Going from Class A to 5th wheel

[jdart]

Trading my class A 35ft. Diesel for 38ft 5th wheel, Towing it with a 2007 Quad cab
2500 Dodge Big Horn Diesel. Will it handle it OK, 38 ft is a long trailer. Have towed boats before but never a 5th wheel.

[NC_Hauler]

Brockinfla wrote:
The only thing I calculate is that this thread is going to nine pages of hysteria before a mod locks it up.

Great value added post...hysteria???:R

At a GVW of 14,600#... believe that 5er will push limits of OPs truck.

[Cummins12V98]

jdart wrote:
The 5th wheel GVR 14.6 the GVWR on truck is 4083. rear 2727. front 2359
Does this help any and the truck has a 5.9L

Maybe it's me but I am confused by your numbers. So your RV has a GVWR of 14,600#. Is the 4,083# number the pin weight? What exactly does the 2,722 and 2,359 numbers represent?

If your GVWR is 14,600# your minimum pin weight will be 2,920# and more likely 3,650# at 25% pin. Believe me it's easy to exceed all the above numbers. I hit 20K and 5K pin on our last 36'MS. And GVWR was no more than 18K.

[Brockinfla]

The only thing I calculate is that this thread is going to nine pages of hysteria before a mod locks it up.

[jdart]

The 5th wheel GVR 14.6 the GVWR on truck is 9000 GAWR rear 6010 front 5200
Does this help any and the truck has a 5.9L

[Racine96]

Too much for the truck.

[BubbaChris]

jdart wrote:
the 5th wheel is a 2000 38ft Signature by Thor. the truck a 2007 Dodge heavy duty Cummins short bed, I will have to check out the weight . Thanks to everyone will have to look at a shorter camper looks like

Can you at least start with giving folks here the Payload information from that specific Dodge?

With that, many people are able to calculate the max GVR for a fiver to go with that TV.

[NC_Hauler]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

jdart wrote:
the 5th wheel is a 2000 38ft Signature by Thor. the truck a 2007 Dodge heavy duty Cummins short bed, I will have to check out the weight . Thanks to everyone will have to look at a shorter camper looks like

2000 38' Signature..........WHICH ONE??

2007 2500 Dodge.............WHICH ONE???

My points exactly:)

[Old-Biscuit]

jdart wrote:
the 5th wheel is a 2000 38ft Signature by Thor. the truck a 2007 Dodge heavy duty Cummins short bed, I will have to check out the weight . Thanks to everyone will have to look at a shorter camper looks like

2000 38' Signature..........WHICH ONE??

2007 2500 Dodge.............WHICH ONE???

[NC_Hauler]

mileshuff wrote:
Does your Dodge have the 5.9L or the 6.7L? In mid 2007 the 6.7L came out. Much stronger engine and far more durable transmission but the 5.9L is one of the most bullet proof reliable diesels made.

It's not the engine being the issue...The Cummins, either the 5.9 or 6.7 would handle the 5er's weight...We're asking about GVW of the 5er due to how much pin weight OP would put in the bed of the truck.....suspension, rear axle weight rating would be more of a concern than the Cummins engine...

[mileshuff]

Does your Dodge have the 5.9L or the 6.7L? In mid 2007 the 6.7L came out. Much stronger engine and far more durable transmission but the 5.9L is one of the most bullet proof reliable diesels made.

[NC_Hauler]

jdart wrote:
the 5th wheel is a 2000 38ft Signature by Thor. the truck a 2007 Dodge heavy duty Cummins short bed, I will have to check out the weight . Thanks to everyone will have to look at a shorter camper looks like

Not necessarily so...again, though length has some bearing, in reality it's the WEIGHT of the 5er that we're trying to figure out....Do the research on the above 5er and see what GVW is..we can go from there...

[jdart]

the 5th wheel is a 2000 38ft Signature by Thor. the truck a 2007 Dodge heavy duty Cummins short bed, I will have to check out the weight . Thanks to everyone will have to look at a shorter camper looks like

[donn0128]

Awww heck, go ahead and do it. After the first pull when it takes you hours to come down from the adrenaline rush, then go shopping for the correct truck for the job.
I can not understand the mentality of peoples thinking, buy the smallest tool and then expect it to do the biggest of jobs?

[Coach-man]

Weight is a big issue, there are many posts about it! Get your setup weighed, all axels and total once you have loaded your 5th wheel. Without actual weights everything is just a guess. As far as the lenght once you have towed it will not matter going down the road, your issues will be backing into tight spots, it can be done, just a little more effort is required. I think you will find you have more room than the class a gave you, so enjoy it!

[Cummins12V98]

The biggie is the pin weight, but to me the overall length is very important. I have driven in some windy weather with a 3/4 ton 98 RAM and a 32.5' 5er and I know what it's like to be pushed around by wind and it can only get worse with length. I also know what it's like to tow in wind with a Dually and 37.5' 5er, it was rock solid. I know different situations but the fact is the longer the rig is the more it will effect the TV.

A relative just bought a 42' Bighorn with a GVWR of 16K, he has towed it with his 03 RAM short bed 2500 and he said the RV overpowered the Truck. He is looking for a new truck and I recommended a 3500 DRW. He does not like the idea of dealing with the dually so who knows he may end up with a 3500 SRW. The length and pin may be fine for his rig but the length pushed me to recommend a DRW.