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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
  
| Alright so I've spent hours on the GMC website and other sites trying to answer this question. Ive been getting contradictory info from the GMC site alone.
I am wanting to upgrade to a gooseneck. I have a GMC Sierra 1500 Eco-Tec 5.3L - Crew Cab w/Short box. I currently haul a steel 4 horse bumper pull. It was one where you put two in the front w/ a big divider and 2 in the back. However, its been converted to have a dressing room with room for 2 horses. I typically haul one but have hauled two.
What i would like is a 2-3 horse all aluminum without any kind of living quarters or very basic maybe insulated or something. I would only be hauling the one horse, maybe 2 on certain occasions. Third stall would be more for storage if I eneded up with a 3 horse. Wondering if this is safe and capable.
Thanks in advance. |
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 Member
Posts: 49
| What year is it? I have a 1999 Chevy Silverado with the 5.3 vortec, it has a 5,000 lb tow limit |
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 Thread Killer
Posts: 7545
| Lots of people do it, apparently. I wouldn't be one of them. I'd go with a 3/4 ton if possible. Just my opinion.
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| tjohnson50 - 2014-07-28 9:41 PM
What year is it? I have a 1999 Chevy Silverado with the 5.3 vortec, it has a 5,000 lb tow limit
2009 |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Look at the sticker in the door for the gvw, then look at the trailers and see if the weight will work.
I won't because springs, shocks, brakes, frame, and tires are not made for the emergency stops and turns.
It isn't necessarily the weight of the horses, or the trailer itself, you have to calculate all the stuff you have in the trailer, the more you store the heavier you are.
I have a 4 horse LQ 10,000 lbs empty, loaded I weight 20,000lbs hay, water saddles, bridles, horses, panels this all adds up. With my 3500 dually I am 400lbs under my total gvw |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | Here's my personal experience...my dad owns a car dealership so I have had access to a lot of trucks.
Personally, I don't think it is a big enough truck, but I look more at the longevity of use besides safety. We used a 2005 Chevy 1500 with 5.3L V8 and it was not big enough to pull our 2-3 horse stock type trailer (2 horse slant with tack room, or 3 horse stock without the tack). While it may be safe a lower speeds, the likelihood of your truck burning up an engine or transmission is higher than with a heavier duty truck. Also at highway speeds it may not be enough stopping power. If you went up to even a Chevy or GMC heavy duty 1500 with a 6.0L V-8, it would be more equipped to pull it, or a 2500 with a 6.0l or a 6.2L would definitely be enough. You wouldn't have to go with a diesel unless you just wanted to. Just my opinion from personal experience. Otherwise I like the Chevy and GMC 1500's with a 5.3...5.3 is a good motor and gets good fuel economy. |
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 I'm not opinionated
Posts: 4597
Location: Online | Bigger truck. |
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 Member
Posts: 40
Location: SE Oklahoma | I use to pull with a 97 half ton gmc. Pulled a 2 horse bumper slant with the dressing room. It was a struggle and the transmission burned up in it and I broke down on I-40 with my trailer. Not fun. I had to get a car and now I pull with my dad's three quarter ton and it's sooo much better. You can just drive and not worry about stopping or the hills. Lol my fiancés mother just bought a brand new 2014 gmc, and she pulled my trailer with it. While it pulled better than my older truck did. It still got a sorry 10 miles to the gallon. Outch! The next truck I buy it will be a 3/4 or one ton. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| We're considering buying a bigger truck but were trying to put the weight in comparison with my current trailer. From what i can find my current trailer weight 3500# and with a horse and tack and whatever else probably 5000#.
Looking at some goosenecks they are appearing to be 3800# to 4500# empty depending on make/model. We are also considering the longevity of the truck also. We dont wanna burn it out either. We have a 2500 GMC also but its a 98 model and just not as reliable as we'd like.
It states my trucks GVWR is 7000# but I am confused if that means my truck can haul no more than 7000# total (horse, trailer, tack, etc) or if that includes truck weight also? Sorry not a mechanical type person. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| Unfortunately I have to go with bigger truck. I think stopping power and wear on your truck would be a concern.
I just upgraded to my first 3H gooseneck aluminum with small LQ. The title to the trailer says it weighs 4k lbs. I don't think that includes the insulated LQ with a sink and microwave but that's all mine has. I pull it with a 3/4 ton GMC Sierra 6.0 gas. I have cold air intake, tow package- ect and honestly I feel like I'm at the max of what I could or should be pulling. My truck does fine with it. I get 8mpg (no kidding) with it loaded. My truck is an 06. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Thanks everyone for the responses. This was the kind of info I was looking for. |
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Expert
Posts: 3300
| go with the bigger truck... i have a 2007 2500 hd chevy and to be honest i get 16+mpg hauling mine is gas too... hauls like a dream.... now a friend of mine has a 2005 2500hd desiel and hauls a hart 3h big living quarters and it does just fine hauling that.... |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I can't imagine pulling anything but a small 2-horse with a half-ton. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | I pull with a 2013 Chevy extended cab short box 1500 5.3 4x4. I pull a featherlite 2 horse goose with a 5 foot short wall dressing room. normally 2 horses. I live in Michigan so mostly eway and flat land. The truck does fine. I will however for the next one figure out a way to be able to afford a 3/4 ton and if I really hit it big I want my diesel back. I would NOT go any bigger with the trailer with this truck. The truck pulls the trailer fine and stops the trailer fine. I do have my trailer breaks working so that probably helps. But really I would not go any heavier with a 1/2 ton. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? | You are very smart to consider upgrading the size of the truck. Even for what you are currently hauling. As all the others have said...it's really not enough truck for more than a small 2 horse BP.
I would reccommend everyone load up for a trip...tack...horses...water...hay etc. And go weigh in on the scales. Some would likely be very surprised at what they are really hauling. And as others have said...it's hard on the vehicle to be at the higher end of what it's rated for...and...it's the stopping power/stability that can be the big issue in an emergency. |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | You CAN, but I wouldn't. I had a F-150 with the big V8 and hauled a fully loaded 3 horse bumper pull. That was a lot for that truck, but I did it anyway. I did once squeeze four horses into the trailer to go about a mile down the road, and my truck did NOT like that! I live where everything is flat, so I don't have the added stress of going up and down hills. You will put a lot of strain on your truck, and as others have mentioned, it's not built for that heavy of a load. When I decided to get a gooseneck, I upgraded to a 3/4 Dodge and LOVE it! It's much better to have too much truck than not enough. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 762
Location: NC | Our original truck was a gmc 1500. I hauled one horse down to ky and then 2 to tn with it. It was alot of strain on the truck. Which is why i upgraded to a 2500 before i made the trip back to ny. KY/TN has alot of hills and it was hard on the 1500 loaded with a 2 horse aluminum trailer with all tack and both horses |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | After hauling with both a 1/2 ton and a 3/4 ton, I would never haul a horse trailer with a 1/2 ton again.
Hauling a small 2 horse (usually with only 1 in it) bp fried my 1/2 ton. This was long ago, so not sure how it goes with the new trucks.
I will say once I switched to a 3/4 ton I was amazed how much easier hauling was. I would not personally go back.... not even on a small bp trailer. That is just my preference. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| stayceem - 2014-07-29 12:53 AM
We're considering buying a bigger truck but were trying to put the weight in comparison with my current trailer. From what i can find my current trailer weight 3500# and with a horse and tack and whatever else probably 5000#.
Looking at some goosenecks they are appearing to be 3800# to 4500# empty depending on make/model. We are also considering the longevity of the truck also. We dont wanna burn it out either. We have a 2500 GMC also but its a 98 model and just not as reliable as we'd like.
It states my trucks GVWR is 7000# but I am confused if that means my truck can haul no more than 7000# total (horse, trailer, tack, etc) or if that includes truck weight also? Sorry not a mechanical type person.
That is total weight including truck.
You go to a weigh scale weigh the truck attached to the trailer then put the trailer axel on the scale and add the two numbers together.
Depending on the scale you may fit as one unit |
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | I would not haul with a 1500. Go with at least a 2500. You want something that's going to be able to stop your trailer if you have to stop, and a 1500 isn't too good at stopping trailers with horses in them. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Its def interesting to hear all the responses... Ive hauled my 5000# trailer (thats loaded with my horse) for years - 12 actually and ive never had an issue stopping or getting going, even when I put two horses in it.
But we've been kicking ourselves for buying the 1500 so its an excuse to maybe upgrade the truck too  |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 581
Location: Fort Collins, CO | i wouldn't, because even with an all aluminum gooseneck with a front dressing room you're close to 5,000 lbs most likely.
and could that truck stop that trailer if the trailer brakes failed--nope!
upgrade your truck. my motto is i'm not allowed to get a new trailer until i get a new truck. I want to be as safe as i can going down the road, regardless of what others do. |
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1500 GMC Sierra - Hauling question