Who's using there 5.0 to tow a Slide out Travel Trailer?

[SKYWLKR]

Getting one soon, sooner if I can safely and reliably tow one with the Expy.

Looking for one under 7000 total loaded weight (will never tow at this weight as that is with full loaded water tanks) and about 5700-6000 lbs unloaded.

Who's doing it and how has it held up?

The ruck has the 5.0 with auto, 3:73's and a BIG factory tranny cooler and a class 4 hitch, I don't think its a weight distribution hitch though.

We used to tow a car trailer and race car with all the gear at about 5000 lbs with a 4.0 and then later with 5.0 expy's A-LOT.

I am thinkning on getting the tourque monster headers and maybe exhaust.

I also have a set of 4;10's laying around and the truck has full synthetics.

Maybe adding a set of Brake cooling ducts.

what other mods should I think about?

air bag's, bigger sway's?

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I tow a 23" Jayco with a dry weight of 4400 lbs, full of my junk, it weighs 5000+. I just got back from taking it out, and with all the mods in my signature, towing in the hills, towing is not the best, but manageable. I wouldn't go much more than 5k gross weight if I were you.

And, to tow that 5k, I'd about say Torque Monster Headers are a must. My stock trans cooler is fine- my trans temps never went over 200 ever. I never tow in OD, and with stock size tires, 3.73's is pretty good. 4.10's and stock size tires would result in too many RPM's for my comfort. I'd seriously think about exhaust mods, as the gains are minimal and the noise is alot.

P.S. Slide outs add expense and weight to a Travel Trailer, can leak and get stuck open. I am not a big fan of em in case you can't tell.

 

[SKYWLKR]

The Slide out is pretty much a must, we need the space for maneuvering inside, even if we have to get a shorter 24 foot or what ever we can find with a slide to meet the weight. We found a GREAT 27 footer '06 with a mini/nonsuperslide slide that is 4700 lbs unloaded for about 12K

The truck is slightly lowered with 17" wheels and 255/60/17 tires that are 29" and have a load rating of 2100lbs each.

so the slightly taller Tire would help tone down the RPM of 4:10's.

I also have another 12X16 Plate tranny cooler I can put on.

 

[schmidlkofer]

you dont want to over cool the tranny tho....

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Honestly, if you want/need a trailer that big, you need a full sized truck or suv. My Mountaineer weighs 4900lbs alone, and I wouldn't pull anything larger than what I have now. Its not so much the power, its the weight of the trailer pushing you around.

 

[SKYWLKR]

We found a New Hybrid 23 footer with 2 queen fold outs that weighs 5500 Gross

and a nice little 23 with a slide that weighs 5000.

Things are looking up!