Am considering a Toy Hauler (Cyclone HD) and my TV is a 2011 Ford F350 4x4 6.7. We live in Colorado and the roads are terrible. Am curious what the ride is like and if folks pull their toyhaulers in the winter (to snowmobile or ski). Is it a white knuckle experience? What can I add to the truck to improve the ride ? I25 North of Denver is like riding a bucking Bronco. Of course the salesmen tell you how great it rides but they won't let you hitch up and pull one down the highway to find out firsthand!What has your experience been?Also is it safe to assume an out the door price as being 35% under MSRP ?Thanks for all your help...

The newer Fords are far more "cushy" than the older ones. I actually don't like this but it seemed Ford was trying hard to appease the white collar crowd versus the blue collar ones. I have the F450 and was somewhat surprised at how much it sagged versus my '09 F350 SRW. In other words, your ride will be fine. You may even want to throw some air bags on it later on just to level things out. If the pin weight of the HD isn't one of the heavier ones, then it won't be too bad anyway. My pin weight is around 3300 - 3500 lbs.As for price, my MSRP was $82,000 and I paid in the low $50,000s. If you're in Virginia anytime soon, RV Outlet will be your best bet pricewise.

Air bags and the best quality shocks you can get on the truck will help...a lot. Airbags keep the truck off the overload springs and greatly improve the ride. A dually will be more stable and greatly enhance your towing experience. An exhaust brake on a diesel is mandatory IMO. My trailer also has an air ride hitch, and it seems to help too.* Edit * 35% off is a good deal. 40 would be great. Depending on how long a dealer has had the unit sitting on the lot, or if its last year's model, will affect the price you get.

What is the best shock out there ? Truck came with Ranchos. Agree with the other poster that ride is too soft. Do the air-ride hitches on the pinbox make a difference, I believe you can get the Cyclone with them.

The "Rancho" shocks that come on Fords are worthless. They aren't even a true Rancho manufactured shock. It is just a licensing agreement to use their name. Quality shocks like Bilstein, Icon or even dare I say it.....Rancho 9000 make a world of difference. If you really want top of the line, go with a remote reservoir shock.

I've read the air rides make a difference but have no personal experience. As for snowmobiles in toyhaulers.... really nice big toyhaulers, I'd invest in a snowmobile trailer. Enclosed trailers are the way to go plus you can always use the trailer for those summer day rides.We ride in the Rocky Mountains in Montana & a lot of times the roads arent good enough to where I feel comfortable pulling my large TH up the mountain. besides the weather is usually to cold at that elevation for water so it's difficult for me to justify using my TH. When the roads are nice & weather is warmer (usually spring riding) there can be a lot of melted snow (water) that ends up in the garage. If you clean if up right away it's ok. But over time it may present problems. There's nothing better though, than sledding back to your TH. Also keep in mind that the track can tear up the garage floor.

Truck ride with big toy hauler | Good Sam Community

Ric_Flair
Explorer
Sep 24, 2013
I want a sport chassis.....BAD!
Steve_O_Reno
Explorer
Sep 24, 2013
I bought my 99 FL 60 a couple years ago for 31K. 135,000 miles 6 speed auto 300 hp crew cab air ride susp.,cab, seats and hitch. Blinged out interior with leather and wood trim. I did ad modern audio and new tires.

Drove it every day for a year and a half till I could decide what else to buy as a daily driver. Lots of money left over from not replacing my wore out dually. Which BTW depreciated more than I paid for this truck which I am sure I will never wear out. BTW the wife loves it and is much more at ease when we travel. Happy wife happy errrr everyone haha.
wirenutz
Explorer
Sep 23, 2013
Try these, neotrucks.com, raceingjunk , Dixie horse and mule co, RVT,horsetrailerworld.com, comercialtrucktrader.com, horsetrailertrader.com or just do like I did, google freighliner FL 60
soonernation
Explorer
Sep 23, 2013
Where do you find these MDT trucks. I have heard you can get them at less than the cost of a new diesel pick-up truck.
Ric_Flair
Explorer
Sep 23, 2013
RickSo wrote:
mpierce wrote:
wirenutz wrote:
we have a 38 foot all american sport toy hauler, the factory sticker says it weighs 14,000 pounds with an air pin box, pulled by a 1990 SRW 1 ton diesel dodge, it pulls well on the straight and level roads, but add a mountain pass and I'm down in first gear doing 30 MPH, we all so have an air ride hitch, so it rides over the bumps pretty well, but is this the right term "buck and chucking" is in there has to be a small amount of space between the pin and the clamping jaws, what I am trying to say its more of a forward and back movement that can be felt in the truck it drives me nuts, we have been looking at and plan to move up to a MDT, something like a freight liner sport chassis

the new pickups have a LOT more power than a 90. In fact, they have MORE power than a lot of MDT's out there. A lot are 300 hp or so. Quite a bit under what the new diesels in pickups have.

If the MDT is what you want, go for it. Just realize, you may be passed on a grade by a pickup with a bigger trailer!

I find some of these comments pretty darn funny... :) It's not so much the pickup truck passing me up the hills that concerns me as much as them passing me on the downhill side. My 2008 MDT truck came with the 330/1000 8.3 Cummins and like many other diesels I've had I tuned it up a bit to 400/1250, with that torque I don't get passed by that many in the Rockies where I mainly travel. You also can get up to 500/1650 in these trucks. The power isn't the only reason to get into a MDT. The air seats/suspension/cab/hitch and dual stage engine braking make for a much better haul for me than any of my previous diesel pickups with a trailer attached.

Rick, I'd take your TV in a second over my pick up truck. Heck, I'd even make it my daily driver and dare people to not get out of my way.

One of these days......
Ric_Flair
Explorer
Sep 23, 2013
Just installed firestone airbags on mine. Haven't towed with it yet but hoping to see the same improvement others have. I had already installed the 5th airborne pin box but ride quality improved only marginally.
noteven
Explorer III
Sep 22, 2013
M-1028 wrote:
The fab work and overall quality of the Auto Flex system looks sub par for the money. The total for my truck was $4500!!!

M-1028 - how is the "before and after" performance of the suspension?
hone_eagle
Explorer
Sep 21, 2013
re big tankage;
For me its a 'cost per mile' thing.With a range in excess of 2000,I can choose my cost to fill.
eg. I fill at the duty free at the international border for a saving of (typically ) $1.00 a gallon.Not everybody has that option, but the longer your range the cheaper the state you can fill up in.
Also the truck pumps run a gallon a second - in and out in a very short time.Sure pit stops are still necessary but at a place you want not a compromise.
With a range that is most cross country I have done trips and not refueled at all.
joebedford
Nomad II
Sep 21, 2013
SmittysRV wrote:
Pullin this beast doesnt make fuel station very logical to have to pull into and fuel up. I have had to back out of a few due to the height clearance is one good reason for the 110 Gallons I carry.
I use truck stops - never have to back out. Once in a while I have to go into a regular station but I look real hard at the canopy before committing.

I don't want to carry another 1000+ lbs for a little convenience but I do carry a 5 gallon can in case of emergency (used once).
wayward1
Explorer
Sep 20, 2013
RickSo, you beat me to it. I can run 70 uphill all day long and down....I also know the truck will stop the trailer if the trailer brakes fail.
300HP/860FTLBS and a 10 speed with 3 stage engine brake and air brakes. I'm not knocking the new 60-70K pickups; I got my 04 f350 diesel for the small stuff. The IH cost 1/3 the cost of a 450-550 and pulls and stops much better. You won’t know how good a med duty or class 8 is until you travel in one! They are not for everyone, but they are for me!

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