HOW MUCH TRUCK

What kind of vehicle and options do you need to tow your horses safely? Get the answer, plus much more great info, with our truck buyer's primer and worksheet.

For those of us who aren't gearheads, shopping for a trailer-towing vehicle can be like going to the dentist-worth doing for the good end result, but something we dread nonetheless. Figuring out terms like GCWR and GVWR is enough to make our brains hurt, and salesman-speak seems to require a degree in physics or materials sciences. How do we really know if a candidate tow rig can get the job done, or if we're just another notch toward helping a dealership makes its monthly sales quota? Not to worry if you're in similar boots-because we've got a deal for you!

We'll break down the basic, everyday features common to the world of trucks. Sorting considerations into nine key points, we'll help you learn the features you need to tow your current trailer, or that dream trailer you've always wanted. As a further way to sort out the myriad of options, bonus features, and configurations available, we'll also provide a worksheet that'll allow you to create a defined profile of features you need. Because the possible combinations of truck options and trailer features are nearly infinite, we won't be able to tell you precisely what to buy. But you'll be armed with the right information to buy wisely. And even if you're not quite ready to replace your current tow vehicle, you'll get information designed to help you evaluate your truck's suitability to its towing task. Our emphasis will be on helping you make sure you get as much truck as you need to tow safely. If there's one thing any non-gearhead must know, it's that it's dangerous to risk just getting by. If you're borderline on any given feature, always step up to the next option. It might cost more initially, but you'll treasure the increased safety as much as you'll treasure your savings on repair bills.

1 WEIGHTY MATTERS
Truck lingo: GVWR, GCWR.
Considerations: When you step onto a lot, you may be tempted to start sorting trucks by tonnage, or frame strength-half-ton, three-quarter-ton, one-ton, etc. In days of old, the rule of thumb went something like this: A half-ton could handle a two-horse trailer, a three-quarter-ton could pull a three-horse, and four-horse trailers or larger needed at least a one-ton tow vehicle. Advances in technology and a wider-than-ever array of models and features have blurred these simple lines. We now have to look at more tailored figures to find safe weight allowances. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or GVWR, is the maximum allowable total weight of your truck. If you intend to carry a truck-bed camper or other recreational toys in the bed of the pickup, you need to pay attention to this value (located on the door sticker). But this value may only tell part of the story if you're planning to attach a trailer as well. When it comes to attaching items with their own set of wheels to a truck, you need to know and understand the truck's GCWR, or Gross Combined Weight Rating. This rating notes how heavy the total truck/trailer combination is allowed to be, including campers, passengers, upgrades to the truck, and any other item that would influence a scale. The GCWR of a tow vehicle will be listed in the owner's manual-not on the door sticker, like GVWR. Remember, however, that this is a rating, and one that also should be thought of as a maximum. Carrying too much weight can result not only in physical breakdown of the truck, but also violates simple common-sense safety rules and the law. Most states will cite overloaded rigs for being at fault in accidents, even if they weren't strictly the cause.
Action plan: Find out how heavy your trailer and load will be at the maximum you'll ever think of hauling, and keep that figure in mind when you start your research. To get this figure, find the weight of your trailer, usually located on the metal sticker affixed near the trailer's tongue. Next, weigh everything you intend to carry in the trailer-your horses, tack, feed, bedding, clothing, food and beverages, emergency equipment, and filled water tank if the trailer has one. Tally up a third figure for your overall load-the truck's own weight, and the weight of all the passengers and items you'll be adding to it. Add these figures together, then compare to the rated GCWR. Nix trucks from your list that put your total calculated weight uncomfortably close to your truck's GCWR (within 500 to 1,000 pounds is tight). Don't get yourself into a situation where you have a three-horse trailer, but can only haul one horse in order to stay within your truck's GCWR!

2 CONTROLLED MANEUVERS
Truck lingo: 114-inch wheelbase, long-bed vs. short-bed.
Considerations: The second most important sorting calculation is wheelbase. A safe hauling vehicle not only needs to be able to pull weight, but also must have the stability to control it. Nimbleness isn't a desirable quality when you're attempting to control 8,000 pounds of loaded trailer whipping down a steep grade in a windstorm. You want your tow rig to have a broad stance and be long enough from front to rear to muscle that trailer into submission. Towing experts are firm on the number 114, referring to the minimum number of wheelbase inches your truck must have to tow safely. This is why many SUVs are unsuitable for towing horse trailers-their wheelbases are too short. That 114-inch figure doesn't mean you're locked into a long-bed pickup. If you have the appropriate trailer, extended cabs and rear doors can be exchanged for bed length. Bumper-pull trailers are safe behind short-bed pickups, but goosenecks need more caution. If you own a gooseneck with a tapered nose, you'll still have an appreciable measure of maneuverability with a short-bed truck. Not so, though, if you own a gooseneck with a squared nose. Square-nose trailers, when turning, have a shorter distance between the edge of the nose and the cab of the truck. Therefore, when you turn or back sharply, you risk having the nose clobber and damage the truck. One of the most contentious points between multi-driver families is this: How do you balance the roles of daily-drive vehicle and trailer hauler? Daily-drive vehicles may have to negotiate parking garages, rush-hour traffic, tight parking lots, and your driveway. They need some measure of fuel economy, may need to accommodate passengers who prefer their own doors, and must provide enclosed areas for hauling such weather- and wind-sensitive items as pets, groceries, and shopping bags. Frankly, a safe tow rig often tends to be the antithesis of a daily-drive vehicle. It must be long enough to control the pulling and pushing forces trailers apply during normal operation. Add four doors, and you're in a truck so long that you can't help but feel like a bull in a china shop when tackling an average parking lot. Dual rear wheels give you even more stability for those really heavy trailers-but also spill over into adjacent parking slots.
Action plan: Don't consider any tow vehicle with a wheelbase under 114 inches, and take your trailer type into consideration when choosing truck-bed length. Also see point 9 (page 53), with its discussion of adding a third family vehicle for daily-drive chores.

3 COMING TO A FULL STOP
Truck lingo: Heavy or super-duty brakes, integrated brake controller.
Considerations: Once you can get your load moving and have the wheelbase to control it, you need to look at how to get the load stopped safely. Your rig will have two independent braking systems-the truck's own brakes, and a device that controls the trailer's braking system. Like wheelbase, this is one area where compromise is a dangerous thing, and where overbuying is a requirement for safety. "Why?" should be obvious. Experienced towers will tell you it's easy to get a trailer moving, but it's infinitely harder to get that same load stopped, especially in an unplanned situation. You could be cautious and increase your following distances by at least 50 percent when towing, but that also leaves an open door for cars to dart out or change lanes to a position right in front of you.
Action plan: Look for trucks that have heavy or super-duty brakes. These are designed to handle the increased temperatures created when the pad compresses against the rotors. As your brakes get hot, their effective stopping power is reduced. This condition is called "brake fade," and, if ignored, can damage your braking system components, and even leave you with no brakes at all. Brake controllers are required to operate your trailer's brakes, using settings that coordinate the two braking systems' power into one unified system. New trucks designed for towing come with these controllers pre-installed-all you need to do is dial them in according to the manufacturer's directions. If your prospective truck doesn't have a controller, not to worry. Any RV or trailer-specialty shop can install one for you, and help you understand its features and settings.

4 KEEPING YOUR COOL
Truck lingo: Towing package, extra gauges.
Considerations: Where would you rather keep your eyes: on the road ahead; looking back to make sure your trailer's still there; or watching your gauges like a hawk to see what's overheating now? Towing's hard on trucks, and can quickly damage an underpowered vehicle. Towing heats engine oil, transmission fluid, radiator fluid, and you, when you're forced to turn off the air conditioner to give the engine more available power. Heat leads to stressed engine parts that can fail quickly. If you've heard someone utter the term "pulled the guts out of the truck," that usually means something overheated, causing a major failure. Today, most tow-package options include transmission coolers, oil coolers, and larger radiators. By paying more for these features at purchase time, you'll preserve and extend your truck's life. They can be added on after-market, but are much more expensive that way.
Action plan: When shopping, look for oil, radiator, and transmission temperature gauges. Monitor these tools to prevent breakdowns on the road, and remember to change the fluids per your manufacturer's recommendations.

5 WHERE RUBBER MEETS ROAD
Truck lingo: Load range D, E, F, and so on.
Considerations: Not all tires are made equally. Quiet passenger tires give you a feeling of floating at freeway speeds, but are designed to carry no more than a simple four-door sedan. If you see the terms "passenger tire" or "light truck tire" on a dealer sticker, the truck was set up for your comfort in mind, as these tires have more flex for a smoother ride. But to withstand the rigors of a bouncing trailer tongue while hitting potholes and negotiating ditches, you need a harder tire. Otherwise, you'll first feel the original tires' inadequacy when hauling around corners-the truck will start wandering to the outside of the lane no matter how much you try to hold the lane lines. The back of your truck will feel like it's wobbling from side to side, especially at low speeds. This is caused by the sidewall flexing as it takes the lateral weight, and not quite holding its shape. Which letter do you really need? For towing smaller bumper-pull trailers, upgrade to tires that list a load range of D or greater. For added stability and for the direct weight of gooseneck trailers, insist on load range E. As an added safety bonus, some manufacturers now offer tire-inflation monitoring systems. And, you can find replacement valve stems that light up when a tire loses inflation. This may seem like an expense that cuts into your budget, but it's worth every penny. Towing a trailer is no time to have a blowout.
Action plan: On the sidewall, look for a letter D or E after the words "load range." If you don't see those letters, add a set of different tires to your truck's price tag.

6 TRANNY TRANSITIONS
Truck lingo: Transmission cooler, low gearing.
Considerations: Trailer experts are divided as to whether automatic or manual transmissions are better for towing. Each type of transmission has enough tradeoffs and benefits to make the selection a personal one, so stick with what you're most comfortable operating. Modern automatic transmissions have special towing-mode settings, or have the intelligence to simply know when you're towing something, and adjusting automatically. This is certainly an improvement over the old warning of "never tow with an automatic in overdrive," which was often forgotten.
Worth knowing: Repair costs for automatics are much greater than those for heavy-duty clutches, which means you trade ease of operation for increased expenses in the event of a failure. Manual transmissions give those experienced with the design greater control over gear selections, and are often more durable in the long run. Their durability and lack of mechanical complexity have an added bonus of boosting your truck's GCWR, sometimes by as much as 25 percent. That translates to more oomph for a bigger trailer.
Action plan: If you choose an automatic transmission, but opt out of a complete towing package, always spring for a transmission cooler when available. Ninety percent of transmission failures can be attributed to overheated transmissions. A cooler will ensure the transmission fluid stays at a useful temperature, extending the life of the fluid and protecting critical seals within the transmission. This added equipment isn't needed for manual transmissions.

7 4X COMPROMISES
Truck lingo: Four-wheel-drive, bed height, drop hitch.
Considerations: Like transmissions, four-wheel versus two-wheel drive is a choice affected by personal (and regional) preferences. If you live in the south, you may rarely see a 4x4 tow vehicle. This would be a stark contrast to the norm for northern-state denizens, who expect to deal with snow, ice, and mud, and drive 4x4 vehicles accordingly. When it comes to choosing a tow vehicle with four-wheel drive, know that you're going to make two important compromises for those extra gears. First, the components needed to support a heavy-duty 4x4 system are just that- heavy. An additional gear box, extra components on the front axle, and heavier drive shaft, all cut into your GCWR. If you can tow 17,000 pounds with a two-wheel-drive vehicle, you may find you can only tow 16,000 with a four-wheel-drive version of the same truck. Second, four-wheel-drive trucks tend to be taller in both the bed and rear bumper. For bumper-pull trailers, this may necessitate buying a special hitch to keep your trailer level during towing. Goosenecks pose an additional problem, as trailer models have varying nose heights. One trailer may offer a safe six inches of clearance over the bed of a four-wheel-drive truck, while another will have a mere two inches. Each time the truck and trailer go over a rise or bump together, the trailer will smash into the bed of the truck, causing expensive body damage to one or both vehicles.
Action plan: If you already have a gooseneck trailer in mind, bring two things with you when truck shopping: a tape measure, and the measurement figure that represents the distance from the bottom of your gooseneck nose to the ground. When you find a likely candidate, measure the bed height at the tailgate, and add 6 inches. If this value's greater than the height figure of your gooseneck, and you don't want to pay body shop repair bills every time you hit a bump, go over a small hill, or negotiate a shallow ditch, keep looking. If you need 4x4 to get down the trails, expect to pass on more trucks than you would if looking for 4x2.

8 FEEDING THE BEAST
Truck lingo: Cabin insulation, fuel economy.
Considerations: There's a reason why semi-trucks hit the diesel pumps instead of gas pumps. As a rule, gas engines make more horsepower, which equals high cruising speeds on freeways. Diesel engines produce more torque, supplying the raw, low-speed power needed to move heavy loads. A common mistake in making the choice between the two engines is to base your decision on the closest gas station's price board. This overlooks a wide range of factors that affect costs, including gearing, the cost of fuel system maintenance, the weight from your chosen configuration, and the weight of your right foot, among other things. What diesel does earn over gasoline engines is proven longevity. On average, these draft horses of the truck world are likely to enjoy twice the operating lifespan over a gas engine. The engine components are designed in heavy-duty fashion, to handle a seriously high internal compression. A common complaint against older diesel engines is the sheer noise as they operate. Today, insulated engine compartments and passenger cabins have diesels purring almost as quietly as their gas counterparts. There are a few additional tradeoffs to consider when considering fuel mileage. Diesels require three to five minutes of idle time after starting and before shutting down, so that the immense amount of oil can circulate properly through the engine. Additionally, a diesel's fuel system is sensitive to cold temperatures. If you can't park the truck indoors, be prepared to string an extension cord to its engine heater when temps start falling below 40 degrees.
Action plan: Set aside the typical $4,000 price advantage of gas over diesel at purchase, and base your decision instead on the weight of the loads you plan to carry. With big trailers, choose diesel. A big V-8 gas engine may give you the same feeling of power, but it'll gulp gas so fast you may not be able to afford to feed it.

9 VERSATILITY VS. SPECIALTY
Truck lingo: Insurance savings, preserved resale value.
Considerations: We can't end without throwing out an option growing considerably more attractive to horseman as fuel prices skyrocket. Many families accustomed to his-and-hers cars have assigned the heavy tow rig as a daily-drive vehicle to one family member, and opted for a more efficient, luxurious alternative as a second vehicle. However, the fuel and maintenance costs of driving the tow vehicle every day can drain a family's budget.
Action plan: Investigate the viability of owning a third vehicle-a modestly priced used one, perhaps-to be used for daily driving. That way, wear and tear on your heavy-duty truck will be reduced from seven days a week to two, stretching maintenance intervals and their associated expenses, and preserving a healthy resale value. Reduced mileage and removal as a primary vehicle can save dollars on your truck's insurance bill, too.

Calculate My Gross Combined Weight Rating

I need at least _____________ pounds of Gross Combined Weight Rating.
To calculate this figure, add the following columns:
a. Curb weight of my empty trailer (listed in the owner's manual): __________

b. Feed (hay, grain, supplements): __________

c. Tack (bridles, halters, lead ropes, saddles, pads, blankets, longe lines, ropes): __________

d. Horses: __________

e. Grooming equipment (brushes, clippers, boxes, totes, bottles, sprays, creams): __________

f. Management equipment (buckets, hay bags, tools, wheelbarrows): __________

g. Safety equipment (tire jacks, roadside safety kit, tools, first-aid kits): __________

h. Other (such as water carried in the trailer): __________

TOTAL: __________

Shortcut: After fully loading your trailer, weigh your current truck alone at a public scale, note the value, and then weigh again with the trailer attached. Subtract the truck's weight from the total weight to find your loaded trailer's weight. While shopping, note the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating listed in the door of your candidate trucks, and add it to the value you noted above. Then flip open the owner's manual and look up the GCWR. If the value is less than 10 percent under, equal to, or over the listed GCWR of the truck, keep shopping.

Truck Selection Worksheet

Truck model:_______________________________________________________

GCWR:___________________________________________________________

Wheelbase:_______________________________________________________

Heavy-duty brakes?_________________________________________________

Integrated brake controller?__________________________________________

Towing package?__________________________________________________

Adequate gauges?_________________________________________________

Tire-load rating:___________________________________________________

_

Transmission:______________________________________________________

4x4?____________________________________________________________

Gas or diesel?_____________________________________________________

Other must-haves:__________________________________________________