I have a 28 Nordic heat that with fuel and everything is within 500 lbs or so from the sounds of it as your fountain...I mostly pull it with my ram dually however I have towed it quite a lot with my half ton as well which is a 17 crew cab Silverado with a 5.3...It does more than fine pulling it AND STOPPING...Mind you my surge brakes did not work at all summer and I'm currently fixing them along with my other boat upgrades...Had a deer jump in front of me on the way home from the ramp one night and even with ZERO trailer brakes it stopped the boat and truck as fast or faster than the dually would have...just my experience

Stewart

Just wait until you guys have to make an emergency stop because some A hole cuts you off. best of luck. I will open your eyes

...but on wet pavement? Have you ever inspected your Bravo while still sitting in the driver's seat of your truck?

It was on dry pavement...we can nit pick it to death but I was just sharing my experience with less than ideal trailer braking...I agree that either electric or EOH trailer brakes would be better than surge brakes especially with a half ton truck and it seemed the OP was looking in the half ton range and wondering if a half ton would do it...I believe that set up properly it will handle that boat just fine...of course a 3/4 ton or 1 ton would be best but not everyone likes spending 70+k on a truck

Stewart

I'm not a 1/2 ton guy, because I like to feel like a MAN, but to be fair we need to acknowledge that today's 1/2 tons are as capable as yesterday's 3/4 or SRW 1 tons, especially in braking. (Now if you're talking load carrying ability of gravel in the bed, that's different, but we're not.) Most of us would have had no concerns using yesterday's 3/4 or 1 ton with drum brakes and undersized discs to pull a big boat, but we're up in arms about a half ton today pulling a load within its limits. Weight of the road tractor, wheel base, braking ability, and somewhat suspension are the factors to stopping and controlling a trailer. Today's half tons are as good in those measures as yesterday's 3/4 or SRW 1 tons.

That being said, only time I ever thought I had too much truck was in a parking garage.

My 2015 Silverado 1500 with 5.3 and 3.42 gears was far more truck than my old 2500 Avalanche with 8100 vortec and 4.10 gears. Did every single thing better, period. Better braking, better handling, better power, better transmission. Pulled more weight with that thing than it was rated for many times and far exceeded my expectations. If you are within the factory tow rating, you are absolutely good to go.

Now for you half ton haters, wait until you see the tow ratings increase when Quadrasteer is reintroduced. I witnessed some of the development and testing for the program revamp. Lets just say during the SAE towing test, adding the feature exactly DOUBLED the tow rating of the same truck when rear-steer was enabled. At least they will be now offering the option on lower trim model trucks instead of just with the high-end LTZ/Denali packages.

The half-ton trucks currently available are neither braking or power limited in regards to tow capacity ratings. Currently only limited by handling and yaw motions introduced to trailer in panic steering situations. Rear-wheel steering assist completely eliminates this.

Pretty interesting info there ^^^


I’m curious if anyone here has Whipple or Pro-Charged their 5.3?

you'd never regret a new diesel. so quiet now