Anyone using a newer chevy silverado 1500 with a hawk model?

[Purserverance]

Hi, we bought a hawk in 2015, love it more than any camping arrangement we have used in the last 20 years. It currently sits on a 2005 silverado 2500hd crewcab 2wd. The truck doesnt even know the camper is there! No engine struggle, barely any sag. But, its time for a new truck. We are thinking of downsizing to a 1500 2wd, extended cab. Is anyone out there using this truck with a hawk? We pull a small enclosed trailer with a small utv (2008 polaris rzr 800).
Is a V8 1500 enough truck? Meaning, the truck doesnt spend alot of time down shifting on slight grades, and the truck doesnt sag much, etc. Definitely willing to run airbags on rear suspension if needed.
What do you think? Thanks. Maybe a pic?

 

[shellback]

<p>I have a 2016 Silverado 1500 double cab Z-71 4x4 with the V8. I carry a 1979 Grandby that I completely rebuilt, with a dry weight of 1100 pounds. I have the Timbren suspension on the back axle. I also tow a Lund Alaskan 1600 with it at the same time. Seems fine to me with plenty of power and stops well also. I do have surge type disc brakes on my boat trailer, so I would recomment them.</p>

 

[Happyjax]

I would compare payload specifications of the truck you have now to the truck you are looking at. That will give you a better idea of what you may be dealing with.

The fact that you have "barely any sag" means you have some, which is not uncommon at all.
However, if the payload on the truck you want is significantly less than the sag will likely be significantly more.

In the end it is what you are willing to accept as a safe replacement for your current truck.

It might help to get a weight on the loaded camper before you commit to another truck.

Good luck

 

[Andy Douglass]

Not a GM truck, but a 08 Ram 1500. We haven't had the camper for that long, and I added a rear sway bar and air springs to the rear axle. We did a three day trip up Hwy 101 CA to OR, and we just got back from a 12 day trip (Tahoe-Mono Lake/Bodie-Central NV-Elko/Ruby Mountains-SE Idaho-Central Idaho(Stanley)-Eastern OR-NE CA).

After our first short trip, I decided to upgrade all four disc brakes to ventilated rotors and new "towing" pads, not because we had any brake scares but because the brakes were a little squeaky and were about 3 years old. I bedded in the new pads/rotors per instructions after the install. On our first day of the longer trip, coming down a moderately steep grade that had a lot of slow turns on it, my wife said the brakes were getting mushy. We pulled over about half way down the grade and I tested the brakes in the turn out. Mush City, almost completely dysfunctional. I let the brakes cool down a bit and then let the transmission do most of the braking from then on. We didn't have any other "scares", but it set me up for worrying about the truck being overloaded for the rest of the trip. Our camper is 1400# dry, so with the rest of the stuff on board, we are pretty overloaded for our payload rating. We also drove on some fairly rough National Forest roads without any real issues, but it felt like we were beating up the truck a bit.

With our other truck being an 05 Sierra 1500 and replacement on the horizon, we had always planned to get a 3/4 ton down the road to use for the camper, using the 08 Ram in the mean time. On our trip, we decided to get the 3/4 ton sooner rather than later, just so we don't have to worry about killing the 1/2 ton or having any safety issues on a trip. So we purchased a Ram 2500 to put our minds at ease.

Some considerations:

Not sure how heavy your camper is, but we are running a heavy Hawk with everything but a toilet in it. We also like to go on forest roads and other unpaved areas where 4x may be needed. If you are thinking of getting a 2WD, that tells me you probably spend most of your time on decent roads. Lots of people put these campers on 1/2 tons and that's why we did it, because there are so many people that do it without any reported issues. If you downgrade to a 1/2 ton, you can almost guarantee you will need some suspension upgrades, so figure that into your plans. But if it was me, I would stick with a 3/4 ton just for peace of mind.

 

[Tuff Guy 62]

We're running an ATC Panther shell that's been full time mounted for the past three years on a 2000 2WD Chevy 1500. We run with a set of Firestone Ride Rite air bags, no sway bar, camper dry weight is about 800lbs. We usually lug around about 400lbs of gear when out for a week or more. No problems for us, truck seems to handle the load well. Engine (5.3L V8, 155,000 miles) runs strong and have not had any braking issues. I usually run with tow/haul mode on and downshift to 3rd gear when pulling steeper uphill grades and definitely downshift on steep winding downhill grades to stay off the brakes as much as possible.

Probably helps that I drive in full time geezer mode, keeping a steady eye on my speed and driving very defensively to stay out of panic stop situations. This combo works for us now as a new truck is not in the household budget. When we replace the truck in about three years, we'll definitely be upgrading to a 3/4 ton so I can load up on more goodies.

 

[Purserverance]

Thanks all, thats exactly what i was hoping to hear. The Hawk is a shell model w upgrades, at about 1100 pounds, so it sounds like the 1500 will be fine, and i was planning on airbags. I was only thinkin uphill issues, never even considered downhill and brakes, so i will look into payload recs from GM. And i am on road most of the time, or very descent eastern sierra and nevada dirt roads. The rzr does the fun stuff!
Thanks again, see you out there

 

[trailrunreynolds]

We have chevy 1500 (4x4 with a 5.3L) with tow package that includes an over load leaf (seems typical for the tow package). Our hawk is about 1400 lbs before adding our gear. I have not added any air bags or other support. I use the tow/haul mode especially on long descents or ascents. Otherwise the truck does great. No issue going as fast as I want or need during the climb. Likewise during the descent. I do notice what one would expect for having a 1500 lbs object in the bed as far as overall handling. Takes a little longer to decelerate and accelerate. But not really that much longer. Overall very pleased and not likely to add any air bags.

 

[smlobx]

I must be missing something..

Why would someone get a half ton truck that may or may not be designed to carry the actual weight of the camper when a 3/4 ton truck will do it better for not much more money and still be the same size??

 

[PaulT]

I must be missing something..

Why would someone get a half ton truck that may or may not be designed to carry the actual weight of the camper when a 3/4 ton truck will do it better for not much more money and still be the same size??

1. 'cuz I had the truck before I wanted the camper
2. 'cuz Tundras don't come in 3/4 ton models
3. 'cuz I believed that if most FWC's are mounted on Tacomas, then surely a 1/2 ton truck would be fine
4. 'cuz I didn't learn about WTW until after I got the camper
6. or some combination of the above

Kinda like why would someone buy a place in the low country in an area where hurricanes frequent?
or why would I buy a place below the subduction zone tsunami elevation in Oregon?

\_(ツ)_/ I dunno.
Paul

 

[oldhotrod]

I have a 2016 Sierra 1500 2wd reg cab v8 w/8ft bed and older outfitted Grandby camper. Truck pulls camper great with no issues. If money was no object, I would "appreciate but not need" the bigger payload, brakes, 4wd and diesel of a "Perfect for me" truck but I wanted to do this on a smaller budget to make sure this whole thing worked for me first and it has so far...plus in the near future, we all my be travelling by hover cars...

 

[Kali]

I have my Hawk on Nissan Titan. The only think that I added after the FWC was Sumo Springs in place of the rear bump stops. I already KO2 BFG's and Bilstein shocks. The truck actually feels very settled, goes up and down hill no problem, and corners very well.

 

[mhskog]

I just upgraded from a 1/2 to a 3/4 ton, but that was done to tow a rock crawler jeep as well as the camper. I would replace the tires and go with a load E, yes the stock tires will handle it but, you will appreciate the stiffer sidewall. I would go with airbags, I ran the 1/2 ton with them and without, putting about 60lb's in each bag was perfect to bring the truck up to stock ride height and really the suspension didn't care the camper was there.

Matt

 

[Purserverance]

Thanks for the last 2 replies, i think i feel comfortable going for the 1500. Sure would be nice to take an extended test drive and put on the FWC and try it out!
In answer to why the 1500, i dont keep the camper on full time, and i figure the 1500 will get 5 mpg min better when unloaded. Makes me feel better about driving a truck for errands?

 

[trexoffroad]

I must be missing something..

Why would someone get a half ton truck that may or may not be designed to carry the actual weight of the camper when a 3/4 ton truck will do it better for not much more money and still be the same size??

For me, while I’d like the power of a diesel, the truth is the 2500+ trucks are so heavy, and do not ride as nice as 1/2ton (IMO) and do even worse off road. But I admittedly am looking for the Goldilocks situation. And finding it has been difficult at best.

 

[Vic Harder]

I would think that with the camper and gear on board, and the suspension mods a 1500 would need to be safe/reliable, the ride will be about the same as a 2500 or 3500. Unloaded, would be a different experience for sure though.

 

[Jon R]

A 1200-1500 lb loaded Hawk plus driver and passenger would be near or above the payload limit on many half ton trucks. Add in 500 lbs of bumper tongue load with a trailer for your Polaris and your payload is probably excessive and the payload center of gravity may be behind the rear axle.

 

[HiCap]

A 1200-1500 lb loaded Hawk plus driver and passenger would be near or above the payload limit on many half ton trucks. Add in 500 lbs of bumper tongue load with a trailer for your Polaris and your payload is probably excessive and the payload center of gravity may be behind the rear axle.

I have a 2010 Hawk, put it on a new 2010 Chevrolet 4/4 1/2 ton pickup. Used air bags to lift the squat in the back. Too much psi in the air bags make it ride like a pogo stick. Other trucks I had it on 2014, 2016 Ram Power wagon, 2019 Ram Rebel. They were all overloaded with my camper and gear I carried.

This year I bought a 2024 Chevrolet 2500HD Double Cab 4x4 pickup. Gas engine, 10 speed transmission, it carries the camper with ease, up and down the mountains. Cargo rating for camper is 2633 lbs in glove box, total combined load rating is 3.532 lbs. Every 1/2 ton truck and 3/4 ton Ram Power wagon I have had, "in the owners manual says not to install a slide in camper."

So if you are buying a new truck, the cost of a 3/4 and 1/2 ton truck is about the same. I like carrying about 1/2 my rated load instead of worrying about being overloaded all the time.

 

[Jon R]

...
I like carrying about 1/2 my rated load instead of worrying about being overloaded all the time.

Exactly my approach, too. 50% load is about where the stock suspension seems to be optimized for ride and “leveling.” My Grandby is about 1800 lbs loaded and my GMC 3500 hd payload is 4055 lbs. It rides, handles, and stops really nicely with the camper installed with no suspension mods. Plus i can safely tow a boat at the same time if i want to. The truck is big, though, and rides pretty stiff when empty, so I understand why some people want to stay with a half ton.