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Silvertwinkie · 10-18-2008, 08:19 AM

I can find no info that says the 1 ton brakes are larger on the 1 ton than the 2500HD (3/4 ton)...of course talking strictly GM...

I would think that a slide **might** be justifiable for a 1 ton, but don't be fooled that just because you haven't seen popped rivets doesn't mean there are things lurking behind what is visible on the outside:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...ion-35237.html

It's been said time and time again that Airstreams like softer rides. These Airstreams we buy today are nowhere near what they were in the 50s and 60s and if the linked thread above has any truth to it, it's a significant eye opener, at least it was for me. 1 ton is way overkill for almost any Airstream and you don't have to own one to know this...simply run the numbers and you'll see. Take a few test drives of the various models and brands before you commit, but at the very least read the linked thread before you go out and simply buy a 1 ton because it's there.

I think that a good diesel 3/4 ton is more than enough for even the very largest Airstream (Pan American and or a 34' slide). Heck, even for most 5th wheels.....again, talking strictly GM.

It is a truck buyers market. Don't simply accept what you see at the local dealer. They are practically paying you to take the fuel hogs off their hands....few want/need these types of vehicles. The grocery getter mom and dads that bought them are dropping them for more fuel eff vehicles. It is such a buyers market it's unreal. Find one on line using the manufac website and most dealers will get it for you via an inter dealer exchange.

fltlevel510 · 10-18-2008, 08:22 AM

Brian,

Many of the folks in our WBCCI unit tow with both the 3/4 ton pickup and the 3/4 ton suburban with very good results. I do have one friend who recently purchased a 30' trailer and is towing with the 1/2 ton sierra and hensley hitch and finds the transmission is always downshifting on the smallest hills and just this weekend had problems with brakes overheating going down a hill.

As far as hitch height it important to get your truck and trailer on perfectly level terrain and be sure everything is level with the trailer attached. My Airstream manual says the ball height should be 19.75 inches high the non slide outs are supposed to be 18.75 inches. The best technique is to get everything hitched up and measure from the ground up to the base of the trailer at the front and then the ground up to the base of the trailer in the rear and these two distances should be the same. Then do the same with your truck. Once this is done find someone with an accurate truck scale and weigh your unit. You should have equal weight on each of the four trailer wheels and I believe about 800# tongue weight for your trailer. If all of this is done you will not even know the trailer is behind you when towing with the one ton truck and the ride will be firm but not so much to damage the trailer.

Road Ruler · 10-18-2008, 08:36 AM

Your vehicle is a 2002 Brian and the new 150's are much improved. Even Ford is optimistic about the 150's towing abilities as seen on their commercials...

Wingeezer · 10-18-2008, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

I can find no info that says the 1 ton brakes are larger on the 1 ton than the 2500HD (3/4 ton)...of course talking strictly GM...

I would think that a slide **might** be justifiable for a 1 ton, but don't be fooled that just because you haven't seen popped rivets doesn't mean there are things lurking behind what is visible on the outside:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...ion-35237.html

It's been said time and time again that Airstreams like softer rides. These Airstreams we buy today are nowhere near what they were in the 50s and 60s and if the linked thread above has any truth to it, it's a significant eye opener, at least it was for me. 1 ton is way overkill for almost any Airstream and you don't have to own one to know this...simply run the numbers and you'll see. Take a few test drives of the various models and brands before you commit, but at the very least read the linked thread before you go out and simply buy a 1 ton because it's there.

I think that a good diesel 3/4 ton is more than enough for even the very largest Airstream (Pan American and or a 34' slide). Heck, even for most 5th wheels.....again, talking strictly GM.

It is a truck buyers market. Don't simply accept what you see at the local dealer. They are practically paying you to take the fuel hogs off their hands....few want/need these types of vehicles. The grocery getter mom and dads that bought them are dropping them for more fuel eff vehicles. It is such a buyers market it's unreal. Find one on line using the manufac website and most dealers will get it for you via an inter dealer exchange.

Interesting link about separation. I had seen some of that before buying our '05, and it did make me somewhat nervous, but no other trailer seemed to fill the bill!

I might have considered an older vintage AS if I had a place to work on it, but I do not, so it wasn't really an option! Besides, I wanted to buy a trailer to use, not to take up all my time repairing structural issues, changing major appliances etc!

So for now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the one I bought is in decent shape! It is certainly very clean inside and out and seems to have seen little use. It dies have a welded trailer hitch receiver on the rear which concerns me a bit - it is wired thru with a flat four pin elec. connector, so i'm guessing that thye previous owner may have towed a boat - small one I hope!

I had thought I might use the hitch for a bicycle carrier instead of putting the mountain bikes on the front of the truck as I do now. Based on comments I have found on this forum I am thinking though that I might not use the hitch - may in fact remove it to get back the ground clearance at the rear.

As for the truck issue, I'm still in a quandry. I certainly would take the one ton out for a test ride to see how rough it rides unloaded. This vehicle will also be our daily driver, although we do do very little mileage other than our long trailer trips.

I'd sure like to find a good recent 3/4T Sierra set up for trailering locally but no luck so far, maybe I need to look further afield.

Looks like I may yet try out our existing 1/2ton on an Arizona trip this winter

It is interesting to note however that those who are actually using one ton trucks don't seem to express any great concerns.

I was hoping to get a real concensus response to my query but it isn't working out that way - I guess I should have expected that! All great info though and thanks to all!

Brian

Wingeezer · 10-18-2008, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flightlevel5

Brian,

Many of the folks in our WBCCI unit tow with both the 3/4 ton pickup and the 3/4 ton suburban with very good results. I do have one friend who recently purchased a 30' trailer and is towing with the 1/2 ton sierra and hensley hitch and finds the transmission is always downshifting on the smallest hills and just this weekend had problems with brakes overheating going down a hill.

As far as hitch height it important to get your truck and trailer on perfectly level terrain and be sure everything is level with the trailer attached. My Airstream manual says the ball height should be 19.75 inches high the non slide outs are supposed to be 18.75 inches. The best technique is to get everything hitched up and measure from the ground up to the base of the trailer at the front and then the ground up to the base of the trailer in the rear and these two distances should be the same. Then do the same with your truck. Once this is done find someone with an accurate truck scale and weigh your unit. You should have equal weight on each of the four trailer wheels and I believe about 800# tongue weight for your trailer. If all of this is done you will not even know the trailer is behind you when towing with the one ton truck and the ride will be firm but not so much to damage the trailer.

Thanks for the input. Is that a 3/4 or one ton that you are using (great pic by the way!)

The problems that your friend is encountering with his 1/2T are the sort of reasons that I figured even before we took the plunge and bought the AS that we would most likely be moving to a bigger TV, and I had figured we would get a 3/4T. I'm only now looking at 1T because of an "opportunity" that presents itself.

I sold our last trailer because it was getting to the point that things were causing us grief with it on almost every winter trip and detracting from the enjoyment. Hopefully, with the much newer AS we will have put that behind us - although I'm not naive enough to think we won't have some problems with the Airstream.

Having said that, and while our 2002 Sierra 1/2T is still in great shape and has served us very well for the last five years, towing right across the US each winter, I don't want to now start having all kinds of truck problems.

This is why I felt that even though my present truck "might just" handle the AS, I wanted to do what I could to ensure that my focus would be on relaxing and RV'ing rather than constantly dealing with truck problems en route due to marginal ability.

I don't mind little problems while travelling - I look upon them as interesting challenges - just don't want too many major headaches!

Cheers ......... Brian.

dwightdi · 10-18-2008, 09:03 AM

If you are still serious, the dealer should be able to give you the spring rates of the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks so you have real numbers to compare. 2/3 - 3/4 of the weight of the trailer as is pulled down the road is on the trailer suspension. Therefore, the stiffness and ability to aborb the shock of roughness is carried by the suspension of the trailer. A little heavier suspension on the truck has a minor effect. Rough roads will kill anything, if you are travelling at too high speed. When you get into the rough stuff, slow down and let the suspension have enough time to absorb the shocks. I presume most of the one ton's they are offering are not duallies. The duallies really do have superior sway control due to their wide stance but are a pain in small parking lots. The smaller wall height tires on the dually also reduce the tendancy to sway. You most likely do not need a Hensley if buy the one ton. You certainly should not crank up the bars to their 1000 lb. specification and if you can get lighter ones, I would. Gas mileage on the one ton will be slightly poorer due to the increased frame weight. If the only thing you are going to use the truck for is towing and work, I would recommend the one ton, but it a poor choice for running to the store for cookies. The one ton gives you the opportunity to consider a 5th wheel in your future without buying a new truck.

ROBERT CROSS · 10-18-2008, 09:14 AM

Our current TV was also a GM exec vehicle. 06 3/4 Burb 8.1 14.k, still under factory warranty til 3-2010. It's been a super TV. It has the GM Autoride,(without auto leveling) the best riding TV I've driven.
I can appreciate your conundrum, buy now or wait.

IMHO
I would get your Hensley operational, take a few trips, and decide if the investment would be worthwhile. After All, it will take a long time to break even on the money spent. And who knows what the future will bring, maybe there is a better offering down the road.
It took us four years to to jump into replacing our 95 454 Burb.

Good Luck
Bob

Wingeezer · 10-18-2008, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwightdi

If you are still serious, the dealer should be able to give you the spring rates of the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks so you have real numbers to compare. 2/3 - 3/4 of the weight of the trailer as is pulled down the road is on the trailer suspension. Therefore, the stiffness and ability to aborb the shock of roughness is carried by the suspension of the trailer. A little heavier suspension on the truck has a minor effect. Rough roads will kill anything, if you are travelling at too high speed. When you get into the rough stuff, slow down and let the suspension have enough time to absorb the shocks. I presume most of the one ton's they are offering are not duallies. The duallies really do have superior sway control due to their wide stance but are a pain in small parking lots. The smaller wall height tires on the dually also reduce the tendancy to sway. You most likely do not need a Hensley if buy the one ton. You certainly should not crank up the bars to their 1000 lb. specification and if you can get lighter ones, I would. Gas mileage on the one ton will be slightly poorer due to the increased frame weight. If the only thing you are going to use the truck for is towing and work, I would recommend the one ton, but it a poor choice for running to the store for cookies. The one ton gives you the opportunity to consider a 5th wheel in your future without buying a new truck.

My experience over the years in getting useful info from car dealers hasn't been great! Not surprisingly, they usually seem to tell you what they think you'd like to hear in order to make the sale!

Oft times I have had dealers give me info that was total rubbish and not even supported by their own brochures - I tend to not dispute what they are saying but just to carry on to another dealer! One local Dodge dealer just assured me that his Ram 2500
with Cummins diesel had a trailer tow rating close to 20,000#!

I suppose I might get comparative spring rate info if I wrote to GM - might give that a try if they haven't now laid off all their customer service staff!

You are right, these one ton trucks are all single wheel, I would not consider a dually, since that would be even more overkill and leave me with a pretty unmanageable vehicle for daily use.

I do realize that a one ton truck is not the best to run to store for cookies, but since there is just the two of us at home, and since we make great use of a motorcycle in summer for pleasure trips and errands, I felt it wouldn't make economic sense to buy yet another vehicle to complement the truck. Better I felt to just pay the extra fuel, tolerate the parking inconvenience and try more to combine trips rather than pay all the expenses associated with one more licensed vehicle - depreciation/insurance/upkeep etc.

Never worked the numbers but with the very small mileage we would put on an extra vehicle I'm pretty sure it would work out that way.

I did also think that a one ton would give us the option of a bigger trailer, but I doubt we would go that route. the 30 footer should suit us ideally, we are rarely away more than 6 weeks at a time. I sure did like the idea of the new AS toy hauler that we saw at Jackson Centre a few weeks back though! Maybe if I get the one ton truck I can talk the Mrs into that!

Actually we did look at a lot of SOB toyhaulers before getting the AS, and they all seemed to compromise living space just too much. In reality, the AS version would probably have the same drawback.

Cheers ........ Brian

yakman · 10-18-2008, 09:33 AM

Wingeezer,

We tow a 25ft International with a 2500HD Duramax and have absolutely no shortage of power or problems with sway. Granted, a Classic adds a little more weight and length, but the drivetrain is the same whether it's a 3/4T or 1T.

From kicking tires at the dealers and other forums, if you're concerned about resale value on the 1 ton purchase, make sure you buy a dually. The used truck market for 1 tons has low demand for the single tire set. If you don't want the dually, then go 3/4T.

yakman

Wingeezer · 10-18-2008, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Our current TV was also a GM exec vehicle. 06 3/4 Burb 8.1 14.k, still under factory warranty til 3-2010. It's been a super TV. It has the GM Autoride,(without auto leveling) the best riding TV I've driven.
I can appreciate your conundrum, buy now or wait.

IMHO
I would get your Hensley operational, take a few trips, and decide if the investment would be worthwhile. After All, it will take a long time to break even on the money spent. And who knows what the future will bring, maybe there is a better offering down the road.
It took us four years to to jump into replacing our 95 454 Burb.

Good Luck
Bob

Bob,

No doubt your suggestion to take things more slowly, set up the Hensley and get some experience with the 1/2T makes lots of sense.

My only concern is that our winter travels usually take us to South West and we usually encounter some some serious grades. I'd much sooner be sitting back enjoying the scenery rather than worrying about whether we will make the next grade - tranny/engine on the way up and brakes on the way down!

In order to maximize the chances of having a trouble free trip, I was quite prepared to pay the cost of a much more capable tow vehicle rather that screw up our trip with mechanical failures and worries. Getting too old for that!

Besides, our present TV is nearly seven years old and I felt it made some sense to move to a newer one with some warranty left.

It is only when I started to read comments on this (very helpful) forum about heavier trucks beating up the AS that I started to have some doubts about the direction I was going in, particularly when offered a good buy on a one ton rather than the 3/4 ton I had in mind to look for.

So now I am just trying to get a better perspective on whether I would be making a big mistake in buying a 1 ton rather than a 3/4 ton.

Of course I think that comments from folks that have been there/done that are the most helpful, and the impression I am getting so far is that most people with 1 ton trucks have not had issues.

Of course on the other hand, there are detractors that say that these folks may not yet realize the problems they have created with their trailers!

The decision doesn't get a whole lot easier!

Cheers ............... Brian.

Wingeezer · 10-18-2008, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yakman

Wingeezer,

We tow a 25ft International with a 2500HD Duramax and have absolutely no shortage of power or problems with sway. Granted, a Classic adds a little more weight and length, but the drivetrain is the same whether it's a 3/4T or 1T.

From kicking tires at the dealers and other forums, if you're concerned about resale value on the 1 ton purchase, make sure you buy a dually. The used truck market for 1 tons has low demand for the single tire set. If you don't want the dually, then go 3/4T.

yakman

Yep, I realize the drive train is the same, the main issue I wanted to nail down is whether the one ton would be more likely to cause damage to the AS than the 3/4 ton I had been considering due to a heavier suspension.

I'm not that concerned about resale as I think that whatever we buy at this stage of our earthly journey (!) "should" see us to the end of our RV'ing days - five to ten years maybe?

The only reason we might get rid of is sooner would be either health reasons (none at present) or if for some reason we were to find it totally unsuitable

Cheers ......... Brian.

purman · 10-18-2008, 09:50 AM

Toyota is doing some good deals right now... I know it's not a 3/4 ton and isn't claiming it... CrafordGene tows with a Tundra and likes it... I borrowed our friends 2004 28' safari, towed it to Zion and back over some good tall mountain passes... With a Sequoia.. No problems.. I went up the hills at 65-70 mph "with some left" and going down I down shifted to a lower gear "in the manual mode" and hardly had to use the brakes.... the trailer was probably around 7000 lbs.

we had some strong winds 35-45 mph... And the trailer didn't sway or rock about.. Just a reese hitch set up..

Just goes to show you don't need a 3/4 ton....

Just mine two cents....

Would be nice if toyota made a diesel again...

Funny thing is, you go to Europe and they make all kinds of american suv's in diesels... But they are very hard to get here.... Go figure...

Wingeezer · 10-18-2008, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purman

Toyota is doing some good deals right now... I know it's not a 3/4 ton and isn't claiming it... CrafordGene tows with a Tundra and likes it... I borrowed our friends 2004 28' safari, towed it to Zion and back over some good tall mountain passes... With a Sequoia.. No problems.. I went up the hills at 65-70 mph "with some left" and going down I down shifted to a lower gear "in the manual mode" and hardly had to use the brakes.... the trailer was probably around 7000 lbs.

we had some strong winds 35-45 mph... And the trailer didn't sway or rock about.. Just a reese hitch set up..

Just goes to show you don't need a 3/4 ton....

Just mine two cents....

Would be nice if toyota made a diesel again...

Funny thing is, you go to Europe and they make all kinds of american suv's in diesels... But they are very hard to get here.... Go figure...

Hi Jason,

I did initially think about the Tundra. I have heard great things about them. I have a good friend who swears by Toyota vehicles. He has owned several Camries and has two at present.

What caused me to drop them from the short list however is that they just don't have the towing grunt of the big three if you compare them with the 3/4 ton trucks.

I had read many times the comment that ideally you shouldn't exceed 75-80% of your tow vehicles rated tow capacity, which is why I was opting for a 3/4 ton (or now maybe a 1 ton).

These vehicles all seem to have max tow ratings around 12,500# or so.

Mine 1/2T is rated at 9200# I believe and the Toyota is only a few # more. I figured if I am moving up in size I should give myself a good margin of capability.

So now my only issue is the suspension question and possible damage causing effect on the trailer between a 3/4 and one ton vehicle.

Cheers .......... Brian.
Cheers ......... Brian.

ROBERT CROSS · 10-18-2008, 10:01 AM

Brian,

I really don't think you need to be too concerned about the one tonner beating up your trailer on all but the roughest backroads. (but that applies to just about any TV.) The MOST important thing is getting the proper hitch set-up. With the ability of the one ton to accept more tongue weight, the correct weight bar adjustment is paramount.
Are any of the vehicles single wheel? For a daily driver I would opt for the single.
As with anything AS, we seem too 'err on the side of, not so much what we need, but what we WANT.

Good luck, keep us posted

Wingeezer · 10-18-2008, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

Hi Jason,

I did initially think about the Tundra. I have heard great things about them. I have a good friend who swears by Toyota vehicles. He has owned several Camries and has two at present.

What caused me to drop them from the short list however is that they just don't have the towing grunt of the big three if you compare them with the 3/4 ton trucks.

I had read many times the comment that ideally you shouldn't exceed 75-80% of your tow vehicles rated tow capacity, which is why I was opting for a 3/4 ton (or now maybe a 1 ton).

These vehicles all seem to have max tow ratings around 12,500# or so.

Mine 1/2T is rated at 9200# I believe and the Toyota is only a few # more. I figured if I am moving up in size I should give myself a good margin of capability.

So now my only issue is the suspension question and possible damage causing effect on the trailer between a 3/4 and one ton vehicle.

Cheers .......... Brian.
Cheers ......... Brian.

Hi Bob,

Yes, they are all single wheel as far as I know. They just arrived at our local dealer yesterday and the salesman there who sold us our last two vehicles gave me a call as he knew I was actively looking for something bigger.

Of course since it is what he has to sell, he is trying to make the point that these one tons are even better for what I want to do.

I probably would have bought that logic until I came across comments here on teh forum that heavier suspension can cause very costly trailer damage - which of course is what I am now trying to nail down! (ie whether there is any significant difference between 3/4t and 1t in this respect)

I haven't been to see these vehicles yet, as I am down with a cold (that's why I've been on the 'puter so much this am!) but I hope to be back to the world of the living and to go look at them early next week.

I wouldn't be considering a dually, for just the reason you mention.

Likewise, I will be looking only at short box crew cab models.

My wife complains enough about parking with our present extended cab/short box, let alone a crew cab/long box!

Course I just tell her to park well away from others at the mall (Secretly my hope is that in doing so, she is more likely to avoid parking lot door dings!)

Cheers ....... Brian

Air Apparent · 10-18-2008, 10:21 AM

Wingeezer:

I have a 2005 Classic 30 non slide. Before purchasing the trailer I did an extensive tow vehicle analysis as I wanted to have a properly matched tow vehicle.

I came to the conclusion that a 1/2 ton was insufficient. The issue isn't pulling but stopping. You may already know this but I will go over my logic.

There are three weight ratings one must take into consideration in evaluating a tow vehicle.

1) The gross vehicle weight rating of the trailer. In my case the trailer has the heavier axles with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs.

2) The gross vehicle weight rating of the tow vehicle. I have a 2005 3/4 ton Dodge Cummins that has a GVWR of 9,500 lbs.

3) The gross combined weight rating which is the maximum weight the tow vehicle can handle for the trailer and tow vehicle. The GCWR can be less than the maximums of trailer and tow vehicle. This happens frequently with fifth wheels. In my case I can load the trailer to the maximum and tow vehicle to the maximum and still be below the gross combined weight rating because the Dodge has a GCWR of 20,000 lbs. In summary:

Airstream 30 gross vehicle weight rating 10,000 lbs
Dodge Ram 3/4 ton vehicle weight rating 9,500 lbs
Total 19,500 lbs

Dodge Ram 3/4 ton combined weight rating 20,000 lbs.

This if I don't exceed my maximum weight ratings for the Airstream or truck I will never exceed the combined weight rating.

When I was doing this analyis for a classic 25 I was concerned about using a 1/2 ton. I have a friend who has a international 25 and initially pulled it with a 1/2 ton. His conclusion was it was not adequate for his level of comfort for towing and purchased a 3/4 ton Ford.

You will get responses that it can be pulled by a 1/2 ton. You can do the math and determine what you are comfortable pulling with.

Pulling with a 3/4 ton diesel I hardly know that it is there. I just added a Hensley this year for additional safety. My eqalizer hitch worked fine.

In the Dodge trucks the only difference between a 3/4 ton and a 1 ton single rear wheel is in the stiffer springs on the one ton. All other component are the same. The brakes are the same 19" disc.

This is my first truck and is my daily driver. I have 87,000 miles and have owned it since February 2005. I am considering putting on a rear air suspension (Kelderman) to soften the ride but it is expensive. I love the truck.

I believe that you would be ok with a one ton but don't need it.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

fltlevel510 · 10-18-2008, 10:29 AM

Brian,

As stated previously I tow with a one ton Silverado diesel with no problems. I choose the one ton at the time because the price difference on the 3/4 ton was negligible. Average fuel milage for the duramax is 20mpg when not towing and 15mpg when towing. Of course diesel fuel has been running a bit more per gallon so pretty much a wash on fuel cost/mile. I do use my truck for other chores and the additional capacity has come in handy. Since retirement the Silverado is also our primary vehicle and other than an occasional strange look when pulling into the Church parking lot it works well for us. One draw back is cab height, requires step bars to get into and out of the truck easily. Best of luck with your decision.

Wingeezer · 10-18-2008, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluebird

Wingeezer:

I have a 2005 Classic 30 non slide. Before purchasing the trailer I did an extensive tow vehicle analysis as I wanted to have a properly matched tow vehicle.

I came to the conclusion that a 1/2 ton was insufficient. The issue isn't pulling but stopping. You may already know this but I will go over my logic.

There are three weight ratings one must take into consideration in evaluating a tow vehicle.

1) The gross vehicle weight rating of the trailer. In my case the trailer has the heavier axles with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs.

2) The gross vehicle weight rating of the tow vehicle. I have a 2005 3/4 ton Dodge Cummins that has a GVWR of 9,500 lbs.

3) The gross combined weight rating which is the maximum weight the tow vehicle can handle for the trailer and tow vehicle. The GCWR can be less than the maximums of trailer and tow vehicle. This happens frequently with fifth wheels. In my case I can load the trailer to the maximum and tow vehicle to the maximum and still be below the gross combined weight rating because the Dodge has a GCWR of 20,000 lbs. In summary:

Airstream 30 gross vehicle weight rating 10,000 lbs
Dodge Ram 3/4 ton vehicle weight rating 9,500 lbs
Total 19,500 lbs

Dodge Ram 3/4 ton combined weight rating 20,000 lbs.

This if I don't exceed my maximum weight ratings for the Airstream or truck I will never exceed the combined weight rating.

When I was doing this analyis for a classic 25 I was concerned about using a 1/2 ton. I have a friend who has a international 25 and initially pulled it with a 1/2 ton. His conclusion was it was not adequate for his level of comfort for towing and purchased a 3/4 ton Ford.

You will get responses that it can be pulled by a 1/2 ton. You can do the math and determine what you are comfortable pulling with.

Pulling with a 3/4 ton diesel I hardly know that it is there. I just added a Hensley this year for additional safety. My eqalizer hitch worked fine.

In the Dodge trucks the only difference between a 3/4 ton and a 1 ton single rear wheel is in the stiffer springs on the one ton. All other component are the same. The brakes are the same 19" disc.

This is my first truck and is my daily driver. I have 87,000 miles and have owned it since February 2005. I am considering putting on a rear air suspension (Kelderman) to soften the ride but it is expensive. I love the truck.

I believe that you would be ok with a one ton but don't need it.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

Thanks for the useful info.

My gut feeling is that even though it might just do the job, I don't want to stick with my 1/2 ton at this point.

I don't want to buy new, I usually buy vehicles a year or two old and am happy with that, My only dilemma at the moment is that I am presented with this collection of one ton trucks to select from but no 3/4 ton models, and which way to jump.

Since my only concern with the 1 ton is maybe increasing the chances of damaging the trailer I just bought (which sounds like the twin of yours) your comments about air suspension are interesting. Don't know much about that, what sort of $$ is involved?

Cheers ....... Brian.

Silvertwinkie · 10-18-2008, 10:56 AM

Just posted this on another thread, but since the T word came out (Toyota), I thought it relevant here too:

YouTube - Ford F150 vs Toyota Tundra - Frame Strength

YouTube - Ford F150 vs Chevy vs Toyota - Bed Bounce

As I said on the other thread, I have seen very similar results between the Toyota and the GM offering. I really only have GM vehicles, but as in the other thread, I saw a Toyota on a piece of very rough road here do the exact same thing as found in one of these videos. Followed my brother driving my dads '00 Silverado 3/4 ton down the same road I saw the Toyota pickup event and the Silverado also did what is seen in the video.

Based on my observation and these videos, I would NOT suggest anything larger than 23, maybe 25' with a Toyota pickup.

Air Apparent · 10-18-2008, 10:59 AM

Wingeezer:

I'm looking at Kelderman. Their web site is: Kelderman Air Ride

The internet research I did (reading forum boards, etc.) indicates that they are considered one of the best.

My truck can only take a rear air suspension. This will not increase the payload capacity but only soften the ride.

Installed it's approximately $1,800 if I recall correctly. However I want the on board air compressor with auto leveling so it would be around $2,500 installed. They are located in Iowa and I am close enough to have them do the install.

Hope this helps.