Possible to have a 3500 Dually Truck as a TOAD vehicle?

scottkeen wrote:
I'm just exploring possibilities. I have a Dodge Ram 3500 dually 4WD pickup truck which I use to tow my 5th wheel trailer toy hauler.

Somewhere down the road I'd maybe like to trade my 5th wheel in and get a Class A motorhome. But I love my Ram 3500 and it's my daily driver. So if I go the route of a Class A, can I flat-tow, trailer, dolly my Ram 3500? It weighs about 7,500 lbs and measures 22 ft nose to tail.

Here's a twist. I also love my motorcycle and my 5th wheel is a toy hauler. If I go the motorhome route, I don't want to give up space for a toy hauler garage again, so I was thinking I'd like to put the motorcycle in the bed of the truck as the truck is towed. The bike weighs 400 lbs.

So we're talking a combined weight of 7,900 lbs for a TOAD. Plus any trailer or dolly if that's what I would need.

Is this possible with a motorhome? What am I looking for in a motorhome that can do this? I'm guessing it will need to be a diesel for starters.

Check the towing guide or owner's manual, for if it can indeed, be towed four down. You didn't indicate the year, but here's a start... 2018 Dinghy towing
We have a tow rating of 15K lbs. so no problem for our DP and just as long as it's four down and has no hitch weight, since our rear axle is already at max and even though the hitch weight is rated at 1500lbs.
Just saying to be sure and check out what you buy. With ours, we have plenty of CCC and hauling specs. but even with a ton to the good, when fully loaded for travel, it's all at the front and like said, the rear is already at max. Not a problem for us, four down, even with your PU and bike, but if towing a heavy trailer, we'd have to have a hitch wheel or other to do this safely.
When it comes down to it and no matter what kind of hitch it has, the tranny is usually where there might be a problem and in your case, it needs to be an Allison 3000 at minimum. The engine at 10HP per foot, should be adequate, unless you insist on being king of the mountain.
Once you start looking for a coach and decide on a budget for it, you'll have to decide on whether or not, newness or some quality is in your budget goal. Unless you can command both, of course.
The budget and quality preference is foremost, when asking for this kind of advice about Motor Coaches.

Look like my truck is good to go for flat towing! Glad I got the 4WD model. Cannot flat tow the 2WD model.

From the user manual:

Can be done with the right hitch rated motorhome.
Rampage lift will put the bike in the truck with ease.

My Haulmark Super C has a tow tatting of 40,000 pounds, but it also has 600hp and tandem drive axles.
Jim

For your calculations, my dually weighs 8,800 per the CAT scale. Owner's manual says you can flat tow a Chevy Silverado so long as it has 4-wheel drive.

Most diesel pushers have a 10,000 tow rating but you really got to check the numbers on the cheaper ones to learn if they really can. As I recall, the American Coach series has/had a 15,000 tow rating. We had a Super C at my dealership with a 20,000 tow rating, so they're out there.

scottkeen wrote:

rk911 wrote:

- the weight rating of your tow bar

I'm new to towing a vehicle (but not new to towing my RV trailer). Does a "tow bar" mean I would be flat-towing the truck instead of having the truck up on a trailer?

Is there a way to know if my truck can be flat-towed? There's a "Neutral" button on the 2WD/4WD selector.

check your owner's manual or call the mfg to be certain that your truck can be flat towed (preferred method) but generally speaking if a 4WD vehicle has a manually selectable neutral position in the transfer case you can likely flat tow that vehicle. but don't assume...check!

if you tow on a dolly or trailer you must add their weight to the gross amount of weight you're towing. flat towing is best for lots of reasons. less weight to tow, virtually no tongue weight, no dealing with a 3rd wheeled vehicle at campgrounds.

you don't want to overload any of the axles on a motorhome and the sum of the gross axle weight ratings plus the tongue weight rating is usually equal to the gross vehicle weight rating. to flat tow a 7400-lb vehicle you'll need a hitch rating of at least 10,000-lbs (IMO, its best not to exceed 90% of the hitch rating), at least an 8,000-lb difference between the gross combination weight rating and the gross vehicle weigh rating and a tow bar capable of towing 10,000-lbs. you don't want to be towing right at the margins.

permit me to pass on some additional unsolicited advice...

as you shop you'll start encountering different weight ratings (google motorhome weight ratings). IMO they are mostly confusing and you only to worry about three weights:

- empty weight (as the motorhome is delivered from the dealer or factory). minimal fuel, empty waste, water and LP tanks, nothing else. this gives you a baseline.

- wet weight: full fuel, fresh water and LP tanks. nothing else

both of the above weights should be the sum of the individual axle weights.

the difference between each gross axle weight rating and the wet weight of each axle is the axle payload...the amount of weight in food, supplies, clothing, pets, people, etc. that can be added to the soecific axles without violating the gross axle weight rating of that axle.

- finally, your loaded or rolling weight. load up the MH as you would for a trip and then weigh it (again, individual axle weights). this ensures that none of the axles are overweight and you are less than or equal to the gross vehicle weight rating.

good luck.

rk911 wrote:

- the weight rating of your tow bar

I'm new to towing a vehicle (but not new to towing my RV trailer). Does a "tow bar" mean I would be flat-towing the truck instead of having the truck up on a trailer?

Is there a way to know if my truck can be flat-towed? There's a "Neutral" button on the 2WD/4WD selector.

a Super C or large diesel with a 10,000-lb hitch.

the amount of weight you can safely tow will be the lesser of the following:

- the gross combination weight rating of the MH minus the actual weight of the MH as it is loaded and configured for travel

- the weight rating of your hitch

- the weight rating of your tow bar