My RV money is spent ... now what do I pull it with?

gratefulbruce wrote:
. Now the next question, which I'm sure is asked and answered many times over on this forum, is what should I look at to pull this behemoth. The stats on the trailer:

Dry Hitch wt 1140
unloaded vehicle wt 8710
gross vehicle wt 10950

I've told my wife a preference of a 3/4 ton truck for these kind of weights, but my experience is the type of asking questions and reading forums (not personal experience). I've got my eye on a 2500HD 6.6L TD, and I'm thinking I'd also like a weight distributing hitch with sway bars (Blue Ox maybe). I am planning to pull it around the west this summer, probably into the Rockies, the canyon lands and southwest. I thought with the trip planned I'd want a diesel, but I also thought I'd ask for personal experience here.

I looked up your camper. That is one nice camper. It will need an adequate truck to pull it and control it. That rear living layout is going to load weight towards the front. Starting with a 1,200# tongue weight with battery and propane and zero gear inside the camper is going to rule out any SUV. I had a 2500 Burb and they are great trucks, but it is not going to stay inside the ratings. The 8.1 with the 4.10 rear axle can pull it, but the truck platform is not going to do well with the 1,400 to 1,500# loaded tongue weight and gear in the truck.

On top of this,that camper is 40 feet long.

From my experience look for 1 ton suspension, van or PU. Single rear wheels are OK. Dully is great.

If you have your heart set on a 3/4 ton PU then consider getting a Pull Rite hitch for the back of the truck. They make a 2,000# tongue rated one which will tame that 40 foot camper and reduce the weight the truck has to hold up over a conventional and Hensley type hitch will give.

As far as pulling, the diesel is for sure a torque monster in any of the big 3 trucks. You take your pick. That said, the gasser with the right drive train can do a good job too. The diesel will have an advantage when towing at higher altitudes.

If I was to ever buy a camper that long, which that heavy a tongue weight and planning on doing a lot of traveling all over, I would get a 1 ton crew cab PU, single rear wheels, put a truck cap on the back for "stuff" and I would put a Pull Rite Hitch on it.

I am now doing 32 feet, just under 10,000# GVW on the TT with a 1,600# loaded TW. And 500# of stuff in the truck bed. Between the right truck tires, the Reese DC adjust correctly, the long wheel base, the right camper loaded TW for balance and 21,000 GCWR on the truck, I do well here on all over the east coast. I know my limits and this rig while solid, is not invincibly. When we head west in a few years the truck cap will come and she will be working more then the diesel will, but she will get the job done. If I was at 40 feet, the Pullrite would be under the truck.

Hope this helps, good luck and have fun camping

John

tatest wrote:
I'm in the HD van camp. Express 3500 with 6.0 and optionalaxle ratios can pull that, but finding one with the 6.6 Duramax would be better. Express seats still clamp into slots in the floor, making it easy to configure for passengers vs cargo.

I really considered this option as well. A great solution for your own lifestyle choice. I know we got an Airstream but I really wanted a fifth wheel! She who must be obeyed chose the trailer. I got to choose the truck. :D

I figure that if she changes her mind at some point, I'll be good to go on a 5er with my truck!

I'm in the HD van camp. Express 3500 with 6.0 and optionalaxle ratios can pull that, but finding one with the 6.6 Duramax would be better. Express seats still clamp into slots in the floor, making it easy to configure for passengers vs cargo.

E-350 van (no longer made) you would have to find the 6.8 V-10 with 4.10 axle, or take your chances on a 6.0 Powerstroke, which tends to be more reliable in the van because it was derated for that application. 2008 and newer get a better front suspension and better brakes, but the interior upgrade put much heavier seats into above-floor mountng brackets, so it is much harder to remove and replace seats, and 15-20 minutes work to pull the brackets out and plug holes to get a flat floor.

Obewan wrote:
I also have the 2015 338RETS. Great trailer. Tow w 2014 Ram 3500 dually diesel long bed. Tows great. No problems on hills. have towed about 5000 miles so far. Also replaced the king bed w a queen. 11-12 mpg on flat land towing. Average over 1000 mile trip was 11 mpg and part of the trip was thought the Appalachian mountains. If you can, upgrade the tires! Weighed by RVWeighing. 1425 pounds tongue weight wo Hensley. Total weight with a full load of water but otherwise almost empty was 10500. Forget the brochure numbers. This thing is heavy!

I tow my 7000+lb / 1100+ tongue wt with a Sub 8.1L 3.73 and it pulls fine. But seeing Obewan's real numbers (I easily pack 1500+ Lbs for a long trip) your fully loaded ready to go total wt will be at the max of 10900 with a tongue weight of 1500+Lbs. I wouldn't consider anything less than a 3500 diesel for running around the country with that kind of weight.

I have a 6.0 sub 3.73 4l80e and is only rated for 7600lbs towing. It's a beast when it comes to payload 2305lbs. It's best use is carry a family and tow 5500 to 7000lb loaded trailers.




Stick to 2500 3500 pickups.

allen8106 wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
Depending on year, if you go with GM plan on a new hitch platform. GM had issues on them for a long time. A 2500 series gas motor will work fine for this TT, so, dont jump on a diesel just because.

Go diesel now rather than later, you won't regret it. Then you have a higher capacity for a heavier rig. I expect after you live in the TT for a while you may decide a 5ver is in your future. You will already have the truck for it. Just my humble opinion.

Then the OP might as well skip the 2500 and get a 3500!

donn0128 wrote:
Depending on year, if you go with GM plan on a new hitch platform. GM had issues on them for a long time. A 2500 series gas motor will work fine for this TT, so, dont jump on a diesel just because.

Go diesel now rather than later, you won't regret it. Then you have a higher capacity for a heavier rig. I expect after you live in the TT for a while you may decide a 5ver is in your future. You will already have the truck for it. Just my humble opinion.

Edited post

Add a correctly set up Equalizer hitch--for the best sway control and weight distribution---to that rig and you will have an awesome setup. And I agree with your wife that a SUV is a much more useful travel vehicle than a truck.
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Or look at the "Blue Ox" hitch. Easier than the "Equaklizer" hitch.

I also have the 2015 338RETS. Great trailer. Tow w 2014 Ram 3500 dually diesel long bed. Tows great. No problems on hills. have towed about 5000 miles so far. Also replaced the king bed w a queen. 11-12 mpg on flat land towing. Average over 1000 mile trip was 11 mpg and part of the trip was thought the Appalachian mountains. If you can, upgrade the tires! Weighed by RVWeighing. 1425 pounds tongue weight wo Hensley. Total weight with a full load of water but otherwise almost empty was 10500. Forget the brochure numbers. This thing is heavy!