How many of you guys tow your machine with a half ton? I have a L3200 and a 17' 7k trailer. I have never had to move it, what do you think?
Towing with a half ton
- Thread starter rparkinson
- Start date
Should be no issue with the truck, the trailer may be on the light side.
I tow my B3200 with a FEL & BH with my 1500 series GMC, but just upgraded to a 10,000 LB trailer, the 7000 Lb just didn't feel right.
I tow my B3200 with a FEL & BH with my 1500 series GMC, but just upgraded to a 10,000 LB trailer, the 7000 Lb just didn't feel right.
85Hokie
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what cha got under the hood? Even a good v6 or I6 will be fine, just make sure you have brakes on that trailer!!!! And use a hitch - never the bumper and ball setup.....
Damn near any truck will move a trailer, it is STOPPING it that causes the problems. I have towed a 12' single axle loaded with 2k of "stuff" - 4 cyl 5 speed and I could make it move and hold at 50 mph......I made real sure that I could down shift and use the brakes slowly.......I would not do that again!
I have an L2501 on a 10,000 lb trailer and tow it all the time with a 2009 Ford F150 with 4.6 engine. I have a 3.73 limited slip axle and trailer tow package but the little 4.6 engine handles the tractor fine.
I've got a L3830 and my '11 Silverado 1500 5.3 tows it just fine on a 12k deck over trailer. I usually tow it with the grapple, bucket and backhoe. I wouldn't dare do it without trailer brakes though. That's asking for trouble.
My cousin uses his 1/2 ton Chevy to pulls a 20' 10,000lb trailer with an L3830 with a fel and 6' rotary mower up and down a steep 3 mile private road in the mountain's. Of course his truck is set up for it.
And YES, trailer breaks are a must.
And YES, trailer breaks are a must.
Wow, no kidding- I am sorry I should have said what I was running. It is a 2004 GMC Sierra with a 5.3. It does have the tow package with a trailer brake controller. Sounds like good advise. Maybe I will keep my eyes open for a 10k trailer. This one is a little on the short side anyway. I have been tossing around the idea of a new 2500HD, but dam... I hate to spend that kind of money on a truck. Life is hard on them up here in Maine with all the crap we put on the roads to keep them clear in the winter. Thanks for all the input. I guess I should not be so paranoid, I guess I am just trying to put safety first.
Daren Todd
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I got an 09 Sierra 1500 extended cab with tow package. It's perfect for hauling my l1501 with implements. I have a 16ft tandem axle with a 7000lb gvw. Wife started looking at campers
Now for what she keeps looking at, I wished we opted for the mortgage payment and bought the 2500 duramax RonBoyBX25D
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I have an 03 2500 Duramax and love it, keep looking at a new one...the mortgage is the killer. I think unlike a tractor it is hard to have too much truck.I wished we opted for the mortgage payment and bought the 2500 duramax
Most trucks now days have plenty of motor to pull, the problem is having the suspension and brakes to handle the load.
My advise if you're going to tow with a 1/2 ton truck is get a 10K trailer with brakes on both axles. That way you can position the tractor on the trailer so it can carry the weight and have the braking power to help you stop.
My advise if you're going to tow with a 1/2 ton truck is get a 10K trailer with brakes on both axles. That way you can position the tractor on the trailer so it can carry the weight and have the braking power to help you stop.
That sounds like some good advise. I think I will do just that. I will post my 7k tomorrow. It ought to be worth 1500 bucks... thank you everybody.
I brought my B7610 home on a 7K trailer with brakes. My 11' F150 with 5.0 was less than stellar at towing. Going over Hogs-Back Mtn in VT was awful with my motor screaming to keep 45 mph. Very long 3 hours....
It was the single reason I dumped the truck. Been looking for a Super Duty or 2500HD to replace it...
It was the single reason I dumped the truck. Been looking for a Super Duty or 2500HD to replace it...
Think that on through for a minute. Tractordata says an L3200 4WD weighs about 2600lbs. A 7K trailer ought to be good for around 5K lbs I'd guess, so you've already got plenty of trailer. A 10K trailer is only going to be heavier, especially if you go longer.
I'd look more at the pickup than the trailer if the primary use is going to be hauling the tractor. A good brake controller and some airbags for starters.
Has anyone towed anything close to a l3400, 20' trailer (I think it's 7k axles), FEL, shredder, with the f150 5.0 engine? I know it's not optimal but just curious about the results.
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hitechredneck
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned GCWR ratings. Every truck manufacturer publishes ratings for GCWR (maximum weight for truck, loaded trailer, passengers, and cargo in the truck). There will also be a rating for maximum loaded trailer weight, which will vary by transmission and gear ratio. This should be the authority on whether a truck is good for a given load or not, not information from a forum. If you exceed GCWR and get in an accident, guess what?
Or if you exceed maximum loaded trailer weight and end up breaking your truck, your warranty would likely be void.
Seriously folks, find out what these ratings are for your vehicle and follow them.
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Or if you exceed maximum loaded trailer weight and end up breaking your truck, your warranty would likely be void.
Seriously folks, find out what these ratings are for your vehicle and follow them.
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Will it pull it, probably. Will it stop it, maybe. Does it have enough suspension for that load, I don't think so.
I hauled a 8000 lb skid steer home with my F150 one time. That was the dumbest thing I ever did because I didn't come close to having enough truck for that much weight. I went to my friends house and got his Dodge 3500 and gooseneck to take it back.
I have about the same setup you mentioned. If that's the only way I had to tow as long as the trailer had good brakes I guess I would but to be perfectly honest in my opinion that's not enough truck.
Thanks for the input. I only need to tow a few times a year. I will be in the market for a new truck soon. Just researching. Leaning towards the ram 2500 with 6.4l hemi at this point
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Chew, the hemi will help but the bigger brakes and heavier the suspension is what will make the difference. When I switched to a F250 it was like opening a whole new world. You'll appreciate the change even if it's only a few times a year.
Just my .02$, but I think you should be fine if only towing a few times a year. I pulled what was claimed as a 1/2 towable Travel Trailer some with a 1/2 Hemi. The TT weighed in around 7,500 partially loaded, and I had a good break controller, and anti-sway, load balancing hitch, and was able to pull it fine, except for one thing - fuel mileage.
The Hemi, or any gas motor, has to be revved decently high to make good HP, and while I got 20+ mpg on highway unloaded, when pulling the TT my mileage would drop to as low as 5 or 6 mpg. That stinks with only a 22 gallon tank.
Upgrading to the 2500 is great in regards to stopping, and GVW, but it is not going to solve the HP and torque issues. I ponied up to the 2500 diesel, and think the $7500 extra I paid for the diesel is worth every penny. I've pulled a M5640 on heavy duty trailer behind my Cummins and still got 14 mpg.
Regardless, as others have said, if you are going to be pulling a load, there are lots of factors to be considered. Tongue weight, gross vehicle (which include you and passengers), stopping, HP, etc. Heck, my Hemi was claimed to have a tow capacity of 11,400 pounds. Maybe so, but it would have been a traveling nightmare!
The Hemi, or any gas motor, has to be revved decently high to make good HP, and while I got 20+ mpg on highway unloaded, when pulling the TT my mileage would drop to as low as 5 or 6 mpg. That stinks with only a 22 gallon tank.
Upgrading to the 2500 is great in regards to stopping, and GVW, but it is not going to solve the HP and torque issues. I ponied up to the 2500 diesel, and think the $7500 extra I paid for the diesel is worth every penny. I've pulled a M5640 on heavy duty trailer behind my Cummins and still got 14 mpg.
Regardless, as others have said, if you are going to be pulling a load, there are lots of factors to be considered. Tongue weight, gross vehicle (which include you and passengers), stopping, HP, etc. Heck, my Hemi was claimed to have a tow capacity of 11,400 pounds. Maybe so, but it would have been a traveling nightmare!
Thanks. The 6.4l is the new heavy duty hemi. It's rated much better than the 5.7l
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