How big of a truck for safe and comfortable towing?

[synergy_58]

Dw and I are getting ready to do the deal for a heartland bighorn. We do not yet have the tow truck we want. I know, cart before the horse, but we need a place to live FT for the next four yrs, new duty station.
We have owned a dodge Cummings before and it was ok but not that great on mpg as originally thought; it was a 2012, 3500 srw, short box, crew, used with a trk TC, which got old fast. Our older son thinks we should find a ford 350 srw with 6.4, but our last Ford exp kept us constantly seeing the dealer for this and that. Of course that was a while back with a 2001 7.3. We've never had a durmax.

The fver weight is about 16000lbs, I'm guessing empty. That's all I know right now. What size truck do you think would be safe and comfortable for pulling and should I get a srw or dually? Short bed or long? 4x4 or 2x4? I don't go kidding and that stuff but do go in snow and on back woods roads from time to time.

Opinions matter, to me. 🙂

Thanks

[texasclarks]

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the newer big three 1T Dually. Of course up in JBER you may be limited in the used market. Are you looking specifically for used or are you considering new? If looking for new AAFES Car Sales may be the way to go, or if younare looking used, you may still have your 1 POV move remaining on your PCS entitlement from the lower 48
to JBER.

I know that similar rigs may be pulled with a 2500/250, but pulling that big a 5'er and handling that much pin weight are totally different. FWIW, get a 1t Dually or a MDT (or even HDT) -- though using your MDT or HDT as a daily driver may be a bit much as you pull through the gate for PT daily!

[sheff69]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

tinner12002 wrote:

synergy_58 wrote:
Sounds like I will be buying a dually soon. There are four campers here with similar 5ver's and they all have SRW 250's or 2500's and they all four claim those are sufficient. I appreciate everyone's guidance, you guys are the experienced ones. Some of you may have made suggestions to me 3 years ago when I bought the 2012 Ram Cumm. SRW, matched w the Arctic Fox TC. BAck then, the opinions were about a 50/50 split on a SRW or DRW; I opted for a SRW and after never felt secure in that top heavy rig despite adding numerous expensive suspension upgrades and even 19.5" wheels and HD tires.

So, I would rather be safe and comfortable with a DRW, than face the insecurity of a SRW, despite the expense. I only wish I could find a decent used truck that will handle the job effectively, since this new 5ver tipped the scales of our budget.

Thanks for all the comments!

Not sure why your mileage is so bad...I have the truck in my sig and get 16-17 empty on the hiway and around 11.5 towing my larger toy hauler loaded with 2 bikes. Don't drive around town much but it will drop to around 13 when in town unless I'm running steady at 45mph then it will do around 20mpg!

You musta gots a good one!

Not really, I have a 2012 identical to Tinner, and am pulling around 17,500#.
I get mileage just about what he gets.

Sheff

[Me_Again]

DirtyOil wrote:

ScottG wrote:

Next time make sure you get a genuine CUMMINS and not the cheap off-shore knock off "cummings".



There's a difference? What please?

That statement is right up there with Ford owns Cummins! The 5.9 and 6.7 Cummins engines are built is several plants in North and South America. Mine is a Taco block. 98 to 2001 or so had some with 53 blocks that had a thin spot in the water jacket on the passengers side and some of those cracked and some did not.

So tell is more about your cheap offshore knock off urban legend!

Chris

NOTICE THE WEE WINKING SMILIE FACE at the end of ScottG's post?

Believe ScottG was alluding to the misspelling of Cummins, OP had added a "g", common mistake. As for the "offshore" comment, I believe he was trying to suggest that "CUMMINGS"" may be a cheap "Chinese" knock off the "mighty" Cummins. I guess you need a sense of humour to relate?;)

I missed that humour!!!! As I only have a sense of humor. 😄 Chris

[DirtyOil]

ScottG wrote:

Next time make sure you get a genuine CUMMINS and not the cheap off-shore knock off "cummings".



There's a difference? What please?

That statement is right up there with Ford owns Cummins! The 5.9 and 6.7 Cummins engines are built is several plants in North and South America. Mine is a Taco block. 98 to 2001 or so had some with 53 blocks that had a thin spot in the water jacket on the passengers side and some of those cracked and some did not.

So tell is more about your cheap offshore knock off urban legend!

Chris

NOTICE THE WEE WINKING SMILIE FACE at the end of ScottG's post?

Believe ScottG was alluding to the misspelling of Cummins, OP had added a "g", common mistake. As for the "offshore" comment, I believe he was trying to suggest that "CUMMINGS"" may be a cheap "Chinese" knock off the "mighty" Cummins. I guess you need a sense of humour to relate?;)

[musicman54]

my fiver is 16000 i pull it with 2002 ford 350 srw 7.2 diesel not saying it is easy in the market for a dually 350 or 450 but yes you need a diesel 350 or 450

[Cummins12V98]

tinner12002 wrote:

synergy_58 wrote:
Sounds like I will be buying a dually soon. There are four campers here with similar 5ver's and they all have SRW 250's or 2500's and they all four claim those are sufficient. I appreciate everyone's guidance, you guys are the experienced ones. Some of you may have made suggestions to me 3 years ago when I bought the 2012 Ram Cumm. SRW, matched w the Arctic Fox TC. BAck then, the opinions were about a 50/50 split on a SRW or DRW; I opted for a SRW and after never felt secure in that top heavy rig despite adding numerous expensive suspension upgrades and even 19.5" wheels and HD tires.

So, I would rather be safe and comfortable with a DRW, than face the insecurity of a SRW, despite the expense. I only wish I could find a decent used truck that will handle the job effectively, since this new 5ver tipped the scales of our budget.

Thanks for all the comments!

Not sure why your mileage is so bad...I have the truck in my sig and get 16-17 empty on the hiway and around 11.5 towing my larger toy hauler loaded with 2 bikes. Don't drive around town much but it will drop to around 13 when in town unless I'm running steady at 45mph then it will do around 20mpg!

You musta gots a good one!

[tinner12002]

synergy_58 wrote:
Sounds like I will be buying a dually soon. There are four campers here with similar 5ver's and they all have SRW 250's or 2500's and they all four claim those are sufficient. I appreciate everyone's guidance, you guys are the experienced ones. Some of you may have made suggestions to me 3 years ago when I bought the 2012 Ram Cumm. SRW, matched w the Arctic Fox TC. BAck then, the opinions were about a 50/50 split on a SRW or DRW; I opted for a SRW and after never felt secure in that top heavy rig despite adding numerous expensive suspension upgrades and even 19.5" wheels and HD tires.

So, I would rather be safe and comfortable with a DRW, than face the insecurity of a SRW, despite the expense. I only wish I could find a decent used truck that will handle the job effectively, since this new 5ver tipped the scales of our budget.

Thanks for all the comments!

Not sure why your mileage is so bad...I have the truck in my sig and get 16-17 empty on the hiway and around 11.5 towing my larger toy hauler loaded with 2 bikes. Don't drive around town much but it will drop to around 13 when in town unless I'm running steady at 45mph then it will do around 20mpg!

[laknox]

synergy_58 wrote:
Dw and I are getting ready to do the deal for a heartland bighorn. We do not yet have the tow truck we want. I know, cart before the horse, but we need a place to live FT for the next four yrs, new duty station.
We have owned a dodge Cummings before and it was ok but not that great on mpg as originally thought; it was a 2012, 3500 srw, short box, crew, used with a trk TC, which got old fast. Our older son thinks we should find a ford 350 srw with 6.4, but our last Ford exp kept us constantly seeing the dealer for this and that. Of course that was a while back with a 2001 7.3. We've never had a durmax.

The fver weight is about 16000lbs, I'm guessing empty. That's all I know right now. What size truck do you think would be safe and comfortable for pulling and should I get a srw or dually? Short bed or long? 4x4 or 2x4? I don't go kidding and that stuff but do go in snow and on back woods roads from time to time.

Opinions matter, to me. 🙂

Thanks

Find the FW you want, then buy the truck to tow it with. With that size a FW, you're well into 1T dually territory. I wouldn't look at anything less.

Lyle

[GoPackGo]

The GVWR is 16,000

The empty is 13,375

Can't find the Pin weight.


Synergy 58 - Pin weight is usually considered to be 20% of the weight of the 5th wheel (I would use GVWR). Based on the above, it would be about #3200.

IMHO, going with a dually is the smart thing to do.

Tim

[Cummins12V98]

Me Again wrote:

ScottG wrote:
Next time make sure you get a genuine CUMMINS and not the cheap off-shore knock off "cummings".
😉

That statement is right up there with Ford owns Cummins! The 5.9 and 6.7 Cummins engines are built is several plants in North and South America. Mine is a Taco block. 98 to 2001 or so had some with 53 blocks that had a thin spot in the water jacket on the passengers side and some of those cracked and some did not.

So tell is more about your cheap offshore knock off urban legend!

Chris

To clarify, the blocks are cast in Brazil or Mexico at least the 5.9's were. I assume the 6.7's are also. But they are assembled at CMEP Cummins Midrange Engine Plant in Columbus, IN.

[Me_Again]

ScottG wrote:
Next time make sure you get a genuine CUMMINS and not the cheap off-shore knock off "cummings".
😉

That statement is right up there with Ford owns Cummins! The 5.9 and 6.7 Cummins engines are built is several plants in North and South America. Mine is a Taco block. 98 to 2001 or so had some with 53 blocks that had a thin spot in the water jacket on the passengers side and some of those cracked and some did not.

So tell is more about your cheap offshore knock off urban legend!

Chris

[synergy_58]

Sounds like I will be buying a dually soon. There are four campers here with similar 5ver's and they all have SRW 250's or 2500's and they all four claim those are sufficient. I appreciate everyone's guidance, you guys are the experienced ones. Some of you may have made suggestions to me 3 years ago when I bought the 2012 Ram Cumm. SRW, matched w the Arctic Fox TC. BAck then, the opinions were about a 50/50 split on a SRW or DRW; I opted for a SRW and after never felt secure in that top heavy rig despite adding numerous expensive suspension upgrades and even 19.5" wheels and HD tires.

So, I would rather be safe and comfortable with a DRW, than face the insecurity of a SRW, despite the expense. I only wish I could find a decent used truck that will handle the job effectively, since this new 5ver tipped the scales of our budget.

Thanks for all the comments!

[hone_eagle]

synergy_58 wrote:

Dennis M M wrote:
Better to have more truck than you need rather than need more truck than you have.

As far as ride comfort & capability go a HDT can't be beat.

Whats an HDT?

HDT

[synergy_58]

tegu69 wrote:

synergy_58 wrote:
Dw and I are getting ready to do the deal for a heartland bighorn. We do not yet have the tow truck we want. I know, cart before the horse, but we need a place to live FT for the next four yrs, new duty station.
We have owned a dodge Cummings before and it was ok but not that great on mpg as originally thought; it was a 2012, 3500 srw, short box, crew, used with a trk TC, which got old fast. Our older son thinks we should find a ford 350 srw with 6.4, but our last Ford exp kept us constantly seeing the dealer for this and that. Of course that was a while back with a 2001 7.3. We've never had a durmax.

The fver weight is about 16000lbs, I'm guessing empty. That's all I know right now. What size truck do you think would be safe and comfortable for pulling and should I get a srw or dually? Short bed or long? 4x4 or 2x4? I don't go kidding and that stuff but do go in snow and on back woods roads from time to time.

Opinions matter, to me. 🙂

Thanks

Ok, I'm going to say something a little 'out of the box' here. Maybe I'm missing something. Are you going to be moving the trailer in those four years? You say you need someplace to live. You didn't say where your new duty station was. Is it still in Ak. If not, have you considered buying trailer near the new station (if it will be sitting for four years). You could have it moved to its resting place for the next four years and then maybe buy the truck you will need at your leisure. when you get ready to move it.

We bought the trailer yesterday at our duty location. It will be delivered and set-up for us, so no rush on the truck; however, one never knows what could happen and the 5ver need to be moved, so we want to become prepared ASAP.

[synergy_58]

GoPackGo wrote:
First, you will absolutely need to know the GVWR of the 5th wheel as a starting point - it will be on the Heartland Bighorn website.

You state that you think the empty weight is around 16,000 pounds, meaning GVWR will probably be at least 18,000 pounds. Pin weight should be 20% X 18,000 = 3,600 pounds.

You should buy your truck based on the GVWR, not the empty weight.

FWIW, I tow a 35 ft, 14,000 pound (GVWR) Bighorn with a 2013 4x4 F350 dually diesel CC LB and I get 11.5 - 12.5 MPG at around 58 MPH. The new Ford 6.7 motor is super strong and appears to be a winner.

Any of the appropriately sized GM, Ford, or Ram trucks will work great. And at great risk of igniting a long running debate - you absolutely want a diesel dually. I doubt that any SRW will be rated for your kind of weight. But I urge you to find out the REAL GVWR, either by looking directly at a sticker on the rig, or the website I listed above, before looking at trucks.

Tim

The GVWR is 16,000
The empty is 13,375

Can't find the Pin weight.