We have a 5th wheel that is just a little larger then what you are
considering. My 2002 Dodge dually with 5 speed stick and 3:54 rear
end. It works fine. It stops fine, trailer has 3 axles. When we get
to the destination the truck is still very usable. It is not too
large to use in town. Combination works fine in the mountains of Oregon as well. (Has jake brake)
I am sure saying this will draw comments like flys from those who feel you should go out and get a 5500 truck but that is how I feel.
After reading some posts on this subject I feel some people expect
too much from their rigs as far as brakes and acceleration. The stopping power of any rig is far less then what the truck is by itself. Same is true with class 8 trucks.
Say what you want, but original poster towing a 5er with a GVW of 18,000# is too heavy for a "reg." 1 ton dually...it is what it is. No one is saying go out and buy a HDT, but again, go to some of the forums where people are towing these heavier rigs and most ARE using 450/4500's and bigger. My 07.5 dually has 365 HP and 660ftlb of torque, hooked to a great Allison 6 speed tranny, but no way would I try to tow an 18,000# 5er with it. Gotta be pushing the limit of the trucks safety factors somewhere, just common sense.
Jim & Kathy
07.5 Chevy K3500DRW/CC/LB/LMM/D/A/6speed/ LTZ,Prodigy,Reese 20K Ht.
08 Jeep Liberty Sport Trail Rated
06 HR Presidential Suite 37RLQ 4 slide,
Boxers;Buddy& Sheba II
USAF 71-75 Nam Vet
NC Hauler wrote: Say what you want, but original poster towing a 5er with a GVW of 18,000# is too heavy for a "reg." 1 ton dually...it is what it is. No one is saying go out and buy a HDT, but again, go to some of the forums where people are towing these heavier rigs and most ARE using 450/4500's and bigger. My 07.5 dually has 365 HP and 660ftlb of torque, hooked to a great Allison 6 speed tranny, but no way would I try to tow an 18,000# 5er with it. Gotta be pushing the limit of the trucks safety factors somewhere, just common sense.
I wouldn't tow it either with your truck...... front end is too soft. :0 Just messing with ya.....
2006 F350 PSD CC 4X4 Dually w/Tow Boss package to pull 2006 LE3905
I agree with you 100%, I wouldn't try towing it with my truck either. It only has a GVW of 11,400# and a GCWR of 23,500#, simple math, common sense and safety help make my decision not to try towing something that heavy with my truck...no offense taken
ON EDIT: F350 with Tow Boss is a whole different animal, if you had read all my post you might see that I had recommended it at the very least as one that might be able to handle that kind of weight but more than likely, it would I'd prefer a 450/4500 for that kind of weight.
* This post was
edited 11/13/09 06:32pm by NC Hauler *
I also would not go below a F450 for that trailer. Heck, my next truck will be a F450 and I have a F350 with the Tow Boss. But I want more truck to have more margin.
NC Hauler wrote: Say what you want, but original poster towing a 5er with a GVW of 18,000# is too heavy for a "reg." 1 ton dually...it is what it is. No one is saying go out and buy a HDT, but again, go to some of the forums where people are towing these heavier rigs and most ARE using 450/4500's and bigger. My 07.5 dually has 365 HP and 660ftlb of torque, hooked to a great Allison 6 speed tranny, but no way would I try to tow an 18,000# 5er with it. Gotta be pushing the limit of the trucks safety factors somewhere, just common sense.
Did the original poster say he was loading that possible new trailer to the full 18,000? I did not read that into it. I noticed on your
profile that you have a 4 slide Holiday Rambler. Does your dually
pull that ok? I bet your trailer axles are at the ragged edge on weight whenyou are loaded for a trip. I was surprised at all the weight advice when I saw the size of your trailer Since your confidence meter is drooping down with your tow rig maybe you should watch for an older Dodge dually. I never feel that iffy when going down the road.
Since I dont use my toyhauler to haul toys, your Holiday Rambler
may be as heavy as I am or the OP.
I am going to watch Craigslist for a good used Dodge for you anyway
NC Hauler wrote: Say what you want, but original poster towing a 5er with a GVW of 18,000# is too heavy for a "reg." 1 ton dually...it is what it is. No one is saying go out and buy a HDT, but again, go to some of the forums where people are towing these heavier rigs and most ARE using 450/4500's and bigger. My 07.5 dually has 365 HP and 660ftlb of torque, hooked to a great Allison 6 speed tranny, but no way would I try to tow an 18,000# 5er with it. Gotta be pushing the limit of the trucks safety factors somewhere, just common sense.
Did the original poster say he was loading that possible new trailer to the full 18,000? I did not read that into it. I noticed on your
profile that you have a 4 slide Holiday Rambler. Does your dually
pull that ok? I bet your trailer axles are at the ragged edge on weight whenyou are loaded for a trip. I was surprised at all the weight advice when I saw the size of your trailer Since your confidence meter is drooping down with your tow rig maybe you should watch for an older Dodge dually. I never feel that iffy when going down the road.
Since I dont use my toyhauler to haul toys, your Holiday Rambler
may be as heavy as I am or the OP.
I am going to watch Craigslist for a good used Dodge for you anyway
Do a little research on my rig...if the info is still in some of my post, you'll see my weight tickets...I'm under GVWR of my truck as well as GCWR. The reason you've seen all the weight advice from one of the dreaded weight police(ie, me) is because I've "lived and learned"..been there done that. Trying to help others from making some of the mistakes I did, maybe even save a little money along the way like I DIDN'T..Regular weight of my 5er, loaded for the wife and I is well under 15,000#..I have hit 15,000#, normally it's well below that. My 5er right now, loaded for Thanksgiving week of camping, weighs in at 14,880#, (weighs 14,340 empty..meaning nothing in any tanks, the way I ALWAYS tow, no black water, no brown water, no fresh water...been doing that way for years)..you see, over the years, I was one of those that argued with people and called them names when "I" was told I was towing "over" when I towed a 14,500# GVW 5er with 3 slides with my 2500HD/ex-cab/shortbed/D/A...they were idiots, they didn't know what they were talking about and I DID..come to find out, I was as much as 900# over my GVWR...all that aside....I know exactly what I'm doing NOW..I sucked it up, admitted I was wrong, did some research and tried to match the truck with the 5er...The 5er has a basement big enough to park a small car in, lots of cargo room. We don't full time, we don't need it..it looks almost empty...
NOW, if the original poster had EVER stated what they were going to tow or had given a weight such as you or I have, might not have been as bad..but "I" don't know how everyone else does and I know how overloaded I was with the 2500 and the Coachmen..thus the reason in a dually...Would I go with a heavier 5er with my truck...NO!! My truck pulls this 5er fine all through the mountains of WV, TN, NC, SC and VA, no issues whatsoever, but I don't load it to the max. axles are rated at 7,000# each, load range G tires...do the math...really simple, we'll go with 15,000# loaded,though that's extreme..oh, pinweight is a tad under 3,000#,(which is carried by the TRUCK, not the 5er axles), which puts 12,000# on two 7,000# axles, which are riding on tires that can support 3,750# each..See how easy it is..Weight on the axles is FAR from the "ragged edge", I've even weighed EACH wheel weight..all under..it's amazing how well this 5er was engineered...
You sound a lot like I did, really defensive when and if you found out that you might be wrong...yeah, maybe I made an "assumption" about the original posters weight, but they never came in here and said anything any differently about how they were going to load that 18,000# 5er and when our children were still home and traveled with us, it was amazing how much you could load in these 5er's and how quickly all that weight added up.
So if I offended you, I truly apologize...never heard any weights from you either, but none of my business, I usually back up my talk with facts and weights and I KNOW where I'm sitting and you are correct if figuring if I load up to the GVW of my 5er's max weight, though the RAWR would STILL handle that weight, I personally would not have purchased this particular 5er. But the DW and I travel really light...I weighed this 5er a week before I purchased it just to make sure I had room to play with and I had more than I dreamed I would...The D/A I have pulls this 5er all over the mountains and it does it well..but there are some mountains I drive up, unlike others, I "DO know it's back there"..(I always love that one)...anymore info you need, PM me or just put it down here, I'm under all my weights and have the proof.
My confidence meter drooping, thats funny...wow, you must be a kid...I love the Cummins, even towed with one...no "confidence drop" here..I wouldn't tow any heavier because I personally feel it's "nor the safe thing" to do, but at 59, my lifestyle has tended to change. No thanks on the older Cummins dually, it's GVWR is no better than mine, but I did appreciate the smart mouth and the defensive attitute. It befits some in here. I never said a word about feeling "iffy"..Glad you keep your weight down, you see I know that because you told me and I have no reason to doubt your telling the truth, I'm like that...again, original poster NEVER came back and gave weights on the 18.000# GVW 5er, which I wouldn't have looked at in the first place with my truck,just due to safety factors, at least that's "my take""'.
"Craiglist"...not interested in another truck, it's no more capable than mine is...mine is paid for..I'm happy, 365HP & 660 ftlb of torques, 11,400 GVVWR & 23,500 GCWR, works for what I'm doing with it.
Looking at your profile, I see your retired, I take back the "kid" comment, just sounded like one, but I guess I do at times also
ON EDIT: Your 5er empty is 13,965#, Mine, with options that are on it with empty tanks is 14,350..that's two AC's, everything..I've since taken out the sliding glass closet doors, (weight 60#) and replaced with drapes, (8#) removed the two leather recliners and ottomans and replaced with sofa/sizzor bed, sofa is 10# lighter than two recliners and footrest..anyway, I do know all my weights and probably, loaded weigh less than you do...loaded.
* This post was
last
edited 11/14/09 09:25am by NC Hauler *
View edit history
NC Hauler wrote: Say what you want, but original poster towing a 5er with a GVW of 18,000# is too heavy for a "reg." 1 ton dually...it is what it is. No one is saying go out and buy a HDT, but again, go to some of the forums where people are towing these heavier rigs and most ARE using 450/4500's and bigger. My 07.5 dually has 365 HP and 660ftlb of torque, hooked to a great Allison 6 speed tranny, but no way would I try to tow an 18,000# 5er with it. Gotta be pushing the limit of the trucks safety factors somewhere, just common sense.
Did the original poster say he was loading that possible new trailer to the full 18,000? I did not read that into it. I noticed on your
profile that you have a 4 slide Holiday Rambler. Does your dually
pull that ok? I bet your trailer axles are at the ragged edge on weight whenyou are loaded for a trip. I was surprised at all the weight advice when I saw the size of your trailer Since your confidence meter is drooping down with your tow rig maybe you should watch for an older Dodge dually. I never feel that iffy when going down the road.
Since I dont use my toyhauler to haul toys, your Holiday Rambler
may be as heavy as I am or the OP.
I am going to watch Craigslist for a good used Dodge for you anyway
Do a little research on my rig...if the info is still in some of my post, you'll see my weight tickets...I'm under GVWR of my truck as well as GCWR. The reason you've seen all the weight advice from one of the dreaded weight police(ie, me) is because I've "lived and learned"..been there done that. Trying to help others from making some of the mistakes I did, maybe even save a little money along the way like I DIDN'T..Regular weight of my 5er, loaded for the wife and I is well under 15,000#..I have hit 15,000#, normally it's well below that. My 5er right now, loaded for Thanksgiving week of camping, weighs in at 14,880#, (weighs 14,340 empty..meaning nothing in any tanks, the way I ALWAYS tow, no black water, no brown water, no fresh water...been doing that way for years)..you see, over the years, I was one of those that argued with people and called them names when "I" was told I was towing "over" when I towed a 14,500# GVW 5er with 3 slides with my 2500HD/ex-cab/shortbed/D/A...they were idiots, they didn't know what they were talking about and I DID..come to find out, I was as much as 900# over my GVWR...all that aside....I know exactly what I'm doing NOW..I sucked it up, admitted I was wrong, did some research and tried to match the truck with the 5er...The 5er has a basement big enough to park a small car in, lots of cargo room. We don't full time, we don't need it..it looks almost empty...
NOW, if the original poster had EVER stated what they were going to tow or had given a weight such as you or I have, might not have been as bad..but "I" don't know how everyone else does and I know how overloaded I was with the 2500 and the Coachmen..thus the reason in a dually...Would I go with a heavier 5er with my truck...NO!! My truck pulls this 5er fine all through the mountains of WV, TN, NC, SC and VA, no issues whatsoever, but I don't load it to the max. axles are rated at 7,000# each, load range G tires...do the math...really simple, we'll go with 15,000# loaded,though that's extreme..oh, pinweight is a tad under 3,000#,(which is carried by the TRUCK, not the 5er axles), which puts 12,000# on two 7,000# axles, which are riding on tires that can support 3,750# each..See how easy it is..Weight on the axles is FAR from the "ragged edge", I've even weighed EACH wheel weight..all under..it's amazing how well this 5er was engineered...
You sound a lot like I did, really defensive when and if you found out that you might be wrong...yeah, maybe I made an "assumption" about the original posters weight, but they never came in here and said anything any differently about how they were going to load that 18,000# 5er and when our children were still home and traveled with us, it was amazing how much you could load in these 5er's and how quickly all that weight added up.
So if I offended you, I truly apologize...never heard any weights from you either, but none of my business, I usually back up my talk with facts and weights and I KNOW where I'm sitting and you are correct if figuring if I load up to the GVW of my 5er's max weight, though the RAWR would STILL handle that weight, I personally would not have purchased this particular 5er. But the DW and I travel really light...I weighed this 5er a week before I purchased it just to make sure I had room to play with and I had more than I dreamed I would...The D/A I have pulls this 5er all over the mountains and it does it well..but there are some mountains I drive up, unlike others, I "DO know it's back there"..(I always love that one)...anymore info you need, PM me or just put it down here, I'm under all my weights and have the proof.
My confidence meter drooping, thats funny...wow, you must be a kid...I love the Cummins, even towed with one...no "confidence drop" here..I wouldn't tow any heavier because I personally feel it's "nor the safe thing" to do, but at 59, my lifestyle has tended to change. No thanks on the older Cummins dually, it's GVWR is no better than mine, but I did appreciate the smart mouth and the defensive attitute. It befits some in here. I never said a word about feeling "iffy"..Glad you keep your weight down, you see I know that because you told me and I have no reason to doubt your telling the truth, I'm like that...again, original poster NEVER came back and gave weights on the 18.000# GVW 5er, which I wouldn't have looked at in the first place with my truck,just due to safety factors, at least that's "my take""'.
"Craiglist"...not interested in another truck, it's no more capable than mine is...mine is paid for..I'm happy, 365HP & 660 ftlb of torques, 11,400 GVVWR & 23,500 GCWR, works for what I'm doing with it.
Looking at your profile, I see your retired, I take back the "kid" comment, just sounded like one, but I guess I do at times also
OUCH....WOW.....SPLAT....why would I be defensive...did you see my little smily faces? Just leading you along. I knew that my short
little post would pull you into a great defensive oratory. It worked.
Amazing, our weights are almost exactly the same. Big difference
is I have another axle. About 33% more brakes on trailer. No wonder
I feel good when I tow
NCHauler, dont take all this so serious. Lets enjoy this great Saturday morning we have been given with a smile on our face.
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Since your confidence meter is drooping down with your tow rig maybe you should watch for an older Dodge dually. I never feel that iffy when going down the road.
