my 14000 pound fifth wheel with a @3000 pound hitch weight even with the addition of air bags. Fuel capacity was twenty gallons and fuel consumption was nine mpg towing the RV at 60 mph. That meant fuel stops every 150 miles or so. I learned the hard way about the labels in the door jamb. The new one ton dual rear wheel, crew cab long wheel base diesel gets 11 mpg, it’s rated to carry 4,500 pounds in the bed and gvw of 25700 ponds and tows much better(more stable) than its predecessor. The addition of a sixty gallon auxiliary fuel tank means I can drive all day before having to stop for fuel. I live in a rural setting outside a small town with no red lights. I try to drive my truck at least weekly at sustained highway speed of at least Fifty five mph for at least ten miles, more in the winter.
I have a 2018 GMC Duramax.Awesome for pulling.Tried a gas 2500 and found it to be sluggish and underpowered.A big heavy truck like that needs to have a diesel in it.Just my opinion.
HELP!! Am considering pulling a 6K+/- travel trailer w/ a 3/4 ton trk; deciding bet a diesel or gas engine.Leaning toward the diesel, 'cause of traversing the mtns (Sierra, Cascade, Rockie, and the Appalation (sp) -- primarily because of the exhaust braking vs non-exh on gas. This will be several times per yr (not just 1 - +/- - time per year. Would it be better to go with diesel or larger (f-350/f-450 vs f-250) gas engine? Y'all Be Safe!
Completely agree with you! Unfortunately too many people out there towing with incapable vehicles. I disagree with some oems stating that with each engine the same vehicle can tow more. I don’t care what engine the vehicle has. I’m more concerned with vehicle stability than available power. Air bags, agree as well.
Awesome video with valid points. Another point to be made, which probably will have just as much argument, but you need to practice driving the truck and trailer. No matter what type you decide on, you need to practice. I can teach my 6 yr old how to drive down the road in a straight line, what I mean is real world driving, turning, backing, oh Shoot moments, hard braking, all the things you WILL encounter on the road. Use a big parking lot, set up cones or tennis ball halves, have a spotter, and challenge yourself. You’ll never ever be too good of a driver. Safe travels
Great video!! A myth I’d add, “bigger is better.” As for pull vehicle, yes, as for camper, no. The bigger the camper the higher the risk. I’d rather see family members stacked like cord wood at sleep time, in a small camper, versus 4 slides, fridge inside and outside, with 3 tvs. It’s great eye candy in the parking lot at dealerships, but not practical to tour the country.
@@Nascibiomed Amen. I have a 19' van camper and I camp in lots of out of the way places a longer rig couldn't go. It's about knowing your "mission profile." If you're going to exclusively camp in RV parks and won't be straying too far off the main road, a big rig is great. But out here in California we have a ton of National Forest campgrounds that are cheap and wonderfully remote, and most have length caps ranging from 20 to 25 feet.
I started driving over 55 years ago and have had a full HC (semi trailer) licence for over 30 years. 40 years ago I towed a 12' caravan with my 2,00 cc, 8 seater Toyota Tarago people mover from Melbourne to Cairns and back, nearly 6,000km round trip. in 2 weeks. Only problem was head winds, but I always had weight biased to the front of the caravan and low down, and I always spent the first 40-50km adjusting the level-rides and load until I was happy with the feel of the combination. Covered a lot of miles with that combo. I traded the Tarago on a Nissan Skyline wagon. 3 litre motor and a bit more overhang behind the back axle. I did only one trip with that car/caravan in probably 8 years and never got the unit to handle well. Had the power to pull, but a lousy tow vehicle. When I first learned to drive I was told that I must have between 50 and 100 pounds on the tow ball regardless, and that has never let me down. Congratulations on your advice in this video.
Great content. I bought a 2019 GMC 2500HD. When I when to buy a grand design 350G Toy hauler, I was questioned what my trucks payload was as the pin weight of that Rv was 3,360 lbs, and my truck had a 2176 lbs payload. Many places here on the internet gave conflicting advice. I finally after a few weeks of research decided a 3500 DRW was the safe way to go or a lighter trailer. Thanks for putting this out there, you video helped me bite the bullet and upgrade to be safe. I’ve become educated on it now and will run my rig safely.
Having driven 18 wheelers for 50+ years I still get baffled by some of the RVs I see going down the highway. One look tells you that they don’t have a clue about weights or set up . Weight distribution hitch’s are the best thing ever invented for pull trailers , but they must be USED AND INSTALLED CORRECTLY. Nuff said !
No, we will not ALWAYS say your truck is big enough. I've turned down many sales because the truck and the trailer don't match up. I had a customer las weekend with old Dodge Dakota with a V-8. Tow guide shows it can tow 7,000 lbs and the customer want one of our 5,000 trailers. But, we convinced him his truck was far to small to tow that much weight. So, let's not say ALL dealers. That simply isn't true.
I have a 2016 F250 XLT. The higher end Platinum is heavier to start, so less payload that the XLT. Agree on diesel. in the West and Southwest, you are traveling through a lot of elevation change. If your trailer is heavy, mine is 7500lbs, you may want the diesel for pulling up grades. My previous F150 5.4 V8 did not fare well on the grades, 1st gear at 35mph for 20 miles, waiting for the engine to explode. That was my decision for the diesel. Towed my TT out to the eclipse two summers ago, from Phoenix to Casper Wyoming, lots of up and down grades at up to 8000ft elevation with no issues what so ever. I did my homework, did a payload plan and rolled safely.
I agree with everything you say - I would add that stiffer rear springs will solve the issue that some people try to solve with air-shocks. For example, with 280lb hitch weight, I lift the back of the truck 1" higher then the front - set's level when loaded and keeps the rear bumper off the trail. I highly recommend Old Man Emu springs and shocks for both towing and off road wheeling
WD hitches are not necessarily a bad idea, but proper tow rig capability/suspension setup and trailer weight distribution should always be your first concern with the WD hitch simply allowing for a minor final adjustment instead of being used to compensate for poor towing practices which happens all to often imho.
@@Gonecheenin In my opinion a WD hitch can make it possible to tow a trailer with not enough vehicle. They are a very good idea though, and I believe most bumper pull RV's should be using them. I'm even thinking of getting one for my 18' car hauler.
@@davidjfiedler Spot on! It may even be the law in some States. My Chevy manual says point blank that if towing at a particular weight, a WDS is mandatory.
@@Sadie04074 There are laws in every state for towing, so know what you can tow and don't go over the limits of your vehicle. You could end up in an accident that your insurance won't cover because you were overloaded, even if it wasn't your fault. You're overloaded, it may become your fault.
It's unfortunate but some of the folks who RV with their own channel continue to perpetuate the myth of travel trailer "death sway." It just goes to show that you need to take many of the videos giving advice with a grain of salt. Especially if you're new or just getting into RVing, watch lots of videos and take notes. After a while you'll begin to learn which poster's give the good, solid advice and back it with facts. And don't be afraid to ask questions; the one's that know what they're talking about are glad to help educate you. Well done!
The exhaust brakes on the diesels are a great safety plus when towing. The added weight of a diesel engine may actually improve towing safety. The ratio of the tow vehicle weight to the trailer weight is a safety element too.
Lambda the exhaust brakes are a nice feature but still do nothing for you payload capacity. Speaking of brakes the heavier diesels have the same brakes as their lighter gasoline counterparts which makes you wonder how much longer they take to stop in an emergency situation. The debate will continue on this subject for sure. Haha
Diesel exhaust brakes are there to make up for the fact that diesels have very little engine braking. On a gasoline engine you get a braking effect from the engine trying to pull air past a closed throttle plate, but diesels have no throttle. Now, compression brakes (like semis use) are another matter entirely -- they're tremendously powerful. But I've never seen one on a light truck.
I am not sure where the information that the diesel truck has less payload capacity came from but it is false for my truck at least. The gas and diesel are the same, use the same components and perform the same. As for the brakes, they are also the same, but the springs in front are different and the frame is different on the diesel. Now for the really BIG part! The transmission in the diesel is very different than the gas model and has more gears, better trans braking, better external cooling, and more fluid capacity. Having both to compare side by side makes things very clear which one I would choose to pull a TT or any heavy trailer for that matter. The gas truck will do the job, but it is not loving life when it is called upon for such tasks. Uphill with 10K dragging behind you needs the torque for a smooth experience in my opinion. 2008 F250 6.4L Diesel, 2009 F250 5.4L Gas
Exhaust breaking is a huge advantage while towing near capacity. A diesel, especially if mated to a manual transmission with a Jake brake is always better if; you are running thru mountain passes, or need the raw torque for heavy loads, or if you want better mileage.
Thank you for your information. I will have to check the payload of my diesel Excursion! And you explained why I was having so much sway even with my anti-sway bar that I thought was the best one out there.
Check your hitch and sway set up. I switched from a Gmc Sierra to a Silverado and had to readjust my entire hitch. White knuckles to not even realizing its there. Luckily I only pulled it 2 miles with the specific reason to set up the weight distribution hitch and measure ride height
If you have the payload…the best hitch you can buy is the Hensley, or the P3. They’re the ONLY hitch that guarantees to eliminate sway by their design. Not cheap, but they really work! Love ours. Won’t tow a bumper pull without one. 👍
I'm new to towing a travel trailer and towing in general. I stick in the slow lane and do 55 and use my mirrors and my camera. But overall I'm a very, very good driver so I suspect that being a crappy driver has more to do with bad driver's towing than anything else. Oh, and being over the payload capacity. When I see people that are towing and flying down the road at 70 with a truck that is probably not sufficient for what they are pulling in my book that is bad driving.
IMHO it's underexperienced drivers, how about a towing endorsement for the drivers license?? As a former OTR truck driver I've seen a lot of underexperienced drivers out there on the road endangering the general public.
You are correct. Our first was a TT and we changed to a fifth wheel for the room and layout. I do use airbags on my 3500 dually just to level my truck but again you are correct, airbags will not fix an overweight issue.
With the comment about the F250 diesel, the platinum is a loaded truck, the more options you add the more you effect the payload. A base package truck will always have a higher towing and payload rating than a loaded truck. Big Truck Big RV here on utube has a lot n of videos about safe towing and what trailers are properly sized to trucks
I agree with your assessment, but could argue that a diesel -- while it may lower payload, it also helps keep the truck more planted on the road with a heavy, or high profile load behind the vehicle. More weight up front keeps more weight on the steer tires, and when you're pulling 10k in an 8k lbs truck, the extra 1k motor weight actually helps keep the tail from wagging the dog as much. I see your point -- but there is some merit to diesel being a good option for drivers pulling across windy states with high profile trailers. However, one might want to consider a dually at that point, as well. Great video, and tips!
You can also get a similar effect by adding additional modifications to a Gasser and get the same weight for half the cost. A bull bar and winch can help plant the front of a vehicle weight wise as well as adding extra protection against animal strikes and the functionality as a self recovery system if you get into a situation that would otherwise require calling a towing company to get back out of. If that’s not your thing there is also roof rack options that can help plant the front just as a diesel will and has the added bonus of reducing weight in the trailer by moving some supplies onto the roof of the tow rig
@@davidpeterson3147 These are good options -- but they all come at the cost of payload/tow capacity, which is your arguement against diesels motors. When it comes down to it, if you're approaching max payload when hauling, you're in the wrong truck. Diesel, nor adding a bullbar/roof racks are the answer -- because the result ends in being over capacity. I think viewers should know that if they are having to fine tune weights in order to meet payload and trailer GVWR capacity -- they are in the wrong tow vehicle, or have too large of a trailer.
Smokin Sound The argument was not against diesel it was against cost. The difference between a Gesser and a diesel can be in upwards of $10,000 in some applications. You should never opt out of a diesel for a gas motor to increase payload however if you’re not towing the trailer all day every day and you only take it out maybe once A month most people can’t justifyPaying an extra $10,000 just for the extra weight in the front you can spend half of that money match the weight gain, add additional functionality, and tune the gasser to perform equivalent of the diesel and your maintenance costs will still be half of what a diesel would cost
Another point to consider when talking tow ratings: what is your HITCH rated for? I'm talking the part of the hitch that is permanently attached to your truck/tow vehicle. My F-150 claims it can tow up to 11,900 lbs (IF the truck is otherwise empty), but when I climbed underneath to look at the actual hitch I saw lower numbers. My HITCH stated that WITHOUT weight distribution it was limited to max 5,000 lbs towing and max 500 lbs tongue weight, and WITH weight distribution it was limited to max 11,000 lbs towing and max 1,100 lbs tongue weight. Definitely a difference between the claimed max towing capacity for the vehicle and for the hitch itself. I'm planning on staying well below these hitch limits, but it definitely also makes a difference when thinking whether or not to get a weight distribution hitch (I plan to).
@@sferg9582 I know what my trucks ratings are. Generally any pick up without a tow package and mount the ball to the bumper has a 5000lbs tow rating and a tongue rating of 500lbs. All brands that produce 1/2 tons have this. If you have a tow package and a receiver this changes dramatically.
@@trevorclapham5571 My truck came with a receiver and tow package from the factory and still has a 500 lb. tongue weight limit. It's not just for bumper hitches. Anything over that without a weight distributing hitch could void your warranty. Finding this information was not easy but it's there.
Stopping capability. That is why there are brakes on your trailer. People need to get good reliable professional advice, not watch you-tube videos Anyone that puts their life in the hands of you-tube videos, is living dangerously.
@@oldman6495 Yes take RUclips with a grain of salt. There is a lot of good info on RUclips and some bad. Yes you can get professional advice from the professional car salesperson and professional RV salesperson. RV trailer brakes are not the best brakes but do help. If your tow vehicle does not have good stopping power your braking distance will be longer and if going down a mountain you my smoke your brakes.
@@oldman6495 good brakes on a trailer doesn't matter if you can't control the trailer when stopping quickly. Like the new 1 ton trucks say they can haul 31,000 lbs. Good luck trying to stop that amount of weight with a 1 ton truck.
2005 Excursion V8 gas payload 1866 lb, Diesel 1703 lb. I tow 10k lb flatbed with skidsteer or CT450 Bobcat backhoe, 16ft and 18ft 7' wide, 6.5 tall 10k cargo trailers. Sold the 2010 RAM Megacab with 6' bed. Had F250 extended cab 8' and six ft bed 3.55 rear end Diesels. Easy sway with nothing in truck bed. Returned to Ford Excursion because it is a Mule pulling the trailer tame and steady. Has F350 springs! 40 gal rear tank is such a good balast! LOL A good brake controller is the other secret not paniking eating your tires. Too many falt-top tires create also sway. 2/3 in front of axle center and 1/3 in the back has always been perfect to me without load leveling bars for local use here in the WNC mountains. Going to ID in 2015, definetly sway brake. At the new 18" cargo load levelers may be. Happy hauling.
Great video I agree with you! Some people are worried about towing so they buy a 1 ton and then they don’t like the ride are repairs are too costly especially with Diesel engines
I love towing with my dually off the gooseneck or off the bumper. I’ve pulled incorrectly loaded trailers before (not loaded by me ) and had the tail wagging the dog scenario. Luckily the dually helped keep everything stable
I have a f 150 with the 5.4l in it and my camper is well in the weight range for my truck. She pulls great. Then I see guys on the road with tiny SUV’s in a rush trying to pass you with camper bigger and heavier then what I would like to pull with my truck. I get a kick when we hit any type of hill and see those suvs struggle.
So not new to trailering at all, been towing for over 20 years, more frequently lately with a side hustle tractor business, but just learning about TT towing. I think you are right on all points. I have an F-150 with a 8200GVWR package, so while my tow rating is 9500#, less than a lot of F-150 but my payload is 2330#, so I can comfortable tow without much drama. I have studied these issues and you are right the OEM's are constantly touting huge tow figures for the 1/2 segment, without backing them up with payloads to match. People need to understand that payload includes all the people in the truck, not just tongue weight. And for that same reason, your diesel challenge can show up in your 3/4 segment more than people think, you are right the 1 ton option will help that problem. Also I think that towing anywhere close to your max tow rating is nuts in a 1/2 ton. Many will, on paper, tow 13-14K. At 9500 for my own, I wouldn't ever want to tow close to that. I'm just starting my research on which TT I want to get and trying to stay under 6000-7000# fully loaded if possible. I've even considered older Airstreams, for starter, because they are cool, but they also tow lower and have a more slick air profile, which I can only imagine helps their towability. Trying to stay under that weight because I want to survive wind days as well as days in the mountains, towing at max weight won't help either of those issues. Great video, you tackled these fives and provided good data to back up each one.
Great video - Here is a Suggestion - Show some example calculations.... Here are numbers from my truck: 2011 F150 6.2L Platinum - 1467 Max Cargo Capacity Capacity 1467 Topper -220 Gear -200 Person 1 -225 Person 2 -150 Person 3 Person 4 672 Total Hitch Weight based on remaining Max Cargo capacity. The largest RV we should consider towing in this configuration is 6720 lbs GVWR. (NOT Dry Weight). (ie... 672 lbs is 10% of 6720 lbs) The real surprise is when you add additional passengers it can drop your remaining hitch weight substantially. We agree that Truck payload capacity should drive your calculation on how much RV can safely be towed. (Advertised Tow capacity is 11, 500 lbs. and is truly a meaningless number since the payload numbers are the limiting factor.) Thanks for posting. Important information for sure. bryan
Bravo'! Bravo! Great information and all true. As someone who is in process of getting our setup put together, I've researched this to death. We ended up with a 2015 Silverado 2500 Double Cab 2WD 8 foot bed with a 6.0 Gas engine and 4.10 rear axle. It has a tow capacity of 14,400 but, more importantly, it has a Payload capacity of 3145 lbs. per the sticker. It will work great for our soon to be purchased 5th wheel with a GVWR of 12585 lbs.
We bought a travel trailer that was well under the listed capacity of the half ton we owned at the time. It didn’t feel safe and we ended up upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck. Have a bigger camper now and I’m glad we switched.
great advice man, I've told people about payload weights till I'm blue in the face. bottom line is they want the big honkin 5th wheel but don't want a dually, and usually don't want to move from a f250 to a f350. I've seen some really scary rigs in some campgrounds.
My very first visit to a RV dealership (a few days ago) my experience with the dealer wasn’t very good. One thing he said that stuck out to me was when I told him my tow capacity, he said “You can pull 99% of what we have in stock for travel trailers.” I have a 1/2 ton Silverado. I know what my tow capacity is, and what is actually safe for me to pull. I told him what the tow capacity was to see his response, because I have been told to watch out for that type of salesman. It’s pretty sad that the bad tow situations you see are sometimes enabled by an unscrupulous salesman. Good video, thanks for posting. 👍
They'll tell you anything to sell. It took me a year of looking and then an honest Rv dealer to point out all of the capacities and weights. I'm close to Max for my 1/2 ton but everyone else had me 1-1,500 over dry. We don't carry much and if I were to fill the fresh water and had to go dump black and grey water Id be way over. No interest in boondocking
Camping World wanted to sell us a TT that was not safe for our truck and when we caught her trying to do that she pretended she was confused about the vehicle we had...
Ultimately it is the responsibility of the operator for not only complying with the laws but creating a safe tow situation. A lot of people will tell you a lot of things but if you have an accident because of mismatched tires, tow vehicle, hitch, Etc you don't get off the hook by saying so-and-so told you it was okay.
All good points! I love the myth, " you need the weight as far foreword on your trailer to keep pressure on the hitch so it doesn't pop up if you hit a big bump"! Nothing like putting several hundred times your tongue weight on your receiver!
Some one mentioned that the more weight on the truck/trailer combo the harder it is to get it stopped. With 30 plus years in the transportation industry, I did learn a couple of things. If everything is set up properly, it’s actually harder to get it all stopped when it’s empty or when one has exceeded their Gross Vehicle Weight. 18 wheelers actually shorten the stopping distance when loaded. They are designed to do so, and any trailer/combo should do the same no matter the size.
Great advice for those new to the RV life. F250 Chevy 2500 with diesel is not a good choice considering payload. Stick with gas unless you Purchas a one ton
You nailed it. You nailed it completely. Air bags don’t help while towing a travel trailer. They give folks a false sense of security. A weight distribution hitch is what’s needed. They will level the truck and keep you safe. . BTW you wouldn’t last 5 minutes as an RV salesman telling all this truth. I’ve been pulling Trailers and Fifth Wheels for 30 years and some of what I see scares me. It’s especially bad when you see a young family towing a 30 foot trailer with a 1/2 ton truck. Mom, dad and two kids riding in what is a potentially deadly situation. Just because you can pull it doesn’t mean you can pull it safely. Air bags can be very helpful for those who own a fifth wheel. They level out your truck so your headlights aren’t pointing into the sky.I have them on my F350 and I wouldn’t be without them. I would say that one of the most helpful things you can do it got to a Cat scale and get your rig weighed. You’ll know your trucks front and rear axle weight and the axle weight on your trailer. Make sure you and the family stay in the truck while getting weighed and you’ll have real world numbers. This is the first thing I did with my new toy hauler. I weighed it on the way to the campground when everything was loaded heavily and I weighed it on the way home to see the difference. It was money well spent because I was able to see that I was compliant for all of my axle weight capacities and my GVWR and GCVWR. As far as Toy Hauler fifth wheels go you can use your garage to offset what you may have considered putting in the bed of the truck. Toy haulers are meant to be loaded in the garage so when they are empty they do have a very high hitch weight as compared to a regular fifth wheel. My truck bed is empty when I tow and my firewood is in plastic bins in the garage. I don’t have any toys lol.
Done the same thing. Had to get rid of a truck I had for a couple of years when I learned about these payload numbers. Very good video. Just look at your numbers yourself. Numbers don’t lie
Excellent video. Went from 3.5 eco F150 that I absolutely loved to a 6.7 F350 with 3455lbs payload preparing for 5th wheel down the road. I was clearly over my payload on my F150 pulling my 34ft travel trailer, and friends continue to tell me I spend to much time on worrying about payload. Peace of mind is much more valuable then pushing the envelope.
Finally a good video with some good info. Payload is a huge part of the towing game. Thanks for the video and putting this info out there for people who my be going by tow numbers and not looking at payload.
Rv dealer should offer classes for big 5 th wheels for the folks who are new to the rv world... Great job. We been rving for years. Always good to listen to someone else.
Just wanted to say thanks - incredibly important info. Sometimes I think one of the biggest mistake is assuming everyone knows the basic principles of trailers, etc. I know I've made this mistake before. You may not want to be pejorative or come across a a know-it-all, but you really can keep people from getting hurt. Much appreciated!
great video and I agree with what yo said. Now, there is one case for airbags... (however this is not my situation). There are people who what a "level" truck so they level it when not loaded with makes it not level when towing and hauling. Does not mean they are over their rear axle weight rating but they are squatting. A weight distribution hitch will somewhat take care of this, but it may push too much weight back to the trailer or the front axle. This is why weighing your truck and trailer is so important. The axle ratings are also VERY important since this is what the engineers design the axles (bearings, wheels, brakes) to. I purchased a 1ton diesel because of the payload reductions of the 3/4 ton and I wanted to stay "legal". It is MUCH more truck than I need now but we are starting a small homestead so I will be hauling as well as towing equipment. Also, I know that my wife will want a larger trailer (or 5th wheel) in the future so I wanted to make sure I had no issues with either. I didn't NEED a diesel, I wanted a diesel.
As someone who has been towing Goosenecks up to 16,000 lbs. since the 1970s I have to agree with all your comments! I do, however, offer a caveat to myth # 4, gas or diesel! As you say, if towing is only an occasional undertaking gas is just fine! Diesel, however does offer some very distinct advantages for those of us who do a lot of towing! At one time I averaged 10-12,000 miles a month! Under those conditions diesels have two very powerful advantages. The first is diesels average about 40% better fuel economy. The second is any gas engine used for extensive heavy towing will likely suffer burnt valves! (That was my most common problem until I went diesel in the mid 80s!) Not so with diesels. The reason is cylinder head temps are much lower under load with a diesel than with a gas engine. They have a much, much longer service life than gas engines under constant load if properly maintained.
A very good point about gas vs diesel. I needed diesel for uphill and daily commute for MPG, but the payload was my concern, losing about almost 1k payload. So I had to move from 1500 to 2500. Now I am within the payload in any case.
I tow with an Ram Eco-diesel, small/modest travel trailer. Original tires on the Eco-diesel are SUV tires, felt there was excessive wear (I use it a lot) so I did add air bags for extra stability, and switched to 10 ply tires. Higher pressure and a more solid ride (not as comfortable as the car set up but still good), this solved tire wear problems and increased stability traveling. There is a big difference in the power curve on Diesel VS Gas,, both have power but at very different RPM's. Towed my rig with a Jeep Grand Cherokee for one year - power and towing capacity are similar, but real life performance totally different - short weekend trips would be OK, but going long haul (wintering in the south) requires the capacity of a truck. Speed matters - 65-70 is easily possible freeways through Houston and other areas, but scenic routes (even mountain routes, with speeds 52-60 gives better economy and a far more relaxed enjoyable time for the traveler.
Great video... I learned this the hard way too. I’m going to pick my new 5th wheel up next week. I had no idea my 2500 with the massive Cummins had such a crappy payload. That’s why I decided to play it safer and get a “half ton towable” one....
Point 3 : TOTALLY AGREED!!!!! Check your tyres,suspension,wheel bearings,brakes,lights,and so on and so on.... it is all important!!! But biggest failure is too little load on the tow hitch..... people that say differently should be made to EAT the trailers that caused accidents because of not enough load on the tow hitch!!!!... I hope they have a good appetite as it is well over 50% of all trailer-related accidents...
Best video I’ve seen on weight as pertains to towing. Had several salesmen tell me that their half ton truck could tow my 14000 pound fifth wheel. I offered to put 3000 pounds in the bed of their half ton truck to see how it would respond. None of the four salesmen would accept the challenge. I towed this trailer with my f250 and air bags. Got tired of chasing the trailer on bad roads and bought a one ton truck with dual rear wheels and a lower rear gear ratio. RV tows much better and I get two mpg better fuel mileage with the one ton truck. The old adage speed kills is very true. I rarely tow over 60 mph and religiously stay in the right lane. When looking at tow vehicles Open the door of the truck and look at the mfg sticker. It will tell you what you can safely tow. I agree that most of the accidents I have seen with travel trailers the tow vehicle was not adequate for the load being pulled. Great video. I’m sure you’ll get lots of dissenters. It’s to be expected.
A dually is more stable than single rear wheels but I bet your dually also has a tad longer wheelbase. Same is true for tractor trailers. You climb in a tractor with a 260" wheelbase and it feels like you're skating on ice. Hook a 270" wheelbase truck to the same trailer and that 10" makes a world of difference.
Anthony Aubuchon with a pickup the addition of dual rear wheels adds to the stability as well. Only drawback is close quarters maneuvering is sometimes more interesting. I gladly surrender this attribute for the stability on road.
yes, remember that sales guy are trying to make a living so can not depend on what they say. Have to do your own homework. Essentially, stay away from anything less than 2500 or less for trucks for big trailer towing.
I was sold a camper with the approximate weight of just over 7000 pounds. I was told by the RV dealership that a 2002 Chevy Tahoe would be more than adequate to tow the camper. As you can imagine I found out on the very 1st mile out of the dealership that that was not the case. And after two attempts at camping in the local area I realized that because of the purchase of the camper it would require the purchase of the proper tow vehicle. Moral of the story get educated and do not under any circumstances trust the information provided by the sales group. I was astounded after thinking about it that the RV salesman was perfectly willing to put my family in danger to make a sale.
Unfortunately you are just one of thousands who have experienced a similar set of circumstances. I am glad you are biting the bullet and acquiring an appropriate tow vehicle. My family thanks you!
Sales people will also misinform you about needing a class A license. Check your state codes to be sure you are not towing out of class. My state (CA) requires a non-commercial class A to tow a RV with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs or more.
You're absolutely right about everything you said. Gas F-250 and 350s make great towing rigs especially when you have the new 7.3 liter gas. That's what my dream truck is. I watch TFL Truck and they did the Ike Gauntlet they call it. That 7.3 liter gas hangs right in there with the 3/4 diesel trucks pulling a 16000 gooseneck horse trailer.
From etrailer - "Speed is a huge issue with trailer tires actually. Unless otherwise noted trailer tires are rated as 65 miles per hour as their max speed. Exceeding the speed rating will cause the tire to heat up and fail easier."
Excellent! Well done. The only thing I’d change is move myth #2 to #1. It’s frightening to see how many rigs are obviously overweight. Not only is this unsafe fore everyone who shares the road, but it is a huge financial risk the perpetrators. Not only can they be fined, but If they’re involved in a wreck, insurance may not pay for damage or medical cost, regardless of who is at fault.
Yes hitch weight is very important. I went to rent an extremely heavy piece of equipment. I had paid a friend $50.00 to tow it. Unfortunately his hitch was a bumper hitch. The men at the rental place suggested that it could be very dangerous. Then they showed me accident photos due to faulty hitches. That was enough to convince me, but my friend wasn't convinced. Maybe because he wanted the money. I paid him, went back to get my van, and paid $450.00 for a new hitch. I definitely would rather be safe than sorry, especially after those photos I saw and the destruction caused, and fatalities from runaway trailer accidents. Stay safe out there. ✌
Thanks for the video! The weight distribution myth was the biggest eye opener! Next on my list of things to learn about is retrofitting a break control system into my 2016 Honda Pilot.
Cheers for the payload discussion, jeers for the trailer weight distribution. Not that you're wrong, but you failed to mention that it's about balance. Having too much tongue weight can be dangerous as well. tow vehicle Front axle is your steering axle and if it does not have enough weight in it, that's VERY unsafe. 12-15% tongue weight is where you need to be.
Great video! You are correct, there is much misinformation if miss information on the interwebs. This is truly a must see for new and even seasoned, travel trailer campers.
I have a 2011 F-150 FX2 with 5.0L V8 and bought a travel trailer and weight distribution hitch the same year. The trailer weighed less than 7K (can't remember exact weight) and yes the trailer pulled good and straight and stopped just fine. BUT! Pulled it to the hills of Arkansas (I live in Texas) and that poor truck worked its A__s off! Automatic transmission dropped 3 of it's 6 gears to climb a hill and got 8 miles to the gallon. Made two trips and then sold it. Just because you CAN tow it, doesn't mean you SHOULD tow it!
@@tompain2751 ...and unlimited hot water and no "set up", no poopy hoses to drain and store, good ac, and usually cheaper than "full hook-up" RV parks with trailers parked 10 ft from you on both sides with barking dogs and or boon docking for privacy with $1000 batteries. BUT, don't listen to me because I'm OLD! LOL
Great video filled with great information. I currently tow with a half ton and totally agree with everything you said. I checked all the information you mentioned and I am good on all points. Weight distribution is a must, I have a older style Reese leveling set up with anti sway added to the bars, hard to explain the set up. I also added a sway bar for extra insurance. I agree 100% about air bags. I won’t even look at them for my truck. As a side note, I stepped up my tires to 3/4 ton rated tires. Not for towing capacity, only for stability.
Agree with your comments but would call-out one situation where "towing capacity" can get hit before payload capacity. There are a lot of SUV's rated to tow 5,000 but they might have a payload capacity between 1,100 and 1,500. So plenty of payload for a couple people in the SUV and a trailer 4,000 to 5,000 but not above that. Also, people might see ad's for an F-150 or 1500 series truck that can tow 10,000 to 12,000. They may not realize that their personal F-150 / 1500 does not have the equipment required to get that high rating and might be unsafe above, say, 5,000.
So grateful for all of your comments!! We are on family vacation right now but I will make ample time to read everyone’s comments when we return. Thanks so much for your engagement. It’s sincerely appreciated.
That what I meant, thanks for the reply. Still getting the lingo down. However, in you opinion what do you think about the numbers?
Speed, towing too fast. Just because you can pull it at 70 MPH, should you? I don't drive over 60 when I tow. My family is number one, the faster you tow, the harder it is to recover if something happens. A flat, deer, or anything else you can think of. Have a great day and be safe.
So I've done some more digging and there's a Tesla powerwall that's worth looking into
My 2005 ford f250 diesel payload is 2700 lbs a 2014 f250 diesel is 3250lbsl crew cab short bed dont know you came up with 1700lbs
Sir you said that the vehicles are set up wrong. In actuality it is the person behind the wheel of the towing vehicle. I am a CDL driver for 20 years and have seen it all. I watch out for the drivers pulling a trailer more than any others. Most get brave and forget that weight behind them. Granted set up of the towing vehicle has a lot to do with how they drive. It doesn't matter if you got a 1 ton dually towing a 26 foot ultra lite if the person behind the wheel is driving at 80 and cuts trucks off and acts like they are only in the pickup truck. Driving up beside a tractor trailer at that speed and not paying attention to the suction that they create is plain dumb. I have seen too many drivers get near my front end and they aren't looking and because of the suction the trailer almost makes contact with my tractor. When that happens I got to move over or hit the brakes hard. The set up of your tow vehicle is a big priority but the biggest priority is set yourself up for driving that vehicle because you are the biggest wild card. Learn as much as you can by reading and watching videos but get some time behind that wheel with a knowledgable driver sitting beside you. CDL drivers have to go and learn how to drive 80 000 lb vehicles but pulling a travel trailer just requires you to have a standard license. Look at it this way your truck weighs 6000 lbs and the trailer weighs 6000 lbs that is 12,000 lbs you are moving up and down the road so be smart and learn how to properly do it. It is more fun to get there safely than being upside down in the median.
I've been towing travel trailers of varying sizes for 40 years now and agree with everything you said. I would add that speed is a major factor in most mishaps. Especially when windy. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD do something.
Thanks for sharing this. What speed should I target?
Regardless of whether you are doing 50 mph or 70 mph if you have setup your truck and trailer to fail, there will come the time when failure will occur. My fear is somebody's poor setup could cost me my life!
I’ve been an RV dealer for over 40 years, our Mom and Pop store has always been diligent in matching tow vehicle to trailer and beat that into our sales people’s heads. But many RV dealers are not so concerned unfortunately and it makes us all look bad. Use your common sense to evaluate your dealer and salesperson. Pick your dealer first then your trailer. My number one safety tip is slow down, conditions and hazards can change very quickly. Don’t be in a hurry to relax, start off relaxed and alert. Good points in this video for sure.
Up to the owner of the vehicle to know what weight limits of them are. Last time I got a truck I got one will all the towing accessories. Even then be realistic on what you can tow. Weight distribution hitch, sway control, and proper brake controlers are very important
@@joerogers4227 well you may be educated you are in the minority.
Most people who walk into an RV dealer believe their truck can tow anything no problem. Unfortunately most sales people are more concerned about closing a deal and making commission over others safety.
Rand- What you said really resonates with me. My husband and I are buying our first camper. A 2021 Bushwacker 15ft tear drop.
I called my Toyota dealership, gave them my VIN number and asked if my 6 cylinder/ automatic/ 4x4 could pull this tear drop with a max weight of 3000lbs. My truck has a factory tow package. They said yes. My truck was rated for 6500lbs. Does " rated" mean my pay load? Thank you ~ Diane
@@dianehall5345 hi, I would need more information to comment on your particular situation. Pay load would be the amount of weight your vehicle can carry IN IT including cargo, people, dogs , weight pushing down on the hitch the total of everything.
Towing capacity is the weight of the trailer being pulled. This number also includes everything put in the trailer.
There is also a wind resistance factor that is a guess , in the case of a tear drop trailer that would be a very small
factor .
Towing capacity is your main concern.
I hope that helps, glad to answer any further questions. Cheers
Rand- Thanks for your comments. Two people, no dogs, minimal gear. We are farmers and want to take mostly day trips and over nighters, to visits friends. If we can't pull this small tear drop, we have a problem. No way am I crawling into a bunk tear drop with an outside kitchen at my age. Our mechanic will be going through the truck, as well as the RV dealership..
As a big rig driver with 18 years accident free experience. Bravo thank you for putting proper information out here.
We recently went from a 1,100lb uhaul fiberglass camper to now having a 5,000lb Avion, and we had to learn a lot of what you mentioned real fast. I think most important is the towing capacity. Everyone should understand that towing accounts for truck weight, how much the people and equipment weigh and the tongue weight of your trailer all get factored in. It is very important, and I believe people should definitely do their research to keep everyone safe on the roads. Thanks for the honest video!
A co-worker of mine has one of those old U-Haul campers. Super cool, and I never knew U-Haul had even done campers until I met my friend.
Great video. I can't tell you how many times I see someone towing down the highway with not nearly enough towing vehicles. Two things people don't realize: You can get pulled over and weighed, it is a very large fine if your tow vehicle is not adequate, plus they won't let you leave until you have a proper tow vehicle. And more importantly, if you ever cause a wreck and your tow vehicle is not big enough, your insurance company probably will not cover you.
@griff50ify didn't ol Wally tow his Airstream with a bicycle?😁
Well said! Started with a used pop up and my 1500 was great! Upgraded camper to a 29’ double axle travel trailer (and not an ultra-lite model). Used my 1500 on several, close-to-home weekenders in the flat heartland of this great nation. After only “several” of these trips I knew it was a bad match (even though the salesman assured it was enough truck)! Upgraded truck to a 3/4 ton diesel and the difference it makes (even in the “feel”) is unbelievable! Thanks again. Everyone please be safe.
I've been towing for twenty five years. Everything you said makes sense to me.
What is Payload Capacity?
A vehicle’s payload capacity is the amount of weight the vehicle can carry within its cabin or on the truck bed. Anything you put inside your vehicle, whether it be cargo or passengers, counts towards the vehicle’s payload. The payload capacity of a vehicle, in general, is less than the vehicle’s towing capacity because the entire payload weight is weighing down on the vehicle’s wheels. Going above your vehicle’s payload capacity can put unwanted strain on your vehicle and lead to damage.
What is Towing Capacity?
Towing capacity is the amount of weight your vehicle can pull behind it and is often much higher than the payload capacity, as the weight of what you are towing does not rest on the frame of the vehicle. No matter how you tow something, whether it be a frame-mounted receiver hitch or an in-bed hitch, it all has the same impact on your vehicle’s towing capacity.
The towing capacity of a vehicle model can vary between trim levels, despite the vehicles sharing the same model name. This is because the towing capacity is impacted by the power of the vehicle’s engine and the vehicle’s configuration.
I might have to disagree on one point, "as the weight of what you are towing does not rest on the frame of the vehicle." IF there is no weight from the trailer on your frame, you should be able to lift the tongue of the trailer with your hand to the height of your towing ball. The simple fact is there IS weight from the trailer that is transferred to your frame if your load is properly distributed (more wt between the trailer axle and hitch than behind the trailer axle)
In reference to "myth" number 3. I purchased an all aluminum trailer for weight reduction and rust prevention. After purchasing, I contacted the manufacture and asked about putting a sway bar on. The employee told me that if I put a sway bar or distribution hitch on the trailer "being an aluminum frame" that it would void the warranty. Instead they put the emphasis on weight distribution. Ensuring that the tongue weight is 10 to 15 percent of the trailer weight, which I have always practiced in the past. You achieve that with moving your weight within the trailer. So if the tongue weight is to much for your tow vehicle, then you need to consider, at least in my case, tow vehicle changes, because you still need to balance the trailer.
Thank you for allowing feedback.
Just got back from a 2500 mile trip. Mileage sucked but trailer towed true. 2018 Neo 7x14x6.5 Vnose.
I really appreciate that you are humble enough to admit that you don't know everything!! The fact that you do the research and put out the proper information to help keep everyone safe is refreshing!!!! Thank you for your hard work!!!!
Jody Green I appreciate it!! Plenty of folks out there smarter than I on the subject.
I purchased my first travel trailer in February and while looking over a year for the perfect unit I found that the dealers were the worst educators on all things hitch related. They were happy to sell you one and charge you to install it but not teach you how to properly use it and adjust it. This is what's lacking in the industry teaching people how to be safe. The dealers just want to charge you for every little thing but not teach you. In fact the worst part of buying my trailer was dealing with all the idiotic dealerships. Their ignorance and greed was off the scale.
Hundreds of videos on youtube that teach you everything you need to know about almost any subject, including towing and hitch setup.
We just bought a travel trailer and they are giving us a hour free instructions on how to use everything before we leave
@@dlakerguy True but you are missing the point! When you are buying a big ticket item like this and add to this the potential DANGERS of hauling 5+ ton trailers dealers are being negligent when they will only help you with hitches/etc. if you pay them to do it.
@@pauletteharmon6778 Good to hear! Maybe dealers are realizing they've been dropping the ball!
@@turbohawk You don't pay them to do training. You pay them to give you a trailer.
Agree with travel trailers being safe to tow. The key is quality components, hitch, sway bars/load distribution, payload, tongue weight, tow vehicle, and most importantly, the operator him/herself.
I am considering my options for traveling in the future, I really appreciate you covering this topic... Beyond that I respect your call for dialogue and opinions backed up with facts. I hope none of us are ever to old to learn... Discussing a topic without anger, we need more if that on these channels! Thank you. 👏
im a hot shot driver, and i transport rvs as well. i honestly started this video expecting to correct you lol. great job man, most accurate video on towing i've seen in a long time. especially the tow vehicle being inadequate. lots of people find out the hard way that a 1 ton dually or even a 4500 is not enough for the super large 5ers out there. usually takes a few dead transmissions or other major breakdowns then they are calling a guy like me with my 2014 Freightliner Cascadia (single axle day cab) to pull their 18k-25k lbs triple axle beast. sure the sticker says you can do it. the rv dealer says you can do it. and yes you can do it. but no you don't really have actual control over it and no the truck will not survive long doing it. especially in the mountains or hill country. dealers (both truck and rv) keep me in business with the crap they tell people to sell them
thanks brother!
I love this video... I just did a truck change from a 2011 F350 6.7L to 2018 F250 6.2L gas. Found out that the 5th Wheel I just bought was out of the payload capacity of the F350, and actually fit comfortably into the F250. The Payload on the F350 was 1900+/-, and the F250 is near 3000# because of the lighter weight of the truck...(don't remember the actual)
Keep up the great videos!
I like all the info you gave which was spot on!!! Before I purchased my first toy hauler, I got educated on towing, hauling, payload, GVWR, and other items in the RV towing from my father. His big rig driving experience at the time was 40 years plus, so I was able to start towing a toy hauler with the confidence needed to start and I now have 17 years of towing experience under my belt just by paying attention and listening to my dad when he explained to me the intricacies of hauling and towing. Know your limits and be as safe as you can because it can be a matter of life and death. This video hit all the factors of towing a travel trailer right on the head. Good job, and keep up the good work!!
That demo of loading the front heavy vs rear was very informative. Saved some lives there.
Agree with almost everything you say....especially your take on Gas vs Diesel. On airbags, I've had them of 2 of my trucks over the years & I can unequivocally say they were awesome to have.....especially on tag trailer setups I employed them with.
Great video and conversation starter. Payload/diesel myth was eye opening. With regard to loading up the rear--when we first bought our TT, we did not latch the hitch when we drove it home; it was just sitting on the ball without being secured. If we had too much weight in the rear we definitely would have popped that trailer off. I have told my wife and kids when they were learning how to tow: "When in doubt, slow down or even pull over."
Great video. We went from a 24’ travel trailer to a 31’ fifth wheel and had to get another truck because of my payload number.
My Ram 1500 pulled it fine, but I was always going to be at least 300 lbs over payload no matter what.
I got a Ram 2500 and we are now good-to-go.
Wife was mad at me for about a month because the 1500 had ALL the bells & whistles and the 2500 has NO bells & whistles...except it tows our 5th wheel safely and that’s the only bell or whistle I care about.😉
Bet it just broke your heart 💔 to get that shiney new truck. 😂😂
Gary Schoonmaker 😂
Priorities are in the right place my friend! Happy camping!
Excellent video. Experience on the air bags. I tow with weight distro and sway control. I added airbags, mostly for ride. Just know, more air is not always better. I had a terrible initial tow with it. I started adjusting air pressure (lowering it). Found the sweet spot. Also, take your rig loaded and unloaded over the scales. Knowledge of true weight is key. Once I sorted thru all of that, I now have my setup tweaked to an excellent tow. It just took crunching numbers and making adjustments where I could. Keep the highway speeds down too. Control of your tow is success.
Good info, I haven't been towing an RV very long but have found that there's a lot of conflicting info on payload and GVWR, etc. I tend to agree that the payload is the most important. Thanks for the briefing
That is a good rule of thumb.... most people run into payload problems first.
I love the opening. He's asking us to debate BUT keep it civil. Really interested to learn from anyone that can be civilized AND open minded. Subscribed :)
Thanks James! Welcome.
Spot on information. Along with being unsafe, its also a good way of getting your rig impounded if you're "towing out of class". Law enforcement who know these tow weights and vehicle capacities will pull you over based on their observation alone of a rig being too heavy for the tow vehicle.
Great advice, I’m a first time travel trailer owner and I am now in search of what vehicle I want for long term towing
I tow a 27 foot travel trailer with an F-150 and a sway control/weight distribution hitch. I taught my wife how to tow safely, and she now drives about 30% of the time. From the first lesson I preached the mindset that you need to RESPECT the weight and momentum of the trailer. Change lanes slowly. Keep your speed at 65 or under. Come to almost a complete stop when making a turn at an intersection. You can't flip the trailer if you don't allow the sideways momentum to build up.
Yep. That's why I've stopped towing my parents' 28' trailer with my Silverado 1500 for anything except shunting it from storage to their house. (It's not payload that's the problem. The thing will happily cruise down the highway with 2000lbs in the bed, no squat. But the 7000lbs of trailer is too much for the engine to pull up a hill, and too much for the brakes to handle with no brake controller.) Then for the actual trip, we load up my dad's Ram 2500 Powerwagon, and the trailer's weight vanishes.
I long hauled for almost 50 years and seen campers running down the internet states loaded wrong and wounder if they got to were ever they were going because of the way they were swaying running down the hwy that was really smart way to simulate with a treadmill to show the public what happens when you don’t know how to even your weight out in your equipment great video keep up the great work
Appreciate it! Thank you for watching.
Hey from Canada. I agree 100% with everything you said. Our situation was I bought a brand new Silverado in May 2018. Z71, tow package etc... loaded. Anyway, in the fall, we went and bought a trailer and didn't do enough research and ended up with a 35 foot Herritage Glen with multiple slides etc... we were over the truck GVWR, and though the hitch weight was 900lbs, by the time you had that, plus two adults, two teenage boys, 3 dogs and some tools... our cargo capacity was out the window! So this spring, just as camping season started for us up here in April, I traded in the Chevy and bought a 2019 RAM 3500HD dually with a 5th wheel tow prep and a Cummins with 1000lbft of torque. You can hardly feel the camper on the back of this truck. Was the truck a bit over kill for our camper, probably... but every time I'm going down a steep grade and I let off the throttle and the exhaust break is able to hold everything back without touching the brakes, I smile and feel good about my decision. My family is much safer, your family is much safer and when we move to a larger 5th wheel once the boys have moved on, we will have zero worries about the truck! Cheers!
Danny MacNevin when it comes to towing no one has ever said “I wish I had less truck.” Thank you for commenting and happy camping!
That's one thing diesel offers that gas doesn't... exhaust brakes!! They are awesome and REALLY save your brakes!
Danny MacNevin I have a 2013 dodge 2500 and tow an 11k trailer. The exhaust break holds me to 50 on most hills. That thing is crazy good!
Keep your speed down! Don't hook up a trailer and assume that you can drive, safely, above highway speed limits.
Good vid and important information!
Mark, this is a VERY valid point. Even with the truck/trailer (5W) balanced, one needs to keep an eye on the speed; think STOPPING capability! IMO, a lot of probs could be avoided, if the driver would stay in the 60-65 mph range, instead of the "normal" highway limits.
This probably the best safety advice of all.
Well said! Wind changes everything.
Always keep my speed below 65mph however, I still see a lot of morons speeding like there were not towing
Wheteher I'm pulling my camper, gooseneck, bass boat or my 14 foot jon boat no more than 60 mph ith my 3500 drw. 60 mph max, go ahead pass me I don't care. I'll wave when I pass you on the side of the road with over heated brakes or broke whatever.
Thank you.
I just towed a small (1500#) camper across the country with a little Honda element.
Luckily I DID research it for many months and observed ALL the tips you point out. There was a lot of misinformation out there about every specification.
Following these guidelines I had almost zero trailer fish tailing in panic moves, in the rain. By observing the 10% weight on the tongue, staying within vehicle hitch capacity and moving weight forward (and low) in the camper, and always leaving enough stopping distance, the whole trip was a breeze.
Very good advice. Its hard to tell people your point about payload, especially with the diesel trucks. People just dont comprehend that you need to look at payload first and calculate the weight of passengers, gear, or mods done to the tow vehicle. Then subtract that from your payload and that number gives you the available payload that will be the tongue weight of your travel trailer. I am taking your advice and buying a ProPride Weight distribution hitch to help make my towing experience better and safer.👍👍👍
We our tundra didn't have enough payload for our trailer tongue so we bought 2019 Duramax 2500. Pulled the trailer great.....all 6 times a year. But as a daily driver it was terrible. Our little town has so many red lights the exhaust particulate filter would fill up every 80 miles, so every week I had to drive it to the next town and back to do the Regen. Kept it 15 months and traded for 2020 GMC 2500 with the new gas engine. It pulls our 8k lb trailer just fine and driving is fun again.
Jim Collins most people in the know would recommend the gas engine to those not over the 8500-10,000 pound mark depending on the manufacturer. The gas engine has the added benefit of being easier and cheaper to maintain. Gas engine oil change is around fifty dollars. Diesel oil change is around $150.00. Fuel filter on the gas truck is around forty dollars . Diesel fuel filter change is around $200-250 dollars. Just something to think about.
Not sure who the "in the know" people are. RV dealer tells you your existing vehicle will handle anything on his lot, and the car dealer tries to push you to most expensive truck. We actually initially went to try out 2019 gas 2500 truck but unimpressed with 6.0L, so got the diesel knowing full well about higher maintenance cost. I failed to do my due dilligence on emissions driveability issues. If the truck was usable in town I would still have it.
Jim Collins I truly understand. I, too, made a purchase of a vehicle that was inadequate for its intended use my 3/4 ton crew cab single rear wheel diesel trucks suspension struggled to handle my 14000 pound fifth wheel with a @3000 pound hitch weight even with the addition of air bags. Fuel capacity was twenty gallons and fuel consumption was nine mpg towing the RV at 60 mph. That meant fuel stops every 150 miles or so. I learned the hard way about the labels in the door jamb. The new one ton dual rear wheel, crew cab long wheel base diesel gets 11 mpg, it’s rated to carry 4,500 pounds in the bed and gvw of 25700 ponds and tows much better(more stable) than its predecessor. The addition of a sixty gallon auxiliary fuel tank means I can drive all day before having to stop for fuel. I live in a rural setting outside a small town with no red lights. I try to drive my truck at least weekly at sustained highway speed of at least Fifty five mph for at least ten miles, more in the winter.
I have a 2018 GMC Duramax.Awesome for pulling.Tried a gas 2500 and found it to be sluggish and underpowered.A big heavy truck like that needs to have a diesel in it.Just my opinion.
HELP!! Am considering pulling a 6K+/- travel trailer w/ a 3/4 ton trk; deciding bet a diesel or gas engine.Leaning toward the diesel, 'cause of traversing the mtns (Sierra, Cascade, Rockie, and the Appalation (sp) -- primarily because of the exhaust braking vs non-exh on gas. This will be several times per yr (not just 1 - +/- - time per year. Would it be better to go with diesel or larger (f-350/f-450 vs f-250) gas engine?
Y'all Be Safe!
Air bags fix headlights, weight distribution fixes brakes.
How spot on this video is can not critique it whatsoever. Most accurate towing video online.
Completely agree with you! Unfortunately too many people out there towing with incapable vehicles. I disagree with some oems stating that with each engine the same vehicle can tow more. I don’t care what engine the vehicle has. I’m more concerned with vehicle stability than available power. Air bags, agree as well.
Awesome video with valid points. Another point to be made, which probably will have just as much argument, but you need to practice driving the truck and trailer. No matter what type you decide on, you need to practice. I can teach my 6 yr old how to drive down the road in a straight line, what I mean is real world driving, turning, backing, oh Shoot moments, hard braking, all the things you WILL encounter on the road. Use a big parking lot, set up cones or tennis ball halves, have a spotter, and challenge yourself. You’ll never ever be too good of a driver. Safe travels
Great video!! A myth I’d add, “bigger is better.” As for pull vehicle, yes, as for camper, no. The bigger the camper the higher the risk. I’d rather see family members stacked like cord wood at sleep time, in a small camper, versus 4 slides, fridge inside and outside, with 3 tvs. It’s great eye candy in the parking lot at dealerships, but not practical to tour the country.
@@Nascibiomed Amen. I have a 19' van camper and I camp in lots of out of the way places a longer rig couldn't go.
It's about knowing your "mission profile." If you're going to exclusively camp in RV parks and won't be straying too far off the main road, a big rig is great. But out here in California we have a ton of National Forest campgrounds that are cheap and wonderfully remote, and most have length caps ranging from 20 to 25 feet.
I started driving over 55 years ago and have had a full HC (semi trailer) licence for over 30 years.
40 years ago I towed a 12' caravan with my 2,00 cc, 8 seater Toyota Tarago people mover from Melbourne to Cairns and back, nearly 6,000km round trip. in 2 weeks. Only problem was head winds, but I always had weight biased to the front of the caravan and low down, and I always spent the first 40-50km adjusting the level-rides and load until I was happy with the feel of the combination. Covered a lot of miles with that combo.
I traded the Tarago on a Nissan Skyline wagon. 3 litre motor and a bit more overhang behind the back axle. I did only one trip with that car/caravan in probably 8 years and never got the unit to handle well. Had the power to pull, but a lousy tow vehicle.
When I first learned to drive I was told that I must have between 50 and 100 pounds on the tow ball regardless, and that has never let me down.
Congratulations on your advice in this video.
To sum it up, get a big enough truck for the trailer. If in doubt, always go bigger. A truck that isn’t worked as hard will last longer.
Great content. I bought a 2019 GMC 2500HD. When I when to buy a grand design 350G Toy hauler, I was questioned what my trucks payload was as the pin weight of that Rv was 3,360 lbs, and my truck had a 2176 lbs payload. Many places here on the internet gave conflicting advice. I finally after a few weeks of research decided a 3500 DRW was the safe way to go or a lighter trailer.
Thanks for putting this out there, you video helped me bite the bullet and upgrade to be safe. I’ve become educated on it now and will run my rig safely.
Love hearing this. You’re keeping us safer as well! Happy trails!!
Thanks for your humility in keeping you, your family, and other travelers safe. No shame in being corrected.
Having driven 18 wheelers for 50+ years I still get baffled by some of the RVs I see going down the highway. One look tells you that they don’t have a clue about weights or set up . Weight distribution hitch’s are the best thing ever invented for pull trailers , but they must be USED AND INSTALLED CORRECTLY. Nuff said !
The rv dealer will always say your truck is big enough, it may or may not be
Literally just made this mistake being a rookie and had to buy another truck. Should’ve done all this research before hand.
Biggest source of misinformation is the TT salesmen.
No, we will not ALWAYS say your truck is big enough. I've turned down many sales because the truck and the trailer don't match up. I had a customer las weekend with old Dodge Dakota with a V-8. Tow guide shows it can tow 7,000 lbs and the customer want one of our 5,000 trailers. But, we convinced him his truck was far to small to tow that much weight. So, let's not say ALL dealers. That simply isn't true.
Yeah rv dealers honestly don't care, they will sell the biggest trailer they can for your truck whether or not it should pull it
I have a 2016 F250 XLT. The higher end Platinum is heavier to start, so less payload that the XLT. Agree on diesel. in the West and Southwest, you are traveling through a lot of elevation change. If your trailer is heavy, mine is 7500lbs, you may want the diesel for pulling up grades. My previous F150 5.4 V8 did not fare well on the grades, 1st gear at 35mph for 20 miles, waiting for the engine to explode. That was my decision for the diesel. Towed my TT out to the eclipse two summers ago, from Phoenix to Casper Wyoming, lots of up and down grades at up to 8000ft elevation with no issues what so ever. I did my homework, did a payload plan and rolled safely.
I agree with everything you say - I would add that stiffer rear springs will solve the issue that some people try to solve with air-shocks. For example, with 280lb hitch weight, I lift the back of the truck 1" higher then the front - set's level when loaded and keeps the rear bumper off the trail. I highly recommend Old Man Emu springs and shocks for both towing and off road wheeling
#6 get a weight distribution hitch that is rated to your travel trailer and anti sway is even better! Great Video by the way 👍👍👍
WD hitches are not necessarily a bad idea, but proper tow rig capability/suspension setup and trailer weight distribution should always be your first concern with the WD hitch simply allowing for a minor final adjustment instead of being used to compensate for poor towing practices which happens all to often imho.
@@Gonecheenin In my opinion a WD hitch can make it possible to tow a trailer with not enough vehicle. They are a very good idea though, and I believe most bumper pull RV's should be using them. I'm even thinking of getting one for my 18' car hauler.
@@davidjfiedler Spot on! It may even be the law in some States. My Chevy manual says point blank that if towing at a particular weight, a WDS is mandatory.
@@Sadie04074 There are laws in every state for towing, so know what you can tow and don't go over the limits of your vehicle. You could end up in an accident that your insurance won't cover because you were overloaded, even if it wasn't your fault. You're overloaded, it may become your fault.
It's unfortunate but some of the folks who RV with their own channel continue to perpetuate the myth of travel trailer "death sway." It just goes to show that you need to take many of the videos giving advice with a grain of salt. Especially if you're new or just getting into RVing, watch lots of videos and take notes. After a while you'll begin to learn which poster's give the good, solid advice and back it with facts. And don't be afraid to ask questions; the one's that know what they're talking about are glad to help educate you. Well done!
Agreed! Bought my current 33.5’ travel trailer and had a f150 3.5 ecoboost. After one season, traded to an f250 which tows so much better.
Omg, a 34 footer with half ton?
The exhaust brakes on the diesels are a great safety plus when towing. The added weight of a diesel engine may actually improve towing safety. The ratio of the tow vehicle weight to the trailer weight is a safety element too.
Lambda the exhaust brakes are a nice feature but still do nothing for you payload capacity. Speaking of brakes the heavier diesels have the same brakes as their lighter gasoline counterparts which makes you wonder how much longer they take to stop in an emergency situation. The debate will continue on this subject for sure. Haha
My last 3 Gm products use a form of engine braking on their Gas motors or use the Tow /haul button
Diesel exhaust brakes are there to make up for the fact that diesels have very little engine braking. On a gasoline engine you get a braking effect from the engine trying to pull air past a closed throttle plate, but diesels have no throttle.
Now, compression brakes (like semis use) are another matter entirely -- they're tremendously powerful. But I've never seen one on a light truck.
I am not sure where the information that the diesel truck has less payload capacity came from but it is false for my truck at least. The gas and diesel are the same, use the same components and perform the same. As for the brakes, they are also the same, but the springs in front are different and the frame is different on the diesel. Now for the really BIG part! The transmission in the diesel is very different than the gas model and has more gears, better trans braking, better external cooling, and more fluid capacity. Having both to compare side by side makes things very clear which one I would choose to pull a TT or any heavy trailer for that matter. The gas truck will do the job, but it is not loving life when it is called upon for such tasks. Uphill with 10K dragging behind you needs the torque for a smooth experience in my opinion. 2008 F250 6.4L Diesel, 2009 F250 5.4L Gas
Exhaust breaking is a huge advantage while towing near capacity.
A diesel, especially if mated to a manual transmission with a Jake brake is always better if; you are running thru mountain passes, or need the raw torque for heavy loads, or if you want better mileage.
Thank you for your information. I will have to check the payload of my diesel Excursion! And you explained why I was having so much sway even with my anti-sway bar that I thought was the best one out there.
Great vehicle
Check your hitch and sway set up. I switched from a Gmc Sierra to a Silverado and had to readjust my entire hitch. White knuckles to not even realizing its there. Luckily I only pulled it 2 miles with the specific reason to set up the weight distribution hitch and measure ride height
If you have the payload…the best hitch you can buy is the Hensley, or the P3. They’re the ONLY hitch that guarantees to eliminate sway by their design. Not cheap, but they really work! Love ours. Won’t tow a bumper pull without one. 👍
You're 100% right!
We've had three TTs and good tow vehicles + know and learn from those who have been out there doing it if you're new.
Travel trailers are not unsafe. In- experienced drivers are..
I'm new to towing a travel trailer and towing in general. I stick in the slow lane and do 55 and use my mirrors and my camera. But overall I'm a very, very good driver so I suspect that being a crappy driver has more to do with bad driver's towing than anything else. Oh, and being over the payload capacity. When I see people that are towing and flying down the road at 70 with a truck that is probably not sufficient for what they are pulling in my book that is bad driving.
IMHO it's underexperienced drivers, how about a towing endorsement for the drivers license?? As a former OTR truck driver I've seen a lot of underexperienced drivers out there on the road endangering the general public.
You are correct. Our first was a TT and we changed to a fifth wheel for the room and layout. I do use airbags on my 3500 dually just to level my truck but again you are correct, airbags will not fix an overweight issue.
With the comment about the F250 diesel, the platinum is a loaded truck, the more options you add the more you effect the payload. A base package truck will always have a higher towing and payload rating than a loaded truck.
Big Truck Big RV here on utube has a lot n of videos about safe towing and what trailers are properly sized to trucks
My 2010 f250 6.4 lwb lariat superduty has a 3,000 lb payload
I agree with your assessment, but could argue that a diesel -- while it may lower payload, it also helps keep the truck more planted on the road with a heavy, or high profile load behind the vehicle. More weight up front keeps more weight on the steer tires, and when you're pulling 10k in an 8k lbs truck, the extra 1k motor weight actually helps keep the tail from wagging the dog as much. I see your point -- but there is some merit to diesel being a good option for drivers pulling across windy states with high profile trailers. However, one might want to consider a dually at that point, as well. Great video, and tips!
Good point. I can’t tell a difference with my lighter weight trailer but I could see the benefit towing something heavier.
You can also get a similar effect by adding additional modifications to a Gasser and get the same weight for half the cost. A bull bar and winch can help plant the front of a vehicle weight wise as well as adding extra protection against animal strikes and the functionality as a self recovery system if you get into a situation that would otherwise require calling a towing company to get back out of. If that’s not your thing there is also roof rack options that can help plant the front just as a diesel will and has the added bonus of reducing weight in the trailer by moving some supplies onto the roof of the tow rig
@@davidpeterson3147 These are good options -- but they all come at the cost of payload/tow capacity, which is your arguement against diesels motors. When it comes down to it, if you're approaching max payload when hauling, you're in the wrong truck. Diesel, nor adding a bullbar/roof racks are the answer -- because the result ends in being over capacity. I think viewers should know that if they are having to fine tune weights in order to meet payload and trailer GVWR capacity -- they are in the wrong tow vehicle, or have too large of a trailer.
Smokin Sound The argument was not against diesel it was against cost. The difference between a Gesser and a diesel can be in upwards of $10,000 in some applications. You should never opt out of a diesel for a gas motor to increase payload however if you’re not towing the trailer all day every day and you only take it out maybe once A month most people can’t justifyPaying an extra $10,000 just for the extra weight in the front you can spend half of that money match the weight gain, add additional functionality, and tune the gasser to perform equivalent of the diesel and your maintenance costs will still be half of what a diesel would cost
Another point to consider when talking tow ratings: what is your HITCH rated for? I'm talking the part of the hitch that is permanently attached to your truck/tow vehicle. My F-150 claims it can tow up to 11,900 lbs (IF the truck is otherwise empty), but when I climbed underneath to look at the actual hitch I saw lower numbers. My HITCH stated that WITHOUT weight distribution it was limited to max 5,000 lbs towing and max 500 lbs tongue weight, and WITH weight distribution it was limited to max 11,000 lbs towing and max 1,100 lbs tongue weight. Definitely a difference between the claimed max towing capacity for the vehicle and for the hitch itself.
I'm planning on staying well below these hitch limits, but it definitely also makes a difference when thinking whether or not to get a weight distribution hitch (I plan to).
Absolutely. And in some cases, your warranty could be voided if you exceed the tongue weight alone. Do your homework I always say and know the limits.
Isn’t the 5000 the bumper rating?
@@trevorclapham5571 You should look to see what your owner's manual tells you about towing and the tongue weights etc.
@@sferg9582 I know what my trucks ratings are. Generally any pick up without a tow package and mount the ball to the bumper has a 5000lbs tow rating and a tongue rating of 500lbs. All brands that produce 1/2 tons have this. If you have a tow package and a receiver this changes dramatically.
@@trevorclapham5571 My truck came with a receiver and tow package from the factory and still has a 500 lb. tongue weight limit. It's not just for bumper hitches. Anything over that without a weight distributing hitch could void your warranty. Finding this information was not easy but it's there.
Your 100% right I don't how anybody can argue with this info. One thing nobody talks much about is stopping capability.
Stopping capability. That is why there are brakes on your trailer. People need to get good reliable professional advice, not watch you-tube videos Anyone that puts their life in the hands of you-tube videos, is living dangerously.
@@oldman6495 Yes take RUclips with a grain of salt. There is a lot of good info on RUclips and some bad. Yes you can get professional advice from the professional car salesperson and professional RV salesperson. RV trailer brakes are not the best brakes but do help. If your tow vehicle does not have good stopping power your braking distance will be longer and if going down a mountain you my smoke your brakes.
RV DOG I’d want good truck brakes in case trailer brakes fail & good trailer brakes in case truck brakes fail.
@@MichaelBrown-kk6ck Exhaust brake and a manual transmission.
@@oldman6495 good brakes on a trailer doesn't matter if you can't control the trailer when stopping quickly. Like the new 1 ton trucks say they can haul 31,000 lbs. Good luck trying to stop that amount of weight with a 1 ton truck.
2005 Excursion V8 gas payload 1866 lb, Diesel 1703 lb. I tow 10k lb flatbed with skidsteer or CT450 Bobcat backhoe, 16ft and 18ft 7' wide, 6.5 tall 10k cargo trailers. Sold the 2010 RAM Megacab with 6' bed. Had F250 extended cab 8' and six ft bed 3.55 rear end Diesels. Easy sway with nothing in truck bed.
Returned to Ford Excursion because it is a Mule pulling the trailer tame and steady. Has F350 springs!
40 gal rear tank is such a good balast! LOL
A good brake controller is the other secret not paniking eating your tires. Too many falt-top tires create also sway. 2/3 in front of axle center and 1/3 in the back has always been perfect to me without load leveling bars for local use here in the WNC mountains. Going to ID in 2015, definetly sway brake. At the new 18" cargo load levelers may be. Happy hauling.
Great video I agree with you! Some people are worried about towing so they buy a 1 ton and then they don’t like the ride are repairs are too costly especially with Diesel engines
I love towing with my dually off the gooseneck or off the bumper. I’ve pulled incorrectly loaded trailers before (not loaded by me ) and had the tail wagging the dog scenario. Luckily the dually helped keep everything stable
I have a f 150 with the 5.4l in it and my camper is well in the weight range for my truck. She pulls great. Then I see guys on the road with tiny SUV’s in a rush trying to pass you with camper bigger and heavier then what I would like to pull with my truck. I get a kick when we hit any type of hill and see those suvs struggle.
Well done. Most TT and Fifth wheel rigs on road are overloaded according to industry surveys.
So not new to trailering at all, been towing for over 20 years, more frequently lately with a side hustle tractor business, but just learning about TT towing. I think you are right on all points. I have an F-150 with a 8200GVWR package, so while my tow rating is 9500#, less than a lot of F-150 but my payload is 2330#, so I can comfortable tow without much drama. I have studied these issues and you are right the OEM's are constantly touting huge tow figures for the 1/2 segment, without backing them up with payloads to match. People need to understand that payload includes all the people in the truck, not just tongue weight. And for that same reason, your diesel challenge can show up in your 3/4 segment more than people think, you are right the 1 ton option will help that problem. Also I think that towing anywhere close to your max tow rating is nuts in a 1/2 ton. Many will, on paper, tow 13-14K. At 9500 for my own, I wouldn't ever want to tow close to that. I'm just starting my research on which TT I want to get and trying to stay under 6000-7000# fully loaded if possible. I've even considered older Airstreams, for starter, because they are cool, but they also tow lower and have a more slick air profile, which I can only imagine helps their towability. Trying to stay under that weight because I want to survive wind days as well as days in the mountains, towing at max weight won't help either of those issues. Great video, you tackled these fives and provided good data to back up each one.
Great video - Here is a Suggestion - Show some example calculations.... Here are numbers from my truck:
2011 F150 6.2L Platinum - 1467 Max Cargo Capacity
Capacity 1467
Topper -220
Gear -200
Person 1 -225
Person 2 -150
Person 3
Person 4
672 Total Hitch Weight based on remaining Max Cargo capacity.
The largest RV we should consider towing in this configuration is 6720 lbs GVWR. (NOT Dry Weight).
(ie... 672 lbs is 10% of 6720 lbs)
The real surprise is when you add additional passengers it can drop your remaining hitch weight substantially.
We agree that Truck payload capacity should drive your calculation on how much RV can safely be towed.
(Advertised Tow capacity is 11, 500 lbs. and is truly a meaningless number since the payload numbers are the limiting factor.)
Thanks for posting. Important information for sure.
bryan
Bravo'! Bravo! Great information and all true. As someone who is in process of getting our setup put together, I've researched this to death. We ended up with a 2015 Silverado 2500 Double Cab 2WD 8 foot bed with a 6.0 Gas engine and 4.10 rear axle. It has a tow capacity of 14,400 but, more importantly, it has a Payload capacity of 3145 lbs. per the sticker. It will work great for our soon to be purchased 5th wheel with a GVWR of 12585 lbs.
We bought a travel trailer that was well under the listed capacity of the half ton we owned at the time. It didn’t feel safe and we ended up upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck. Have a bigger camper now and I’m glad we switched.
great advice man, I've told people about payload weights till I'm blue in the face. bottom line is they want the big honkin 5th wheel but don't want a dually, and usually don't want to move from a f250 to a f350. I've seen some really scary rigs in some campgrounds.
My very first visit to a RV dealership (a few days ago) my experience with the dealer wasn’t very good. One thing he said that stuck out to me was when I told him my tow capacity, he said “You can pull 99% of what we have in stock for travel trailers.”
I have a 1/2 ton Silverado. I know what my tow capacity is, and what is actually safe for me to pull. I told him what the tow capacity was to see his response, because I have been told to watch out for that type of salesman. It’s pretty sad that the bad tow situations you see are sometimes enabled by an unscrupulous salesman.
Good video, thanks for posting. 👍
Either unscrupulous or unknowledgeable! :-(
I went to the same place you did. All they want is a sale. Yea a Honda Civic will tow that 30 footer. NO PROBELM
They'll tell you anything to sell. It took me a year of looking and then an honest Rv dealer to point out all of the capacities and weights. I'm close to Max for my 1/2 ton but everyone else had me 1-1,500 over dry. We don't carry much and if I were to fill the fresh water and had to go dump black and grey water Id be way over. No interest in boondocking
Camping World wanted to sell us a TT that was not safe for our truck and when we caught her trying to do that she pretended she was confused about the vehicle we had...
Ultimately it is the responsibility of the operator for not only complying with the laws but creating a safe tow situation. A lot of people will tell you a lot of things but if you have an accident because of mismatched tires, tow vehicle, hitch, Etc you don't get off the hook by saying so-and-so told you it was okay.
All good points! I love the myth, " you need the weight as far foreword on your trailer to keep pressure on the hitch so it doesn't pop up if you hit a big bump"! Nothing like putting several hundred times your tongue weight on your receiver!
Some one mentioned that the more weight on the truck/trailer combo the harder it is to get it stopped. With 30 plus years in the transportation industry, I did learn a couple of things. If everything is set up properly, it’s actually harder to get it all stopped when it’s empty or when one has exceeded their Gross Vehicle Weight. 18 wheelers actually shorten the stopping distance when loaded. They are designed to do so, and any trailer/combo should do the same no matter the size.
What?
Great advice for those new to the RV life. F250 Chevy 2500 with diesel is not a good choice considering payload. Stick with gas unless you Purchas a one ton
You nailed it. You nailed it completely. Air bags don’t help while towing a travel trailer. They give folks a false sense of security. A weight distribution hitch is what’s needed. They will level the truck and keep you safe. .
BTW you wouldn’t last 5 minutes as an RV salesman telling all this truth.
I’ve been pulling Trailers and Fifth Wheels for 30 years and some of what I see scares me. It’s especially bad when you see a young family towing a 30 foot trailer with a 1/2 ton truck. Mom, dad and two kids riding in what is a potentially deadly situation. Just because you can pull it doesn’t mean you can pull it safely.
Air bags can be very helpful for those who own a fifth wheel. They level out your truck so your headlights aren’t pointing into the sky.I have them on my F350 and I wouldn’t be without them.
I would say that one of the most helpful things you can do it got to a Cat scale and get your rig weighed. You’ll know your trucks front and rear axle weight and the axle weight on your trailer. Make sure you and the family stay in the truck while getting weighed and you’ll have real world numbers.
This is the first thing I did with my new toy hauler. I weighed it on the way to the campground when everything was loaded heavily and I weighed it on the way home to see the difference. It was money well spent because I was able to see that I was compliant for all of my axle weight capacities and my GVWR and GCVWR.
As far as Toy Hauler fifth wheels go you can use your garage to offset what you may have considered putting in the bed of the truck. Toy haulers are meant to be loaded in the garage so when they are empty they do have a very high hitch weight as compared to a regular fifth wheel. My truck bed is empty when I tow and my firewood is in plastic bins in the garage. I don’t have any toys lol.
Done the same thing. Had to get rid of a truck I had for a couple of years when I learned about these payload numbers. Very good video. Just look at your numbers yourself. Numbers don’t lie
Yep!!
Excellent video. Went from 3.5 eco F150 that I absolutely loved to a 6.7 F350 with 3455lbs payload preparing for 5th wheel down the road. I was clearly over my payload on my F150 pulling my 34ft travel trailer, and friends continue to tell me I spend to much time on worrying about payload. Peace of mind is much more valuable then pushing the envelope.
Finally a good video with some good info. Payload is a huge part of the towing game. Thanks for the video and putting this info out there for people who my be going by tow numbers and not looking at payload.
Appreciate that!
Rv dealer should offer classes for big 5 th wheels for the folks who are new to the rv world... Great job. We been rving for years. Always good to listen to someone else.
And the dealers should attend those classes first. Some of the worse advice comes from ignorant dealers.
Just wanted to say thanks - incredibly important info. Sometimes I think one of the biggest mistake is assuming everyone knows the basic principles of trailers, etc. I know I've made this mistake before. You may not want to be pejorative or come across a a know-it-all, but you really can keep people from getting hurt. Much appreciated!
That’s the goal. I also want to protect my family. Appreciate you watching!
great video and I agree with what yo said. Now, there is one case for airbags... (however this is not my situation). There are people who what a "level" truck so they level it when not loaded with makes it not level when towing and hauling. Does not mean they are over their rear axle weight rating but they are squatting. A weight distribution hitch will somewhat take care of this, but it may push too much weight back to the trailer or the front axle. This is why weighing your truck and trailer is so important. The axle ratings are also VERY important since this is what the engineers design the axles (bearings, wheels, brakes) to.
I purchased a 1ton diesel because of the payload reductions of the 3/4 ton and I wanted to stay "legal". It is MUCH more truck than I need now but we are starting a small homestead so I will be hauling as well as towing equipment. Also, I know that my wife will want a larger trailer (or 5th wheel) in the future so I wanted to make sure I had no issues with either. I didn't NEED a diesel, I wanted a diesel.
As someone who has been towing Goosenecks up to 16,000 lbs. since the 1970s I have to agree with all your comments! I do, however, offer a caveat to myth # 4, gas or diesel! As you say, if towing is only an occasional undertaking gas is just fine! Diesel, however does offer some very distinct advantages for those of us who do a lot of towing! At one time I averaged 10-12,000 miles a month! Under those conditions diesels have two very powerful advantages. The first is diesels average about 40% better fuel economy. The second is any gas engine used for extensive heavy towing will likely suffer burnt valves! (That was my most common problem until I went diesel in the mid 80s!) Not so with diesels. The reason is cylinder head temps are much lower under load with a diesel than with a gas engine. They have a much, much longer service life than gas engines under constant load if properly maintained.
A very good point about gas vs diesel. I needed diesel for uphill and daily commute for MPG, but the payload was my concern, losing about almost 1k payload. So I had to move from 1500 to 2500. Now I am within the payload in any case.
I tow with an Ram Eco-diesel, small/modest travel trailer. Original tires on the Eco-diesel are SUV tires, felt there was excessive wear (I use it a lot) so I did add air bags for extra stability, and switched to 10 ply tires. Higher pressure and a more solid ride (not as comfortable as the car set up but still good), this solved tire wear problems and increased stability traveling. There is a big difference in the power curve on Diesel VS Gas,, both have power but at very different RPM's. Towed my rig with a Jeep Grand Cherokee for one year - power and towing capacity are similar, but real life performance totally different - short weekend trips would be OK, but going long haul (wintering in the south) requires the capacity of a truck. Speed matters - 65-70 is easily possible freeways through Houston and other areas, but scenic routes (even mountain routes, with speeds 52-60 gives better economy and a far more relaxed enjoyable time for the traveler.
I don’t even own a truck or anything worth towing. Yet I still find these videos extremely entertaining 😂😂
Great video... I learned this the hard way too. I’m going to pick my new 5th wheel up next week. I had no idea my 2500 with the massive Cummins had such a crappy payload. That’s why I decided to play it safer and get a “half ton towable” one....
Overloaded my tundra once hauling trash literally two blocks. Blew out both my axle bearings, payload is THE number you can’t cheat on.
Point 3 : TOTALLY AGREED!!!!!
Check your tyres,suspension,wheel bearings,brakes,lights,and so on and so on.... it is all important!!!
But biggest failure is too little load on the tow hitch..... people that say differently should be made to EAT the trailers that caused accidents because of not enough load on the tow hitch!!!!...
I hope they have a good appetite as it is well over 50% of all trailer-related accidents...
Although I don't completely agree with you but you make more sense than most people and you provide excellent resources to back up your statements
John James I appreciate that. Finally someone who is OK with differences of option without getting grumpy about it. You sir are awesome in my book!!
Best video I’ve seen on weight as pertains to towing. Had several salesmen tell me that their half ton truck could tow my 14000 pound fifth wheel. I offered to put 3000 pounds in the bed of their half ton truck to see how it would respond. None of the four salesmen would accept the challenge. I towed this trailer with my f250 and air bags. Got tired of chasing the trailer on bad roads and bought a one ton truck with dual rear wheels and a lower rear gear ratio. RV tows much better and I get two mpg better fuel mileage with the one ton truck. The old adage speed kills is very true. I rarely tow over 60 mph and religiously stay in the right lane. When looking at tow vehicles Open the door of the truck and look at the mfg sticker. It will tell you what you can safely tow. I agree that most of the accidents I have seen with travel trailers the tow vehicle was not adequate for the load being pulled. Great video. I’m sure you’ll get lots of dissenters. It’s to be expected.
A dually is more stable than single rear wheels but I bet your dually also has a tad longer wheelbase. Same is true for tractor trailers. You climb in a tractor with a 260" wheelbase and it feels like you're skating on ice. Hook a 270" wheelbase truck to the same trailer and that 10" makes a world of difference.
Anthony Aubuchon with a pickup the addition of dual rear wheels adds to the stability as well. Only drawback is close quarters maneuvering is sometimes more interesting. I gladly surrender this attribute for the stability on road.
yes, remember that sales guy are trying to make a living so can not depend on what they say. Have to do your own homework. Essentially, stay away from anything less than 2500 or less for trucks for big trailer towing.
I was sold a camper with the approximate weight of just over 7000 pounds. I was told by the RV dealership that a 2002 Chevy Tahoe would be more than adequate to tow the camper. As you can imagine I found out on the very 1st mile out of the dealership that that was not the case. And after two attempts at camping in the local area I realized that because of the purchase of the camper it would require the purchase of the proper tow vehicle. Moral of the story get educated and do not under any circumstances trust the information provided by the sales group. I was astounded after thinking about it that the RV salesman was perfectly willing to put my family in danger to make a sale.
Unfortunately you are just one of thousands who have experienced a similar set of circumstances. I am glad you are biting the bullet and acquiring an appropriate tow vehicle. My family thanks you!
Sales people will also misinform you about needing a class A license. Check your state codes to be sure you are not towing out of class. My state (CA) requires a non-commercial class A to tow a RV with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs or more.
Sad but true
You're absolutely right about everything you said. Gas F-250 and 350s make great towing rigs especially when you have the new 7.3 liter gas. That's what my dream truck is. I watch TFL Truck and they did the Ike Gauntlet they call it. That 7.3 liter gas hangs right in there with the 3/4 diesel trucks pulling a 16000 gooseneck horse trailer.
I was waiting for you to say something wrong and you never did. Outstanding advice on all points. 👍
Thanks for the video. Very good. Anyone who tows cars understands about staying centered over axles.
Myth # 6, I can run @ 80mph with my fancy new truck, so it must be safe.
😂
Just 80? Rookies.🤦♂️
From etrailer - "Speed is a huge issue with trailer tires actually. Unless otherwise noted trailer tires are rated as 65 miles per hour as their max speed. Exceeding the speed rating will cause the tire to heat up and fail easier."
Those are the people that belive they're more important and in more of a hurry than anyone else. Speed limits don't apply to these people.
I can go 120 in my duramax
Excellent! Well done. The only thing I’d change is move myth #2 to #1. It’s frightening to see how many rigs are obviously overweight. Not only is this unsafe fore everyone who shares the road, but it is a huge financial risk the perpetrators. Not only can they be fined, but If they’re involved in a wreck, insurance may not pay for damage or medical cost, regardless of who is at fault.
What about traveling down the road with your propane on to keep fridge cold and some how blows up? Ever hear of that?
Yes hitch weight is very important. I went to rent an extremely heavy piece of equipment. I had paid a friend $50.00 to tow it. Unfortunately his hitch was a bumper hitch. The men at the rental place suggested that it could be very dangerous. Then they showed me accident photos due to faulty hitches. That was enough to convince me, but my friend wasn't convinced. Maybe because he wanted the money.
I paid him, went back to get my van, and paid $450.00 for a new hitch. I definitely would rather be safe than sorry, especially after those photos I saw and the destruction caused, and fatalities from runaway trailer accidents.
Stay safe out there. ✌
Thanks for the video! The weight distribution myth was the biggest eye opener! Next on my list of things to learn about is retrofitting a break control system into my 2016 Honda Pilot.
Cheers for the payload discussion, jeers for the trailer weight distribution. Not that you're wrong, but you failed to mention that it's about balance. Having too much tongue weight can be dangerous as well. tow vehicle Front axle is your steering axle and if it does not have enough weight in it, that's VERY unsafe. 12-15% tongue weight is where you need to be.
Great video! You are correct, there is much misinformation if miss information on the interwebs. This is truly a must see for new and even seasoned, travel trailer campers.
I have a 2011 F-150 FX2 with 5.0L V8 and bought a travel trailer and weight distribution hitch the same year. The trailer weighed less than 7K (can't remember exact weight) and yes the trailer pulled good and straight and stopped just fine. BUT! Pulled it to the hills of Arkansas (I live in Texas) and that poor truck worked its A__s off! Automatic transmission dropped 3 of it's 6 gears to climb a hill and got 8 miles to the gallon. Made two trips and then sold it. Just because you CAN tow it, doesn't mean you SHOULD tow it!
If your going to do hills, an f-150 is not good(or 1500). You need an F-250,or 2500! I bet you burned oil too.
@@tompain2751 Super 8 Motel is cheaper!LOL
@@kens805 But, there's bed bugs possibilities!
@@tompain2751 ...and unlimited hot water and no "set up", no poopy hoses to drain and store, good ac, and usually cheaper than "full hook-up"
RV parks with trailers parked 10 ft from you on both sides with barking dogs and or boon docking for privacy with $1000 batteries. BUT, don't listen to me because I'm OLD! LOL
@@kens805 I was just teasing about the bed bugs. I agree with you. I like Holliday Inn, with a hot tub in the room.
Great video filled with great information. I currently tow with a half ton and totally agree with everything you said. I checked all the information you mentioned and I am good on all points. Weight distribution is a must, I have a older style Reese leveling set up with anti sway added to the bars, hard to explain the set up. I also added a sway bar for extra insurance. I agree 100% about air bags. I won’t even look at them for my truck. As a side note, I stepped up my tires to 3/4 ton rated tires. Not for towing capacity, only for stability.
Agree with your comments but would call-out one situation where "towing capacity" can get hit before payload capacity. There are a lot of SUV's rated to tow 5,000 but they might have a payload capacity between 1,100 and 1,500. So plenty of payload for a couple people in the SUV and a trailer 4,000 to 5,000 but not above that. Also, people might see ad's for an F-150 or 1500 series truck that can tow 10,000 to 12,000. They may not realize that their personal F-150 / 1500 does not have the equipment required to get that high rating and might be unsafe above, say, 5,000.