SRW for pulling Fifth Wheel

[rb2boxer]

I am looking to buy a new truck because we intend to upgrade to a fifth wheel within the next few years. I have read a ton of articles and posts saying that a dually is better and the truck to have. Problem is that I dont really want a dually, we pull maybe 10 times a year for weekends and family vacations, etc. The SRW is a much better daily option for us

I am looking at a chevy or gmc 3500 crew cab diesel with the standard bed. I would really love to hear from people with the similar truck pulling fifth wheels....any issues?

I would make sure whatever fifth wheel I bought matched the specs of the truck. The one we are thinking of grosses at 15K and a pin weight of 2500#

Thanks in advance!

[ford_truck_guy]

Yup,

With the addition of the 7100# axle on my “15” and my Nitto’s that are rated at 3750# each, these 16K GVW fivers are just squeaking in...
Per the scales, loaded for a weeks vacation-
12,680# on the trailer axles
3,260# on the pin

[Hannibal]

ShinerBock wrote:


The math still does not add up. What rear gear did each truck have and at what speed did you pull these hills to get these rpms?

2003 SO Cummins Ram 47rfe/4.10. 2010 5.4L F250 5spd TS/3.73. 60~mph.

[ShinerBock]

Me Again wrote:
The move to 18" and 20" rims and tires with rear axle ratings up to 7K on a SRW combined with the new frames under all three 350/3500's was a game changer for trailers up to 16-17K. Here is our 39'4" 16K trailer and 2015 RAM 4x4 SRW SB. We have towed in some very strong winds without an issue at a combined 24,500 weight.

Nice set up you got there.

[JIMNLIN]

op wrote:
I am looking at a chevy or gmc 3500 crew cab diesel with the standard bed. I would really love to hear from people with the similar truck pulling fifth wheels....any issues?

I would make sure whatever fifth wheel I bought matched the specs of the truck. The one we are thinking of grosses at 15K and a pin weight of 2500#

Thanks in advance!

A 15k lb 5th wheel trailer can have a 3000 lb plus pin weight (20 percent) up to 3750 lbs at 25 percent of the trailers gvwr.

A 2500 lb hitch weight = maybe a 12500 lb trailer at 20 percent hitch weight.

The 3500 SRW GM has a 7050 rawr that will be carrying all the load in the bed. The 3500 rear axle may weigh in the 3200-3300 lb range depending on cab/4wd/etc leaving it with approx 3500-3700 lb for a in the bed payload. And of course the Dmax/A sure won't have any issues pulling a 15k lb trailer.
A 3500 SRW GM sounds like a good combo for that size trailer.

[Me_Again]

The move to 18" and 20" rims and tires with rear axle ratings up to 7K on a SRW combined with the new frames under all three 350/3500's was a game changer for trailers up to 16-17K. Here is our 39'4" 16K trailer and 2015 RAM 4x4 SRW SB. We have towed in some very strong winds without an issue at a combined 24,500 weight.

[transamz9]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
If you tow in windy areas the difference is HUGE having a Dually.

Example I-10 in PalmSprings, CA area.

I wish you would tell my duallys that because it's not working for me. My brand new service truck is a handfull and really drives like **** compared to my personal truck running overloaded. Set up has more to do with handling than two extra tires. I wonder how long it will be until NASCAR and open wheels will realize that if they would just put two more tires on each axle they would have more stability.

[Cummins12V98]

If you tow in windy areas the difference is HUGE having a Dually.

Example I-10 in PalmSprings, CA area.

[ShinerBock]

Hannibal wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:

Hannibal wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:

Stock 2003 Cummins made 235 hp if it was an auto and 305 hp if it was a manual HO. The 5.4L in the Super Duty made 300 hp at 5,000 rpm. 3800-4200 is more than the 30% higher rpm you stated earlier. Lastly, I have towed 5-7k with a 5.4L SD and I don't remember it ever being below 4500 up hills. Maybe on flat ground, but not on hills.

The 235hp was California. Mine was 250hp. That was peaked at 2900rpm where it was starting to run out of breath. The 310hp 5.4L makes 287hp at 4200rpm. That's right at peak torque rpm where it's just starting to come alive. The 2010 lowly 5.4L out tows the 2003 SO Cummins.

Again, the math of your 30% more rpm statement does not add up. The 3800-4200 you posted is more than 30% above the diesel. This is going by your own statements. Peak horsepower of the 300 hp version of the 5.4L in the SD was at 5,000 rpm and peak torque was at 3,750 rpm, not 4,200.

If the 250hp Cummins needed to run 2900rpm up a grade and the 5.4L runs 3800rpm up the grade, same load and speed, that's 30% higher rpm.

The math still does not add up. What rear gear did each truck have and at what speed did you pull these hills to get these rpms?

[blt2ski]

blofgren wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
All I can say is, once you've owned a dually and towed with a dually, experienced the stability of a dually, it's pretty hard to ever go back to a single!

I totally agree.

Depends upon the size of the trailer! I've towed the same trailers with singles, and DW setups. I find the actual GRAWR is more a factor as to how stable etc a rig tows, than if it has singles or duals. I have not felt any difference when a rig has an 8K single or dual setup to it. They tow the same.
BUT, with this all said, not sure why one needs a dually anything to tote a smaller trailer. Larger ones, yes one needs a truck/tow rig with appropriate payload etc. Be it a dual, or single tire axel, or a tandem vs solo rear axel.......or add drop, tag or equal axels if need be!

Marty

[Cummins12V98]

^^^^^^ I concur.

[blofgren]

DutchmenSport wrote:
All I can say is, once you've owned a dually and towed with a dually, experienced the stability of a dually, it's pretty hard to ever go back to a single!

I totally agree.

[memtb]

Bedlam, The Hankook DH 07’s have siping, and are alittle noisy at highway speeds....but not bad at all. We also run ours at 70 psi. when unloaded! The truck is also a little “nervous” when empty....but nothing to be concerned about!

[rhagfo]

Durb wrote:

Wadcutter wrote:

Durb wrote:

Can't see how these numbers add up. My truck has a gross combined capacity of 21,000 pounds. Since it weighs 8,000 pounds ready to tow it limits me to a 13,000 pound fifth wheel. Currently, a 40 ft. Big Country has a GVWR of 16k which would mean your F350 4X4 loaded up and ready to tow weighs around 5,000 pounds. I am glad you have towed it all over the country without incident. The numbers just don't appear realistic for the OP.

The numbers don't add to you because you're using GVWR. You must not understand what GVWR means. GRWR does not mean that's what the Big Country actually weighs. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Not actual weight of the rig. "Capacity" is not the same as actual weight.
And yeah, the number I gave are actual weights. I use to be the commander of one of the state scales and I weighed my rig a number of times when it was loaded various ways.
I do know what the weight ratings mean and the difference between "actual" weight and "capacity". I taught truck weigh laws for a lot of years, weighed a lot of trucks over the years, and was testified as expert witness in a number of cases involving truck weights.
You have to know what the terms mean if you're going to understand what they mean.

I know what gross vehicle weight ratings mean and I can do math. Assuming your F350 4X4 ready to tow weighs 8,000 pounds, which is realistic, then your 40 ft. Big Country loaded for travel weighs 12,000# when you scaled at 20,000#, 13,000# when you scaled at 21,000#. This is pretty hard to believe since the dry weight of a current 40 ft. Heartland is 13,420 pounds. Add a half of tank of water and a thousand pounds of gear (as you posted) and your trailer magically lost weight. I wouldn't want you testifying for me.

X2
Unless your TV is a XL gas, 8,000# is about correct.

[Bedlam]

I ran Dynatrac LRH PR16 245's on my F250 and found they worked just fine in snow, mud and wet conditions. You can get even better performance if you get the tires siped, but they say it will wear the tread quicker (probably not an issue with 19.5's). It was only where you needed a larger tire surface for flotation where they failed because they were so stiff. I tried running them at 50 PSI in the sand and they didn't flatten a bit - I was scared to go any lower and lose a bead. Unloaded I ran them at 70 PSI on the road and 100 PSI when under load. My 5500 uses the smaller 225 OEM Continentals in a LRG PR14 rating and they behave the same as my previous 19.5" SRW setup. My F250 ran traction/drive tread on all four corners and was a little loud with the open shoulders up front. This time I have street/steer tread up front and only the open shoulder tread in the rear and it reduced the tire noise that enters the cab.

[memtb]

Bedlam, We went with the Hankook DH 07, all the way around ( 4x4), and was very pleasantly surprised how well they handled mud and snow, last hunting season. I reduced the air pressure ( 70 psi) once at camp, 3 weeks + of boondocking .....figured it would be a while before I would have to “re-air”!