hi everybody it's been a few years since I've been here and I'm back with some issues that I hope someone can help with ....we recently upgraded our 31 foot travel trailer to a 38 foot fifth wheel and we are having some towing issues and don't know what to do about it ... we've talked with people at the camping place and the garage that worked on our truck recently ...seems like no one seems to know what to do... we have a 2003 Dodge 3500 Cummins turbo diesel 5.9 automatic quad cab I'm pretty sure its a 3.73 gears .short bed We have a husky sliding hitch ...on a recent to adventure with this new camper we were all over the road it was handling terrible it was a white knuckle experience... We recently had a lot of work done on the truck to get it ready for the new camper including new tires shocks airbags, steering box as well as a number of other things ...the tires were at around 80 psi on the truck ..and I want to say 50 on the trailer does that sound about right? The air bags were at 75.....are air bags a bad idea? what do you think this issue with all over the road was... Don't know any thing about pin weights and G VCRs and all that **** ..if .anybody could just help out a little I would truly appreciate it ....my husband is just all in a tizzy.thanks ..here is the specs to the trailer.....the hitch is right over the axel...please let me know if you need any more information That I may have not mentioned here .thank you so much.. Hitch Weight UVW GVWR CCC Exterior Length Exterior Height Exterior Width Fresh Water Gray Water Black Water Awning Size385BH1,940 lbs. 12,320 lbs. 15,940 lbs. 3,620 lbs. 41' 1" 12' 10" 100" 64 gal. 83 gal. 86 gal. 16 ftSent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Tires on FW are probably 16" and max pressure should be 80 v. 50psi but I doubt low FW tire pressure is the problem. Must be something on the truck.

Pin weight should be 20% minimum of total 5er weight. Is the 3500 SRW or DRW?Does the the truck wander empty?Did you have ball joints checked/replaced4X2 or 4X4?Is the 5er level when connected to the TV?

First off5th wheel is too heavy for that vintage of 3500 (I tow a 14K 5vr and am right at rear axle/rear tire load ratings and over trucks GVWR)Trailer tire pressure.........50# :HWhat is tire psi on sidewall. My tires are 16" 110# (I run 100#)Air bags...........75#I don't have air bags but 75# sounds like a lot of pressure to be running.

Light pin, tires, overloaded. You need to laid like your going camping and hit the scales.

rhagfo wrote:Pin weight should be 20% minimum of total 5er weight. Is the 3500 SRW or DRW?Does the the truck wander empty?Did you have ball joints checked/replaced4X2 or 4X4?Is the 5er level when connected to the TV?It is a SWR There is a lot of play in the steering when not hooked up and that is why they replaced the steering box,but it still is lose after......took it back and they checked it along with making sure the wheels were balanced correctly....The ball joints were just replaced,it is a 4x4There was a gust of wind while we were on the highway,and wow,thought we were,going to go off the road...never had a problem towing the travel trailer...

New 5th wheel and towing issues | Good Sam Community

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
May 16, 2016
kimomjtb wrote:
Hi everybody it's been a few months since imposted but I'm back ...we have not actually towed our 5th wheel with the truck since we got it fixed in the fall.....we are actually now in a position to upgrade our tow vehicle to a newer model and are currently looking ...we knew we were pushing Our weight limit but didn't think we would be able to upgrade this fast therefore we had put all the money into our current tow vehicle in the fall .....hopefully we can sell it out right. We came across the below listing this. B ,n j. morning and are interested in checking it out ....is this truck ......going to be more than enough tow vehicle for our current fifth wheel..thanks

2012 Ram 3500 Laramie, Crew Cab, Dually

GVCW rating of 30,000 lbs
Curb weight approx. 8,500 lbs
Max trailer weight approx. 21,500 lbs

Truck is still under factory powertrain warranty. 5 year 100,000 miles

The truck is flawless inside and out.

Some of its options are:

- Legendary HO Cummins 6.7L Diesel Engine with 800ftlb of Torque (All stock, never chipped)
- 6 Speed Automatic Transmission
- Factory Exhaust brake
- Factory Trailer brake controller
- 4WD
- Hidden goose neck hitch
- Class IV bumper hitch
- 17" Polished aluminum Alcoa wheels
- Power leather heated and cooled seats
- Heated leather steering wheel
- Navigation with DVD player
- Back-up camera and sensors
- Blue tooth U-connect system with satellite radio and factory subwoofer
- Power windows and locks
- Power and heated towing mirrors
- Power pedals
- Spray-in bed liner

I had the same truck only LongHorn and it was a 11.5 HO. I would still have it but the wife wanted even a larger MobileSuites. I said fine but I need a truck with more capacity and the rest is history.

Mt 11 was trouble free had 65K at trade with over 1/2 the miles towing. Use it as a truck NOT a grocery getter and it will be trouble free.
gdavidg
Explorer
May 15, 2016
You are going to love the heated steering wheel. At least my arthritic hands do.

The 6 speed AT has proven to be good. CTD is truly legendary.
kimomjtb
Explorer
May 15, 2016
Hi everybody it's been a few months since imposted but I'm back ...we have not actually towed our 5th wheel with the truck since we got it fixed in the fall.....we are actually now in a position to upgrade our tow vehicle to a newer model and are currently looking ...we knew we were pushing Our weight limit but didn't think we would be able to upgrade this fast therefore we had put all the money into our current tow vehicle in the fall .....hopefully we can sell it out right. We came across the below listing this. B ,n j. morning and are interested in checking it out ....is this truck ......going to be more than enough tow vehicle for our current fifth wheel..thanks

2012 Ram 3500 Laramie, Crew Cab, Dually

GVCW rating of 30,000 lbs
Curb weight approx. 8,500 lbs
Max trailer weight approx. 21,500 lbs

Truck is still under factory powertrain warranty. 5 year 100,000 miles

The truck is flawless inside and out.

Some of its options are:

- Legendary HO Cummins 6.7L Diesel Engine with 800ftlb of Torque (All stock, never chipped)
- 6 Speed Automatic Transmission
- Factory Exhaust brake
- Factory Trailer brake controller
- 4WD
- Hidden goose neck hitch
- Class IV bumper hitch
- 17" Polished aluminum Alcoa wheels
- Power leather heated and cooled seats
- Heated leather steering wheel
- Navigation with DVD player
- Back-up camera and sensors
- Blue tooth U-connect system with satellite radio and factory subwoofer
- Power windows and locks
- Power and heated towing mirrors
- Power pedals
- Spray-in bed liner
gdavidg
Explorer
Nov 01, 2015
Hope you find the suspension problem, sounds like issue is with truck, not trailer. Have NOT carefully read all the replies but for your information some ideas for places to weigh trucks:

1. Rock and gravel companies

2. cement plants, ask the plant manager, mine allowed me to weigh near end of day when no loads were going out, said was free if they did not have to give me paper stating weights.

3. state highway weigh stations, when unmanned just drive in there and when you roll on scales the weight will read out on the lighted weight indication sign. In oregon and washington state they do not turn the scales off when unmanned. I run over the highway scales about once a year and weigh front axle alone and both truck axles (got a truck camper)

weigh front axle, front and rear axle and trailer axle/axles. smile arithmetic will get you a lot of combinations. then if time allows unhook and weigh front and rear axles of just truck. From those numbers you can get pin weight, max weight on each axle.

Good info to have on hand.
Shanester
Explorer
Oct 31, 2015
Did you ever get your truck issues resolved? I'm curious what the issue was.
Wishin
Explorer
Sep 24, 2015
I think it is unlikely that the Michelin tires are the issue. Many use them with good success. I have Michelin LTX M/S2 245/75R16 E GreenX tires on my Suburban. The GreenX is for low rolling resistance, it is a Michelin name they put on any of their tires with low rolling resistance. I bought my Suburban 2 years ago and the previous owner had installed them, they seem to work really well for me. Correct tire pressure is important and I have experienced tires that need some break in time. I have only experienced it on 2 tires in my life, both on cars. One was fine after 500 miles, the other took 5-10,000 miles before they felt good, but those tires just stunk all around.

I think your main issue is with the front end, steering and suspension. Take the advice of others on using good parts from a good company. Cheap rebuilt steering boxes are often worse than the worn one you took off. Don't cheap out here, I know from experience.
rhagfo
Explorer III
Sep 23, 2015
mkirsch wrote:
TXiceman wrote:
Softer tire will not get a longer thread life. I think your RV is too much for the truck. The answer is smaller trailer or larger truck.

Did you miss the part where the OP is losing control of the truck unhitched?

from page 3 wrote:
the trUCK is all over the road with out the trailer and all the air out of the bags...something is definitely wrong but noT sure what and we have had a couple of people LOOK AT IT...DH is beside him self with frustration so I will continue to do research and try to locate someone.who. Might specialize in front end problems...

It's a Dodge, notorious for the "Death Wobble."

Maybe, but is is not normal, I have never had the "Death Wobble" on my 2001, and it has 287,000 miles, drives where I point it Michelin M/S2+ tires 265/75-16 E's. Tire Pressure Front 65 to 70 psi, rear empyy 45 to 50 psi loaded 65 to 80 psi.
I also disagree with tires needing to be driven in for a couple 1,000 miles to get broken in.

I would be checking every joint in the front end, this would include the steering shaft, ball Joints, tie rod ends, Track Bars, control arm bushings.
Go to the best front end shop you can find.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Sep 23, 2015
TXiceman wrote:
Softer tire will not get a longer thread life. I think your RV is too much for the truck. The answer is smaller trailer or larger truck.

Did you miss the part where the OP is losing control of the truck unhitched?

from page 3 wrote:
the trUCK is all over the road with out the trailer and all the air out of the bags...something is definitely wrong but noT sure what and we have had a couple of people LOOK AT IT...DH is beside him self with frustration so I will continue to do research and try to locate someone.who. Might specialize in front end problems...

It's a Dodge, notorious for the "Death Wobble."
diftw
Explorer
Sep 23, 2015
Sure hope you find the issue. When we went from our travel trailer to our 1st 5th wheel, the towing experience was so much better. You shouldn't be having this issue. Please let us know when you are able to identify the issue.
TXiceman
Explorer II
Sep 23, 2015
kimomjtb wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
"e rated green tire that,is too soft" What the He!! is a "GREEN" tire?

Put 72psi in the front tires loaded or unloaded, run 45 rear unloaded and 80psi loaded.

As far as air bags 75psi is WAY too much. Have RV attached and air so that the truck sits "LEVEL".

Take your truck to a quality frame and axle shop to get it aligned and check for worn parts.

Are you SURE they installed "E" tires? Exactly what tire was installed?

Bottom line as far as your RV is concerned it's WAY too much for your truck. I will bet you are over your rear tires capacity.
getting truck back tomorrow ....the tires that were originally put on were Michelins E rated but they told us it was a green tire which will get longer tread life but too soft for what we needed it for.....I don't know just what they said..we will see...I a, going to the shops with my husband will all this information and going to start questioning things ....

Softer tire will not get a longer thread life. I think your RV is too much for the truck. The answer is smaller trailer or larger truck.

I run E rated Michelin LTX M/S2 on this truck and no issues. Had the same tire on my previous dually and no issues. When I sold the old truck it has 40,000 miles on the tires and almost 1/2 the thread left.

Sounds like it is time to go truck shopping.

Kne