Help choosing new 3/4 ton truck

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by slowmover

“. . can’t get past 50-mph on grade ascent”.

Someone explain why this matters. Ever.


Only the downslope matters. One MUST:

1). Maintain adequate space to accelerate at wide open throttle.

2). Using TRAILER BRAKES ONLY against that.

— How will the TT brakes do with its own weight AND a 9,000-lb accelerating pickup versus a 5,000-lb car?

— Is the suitable upgrade a yet heavier TV, or antilock travel trailer disc brakes?

Hmm, this might take awhile to figure out . . . .

Is a pickup needed in the first place? What’s the weight/size/type of gear which CANNOT go in the TV passenger compartment or TT?

Given the unlikelihood that is met:

When loaded, solo, (max fuel and passengers included) does the TV show an approximate 50/50 weight bias from front to rear?

Why not?

The claim that a pickup is “better” rides on this assertion.


Gasoline versus diesel hasn’t mattered in a dozen years for this trailer type. The price of diesel is now high enough to capture the 1/3 higher energetic content per gallon, AND overly restrictive emissions controls have made the engine un-economic as IT WILL NOT significantly outlast the gas engine choice. Any repairs at all due to mis-use will kill that approach (like, 30% or more total miles driven solo, empty).

900 LBS/FT. You guys crack me up. The truck computer DOESN'T allow that type of number unless criteria is met. What’s the quarter-mile time? Just a WHOLE lot faster than it’s 2009 predecessor, or about the same? Power you can’t use doesn’t exist.

Go buy a 19,000-lb lumbering whale 5th wheel. Then you can “justify” the choice with numbers.

That’s called, analysis. Sorely lacking in most of these threads.

You got the trailer right if road-going stability means anything. But killed it with a poor TV choice.

Let’s go back to the grade descent: To maintain hundreds of feet of open space out ahead means your speed relative to others will require what?

Now, the grade ascent similarity: in the event of disabled vehicle or an accident out ahead, panic WILL set in among all the usual idiots who will change lanes directly in front of you and even come to a stop. You WON’T have adequate stopping distance if your travel speed is significantly higher than the SLOWEST vehicle on the ascent. Why?

Of course, you’ve TESTED the handicap in braking distance you’ve given yourself by using a pickup. What is that distance at 60-mph?. As PROPER hitch rigging is a requirement (optional according to pickup owners, ha!) the combined rig SHOULD stop faster than the TV when solo. If you screwed up adequate TW distribution to the TT, this ain’t be so. And you screwed it up if the TT rides anything OTHER THAN dead level. The typical one ton type has the TT bouncing along on the front trailer axle. Means you have two, not four, trailer brakes when it counts.

A loaded pickup (50/50) will, with trailer properly-hitched will still need in excess of 350’. Call it 400’ with reaction time. Dry asphalt and no grade involved. Trailers with drum brakes can push that farther out on a difficult stop (they rapidly fade in effectiveness).

What did your tests show?

Get a clue. The immaturity is blinding. Get serious, and get help where needed. Watching Utube NEW TRUCK REPORTS ain’t it.

.

Hey SloMo, I took your advise and bought an F350 diesel. That IS what you said to do, right?

[DewTheDew]

Originally Posted by KK4YZ

Hey SloMo, I took your advise and bought an F350 diesel. That IS what you said to do, right?

That's what I got out of that post, too.

[Moflash]

Actually Slowmovers personal choice for a tow vehicle listed on his profile is a 2004 Dodge 2500 diesel w/6spd manual.Just sayin......

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Moflash

Actually Slowmovers personal choice for a tow vehicle listed on his profile is a 2004 Dodge 2500 diesel w/6spd manual.Just sayin......

Yea; wonder how that thing sounds, smells, and rides! Just saying! The older Diesels before DEF were pretty loud, smelly, and many have a lot of smoke from exhaust when accelerating...

[crispyboy]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Yea; wonder how that thing sounds, smells, and rides! Just saying! The older Diesels before DEF were pretty loud, smelly, and many have a lot of smoke from exhaust when accelerating...

Slowmovers diesel truck is arguably one of the last of the most reliable of the old school diesel trucks. Many of the 2004/2005 Dodge trucks did get very good fuel mileage and no smoke in STOCK form. Smelly and loud yep - but they sure sounded good at least to me as a bit of diesel gear head. Why he tells folks to use a less than optimum tow vehicle when he as one of the best is beyond me...... He would be more helpful to keep his discussion to hitching a tow vehicle correctly. I do understand what he means that quite often folks drive over-confidently or not being hitched correctly when towing with a big truck. I have done this myself (too speedy) and need to reign myself in from time to time. It sort of like when I drive my Grand Cherokee in the ice and snow - easy to feel over confident and get your self in trouble - have to slow down and drive with some sanity.

[Kanusport]

I own a 2018 F150 6.5’ bed super crew with ecoboost and 1795lbs door sticker. It tows my 22 sport fb just fine. I also have a 2019 Chevrolet 3500 hd Duramax Diesel dually chassis cab 4100lbs door sticker, it tows the trailer even better. You can’t even tell it’s there most times. You can feel the trailer in the f150. Where the diesel really shines is on the downhill, using tow mode and exhaust brake you don’t really need to touch the brakes ever. They both work great, I’d say the f150 requires more user input. If I had to critique the f150 it feels soft in the rear which makes for a great ride unless the roads are whooped out and then it’s a little too soft, probably due to the fx4 package. I think the solution for that is easy, a set of timbrens or sumo springs.

I usually avoid the towing section of this forum after having my hand slapped when I posted my CAT scale numbers but once in a while it’s fun to look at the threads. I don’t use WD or sway on either of these rigs. I am considering adding a Hayes sway master but prudent speeds and a properly loaded trailer are more important IMHO.

To answer the original question about which 3/4 ton truck I chose the Chevy based on the motor. The Duramax L5P is a great platform. I work on diesel trucks for a living. They all have problems, the Duramax seems to have less. Plus the engine is made in the USA as opposed to the cummins which all have blocks from China and the power stroke which says chihuahua on the valve covers. Also my brother is an engineer at Chevrolet so that helped sway my decision.