Another TT Towing Question

[STMARTIN84]

Need some help with calculating my towing abilities. I just bought (3 monthis ago) a 2006 travel trailer, got a steal on it. Love it! Nevertheless, I have a 03 tundra with a aftermarket trans cooler, K&N cold air intake system, and new cat back dual exhaust system, new bilstein 5100 HD shocks and structs. On the travel trailer I have a load distribution hitch which keeps the rear end from squating and I also have an anti sway bar. The trailer weighs dry 5800+/- dry and loaded the total is 7000#. What's the verdict? Should I sell it? I'd hate too because I got it from a bank repo and got a steal on it. It was used probably 2 times before my family got it. Any guidence would help.

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by STMARTIN84

Need some help with calculating my towing abilities. I just bought (3 monthis ago) a 2006 travel trailer, got a steal on it. Love it! Nevertheless, I have a 03 tundra with a aftermarket trans cooler, K&N cold air intake system, and new cat back dual exhaust system, new bilstein 5100 HD shocks and structs. On the travel trailer I have a load distribution hitch which keeps the rear end from squating and I also have an anti sway bar. The trailer weighs dry 5800+/- dry and loaded the total is 7000#. What's the verdict? Should I sell it? I'd hate too because I got it from a bank repo and got a steal on it. It was used probably 2 times before my family got it. Any guidence would help.

Tough decision. At 7000 lbs, your loaded trailer will cause the rig (truck+trailer) to exceed the truck's Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) if you carry anything (passengers, cargo, even a full gas tank) in the truck. Load passenger(s), some cargo in the bed, fill the tank and you'll likely be 500~1000 lbs overweight. Not good, actually pretty bad...for one thing your acceleration (like highway on ramps) will be so bad, every merge into traffic will be a white knuckle event.

Being as you're in pretty flat, very low altitude Florida you may not kill your truck. But you'd best stay out of all mountain areas...no trips to even the Appalachians (like northern Georgia or the Carolinas) and absolutely no trips "out west" to the Rocky Mountain states.

As for your mods, you've actually reduced your mid range (2500 to 4000 RPM) torque by around 10% from stock by installing the K&N and the catback dual exhaust. First of all, the K&N is actually more of hot air intake than the stock airbox because it sucks in lower density engine compartment air (the stock airbox is actually a true cold air intake because it pulls air from the inner fender). And the catback duals only increase horsepower over 4000 RPM, below that the extra volume in the dual pipes actually reduces exhaust flow because the exhaust gasses slow down too much and lose energy.

The bottom line as I see it is if you keep your trailer, you'll be trading your truck in for an '07 (or '08) within a year because the combination of too much load and reduced performance from your mods will make towing very unpleasant and sometimes dangerous. Or you could downsize the trailer to something that weighs around 5000 lbs loaded and reinstall the stock airbox and exhaust (or install headers and a good single exhaust like the Gibson). A downsized trailer and the proper mods would give you pretty good towing with your '03. Your money, your choice.

[funfinder4]

What is the GCVW of your '03?
Have you weighted your setup or at least your truck yet? It might not be as heavy as you think.

While I was at my local iron/recycling yard I asked if they could weigh my truck on there scale. They gave me the option of getting a certified CAT weight receipt if I wanted. I was quite surprised to find out my truck only weighted 5040 lbs (including me sitting in it). Here's my math after getting my truck weighted:
GCVWR: 12,600 lbs
Truck : 5,040 lbs
left over : 7,560 lbs

With these weights I "could" tow a 7000 lbs trailer and still have 560 lbs left over for loading in the truck for people/cargo. Yes it would be towing right at the trucks capacity, but I wouldn't be legally over. Am I right, or have I missed something?

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by funfinder4

What is the GCVW of your '03?
Have you weighted your setup or at least your truck yet? It might not be as heavy as you think.

While I was at my local iron/recycling yard I asked if they could weigh my truck on there scale. They gave me the option of getting a certified CAT weight receipt if I wanted. I was quite surprised to find out my truck only weighted 5040 lbs (including me sitting in it). Here's my math after getting my truck weighted:
GCVWR: 12,600 lbs
Truck : 5,040 lbs
left over : 7,560 lbs

With these weights I "could" tow a 7000 lbs trailer and still have 560 lbs left over for loading in the truck for people/cargo. Yes it would be towing right at the trucks capacity, but I wouldn't be legally over. Am I right, or have I missed something?

Your '06 has a higher GCWR than an '03....the GCWR on an '03 is only 11,800 (800 lbs less than your '06). If you had an '03, you'd be about 300 lbs overweight with a 7000 lb trailer...before you added cargo and people!

I've had my '03 4x4 weighed 3 times...the average of 3 weighings is about 5100 lbs. In all three cases, that was with just me (~195 lbs) in the cab, a full tank of gas (which can add as much as 160 lbs by itself), around 100 lbs of cargo in the bed, and a 60 lb WDH attached to the hitch receiver.

With realistic loading of an '03 in terms of cargo and passenger(s), the heaviest trailer an '03 should tow is around 5500 ~ 6000 lbs. And a safer weight is closer is to 5000 lbs. Those, by the way, are loaded trailer weights.

[STMARTIN84]

so in labins terms, if i keep it in florida (flat grounds) maybe an occational trip to southern GA or AL and keep on some side roads and travel aroun 55 mph i sould be ok? of course i would love an 08 full size tundra, but my truck is paid for and i really don't want another truck payment. I'm sure you understand. On the flip side, I don't want to tear apart my truck, so I may just take your advice and trade it in, but I also may just get my use out of it for a year or two. Any other mods worth while doing to help? Power Chip by unichip?

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by STMARTIN84

so in labins terms, if i keep it in florida (flat grounds) maybe an occational trip to southern GA or AL and keep on some side roads and travel aroun 55 mph i sould be ok? of course i would love an 08 full size tundra, but my truck is paid for and i really don't want another truck payment. I'm sure you understand. On the flip side, I don't want to tear apart my truck, so I may just take your advice and trade it in, but I also may just get my use out of it for a year or two. Any other mods worth while doing to help? Power Chip by unichip?

Yep, you got the idea. The Unichip may be of help...I haven't checked into these in about 3 years so can't give a definite opinion.

[STMARTIN84]

Ray, just bought and installed the Unichip. WOW the power is great. Love it. I'm towing my TT this weekend on flat grounds for 35 miles up the road. I'll let you know how it does.

[STMARTIN84]

wow, what a difference. pulls like a champ. not a diesel of course, but dang it's nice.