Reese Weight Distributing Hitch correctly adjusted. 3.92 gears and factory tow package. I've been told a set of 4.56 would be much better. Everything else is stock. The trailer is 20ft. S10 fits all the way back, Scooter in nose and toolbox, still room to walk around it. Tows fine just lacks power.

 

2015 Silverado 5.3 with 3:42 rear Double cab 6ft bed. tows 24ft trailer that weighs 7,600lbs great. rated for 9,700lbs towing. I don't think I would ever go that crazy buy it does 7,600 just fine. Built in brake controller is pretty awesome too.

 

Know a local guy tows a 24 with older version of the same truck. Says no problem.

 

This has been gone over a hundred times. You will get a bunch of guys that say "sure, no problem, I do it all the time". Then their are those of us who know better. Yes I have done it and it sucks. I don't give a shit what anyone says.

 

Where is Ordinary Builder when you need him?

 

I asked this question. Got half that said it's fine, half that said don't do it. I bought a 24ft. to tow behind my 1/2 ton crew cab ram with a towing package. I got the weight distribution hitch and all. It did it, but it sucked. 120 mile round trip took a full tank of gas. It ran 4500rpm the whole way home going into a head wind trying to stick to 65mph. My seat is permanently deformed from my ass clinching the seat cushion the whole time.

 

my experience as well, can you do it , yes , but do you really want to ,no! around town and short slow distances it is ok as long as some dickwad doesn't pull out in front of you because you aint stopping short pulling a loaded enclosed with a 1/2 ton.

 

Farley does it on Street Outlaws so it must be the right way.

 

Ya....but Farley just got his brain-pan rattled !!

 

Varley*

 

I'll be the first to agree that I'd like something with a bigger engine and little more tow capacity. But a new truck is out of the question and I'm not trading my mint low mile for a rusted and worn out one. It tows an open trailer with ease. But using the open compared to this enclosed sucks worse than the shortcomings of the truck.

OP asked who does. If he were asking opinions on what to buy, I'd say get a 2500.

 

I've done it,but upgraded to a Heavy duty3/4 ton pretty quickly.Yes it can be done but I would not want to.

 

I have a 24' Pace and I tow it with my '11 Ram 1500 Hemi. I have the max tow package with 3.92s, makes it rated for 10,250. It isn't necessarily fun towing in wind, so if we go long distances, it is behind my Dad's 2500. I have the air lift bags inside the coils because it sags a bit more than I liked, and I also use a weight distributing hitch.

The truck has plenty of power and brakes to tow it, biggest issue to me is that the truck just isn't heavy enough to put that much weight in a box, if the wind picks up, you're doing some driving just to keep it straight. Probably wouldn't have a problem if it was something real heavy and low to the ground, just that wind.

 

I had exactly the same set up (24' enclosed 2011 Hemi Ram) air bags, equalizing hitch,sway bar, 3.92 gear. towing locally to a 1 day event it was fine, but it was not the right truck for going any distance just drank gas.
I found an old 98.5 Ram 3500 5.9 Cummins, Automatic on ebay with 77,000 miles not perfect but very clean and its a pulling machine, I have to engage the cruise to keep it under 75 mph pulling the same 24' trailer loaded with more crap than I need.

 

I do it with my truck. 24ft enclosed, car, golf cart, ice, tools, generator, tents, drinks... ect. It does fine it just lacks the power it once had when it didn't have 1/4 million miles on it.

02 ram 1500 quad cab 4x4.


I did note my friend towed it with his f150 and it was unstable, but once the tires were changed it cured it. My truck has light truck tires and his didn't until recently and that was huge.

 

LT tires rated E would help big time.

 

I'm asking the same question. I know the newer trucks are rated a lot higher than the older one. My 2014 Silverado 5.3 with 3.73s is rated at something insane like 11,000. I would never try it without WD hitch and would never go near 11,000 but I'm thinking about an enclosed trailer.

I would also never buy a 7,000lb rated trailer when a 10,000 only weighs slightly more and won't tow one bit differently.

 

All of these new half tons require a WD hitch if you go over 5K.

 

I have a 28' enclosed and I pull it with my 2010 f150. 3.30 rear gears. It's not exactly optimal and I have never bothered to log fuel mileage but it manages to cruise down the road at 65 without too many issues.

 

Simply put, yes you can do it. I did it with a 95 z71 xcab with 3.73 rear. Towed it well IMO. It don't do it as well as my duramax, but I didn't expect it to.

 

I've read alot of threads on here about the 1/2 ton vs. 3/4-1 ton towing debate.

I ended up getting a 3/4 ton for the safety factor plus the E rated tires.

Yes, a 1/2 ton can tow a 24 footer, but can it stop the load safely ?

 

Yes, a 1/2 ton can tow a 24 footer, but can it stop the load safely ?

if your truck is stopping the trailer, you have problems no matter what truck you're towing with.

I would have no worries about towing with a half ton with the proper hitch setup, trailer brake system, and staying within reasonable weight...not exceeding (or getting anywhere near) the max rating, based on cab configuration, engine/trans combo, and gear ratio for that specific truck.

 

Why do some always take the cheap route.......

 

I tow a 24' Haulmark 10K GVW and is close to 10k loaded with a '14 Silverado 5.3, double cab 1500 and it works for me.

Your setup might take a couple of trips to get the hitch adjusted where you like it and if you don't drive like a fool you'll be fine.

 

Like others have said, you can do it. I have a 2010 GMC with the 6.2 (403 hp), rated to tow 9600 or 9800 lbs IIRC, and towed a buddy's 28 foot Haulmark through the mountains here in CO. Trailer weighed 8800 lbs. It did it, but 4500-5500 RPM up the steep passes (that's where it makes the 400 HP, NOT at 2500 RPM) and not a lot of fun in wind, and less brake than you would like. You DEPEND on the trailer brakes. If that cheap-ass little plastic trailer plug falls out, your ass is TOAST. Send flowers, cause it ain't gonna be pretty when you hit someone/something.

Towed my skid loader at 11K once, even less fun. Towed a load of boulders once at 16K a short distance, MUCH less fun. My F350 barely notices the skid loader is there....

Honestly my 48 ft gooseneck weighs 17,000 lbs with 2 cars and tows MUCH better with my F350 crew cab dually than my 1500 does with 8800 lbs.

If that's all ya got, it's all ya got. If you are buying a truck, spend the few bucks on a 3/4 Ton min and preferably a 1 ton. It'll be the best money you could spend. I bought my 1500 because I couldn't get the 6.2 in a 2500 and figured "I won't tow with this truck" , wished I would have bought the 2500 and been happy with a 6.0.

 

A quality weight distribution hitch WITH sway control is a must with a half ton and a large enclosed trailer(sail), no matter what weight. Must also be set up right.

http://www.equalizerhitch.com Is the only way to go. Pulled my 24ft travel trailer with my half ton and any time I was on the interstate I used the weight distribution hitch. If I was just going a few miles out of town I would just hitch up with the regular ball.

 

What if your truck brakes fail, that'll be a lot heavier truck that you have to stop with your trailer brakes

Use your head and you'll be fine with a half ton, know your limits. Sure everyone would love to have a 3/4 or 1 ton but for most is is way over kill and just a waste of money. I'd hate daily driving a HD truck just because I want to tow with it a dozen times or less a year.

 

What if your truck brakes fail, that'll be a lot heavier truck that you have to stop with your trailer brakes

Factory truck brakes are a tad more reliable than electric trailer brakes, especially with the budget/production fashion in which trailers are made. Several times I've repaired trailer brake wires underneath a trailer. The point where they enter the backing plate are particularly prone to failure. Just last week I had to bend the tabs back and "wiggle" the plug on one of my work trailers to get the brakes to work. My truck displays a "service trailer brakes" message when the trailer brake connection sucks, but if it didn't do that I wouldn't have known I didn't have trailer brakes until maybe I needed them most.

Use your head and you'll be fine with a half ton, know your limits.

This is true no matter what size truck you have...

If checy/dodge/ford/nissan/toyota/honda says it's ok to haul 10,000lbs across country every week in your 1/2 ton truck and you believed them, you are an idiot.

True, my 1/2 ton at max tow capacity is not a pleasant ride, those are marketing numbers.

 

I bought a 20' hallmark and towed it 100 miles home in a 2004 Chevy half with a 5.3. It did not like hills and honestly scared the shit out of me a couple times. Sold it and bought a 13 duramax for that reason. I wouldn't waste the money on a half

 

If checy/dodge/ford/nissan/toyota/honda says it's ok to haul 10,000lbs across country every week in your 1/2 ton truck and you believed them, you are an idiot.

 

I agree. One of those just because you CAN do it, doesn't mean you should do it situations. If it's a local one time deal, fine, but if you need to tow that weight routinely, you need a truck made to tow that all the time.

 

I towed a 24' enclosed with my s10 in it and some tools. 3000lbs. total, maybe + trailer. Hooked it to my parents '97 f-150 2wd tow package, 3.73's bone stock. Wont ever tow that trailer loaded or empty with a 1/2 ton again. The weight was of no issue, it was the wind resistance. 55-60mph OD off. If not it would keep kicking down out of OD.

In a pinch with the crazy snow we had last year I had to tow 9,000lbs. of salt in a triple axle dumpster trailer with my 1/2 ton dodge. The salt was centered in the trailer. It was the ONLY 4x4 at our disposal to use at the time. We prepared for a slow go. Boy was it ever a slow ride. all 4 tires spinning on the snow and ice. Never again.