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Stock trailer load with a half ton

B

Bamacowboy9313

Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
5
Location
Guntersville, AL
How much weight can I expect to safely pull in a 16x6 gooseneck with 2 7,000 lb. axles behind a little 1/2 ton 5.3 Sierra? Calves, steers, or horses are the only things ill be hauling. Maybe a couple of bulls but by themselves.
 
Your axles say 14,000# (2x7000#), but remember, you have to give yourself
plenty of room to STOP. :D What's the rearend gear ratio in your Chevy? That will help tell you how well it will pull.

Half tons only have one wheel bearing on each wheel so they aren't
really built to haul heavy loads. One-tons have two bearings, one on
the outside and one on the inside. You'll probably be okay if you don't
haul steady.

Good luck!
 
Thanks! I've heard you're supposed to be able to find your axle ratio on the inside of the driver door but all I see are tire pressure and weight ratings. Supposed to be 3.08 or 3.55. How do I find it?
 
Bamacowboy9313 said:
Thanks! I've heard you're supposed to be able to find your axle ratio on the inside of the driver door but all I see are tire pressure and weight ratings. Supposed to be 3.08 or 3.55. How do I find it?
Click to expand...

Usually they are back on the differential. Not sure where they are on
a half-ton but thats where they are on a 3/4 ton or 1 ton.
This is not a 4x4, I take it? Does it have an automatic transmission?

I think that 5.3 is what I have in my 2010 Yukon. It's a good engine, IMO.
 
Yes it's a 2 wheel drive auto. My dad drives a 7.3 F350 but I don't always have access to it. It's not the best towing vehicle but I planned on hauling probably 2 or 3 horses to the roping pen and possibly hauling a few calves. Seperately, obviously. Based on what you know, how well you think it'll do the job? Hauling most weekends. Daily driver during the week.
 
With a half ton you could haul more safely with a 20 ft. gooseneck than a 16 ft. bumper pull. Before we had 3/4 and 1 tons, all we had was 1/2 tons. Hauled 8 cows every load with a 20 ft gooseneck. I hated pulling the bumper hitch with 4 or 5 cows.
Just be a good driver and you will be fine. Trailer brakes would really help.
And if we all went by pickup ratings on stickers we would need 2 tons trucks. Have a F350 reg.cab single wheel with bale bed and Cake box that weighs 9950 empty. 220,000 miles and 9600 engine hours and one transmission.
 
How far do you have to go?
I think you'll be okay. Lots of ropers run 1/2 tons if they don't go far.
The most important thing is stopping. Auto makers get
the outfits so they'll run fast, but they don't stop so good.
Takes a lot of room and time.
We always put an exhaust brake on our pickups and now they
come standard on the 1-tons. Maybe on the 3/4 tons too.
Probably in Alabama you don't have a lot of hills to contend with,
right? Some places in Mt. it's all hills... :lol: :lol: :lol:
I've never been to Alabama, sad to say. I know you grow great
pecans, cuz some nice people here have sent us some. :D

Good luck! Have fun!
 
eatbeef said:
With a half ton you could haul more safely with a 20 ft. gooseneck than a 16 ft. bumper pull. Before we had 3/4 and 1 tons, all we had was 1/2 tons. Hauled 8 cows every load with a 20 ft gooseneck. I hated pulling the bumper hitch with 4 or 5 cows.
Just be a good driver and you will be fine. Trailer brakes would really help.
And if we all went by pickup ratings on stickers we would need 2 tons trucks. Have a F350 reg.cab single wheel with bale bed and Cake box that weighs 9950 empty. 220,000 miles and 9600 engine hours and one transmission.
Click to expand...

His is a gooseneck, eatbeef.
I think bumper pulls are dangerous...but a lot of people use them.

Trailer brakes help, but if you have many hills, they aren't the answer.
 
Bamacowboy9313 said:
How much weight can I expect to safely pull in a 16x6 gooseneck with 2 7,000 lb. axles behind a little 1/2 ton 5.3 Sierra? Calves, steers, or horses are the only things ill be hauling. Maybe a couple of bulls but by themselves.
Click to expand...

Read your tires--it'll say max load on the sidewall and rec pres. That's probably the first thing you'll overload, your back p.u. tires. Next'll be suspension and brakes...
 
I would think you can pull 14,000 or so including the trailer. I would think you can stop 8,000 or so in a rush. I would split the difference, or less.
 
Depends on your terrain. Racing around the Valley and being smart I would load it up. If you have some hills that is where the fun begins with stopping such a set up. I remember back about 20 years ago Chevy came out with a light duty 2500 pick up. A few cheapskate guys bought them and they were sadly disappointed with they thought they we buying. The transmissions wouldn't hold them back on the down side of the passes around here. We have came along way in pickups in 30 years. Not to be a prude, but with gas prices these days you can find a good 3/4 or 1 ton pickup with a big gas engine, that will handle your hauling needs pretty cheap these days. No sense in putting you and your animals in danger trying to use the wrong truck.
 
Leaf or coil spring's??
From what I have heard of the new 1/2 ton's with coil spring's you need airbag's or some type of overload system to carry any kind of payload.

Personal experience, some people can get around with most anything just tapping it cool and staying under the radar so to speak.........some have a near death experience to relate after every trip. No matter what they drive :)

Remember.....shiny side up!!
 
Thanks everybody! My dad used to drive a duramax 3/4 ton heavy duty that had an exhaust brake and I pulled with it alot. Can you get one on any truck? Also, trailer brakes are no problem. This trailer has brakes and I'm about to install a brake controller my dad has. It's not super hilly around here but it is hilly here in north alabama but nothing bad other than one mountain. If this helps I drive an 08 GMC Sierra half ton SLE 2x4 with a 5.3 bone stock motor and auto transmission with 52k miles. I believe it's the first year with the new body style. What do you know about the transmission and suspension? It has stock tires. What would you recommend in tires for hauling?
 
Based on what you know about my truck, can someone give me a list with an idea of pricing to beef this truck up for pulling? Tires, brakes, springs, bags, motor, etc. that would be awesome. It would be even better if you could include an idea of pricing.
 
The first thing I would recommend is a transmission cooler - - - Make sure it is hooked up right - - - the fluid needs to go thru the cooler before it goes thru the factory cooler in the radiator as if not in cold weather you will not get enough heat in your transmission.

If you drive with your head on straight you should not have a problem.
 
Bamacowboy9313 said:
Based on what you know about my truck, can someone give me a list with an idea of pricing to beef this truck up for pulling? Tires, brakes, springs, bags, motor, etc. that would be awesome. It would be even better if you could include an idea of pricing.
Click to expand...

First thing i'd look at is tires. On 18 whlr here, you can run 34, 34 and 12 --or total of 80k gvw, if you load it right. Hard to get your weight on steering axle generally.

Now if you read 'max load' on side of tire, it'll add up more than 80k--or should. And you shouldn't have much tire trouble. Contrast to single axle farm truck---put 400 bu of wheat in it, do the math, and you'll horrify yourself---and have lotsa tire trouble, esp if you go very far---farther you go, more heat (tire killer!) you build, more trouble.

Most load on pickup is on back axle, even with goosneck, on bumper pull it's even taking some off the front. Maybe weigh rig with varying loads, if you got a scale handy---with my hydrabeds, front axle is generally about 400# lighter, loaded with 2 5' bales.

Inexpensive tires are not cheap! I run 10 plys---some have 14 ply rating--and stay with quality. Maybe 50# in the front--but keep back to max, about 80#.

4 wheel drives get lotsa people in trouble, pull 'er into 4h and zip right down slippery road---trouble is, they don't stop any better than anything else.

To me, electric brakes are 'sorta' a brake----better than nothing, I've never really trusted them and drive accordingly.
 
Once you get past 6-7000 lbs cargo on a 1/2 ton, your really going to feel the weight. Don't max out your trailer.

I've hauled close to 14k lbs and on my 7.3 its a good pull and a hard stop, even with top-notch brakes on the truck and trailer. I can pull it, but if a kid or dog darted out onto the road in front of me, I know what the outcome would be...that's why I always tow 25% under the speed limit when loaded heavy.

Your best idea is look at the tag on your trailer. What is the GVWR? Take that #, subtract the weight of your trailer empty (weigh it at a scale) and that is your max limit for that trailer.
 
Faster horses said:
Your axles say 14,000# (2x7000#), but remember, you have to give yourself
plenty of room to STOP. :D What's the rearend gear ratio in your Chevy? That will help tell you how well it will pull.

Half tons only have one wheel bearing on each wheel so they aren't
really built to haul heavy loads. One-tons have two bearings, one on
the outside and one on the inside. You'll probably be okay if you don't
haul steady.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

How can you have just one wheel bearing on an axle? :???:
 

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