Towing Help??
 

I have a 2008 Chevy 2500 6.0 leter. What I need to know, is would this truck tow a 32 ft trailer with a lounge.
My 28 foot trailer dry weighs 4500 pounds and has my car, golf cart and tools and supplies. The truck pullys it fine.Anyone with experance please help!!!! Don't want to buy a deisel.
Bob Lasko
1134 SS/CS

Re: Towing Help??
 

One thing you have to think about is stopping. The diesel only helps in getting the load going.
Is your truck capable of handling the weight safely?

Re: Towing Help??
 

What Art said.

Re: Towing Help??
 

You are really on the edge. A dually would be much better. More gvw, but much better stance for such a big trailer. Is the 32 2 axle or 3?

Re: Towing Help??
 

lol

Re: Towing Help??
 

I tow my 32' with a 3500 Dodge diesel. No lounge but carry a golf cart, tools, 3200 lb car and all the "other stuff". Going is not the problem.. Its stopping. Last time out I had a OH SH-T stop and it was all the dually wanted. Even with brakes on all 4 wheels of the trailer... Just my $0.02 worth......

Re: Towing Help??
 

It would be eather. i have not ordered a trailer yet.

Re: Towing Help??
 

Anyone using a 4500 series Dodge or Ford.They look reasonably sized compared to the monsterous
Chevy 4500.They also have 19 1/2" tires and big brakes.Also a bigger pricetag.

Re: Towing Help??
 

I have almost the same set up, and I have had 2 Oh sh-- stops. I was wishing for a bigger truck then too. Mine isnt loaded as heavy as some I have seen, but its up there due to the trailers weight alone. Having brakes on 3 axles would be great, as I have 2, but I think the bigger issue, at least now days, is the legality of it. IF, you did , and I mean it could happen, have an accident, you may be held liable, with the truck being too small for your overal GVW. All it would take is one wiseass to change lanes at the wrong time to cause a huge mess, and you could be answering to a summons.
Your truck, like mine, has a 9200 GVW rating, and the truck is almost 7K by itself. Almost every Dualie has at least a 10K rating, but the extra brakes and extra pair of tires on the ground more than make up for the 800 lb difference.

Re: Towing Help??
 

Bob, get the 16" wheels & tires on the new trailer. You can usually order the 6 hole 16. The brakes are the same on the 5k and 6k axles. The diff is the outer bearing and 6 or 8 lugs. And don't get the 'st' tires. They are really bad.

Re: Towing Help??
 

I just purchased a 1994 Chevy dually with a 454 and I am very dissapointed with the pull. I am pulling a 26ft W&M with my Nova Big block, tools and scooter. On take off, it is a pig, especially on any type of a grade. My Z71 with a 5.7 vortec pulled better. Any worth while power advice? I have some under drive pullies that I still need to put on, maybe exhaust.

Re: Towing Help??
 

Jeff, correct me if I'm wrong, but 6k and 7k brakes are the same. 5k is a smaller size, unless there is a bigger optional brake assembly.
Although I haven't researched it further, I was told that 6k drums have smaller wheel studs than 7k!
Might as well get 8 lug 16" wheels because they may be easier to find replacements for.

Re: Towing Help??
 

5000 lb 10" dia 2" wide
5000/
6000 lb 12" dia 2" wide
7500 lb 12 3/8" 2.5" wide

Re: Towing Help??
 

Correct Air pressure before leaving the garage. If low fix the tire.... Pack bearings every year worked for me.
(Had an employee who felt a low tire should be just aired up for a trip not diagnosed result- blow out because lost air again on road)( on the road in Snow Storm to do a show)

Re: Towing Help??
 

AMEN Dick Butler!! The pressure in these trailer tires is absolutely the most important aspect of towing our junk.

I'm unfortunate that I didn't do my research before buying my trailer and have two 5200 lb axles on a 26 footer. It came with Goodyear Marathon and I blew the hell out of tires trip after trip. I discovered this notice from Goodyear:

http://goodyear.com/rv/pdf/marathon_gen_info_032806.pdf

I run the 15" ST225 tire at 70psi cold. Since then I monitor the tire pressure EVERY time I stop and EVERY time before pulling out to or from a race. I even pull over into rest areas occasionally just to check the tires. Since then, I have not had a single blow out (knock on wood... next trip I'm doomed). I also try to pull no faster than 65, and NEVER go over 70 (fortunately my motorhome is hard pressed to go that fast unless its falling off a cliff).

Next trailer will have the heaviest load rated axles and tires I can get even if I'm not hauling anywhere near the rated load.

Don't skimp on the axles and tires!!!

Re: Towing Help??
 

A 2500 series Chevrolet with a 6.0L V8 towing capacity:

2WD w/3.73 Axle - 8,500 lbs.
2WD w/4.10 Axle - 10,500 lbs.

4WD w/3.73 Axle - 8,100 lbs.
4WD w/4.10 Axle - 10,100 lbs.

A 3500 series dually/diesel w/4.10 Axle is good for 15,000 lbs.

My brother and I had gone through the same thing you are going through.

We bit the bullet and bought a nice used Chevrolet 2WD diesel dually crew cab pick up with 4.10 axle and are glad we did. We pull a 35ft. goose neck trailer. It has plenty of power and braking capacity. We weigh around 10,000 lbs, that includes car, trailer, and equipment.
The added safety and piece of mind was well worth the money.

Re: Towing Help??
 

I guess I put my foot in my mouth! I had 3,500lb axles on my mind. (Sorry Jeff/Thanks Longbob)

I got 6k axles on my 26' Pace even though I never plan on loading it to more than 10k.Too many issues with 15" tires. Even so, I bit the bullet for a used 2004.5 Dodge diesel dually so I have an extra safey margin with braking and stability. I learned long ago and in many ways that it's not worth getting something that is "adequate". It will cost more in the long run.

Re: Towing Help??
 

Bob, please give me a call @ 318-422-4646. I need to run something by you

Re: Towing Help??
 

Bill, you might want to upgrade to a 16 in. tire.. I kept having problems with the 15 in. tires then decided to bite the bullet and upgraded to a 16 in. Worth the piece of mind!

It might have been Jeff Teuton that said the cheapest 16 in. tire is better than the best 15 in. tire.

Re: Towing Help??
 

Bob please send me another email:
bobbybrannon@bbhac.com


Seem to be having trouble with your email.

Thanks

Re: Towing Help??
 

Brannon, are you doing what I think you are doing? Don't I always buy your take off tires? If you help Bob, and using those would be a great help, I will forgive you, but you owe me a case -- cold.

Re: Towing Help??
 

That 3/4 ton 6 litre will probably get you there fine, bigger is always better though , especially in the brake dept.

It is always tough selecting a truck, in these times not everyone can have a special truck just for racing, you need to balance that or you won't be able to afford to race.

Why not try it, get a trailer with 3 axles and good brakes. As far as the tire issue goes, Dick is right on, in 2001 summer july heat, I towed my 15" tire pace 24' across the country in some 115 degree heat. 70 lbs cold, 225 goodyear marathons. No failures, checked the pressure daily 8600 miles in 3 1/2 weeks.

Re: Towing Help??
 

So sorry Jeff that is not what I am doing..

Re: Towing Help??
 

OK I forgive you this time.

Re: Towing Help??
 

I took Jeff Teuton's advice about the 16" wheels and ten ply tires. Best money I ever spent. My 24' ATC is light, so I didn't change to eight lug wheels and bigger wheel bearings. May wish I had before it's over. Those 16s made a whole new trailer out of it. I used to really pucker up when meeting, passing or being passed by an 18 wheeler. I put a lot of that off on the motorhome catching so much air. It was the trailer tires. I can barely feel anything now. It's so much more stable just towing now, especially in the wind. Finding the old tires had a 65 MPH speed rating surprised me. I usually run between 65 and 80. Been over 90 a couple of times now (Not paying attention, not on purpose.) and you can hardly tell it's back there. Imho, the trailers should come with 16" wheels.