Hi all. I could really use some more space in the towing trailer, and I wanted to get some of your thoughts on what would be best. I would like to get a 40', but I don't know if that's going to be too much. It is under the max gross for the truck, loaded, but only by maybe 500/1000lbs. I'm more worried about what is actually comfortable to tow. I don't need to be going 80mph on the highway, but if I can't do 70mph, then that trailer isn't going to be what I want. I have a 24' enclosed v nose bumper pull right now and I like it. Honestly, I REALLY like it. But having an extra 4' would be ideal so I can get one more 4 wheeler inside of it. Then, having a bed up on the gooseneck would be even more ideal, so the crates for the dogs can be in the back of the trailer when everything is set up upon our arrival. Essentially, I want a toy hauler, but reasonable priced toy haulers that have a 24' garage are pretty much non existent. We have a fridge and A/C in our's now, with a full electrical package. The only real difference with a bigger trailer would be the addition of an extra A/C unit for faster cooling, more "garage" space, and I could wall off a small bathroom area using about 5' or so of the trailer space. After having looked at it, a 40' is really ideal, but a 36' could probably do it as well. I also have to take into account putting it in my back yard. In this area, a 40' is really the max I can go.

Truck is a superchip tuned 7.3l turbo. 4" full exhaust back from a 5" downpipe, and an intake with a big filter on it. Truck runs good. The truck is a SRW. I am not entirely sure I would want to get a dually at this time, but if the consensus is that I'm going to need a long bed and a dually to be able to pull comfortably like I want, then so be it. Just will be a few more years out. I really like our truck now, and it will be paid off pending my taxes coming in. I bought it with 230k on it and it has 262k on it. All the up pipes have been done, and even a driver's manifold which had a small leak. Getting another newer truck would be nice, but I like that everything I want done, is done to mine. I think my 24' trailer is the longest trailer I've pulled before, and I'm very comfortable with it back there. I can get in and out of places easily, and I'm not bothered by it being back there. I obviously realize that going with a bigger trailer like the 40' is going to add somewhere around 15' feet to my overall length, as 8' of the 40' is in the box. My 24' is about 29' hitch to back.

Anyway, thank you in advance, and I look forward to learning about what you all have found to be advantageous with a truck similar to mine. Thanks!

 

Since you're not getting any responses on this, I'll take a stab at it. It's not about the length of the trailer. It's about the trailer's gross weight and how much of that would be put on the pin/gooseneck ball over the rear axle. With any SRW truck, you're likely to max that out before you reach the gross combined weight rating or the max tow rating. Here's what you need to do:

1) Find the weight and ratings sticker on the driver's side door frame of the truck. Write down the numbers: GVWR, GCVWR, GVWRF, GVWRR.

2) Fill up the fuel tank and put anything in the truck that you would normally carry - including people - and head to the nearest CAT scale at a local truck stop. Weigh the truck and get separate weights for the front and rear axles.

3) Subtract the GVWRR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Rear, or rear axle capacity from the truck's door sticker) from the rear/drive axle weight from the scales. This will give you the actual payload you have left over for pin/gooseneck weight.

4) Subtract the total weight of the truck from the GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating) on the door sticker. This will give you the maximum loaded weight of the trailer you can tow.

NEVER go by dry or empty weights on a trailer - always use the GVWR from the trailer's sticker - they have one just like the truck. Fifth wheels usually run 23 - 25% of the trailer's GVWR for a pin weight. Goosenecks often have the axles farther back than a fifth wheel RV, so they can put 25% or more of the trailer's GVWR on the pin.

Finally - and I know there are those on here who will vehemently disagree with me - no aftermarket modifications (Timbrens, air bags, tuners, exhaust systems, etc,) can change the legal weight ratings of the truck. To be safe, stay within the limits established by the automotive engineers. I say this coming from 50 years of towing experience and many, many conversations with those in the full-time RV community.

Rob

 

I think you better stick with what you have. You are limited by the trans and your payload. The 7.3 is a bit under powered but you have it tuned so that may not be the issue.