Forum Discussion

synergy_58's avatar
synergy_58
Explorer
Oct 03, 2014

How big of a truck for safe and comfortable towing?

Dw and I are getting ready to do the deal for a heartland bighorn. We do not yet have the tow truck we want. I know, cart before the horse, but we need a place to live FT for the next four yrs, new duty station.
We have owned a dodge Cummings before and it was ok but not that great on mpg as originally thought; it was a 2012, 3500 srw, short box, crew, used with a trk TC, which got old fast. Our older son thinks we should find a ford 350 srw with 6.4, but our last Ford exp kept us constantly seeing the dealer for this and that. Of course that was a while back with a 2001 7.3. We've never had a durmax.

The fver weight is about 16000lbs, I'm guessing empty. That's all I know right now. What size truck do you think would be safe and comfortable for pulling and should I get a srw or dually? Short bed or long? 4x4 or 2x4? I don't go kidding and that stuff but do go in snow and on back woods roads from time to time.

Opinions matter, to me. :)

Thanks
  • You may want to check the sides of bed for height and 5ver clearance. Also height of bed itself if you get a 4X4. On snow I always liked towing with a 4X4.
  • As I noted in your other thread, 1 ton diesel dually is the MINIMUM fro a full timer with that trailer. The SRW will not handle the pin weight once loaded for full time use.

    On the road, expect 9 to 10 MPG at 63 mph. Yesterday coming up from Atlanta to Knoxville, TN we were getting 10.5 mpg running 63 mph and the traffic leaving Atlanta.

    If you get into snow, you will probably want a 4 wheel drive, but we never plan to see snow and I do not want the weight and extra cost of the 4 wheel drive.

    Ken
  • You didn't do anything backwards. Far easier to get the right truck if you know the trailer.

    Look on the weight plate and find the pin weight and then compare that to the weight ratings of the truck. Make sure to add 20-30% to the pin weight to account for loading stuff in it.

    At 16k lbs, you are probably in 1 ton dually range and if you are going to see any mountains, a diesel makes sense.

    Nothing in this size range is going to get 30mpg but unless you are limited to flat land towing, you likely want to move up to the diesel for power not efficency.