Hauling with a 3/4 ton diesel

[inca]

So, I have a 2009 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 3/4 ton diesel. Am looking for a 2 horse trailer with small LQ. Will be able to pull it, no problem.

However, I found a used 3 horse with 8’ LQ in my preferred brand. The trailer weighs 7,500 pounds (a full 1,500 pounds more than the new trailer I have been looking at.)

SUPPOSEDLY my truck can pull 13,000 pounds. I’m not too worried about pulling around Texas with 2 horses in it. I’d be looking at 10,000 pounds with 2 horses - so say 10,500 pounds by the time you add in my tack trunk and round up.

HOWEVER, at some point I might want to pull 1 or 2 horses to a show in Colorado. Am I right to be very concerned about trying to pull that trailer in the mountains with my truck? As I type this, it just doesn’t sound doable…

What about hauling 1 horse only in the mountains - 7,500 for trailer + 1,200 for 1 horse + 400 pounds of hay/feed + 500 pounds of other stuff (just to have a safe estimate) = 9,600 pounds.

[AmarachAcres]

I’m not fantastic at the #'s but my husband is. We hauled a steel 3 horse gooseneck with weekender package full of our belongings and 3 horses and their hay from Oklahoma to Washington state without our 3/4 ton even realizing there was a trailer back there.

Including Dead man’s pass, at night, during a blizzard in January.

Ours is a Dodge, and as much as I love her, I think most 3/4 tons are very close in ability.

Ours is a diesel with the tow package and all that jazz.

[netg]

I’m not sure you have the correct weight for your truck - my Silverado 2500 HD gas from an earlier year has a towing capacity close to 15,000 lbs. With these guys, I tend to expect limits to be more related to stopping and handling wind and imbalances than engine capability.

That said, personally to haul in Colorado I tend to think I’d want more margin on towing capacity just because I think of really climbing, and the downhills, but my truck handled mountain climbing in AZ which may have been as severe quite well with two horses in my 2 horse LQ with lots of leftover power.

[jcraig10]

I think you’ll be fine. My SO has a ‘02 2500HD and pulls a 28’ car trailer with a racecar inside, and it pulls with no problem.

ETA: I totally missed the part about the mountains. We live no where close to the mountains sooo can’t help there. SORRY!

[inca]

Yes, I have the correct # for my truck. (Unless I am just a total idiot, which is possible - but I have checked multiple sources and that is the number I see everywhere.) My guess is EPA/emmissions regulations have probably caused newer models to actually have LESS towing capacity. I know there was a major change to diesels starting with model year 2007.

Anyway - I know I would not consider hauling TWO horses to Colorado. But, 1 horse with a total weight of 9,600 pounds vs 13,000 capacity? I agree that may be pushing it. With the other trailer, it would be more like 8,000 pounds which I thought would be pretty doable.

Last thing I want to do is get a trailer and then not be able to pull it! I do think hauling within Texas is not going to be an issue. But, hate to get part way to Colorado and break down or get into an unsafe situation.

[lurker]

No problem!

I have a 2007 Chevy Duramax Diesel 3/4 ton with the tow package. I have a 3 horse GN with 6’ short wall LQ. I have hauled 3 HUGE horses and all tack and hay with 3 people and dogs from Wash State to Cali and back several times with no problem. Also same from Wash State to Montana. You should have no problems. Mine pulled great and I didn’t even know there was a trailer back there most of the time. And that is going over mountains!

[inca]

lurker - good to know! 2 questions:

1. Do you know how much your trailer weighs empty?
2. Do you have air bags for your suspension? In doing research, that seems to be one thing that is recommended.

[tangledweb]

I think you’d be disappointed by how few parts are different between a 2500 and a SRW 3500. They are basically the same vehicle.

[Simkie]

Where are you going in Colorado? You know it’s mostly flat, right?

I really think you’ll be fine with that set up.

[inca]

[QUOTE=Simkie;7787144]
Where are you going in Colorado? You know it’s mostly flat, right?

I really think you’ll be fine with that set up.[/QUOTE]

Estes Park! Not flat. Not a definite but my trainer goes to that show every year.

[Simkie]

Ah, yes–that one is definitely not flat! :lol: But coming from TX, it’s really just the last hour or so that you’ll be doing any significant climbing. You will be fine with your rig