Gooseneck trailer tips

[Ron in SoCal]

Originally Posted by Blake Foster

nice set up Greg (like I would expect any less)
My 2014 GMC 1500 with a 5.3(lt1 base) tows my all steel 26' trailer with my 3800lb C10 in it fine. I don't even have a stabilizer hitch or MANILY TIRES YET. the only issue I have is that it only gets 7-8 mpg and some of the hills in I15 slow it down pretty good. but it actually rides great. if I had planned to tow more often I probably would have done the 6.0 l motor. it probably wouldn't be much different and would use more fuel when not towing.

Originally Posted by GregWeld

That's the truck you had when we were in Las Vegas right??


Finally - someone on my side!!! LOL

I'm down for a 1500 next as well. I've personally towed 40k+ miles in a 1500 hauling an 8500 lb rig. It does take its toll on the vehicle and hills are no fun, but these trucks are underrated from the factory I think.

[clill]

Greg. You can use the mirrors that are on my track car.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by clill

Greg. You can use the mirrors that are on my track car.

All I'm going to see when I look in them is you.....



LOL

[analyte]

I'll definitely be following along to see how you like the 1500 towing the enclosed. I had a 2006 Sierra Denali with the HO 6.0L. It had all the power in the world, but with a tow rating of 8100 using a distribution hitch it didn't allow for much.

After much pondering, I let it go and picked up a new to me 2008 F250 which will do everything I want and more. I only put 5-6000 miles a year on a truck so I couldn't justify newer just to sit in the driveway most of the time. I've already towed the Chevelle twice in the past two weeks, and I have to admit it was so nice just being able to set the cruise and ride. The wife didn't even complain either!!

Kerry

[Vegas69]

If I had Weld's money, I'd have my own rig driver!

[pokey64]

Here ya go Greg, get this in addition to the oem trailer mirrors.

"Chevrolet has announced an all new optional and} retrofittable camera system for the 2014 through 2016 Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 that are equipped with factory trailer-towing mirrors."

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topi...-16-silverado/

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by pokey64

Here ya go Greg, get this in addition to the oem trailer mirrors.

"Chevrolet has announced an all new optional and} retrofittable camera system for the 2014 through 2016 Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 that are equipped with factory trailer-towing mirrors."

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topi...-16-silverado/

I had a 4 camera system in the "rig".... The back up portion was all that was ever used. Particularly when rolling in to a stop at night - backing up (the rig was 65 feet long) and knowing when to stop when the lamp post was behind you - was seriously handy!


You run into (pun?) a couple issues with the car hauler trailers that ARE NOT issues for ordinary big rigs - in that our rigs are REALLY LOW off the ground. The highway rigs just back up until the rear wheels hit the curbing at a truck stop.... where my rig would run into the curbing well before the wheels/tires got there. That's where the rear camera really came in handy.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Ron in SoCal

I'm down for a 1500 next as well. I've personally towed 40k+ miles in a 1500 hauling an 8500 lb rig. It does take its toll on the vehicle and hills are no fun, but these trucks are underrated from the factory I think.

My "thinking" was that I spend 99.8% of the time getting groceries.... and Starbucks.... Very very little time actually towing - and then the big hill is Donner Pass.

After logging 50K miles in "the rig" -- I'm totally used to pulling a grade stuck in 8th (out of 13 forward gears) at 35 MPH... And then some moron tells me - "you'll hate the millage when towing - you'll only get 8 MPG". Well really??? WTF -- The rig got an AVERAGE of 5.4, so I see this as getting almost double the MPG! (as if that's something that concerns me. LOL)

[Blake Foster]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

That's the truck you had when we were in Las Vegas right??


Finally - someone on my side!!! LOL

Yea STILL the same one lol, it is a really nice riding truck as nice as any car, well maybe no a S65 AMG but still.

[ironworks]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

My "thinking" was that I spend 99.8% of the time getting groceries.... and Starbucks.... Very very little time actually towing - and then the big hill is Donner Pass.

After logging 50K miles in "the rig" -- I'm totally used to pulling a grade stuck in 8th (out of 13 forward gears) at 35 MPH... And then some moron tells me - "you'll hate the millage when towing - you'll only get 8 MPG". Well really??? WTF -- The rig got an AVERAGE of 5.4, so I see this as getting almost double the MPG! (as if that's something that concerns me. LOL)

You half ton will not lack anything for power. My half ton has the same engine combo and pulls a car trailer with my race car up the grapevine with ease passing prius cars like they are standings till . The truck will just not be as stable when tow in a cross wind or when a big rig passes in the wind. I drive my truck and trailer at 75mph in the wind cuz I can. That dually is heavy and the super spread axle is super stable at speed. And I had my enclosed from ATC built from a steel frame for this exact reason. You just have to plan your driving a little more with a half ton.

My big rig had the same problem when empty in the wind. It was just a huge billboard in the wind. I thought I was going over one day in the cross wind in the desert. But the wind can't go under the truck like a normal big rig. and since it had way less weight it was super light when unloaded.