I have a 2018 2.7 4x4 3.55. I purchased this not intending to tow anything significant and I've been satisfied so far. This summer we borrowed a small travel trailer for a week (19', 3700 lbs dry), now the family is set on buying one (albeit a bit bigger) for next season. My truck pulled this thing fine but it was working hard and sucking fuel like nobody's business. My wife has her heart set on a 24' trailer with a dry weight of 4600 lbs. I estimate that the weight of passengers and gear for a trip is another 1,500 lbs. Is this a reasonable amount of weight for my truck to handle? I have no interest in upgrading my truck at this time outside of maybe a tune.

 

Read some of the threads that go through the numbers. You will need a wdh.

 

It may partially depend on where you live. If it is mostly flat land towing, you might be okay. My 3.5 handles a similar trailer easily in the high Sierra: the 2.7 might do it but not not comfortably. Suggest you check in here https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/ As always it is also the payload that is a critical limiting factor; compare your door sticker payload with trailer and expected payload.

 

You and your wife are about to begin a new adventure.
The balancing act of upgradeitis. First you get a trailer a little too heavy. When you can't take the labor of driving it any longer, you'll upgrade. Then the wife will need a larger trailer go with the larger truck. It will eventually end, after 2 trucks and the 3rd trailer.
Might as well just buy that diesel now.

At 6,000 lbs per your estimate, you're at the upper end of what you 'can' do. Meaning the more the truck has to work to haul the load the more tension there is.

My co-worker refers to traveling with the RV as "trailer tension" days. He has his way of doing things while properly towing his 5th wheel (well equipped vehicle for it) and his wife has her way of towing it. It should never be the decisions from the passenger seat that control what size trailer to haul (including thing items required for the trip within the trailer).

 

you need to provide more info on your truck. Trim level, cab size, bed size, which factory tow package, payload capacity from driver's door Tire and Loading sticker.

 

Also please provide the actual tongue weight of the trailer you want and where that extra 1500 in passengers and gear will be (xx in cab, xx in trailer front storage, xx over trailer wheels, xx in truck bed). You seem to be focused on the engine. A straining engine is easily fixed by slowing down. You should be more concerned about stability and exceeding GVWR and rear GAWR.

 

I think you should prepare the wife now. Honey, you want a bigger trailer than what we borrowed, it will take a bigger truck. I'd stick around 21', 5500# loaded, or you will buy a new truck and then wish you would have bought a bigger trailer. Or like my first RV, buy an old Class C, best times with the family !

 

I can't speak to what you can pull but can about your MPG. I have a 3.5 and get 8-9 MPG typically when towing 6000lbs. I've hit 10 MPG but had a tailwind that trip. I tow at 64 MPH. How bad your MPG get with the 2.7?

 

My truck is a Lariat supercrew, 145 WB, 6600 lb GVWR. The trailer is Apex Ultra Lite 245 BHS with a tongue weight of 560 lb. I'd estimate the 1500 to be distributed as 650 cab, 200 bed, 650 trailer. Maybe my fuel consumption wasn't that bad - I was 12 MPG from what would have been 23.
Appreciate the feedback.

 

What does your yellow payload sticker say?

Is that tongue weight actual or BS brochure?

Estimates are useless. Cat scale fully loaded with three weights, described in many threads.