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 last9 years and should know better than trust the dealer.Look forward to your input. Bob

Hi,Depends on the hitch weight I guess. Is it triple axle? That can put more of the trailer's weight on it's own wheels, and less on the pin.It also depends on the trailer balance. Some have the fresh water tank under the bathroom, and in the front of the trailer. Some like Glendale RV Titanium will have the fresh water tanks over the rear axles, so that the hitch weight will not go up or down when it is full or empty. Glendale made some fifth wheels with really light pin weight. More of the overall weight was on the trailer tires. I need to change my answer. The 2004 only had a 9,900 GVWR and that is way to low to be towing any fifth wheel, except for the very lightest ones. What is your curb weight? If it is over 7,300 pounds, then towing any fifth wheel is questionable. That leaves you less than 2,000 pounds for cargo, and a little for passengers and that 200 pound hitch. IF you want to use a 2003 and earlier, then a dually is required. 2005 the GVWR for the F-250 went up to 10,000 pounds while the F-350 SRW was 11,400 pounds, 1,500 pounds more than the 2004 model.As for the 6L and 6.4L International engines, they are not recommended by many, who say that the oil cooler is a problem. This can be solved with a simple engine coolant water filter, that needs to be changed every 1,500 miles for the first 2, then about once a year.Good luck,Fred.

I tow a 34ft 14000lb 5er with my SRW and am very happy with the performance. Still, mine is a 2013 (after all manufacturers beefed up suspensions and payloads), yours is a 2004 so I'd be concerned about payload of your truck first and foremost. The long length might also be a factor pushing SRW around a little where DRW would add more rubber to road to counteract. Some would be comfortable with the later, some not. But again I'd look at your truck payload pretty hard.Maybe it's a reason to get a new truck :)

I thought a Dually was the answer to ALL of life's problems!20% tongue weight is 3100 lbs. plus hitch weight & anything in the bed or cab. How much cargo capacity do you have? How about the drive tires?Good luck.

I feel to answer your question I would have to tell you it is a NO from me. sorrychevman

MNRon wrote:I tow a 34ft 14000lb 5er with my SRW and am very happy with the performance. Still, mine is a 2013 (after all manufacturers beefed up suspensions and payloads), yours is a 2004 so I'd be concerned about payload of your truck first and foremost. The long length might also be a factor pushing SRW around a little where DRW would add more rubber to road to counteract. Some would be comfortable with the later, some not. But again I'd look at your truck payload pretty hard.Maybe it's a reason to get a new truck :)Beef up the supension OR up the GVWR???I think some of the higher GVWR were a result of marketing, not so much stronger springs or frames or axles! They just used more of the axle rating. Our 2001 2500 has a GVWR of 8,800# bit total axle ratings of 11,284# so lots of room to grow.I read about all the time about newer higher GVWR TV needeing bags or Timbiers to "level" the TV. While my 01 with camper package is within about 500# of ratings and is still better than level.

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

larry_barnhart
Explorer
Jul 08, 2015
well just for fun this is our awesome rv. Chev 8560,alpenlite14,360 combined 22,920. perfect match for us.

chevman
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jul 08, 2015
NC Hauler wrote:
Me Again wrote:
I drove a 15k class 8 day cab twin screw that towed a 8500 gal tank trailer that gross 65k. Trailer was 4.33 the weight of the tractor. My 5th is less than 2 times the weight of the TV. Chris

Same here Chris, my truck with me in it, full tank of fuel, full tank of DEF, hitch in the back with tool box was 9100#...5er weighed 16,300#..

Pass or fail?

My truck solo a touch over 9K. Hitch tools toolbox and RV 23,500# Combined 32,540#

All I know is it's a rock solid towing experience!

Only problem is it won't hit 93 by the end of the off ramp.;)
cchristanis
Explorer
Jul 08, 2015
I just bought a 15 ram 3500 srw with 6.4 hemi. Yup, don't need a diesel. Only tow 10-20x per year. Especially in western ny climate with a 5 mile commute to work. Got the 4.10 gearing. I have a heart land torque 301. It's 15k gvw. The truck pulls it awesome on flats. On the steep hills it works though. It barely moves when loading the fiver (no squatting, just a little movement). I almost made the mistake of buying a triple axle. Maybe some day when I retire.
Dtank
Explorer
Jul 08, 2015
Jaxom wrote:

I thought a Dually was the answer to ALL of life's problems!

The *ONLY* duallys with THE answer to *ALL* of life's (towing) problems can be found here.........

Escapees HDT forum

Very knowledgeable group - with heavy 5ths.
There have been questions by "worried" noobs with LDTs who were told,
"You don't need an HDT, your truck will be just fine".

Also a MDT forum there - MDT forum

:)

.
bigdon68
Explorer
Jul 05, 2015
bobandvicki

YES -- but ---Not all SRW vehicles (even Ford) are alike. I tow a 40ft. 5th wheel and have for the past 7 years with a 2008 F350 SRW. Ford redesigned the springs on the 2008-10 SRW and they can actually carry more weight than some duallys. I would feel more comfortable telling you YES if you had a newer SRW and it was a 2-wheel drive. You can actually tow more with a 2-wheel drive than you can a 4-wheel drive -- at least on the SRW trucks.
Good luck.

bigdon68
CJW8
Explorer
Jul 05, 2015
I pulled the same fifth wheel with two different trucks. The first was a 2004 F-350 crewcab shortbox 4X4, 6.0 PSD. The second is a 2013 F-350 crewcab shortbox 4X4, 6.7 PSD. The 5th toyhauler has a GVWR of 13900 but I know I was closer to 15K fully loaded. The new truck just felt so much better while towing. I made emergency stops, both practice and real and the new truck could defiantly stop it better. I just felt like in the new truck I wasn't being pushed around.

Place me in the camp that your early 2000 F-350 is less than marginal at best. Any 350-3500 truck after 2013 would be another magnitude better and a dually would be another magnitude again better.

My 2013 F-350 has a 5th wheel rating of 15900 while my new toyhauler has a GVWR of 16500 so I'll be limited in loading by 600 pounds but that shouldn't be a problem.

Earlier someone suggested loading 1000 LB in the rear to reduce pin weight. It won't reduce it as much as one would think. When I load my 1100 LB RZR in the garage, it only reduces the pin weight by 100-200 lbs. Same as when I put 120 gallons (960 lb) of water in it which is located at the front of the mainframe. It doesn't increase my pin weight by 960 lbs. This must be because of the equalizers on the axles distributing the weight across the whole frame.

I just shopped for several trailers and there seemed to be a pattern of trailers that grossed at 16500 and the next step up was trailers weighing 18-19K. The general consensus (RV dealers and ford service managers) was the 16.5K trailers were targeted at SRW trucks and the 18K+ were for DRW and larger trucks.

The 6.0 PSD POS in your truck is going to be your main limiting factor. I spent $10K making my engine work right and it was finally good right up until the block broke.
NC_Hauler
Explorer
Jul 05, 2015
Me Again wrote:
I drove a 15k class 8 day cab twin screw that towed a 8500 gal tank trailer that gross 65k. Trailer was 4.33 the weight of the tractor. My 5th is less than 2 times the weight of the TV. Chris

Same here Chris, my truck with me in it, full tank of fuel, full tank of DEF, hitch in the back with tool box was 9100#...5er weighed 16,300#..
Me_Again
Explorer III
Jul 05, 2015
I drove a 15k class 8 day cab twin screw that towed a 8500 gal tank trailer that gross 65k. Trailer was 4.33 the weight of the tractor. My 5th is less than 2 times the weight of the TV. Chris
calewjohnson
Explorer
Jul 05, 2015
Tom/Barb wrote:

NTSB disagrees with you. IMHO The owners of RV trucks are over confident in the abilities of their trucks. While the owners of Motorhomes are more aware of their responsibilities. Plus the use of air brake systems, wet hubs, tag axels are much more capable of handling the heavy load.

As for my coach, it is basically a fire truck chassis, carrying about 50% of its designed carry capacity. can you say that about any 5ver / truck combo?

Wow, overconfident?? I have been in CA for two years now, I will have to say that the more overconfident folks are those in MH flat towing a vehicle. On our return trip from Christmas break, we had a tag axle MH (45ft I am guessing) pulling a Honda Odyssey flying up the I-5 north of LA...a major accident waiting to happen....

Let's not forget the video posted on this forum not too long ago with the MH flat towing a full size pick up lose control and slide into the median....

Please do not make childish characterizations, most of us, myself included, have done our homework and have bought a combo that is safe for our families and those around us....

Cale
TXiceman
Explorer II
Jul 05, 2015
Tom/Barb wrote:
NC Hauler wrote:
AGAIN, Im as safe, if not more so, towing my 5er with my truck than you driving your MH.

NTSB disagrees with you. IMHO The owners of RV trucks are over confident in the abilities of their trucks. While the owners of Motorhomes are more aware of their responsibilities. Plus the use of air brake systems, wet hubs, tag axels are much more capable of handling the heavy load.

As for my coach, it is basically a fire truck chassis, carrying about 50% of its designed carry capacity. can you say that about any 5ver / truck combo?

Boy is somebody head in the clouds.

Ken