I used to tow a steel 18' open trailer with a 3000 lb 993 using an '01 ML430 (my wife's DD). It worked fine as long as there were no steep or long hills (I did this for 2 years). It was a minor pain in windy conditions. My wife still gives me a hard time about trading the ML for a Silverado 2500HD (which she refuses to drive) which I use to tow a 24' TPD enclosed.

The ML will work, but it will not be as pleasant as a bigger truck when towing (and may not be as safe). However, it will be a lot more pleasant than a truck when not towing. You have to balance your use with her's and figure out what's going to work best for you.

 

Excepting gas mileage, you can get trucks that ride and drive very well when not burdened. The reason I specifically search for autoride 2500 Suburbans/Yukon XLs is because it rides and handles like a much smaller vehicle.

 

Small SUVs/trucks don't really work well here out West with the Grapevine and other mountain passes....
I have a 100K mile 01 Navigator with air suspension and a load balancing hitch towing a 24' Carson "Racer" trailer (3500lbs) and a 996 Koni.
The freeway ride is great and it handles the mountain passes acceptable (45 mph up the South bound Grapevine.)
I will replace with a diesel F250 truck when the time comes.

 

Make sure you compare the F250 price with the F350 price before you buy. When I bought my F350, the delta between the two was ~$1000. Getting the F350 was a no brainer.

Scott

 

For any truck the 250/2500 vs 350/3500 in single rear wheel (SRW) will be similar in price, but the "one ton" will have more payload. Dual Rear Wheel (DRW) will be the best for max payload and towing big heavy trailers, but has the down side of duals. If you want to tow big and have 3000lbs payload with a Diesel you need to consider the SRW one ton. Some of the 2500's have a rather small payload owing to the weight of Diesel.

For example my 2500 dodge has a gas V10 and 3300lbs payload. However a new 2500 Dodge cummins is only about 2500lbs (or less) due in large part to the heavy motor. Both trucks are 8800 to 9000 GVWR and in a new truck with big cab, 4wd and diesel you really get heavy fast. Payload can be rather small for a 3/4 ton and best to get the 1 ton so that you can carry as much as think you can.

BTW.. most 1/2 ton pick-ups are around 1500lbs payload. Sounds like alot until you realize that 7000lbs trailer having a 1000lbs tongue load is not unreasonable especially if you have tire rack up front. Then consider you need to add in 400lbs for a driver an passenger and you right at 1400lbs of your 1500 payload. Load tools etc in the bed and youn be over weight really fast.

So you really sneed to watch your numbers to make sure you can really carry as much as you think you can.

 

Hopefully this is not hijacking the thread. I'm in the same boat with SUVs. So are you telling me with a 1500 series truck that with an open trailer + car (assume 5K lbs in total = ~700 lbs of tongue weight), plus driver, adult passenger and 3 young kids (50 lbs each) that I may be near the payload limit? I need to see what my payload is for a late model Yukon Denali is. Damn if this is right.

 

Incidentally, this month's issue of Grassroots Motorsports has a feature article about towing. More about the trailer then the rig, and I haven't read it yet, but I'm sure it would be of interest to everyone here.

 

Bigger brakes, radiators, shocks & springs, tranny cooler, etc, etc. Agreed it's a no brainer....

 

Pretty basic stuff sadly.

 

I can say I wouldn't want to do that - it'll work, but is damn sure not optimal.

Others will chime in and say they do it all the time, but having hauled stuff my entire life, I know for a fact what works, what is marginal, and what is downright scary.

 

The quoted GCWR on my F150 is 15,000 lbs. I would assume your 1500 is comparable. My truck weighs in around 8,000 lbs so that would leave around 7,000 lbs for trailer, passengers, etc. sounds to me that you are well within your limits. Just balance the trailer, I use 10% of trailer weight, so say 500 lbs.

 

I tow a 996 GT3 in an 20ft enclosed trailer with a 2011 ML blutec with ave 14.5mpg. The longest tow was about 8 hrs HWY with some hills. No issue at all. If you are towing an open, it is more than capable.

 

Read this:
http://www.sherline.com/lmbook.htm

Buy this:
http://www.sherline.com/lm.htm

 

Will do. Thanks!

good stuff

!

Good Read and very valid.

Thanks everyone.

 

Yes quite possible. Most SUV's have less than 1500lbs payload since the are built on 1/2 truck chassis but with more interior weight from seats and other bits plus slighly softer suspension. Don't forget a Denali is even worst since all the facny interior bits add weight.