Towing 39 ft 15.5 k with 1ton Sw diesel - Mistake ??

Tom/Barb wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

bobandvicki wrote:
Was assured that my TV 04 f350 kg ranch PSD SB 6.0L 4x4
would be up to the task.Hate to trade it in but need to be safe. What do you think? What TV do you use for a similar 5er? Been rving 11 months a year for the last
9 years and should know better than trust the dealer.
Look forward to your input. Bob

Pulling close to 15,000 pounds I'd want the safety margin of a 450/4500. you will see the ranchers, and car transporters, using the 450/4500 series trucks to haul the fifth wheel cattle and car trailers, they know.

When was the last time you looked at specs of the newer 350/3500 duallys? Appears you're a bit out of touch. As Chris stated there are 1 ton SRW trucks that will tow a 15,000# 5er. MY 1 ton dually has a RAWR of 9750#, has a GVWR of 14,000# and an idiotic GCWR, with 4.10 of 37,500#! So no, OP doesn't need a 450/4500 to tow a 15000# 5er, but his older 1 ton SRW might be over loaded, and a newer 1 ton SRW 350/3500 would easily handle his 5er. Heck, the newer 3/4 ton trucks could probably handle it depending on how configured.

You can walk as close to the edge as you like and go with out any safety margin for as many miles as you like, I won't because I've seen too many accidents caused by not having enough truck to do the job. When you are going to work a truck, get a truck built to work. The kinetic energy of a 15k trailer built up behind a truck towing at 60MPH is huge, your suburban garbage hauler will be over powered in a nano second when thing go sour.

Now I KNOW you have no idea what you're talking about, a suburban garbage hauler?!?..now youre dilussional. You obviously have no clue what you're talking about. Some of the new 3500 duallys have more HP & TQ than a 450/4500, and can tow far more then YOU are aware of. My 5er weighs in at 16,300#. I have a pin weight of 3400#. Im UNDER my trucks GVWR by 1200#.. and WAY under my trucks RAWR, (thats a pretty big hunk of safety margin, and with a combined weight of 25,500#, Im under GCWR by 12,000#!!) I've been towing since 75, and know a little bit about all the equations too. Op doesn't need a 450/4500 to tow a 15,000# 5er. You need to do more research on the new trucks. With 385HP, 850lbft of TQ and a medium duty tranny strapped to a medium duty diesel, Im just as safe, if not more so than you are...Do the research, you're behind the times. Safety is ALWAYS my first concern.

Your truck numbers are for how much it can carry and how much it can pull. Neither tells you how much it will stop. About 3-4 years ago, I-5 at Marysville Wa. a 350 Ford dually was pulling a 5th wheel in the left lane, traffic went to hell in front of him, he hit the brakes and the trailer pushed him into 3 cars in front of him, and then jack knifed, then the trailer rolled over the truck across the median, and hit 2 cars in the north bound lane. he and his wife died that day as well as 3 others. his truck was well under the load recommendations of the manufacturer. 5th wheel haulers are built for a reason you haven't figured out yet. and probably never will.