'07 Silverado 1500 to tow a 28' Travel Trailer?

nakedicarus · August 12, 2015

Looking at some travel trailers for rent to go down to the Baja 1000 race next November.

Would my truck be able to handle the below setup with two quads in the bed like in the picture? What would I need?

Truck: 2007 Silverado 1500 4x4 with the 5.3L V8 and 4.10 gears

Trailer: Lance 2285 28' Travel Trailer, GVW 4000 lbs.

Quad 1: 1991 Fourtrax 250X, GVW 361.6 lbs.

Quad 2: 2004 Sportrax 400EX, GVW 375 lbs.

EDIT: Found this chart, but I'm concerned about the tongue weight plus the weight of both quads bogging down the rear suspension.

Chevor · August 12, 2015

Tow hauler camper available?

nakedicarus · August 12, 2015

Pardon?

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nakedicarus · August 12, 2015

Oh toy hauler, no just the regular travel trailer available for rent.

Reading about a Weight Distribution Hitch, this is probably what I will need? Are they easy to instal and uninstall or is welding to the truck required with these?

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Chevor · August 12, 2015

There are campers made that quads will fit into. Huge back door. Will take the load out of bed.

j-ten-ner · August 13, 2015

You may have to "rearrange" the load on your truck. For two reasons.

First, I don't think that you can hook up a travel trailer with the tail gate down.

Second, with the load on the tail gate your weight distribution is getting worse.

You're taking the load off the front axle and the rear axle load capacity will be exceeded quickly. Especially when you hook up the trailer.

How much is the pay load?

How many passengers will you have in the truck? Baggage?

It's gonna be tight.

so long

j-ten-ner

Badass69 · August 13, 2015

Payload sticker will be on the door of the truck for what you legally can actually haul. That trailer you linked weighs 4585 dry and has a GVWR of 6000 lbs. So it will easily be over 5000 lbs by the time you are loaded. The quads weigh 737 lbs combined. Hitch weight is going to be easily in excess of 500 lbs all said and done. So minimum you are at 1237 on the back of the truck. Weight distributing hitch will help and load all you can really into the trailer. You might be okay...... who knows.

Your truck has what, a 6400 lb GVWR? You have to then look at RAWR and FAWR of course too. This is all if you want to be 100% legal like probably 90% of people pulling trailers most certainly are not. It's going to be tight but if your payload is up above 1600 lbs you might be okay. I don't know what a GMT900 RCSB 4X4 weighs lol.

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nakedicarus · August 13, 2015

You may have to "rearrange" the load on your truck. For two reasons.

First, I don't think that you can hook up a travel trailer with the tail gate down.

Second, with the load on the tail gate your weight distribution is getting worse.

In this case I wouldn't need to have my ice chest on the tailgate therefore the tailgate would be closed.

The truck would only have two passengers (around 500 total lbs) + two ATVs (around 800 total lbs).

Below are the stickers on the truck:

Blue2500CC · August 13, 2015

You should have a yellow sticker in the drivers door jamb as mentioned. It will state "Passengers and cargo not to exceed xxxxlbs".

Chances are it is MAYBE in the 1500lb range. You stated you are already at about 1300lbs with 2 passengers and the quads.... I don't see how you will be under your rear axle rating, or gvwr once the trailer is hooked up.

Any way to haul the quads with another truck?

Badass69 · August 13, 2015

You should have a yellow sticker in the drivers door jamb as mentioned. It will state "Passengers and cargo not to exceed xxxxlbs".

Chances are it is MAYBE in the 1500lb range. You stated you are already at about 1300lbs with 2 passengers and the quads.... I don't see how you will be under your rear axle rating, or gvwr once the trailer is hooked up.

Any way to haul the quads with another truck?

I don't think so in 07. In retrospect I think the payload capacity is listed on the sticker in the glovebox. I should go look in my old 05.

And I found it in my door jam on my 05 1500HD. 2786 lbs..... impressive for the old heap lol.

nakedicarus · August 13, 2015

You should have a yellow sticker in the drivers door jamb as mentioned. It will state "Passengers and cargo not to exceed xxxxlbs".

Chances are it is MAYBE in the 1500lb range. You stated you are already at about 1300lbs with 2 passengers and the quads.... I don't see how you will be under your rear axle rating, or gvwr once the trailer is hooked up.

Any way to haul the quads with another truck?

Here's a picture of the sticker, says 1370 lbs.

A more accurate weight for passengers will be 430 lbs, combined. Quads at 737 lbs combined.

Total cargo weight on the truck: approximately 1200 lbs.

With a weight distribution hitch, this setup may work, right?

PS: This is the only vehicle available to haul the quads.

Badass69 · August 13, 2015

Here's a picture of the sticker, says 1370 lbs.

A more accurate weight for passengers will be 430 lbs, combined. Quads at 737 lbs combined.

Total cargo weight on the truck: approximately 1200 lbs.

With a weight distribution hitch, this setup may work, right?

PS: This is the only vehicle available to haul the quads.

Ah ha. I checked my old bucket and found that sticker too...... 2786 lb payload on mine lol..... but that's what an 8600 GVWR and not a particularily heavy truck nets you.

Your screwed lol. With that low of payload capacity and the fact you are nearly at it with just passengers and quads alone you will be way overboard with the tongue weight of the trailer. Weight distributing hitch really just adds more weight to the back of the truck in this instance and will not gain you anything worth mentioning. Your trailer will easily add 500 lbs with the weight of hitch setup on the back of the truck.

Legally you are basically at the limit of that truck with the quads and your passengers alone.

Haven't even considered your GAWR either which you will also be way over.

So in short no, you can't pull the trailer.

Want something really funny. My 05 runs the same brakes as an equal year 1 ton... same front suspension too but only the 9.5" rear axle. Even with that 2786 lb payload rating it's factory trailer weight limit... was 7900 lbs. I added 4.10s to my truck and if factory equipped with 4.10s you got 9900 lbs. I have way more suspension, brake and drive train than you... but legally can't pull anything.... lol.

j-ten-ner · August 13, 2015

Have you considered a light weight tent trailer?

Sure, it's not for everyone but...

Only 165lbs hitch weight (dry I guess)

http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/2011/Coleman/Cobalt-4528/6007081/Specs

so long

j-ten-ner

nakedicarus · August 13, 2015

Ah ha. I checked my old bucket and found that sticker too...... 2786 lb payload on mine lol..... but that's what an 8600 GVWR and not a particularily heavy truck nets you.

Your screwed lol. With that low of payload capacity and the fact you are nearly at it with just passengers and quads alone you will be way overboard with the tongue weight of the trailer. Weight distributing hitch really just adds more weight to the back of the truck in this instance and will not gain you anything worth mentioning. Your trailer will easily add 500 lbs with the weight of hitch setup on the back of the truck.

Legally you are basically at the limit of that truck with the quads and your passengers alone.

Haven't even considered your GAWR either which you will also be way over.

So in short no, you can't pull the trailer.

Want something really funny. My 05 runs the same brakes as an equal year 1 ton... same front suspension too but only the 9.5" rear axle. Even with that 2786 lb payload rating it's factory trailer weight limit... was 7900 lbs. I added 4.10s to my truck and if factory equipped with 4.10s you got 9900 lbs. I have way more suspension, brake and drive train than you... but legally can't pull anything.... lol.

Thanks for the input, definitely new to this.

What I'm getting from this is that I would only be over by about 300 lbs. If we add a WDH to level things out and ignore the legal aspect, would it be really be that much more unsafe?

Badass69 · August 13, 2015

Wdh will help. Not sure how much that truck will squat though even with it installed. Airbags at this point might be a consideration yiu should look at to keep your headlights from being skyward. I never recommend beyond what is legal to others... even if I don't follow the letter of the law myself lol. Do what you feel comfortable with. Will the truck break? No it won't. Will you have issues in the event of a wreck? Probably even if you are legal you will.

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