Tow Vehicle for a 33 Classic

[Vlamgat]

A quote from above:

3) After towing my camper for nearly 10 years with a half ton vehicle, at max limits, and then using a diesel, I would never go back.

I have to say the same. I towed on the limit for 10 years: 10,000lb tow limit and a 10,000 capacity. Verified the weights for axles and hitch. Upgraded the brakes and power but its was not enough. Everything is marginal. Starting, avoiding, and above all slowing. But worst was finding truck tires that could perform at their limits all the time. eventually a 17.5" Rickson upgrade with Bridgestone G rated tires alleviated the problem.

Then went to a F550 PSD - all the problems, nuances, iffy stuff went away. what price piece of mind? As a pilot, the prior truck felt like a FAR 23 piston twin where the second engine flies you to the scene of your accident. The second feels like a C130J - kick the tires and light the fires !

[ITSNO60]

Originally Posted by Vlamgat

Then went to a F550 PSD - all the problems, nuances, iffy stuff went away. !

Don't get me wrong I love the 450's and 550's but I rode with my buddy once in his 550 and holey moley when he crossed over the RR tracks my head hit the ceiling! By the time we got where we were going my stomach was upside down!

[alantbird]

If you come out west and expect to climb the rockies, do us all a favor and bring the diesel.

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

No but if you install a ProPride hitch you can pull it with a Jeep Wrangler. Or Ford Fiesta .

No you can’t. You need over 400 hp to pull that.

Too much sarcasm doesn’t help people who are using this forum to actually learn something (I wrote it off as entertainment long ago).

The dealer you are passive-aggressively making fun of set up my F350, Hensley, and 27’ Serenity. They did a great job.

[PaulnGina]

Originally Posted by Daquenzer

I'd stick with the over qualified diesel for a TT that size.

x2..... or however many agreed with this.

[DBinSD]

What I see here are the people that say “ I tow w/ my F150/ 1500/ Toyota just fine” all the time. Never having been in an emergent situation or been on trips more than 1500 miles.

I started paying closer attention to those that had owned BOTH and preferred the 2500/3500 class based on their towing experiences.

I to have towed with as light as Toyota Tacoma on up to a F350.

I have “settled” on a Ram 2500 Diesel and have been more than pleased with its performance towing our 28’.

[Jekerrville]

Howdy!
In our life time so far we have been well over a couple of million miles pulling every thing from cattle to oil field equipment to construction equipment.

Been behind the wheel of everything from the L9000 down to F150.

The real question about comfortable and safe driving while pulling trailers is matching the power plant to the load.

Can you untrack 10,000# ‘s with a 1,000# carry-all? Sure can.

Like the man said “23 piston twin can fly you to your accident” and most likely in a darn big hurry.

Pulling and controlling/stopping are two different things but both require us to pay attention to load balancing, how you are mounted and your desire not to have your rear end cutting holes in your seat when roadway conditions change,.....suddenly.

Monarch Pass, Raton Pass roller-coaster or the Ouray Pass slalom, sure is comforting to know your in control of your 31’ Classic “Roscoe” behind a F350 longbed loaded with mama’s wine cellar, genset and fully camp ready.

To each his own, but I don’t want to be the guy that looses it and takes you and your family out on a mountain pass or interstate highway or country back road because I was trying to pull something with a rig that was at 100 or 110% over rated specifications.

It just is not polite.

Ride on Cowboy and don’t get thrown.

[sbowman]

Over rated or under rated could be reasonably presumed to be ones opinion. We prefer better safe than sorry, the lower the risk the higher the smile factor.



Diesel 3500 gets our vote.


Safe travels and best regards

[0557]

We tow our 34ft Limited triple axle,
850 lb tongue weight, with a 2018 Armada with
EAZ LIFT 1200 lb bars and 2 anti sway rails.

[starpicker]

Not to be repetitive, but I have just joined and just bought a 2018 Classic 33TB. I have a mint 2013 4X4 F250 6.7 Diesel. I agree with previous posts on having additional power. I just pulled it recently to a Bluegrass Festival in Missouri and on an interstate with very hilly stretches. Didn’t even know it was back there.

You won’t regret the power. Easily pulled it on cruise up steep stuff with no sweat and if you keep the RPM around 1500 I got 16mpg. Other vehicles may do, but imagine the Rockies or some of the National Parks. No sway, no sweat, max safety in inclement weather with Equalizer Sway System installed by the dealer, and no worries. As others have put it better than I, you may get out of the parking lot in a Honda, but you won’t climb Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. I’d suggest have fun and increase your margin of safety and planning.

[switz]

Most “stock” receivers are rated 1,200 pounds. So I cut off the stock 2012 Ram 2500HD Cummins receiver and installed a Curt 15409 rated for 2,550 pounds of tongue weight and a 17,000 pound trailer and never looked back.

BTW, After the initial battery/solar conversion, our 2014 31’ Classic had a 1,375 pound tongue weight. After the upgrade to a lithium battery, the tongue weight dropped back to 1,175 pounds.

Our 2013 25FB had a 833 pound literature tongue weight that morphed to 1,150 pounds at the selling dealership when we added the Hensley Arrow hitch, Tekonsha remote brake control head, full propane and water tanks, street and rear awnings and a 165 watt solar panel on the roof. Oh, there was a brief case and tooth brush in there too.

I would expect that the 33’ Classic would have a real world tongue weight approaching 1,400 pounds with both 40 pound propane tanks full and AGM batteries.

So do check the hitch rating on that new truck.......

[beetlebob]

I love my over qualified truck. I use a Airsafe hitch and have no movement of the truck transfer into the trailer. So no popped rivets. We have lost 4 rivets just sitting in Iowa from the temperature changes that make the metal expand and shrink. My biggest problem is remembering that I have a trailer behind me because I don’t have any problems pulling it

[jrkott]

I have a 2018 Chevy 2500 Duramax Deisil and Blue Ox 1500 hitch pulling a 2018 33 Classic. In addition to effortless uphill pulling, I love the smooth and reassuring braking assist I get with the exhaust brake engaged when heading downhill for long stretches. Don’t have to worry about burning up those brakes!!!!