PULLING 20K OR BETTER

[prodeville]

I'm hearing that you really need a MDT or HDT to pull a fifth wheel over 20k. The MDT is expensive and a used HDT is huge. Is there anybody out there pulling that weight with a 3500/4500 or 350/450 with no problem? What about breaking?
I'm looking at A DRV, Augusta or a Continental.

[prodeville]

Thanks to everyone for your input. The HDT is so darn tall, I just can't imagine driving that thing around town to the store, etc. It just seems to be a little over the top to me.

[Obewan]

And get an auxiliary fuel tank! The factory one is ridiculously small for its capability!

[NC_Hauler]

The RAWR per Ram is 9750# at 65 psi...tires will take 80 psi...AAM rates this rear axle to 11300#. With all 4 tires filled to 80 psi., (max sidewall pressure), per AAM, axle is then rated to 10, 200#...

[IdaD]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
My truck and RV in Sig tows a combined load of 32,950# CAT scale. DRV is 23k with rear axle at 9,880#. Truck sits level with factory rear air ride suspension. Rock solid in very windy conditions. Also confident descent on 14 percent grades.

No a MDT/HDT is not needed to pull a DRV!!!

What's your RAWR?

[Cummins12V98]

My truck and RV in Sig tows a combined load of 32,950# CAT scale. DRV is 23k with rear axle at 9,880#. Truck sits level with factory rear air ride suspension. Rock solid in very windy conditions. Also confident descent on 14 percent grades.

No a MDT/HDT is not needed to pull a DRV!!!

[NC_Hauler]

Some don't know that since 2013, These 1 ton dually's have come a very long way..Rusty told specs several times..Add rear air suspension and this truck is more than capable..At a 5er towing rating of almost 31K...one should understand this.I don't need a semi tractor rig to tow my 5er..I towed a 45' 21K Jayco TH all through the mountains of NC, VA, TN and WVa without a hiccup..several 7% on the interstates with up to 10% on secondary mountainous, curvy roads..zero issues..

So I know I don't need a MDT or a HDT to tow an 18 to a 22-23K 5er..There are quite a few doing it now a day's, and doing it safely...

My truck is paid for..loaded out at $62,000....I can go to the grocery store with it, drive through McDonals with it, enter it and exit quite easily..use it as my daily driver and use the bed anytime I need it...Don't have to buy another car and pay more for it and insurance because I have a semi tractor truck rig...Maybe for 23K and up...again..using trucks specs...simple math and common sense research is all one needs to figure this stuff out...,,Some need to catch up with the times...

With the HP and TQ Ford, GM/Chevy and Ram are offering now a day's..MORE than enough power.. with beefed up transmissions and exhaust brakes, and rear air assist..again..QUITE CAPABLE of handling 18-23K...members are doing it and have been doing it since these new 1 ton dually's were beefed up....safely


Jim

[Obewan]

Over 10k miles towing 22,000lb DRV Mobile Suites 44 with no issues so far. Towed through the Appalachian mountains twice on I77 no problems. 15k miles towing 13,000 lb camper before moving up to the DRV. But as mentioned previously, not all Ram duallies are equal. Make sure it is optioned to tow heavy.

[rickeoni]

It all depends on what the TV will be doing when not towing. My F450 is rated at 24,000 lbs and the 2017 is going to be rated at an industry high of 32,500 lbs, with Ram just a shade behind and getting ready to fire the next volley.

Now if the truck is only going to used for towing you might look here, HTD haulers

[1jeep]

if my wife buys anymore stemware or other unneeded **** I might be at the 20k lb mark soon!

[KD4UPL]

You know an F450 is a a medium duty truck right? Ram also makes some excellent 4500 and 5500 series trucks that are medium duty and don't really cost anymore than a 3500 dually.
That would be my choice.

[RustyJC]

IdaD wrote:
This is exactly the same debate as pulling a 12k lb trailer with a half ton. Yeah you can technically do it, but there are better ways to do it. I have no dog in this fight as I don't ever see myself getting a trailer too big for a SRW truck, so this is just my two cents.

Not at all. I'm towing a 19K GVWR 5th wheel with a truck rated to tow over 30K - that's 63% of the truck's rating. The 5th wheel the OP referenced will probably have a 23K GVWR - 76% of the truck's rating. How exactly is that comparable to a 1/2 ton truck pulling a 12K GVWR 5th wheel that maxes out or exceeds the truck's ratings?

Rusty

[IdaD]

This is exactly the same debate as pulling a 12k lb trailer with a half ton. Yeah you can technically do it, but there are better ways to do it. I have no dog in this fight as I don't ever see myself getting a trailer too big for a SRW truck, so this is just my two cents.

[RustyJC]

DutchmenSport wrote:
I would not want to tow that much weight with my 3500 duly diesel. It might pull it ok, but for how long?

If it's engineered for it, a long, long time - that's the point of J2807 testing and compliance. I wouldn't want to pull that weight with a truck that isn't rated to do it, either. That's why we traded our 2011 3500 for this 2016 3500.

Although the bodies are similar 4th Generation Rams, the differences between the 2011 and 2016 3500 include:

Frame
Suspension
Brakes
Engine
Cooling Pack (engine coolant, transmission fluid, engine oil, charge air)
Transmission
Driveline
Rear Axle
Trailer Brake Controller
Exhaust Brake
etc.

Under the skin, they're completely different trucks.

Rusty

[DutchmenSport]

I would not want to tow that much weight with my 3500 duly diesel. It might pull it ok, but for how long?

[RustyJC]

The specs for our 2016 Ram Longhorn 3500 dually are in my signature, but I'll repeat them here. Please note, however, that these ratings require the SPECIFIC drivetrain options shown in my signature. This drivetrain option package also gets you an 11.8" AAM rear axle (standard on 3500 DRW is 11.5") with additional bolting between the carrier and ring gear, specially heat treated components and a finned aluminum cover for additional cooling:

GCWR = 39,100 lbs
GVWR = 14,000 lbs
Rear axle GAWR = 9,750 lbs
Trailer Tow Rating = 30,050 lbs

These ratings are SAE J2807 compliant.

We have no problem at all handling our 19,000 lb GVWR Mobile Suites with our Ram.



Rusty