towing

[cwilson jr]

my buddy was given a 99 32' travel trailer that weighs 13000.

all we have to tow with at the moment is my 1985 k10 with a goodwrench crate motor with 250hp/350ft. lbs.  my pickup came from the factory with the towing option, so i believe i have the trans. and oil cooler (i know i have at least one showing through the grille from the top of my head),  and either a class III or IV hitch.  i'm not sure of my gearing at the moment, but i would think i would at least be doing better from the start since i had the towing option.

as far as the trip goes, we are talking maybe 60 miles max with most of that being flat highway, but i'm sure there would probally be some hills involved somewhere along our journey.

is this feasible or do i need to forget this?

[bake74]

      Go out and get a leveling hitch set up with the anti-sway bar option and you should tow it fine if you are careful.  Without the leveling hitch it would depend on how the trailer is set up, where most of the weight is compared to the tongue of the trailer.  It will either be balanced, lift your vehicle, or make it sag.  Both of the latter is dangerous with that much weight.

[zieg85]

if you have OD, don't use it

[PromiseKeeper]

I'll pass on something I learned a long time ago...  it's not just the towing you have to be concerned with... equally important is STOPPING!  Make sure you have trailer brakes that WORK.

[cwilson jr]

i hear that.  i actually had an electronic brake controller installed years ago for a specific application and ended up never using it and everything since has not had brakes.  i would assume travel trailers typically have their own brakes?

[zieg85]

Yes most have the electric brakes.  Electronic brake controllers are sized for how many axles have brakes.  My first car trailer had brakes on both axles, worked excellent.  My previous trailer only had them on the rear axle, one of the reasons I sold it.  The u-haul car trailers and larger boat trailers have surge brakes where the master is on the trailer and the tongue pivots some.

[blazing816]

That's a lot of pounds. I have a k10 with the 305 th350 and 3.08 gears which I know gears and engine are not ideal. I have brake controller and brakes on both axles, and I have a really high end weigh distribution and sway hitch control. My trailer is 23' and only weights 3,800lbs, and getting on the freeway and going up hills is not all that fun. I mean going up a hill I can have it floored and maybe go 50 up the hill..... 13,000lbs for a travel trailer seems like a lot of weight, and going up a hill its all pulling back on you. I know it somewhat depends on your gears, but I don't think it will tow all that great. You would be better off with a 454 or diesel with that much weight. Because if that is just the trailer weight that does not included all the stuff you pack in it, or the weight of water if you fill the tank. 13,000lbs seems to be really high, I do not know if I have seen a travel trailer weight that much before.

[Displaced_Txn]

is that the actual weight of the trailer or gvwr?  My gooseneck is a 14k gvwr and only tips the scales at about 6k. Also check your local laws becasue some states anything over 10001  lbs gvwr is required to have a class a cdl licence.

[Stewart G Griffin]

If the trailer really weighs 13K, then the truck may not be rated to tow that much.

Could the truck tow a 13K trailer for 60 miles?  Probably.  Personally, i don't think i would try it.

What blows me away is that the new 1/2tons are coming with 14 bolt rears and can tow quite a bit.  Of course the sticker price reflects this.

[cwilson jr]

the weight i was given must not be right.  i am going to try and get that information again and see.  if anything, it sounds like what Displaced_Txn stated about the GVWR.  i'm also going to try and find out about the trailer's brakes as well.

[blazing816]

If you have the title to the trailer it should say on there, mind you I am not stating that is perfect but should give weight not GVWR. Only way to get exact weight is take it to a scale and weight it.

[Irish_Alley]

dont know much about trailers but i think a 32' would be a 6k trailer but a fifth wheel would be about 9k. i dont see where he would get 13k from. but anyway what are our trucks rated for? i think its 7k at the max so you would be looking for a 6.2k trailer or some where near that

[SUX2BU99]

I've towed our 26 foot, 7600 lbs (GVWR) tandem axle trailer with my 2wd shorty and it's okay but I have a mildly hopped-up 350, 3.40 gears and 27" tall tires. I don't tow it long distances though (60 miles or less). I have a Class IV hitch and brake controller on it. I could see a 32 foot having a GVWR of 13,000 lbs but I would take it easy. I don't take mine up above 55 MPH and I give lots of time to brake. If this was just a one-time tow to get it to a friends house it could do it. But again, give a ton of room ahead of you for braking.