How much engine to tow 5500 lbs?

[marquette]

My wife and I are looking to buy a used 19-22 ft 5th wheel. Weight range from 35-4000 dry so I am figuring 5-5500 lbs wet weight. I have already decided the TV has to be a 3/4 ton with either a extended or crew cab. Budget wise I am looking at 1998-2004 trucks. In the trucks I have looked at Chevy has the venerable 5.7 or the 5.3 or 6.0., Dodge the gas 5.9 or Ford has the 5.4 or 6.8 V10. I have looked at the paper statistics of all of them but would like to hear some real world experience of what works. I will tow mostly midwest, Dakotas, and New England. Probably about 5000 miles a year. I am not interested in a diesel.

[MFL]

NC Hauler wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
Any of the current 1/2 tons is more than you need. a 5th wheel the size you are thinking has a small frontal area. any o the V-8`s will do just fine.

If you want a 3/4 ton, I`de go with the Ford with the V-10 or the Dodge with the 5.9 or 5.7L. Chevy with the 6.0L is the only choice.

Actually for the years OP is talking, 1998 to 2004', as far as Chevy/GM goes, the 6.0 isn't the only choice...as stated, 5.7 and the 8.1 were available during those years...Having towed the same 5er through the mountains with a 2003 6.0 and the 2001 8.1....though the 8.1 is a gas guzzler, the 6.0 couldn't compete with the 8.1 strapped to an Allison....the 8.1 was the only gasser back then put out by GM/Chevy that came with the Allison, (other than the Duramax), to me that's a BIG plus , ( of course mpg was a big minus).

Jim, I think the GM 5.7 was left out as an option, due to the low torque/low HP. It is dependable, like the Ford 2v 5.4, but down on towing power.

Jerry

[NC_Hauler]

dodge guy wrote:
Any of the current 1/2 tons is more than you need. a 5th wheel the size you are thinking has a small frontal area. any o the V-8`s will do just fine.

If you want a 3/4 ton, I`de go with the Ford with the V-10 or the Dodge with the 5.9 or 5.7L. Chevy with the 6.0L is the only choice.

Actually for the years OP is talking, 1998 to 2004', as far as Chevy/GM goes, the 6.0 isn't the only choice...as stated, 5.7 and the 8.1 were available during those years...Having towed the same 5er through the mountains with a 2003 6.0 and the 2001 8.1....though the 8.1 is a gas guzzler, the 6.0 couldn't compete with the 8.1 strapped to an Allison....the 8.1 was the only gasser back then put out by GM/Chevy that came with the Allison, (other than the Duramax), to me that's a BIG plus , ( of course mpg was a big minus).

[dodge_guy]

Any of the current 1/2 tons is more than you need. a 5th wheel the size you are thinking has a small frontal area. any o the V-8`s will do just fine.

If you want a 3/4 ton, I`de go with the Ford with the V-10 or the Dodge with the 5.9 or 5.7L. Chevy with the 6.0L is the only choice.

[NC_Hauler]

Bionic Man wrote:
Since no one has touched on the Dodge, I will. If looking that way, I would try to find the V10 - it will pull every bit as hard as the Chevy 8.1 or the Ford V10.

I had a 5.9 in a short bed regular cab 1500, about a 1995 vintage. Was a good truck, and did fine pulling a 4400 pound boat, but that is a lot easier to pull than a 5er. I think the 5.9 would be comparable to the Chevy 5.7, or the Ford 5.4, but is limited to around 230 HP (memory, could be a little higher).

Long story short, go with the V10 or find a little newer 5.7 Hemi. Much better towing options.

Wasn't trying to cut on any one vehicle...I don't know about the Ford V10 nor the Dodge V10..I merely brought up the 8.1 from owning one and it hadn't been mentioned up to that point. What were the specs on the Dodge V10 engine...just curious..

[colliehauler]

Bionic Man wrote:
Since no one has touched on the Dodge, I will. If looking that way, I would try to find the V10 - it will pull every bit as hard as the Chevy 8.1 or the Ford V10.

I had a 5.9 in a short bed regular cab 1500, about a 1995 vintage. Was a good truck, and did fine pulling a 4400 pound boat, but that is a lot easier to pull than a 5er. I think the 5.9 would be comparable to the Chevy 5.7, or the Ford 5.4, but is limited to around 230 HP (memory, could be a little higher).

Long story short, go with the V10 or find a little newer 5.7 Hemi. Much better towing options.

I had a Dodge V-10 with a Paxton Supercharger. That said there not very many around most people bought the Cummins.

[Bionic_Man]

Since no one has touched on the Dodge, I will. If looking that way, I would try to find the V10 - it will pull every bit as hard as the Chevy 8.1 or the Ford V10.

I had a 5.9 in a short bed regular cab 1500, about a 1995 vintage. Was a good truck, and did fine pulling a 4400 pound boat, but that is a lot easier to pull than a 5er. I think the 5.9 would be comparable to the Chevy 5.7, or the Ford 5.4, but is limited to around 230 HP (memory, could be a little higher).

Long story short, go with the V10 or find a little newer 5.7 Hemi. Much better towing options.

[NC_Hauler]

06Fargo wrote:
Sorry back to regular programming.

:B

[noteven]

Sorry back to regular programming.

[noteven]

I'm not looking at spark ignition again until Ford brings out the 3.5x2 = 7.0litre Ecoboost Tow Motor. So there. 🙂

[NC_Hauler]

colliehauler wrote:
Both the Chevy 8.1 and the Ford 6.8 are strong motors, just won't pass a gas station.

EGGZACKLY:)

[colliehauler]

Both the Chevy 8.1 and the Ford 6.8 are strong motors, just won't pass a gas station.

[NC_Hauler]

I'll say it again, the 2001 Chevy 2500 extended cab/short bed I had with the 8.1 (496 CID Vortec) , and Allison tranny with 4:10, rated at 340HP and 455ftlb of TQ( stock), in 2001 gave all those other gassers a run for their money...adding the 4" exhaust all the way, (two flowmasters), along with a Granatelli MAF sensor and K& N cold air intake and the Allison tranny, made that pick up truck hard to guard:)

loud and seat of the pants was part of the driving experience in that truck...:)...hey, I was only 51 then....still really young:)

[DaveF-250SD]

BenK wrote:
Yup...8.1L or the 502 if I could find one I liked...the good ole 7.4L
is just fine and does blow away many 8.1L & oil burners...

What they don't get is that with the ever increasing torque numbers...the
OEMs installed 'torque management' to keep from twisting the drive
train into pretzels

With that, they don't have full power mode that I do with no torque
management attributes in my ECU

Now a tuner will remove lots of the torque management stuff, but then
the risk is to the drive train

Repeat RC's question...is that trailer really that light? and go back
to my questions of gathering their ratings to then do the simple math
and figure out

All doable and another point...decide if you believe in the ratings
system or not

If not, then all academic and do whatever

If yes, then my metrics stand...

Ben, you hit the nail right on the head about the torque management. My '77 Chevrolet C-20 has an awesome running 454. The driver is in total control of the truck, not the software. Though it has about 40 horsepower and 25 ft.lbs. of torque less than my 2004 V-10 Super Duty, the seat of the pants feel of the two is remarkably similar in unloaded day to day driving. Of course, the Chevrolet does have a 1,400 and something pound weight advantage over the F-250.

[NC_Hauler]

marquette wrote:
NC-Hauler What chart are you using? I have been using the NADA specs chart. I looked at a 1993 Dutchman 220RB in Kerrick,MN and the sticker on the trailer UVW said 4015 lbs which corresponds to the NADA guide for weight. The NADA guide has a column for number of axles and weight but I don't think it means weight capacity of each axle.

I looked at NADA chart on the Komfort...showed it had 2 axles at the 3442# rating each.

Yes, the weight rating of each axle is how much weight each axle can carry.....BUT, remember, some of the 5th wheels weight is carried by the truck, (pin weight, approx. 20%)...Thus, when I saw the 5er had two axles rated at 3442 each, I "guessed" what GVW of the 5er is, I didn't see GVW information....but axles would have to be enough to carry weight that 5er might be loaded to, or over the axles...(with some extra left in)....

Those weights still don't knock you out of a 3/4 ton gasser...still not an issue....but it would be nice if you could check out the spec plate on the 5er, if still there and get the units actual GVW

[marquette]

NC-Hauler What chart are you using? I have been using the NADA specs chart. I looked at a 1993 Dutchman 220RB in Kerrick,MN and the sticker on the trailer UVW said 4015 lbs which corresponds to the NADA guide for weight. The NADA guide has a column for number of axles and weight but I don't think it means weight capacity of each axle.