My wife kids and I are tired of staying in hotels all the time. So, we are thinking about buying a travel trailer. Here's my truck, 2003 SC 4x4 with a 5.4, auto and 3.55's.
Here's the trailer that has caught my eye.
http://www.forestriverinc.com/nd/flo...plans/lett2006

I had a 4.6 SC 4x4 and towed a 79 Bronco with 12" lift, 514 BBF, 39" Mickey Thompsons all the way to Silver Lake, 3.5 hours. The tranny got hot, but it did a pretty good job, actually, I was impressed with the 4.6.

So, with that trailer, how do you think my truck would do towing it? Also, what kinds of mods would help it? Lastly, the GVW stuff confuses me :o is the max capacity for the engines/suspension, or the frame of the truck?
Thanks for any help, it's appreciated
Brent

 

The GVW is over 10k, way over what your vehicle is rated for.

As for GVW, it is for everything, engine, trannie, rear, suspension, and brakes.

If you want to tow that safely, you need to go bigger on the truck.

 

that's what I was affraid of. I passed on a chance for a pretty nice lifted SD a month or so ago too.

 

Your truck has a maximum trailer load of 7500# with the 17" wheels and 8000# with the 16's. The trailer's dry weight was listed at 6470#. Add for water tanks and all the other stuff and you'll be at or beyond the truck's ratings. You need more truck.

 

That's what threw me for a loop. The dry weight of the trailer, versus the GVWR.

 

You are definitely in Super Duty territory with that trailer.

 

GVW = Vehicle weight + cargo weight + passenger weight + anything else on it weight
GVWR = Max GVW
GCWR = Truck GVW + Trailer GVW

 

Cool, beacause I would have two quads in the bed, me, my wife, and 3 kids. So it would be a full boat.lol Maybe if my wife is serious, I can convince her into letting me get the crew cab SD I want.

 

With what you want to tow, plus quads, family, and everything else, you might want to look at an F350.

 

There might be an upside, look at it like this.
Your truck has a payload of about 1875.

750 = Two quads
750 = Trailer Hitch
200 = Tank of gas
175 = You
----------
1875 Total

The wife and kids have the camping gear strapped to their backs and are running alongside the truck.

The kids say, "We don't wanna go on vacation. We wanna go to school and do homework, please Dad, please!"

 

I love it. The quads would only be to Silver Lake, but regardless. My truck is too small, sucks bigtime. I don't even drive my truck much anymore, so gas prices do not matter. I might have to look at an F-350, crew cab, power stroke with 8" lift and 38's or 39's

 

Just remember, unless you upgrade the rear you are lowering your tow rating when going with bigger tires. Also with that size trailer, you will need a weight distribution hitch. I don't know that you can do that with a lifted truck.

 

I didn't realize how much actually went into towing a travel trailer. I'l glad I asked, and thanks for all the info.

 

if you are stuck on that trailer you will need a larger truck, but if your still open to different trailers there a bunch in that size range with a lot less weight.i tow a jayco jayflight 29 ft.bunkhouse with my 2002 f-150 4x4 loaded wet,food,water in tanks,full of gas,honda gen,me,wife,two 100 lb dogs,on the scales i weigh 11980 lbs and its not a light weight trailer like a jay feather,so you might want to look around.

 

http://www.wmrvs.com/newinventory.cg...led&unitid=124
this one has a dry weight of 4050#
I'm looking for something lighter, family of 5 makes it kinda tough to find a "light" one large enough for all us to be comfortable.