School me on pickups for towing a travel trailer.

[mnutz]

Okay so my wife and I and our 2 young kids are looking at hitting the American highways for some extended travel time. We've got an inexpensive home base in the midwest, where we'd like to be for about 6 months of growing season. We'd then like to spend winter on the road. Spring 2019 is tentative departure date.

We know nothing about pickups in general, towing, or domestics. We've always driven import SUVs and wagons.

We need to do this on a pretty tight budget. Can we get a suitable truck for under $10,000?

We probably want a crew cab. Brand preference? Is it just me, or do Ford trucks seem less prone to rust than Chevy and Dodge? Gas or diesel? 150/1500 or do we have to go 250/2500? Probably looking at towing around a 25 ft camper.

What truck do we need? Pretty open ended question I know, we're really starting from scratch here.

Thanks!

 

[snowaddict91]

For an extended trip like that I'd look at a 3/4 ton or 1 ton. (2500/3500). Gassers will be best in your price range. A ford V10 is probably your best bang for the buck. As far as rust, they all rust. Buy a truck from a rust free area if possible. If you are adventurous and/or mechanically inclined, you could get an older diesel in your price range, but it will have some "character."

Is 4x4 a requirement? For me it is, but if its not you could get a lot more truck in 2wd flavor.

 

[UHAULER]

I would say a 3/4 ton gas crew cab.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Don't know if you're committed to a pickup, but your money will go farther with an SUV. I don't know why that's the case but it is. IOW a Silverado on the used market will sell for more than a Tahoe or Suburban of the same age with the same number of miles on it. Which is funny because the 'Burb was likely more expensive new. Ditto for F-150 vs Expedition. A weird phenomenon but one I've noticed for years. The pickup is also more likely to have been abused whereas the SUV is likely to have only seen soccer-mom and shopping-mall duty.
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IMO a full sized SUV is one of the best towing platforms out there. Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL, Tahoe, Escalade, Expedition, Expedition EL or Navigator.
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EDITED TO ADD: You didn't say how heavy your trailer is. That's a huge factor. I wouldn't tow anything over about 4,000lb with a half ton truck. Yes, technically they're rated to haul, in most cases, up to 6,000 or maybe more, but I wouldn't do it.

 

[mnutz]

Don't know if you're committed to a pickup, but your money will go farther with an SUV. I don't know why that's the case but it is. IOW a Silverado on the used market will sell for more than a Tahoe or Suburban of the same age with the same number of miles on it. Which is funny because the 'Burb was likely more expensive new. Ditto for F-150 vs Expedition. A weird phenomenon but one I've noticed for years. The pickup is also more likely to have been abused whereas the SUV is likely to have only seen soccer-mom and shopping-mall duty.
.
IMO a full sized SUV is one of the best towing platforms out there. Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL, Tahoe, Escalade, Expedition, Expedition EL or Navigator.
,
EDITED TO ADD: You didn't say how heavy your trailer is. That's a huge factor. I wouldn't tow anything over about 4,000lb with a half ton truck. Yes, technically they're rated to haul, in most cases, up to 6,000 or maybe more, but I wouldn't do it.

Yeah used pickup prices do seem pretty crazy high to me. So if I go the SUV route would a 1500 Suburban do what we need, or do I need to go 2500?

 

[mnutz]

The campers we're looking at are around 3500 - 4000 lbs. I don't yet know how much to figure for loaded weight. Is there any kind of general rule?

 

[Buliwyf]

If this is a regular weight 25' TT, then: 250/2500 or 350/3500, CC, Gas, SRW should be fine. No way I'd recommend a half ton. (I don't care what the sticker says)

Get rear air bags to keep the truck level. I'd set the truck up well, so that you don't need a weight distribution hitch. Then get a weight distro hitch anyways. They work best when you don't need them. It's bad mojo to use them as a leveling crutch like many RV'ers do. Generally, at my last fuel stop when I exit the freeway, I remove the weight distro bars for tight turns and hilly rough roads, and then lock my front hubs (Ford).

$10,000 is tight, but doable. Later models and rust? Chevy may have an advantage, Dodge is the worst by far. But in the $10,000 range, the most likely era you'll find, will pretty much have Ford and GM tied for rust, and Dodge even worse with that goofy foam in the doors.

If you find a DRW gasser, even better. Get the biggest truck you can.

As for weight of the trailer. It's not uncommon for standard weight fully loaded 25' TT to weigh close to 10,000 pounds. People over load them. My recommendation: You only need a few pots and pans. Paper plates and bowls weigh less and you can burn them in the campfire instead of washing them. Carry only enough water for a little convenience. There will be water at most campgrounds. And only 25# of clothing per person. Some people have a whole wardrobe in their TT.

You have to be mindful about weight. TV? Toss it. Microwave? Yup, leave it behind. A nearly empty 25' TT tows quite nice.

 

[Buliwyf]

Yeah used pickup prices do seem pretty crazy high to me. So if I go the SUV route would a 1500 Suburban do what we need, or do I need to go 2500?

The Suburban 2500 is a much nicer truck than the 1500. They're just about always spec'd out better everywhere. Get the 2500. Replace the front shocks immediately with good Bilsteins on any Suburban you find.

Remember, level truck, and level trailer. No tail dragging trucks, no nose down, or especially nose high trailers. Get them setup correct.

 

[ajmaudio]

some good advice here... I'll echo getting a 2500, especially if your in an suv. A 5.3 or 5.4 in a large suv with a light duty trans is no fun. I prefer the gm stuff... love the motors. A clean 2500 burb would be great... same goes for a truck but its gonna have some years on it to hit your budget. You also need to figure some good maintenance into your budget before you set out with your family. If you do end up with a 1500 spend some money on helping the trans.. Also.. dont tow more than 4k or so with a 1500. I know it says you can.. and as previously mentioned... dont.

 

[rayra]

Just gave the same transmission advice in the OP's other topic on the same issue
http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/184426-Considering-a-2005-Tahoe-Z71

OP, maybe see if you can get the two topics merged or something

 

[Martinjmpr]

Well, going to a 2500 Suburban flips your availability VS the pickup. 2500 Suburbans were only made intermittently after 2006 and you will likely find 50 1500s for every 2500.

2000-2006 2500 Suburban are more common but I'd still guess the ratio is at least 10 1500s for every 2500. OTOH 2500 Silverado's are pretty common. Given the weight of the trailer you intend to pull I think a 1500 would be adequate but only that.

Having said that, if you're ok with full time 4wd and you don't need low range, a 1500 Yukon XL Denali might be a good compromise. The Denali package gets you the more powerful 6.0l V8 and the beefed up 4l65 trans, but you lose low range and a 2wd option in doing so.

 

[TBthwacker]

Hi, first school lesson:
Travel trailers: 3500 to 4,000: Popup campers and 17 to 19 foot hybrids.

Trucks: 2500 on up crew cabs gas or diesel.

Family campers: 7500lbs to 10,000lbs That's considered ultralight bunk house construction and shorter stick and tin variants.

Family hybrid campers 21 feet to 23 ft with slideouts: 5,000 to 6,700 pounds.

I have a 2500 suburban and its built to tow travel trailers, carry passengers, and load with gear. No half ton variant sub/tahoe, denali 5.3/6.0/6.2 can carry passengers and tow at same time.
Campers owned: Flagstaff 625D, Starcraft 21 RBH Hybrid, Jayco 2106, and R Vision 26QBS

 

[TwinStick]

Our set up: 2016 18' Starcraft AR One Extreme. About 3500 lbs---pulled by a 2008 Dodge Power Wagon w/G-56 manual. I installed Hellwig Load Pro 35 4 leaf helper springs. It has an ARE MX series cap. Home made bed slide. I can load up the camper, the bed & the cab. Truck hardly knows it's pulling anything. It is geared like a tractor between the G-56 & the 4.56's.

I can tow the max weight of truck (10,500 lbs) with ease, thanks to the G-56 6-speed manual trans. Our old camper was 10,500 lbs & the same 345hp Hemi w/545RFE auto trans (in our 04' 2500 4x4 w/4.10's) absolutely sucked for towing 10,500 lbs. Upshifting & downshifting constantly, even on flat ground. Thats why I got rid of it. Gearing makes ALL the difference with a gas engine. If you plan to tow anything over 8500 lbs, I would consider a diesel, because you can NOT get a manual shift fullsize truck with a gas engine anymore. It is not that the gas engines can't do it, it's just that the transmission gear ratios are all geared towards mpg these days. I see it every single year when we go camping: diesels pulling 5000 lb campers & when I talk to the owners, it is always the same: gas engine's auto transmission was constantly upshifting & downshifting. Not enough gears & the wrong gear ratios. Just because the Manufacturer says it will tow xxxxx lbs, does not mean it will tow it well ! That is a fact.

My 1st gear in the Hemi/545RFE was 3.0:1, then it dropped to 1.67:1 in 2nd gear & 1.0:1 in 3rd. 4th & 5th were useless when towing 10,500 lbs. My Power Wagon is: 1st---6.3:1, 2nd---3.48:1. 3rd---2.10:1, 4th---1.38:1, 5th---1.0:1, 6th---0.79:1. I could actually use 1st through 5th when towing 10,500 lbs with the Power Wagon. I think pick up trucks are more useful than an suv but that is your call. I have been towing all my life & am retired now. Even with our "downsized" 18' camper, I am not sure I would want to tow it with a mid sized vehicle. I would absolutely say go with a 3/4-1 ton. By doing that, you will save a lot of money vs getting one too small & uptrading it later down the road.

Trucks---Because they get stuff done.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

For an extended trip like that I'd look at a 3/4 ton or 1 ton. (2500/3500). Gassers will be best in your price range. A ford V10 is probably your best bang for the buck. As far as rust, they all rust. Buy a truck from a rust free area if possible. If you are adventurous and/or mechanically inclined, you could get an older diesel in your price range, but it will have some "character."

Is 4x4 a requirement? For me it is, but if its not you could get a lot more truck in 2wd flavor.

I agree. My problem would be 10k budget for extended travel pulling a trailer. Anything you get is going to have 150k on it, and you are dependent on this thing every day. I say up the budget to 15-18k and get something a little new, with a few less miles, 4wd and 3/4 ton a must. For reliability I would look for a chevy crew cab 2500hd with the 6.0, those are about as reliable as it gets.
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for...rchRadius=0&makeCode1=CHEV&modelCode1=CHEVC25

 

[calicamper]

Or go smaller kit all the way around. You can find 1st gen Toyota Sequoias in goid shape for under 9k easily. Then go with a small 16ft or less trailer Ive seen several decent ones for less than 15k. Not to mention your site options are far greater with a smaller footprint.