I have a 2000 1/2 Ton Chevy silv. ext. cab short box as a secondary truck, my primary truck is a 3/4 ton.I have just purchased a Litehoss 5 horse slant load - over all length of 30'.If I wanted to pull this trailer with my 1/2 ton (2-horse max over the trailer axles) could I do it? The trailer weights 6300 lbs + 2 horses at 1200 lbs / 5.3L eng. 3.73 axle ratio. The question is can my 1/2-ton pull this trailer safely.
Posted 2006-04-25 8:30 PM (#40929 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Danielsville Georgia
Whats the tow rating of the 1/2 ton? Then WHY if you have a bigger truck already equiped? Guy that owns the feed store has pulled a older Sooner alum.4 horse gooesneck with his 1/2 ton 4 wheel drive Chevy Z71(had FLOWERS in the trailer)and it SUCKED some fuel and NO extra power on any hills.
Posted 2006-04-25 8:39 PM (#40932 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
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Posts: 2689
Originally written by Morty on 2006-04-25 9:22 PM
I have a 2000 1/2 Ton Chevy silv. ext. cab short box as a secondary truck, my primary truck is a 3/4 ton.I have just purchased a Litehoss 5 horse slant load - over all length of 30'.If I wanted to pull this trailer with my 1/2 ton (2-horse max over the trailer axles) could I do it? The trailer weights 6300 lbs + 2 horses at 1200 lbs / 5.3L eng. 3.73 axle ratio. The question is can my 1/2-ton pull this trailer safely.
The first question you would need to answer is whether or not your truck could CARRY the pin load, figure 20 to 25% of the trailer's gross weight will be on the pin (coupler), this is direct payload in the truck.
Then you need to do the GCWR on the truck and trailer together, get the specs from GM for this. Compare the trailer's vin plate GVW to your truck's tow rating.
If all "Yes" then go ahead. You might still be disappointed with the performance, but pulling stop light GP starts might not interest you when you have horses behind you.
Posted 2006-04-25 9:26 PM (#40937 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
I have a 20ft 4horse slant that weighs in at 6200 lbs empty. Last summer I used my 1/2 ton and went to NM with my mares (2 mares loaded over the axls) I used a scale and made sure my weights were legal. The truck made the trip with no problems but the gas mileage sucked. So did going up the hills on I 10.
Posted 2006-04-25 10:54 PM (#40939 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
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Posts: 70
Location: Spanaway,Wa
By the numbers you would be ok barely. I never have liked "barely". I generally don't worry about the fuel or power issue but the braking is really something to look at. Could you, sure. Should you, only you can decide. If I had another truck available the decision would be pretty easy.
Posted 2006-04-26 6:41 AM (#40942 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
Member
Posts: 26
Location: Outside Louisville, KY
From what I've seen at horse shows, the 1/2 ton chevys seem to squat a whole lot when they have a trailer on.
I do know a farmer that will haul 10,000lbs+ of tobacco on a gooseneck behind his F150s. F150s seem to handle the loads better than 1500s though. I think Chevy opted for ride comfort on the 1/2 tons as their first priority.
Posted 2006-04-26 7:59 AM (#40945 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
Veteran
Posts: 247
Location: La Crosse, WI - God's Country
No. You will die.
Just kidding - felt like saying this...
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Can you? Sure! As long as you're within the parameters of your vehicle's capacity. Would I? No. Never. No way. But that's not the question... Areas of concern might include the transmission and brakes - either of which could mean the difference between staying between the lines and ending up smeared across them.
Posted 2006-04-26 8:09 AM (#40946 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
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Posts: 4
Location: Michigan
I plan on using my 3/4 tom for long trips - the problem is that I work out of town allot and the gal would like to be tow the trailer in question to the local riding areas. They are 10 to 20 miles one way with no steep inclines along the way - (country roads). She drives very slow while pulling trailers 35 to 45 miles per hour. Her plan is to do this 1 to 2 times per week in the summer. I plan on using the 3/4 ton when-ever possible but for her, she wants to be able tow the trailer to and we don't want to purchase another 3/4 ton pick-up. But we would like to have 2 trucks equipped to pull safely. All of the charts are a little confusing on what you can and can not do!!
Posted 2006-04-26 9:38 AM (#40952 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
Veteran
Posts: 198
Location: Iowa
You probably can pull it, but you'll most likely be over on your GVWR.
Trailer is 6300 lbs plus another 2400 for horses so about 8700 lbs total for trailer weight.
Coupler weight (the weight on the truck) will be about 25% of that, so about 2100 lbs. Your 1/2 ton with fuel and passengers probably doesn't have 2100 lbs left for payload...especially if 4x4 and if an extended cab.
The way to figure that is;
1. Weigh your truck at a local scale or grain elevator just the way you run it...with full fuel, whatever passengers you normally carry, and whatever else you would have in/on the truck.
Take that actual weight, and subtract it from your truck's GVWR which is on the inside driver's side door panel...will probably be, on a 1/2 ton, anywhere frome 6400 to 6800 lbs. What you have left is how much you can put on the truck and be within your numbers.
So, if your truck weighs 5500 lbs and your GVWR is 6500 lbs...you would have 1000 lbs left for coupler weight. Which would put you 1100 lbs over weight.
You also have to check your GCWR (max rating for weight of truck and trailer together) and max trailer weight rating.
But on a 1/2 ton, it's usually the low GVWR of the truck itself that limits you.
The other thing to check is what kind of tires you have on the truck...a lot of 1/2 tons just have passenger tires, not light truck tires.
Or....you can ignore all this and go ahead and pull it nice and slow for a few miles on flat roads and be just fine, but plan on replacing the tranny at the end of the season!!
Posted 2006-04-26 9:58 AM (#40954 - in reply to #40952) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
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Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
I pulled my trailer for 3 years and never had to replace the tranny, and the truck still runs/pulls great. I did add the extra springs and go from the 20inch tires that came with the truck to some 17inch tires.
Just weigh the truck, the trailer, then the truck and trailer. They people at the scales will tell you how to get the different axle weights.
Posted 2006-04-26 10:58 AM (#40955 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
Regular
Posts: 93
Location: Northwest Indiana
I'm not sure you would be with in the vehicle capacities to do that unless you know a accurate pin weight. My 1/2 ton used to pull a 3-horse slant is within spec trailer (4.5k and 2 horses)but with 5-horse I would think you would be over. But if you could change the pin weight by different loading technique and can get the wieght low enought then you should be okay. BTW I am getting approx 10-12 mpg pulling unloaded I get 18-20
Posted 2006-04-26 11:02 AM (#40956 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
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Posts: 198
Location: Iowa
A 2000 1/2 ton Chevy extended cab shortbox is probably going to weigh at least 5500 lbs and it only has a 6400 lb GVWR. So Morty's only got about 900 lbs left for the pin weight of his trailer...and his trailer is gonna have a pin weight somewhere between 1700 and 2100 lbs (20 to 25% of actual trailer weight)...so he'll be overloaded on GWVR anywhere from 800 lbs to 1200 lbs. As Kevin said, you can shift some weight off the pin by moving it behind the trailer axles.
Morty's question was not could he pull it, but could he pull it safely? I'm not making judgements...everyone has to decide for themselves if running 800 lbs to 1200 lbs over your weight ratings is safe. A lot also depends on how experienced the driver is...a good driver who knows how to tow can make all the difference in the world.
Posted 2006-04-26 12:46 PM (#40961 - in reply to #40956) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
Regular
Posts: 59
Location: Colorado
Morty,
Can you find the max. tow rarting in the owners manual?
I had a 99 with tow package and it had the same gears and motor as yours. I'm pretty sure the max. tow rating was only 7500lbs. Your trailer with horses and tack etc.... sounds like it will be close to 9000lbs.
As others have said, Even if you are below the max tow rating you will almost certainly be above the maximum GVWR of the truck. I know my truck had max payload of roughly 1,700 pounds. This includes EVERYTHING in the truck. Driver, fastfood wrappers, trailer pin weight, everything. Your trailer pin weight alone will be very close (or over) that.
I suspect it will pull it, and going slow on back roads it may be okay, but you are approaching (if not exceeding) the rated limits of the truck.
Posted 2006-04-28 9:29 AM (#41020 - in reply to #40927) Subject: RE: 1/2-ton goose neck??
New User
Posts: 4
Location: Michigan
Guys,
I just wanted to say thanks for all of the information that was posted. It has helped me to see all of the issues clearly that I was unware of / could not find info on.