My first trip out, very overweight.

[Lyrikz]

I dont need the weight police, i know what im doing and what im changing. This is just my experience and i will be asking about some concerns.

2007.5 6.7 mega 1 ton. SRW. I do have 19.5 rims and some 4700lb goodyears. Added airbags
Weights fully loaded
front 5100
rear 7000
trailer 14600.
So i am grossly over weight on combined vehicles. Almost 4000 over the gross combined.

It towed great going uphills, going downhill, and in a straight line.
There were times you didnt know it was back there.

BUTTTTT, here is the issue and concern. Switching lanes you would get this sensation that the trailer was moving the ass of the truck around. Tail wagging the dog??? This feeling is one i do not like. I want control and that is NOT control.
Now, if i switched to a dually, does that feeling go away??

Besides that, it pulled great, stopped great, but as for a feeling of control, it wasnt there. It handled the wind well also..

See the trailer isnt that big.



OK ITS HUGE.





oh, and with my 4 battery setup. We went 3 full nights with heater running, radio and what not, batteries never got below 12.3


Mod Edit: Adjusted photo to comply with the 640 pixel guidelines. When posting pictures in the future please use the Yellow Image icon in the tool bar, paste your photos URL link in the appropriate box and type in 640 in the width box (leave height blank). Thanks

[Lyrikz]

fly-boy wrote:
I think the trucks wheelbase is likely a bigger factor than anything else. A dually will certainly improve the driving characteristics and seat comfort but I think a new SRW one ton is more than enough truck.

I am assuming you weighed with full water and fuel. If that's the case than a SRW is more than enough truck- just don't fill with water until you reach or get close to your destination and you will knock a thousand pounds of weight off right there. Not sure on your fuel capacity but if your holds 60 gallons like mine you can knock another 500 pounds off by waiting to fuel until you are closer too.

No, those weights were with no water, and 20 gallons of fuel. I never tow with water. I have access to water where i camp so i never tow with it.. I used to, but my water tank bowed something awful so i stopped doing that.

Here is something i thought was interesting. Trailer completely unloaded, my axle weight was 6900 lbs in the rear. Fully loaded with quads/dirtbikes, and everything else. I was 7000 pounds on the rear axle. That didnt make much sense.

[Macman83]

I was in the same situation. I had a F-350 SRW with airbags, upgraded brakes and swaybars. Truck pulled and stopped fine, but in the Oklahoma winds that we always travel in, the trailer pushed the rear of the truck around on the SRW. The only weight limit I was exceeding was GCWR of truck and trailer. Pulled it 2 trips for about 800 miles and that was enough. Now my TV is a 2010 F-450. Seven hour trip with that truck was so much easier than a 45 min trip with the other.

For those that desire a MDT, you should consider the F-450. My trailer weight is 16,200 empty, and my pin weight is 3485lbs empty. The F-450 handles these weights with ease, and the GCVWR of the truck is 33,000lbs, which is more than enough. The advantage of the pickup over the MDT is gas mileage, ease of driving and parking when unhooked, versatility when not towing (eg. you can drive it as a daily driver) and cost of ownership and maintenance. I also wanted the FL60 4 door to pull it with, but the cost of ownership was multiples over the cost of the pickup.

Purely my opinion, but I have driven them both, and the pickup is much easier to own.

[Lyrikz]

discovery4us wrote:
I certainly agree that a truck upgrade won't hurt and a dually might make the "feeling" go away but it may not be fixing the problem. You state that the trailer is moving the truck, could it be that you need to upgrade the trailer tires or something else on the trailer.
I towed an early model Raptor FW that was a bit heavier than your FW but one of the first upgrades I found necessary was to upgrade trailer tires. I had a lift on the truck so to help with level I went up in trailer tire size, went to a stiffer sidewall, and that took away a huge amount of the swaying.
I was within front axle, back axle, and trailer axles weights but was over the GCWR of my Ford. Again, not saying that a larger truck is a bad idea but I had 40,000 miles of safe towing with my FW and truck and I would do it again.

I dont want it to sound like its dragging me across the highway, its not that bad. Its just there, and it isnt supposed to be. I will be upgading tires after this season. Against everyones recommendations im going to give these tires about 3000 miles and then the LTs are coming out.

[fly-boy]

I think the trucks wheelbase is likely a bigger factor than anything else. A dually will certainly improve the driving characteristics and seat comfort but I think a new SRW one ton is more than enough truck.

I am assuming you weighed with full water and fuel. If that's the case than a SRW is more than enough truck- just don't fill with water until you reach or get close to your destination and you will knock a thousand pounds of weight off right there. Not sure on your fuel capacity but if your holds 60 gallons like mine you can knock another 500 pounds off by waiting to fuel until you are closer too.

[discovery4us]

I certainly agree that a truck upgrade won't hurt and a dually might make the "feeling" go away but it may not be fixing the problem. You state that the trailer is moving the truck, could it be that you need to upgrade the trailer tires or something else on the trailer.
I towed an early model Raptor FW that was a bit heavier than your FW but one of the first upgrades I found necessary was to upgrade trailer tires. I had a lift on the truck so to help with level I went up in trailer tire size, went to a stiffer sidewall, and that took away a huge amount of the swaying.
I was within front axle, back axle, and trailer axles weights but was over the GCWR of my Ford. Again, not saying that a larger truck is a bad idea but I had 40,000 miles of safe towing with my FW and truck and I would do it again.

[Lyrikz]

Stefonius wrote:

Lyrikz wrote:

NRALIFR wrote:
From the tow vehicle pic's topic, you say you have "Goodyear 622's and 19.5 visions" on your truck.

While there are certainly other factors contributing, I don't think the G622's are the right tire for your rig. While they may have the weight rating needed, the "Unisteel" construction has the steel belts only in the tread area. I would look for some tires that have steel in the sidewalls as well, which will stiffen them up a lot.

You will probably lose some off-roading capability, and you may not like the ride, but they won't flex like the tires you have.

:):)

Unfortunately i need SOME ride and some off roading capability.. I had a hard time in some sand. ONe of my friends is a rep for ATD tires. He was the one who recommended the 622s. Dang. I cant win. lol

Duals will definitely cost you some off-roading capability. They ride up on top of marginal surfaces (water, mud, snow, sand) as though you were wearing snowshoes.

That seems like a positive for sand right?

I dont do a lot of 4x4. I just dont want to negate that totally.

[Lyrikz]

Dave Wilburn wrote:
While I have seen lots of SRW trucks pulling the same trailer as mine, I would never do it.

Personally, I have never seen a dually upside down in the ditch. Can't say that about SRW truck/fiver combos.

I googled 5th wheel in ditches.
The two i saw were duallys, but they werent in a ditch. lol. I think someone ran into it flipping it over.

We are all in agreement that i need a dually plus. Im on that page now. I just need to figure whats the best way to get to that point.

[Stefonius]

Lyrikz wrote:

NRALIFR wrote:
From the tow vehicle pic's topic, you say you have "Goodyear 622's and 19.5 visions" on your truck.

While there are certainly other factors contributing, I don't think the G622's are the right tire for your rig. While they may have the weight rating needed, the "Unisteel" construction has the steel belts only in the tread area. I would look for some tires that have steel in the sidewalls as well, which will stiffen them up a lot.

You will probably lose some off-roading capability, and you may not like the ride, but they won't flex like the tires you have.

:):)

Unfortunately i need SOME ride and some off roading capability.. I had a hard time in some sand. ONe of my friends is a rep for ATD tires. He was the one who recommended the 622s. Dang. I cant win. lol

Duals will definitely cost you some off-roading capability. They ride up on top of marginal surfaces (water, mud, snow, sand) as though you were wearing snowshoes.

[Dave_Wilburn]

While I have seen lots of SRW trucks pulling the same trailer as mine, I would never do it.

Personally, I have never seen a dually upside down in the ditch. Can't say that about SRW truck/fiver combos.

[popeyemth]

Lyrikz wrote:

popeyemth wrote:

Lyrikz wrote:

popeyemth wrote:
My concern would not be the ride or sway but the fact that NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS or who's at fault in the event of an accident if you are discovered to be grossly overweight you will be held liable, perhaps criminally liable.
Good Luck, Mike

This is not true whatsoever. In the eyes of the state, im still under the weight that i registered the vehicle at. Weird right. The real weight police dont seem to mind.

As if the "state" or the inevitable lawyers will care what you declared when you registered .
LOL

Can you link me to one lawsuit won on someone causing an accident overweight?

So is what your saying is i could take a 2000 chevy 1500 and have it registered to 26k and they dont care??? If thats the case, i get what your saying.

You appear to be unaware that "registered weight " is solely for tax purposes.
There is more to the "state" than the DMV .
Nothing matters to the police and lawyers but the door sticker.
Good Luck, Mike

[rkortes]

Lyrikz wrote:

Ric Flair wrote:
Lyrkz,

Don't take some of the more critical responses to heart. You had to try it for yourself. I understand that.

If I had the 1 ton SRW already, I would have done the same. Who in their right mind would go out and make a $60k purchase strictly on the advice of some anonymous poster on the internet.

Like I told you on your original thread, I believe these massive Toy Haulers (I have the same one you do) push the limits of a 1 ton DRW.

Now I want a MDT. Unfortunately, I can't justify the purchase price along with the cost of the inevitable divorce that would follow.

Thanks man. Stressful time for sure. I appreciate this response.
My thought was what you were thinking, if i switch to dually, i really dont think that is enough.

Im pricing my options now.

Virtually everyone that I know who was towing heavy weights (like your rig) with a SRW that decided to move up to a dually never looked back. When heading to Glamis I see hundreds of over weight rigs during the holiday season. Although I've personally never seen one involved in an accident I do feel like it's one ready to happen.

You did mention that you're stressed and that just may be the catalyst you need to get the right truck for that gigantic TH.

[Lyrikz]

popeyemth wrote:

Lyrikz wrote:

popeyemth wrote:
My concern would not be the ride or sway but the fact that NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS or who's at fault in the event of an accident if you are discovered to be grossly overweight you will be held liable, perhaps criminally liable.
Good Luck, Mike

This is not true whatsoever. In the eyes of the state, im still under the weight that i registered the vehicle at. Weird right. The real weight police dont seem to mind.

As if the "state" or the inevitable lawyers will care what you declared when you registered .
LOL

Can you link me to one lawsuit won on someone causing an accident overweight?

So is what your saying is i could take a 2000 chevy 1500 and have it registered to 26k and they dont care??? If thats the case, i get what your saying.

[Lyrikz]

Ric Flair wrote:
Lyrkz,

Don't take some of the more critical responses to heart. You had to try it for yourself. I understand that.

If I had the 1 ton SRW already, I would have done the same. Who in their right mind would go out and make a $60k purchase strictly on the advice of some anonymous poster on the internet.

Like I told you on your original thread, I believe these massive Toy Haulers (I have the same one you do) push the limits of a 1 ton DRW.

Now I want a MDT. Unfortunately, I can't justify the purchase price along with the cost of the inevitable divorce that would follow.

Thanks man. Stressful time for sure. I appreciate this response.
My thought was what you were thinking, if i switch to dually, i really dont think that is enough.

Im pricing my options now.

[Lyrikz]

NRALIFR wrote:
From the tow vehicle pic's topic, you say you have "Goodyear 622's and 19.5 visions" on your truck.

While there are certainly other factors contributing, I don't think the G622's are the right tire for your rig. While they may have the weight rating needed, the "Unisteel" construction has the steel belts only in the tread area. I would look for some tires that have steel in the sidewalls as well, which will stiffen them up a lot.

You will probably lose some off-roading capability, and you may not like the ride, but they won't flex like the tires you have.

:):)

Unfortunately i need SOME ride and some off roading capability.. I had a hard time in some sand. ONe of my friends is a rep for ATD tires. He was the one who recommended the 622s. Dang. I cant win. lol

[popeyemth]

Lyrikz wrote:

popeyemth wrote:
My concern would not be the ride or sway but the fact that NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS or who's at fault in the event of an accident if you are discovered to be grossly overweight you will be held liable, perhaps criminally liable.
Good Luck, Mike

This is not true whatsoever. In the eyes of the state, im still under the weight that i registered the vehicle at. Weird right. The real weight police dont seem to mind.

As if the "state" or the inevitable lawyers will care what you declared when you registered .
LOL