How to Choose the Best Half-Ton Towable For You

There are half-ton towable RVs available to go with all kinds of vehicles, which means many beginner campers can try RVing without needing to buy a new heavy-duty truck. In the RV world, models range from the smallest teardrop units to the biggest and most decked-out Class A coaches. In the U.S., the top four best-selling half-ton towable vehicles on the road are half-ton pickup trucks. If you already own a half-ton truck or you want to get one, you may wonder which RVs you can tow with it. Let’s talk about all the elements you need to take into consideration when you’re shopping for an RV to match your half-ton truck.

What is a Half-Ton Truck?

Half-ton trucks refer to pickup trucks that have at least a 1,000 lb. payload capacity, although these days, what we call half-ton trucks can often handle more. You might also know these trucks as “light duty” or “full size,” or just know them by their model names. The Ford F-150,Chevy Silverado 1500, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra, and GMC Sierra are all examples of some of the best-known half-ton trucks.

What is a Half-Ton Towable?

A half-ton towable is an RV that’s light enough to be towed by a half-ton truck. Half-ton trucks can vary widely by how much weight they’re able to safely tow, and you’ll need to take into consideration a truck’s approved payload and towing capacity, along with a trailer’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), hitch weight, and the weight of any cargo you’ll be taking on the road.

A Few Important Definitions

• Payload is the amount of weight a truck can carry in/on it, including passengers, cargo, and anything in the truck bed.
• Towing Capacity is the amount of weight a truck can safely pull behind it on the road.
• Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is the maximum amount of weight an RV can carry, including its own weight, everything you add inside, your trip cargo, and the weight of fluids in all your tanks.
• Hitch Weight or Tongue Weight is the amount of downward pressure the hitch of your trailer exerts onto the back of your truck.

Trail Runner 270BH

So How Much Can a Half-Ton Truck Tow?

Some modern half-ton trucks have a towing capacity of up to 14,000 lbs., but this depends heavily on the engine, whether it’s 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive, and what trim or towing packages it may have installed. For example, different models of2023 Ford F-150scan tow from 8,200 lbs.to 14,000 lbs., while the2023 Toyota Tundra is approved for up to 12,000 lbs. Always research the towing capability for the exact model and trim of the truck you intend to use.

There are a few other factors that can affect how much weight a truck can tow. The quality of tires on the truck, elevation, and incline can impact your truck’s performance. Towing a heavy load uphill will stress your engine more than towing it on a flat road, and engines may not work optimally at higher elevations where the oxygen levels are lower. When it comes to tires, make sure that they’re the proper grade, at the ideal inflation level, and not worn down. Tires with worn treads or the wrong tires for towing may negatively impact your ability to brake safely, drive smoothly over soft earth or loose gravel, and handle properly on the road.

How Do I Calculate Tow and Payload Weight?

When figuring out how much RV weight your truck can tow, remember that:

• You need to match the truck's max payload against the weight of everything inside it, plus the hitch weight.
• You need to account for the weight of everything that will go inside your RV trailer.

Let's say you're driving a 2023 Toyota Tundra with a 1,940 lb. payload and a 12,000 lb. tow capacity. You're looking at camping with a Heartland Corterra 28.1BH, which weighs 6,558 lbs. and has a 9,542 lb. GVWR.

Corterra Travel Trailer 28.1BH

Here's how to calculate how much this towable trailer will weigh when it's fully loaded:

• Start with the 6,558 lb. RV trailer dry weight
• Add 2 x 20-lb. propane tanks, which weigh 37 lbs. each (Total: 6,632 lbs.)
• Add 44 gallons of fresh water at 8.35 lbs. each (Total: 7,000 lbs.)
• Add approximately 1,500 lbs. total cargo for four travelers (Total: 8,500 lbs.)

At 8,500 lbs. weight fully loaded, you're well within the trailer's 9,542 lb. GVWR and your truck's 12,000 lb. towing capacity.

Here's how to calculate the payload weight for the Tundra:

• Start with the truck's 1,940 lb. maximum payload capacity
• Subtract the 742 lb. hitch weight (1,198 lbs. remaining)
• Subtract 500 lbs. for the weight of four people (698 lbs. remaining)
• Subtract 120 lbs. for the four mountain bikes (578 lbs. remaining)

In this scenario, because you're under the truck's total payload of 578 lbs., you're good to go.

Let's compare these numbers against the Heartland Corterra CT3.0, which weights 10,450 lbs. dry and has a hitch weight of 2,081 lbs. Although it seems like the Tundra should be able to tow the Corterra 3.0, once you add cargo, the weight of water, and two 30-lb capacity LP tanks (weighing 55 lbs. each), you've maxed out your tow capacity and then some. And the hitch weight alone exceeds your truck's payload before you even add passengers.

Corterra Fifth Wheel CT3.0

Does That Mean I Can Carry My Truck's Max Towing Capacity Weight?

Experts recommend you leave a 10% gap between the weight you're pulling and the truck's capacity, for general safety. That means if the capacity is 12,000 lbs., stick to 10,800 total weight or less.

Why? It'll provide a cushion to absorb any errors made when calculating weight, deal with bad weather and high wind, and navigate unforeseen circumstances while keeping you on the right side of safety. Maxing out the weight and hoping for the best is not a strategy, it's a recipe for disaster.

What Else To Know About RV Towing Weight

Make sure to pay attention to the gross axle weight rating (GAWR), which is the maximum amount of weight you can put on any one axle of an RV. An RV with too much weight over one axle can create safety issues when towing and may wear the tires down faster, too.

Where Can I Weigh My Towable RV?

Weighing a fully loaded RV is an important part of ensuring your safety on the road, and it can help evaluate how much weight is over each axle of the RV, too. There are two primary ways to weigh your RV, one that's super easy but less detailed, and one that takes a little more planning but gives you a more accurate picture of how your RV carries the weight.

CAT Scales

The easiest way is to take your RV to the CAT Scales at a local truck stop. You just pull on to the scale and use the intercom to get an official weight from the truck stop staff, who can also walk you through the process. CAT provides a convenient locator to help you find the closest truck stop with their scales. However, this method only provides total weight or axle-based weight; it doesn’t measure whether or not your weight is balanced across your tires evenly.

That’s why we recommend getting a four-corner wheel weight done with all your cargo onboard. You’ll have a more accurate idea of your RV’s total weight and how much weight is being put on each wheel, so you can learn how to optimally balance your normal cargo.

Additional RV Weighing Options

You can often find four-corner wheel weighing at RV rallies, regional RV clubs, and weighing events held by organizations like the RV Safety Education Foundation.

Which Heartland RVs Can I Tow With a Half-Ton Truck?

At Heartland, we've got 100+ travel trailer RVs you can tow with a half-ton truck, including more than a dozen toy haulers. Our lightest travel trailers begin under 4,000 lbs. You can find them across Prowler Lynx and Trail Runner.

Prowler 3211BH

Half-Ton Towable Models Between 4,000 lbs. and 6,000 lbs.

We’ve got nearly 50 models between 4,000 lbs. and 6,000 lbs., which is an accessible weight range for people who don’t have as much towing experience. Travel trailers in this weight class range from under 22 feet long to 32 feet long, and can sleep from one to nine (or more) people. And there are more than50models between 6,000 to 9,000 lbs., including toy haulers in the Torque lineup.

Torque T-256

Our newest brand, Corterra, has several models perfect for towing with half-ton trucks. Corterra features sleek, European-inspired decor and minimalist finishes. Its panoramic window on the front cap gives you unmatched views of nature from inside your bedroom, so you can make your surroundings the focus of your trip. There are three models under 7,500 lbs. and one that can sleep nine or more people in a minimal footprint.

RV Finder Tool

If  you want to find the best half-ton towable to match what you want in an RV, check out our RV Finder. You can filter models by weight, sleep capacity, length, RV type, and more, which makes it easy to identify which RVs will work for your vehicle. Or you can check out our blog about recommended ½-ton towable RVs from our lineup of brands.

Because half-ton trucks are some of the best-selling vehicles of all time, there are lots of RVs on the market that are a perfect match for their towing capability. With some research and a little math, you’ll be able to find the perfect half-ton towable for your needs, and then you’ll be on your way to planning your next great road trip.