I need to buy a 2 horse trailer with dressing room, a tow vehicle and (down the road) a slide-in camper. Initial cost, pulling power (I prefer to err on the side of too much), durability, economy and resale value are paramount. I plan on getting a used diesel P/U and a used 2 BP horse trailer with dressing room. I am hoping to spend a maximum of $12 to $14 thousand for the truck and about $4 for the trailer. Since I haven't bought camper or trailer yet it is impossible to choose a P/U but I must get the P/U first or I'll never get the trailer home! So I need some advice in general about the truck most likely to fill my needs.

I want a pretty deluxe camper and will pay for new. I'm looking at basement models with dry baths; a slideout is not necessary; electric jacks preferably. I have't settled on the brand yet. Since I'll be towing the trailer I understand I'll need some sort of extended hitch to reach beyond the camper.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TRUCK:
What length bed would be most suitable since I don't even have the camper selected? I will get a very nice new camper; are most of the upscale new ones designed for long beds? Should I choose a camper which has the least projection out the rear of the truck, so the extended hitch is as short as possible? Naturally I want the longest camper I can afford.

The campers I like are 3200 lb. unladen; a trailer I like weighs around 4300 lb empty (rubber mats are heavy), around 6800 lb. with 2 horses and gear. I estimate that passengers, equipment, supplies, camper, trailer and horses will be 12,000 lb. minimum when fully loaded, and that excludes the weight of the tow vehicle itself. I'm sure we're talking at least 7 tons by now. Although I'd prefer single rear wheels (narrower vehicle) I think duals are probably better because of the camper's weight; should be more stable, too. What is your opinion on that?

I will be driving occasionally over low mountains (Appalachian, not Rocky) along interstate, 2 lane blacktop and some well-maintained dirt/gravel roads. Never in snow; generally unaccompanied. I am presently searching for 3/4 ton dually diesel pickups with 100,000 miles or so. Should I look for an HD truck? What is "heavy" on the HD's? Is it worth getting, given the weigh I will be towing?Should I look for one that says "tow package" or get that sorted out after I know more about which trailer/camper I use?

I've heard favorable things about Cummins turbo diesels. Although racecar acceleration is obviously not an issue, adequate power for safe performance is; I prefer my vehicles to have more than "just enough" performance in order to get me out of those situations that other bone-headed drivers occasionally cause. Woiuld you recommend a turbo diesel or not? What size brakes should I look for?

Do you think the Ford, GM and Dodge products are essentially interchangeable, or you do prefer one over the others? Why?

I am searching vehicles made 1998-2003. Are there any particular 3/4 ton trucks in those model years that are particularly troublesome and which I should avoid?

If there are any other major considerations I haven't covered please feel free to add them. I eagerly look forward to your reply.

Steph

I am no expert in this area but I really like the new 6.6 L GM duramax diesel. A new 2007 GM3500(1Ton)heavy duty pickup is rated at 13,000 pounds trailering with a ball hitch and over 16,000 with a 5th wheel or gooseneck hitch. The truck also has a payload rating of 11,400 pounds with dual rear wheels and this diesel generates an awsome 365 HP and 660 FT. LBS. of torque.

Allot of questions. The comfusing part is payload left for the trailer and camper. I'm looking into this myself for an article this fall as an alternative to LQ trailers.

Diesel have the most power, but because they weight more, this lowers whats left for a trailer and or camper. Manufactures rate all this by the rule of Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating. Max weight of truck and trailer. So the more the truck weighs, the less is left for the trailer. My truck for instance is a F250 with a little over 2200# payload. I have a max gooseneck/5th wheel rating of 15,600 lbs, 12,000 lbs bumper pull. But you don't want to excede the payload or axle rating with the trailer tongue rating. So back to the 2200 lb payload, if I have a slide in camper that weighs 1600 lbs, then I only have 600 lbs left for the trailer tongue weight and me and fuel.

So you get down to light slide in campers maybe popups. I did a review of Outfitter, at http://www.titanregistry.com/titanoutfitter.htm or you can look at a dually or even the new 2008 Ford F450 to get some more payload. Torklift has some nice frame tie downs that in one of the camper reviews and they have a SuperHitch for towing a trailer that is double tubed and has support chains.

I recomend using a wdh on the trailer to spread out the weight. With most hitch extensions you loose 1/3 of the trailer weight. I just bought another extenion last night and it said right on it that you loose 1/3 of the trailer weight. So my truck with the class V reciever hitch rated by Ford at 12,000 trailer capacity, with the extension is only good for 1/3 less, 8000 lbs.

For the longest camper, you need the long bed. A 11 ft. camper will stick out 3 ft. 3200 lb camper will be in the one ton class depending on the year. Truck manufactures seem to increase the payload and trailer capacity each model, where they changed anything or not.

They don't make a 3/4 ton dually from the factory, but I'd say you need a dually 1 ton. HD generally, especially with GM means full floating rear axle along with the beefier frame and suspension. More at http://www.mrtruck.net/sub1.htm

In the years you are looking for, GM would be good with an auto tranny 2002 and newer. Ford second choice with auto, Dodge first choice with a manual transmission.