Posted 2010-01-03 11:11 AM (#114791) Subject: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Regular
Posts: 65 Location: Southern Il
We have a Chevy Silverado 2009, 4x4, 2500, HD 3/4 ton Diesel (Allison transmission) extended cab, longbed truck. (not a duelly) We would like to pull a 24ft box, LQ, 3 horse (hauling only two horses) but with hay and gear, etc. trailer. Possibly a Platinum, Elite or 4-Star trailer. Since we do not have this trailer yet, and cannot weigh it loaded, does anyone have this kind of setup and how does it work out for you? Any thoughts on this setup are appreicated.
Posted 2010-01-03 11:38 AM (#114792 - in reply to #114791) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Expert
Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
24' box? I am guessing 24' on the floor and on a 3 horse that should be somewhere around a 8' to 9' SW depending on the manufacture and stall size. With this it is going to depend alot on the trailer and weight.
Just hauling 2 horses in my opinion you should be fine but may think about some type of leveling kit or air ajustable springs for the rear of the truck.
Posted 2010-01-04 11:35 AM (#114850 - in reply to #114791) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Veteran
Posts: 229
Trails02, I have the same set up that you are describing, truck (2001 Chevy Silverado 2500, HD 3/4 ton Diesel (Allison transmission) extended cab, longbed truck, 4x4. (not a duelly)) , trailer and number of horses, ((24ft box, LQ, 3 horse (hauling only two horses) but with hay and gear, etc., Elite, 8 wide)). I do just fine. Because I am pretty much at max with this set up, to provide the best measure of safety, for the truck I have airbags and a good inertia brake controller. The truck will pull and handle just fine, the issue, as many posters will tell you, is stopping. I just hedge my bets with a good brake controller, slower driving speeds and maintaining extra stopping distance. However, after saying all that, if I could have one, I would really like to step up to a real one ton C&C flat bed for the extra margin of safety.
Posted 2010-01-04 5:11 PM (#114869 - in reply to #114791) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447 Location: cedar rapids iowa
I have the same truck and a crewcab, you didn't say what yours is. My trailer is 8' LQ but only 7' wide and any more trailer would be pushing it. I would rethink a trailer that large. But that said different years of truck maybe rated differently????
Posted 2010-01-04 6:07 PM (#114871 - in reply to #114791) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Veteran
Posts: 213 Location: Virginia
I agree Laurie - that is pushing it with an 8' wide trailer. I prefer to pull under the rating of the truck so that I would have more stopping power when needed in an emergency. Safety first - my horses are too important to me. And I would NEVER want to cause injury to someone else because of my truck/trailer setup.
Posted 2010-01-04 6:21 PM (#114873 - in reply to #114870) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Originally written by laurie on 2010-01-04 6:12 PM
Just saw extended cab and I would be very reluctant with that big of trailer.
Why would you be "very reluctant", pulling that trailer with a "extended cab" truck..? I pull a 6 horse head to head with an 3500 extended cab truck. Maybe I've missed something these past 10 years.....
That 2500 ext. cab she's got is rated to tow a 15500# fifth wheel/gooseneck trailer. That's 200# more than my 3500 that's rated at 15300#... The main thing she's got to watch is the pin weight. Hook it up, load it and weigh it, that's the only way you'll ever know. (Most all the same body style GM's with the Duramax/Allison were rated the same from 2001 thru 2010 models, all have 3.73 gears, all have the same chassis, GM just kept upping the HP and added another overdrive....)
Posted 2010-01-05 6:49 AM (#114891 - in reply to #114791) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069 Location: MI.
She'd be shocked to hear what we pull.....I by any means am not an expert. I think the truck would be fine and depending on the weight of the trailer like Hog said, adding extra support in the rear.
Posted 2010-01-05 9:45 AM (#114897 - in reply to #114791) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330 Location: northeast Texas
Ooops did it again. Sorry. Signed in and hit enter. It signs you in AND sends a post, in this case, blank. LOL Anyhow as I have said I had a bad wreck in Sept., totaling a truck and new LQ trailer. I had a Dodge 3/4 ton HD diesel with air bags pulling a 3 horse 10 ft short wall Cherokee Super Chief Signature Series with Dreamcatcher LQ. This trailer and the brands the poster mentions are heavy as the LQ's are made of quality materials like real wood and the trailers themselves are quality materials. When insurance settled I replaced the truck with a Dodge 1 ton dually and identical new trailer. Now that I have pulled this trailer with a 1 ton dually it scares me to think I pulled it with the 3/4 ton. Stability-wise it just is not really enough truck. Yes I know it gets by and works. I have done it. But having a preference I would have more truck for those brands of LQ trailers in that size range. And what about the day you load that 3rd horse ? Or go primitive camping and have 85 gallons of water loaded. Yes most of us that have hauled horses alots and for a long time have pulled rigs that werent ideal and we have the pulling experience to probably be okay, but its those unexpected emergency driving situations you encounter that will get you. And dont say oh I just haul down the road. My wreck happend less than 2 miles from my house. It was rainy and foggy and a tree had fallen across the road. I could not stop in time when it showed in my headlights, but I was able to slow enough and swerve to miss the trunk, crashing through the top of the tree in the ditch. That probably saved my life, along with the fact I was already going pretty slow. I also managed to not roll the rig, which is amazing to me now that I have felt how much better the 1 ton dually handles this weight.
Posted 2010-01-05 10:29 AM (#114905 - in reply to #114791) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Veteran
Posts: 123 Location: Indiana
With GM products, the main difference between 2500 and 3500 is springs. (this has been the case since 99 modle year) If you have an HD you should have a 4.10 gear ratio so that will be the same as well. Any tow rating that you see that doesn't specify 5th wheel or gooseneck tow rating is for travel trailer or bumper pull weight. There is a 15% overallowance for a gooseneck. Like others have mentioned, stopping power is the main concern. You should have a digital brake controller and large brakes on the trailer you purchase. Most importantly, take your time. There are plenty of idiots on the road, and in most states, it will be your fault if you run into them.
Posted 2010-01-05 11:00 AM (#114907 - in reply to #114791) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
Well, we do have an 8' 10LQ 3 horse...has genset, hay rack, extra water tanks. We have pulled it with 2 trucks......main pulling rig is a 1 ton dually 4WD diesel. Works fine. Also own a heavy duty 3/4 ton standard tranny 4WD single wheel x-cab with 4.10 rear end. Have used it to move the rig, no issues pulling it around locally (no extra tall mountains) but you literally can feel it pushing the truck and a certain bit of sideways push in a turn. I promise you that you will not find me out on the road with it behind the 3/4 ton. Have been pulling up to a 6 horse forever, have driven many rigs, from a motorhome pulling a 2 horse to a 2 ton dump truck, various combinations and lengths (up to 40' trailer). Not claiming to be an expert, but have been out here in the real world for a good while. The stability and safety added by dual wheels is not to be taken lightly. Often, pulling is not quite as much safety concern, as controlling it in stops and curves.....live weight also has more influence over the situation than static weight. Good luck......(also have had, in the highway in front of me....downed trees, cattle, deer, one wild hog, various tire parts, deserted trailers, a deserted 4 wheeler, a kid who fell off his bike, people in the center of the highway on foot, on bikes, and on horses... you get the ideal) Have hit 2 deer, and one hog.....go figure......
Posted 2010-01-05 11:12 AM (#114908 - in reply to #114905) Subject: RE: Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Originally written by nobodyimportant on 2010-01-05 11:29 AM
With GM products, the main difference between 2500 and 3500 is springs. (this has been the case since 99 modle year) If you have an HD you should have a 4.10 gear ratio so that will be the same as well. Any tow rating that you see that doesn't specify 5th wheel or gooseneck tow rating is for travel trailer or bumper pull weight. There is a 15% overallowance for a gooseneck. Like others have mentioned, stopping power is the main concern. You should have a digital brake controller and large brakes on the trailer you purchase. Most importantly, take your time. There are plenty of idiots on the road, and in most states, it will be your fault if you run into them.
The OP has a 2009 2500HD Duramax/Allison. Since 2001 all of 2500HD and 3500 Duramax/Allison equipped trucks have 3.73 rear end gears, no exceptions. Don't matter what year, 2001 - 2010. The 3500 DRW trucks also have thicker walled axle tubes.
Will our truck pull a LQ, 24ft, 3horse trailer?
My bad. I was thinking 6 liter gas.