Max of three horses (say 1500 pounds each = 4500 pounds).
I am trying to decide whether to get a 2500 or a 3500 in either the dodge or the Chevy.
I orignally wanted a GMC, but those are so hard to find.
5000 pounds + 4500 pounds = 9500 pounds without gear, tack, people, etc.
I have heard that the rule is to only tow 80% of the towing vehicles recommended weight for live cargo..... ie; The dodge 2500 towing capacity is listed at approximately 12,000 pounds.
80% of 12,000 pounds = 9600 pounds. (which is really close to what I want to pull).
I feel like, according to this rule, I am right on the edge of needing a 3500 truck, instead of the 2500.
Posted 2007-09-26 7:21 AM (#68393 - in reply to #68388) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500 vs 3500
Member
Posts: 22
Location: Little Britain, Ontario, Canada
Instead of second guessing yourself go with the 3500. If you are like me sooner or later you will start taking your own water, add some furniture, grow older (add a few pounds), hay, etc., etc. I have always heard, go big or stay home. I hate staying home. If you decide some where down the line to purchase a bigger trailer with LQ's, you will have the truck to pull it.
Posted 2007-09-26 10:43 AM (#68403 - in reply to #68388) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500 vs 3500
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
We have used a 3/4, 1T, then a 3/4, now back to the 1T. I'd go with the 3500, very few have complained over have more than enough truck. Many wish they had "just a bit more" truck.
Posted 2007-09-27 1:44 AM (#68448 - in reply to #68388) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500 vs 3500
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 544 Location: Claxton, Ga.
Get a dually. It's better to have a little more than not enough. Eventually you will want a bigger trailer and then you will need a bigger truck again. Do it once and be done with it.
Posted 2007-09-27 6:35 AM (#68449 - in reply to #68388) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500 vs 3500
Member
Posts: 22
I have had them all. It would depend on how much your using it ? If you need your truck for everyday use also I would go with 3/4 it will handle what your talking about for weight. Why put up with a dully trying to find parking at walmart. I have a 3 horse with 8 ft. short wall living quaters and get along find and pull it with a chevy 3/4 short bed crewcab duramax .
Posted 2007-09-27 9:28 AM (#68456 - in reply to #68449) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500 vs 3500
Member
Posts: 31 Location: Oz land
Originally written by reiner on 2007-09-27 6:35 AM
I have had them all. It would depend on how much your using it ? If you need your truck for everyday use also I would go with 3/4 it will handle what your talking about for weight. Why put up with a dully trying to find parking at walmart. I have a 3 horse with 8 ft. short wall living quaters and get along find and pull it with a chevy 3/4 short bed crewcab duramax .
Posted 2007-09-27 11:22 AM (#68470 - in reply to #68388) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500 vs 3500
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 309 Location: MO
Our '03 Dodge 3/4 T was rated to pull 13,000 lbs and a GCVWR ( Gross Combined Vehicle Rating. Rated weight of truck and trailer) of 23,000 lb. It handled our 3H, LQ bison trailer w/o problems.
Our new trailer has a 17,000 GVWR and we pull it with an 04 1T Dodge 3500 dually (GVWR 12,000 lb.). We actually weighed in at 23,400 lbs loaded for a weekend trip.
So, a 3/4 T would pull your trailer OK. But a 1T would play with it. With a trailer weight of 9500 lbs or so, you wouldn't need a dually. But, if the price differential isn't much, you'll like the handling.
Posted 2007-11-13 8:56 PM (#71125 - in reply to #68388) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500 vs 3500
Regular
Posts: 50 Location: SC
Still shopping!!!!!
This should be fun right????? But all I want to do is -->
I heard/read about the issues with the 2007 doge diesel filter problems.
I am considering a Chevy/GMC 2500 now.
I have definitely decided that I do not need, nor do I want a dually. But a 3500 SRW would be fine with me too.
Thoughts on pulling a gooseneck with a 6.5 foot bed? Apparently the 8 foot beds are extremely hard to come by UNLESS you want a dually (which I don't).
Posted 2007-11-14 1:12 AM (#71132 - in reply to #71129) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500/3500 Bed length? Last post...
Elite Veteran
Posts: 736 Location: Western WA
I pulled my 3h non-LQ trailer with a full 4 door shortbox SRW F350 before I bought a LQ trailer and got a dually. Without LQ, I'd buy a short box, SRW truck again. The long box dually handles the trailer better, but the short box will do the job.
Posted 2007-11-14 7:49 AM (#71155 - in reply to #71135) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500/3500 Bed lenght? Last post...
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 402 Location: Lockport, Illinois
3/4 ton
Nice 4 ton load of hay...though I notice the passenger rear of the truck looks a little low...
I figured it at a little over 6 ton for the hay only, as the total load would be about 8 ton. My hay supplier told me about a customer that hauled 270 bales of hay with a old Dodge gasser, first trip went ok, second trip got down the road only 1 mile before the truck gave out.
Posted 2007-11-14 10:15 AM (#71166 - in reply to #68388) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500/3500 Bed length? Last post...
Member
Posts: 5
I pull a Featherlite 3 horse 10 foot shortwall LQ with a 3/4 ton Dodge and have no problem at all. Just added the Timbrens to keep it from squatting. Might be a little over the weight recommended for the truck, but it pulls it like a dream.
Posted 2007-11-14 11:46 AM (#71173 - in reply to #68388) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500/3500 Bed length? Last post...
Veteran
Posts: 285
We pulled our old trailer 3h 10 ft lq with three quarter ton truck and with our dually when we sold the 3/4 ton. The 3/4 ton did handle the trailer ok, but it is so much better with the dually. a lot more stability. Def go dually if that is what you want. You really can tell a difference. we should have went dually in the first place but hubby was afraid i would tear the fenders off, knock on wood havent done that yet, but i don't pull the lq trailer either. Debbie
Posted 2007-11-14 2:00 PM (#71185 - in reply to #68388) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500/3500 Bed length? Last post...
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
I'm a new user even though I've been browsing for a while. I have a 4H with a 6'SW weekender. We carry 40 gal of water in the LQ. Not sure of the weight, but we pull it with an 01 Ford 350 crew cab short box SRW. It has a V-10 engine. We have had no problems, but I am going to put air bags on this winter to give it a better ride. Most of the trailers, unless they are 8' wide have a tapered nose so you really don't need to worry about jack knifing. I know a lot of people are pushing duals and diesels. Again economics come to mind. You will pay approx. $7,000 extra for a diesel. Simple interest @ 8% tells you that you will pay $560/ year to own that engine. Diesel fuel is about 30 cents higher than gas. Oil changes run about double the cost of gas engines. I have a friend with basicly the same set up as mine, only a diesel. He gets 3 mpg better when hauling. I have gotten up to 18 mpg w/o trailer. Even if you don't mind the extra width of duals, they do reduce your mpg.
Posted 2007-11-14 8:03 PM (#71221 - in reply to #71135) Subject: RE: Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500/3500 Bed lenght? Last post...
Location: Brighton, Colorado
Originally written by PaulChristenson on 2007-11-14 1:27 AM
Originally written by osue077 on 2007-11-13 9:41 PM
3/4 ton
Nice 4 ton load of hay...though I notice the passenger rear of the truck looks a little low...
It would be nice and level if it were a 1 ton...
But the load still doesn't fit in the building...
That was 265 bales @ 70 lb average, backing downhill and drivers side is in a ditch. Also, it is level on level ground. That trailer (with 3 axles) hold 70% weight. Jealous Much?
Trailer Vehicle Choosing Issues..... 2500/3500 Bed length? Last post...
