Gooseneck/bumper pull

MattyB4x4 · Jan 8, 2020

I've toiled over this for some time w/ my 1/2 ton - adding an ultra light slide-in camper, etc. It's probably been said, but the issue that you'll run into with a 1/2 ton is payload capacity - which is honestly the real limiting factor on a 1/2 ton. 1/2 ton truck typically have a higher bumper pull capacity than GN capacity because of it.

With a goose, you have a higher percentage of trailer weight on the truck 20-25% vs ~10% with a bumper pull. So at 7k, that's somewhere between 1400-1750, which is closing in on a 1/2 ton Tundra's max payload right there. Add a few people, fuel, a few things in the bed and you're over your payload capacity pretty good. Throw a camper on the GN, some coolers, some misc junk and you're over your payload by 50% easy.

Would it tow it fine? Maybe? Is it worth the hassle? Probably not.

I'd say it's either stick with a bumper pull and a tent or step up to a 3/4 ton.

Bronco72 · Jan 8, 2020

Dont mind the mule just load the wagon

The Luke · Jan 8, 2020

MattyB4x4 said:
I'd say it's either stick with a bumper pull and a tent or step up to a 3/4 ton.

See, everyone I've ever talked to says the same thing. That a Tundra is basically a 3/4 ton truck, just rated at a 1/2 ton. Even the towing ratings line up with a half ton. I'd put it head to head against any gas 3/4 ton truck on the road right now.

Would i consider this combo with my old silverado 1500? Hell no. That thing was pathetic.

redneckengineered · Jan 8, 2020

The Luke said:
See, everyone I've ever talked to says the same thing. That a Tundra is basically a 3/4 ton truck, just rated at a 1/2 ton. Even the towing ratings line up with a half ton. I'd put it head to head against any gas 3/4 ton truck on the road right now.

Zjman · Jan 8, 2020

There's gotta be a reason I've never seen a tundra pulling a gooseneck down the interstate. I'm not bashing Toyota. But when I think gooseneck I think of the big three hitched too em.
and as far as maneuverability, I'd put a 24-26 foot gooseneck against a 20 ft bumper pull any day. You can jacknife a gooseneck and cut a pretty tight circle.

MattyB4x4 · Jan 8, 2020

The Luke said:
See, everyone I've ever talked to says the same thing. That a Tundra is basically a 3/4 ton truck, just rated at a 1/2 ton. Even the towing ratings line up with a half ton. I'd put it head to head against any gas 3/4 ton truck on the road right now.

Would i consider this combo with my old silverado 1500? Hell no. That thing was pathetic.

3/4 ton trucks are just built different than half ton. The gassers in 3/4 ton trucks are meant to chug along, run all day, all night, without issue. They aren't hot rods you wind up and they're not intended to be...they're work horses.

The tundra is a badass truck and the iForce motors are tough - I know a guy that has 400k on an all original iforce 4.7, but the tow ratings and payload ratings line up with 1/2 ton trucks because it's a 1/2 ton truck, not matter how you slice it.

TMac · Jan 8, 2020

Payload on a Tundra is a good bit lower than my Ram 1500 (2,300 vs 1,700). So not sure the 3/4 ton argument holds water

The Luke · Jan 8, 2020

Y'all talking about the 4.whatever or the 5.7?

I'm not talking about a race. Also the same trailer, loaded the same way behind this truck and one of the 2500 3/4 ton gas trucks and I'd bet you'd buy the tundra. But y'all are probably right. Should have bought a by gawd Cummins dually.

The Luke · Jan 8, 2020

@TMac my truck, payload comes back at 2090lbs.

TBItoy · Jan 8, 2020

That tundra probably isn't rated to carry quite as much in the bed as a "3/4t" (by a few hundred pounds) but just by going off the towing capacity, brake size, gear ratio, axle size, etc.... I'd put it up against any other 10 year old gas burner 3/4t from Chevy/Ford/Dodge as far as safely towing about 10k.

putting a slide in on a gooseneck and putting it on the tundra might get interesting. Like you might HAVE to put the rig on the trailer to get the weight distributed to where it's drivable.

I also don't really have a frame of reference for how heavy a slide in camper is. I honestly figured they only weighed like 1000lbs for one small enough to fit a short bed truck. No idea.

kinda seems like anything short of a Class A motor home and a enclosed race trailer isn't worth the hassle. :****:

The Luke · Jan 8, 2020

The half ton slide in units for a short Bed that I've been looking at have been anywhere from 1100-1500 lbs.

Bronco72 · Jan 8, 2020

I mean luke wanting to put a slide in on his 1/2 ton aint much differant then the 5th wheels you see people set up in trailers to build crawler haulers with 16' of deck and pull them with a single wheel truck. I mean i overload the hell out of mine. I just dont see what all the hype is about

MattyB4x4 · Jan 8, 2020

The Luke said:
The half ton slide in units for a short Bed that I've been looking at have been anywhere from 1100-1500 lbs.

Four Wheel Campers makes one called the Raven thy starts at 850 lbs dry.

jeeptj99 · Jan 9, 2020

MattyB4x4 said:
Four Wheel Campers makes one called the Raven thy starts at 850 lbs dry.

then he could be an overlander.

I think you'll be ok with a slide in and camper. you wont win any races and you wont get the greatest mpg but youll get there. Do it and see what happens. worst case flip the camper for a nice ass tent or something.

yankster · Jan 9, 2020

For what it's worth, every time I sold a trailer because "I didn't need it anymore" I always regretted it. If funds allow, keep the one you have and get the ones you want, and line them all up in the back yard.

redneckengineered · Jan 9, 2020

I'm sorry anyone that says a late model Tundra is comparable to a late model Ford/Chevy/Dodge gas burner 2500 is simply talking out of their ass and should not be taken seriously. Period.

The Luke · Jan 9, 2020

@redneckengineered you towed with both?

redneckengineered · Jan 9, 2020

Nope but I don't need to drive a Porsche to know it corners better than a Civic either. There is a reason they are rated as 1/2 ton trucks. Front to back 3/4 ton trucks are more heavy duty and the MFG ratings reflect that. Now I'm done with this conversation.

TBItoy · Jan 9, 2020

redneckengineered said:
I'm sorry anyone that says a late model Tundra is comparable to a late model Ford/Chevy/Dodge gas burner 2500 is simply talking out of their ass and should not be taken seriously. Period.

What do you consider "late model"? and how much windshield time do you have in gas burner 3/4 tons?

There's quite a difference in mid 2000s gas 3/4 tons vs the current generation of 3/4 tons. you know that...

a 2007+ Tundra (the actual full size 5.7 v8 tundra, not the 1st gen t100 size knockoff) is spec sheet rated just as capable as those era 3/4t gas trucks.
ignoring spec sheets, they are mechanically physically sized as a 3/4t truck (13.5" disc brakes, 10.5" ring gear, hd 5/6spd auto, ~350hp v8, 6000lb curb weight)

Granted, VS the current generation of 400+hp, 8-10 speed transmission, 3500+lb payload - 15-20K towing capacity rated 3/4 tons from ford/chevy/dodge, the Tundra looks like weak sauce.

and FWIW, a 2020 Tundra is essentially the same a 2007 Tundra... so even a "new" one, is a 13 year old truck.

The Luke · Jan 9, 2020

@TBItoy you're pretty much spot on. Except the 2007+ 5.7's come at 400+ hp from the factory and almost 450ft lbs. 6spd. 4.30 gears are standard in all tundras also.