Ford versus Dodge truck for towing 40 foot 5th wheel

fairhaven wrote:
Old-Buscuit I don't understand what point you are trying to make. Are you saying that my fiver is too much for my tow vehicle? Let's see. My truck axle (3.55) is rated to pull a fifth wheel with a max weight of 15,300 pounds. My coach, fully loaded and certified scale weighed (last trip to the ocean) was 13,982 lbs. I am a good 1300lbs under the max fifth wheel requirement. My trucks certified scale weight was well under the loaded max weight requirement for the F350. So, what is your point? Do I need a dually? I don't think so. Am I being unsafe? I don't think so. Could something weird happen and cause me problems? Sure. But something weird could just as easily happen to a dually. I say get what you want and are most comfortable with, and be sure to stay within allowable specs.

As stated earlier, you're not looking at the numbers that mean the most...Most of these "recommended 5er weights you can tow", are mostly "bogus".....IF you have a 15,300# 5er, you COULD have a pin weight of over 3,000#.....Now I don't know what the GVWR of your truck is, but if you weigh your truck, all set up and ready to go camping, full tank of fuel, family pets, gear whatever, 5er hitch, and get THAT weight...NOW add , (giving you the benefit of the doubt, a pin weight of 2800#, based on your 5er weighing 13,982#)...NOW what does your truck weigh? Have you exceeded the trucks GVWR? Not that it matters, because hardly anyone, ('cept for me and a handful of others on this forum), pay ANY attention at all to the trucks GVWR, most go straight for the rear axles weight rating. What is your rear axle weight rating? Odds are, if you hooked up to a 5er that the manufacturer says you can tow, you''ll go over your trucks GVWR and start cutting into it's RAWR...so how far can one cut into the RAWR before starting to wear out their truck, or losing some of their trucks built in safety features...I don't know... but understand that a number that a truck manufacturer has tossed out that states you can tow "X" amount of weight of a 5er is silly, there's more to the formula and pin weight has a big bearing on what truck one might need. Odds are, one will exceed their trucks GVWR before exceeding their trucks GCWR, but again, at what point, if you start cutting into your trucks rear axle weight is it possibly prematurely wearing out your truck.

That is all Old Biscuit was trying to say....Just because manufacturer states you can tow "up to a "X" amount of weight 5er...doesn't alway's mean that it is "necessarily so"...just some simple math and common sense can help one figure out what truck they need to "do the job" and/or "git er done" :)

I have an 07' Dodge Ram diesel dually with the 6.7 Cummins motor, I pull a 38' CC Daydreamer with absolute ease and confidence anywhere,anytime! The ongoing argument regarding dually rear end is a no-brainer, four tires give you better traction, braking, in-line stability and least of all a second tire back there in case of a blow-out. as far as going through the drive-trough's,,come on,,these are purpose built trucks not pinto's! I have had ZORO trouble with my dually and she gives me 12-14MPG weather the fiver's back there or not my only complaint is I'm 6'4" tall and due to the angle of the windshield I gotta' duck to get in but like already mentioned it just looks soo damn good!!!

fairhaven wrote:
Old-Buscuit I don't understand what point you are trying to make. Are you saying that my fiver is too much for my tow vehicle? Let's see. My truck axle (3.55) is rated to pull a fifth wheel with a max weight of 15,300 pounds. My coach, fully loaded and certified scale weighed (last trip to the ocean) was 13,982 lbs. I am a good 1300lbs under the max fifth wheel requirement. My trucks certified scale weight was well under the loaded max weight requirement for the F350. So, what is your point? Do I need a dually? I don't think so. Am I being unsafe? I don't think so. Could something weird happen and cause me problems? Sure. But something weird could just as easily happen to a dually. I say get what you want and are most comfortable with, and be sure to stay within allowable specs.

This is all great info but you left out the most important number. How much weight is on your back axle only with the camper fully loaded and the truck fully loaded with gear in back, fuel tanks full and a family in the back seat. With my toyhauler I had there was no way that weight on the rear axle was within the specs. Would a F250/F350 SRW pull it...sure. It boils down to how much you value that family that rides along with you and are you willing to roll the dice on their safety when that overloaded rear tire blows or that rear axle breaks

Reccomend a dually. Doesn't matter what diesel. I prefer Fords, others prefer what they drive. Experience made me switch from SRW to DRW.

camp-n-family wrote:
Dually for sure. As for Ford or Dodge it really comes down to personal preference. They both have good one ton trucks. Pick the one you find most comfortable and can get the best deal on. There should be some good deals out there on leftover '13s.

This is the best way to look at it. Trying to justify a SRW is a common theme, but the only way to know is to put 'em on the scales.

Halmfamily wrote:
We just switched from an '06 F350 SRW 6.0 to an '08 3500 GMC DRW 6.6 LMM. Trailer
Last weighed was 12600lbs, 40' fiver. You can feel the difference in the dually. Our trip last weekend we had good cross winds and never felt the slightest push unlike we did with the SRW. I won't get into the performance difference as I discussed this in a previous thread. My preference is a dually and will never be without one. A dually is no wider than your mirrors, if your mirrors make it through so will the duallys. Good luck with your new truck.

Not my local taco bell...:)

Well, your 2009 F250 has got to go. Get a diesel F350 or GM/Ram 3500. Dually will be better for towing. But an SRW will handle it very well, too.

Nope...The only after market item is S&B cold air induction. Other than that, bone stock. 4:10 geared and pulls no problem. You know its back there. I won't say it's the same as when I tow my 4000 lb. boat. I have taken up the grade on Virginia 64 and cruised up to the top. Heck, the new Ram 3500's are rated up to 30,000 lbs of trailer... Mine is only rated to 19500. It's the torque... HP is only 350.

YnotTurbo wrote:
I am bias, but if you look at the 43 foot fiver I am towing with my Dodge, you would be impressed. I can drag almost 20,000 lbs up a 6% grade at 65 mph. Food for thought. 800 lbs. of torque...

Assuming 28k combined, that would require over 400HP. Tuned?

Old-Buscuit I don't understand what point you are trying to make. Are you saying that my fiver is too much for my tow vehicle? Let's see. My truck axle (3.55) is rated to pull a fifth wheel with a max weight of 15,300 pounds. My coach, fully loaded and certified scale weighed (last trip to the ocean) was 13,982 lbs. I am a good 1300lbs under the max fifth wheel requirement. My trucks certified scale weight was well under the loaded max weight requirement for the F350. So, what is your point? Do I need a dually? I don't think so. Am I being unsafe? I don't think so. Could something weird happen and cause me problems? Sure. But something weird could just as easily happen to a dually. I say get what you want and are most comfortable with, and be sure to stay within allowable specs.