3500 Dodge dually to pull FC-23FB, do I need a modified hitch?

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by koberudy

We ordered the Flying Cloud 23FB this week for delivery next summer. We have an 04 Dodge Ram 3500 dually diesel with no modifications. My question is, will I need a special hitch, and if so which one would you recommend? It already has the basic class III receiver hitch and an old (04) Prodigy? brake controller. I'm totally ignorant on special hitches and what they really accomplish. My last 2 rv's were a truck camper and 5th wheel. Please point me in the right direction, thanks.

Lighten the air in your truck tires

[Adiredneck]

Originally Posted by koberudy

So with this combo, Airsafe and Equalizer, what am I probably looking at cost wise? Also I'm noticing "installation instructions." How much installation is involved; I thought it just slides into the receiver? How easy, how much time to hitch up/unhitch at a campsite? What do you do with this chunky equipment at a campsite when not hitched up and you want to go somewhere in the TV?

I don't know what they mean about installation instructions. I just mounted my previously owned Equalizer to my new AirSafe, a matter of screwing in four bolts and torquing them as directed. After that, it is no more complicated or time consuming than any other hitch. It is, however, much heavier - mine is almost 100 lbs. At home, I have a hand truck that converts to a dolly so I pull it out and put it on the dolly to move around. If we are out camping, and I want to use the TV on its own, I'll usually just leave it locked in the receiver, due to the weight.

[Adiredneck]

Originally Posted by One Smith

Our new Ford 350, not dually, will be here in a few days. We wanted a bigger truck that can carry more weight to tow our flying cloud 23FB. What do you think? Will it beat up our AS? We plan to carry allot of weight in the truck. 2 bikes, generator, bonfire solo stove, truck cap, and more.
We may get a bigger AS and don’t want an underpowered truck.

Payload gets used up pretty quick when you start loading up the truck with all the stuff you mentioned. The CAT scale reading for our Ram 3500 and 27fb Classic is 17,500# combined, with 10,000# on the pickup and 7500# on the Airstream. You can see how I've configured the truck in the photos under my avatar. Same advice on the hitch as given, above. An AirSafe hitch added to your Equalizer will provide weight distribution, anti sway, AND keep that F350 from beating the hell out of your Airstream.

[thomasg]

Your 3500 will do fine. I have a '03 2500 the factory receiver is class IV. I pull my 34' just on the ball. The one ton pickups these days ride like Cadillacs compare to trucks made 30 years ago & back. As far as a 3500 being over kill its better to have more truck than not enough. Personally like knowing I can stop truck & trailer with out trailer brakes if need be.

[Jim & Mitzi]

Originally Posted by koberudy

We ordered the Flying Cloud 23FB this week for delivery next summer. We have an 04 Dodge Ram 3500 dually diesel with no modifications. My question is, will I need a special hitch, and if so which one would you recommend? It already has the basic class III receiver hitch and an old (04) Prodigy? brake controller. I'm totally ignorant on special hitches and what they really accomplish. My last 2 rv's were a truck camper and 5th wheel. Please point me in the right direction, thanks.

I’ve pulled 34’ AS & Avion with a 2011 2500 Cummins 6.7 and factory hitch , brake equipment. And basic HD weight distribution hitch. Goes down the road, around corners just great. The 2500 \3500’s structure is so much better for towing over the 1500 / f150 sizes. You’ll be fine. Enjoy & have safe travels . Braking with the weights involved is always a concern with any vehicles.. and always check your hitch components, bolts, pins etc.

[One Smith]

Hello all,

I want to thank you for all the great responses to my question. And especially I want to take ADIREDNECK for including a picture of an air safe hitch.

So in the past few days we have contacted the Air Safe company and talked to a very knowledgeable man named Lloyd. He explained how they work better than their website did. He also emailed us information about installation and the different classes of hitches. So we have decided to order an air safe hitch from them when we get our new truck. The reason we’re going to wait until we get the truck is that the dealer is unsure if it’s going to have a 2 1/2 inch or 3 inch
receiver and Air Safe has all 3 common sizes. (If anyone is interested in speaking with him his direct number is 407-973-2980).

Somewhere along the line 2020/2021 models of the F350 started coming with the 3 inch only unless the dealer specified 2 1/2 inch. We live in unusual times my friends.

So, for anyone who is wondering about an air safe hitch you can go to their website airsafehitch.com and see the different kinds of hitches that they offer for a better, softer, smoother ride. They also have a video of it in action. They offer several classes of hitches and we have decided on the class IV.

This forum is a great place for information and to toss around different ideas and all suggestions were helpful and appreciated.

One thing I forgot to mention when I posted originally was that we currently have a 2019 4 x 4 Toyota Tundra Crewmax with the 5.7 L engine that we love, but are at our weight limit.

My best to everyone!

[Adiredneck]

Glad to hear that you are getting the AirSafe, we're very happy with ours! But, remember, the AirSafe is just a solution to the suspension issue, it does not address anti-sway and weight distribution. For that, we added an Equalizer AS/WD hitch to the back of the AirSafe. Seems to be a very compatible combination...

[uncle_bob]

Hi

We went from a F250 to an F350. So far, I'd say the 350 does not "beat up" the trailer as much as the 250. Indeed, things got tweaked a bit in the transfer so none of this is ever same/same.

Bob