Towing heavy trailer with a 3/4 ton

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

We have not made up our minds yet but our thinking is a large 5th wheel with slide outs has a more open feel and more amenities, but I am interested in other's thinking. My 26 year old 34 triple is big but no place for a big tv, no built in jenny, no dishwasher, no washer dryer, no central vac etc. I could make some upgrades for some of the above and some not. The big reason for the "downgrade" though is an Airstream is just not a 4 season trailer and if we do the full time thing would be forced to snowbird, which we may end up doing anyway. We also could not afford a newer large Airstream.

I have officially become a snowbird, buying in to Travelers Rest & Resort in Florida. I will have a shed, washer/dryer, golf cart and cabana. It is like another living room next to the trailer. I could have chosen a park model or even a prefab house.... and am keeping my airstream to flee Florida in the summer. Even if you choose a 5th wheel, you can park it as a cabin, rent a tow vehicle from a commercial lease co. (or hire a semi) and move it 2, 3 times a year. And keeping the Airstream is then still an option.

[Adiredneck]

Just remember that if you trade up to a new Ram/Cummins, you get the DEF system that can fail and leave you disabled in 150 miles. I wish I had kept my old 2001 2500!

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by Adiredneck

Just remember that if you trade up to a new Ram/Cummins, you get the DEF system that can fail and leave you disabled in 150 miles. I wish I had kept my old 2001 2500!

My 2008 Ram Cummins has only 80k, no DEF. Runs great. Part of the reason I want to see if there is anything I can do to make it work.

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

My 2008 Ram Cummins has only 80k, no DEF. Runs great. Part of the reason I want to see if there is anything I can do to make it work.

Find someone who knows what they are doing and ask about suspension mods. It can be done without “putting everyone else on the road in peril”.

[Offack]

One of the quickest ways to convince the "DW" to upgrade to a dually 1 ton is to hookup to 5th wheel on a really hot day when asphalt is not at its best, hitch your 3/4/ ton and go for a ride. Include some really tight exit ramps off interstates . When "DW " feels the back off the tv sliding as the 5 the wh.pushes it around, guarantee your next stop will be a new truck dealership!
A 1 ton not only has an extra spring, but the extra tires on the rear axle really make a huge difference in handling of heavy loads. As to the "DW" comment I really shouldn't have to say " ask me how I know".
Rick

[CWSWine]

What was the final straw that convinced me staying within your trucks specs is when a customer of mine came in that is also a person injury attorney and knew I was an RVer. He said he just been to a seminar that talks about overweight RVs and focus on 3/4 ton trucks and 5th wheels. He said it was easy to prove since you can get the ratings on both the truck and the 5er from the manufacturer. I ask about court cases and he said that any lawyer that has his client interest at heart won't let get to court being in the wrong and face an unknown of a jury settlement. I think even a few years ago that might not be the case but today with a sue-happy society and better-educated attorneys and like he said the baby boomers increasingly towing over manufacture capacities it has become an issue. Just something to think about.


PS I ask about insurance not paying and he said the insurance in this state has to pay but the judge can award all parties be paid for damages/expenses including the insurance company.

[r carl]

5th wheels and dual rear wheels is wise.

[brokeboater]

Well it's now taken the natural progression to "must have a dualie." It won't be long before the HDT folks start.

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

What was the final straw that convinced me staying within your trucks specs is when a customer of mine came in that is also a person injury attorney and knew I was an RVer. He said he just been to a seminar that talks about overweight RVs and focus on 3/4 ton trucks and 5th wheels. He said it was easy to prove since you can get the ratings on both the truck and the 5er from the manufacturer. I ask about court cases and he said that any lawyer that has his client interest at heart won't let get to court being in the wrong and face an unknown of a jury settlement. I think even a few years ago that might not be the case but today with a sue-happy society and better-educated attorneys and like he said the baby boomers increasingly towing over manufacture capacities it has become an issue. Just something to think about.


PS I ask about insurance not paying and he said the insurance in this state has to pay but the judge can award all parties be paid for damages/expenses including the insurance company.

If you think being within manufacturer limits keeps you from being sued when you wreck your $100,000 TT and $60,000 pickup you don’t know the right lawyers. Nothing says “I have too much money” like some of these rigs.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Countryboy59

If you think being within manufacturer limits keeps you from being sued when you wreck your $100,000 TT and $60,000 pickup you don’t know the right lawyers. Nothing says “I have too much money” like some of these rigs.

This - 100X this.

I stay within specs but I don’t believe that’s a silver bullet against a lawsuit happy society. Anyone can sue for anything any time.

Staying within limits is good and makes a lot of sense. Defensive driving, good insurance with a carrier who will stand behind you, and a large umbrella liability policy are 3 tools to help when the world around you makes no sense....

[CWSWine]

I agree 100% and the umbrella policy is some additional advice I was given. Getting in an accident towing an AS that can weight as much as 10,000 could cause more damage/injury expense than your standard policy will cover.

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

This - 100X this.

I stay within specs but I don’t believe that’s a silver bullet against a lawsuit happy society. Anyone can sue for anything any time.

Staying within limits is good and makes a lot of sense. Defensive driving, good insurance with a carrier who will stand behind you, and a large umbrella liability policy are 3 tools to help when the world around you makes no sense....

[CWSWine]

You can say the something about traveling 65 miles hour, make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure, properly setup WD, or even defensive driving but they play a part in not getting sued for being in an accident.

Originally Posted by Countryboy59

If you think being within manufacturer limits keeps you from being sued when you wreck your $100,000 TT and $60,000 pickup you don’t know the right lawyers. Nothing says “I have too much money” like some of these rigs.

[waninae39]

give Andy at CANAM RV in london ON a call

he can give you honest advice as to the best solution ie stay with the 3/4 or move up

[Safetyfirst]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

We have a 2008 Ram 2500 diesel. In great shape with ow mileage. It tows our 34 footer 9900# easy. Dodge says the towing capacity of the Ram is 12,800#. We are thinking about a 5th wheel SOB for full timing. Looking for advice on towing above the 12,800 factory spec. Any modifications to increase towing capacity? Air suspension?

Tampa Spring, in Tampa, upgrades truck suspensions. With Ford, you can effectively make a 250 into a 350 as all else is the same.
Don’t know about Dodge but maybe similar. Other cities likely have companies like Tampa Spring.

[CWSWine]

I know a person that did that and they put a new door sticker on the truck. When he ran his VIN on the Ford site it showed the 10,000 pound GVWR and the original payload. They said they couldn't change what Ford has listed for the truck they just increased the truck capabilities.

Originally Posted by Safetyfirst

Tampa Spring, in Tampa, upgrades truck suspensions. With Ford, you can effectively make a 250 into a 350 as all else is the same.
Don’t know about Dodge but maybe similar. Other cities likely have companies like Tampa Spring.

[Ladyfish]

We bought a 33 ft. (LOA) 5th wheel in 2012 and ran it without difficulty on a Ford F250 diesel without any issues. The question is how "big" is big?

Our 5th wheel had 2 opposing slides in the main cabin so that it opened out about 17 ft. wide in the kitchen/living area and another slide in the bedroom. There was more storage than we ever used.

We were not full-timers; but we spent several months a year in Florida or Montana. We just sold the 5th wheel to another couple that are going "full-time" for the next year. They said it was the best size and layout they looked at.

So, if you want to keep your current truck start looking at the 5th wheels that meet your truck's capabilities. If you aren't happy with the size that fits, you will have to get another truck.

[r carl]

Originally Posted by brokeboater

Well it's now taken the natural progression to "must have a dualie." It won't be long before the HDT folks start.

Not always.

[sarge12212]

It sort of depends WHICH Ram 2500 you have. My 2000 RAM 2500 W/ 5.9 CUMMINS infers that it is a 3/4 ton truck. Except the fact that it is a 6-speed HD with the same Dana 80 rear end of a 1ton and factory overload springs. In reality, it is a single-tire 1ton truck.
With that being said, I'm not a big fan of pulling a heavy 5th wheel camper on a non-duelly truck. Blow a tire at highway speeds and things can get real violent, real quick! Better to upgrade to the 1ton duelly and have more tire capacity and safety. Not to mention the superior suspension and larger brakes. I've blown tires on a big-rig several times. Generally, you can limp down the road to a safe location instead of swapping tires on a busy highway. So, unless you are going with a smaller 5th wheel, your 3/4 is probably too light-duty for the work.

[Posse96]

As others have noted there are things to consider; suspension, gear ratio, axle ratings, etc., of the truck. You need to ensure the Ram tow rating is specific to your model. What I mean by this is take Ford for instance; they promote a 12,500 tow capacity. Yes, for a 2 dr, 2 wheel drive model. Tundra is similar, up to 12,500 tow, but my 4dr, 4 wheel drive CrewMax is limited to 10,000 lbs due to added weight of the truck. You may have dinne this, but best to check your manual as most will have the tow weight based on the model # on the sticker inside driver's door. That said, what is more notable, as I've read several articles and have related experience, is your insurance carrier. If you overload the tow vehicle beyond its ratings and you have an accident, you may find your carrier won't cover the loss. Carriers have been claiming down over the years and a family member found this out when he towed his trailer that exceeded his trucks tow capacity; truck rated 10k, trailer was 12,000. Even with proper modifications, when he lost control of the rigs and trashed the trailer, his carrier denied coverage of the loss as he exceeded the ratings by 2k. Food for thought.

[johnparris]

Originally Posted by Posse96

Tundra is similar, up to 12,500 tow, but my 4dr, 4 wheel drive CrewMax is limited to 10,000 lbs due to added weight of the truck.

Are you sure yours is 10,000?

I’ve found this to be a common misconception in the Tundra forums I frequent, since I owned one up until a couple months ago.

The 2017 CrewMax 4x4 Limited is rated at around 8900 towing capacity.

I had a 2016 SR5 and 2018 Limited and both were under 9k lbs tow capacity decked out with 4WD, tow package, larger gas tank, etc.