Weight requiring duals?

I know you can never have too much truck, but the 17k limit for duals seems to come up in some conversations, so I thought I'd check with those in the know.

I know with my current A class, my 370 ISL with 1200 ft. lbs. does a great job moving this 46k lbs where ever it needs to go, but don't want to box myself into a corner with a way too big rig when something smaller would work.

Thx for all your input.

billyray50 wrote:
While I agree that DRW truck is one of the best way to go with a heavy fifth wheel. I would like to address a SRW 3/4 or 1 ton truck with 19.5 commercial aluminum or steel wheels and 19.5 tires as an option. Most of us know the real limiting factor is the stock wheel and tires on most trucks. DW and I are considering a large Fifth wheel coming from heavy truck camper. With all the upgrades I have installed on my truck in my profile my 2006 Dodge 2500 quad cab CTD 4x4 long bed which has a pitiful 1958 lb. plus 150 lbs. passenger x 5 has more cargo payload than a 1 ton SRW. The 19.5 vision wheels which are rated at 4500 lbs. each and 19.5 Firestone fd690 load g tires rated at 4545 lbs. at 80 psi. that is 9000 lbs. wheel support and 9090 lbs. load capacity on rear axle. My 11.5 rear axle which is a 1 ton axle is rated at 10,800 lbs. The last 4 years I have carried a 3400 lb. Truck camper and 4000 lb. Lance truck camper which 3800 lbs. is all on rear Axle. Really forget truck camper in on my truck sometimes on my travels. My point is and correct me if I am wrong while I would like to upgrade to a DRW especially the newer trucks One has other options to haul a bigger FW safely.

...So you would recommend towing a 19,000# 5er with your 06 2500 quad cab Dodge? What is the GCWR on your truck? The 2014-15 Ram 2500's have a GCWR of 25,000#. With a 19,000# 5er hooked up, you would only have 6,000# left, then exceed GCWR...The 19,000# 5er would easily have a pin weight of 3800# , (my 16,300# 5er has a pin weight of 3450#), I know you're using RAWR, but using a 2500, no matter the "upgrades", in my opinion, would't be "safe"...I'd hate to have a 19,000# 5th wheel towing on mountainous, curvy terrain...( one needs to consider LENGTH of unit also), His pin weight, not counting 5th wheel hitch, people, or anything else would be the weight your unit weighs.

I would prefer a truck that has already been built to handle the weight instead of having to "beef up" a suspension and hope it works...and again, we're not talking truck camper. Unit OP is looking at is 41' 8"...HUGE difference in a truck camper setting in the bed of the truck and hooking up to almost 42' of 5th wheel. (going by unit OP was talking about).

drfife wrote:
I tow a 16K lb 5th wheel (loaded for travel) with a '12 GMC 3500HD SRW.

I am within all weight specs for the truck (scale verified).

I have towed nearly 30K miles throughout the US without incident.

No problems or concerns with control or stability.

I am happy with my combination.

Op stated he was looking at a Dynamax 38 RL, which has a GVW of 19,000#, which could be 3,000# heavier than what you tow...I wouldn't recommend a 350/3500 SRW truck towing a 19,000# GVW 5er..

I tow a 16K lb 5th wheel (loaded for travel) with a '12 GMC 3500HD SRW.

I am within all weight specs for the truck (scale verified).

I have towed nearly 30K miles throughout the US without incident.

No problems or concerns with control or stability.

I am happy with my combination.

Lar's stated: I've been told that once over 17,000 lbs. total weight that I'll need a dual wheel truck.


2oldman stated; In my opinion,you'll need more than a dually pickup.. but that's just my opinion.

"Bottom line".. the heavier the truck the better it handles.


These newer Ford, Ram, GM/Chevy 350/3500 series Dually's that have been produced since 2013 are leaps and bounds ahead of what 350/3500 Dually trucks use to handle, and they're also a "heavier" truck...My 13' weighs more than my 10 or 12 weighed....The Ram offers a medium duty tranny like GM with the Aisin tranny now. GVWR on my truck is 14,000#, and with the 4:10 has a GCWR of 37,500#!!, and gives a 5er tow weight of 29,000#!!! ( no, that wouldn't happen, just stating specs for the truck)..With a rear axle weight rating of 9750# ,held to that with tires, though AAM rates it at 11,800# , 300mm. I'm towing a 5er that weighs in 16,300#, and my truck tows it effortlessly through the mountains I tow in...I wouldn't feel uncomfortable at all towing a 22,23,000# DRV or MS with this truck, with the new frame beefed up front and rear suspensions as well as dual cooling system and on..and I know that Ford and GM can do the same....There are those that are towing 5er's this heavy with their 3500 Dually's now, some for a couple of years and no issues.

Needing a Medium Duty truck or a HDH for the weight we're discussing here really isn't necessary today, maybe 5 years ago, but not today. I prefer something that I can unhook from, take to work, use as my daily driver, (unless I spend more money for another "daily driver/work vehicle), I can park it in my enclosed car port and still take it through drive thrus...and no stability issues and I don't need a ladder for my wife to get into the truck, and my two boxers can get in and out easily also :)

Thx for confirming my thoughts.
We'll be stopping at Funtown RV, below DFW to check out more 5th wheels and might see something that is lighter and still meets our needs/wants.

I do have a bigger stall in my shop but it's filled with the tractor now, which won't fit in the other smaller doors. Always something it seems.

Standard garage door is 9x7. I put in 9x8, yes they will fit. It's tight, I started folding the mirrors to get out. Catching one on the way out would be bad.

When I bought my new fifth wheel trailer, I limited myself to 11K dry weight and 2K Pin weight to correspond with the limits on my F250 diesel pickup.

Tow power is not the issue. The rear axle on a single rear wheel truck is no where as strong as those on 1 ton dual rear wheels. And actual pin weight is going to be substantially more than advertised.

You're talking at dual rear wheel tow trucks on any vehicle towing 17K lbs. as the Pin weight will far overstrip their capabilities.

I have the same wheels, but different tires. 110PSI, Hard to beat....

While I agree that DRW truck is one of the best way to go with a heavy fifth wheel. I would like to address a SRW 3/4 or 1 ton truck with 19.5 commercial aluminum or steel wheels and 19.5 tires as an option. Most of us know the real limiting factor is the stock wheel and tires on most trucks. DW and I are considering a large Fifth wheel coming from heavy truck camper. With all the upgrades I have installed on my truck in my profile my 2006 Dodge 2500 quad cab CTD 4x4 long bed which has a pitiful 1958 lb. plus 150 lbs. passenger x 5 has more cargo payload than a 1 ton SRW. The 19.5 vision wheels which are rated at 4500 lbs. each and 19.5 Firestone fd690 load g tires rated at 4545 lbs. at 80 psi. that is 9000 lbs. wheel support and 9090 lbs. load capacity on rear axle. My 11.5 rear axle which is a 1 ton axle is rated at 10,800 lbs. The last 4 years I have carried a 3400 lb. Truck camper and 4000 lb. Lance truck camper which 3800 lbs. is all on rear Axle. Really forget truck camper in on my truck sometimes on my travels. My point is and correct me if I am wrong while I would like to upgrade to a DRW especially the newer trucks One has other options to haul a bigger FW safely.