AJ8916

Here is the tow vehicle 2016 lithium grey sport 5.0 3.55 xlt 301a 9000lb towing 1932 payload 14000 gcw.

Hey guys my wife and I are looking at getting our first travel trailer. we are looking at trailers in the 5500-6500lb weight class. I know I need a weight distribution hitch and I may look at timbrens for the truck and maybe a sway bar.
I looking for advise from you guys on what I can expect while towing, this is my first V8 all of my towing experience is with diesels and tractor trailers.
we plan on traveling from toronto ontario to Florida once a year. and every other year I plan on taking a month and traveling the American south west and mountain ranges.
on these trips what would be a reasonable fuel economy to expect? I plan on towing between 60-68mph depending on conditions. is there anything I should know about towing with a gas half ton? thanks for any advise

humblerb

Your mileage will likely be 10 mpg +/- about 3 mpg. Just depends on your truck and driving habits.
You've got a lot of payload.
When you say 5500-6500, is that the dry weight or wet?
My trailer was 6000# dry and is about 7300# loaded.
I would not try to haul anything any heavier with my 2012 EB.
I don't know about the 5.0, except it doesn't generate as much torque as the EB.
But lots of folks on here say they love the 5.0 and it tows fine.
As long as you don't worry about RPMs, sounds like it can do what you want.
My advice is don't get a trailer any heavier than about 6,000# dry.

Mike Up

I tow a loaded ~6500 lbs travel trailer that's 29' hitch to bumper. It's dry weight is 5050 lbs. You can figure on 1000 - 2000 lbs after loaded. My water alone is 750 lbs, and I have some heavy stuff, so I'm in between 6500 and 7000 lbs. when loaded for a family of 4 with clothes, gear, food, water, and everything else. I tow with a Crew Cab 4WD 5.5' bed, 5.0L w/3.73 locker. I have more than enough power for any situation even in high 40 mph winds.

I don't carry much in my bed other than about 300 lbs including tonneau cover, bedliner, wood, bikes, and a duffle full of 1# propane tanks and about 600 lbs of driver/passengers. So I'm well within payload but with a bigger trailer, I'd have to slim down. And I have a very healthy 1890 lbs of payload.

I use a New Designed Blue Ox Sway Pro hitch with permanent angled head and rotary latches. My rig tows great but if towing a lot, I'd still get LT tires as (P)assenger tires have a soft side wall that flexes and causes wallowing when getting the rig hit by high side winds and when trucks go past. Not sway, but push, as the rig moves as one and those soft side walls can cause the wallowing, or rocking back and forth.

I also do not have the Off Road package which does offer softer shocks which is detrimental to towing. I have the standard shocks which are stiffer and better for towing.

With a 1/2 ton, you will run out of payload and hitch rating usually before running out of tow rating.

Oh, there was mention in the owners manual that if you have the "Sport Package", you have even a lower tow rating than without it.

Also most trailer tires have a max speed rating of 65 mph. I try to stay around 60 mph. These cheap Chinese made camper tires have a very bad history of blowing, just go to rv.net to confirm that. No sense in pushing them to their limit.

My Rig



I regularly get between 10.5 - 11 mpg, and that's taking the mileage separately for each trip towing with no none towing mileage factored in.

Many brag about better mileage but it always ends up having none towing mileage being factored in that towing calculation.

My tow rating is 16,200 CGWR. Subtract the normal 150 lbs driver weight, and my truck's 5110 lbs weight, and the actual tow rating for my individual truck is 10,940 lbs.


Good luck

Steve Osborne

As said...the rpm...ive had it drop to 2nd.. My max tow says 10100lbs...
2011 28bhxl......or 22ft cargo/camper/atv hauler...or just atv trailer...