What Size Truck to Pull a Travel Trailer?

Last Updated on August 15, 2023 by

If you’re considering buying a travel trailer, you need first to determine whether or not your vehicle is capable of towing it. The requirements on the tow vehicle increase exponentially as you progress from popup or teardrop campers to bigger travel trailers.

Especially if the travel trailer’s GVWR exceeds 5,000 pounds when completely loaded, if you’re searching for a mid to large-size travel trailer or a tough fifth-wheel trailer, you’ll probably want to match it with the correct pickup truck.

Though there are numerous manufacturers, variants, and even customization levels that might affect a pickup truck’s hauling capability, this is an obviously congested market.

In this article, we will discuss what size of truck do you need to pull a travel trailer.

Terminologies Used in Towing

Before jumping right into the discussion regarding the truck’s size required to pull a travel trailer, it is important first to understand certain terminologies related to towing.

1. Truck Payload Capacity 

This is the maximum weight that the pickup truck’s cargo compartment can handle. Surpassing the haul vehicle’s payload capacity may ruin the cargo box and frame, as well as make the truck risky to operate at highway speeds. When it comes to the specific in-bed hitches used to haul fifth-wheel trailers, payload capacity is even more important.

2. Combined Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (CGVWR)

The entire weight that the manufacturer has assessed the truck can carry is referred to as the CGVWR. This comprises the vehicle, as well as the occupants, luggage, and gasoline, as well as the travel trailer linked to it.

3. Dry Weight

This is the weight of the travel trailer before any fuel, luggage, or equipment is added or the water tanks are filled.

4. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)

The overall weight of the vehicle, occupants, luggage, and fuel, including the tongue weight of the travel trailer, is referred to as the “Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.”

5. Trailer Payload Capacity

When fully loaded with luggage, gear, or toys such as UTV in the rear of a toy hauler motorhome, this is the weight rating that the travel trailer can manage.

6. Tongue Weight

When correctly loaded, this is the entire maximum weight that the tongue of the travel trailer will place on the hitch.

7. Maximum Trailer Weight

This is the maximum weight that the pickup truck is capable of towing.

Doing The Math While Buying the Perfect Tow Truck

Let’s imagine you already own a travel trailer or just discovered a great offer on the travel trailer of your fantasies and decided to buy it before buying the truck. Some may respond that this is similar to putting the wagon before the horse.

It can also be a big help because you already know important details like the GVWR, dry weight, as well as hitch weight. The conventional thinking is that you should never attempt to haul anything, even a travel trailer, with your pickup truck’s maximum pulling capability at less than 80%.

Consider the following scenario: the travel trailer that you have has a GVWR of 8,000 lbs. When fully loaded, the water tanks are filled, and all of your equipment is evenly distributed, your travel trailer has its max load. Then you’ll want to look for a pickup truck with a pulling capacity of approximately 10,000 lbs.

Best Trucks to Pull Your Travel Trailer

As soon as you do the math, you might be looking for the options now you have on the market regarding the best trucks to pull your travel trailer.

Here are our top picks.

1. Ford F-150

In recent years, Ford has made various improvements to meet 21st-century fuel economy and product build quality demands. Despite this, the Ford F-150 is still one of the most popular vehicles in the business.

The F-150’s baseline hauling capacity has been reduced slightly by the new Eco Boost engine, but it still offers a remarkable maximum towing capability.

Key Specifications

• Maximum Towing Capacity: 13,300 pounds
• Baseline Towing Capacity: 7,800 pounds
• Maximum Payload: 3,280 pounds
• Baseline Payload: 1,995 pounds

2. RAM 1500

Dodge’s half-ton vehicle range has also been updated for the twenty-first century.

This equates to more low-end torque, which may be better if you require a tow vehicle to draw a travel trailer up steep, rough boating launches or in case there is a boat to haul out of vertical, rough boating launches.

Key Specifications

• Maximum Towing Capacity: 12,800 pounds
• Baseline Towing Capacity: 6,400 pounds
• Maximum Payload: 2,350 pounds
• Baseline Payload: 1,250 pounds

3. Ford F350

Construction workers that require to tow heavy gear, trailers, or fifth-wheel trailers frequently employ the Ford F350, a robust one-ton pickup truck.

It’s especially frequent in agriculture, where it’s used to transport cattle trailers and other large farm gear from place To place.  This, of course, means it can haul even the heaviest RV travel trailers.

It is equipped with a diesel engine having a capacity of 6.7 liters and six cylinders.

Key Specifications

• Maximum Towing Capacity: 21,300 pounds
• Maximum Payload: 7,900 pounds
• Baseline Payload: 2,995 pounds

4. RAM 3500

RAM is yet another fiercely competitive regional truck maker that continues to eat into Ford and GM’s market share. The RAM 3500, like Ford and GM’s options in this segment, has a strong diesel engine.

However, they do offer a larger cargo capacity and exceptional low-end torque because of their strong rear suspension. This renders the Ram 3500 a great choice for towing fifth-wheel trailers and travel trailers that must navigate difficult terrain.

Key Specifications

• Maximum Towing Capacity: 18,100 pounds
• Maximum Payload: 7,690 pounds
• Baseline Payload: 4,120 pounds

Conclusion

Determining the truck size that can safely pull your travel trailer’s entire weight is important. There are numerous brands and types of pickup trucks from which to choose. When it comes to matching your travel trailer with the greatest truck, you’ll need to perform some research and calculation.

With that being said, we genuinely hope this article has assisted with what you were trying to extract from it.

FAQ

What kind of truck do I need to pull a travel trailer?

These are the best trucks to pull a travel trailer

• Ford F-150
• RAM 1500
• Ford F350
• RAM 3500

What size travel trailer can an f150 pull?

With the correct base model and towing package, the F-150 can pull up to 13,200 pounds. Regarding its capability of pulling a travel trailer, though, most F-150 variants can effectively handle a camper weighing less than 6,000 pounds.