gratefulbruce wrote:
. Now the next question, which I'm sure is asked and answered many times over on this forum, is what should I look at to pull this behemoth. The stats on the trailer:
Dry Hitch wt 1140
unloaded vehicle wt 8710
gross vehicle wt 10950
I've told my wife a preference of a 3/4 ton truck for these kind of weights, but my experience is the type of asking questions and reading forums (not personal experience). I've got my eye on a 2500HD 6.6L TD, and I'm thinking I'd also like a weight distributing hitch with sway bars (Blue Ox maybe). I am planning to pull it around the west this summer, probably into the Rockies, the canyon lands and southwest. I thought with the trip planned I'd want a diesel, but I also thought I'd ask for personal experience here.
I looked up your camper. That is one nice camper. It will need an adequate truck to pull it and control it. That rear living layout is going to load weight towards the front. Starting with a 1,200# tongue weight with battery and propane and zero gear inside the camper is going to rule out any SUV. I had a 2500 Burb and they are great trucks, but it is not going to stay inside the ratings. The 8.1 with the 4.10 rear axle can pull it, but the truck platform is not going to do well with the 1,400 to 1,500# loaded tongue weight and gear in the truck.
On top of this,that camper is 40 feet long.
From my experience look for 1 ton suspension, van or PU. Single rear wheels are OK. Dully is great.
If you have your heart set on a 3/4 ton PU then consider getting a Pull Rite hitch for the back of the truck. They make a 2,000# tongue rated one which will tame that 40 foot camper and reduce the weight the truck has to hold up over a conventional and Hensley type hitch will give.
As far as pulling, the diesel is for sure a torque monster in any of the big 3 trucks. You take your pick. That said, the gasser with the right drive train can do a good job too. The diesel will have an advantage when towing at higher altitudes.
If I was to ever buy a camper that long, which that heavy a tongue weight and planning on doing a lot of traveling all over, I would get a 1 ton crew cab PU, single rear wheels, put a truck cap on the back for "stuff" and I would put a Pull Rite Hitch on it.
I am now doing 32 feet, just under 10,000# GVW on the TT with a 1,600# loaded TW. And 500# of stuff in the truck bed. Between the right truck tires, the Reese DC adjust correctly, the long wheel base, the right camper loaded TW for balance and 21,000 GCWR on the truck, I do well here on all over the east coast. I know my limits and this rig while solid, is not invincibly. When we head west in a few years the truck cap will come and she will be working more then the diesel will, but she will get the job done. If I was at 40 feet, the Pullrite would be under the truck.
Hope this helps, good luck and have fun camping
John
