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Towing stress! Is a 2500HD the answer?

44K views 108 replies 39 participants last post by  b40huckers 
#1 ·
I have a '16 crew max, limited, TRD. I also have a 7,000 pound travel trailer with weight distribution hitch. Took them both on a road trip and am left with some questions leading me to wonder if a 2500HD would be a better fit.

1) A cross wind (not too out of the ordinary) kicked my ass. Highway speed 65mph. A lot of trailer sway transferred to the truck. Made for a lot of white knuckle driving, freaked me out (having the family). Would a 2500HD, being heavier, help this? (Is the rear end heavier?)

2) I had it in tow/haul mode doing ~65mph. The RPMs were pretty much stuck at 3100 and I think in 4th gear. On occasion it would up-shift to about 2500 RPMs. The 2500 RPMs was much quieter and comfortable of a ride. Is there a remedy for this / way to maintain the 2500 RPMs (I tried taking it out of tow/haul with no success)? I'm wondering if a 2500HD truck would make for a better ride?

Don't get me wrong, I love the truck, its bullet proof as we know - but had a long stressful day behind the wheel and am wondering if a 2500HD would help.

Thanks for your thoughts and help.
 
#2 ·
Yep to your first question although you will probably feel sidewinds with a bigger trailer regardless the size of truck. And for the 2nd, yes if you get a diesel.
 
#4 · (Edited)
In actuality, as stated... Unless you got a 3/4+ Diesel, you really won't have much more weight. With a trailer that large you will feel wind. No way around that. PERIOD.


I have towed trailers with 1/2 tons, 3/4 tons, 1 tons, and even 450/550/650's.

When you talk of the same trailer on the trucks, it tows the same. Especially if it is in the weight category that a half ton can tow.

I have found 3/4 ton gassers that tow my puny single axle open trailer worse than my Tundra. SCLB with a 6.0 4x4 2500hd towed it fine, but not near as well as my Tundra. That is just one example.

A 7x20 TA enclosed, my truck tows equal to our sclb f350 gasser, but without being super laggy and underpowered. Handles the weight and wind the same.

Now you toss a diesel in that mix, the weight and torque, that changes things.

Remember, 3/4 tons are not necessarily that much heavier. Nor are they that much larger. I laugh when I see people say "Try to park a 3/4 ton, they are so much larger..." Or "My 3/4 ton is sooo much heavier than your half ton...."




I think no matter what truck you have, unless it is an f350 Diesel Crew cab, you will still have the white knuckle feeling in that wind.

How was the trailer balanced? That has a lot to do with sway too.

Are you new to towing, or have you towed for years? This all comes into play.
 
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#12 ·
In actuality, as stated... Unless you got a 3/4+ Diesel, you really won't have much more weight. With a trailer that large you will feel wind. No way around that. PERIOD.

.......

I think no matter what truck you have, unless it is an f350 Diesel Crew cab, you will still have the white knuckle feeling in that wind.

How was the trailer balanced? That has a lot to do with sway too.

Are you new to towing, or have you towed for years? This all comes into play.
Not to hijack, but it is well thought out and reasonable responses like these that make this forum so good.
 
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#5 ·
What kind of wdh setup do you have. What sway control are u running? Did u air up your tires. I have a 17 crewmax limited with a 6" lift and 35s. Equalizer wdh with built in sway. Tow my 30' 7500lb trailer fine. I put in tow haul mode manual shift stay in 4th and go no faster than 60. 9.5mpg.



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#8 ·
I am new to pulling a travel trailer - its 31 feet by the way. I was pulling across WI and MN, pretty flat and rolling hills. I figured HDs have a heavier axel and would help with sway?



I have a Fast Way E2 equalization hitch.



Thanks for the responses!


You need a better sway control setup. Upgrade to the equalizer 4pt with built in sway. U will notice a huge difference


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#7 ·
Am also brand new to towing. Using a 2006 Tundra 4.7L and pulling a Lance 25 foot RV TT at around 4000 pounds. Getting 8 ish mpg to 9 sometimes. The trailer ratings say never go above 60mph ever, and that is with four wheels in this all new tires. You need to get used traveling slower.

As far as cross winds, you need to consider wind weather forecast when you drive. You now have a lot of wind blockage and only four smallish wheels


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#10 ·
No doubt you need sway control if that's what was bothering you. I'd also try not to fret about the 3100 RPM even though it's louder. That's where the power band lies and where the truck will perform best, both engine and transmission.

As a former Ram CTD owner nothing will ever beat the power delivery of a diesel, but I'd strongly recommend you factor in how much you TRUELY need the diesel. They are meant to do one thing, WORK and WORK HARD.

I got rid of mine as a weekend camper for my Tundra. If you do a lot of city driving, idling, or even just don't pull more than when you go camping it's not worth the potential headaches of having a diesel unless you delete the emissions, which in turn will involve tuning the truck and losing the factory warranty. The EGR & DPF are kept clean by pulling loads and moving the truck at highway speeds. The less of that you do, the more soot you build up which in turn creates more regenerations to clean the diesel particulates out of the filter.

I'll always miss the power of my CTD but I'll never own another one unless I win the lottery and I'm able to delete emissions and tune the truck.
 
#109 ·
agree



Well said...I had a Ram 3500 and could tow a house when needed, but it really was overkill for the camping season and the 24ft trailer I pull. I scaled back to the Tundra and while I have not towed with it yet, I assume it will be comparable to the 2009 Ram 1500 I had for several years.

It really does come down to what fits your needs and makes you happy.

:)
 
#11 ·
i think you just need a few more miles under your belt and you will feel much better towing.... if you dont watch the fuel gauge lol
 
#13 ·
The diesel is the key, like others have pointed out. Right now I still have a 4K pound hybrid camper but I got rid of my Tundra Pro because we will soon be upgrading to a 5th wheel toy hauler. The Tundra obviously had zero issues with my camper but the driving experience with the Tundra vs. my new 3/4 diesel is night and day. With the Tundra I never felt relaxed. I'm sure a lot of that was just the noise you get pulling 3k+ RPM combined with the TRD exhaust but whatever the case, even with that small camper I always felt like I was playing with the gas pedal to maintain speed and the constant downshifting got old, even at 65 MPH; I was always giving input and never able to just relax a bit. With the diesel all of that went away. Obviously my current camper is a joke for this truck and it will work a bit harder with the new toy hauler but this thing cruises down the highway at 65 MPH doing about 1600 RPM and almost never has a need to downshift; it is a totally different towing experience. I love Toyota and especially the Tundra which is why I have owned two of them and a Tacoma but sometimes the Tundra just isn't the best truck for a given purpose. Like others have said, you can certainly improve things to a degree if you properly setup your tow rig but none of that will come close to the experience you will have with a larger truck with a diesel. The major downside though is that you will lose your 1/2 ton ride quality when not towing. My 3/4 ton does not ride horribly but it is nothing like the ride of a 1/2 ton.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Co-Worker and I was just talking. He went to Las Vegas from Texas with his 32 foot travel trailer that weighs 13k lb. He drives a 2010 Silverado 2500HD Duramax. Truck has been fine except some other issues he has had. But he is done with it after this trip. It broke down after he got to Las Vegas. Basically 2 days before returning the Turbo went out on it. $5500 later, and another week of vacation lost waiting for the truck to get fixed, he was able to get back. He is going to sell it and get a GAS 2500HD. He loves the truck, but hates the diesel costs and issues that come with it.

The 3/4 ton trucks including the Titan HD are all much heavier, and aren't prone to be moved around with wind as much as 1/2 tons. Honestly, I'd look at the Titan XD as it can pull more than the Tundra and ride/drives like a 1/2 ton. It's 7700lb of weight will do better with the winds.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Not sure about your specs/ratings for the Titan XD. It's a 1/2 ton truck, and has a curb weight of 5,800 lbs, 9,800 lb towing, smaller fuel tank. The Cummins V8 diesel version weighs more and has higher ratings.

Unless I'm missing something. I researched and drove the Titan XD before buying the Tundra. Titan XD was a nice truck, but for the $$ and dependability the Tundra worked for me. My Diesel days are over.


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#16 ·
I have a toyhauler that is about 7500 lbs, been pulling it for years with the Tundra and an equalizer wdh. Truck always felt pretty solid even in high wind situations. Got rid of the Tundra and bought a new Ram 2500 CTD and all I can say is WOW. Obviously the power difference is huge but the 2500 platform is SOOOOOO much more stable than the Tundra was/is. Honestly the ride between my Tundra and the new Ram 2500 is pretty close but on the freeway my Ram is way better...no more bed bounce. Around town the Tundra is more nimble and easier to park. I really wanted another Tundra but couldn't wait for Toyota to pull their head out of their asses and step up so i bought the Ram and I'm glad I did.
 
#20 ·
Anyone who trades a tundra for a ram is a dumbass.....

Or so I was told>:D
 
#24 ·
I went with the Titan XD with the Cummins. Like 2010 said, you will notice a night and day difference towing an 8k TT. I average about 12.5 mpg and it easily holds 5th gear on inclines. I would do it again because it fits my needs perfectly and retains most of the 1/2 ton ride characteristics.. A lot of Titan XD forum members are pulling 5th wheels comfortably too. The maintenance is a bit more but worth it IMO.
 
#26 ·
I went with the Titan XD with the Cummins. Like 2010 said, you will notice a night and day difference towing an 8k TT. I average about 12.5 mpg and it easily holds 5th gear on inclines. I would do it again because it fits my needs perfectly and retains most of the 1/2 ton ride characteristics.. A lot of Titan XD forum members are pulling 5th wheels comfortably too. The maintenance is a bit more but worth it IMO.
Think you meant me. :)
 
#27 ·
MPG is always going to vary. When I was CTD shopping I test drove a bunch. Anything year range '10-12 would get about 15mpg on highway speeds. The '13 I test drove got 22mpg. My aunt's '14 will also get over 20mpg on the highway, but there can be a lot of asspain associated with DEF. Some trucks are more picky than others and will start throwing codes if the DEF is too old. My aunt hasn't had any problems, but I've read about a lot of nightmares. My '12 would average 16-17mpg unloaded and a whopping 7mpg pulling my 38' TT at 10k. Not very impressive if you ask me, but when you're going thru some mountain passes in NW Montana and it doesn't downshift to climb hills it's pretty remarkable. The exhaust brake also comes in quite handy.

Turbo's going out on these things is much more common than people think. If you aren't deleting emissions or working them like intended they will soot up fast. They should be cleaned more than the manufacturer recommends, IMO. Think about it, EGR - exhaust gas recycler - we are sending exhaust back thru the engine..... sounds like a recipe for disaster but, I'm no mechanic either.

The possibility of having to replace a turbo, particulate filter, or something else major that I literally couldn't afford sent me back to a Toyota. No major trips and it pull my 38' TT on a short trip to the lake just fine.
 
#30 ·
All some pretty good points.

The earlier DEF systems, like any other new system, had some teething pains but they are a lot better now. The DEF engines also use a lot less egr because NOX is being handled by SCR so there is not as much EGR flow on DEF engines. If we use less EGR then we produce less soot so guess what else lasts a lot longer? The DPF. If we can reduce soot guess what else isn't an issue like it used to be? That's right, it's soot buildup on the turbo.

When you were getting 7 mpg towing how fast were you going? Was the truck lifted? Did you have larger tires? 38' for a travel trailer is a little on the large side, especially for a bumper pull and if you were running 65-70 mph or more with a lift and larger tires in the mountains then 7 mpg might have been just about right.
 
#34 ·
Based off the pic I saw I'd say you need a hitch that is 1 inch lower.

Your center of gravity on the trailer needs to be as close to the front where the hitch is as possible and always in front of the trailer axle.

It looks like the trailer is sitting just a little high in the front causing the center of gravity to shift farther backwards and will naturally create more sway.
 
#36 ·
Based off the pic I saw I'd say you need a hitch that is 1 inch lower.



Your center of gravity on the trailer needs to be as close to the front where the hitch is as possible and always in front of the trailer axle.



It looks like the trailer is sitting just a little high in the front causing the center of gravity to shift farther backwards and will naturally create more sway.


Where did u see his pic posted?


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#35 ·
I pull a 7200 pound loaded toy hauler with a 2013 crewmax with eqiulizer 4point hitch. I previously pulled it with a 2005 Nissan Titan that pulled it quite well. It had 10 ply tires that I had the pressure in the rear close to 80 pounds. After getting my tundra with the oem tires oddly enough my titan felt more stable. The next year I put 10 ply tires on my tundra. Again close to 80 in the rear and 55 in the fronts. Was night and day different with stability. I live in SW Wyoming where the wind blows more often than not and I tow in it a lot. Yes I feel it but have never felt nervous about it. I would say change tires make sure your hitch is adjusted properly and you should be better off.


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#51 ·
reading this post makes me more confident in my backup plan!

If toyota stops making tundra... i'm getting a 4 runner! lol

I've been burned too many times by the big 3... can't see myself returning to them... ever
 
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#54 · (Edited)
I just finished my camping trip from okc to Disney world in Orlando FL with my travel trailer. When it's all loaded up it weights 8000+ lbs. tundra towed it really well I felt pretty relax the whole trip going around 67-75mph most of the time. Average around 8mpg but tundra performanced so well not a single issue. Going to bring it in for an oil change tomorrow. Trailer is a 2017 Jayco whitehawk 32' long overall. Total mile travelled 3139.
 

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#55 ·
I would start with the equalizer WDH, they work well. When we traded in old camper for new, I took my truck to our local camper place (we store ours at there), I had them set up the hitch on camper and they adjusted ball height on the truck. They walked Me through new set up. Cost me less than $100 I think. Well worth it
 
#56 ·
^ This. I currently own a 2500 Duramax and can't wait to get into a tundra. Might tow a little better, but not worth the headaches and cost involved with the newer diesels. I have been in several tundra's towing toy haulers and such, and they do a damn good job if you have the proper setup.
 
#60 ·
I'll never say it was the smartest thing I've ever done, but hey.... 12 hours to go in one day and you just wanna get home.... wind at your back with the correct set up and I made it work I guess. I'll probably never do it again and will plan the trip a little better next time but I don't regret it either. Plenty of rigs up North that drive faster than me. Usually on my CTD the cruise was set between 68-72 unless I was in a nasty cross wind. Tundra will be closer to 60.
 
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