I have the same RV and started with a 3500 SRW truck. After a 4000 mile trip I decided to go with a dually. The reduced stress and fatigue was worth the switch.
As you can see in my profile photo, I had bought a 2019 RAM 3500 Dually. I loved the truck. 3 years later I traded it in on a... you guessed it, another RAM 3500 Dually. I love those trucks. The new one has a HO Cummins, Aisin Transmission, 5400lbs of cargo capacity, and just shy of 34,000lbs of towing. Our 5th wheel is 42 feet long and has a GVWR of 16,500lbs. I live in PEI, last year we drove to Cape Breton and back, through the hills of the Cobequit Pass, and Mt Thom and I was passing vehicles up hills, and never had a white knuckle the entire drive. I feel 100% in command of the rig, every second you're behind the wheel. My wife and the dog fell asleep on the drive it is so comfortable, and I was literally driving with one hand through the bulk of the trip. In my humble opinion, RAM has the nicest interior, ours is a Laramie so if you go with a Limited trim, it's even nicer. At one time, I was all about the look of a vehicle, but now that I'm over 50, it's the comfort of the interior and ride! Though my RAM looks nice, I'm more about how it feels to drive, and it's without a doubt one of the nicest trucks I've ever owned. And I've been buying trucks since I turned 16. Now, all that being said, if I was to make a suggestion that is NOT a RAM, I would say an F450 would be my second choice, with the wide front axle and tighter turning radius. But that's all I got!
I just brought home a 2023 Ram 3500 Dually HO from Chicago to Wyoming, and I'm noticing significantly worse fuel efficiency compared to my 2019 Ram 2500 SO. I averaged 17 to 22 mpg at 80 mph (not towing) with my 2019. However, the 3500, equipped with 4.10 gears, is averaging around 13 mpg. At 80 mph, my RPMs are about 2500. Despite adjusting my speed to 65-75 mph, the mileage remained around 13 mpg. The best stretch of my trip, I hit 15 mpg with a strong tailwind while cruising at 70 mph. Curious to hear about the fuel mileage you're getting with your truck
Thanks for the honesty, it's one of the things I look for when watching channels like these. Whatever brand truck you go with next, make sure it is a dually, you need it with a trailer that size
I have a similar setup with the Ram 2500 Cummins, but the 33.5' Grand Design Reflection which is probably 12,000lbs so not as much weight as you were pulling. I noticed some of what you referred to, but then I added the airbags to the rear. What a difference that made...no more side to side swaying and stopped the excessive up and down bouncing I saw on the areas like crossing over train tracks. I would be curious to see how your experience would have differed with airbags to assist the coil springs in the rear.
I have exactly the same truck/5th wheel. I have timbrens on the back. I'm 80lbs over on the back axle. I plan to resolve that with the crosswings. I don't have any sway. Trucks passing have no impact. I travel at 65. Now I'm concerned that the issue is his crosswing hitch being so narrow at the hitch point.
I was in pretty much the same situation last November. I had a 3/4 ton diesel Ford short bed, and a 40 foot Cougar midbunk fifth wheel. Stepped up to a 2022 F-350 dually with the Powerstroke and 10 speed transmission. The difference is almost as huge as going from a 1/2 ton truck to a 3/4. Towing went from nearly white knuckle, to “hey let’s get on the road!!” The stability difference is stunning. Good luck, be safe, keep making great videos!!
Personally, for towing a large camper, I would go for a Dodge 3500 dually with an Aisin HD transmission. Now the dually is wider in the rear and a bit trickier to drive, but it gives you stability. My choice anyway.
I'd definitely go with a dually if I had a big fifth wheel trailer but why the H.O. with Aisin? The S.O. with 68rfe would be a better choice for towing 20k and below. The Aisin's are stout but they drive horribly unladden. The S.O.'s also get better fuel economy.
I disagree. I have a 21 3500 with the HO Cummins & Aisin transmission. It drives fine as long as you let it do it’s thing. If you’re trying to make it something it’s not, you are not going to like it. It’s a truck made to tow, but it’s also my daily driver. Love the truck! That said I have driven a Ford F350. It’s a great truck as well. The new 24 GMC’s are intriguing. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them. However IMO RAM with that Cummins engine & that exhaust break are tough to beat! Great video!
@@Over_the_Hill_RV_Rookies Not sure which part you disagree, but if it's the "bit trickier to drive" part, I was referring to the rear width of a dually. One needs to make wider turns! I've seen a few turning on sidewalks and curbs (not me, naturally😇😂) and it's a bit harde to find a good parking spot sometimes.
I have what I think is the same fifth wheel trailer. Mine is a Solitude 310GK 2018 and I was towing it for the past 6 years with a 2017 Chevrolet LTZ 3500 SRW long bed Duramax. Truck did a great job towing the trailer, but I was constantly maxed out on weight. Part of this was because I added a Ranch Hand front bumper and 18k winch, plus a 60 gallon fuel tank in the bed and for quite a while I also had a Onan quiet diesel generator in the bed of the truck too. I would scale my combo everytime I went by my local DOT station that has a free drive on scale with large digital read outs. My normal weights were 5600 front axle, between 7000 and 7500 rear axle and 10,500 on the combined trailer axles. I did find out that keeping the fresh water tank full while driving removed at least 200 lbs from the pin because the water tank is behind the rear axle on the 5er. The GVWR of my 2017 truck was 11,600 and as you can tell I was close to 13,000. I upgraded tires to give me 4080 per tire and added air bags, but I was still over my GVWR. I did end up moving my diesel generator to a custom bracket I made on the rear of the trailer and that put 500 lbs back there. Several weeks ago I purchased a new truck and after long hard thinking, I bought a 2023 GMC Denali Dually. I have to say I don't think weight will be an issue anymore, the truck is very solid and perfect for towing this big trailer. I have yet to hook up the fifth wheel for a haul but it will be happening soon. When I started shopping for a new truck, I looked at Ford, Chevy and GMC and inventory is incredibly low. I ended up buying the truck I got mostly due to it being discounted 6250.00 off of MSRP. Some of the other trucks I looked at were 5000.00 over MSRP. I kind of wanted a 2024 to take advantage of GM's power increase, but when I saw that they only increased HP by 25 and torque by 65 I was happy with the 23 and immediately added a Banks Derringer and I dash that gives me an additional 80 hp and 144 ft lbs at the rear wheels and this is also what I had on my 17, so now I am right around 500 rwhp and 1000 rear wheel torque which feels great.
I think this video will attract a Ram crowd and thus most of the recommendations will be for Ram trucks. I'd love to see you test all three 3500 trucks (Ram, Ford, GM) with your travel trailer and you tell us what you chose and why.
I did and because of in my opinion like a car and what I bought is the GMC Duelly. No issues from Las Vegas to the Keys and then from Las Vegas to Alaska and back. Try the GMC.
@christopherbrown1391 The towing capabilities are down on the coil spring truck, since it has less payload capacity. I also believe it's a little less steady when loaded than a leaf spring set up, but I could very well be wrong there
I pull with basically same truck. 2019 2500 Laramie. Similar trailer. Put shocks on trailer, added Sumo Springs to truck and biggest thing went away from 5th wheel and moved to Reese Goose Box. All of this made the ride experience night and day.
I have to wonder if payload is exceeded and there was an accident if the insurance company would possibly deny a claim? We tow a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 303 RLS with a 2021 Chevrolet 3500HD LTZ. The truck is diesel and single rear wheel. The hitch is BW non slider. The bed length is 6' 7". There have been no clearance issues in two years and 12,000 towing miles. My average towing fuel mileage is between 10.5 and 12 mpg (we live in the Sierra Mountains). The truck will get as high as 22 mpg not towing on flat highway. In the bed of the truck there is a 60 gallon fuel tank and a tool box mounted on top of it. The truck handles the trailer very well with zero blow by from passing semi trucks. There is no sway or other issues. I ruled out Ford early on due to their use of a known defective Bosch CP4.2 high pressure fuel pump. RAM was second but the lack of a 10 speed transmission did not appeal to me. I am a retired mechanic with over 35 years of on the job experience. I am biased towards GM based on my personal and on the job experiences. Thanks for the video and your no sugar coating of your experience.
Dot will not look at payload in case of pull over or accident in the terms of what a manufacturer claims. It’s all about axles weight ratings and gross. Stay in those and you’ll be golden. Manufacture payload is not the law.
Thank You for Your honesty, and candidness Howard! I am buying a new truck too. I originally was going with a Ram 2500, like Yours. Then I got on TH-cam, and discovered the payload issue with those trucks. It was not going to work for Me. I then switched My deposit over to a Ram 3500. It was a great truck, but was missing a few options that I really wanted. In addition, I could not actually buy the truck, as there was a stop/sale order on those trucks due to a recall on the intake air heaters, which, is still pending. In a roundabout way, probably a good turn of events for Me. I then started doing research on the Chevrolet. I ended up ordering a ‘24 Chevy LTZ 3500. It was basically one trim package higher, than the Ram Bighorn, for the same money. Hard to overlook the 10 speed transmission, larger fuel, and DEF tanks, and a longer box, in Their version of a standard length. Good luck, in Your search for Your new ride.
I also have a Ram 2500 pulling 35’ 5th wheel (16,000 lbs) had a terrible sway problem. Replaced the rear sway bar with much larger diameter one and changed the tires . Corrected sway problem. 40K since change with no more sway problems. Wish I would have bought a 3500 but too expensive to change. I would look at the duramax with 10 speed. I love Cummins but I think either truck would serve you well. Best of luck.
I have a Ram 2500 6.7l diesel I tow a 40 ft 5th wheel I added air bags to support the weight. Have not had any problems. Took a 4,000 mile trip went over the continental divided I passing 18 wheelers at a steady pace without any problems. If you beef up the suspension it would be cheaper then buying another truck.
5:25, you moving weight to the back behind the axles amplifies the winds affect , your better off just putting it over the axles if possible and be8ng slightly heavier on the drive axle. If I were you I’d get a dually,the 3500 single wheel isn’t going to help much.I’d get a GM truck for the IFS front end it’s just smoother more stable and less issues.
I think the honest truth is that it is really hard to beat the Cummins exhaust braking system. Got several family members that work in construction and they all swear by it after having driven all three major brands extensively with huge loads. That said, I am sure they would all address your complaints from this video if you bumped it to a 3500 8ft bed.
If you just added a set of rear air bags to assist the coil spring suspension when carrying weight most of your handling issues would likely be eliminated.
Still over payload numbers. Always best to buy enough truck by the numbers. Can always add bags to the bigger truck but you want to be legal from the start.
I towed a 44ft 5th toyhauler wheel dry weight of 16k. And loaded about 21k. Height 13.5 as well. I have a 2017 Ram 3500 dully, asin Trans, HO Motor, and 410 rear end. Bearly knew it was there. Right truck for the rig rig and you'll enjoy the drive I promise ya.
Do you haveva class a license. Looking to get a personal trailer with dry weight 12,000lbs with a 21,000gvwr. Looking for same 3509 dually which is capable. Im juat worried would dot give me problems. I will never exceed actual weight of 26,000lbs but the rated gcwr of both truck and trailer is over 26,000l
Yes everyone says dually as it would be the most stable option. However, you now have to pay for 2 more tires every time you need them, plus the added width in parking lots without a trailer. As a daily driver, a single wheel 3500 would probably suit your needs, but as a full time tow rig, nothing beats a dually. If you look up PD diesel on TH-cam, he runs many 3500 single wheel rams with the aisin transmissions and knows everything about them. He runs hotshot and has many trucks over 500,000 miles towing. Very good option
I was in your shoes when I first started rv’ing. Tow our unit from Maryland to Orlando without any issues however, I was experiencing the same issue as you described. I added some manual Firestone airbags and that helped immensely. I ended up selling the truck and going with a Ram 3500 limited drw. Night and day difference.
@@KevinDaigle-d2r because I was well over payload capacity. The payload capacity for the ram 2014 2500 I had was roughly 1760lbs. The pin weight on my fifth wheel is 2800lbs. The truck came for the dealership with a 2” leveling which caused the truck to sag more than it would have without the leveling kit. The Firestone airbags added almost reduced the sagging completely. Going from a srw to drw I found the drw to be more stable especially if it is a windy day.
@@Morphz_Unlimited I’ve got a 2022 Longhorn with a payload of 2,200. And I am looking at same trailer the original poster has Grand Design 310GK. I think loaded the pin will be about same as yours, 2,800lbs. I do not want to go to a 1 ton due to the ride when not towing plus the 2023 Ram has less content than the 2022.
The Ford SD would have given you the extra 5” needed if you went with that original aka the short bed. And you could have had the Tremor too. Plus payload would not have been an issue. But if you’re going all out, then non Tremor FX4 with the long bed would do the trick. If you don’t want to go into the F-450 Dually.
Your observations are exactly why I purchased X times more truck than what my capacity, axle, tires and GVWR states. Its not so much about being within limits but being in the comfort zone. Its about the journey and getting to the destination relaxed, and not stressed the F out. Everyone do what they want, but F-450 and yanking my 17k GD 349m-r works for me, and completely stress free travels.
Have to go with a F350. I live in Alberta, anyone who’s doing any sort of towing (ranchers, oil and gas, trades, forestry etc) is running super duty’s. We have a mix in our fleet and the fords are hands down the best.
It's the rear coil springs! When Expeditions went to coils in the rear my friend bought one and complained that towing was "hell" as the rear end pogoed back and forth and a bit side to side as well. Word on the street you can get a great deal on a 2500 RAM now and dealers have limited inventory of 3500s for this same reason. If you don't need to tow the coils are great for the ride.
"...right at capacity." Glad Howard changed his mind about the truck. If I owned a similar setup I wouldn't want to be on the razor's edge of capacity and as a fellow motorist who has to share the road I don't want HIM to be at that tipping point, either! Looking forward to seeing your next thoroughbred.
I just purchased a RAM 3500, I had a short wheel bad 2500 RAM and had the same problems. We just traveled 3500 miles with the new RAM 3500 with single tires on the rear, I ordered a 50 gallon fuel tank also. Best decision, the 2500 did well BUT! It was unsafe to travel with my family. Thanks for sharing your experience.
@timothyculliver1993 I currently tow with the 2500 and considering the 3500 as we want to upgrade from bumper pull to travel trailer. May I ask what kind of auxiliary tank you purchased? Short bed truck? TIA👍.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'd love for more actual life experience content like this. People who use their equipment and maybe more content on the best fit for the application. I'm looking at starting to haul a lot with a gooseneck trailer soon 20+ foot long with heavier loads (around 10,000 lbs) than what I have hauled in the past. My previous experience is mostly towing with a traditional receiver hitch with a 16' utility trailer for mowers, firewood etc. I'll look for your newer video to see what you ended up with.
I’m in the same boat with my RAM 2500 and a Reflection 5th wheel. It’s a lighter trailer (12k gross) but still puts me over payload. Like you, I am under the tire and axle capacity but I’d like the piece of mind having a 1 ton. Unfortunately between truck prices and interest rates I really can’t justify it for the weekend warrior style of towing we do. That said, if I was buying today I would be looking pretty hard at the ‘24 GM trucks. Since I’m not in a rush, I’m still holding out hope that RAM makes a transmission change in the coming years. I’ve been really happy with my truck.
would love to see a BIG comparo of HD duellys towing heavy... an hour long at least. if you could throw in the F450 as well as the 3500's because of the turning circle that would be an EPIC video !
I have your trailer pulled by a 1 ton ford single rear wheel 4 door anderson hitch, air bags, helwig big rig rear sway bar 6.7 superduty no buffeting no sway under even the worst conditions 65 mph i get 9.5 to 10mpg avg. Drives and pulls the 15000 pounds with ease up and down 9% grades and i set cruise control at 70 mph and it rides as if nothing is behind you! They all are good trucks and ive owned them all but the ford truly is a cut above all of them . and i have to say the rear stabilizer bar was the key to eliminating sway and buffeting.and the air bags that could be adjusted on the fly helped enormously on ride quality.
If you look at a newer GM, you’ll find that the hitch point to cab is about the same as a Ram 8 foot bed. Thereby eliminating the need for a sliding hitch that takes up half your bed. That new bed is actually 6 foot 10 inches.
Hello from Vaughan, Ontario Had a similar issue with an even bigger GD 5th wheel. We had a F250 Diesel and purchased a GD 3950BH-R. I knew at the time the 250 would tow it but it would not be safe or legal. Ordered a 2022 F350 Dually with Diesel and have been a happy camper since. Driving is a one hand operation and peaceful. We have done an East Coast trip last summer with zero issues. TK I know it's a few weeks since you posted but if you would like I'm pretty sure we are not that far away from eachother and if you want to try it with your GD offer is open.
You are completely right about the payload rating and weights. For your issue with the buffeting, it's probably because the trailer is too balanced on its axles and you put the extra weight in its rear. Look at where the axles are placed and where you said you placed the cargo you put in it. Before you go look at new one ton trucks and get sticker shock how much more they are (as well as the much higher interest if getting a loan) compared to your 2019, put some airbags in the truck and don't put all of your cargo in the rear of the trailer. A set of airbags and a sliding hitch is a whole lot cheaper than a new 1 ton
Howard, had a good time watching this. I've got a 21 Tundra and tow a Jayco 242bhs. Just got back from an Ontario to Tennessee trip and dealt with the same issues. I've now got my eye out for a 2500 that I can drive around and also travel with.
I just sold my '18 tundra and got a ram 2500 w/6.7. I tow an enclosed sand car trailer around 8k. Couldn't be happier. Tundra was white knuckle everywhere I towed. 2500 doesn't even feel it. And Howard is right about the ram exhaust brake, they nailed it. It works really well in both the full brake setting and the auto setting.
I'm running a 2012 Ram 3500 Long box with the Cummins and love it. With a 30 ft long fully loaded (full water tank too) travel trailer I'm getting about 16 L/100 kms. if I upgrade to a 5th wheel, I plan to put on a Reese Goose box on the trailer and use the gooseneck ball (it's a B&W turnover hitch) . I bought this truck used for about 1/5 of the price of a new unit as we're doing things on a budget. Best of luck finding your new truck.
Love the information. I have a 2022 Limited Longhorn 2500. I looked at fifth wheels but landed on a Momentum 25G bumper-pull toy hauler. Hitch weight, overall size, it really works perfect. And I have the bed of my pickup and all our stuff in the back of the hauler.
I appreciate this discussion from a person that knows and understands what they are talking about. I am a GM fan but I have never pulled something that big.
Clearly, he DOES not understand. If he did, he would not OVERWEIGHT his truck - he KNEW it was over payload and ignored it. Not just putting himself in danger, but put other people on the road in danger. Shame on him. It's one thing for someone who has no idea to do this, but it's sheer recklessness for the TRUCK KING to do it. Really disappointing.
The GCVWR also includes maintaining a certain speed on a grade, braking performance, and cooing engine and transmission in extreme heat. In the 150 series pickups my experience as you get closer to GCVWR also has been less than desirable handling overall. The stiffer the suspension and the heavier the truck platform , the more secure it will feel.
I have a F350 6.7 and I tow a 35 foot 12K fifth wheel. What really helped me was using a Reese Gen 3 goose neck. It has the 2 shocks and the airbag . Not sure if this will help you. Also I run 80 psi in my rear tires. That stiffens up the side walls
I have 2 truck recommendations for you. #1 would be the Ford F450 - Reason is if you're open to going with a Dually for more stability, i think your trailer is a great option for the F450 and long travels. it will give you the luxury of turning radiace in city driving for a Dually. #2 would be the new 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 SRW. I believe that truck has one of the best comforts of driving in long distances if staying away from DRW. I think the new interior is attractive. I've always been a ford guy in terms of diesel but it seems that Duramax with the allison transmission is much more reliable in cold weather based on friends experiences and opinions. Good luck and look forward to seeing what you select.
We have a 2020 solitude 310GK and we are pulling with a 2021 Ram 3500 DRW, 8' box, factory air bags. Love it! worries about weight or towing capacity. We switched from a 2500 Chevy for the same reason as you. the other consideration is insurance coverage if you are over posted weight rating, as well as possibility of being ticketed for being overweight and possibly holding the trailer until you got a heavier truck.
I have a similar set up, ram 2500 and jayco 29.5 bus 5th wheel; the way that we solve the turn radius issue is with a turn point 5th wheel hitch. We can make a 90° turn no problem and because it is a normal hitch we have no side to side movement. We are in Alberta and travel through the mountain and prairie so lots of different condition and never had a problem.
He already knows that. The 10K weight rating has little to do with what the truck is actually capable of and more to do with complying with government taxes and regs. They make "1 ton" trucks with a 10K GVW rating as well for that exact reason. Payload ratings don't reflect what the actual capability of the vehicle is, but GAWR, gross trailer, and GCWR does. If you get stopped by highway patrol they aren't going to look at your payload number, they will measure the weight on each axle and the gross weight of the combination.
Loved ur RAM Solitude video. We just purchased a 2023 Solitude 310gk and are pulling w 2016 RAM 2500 Mega cab shortbed. Added 5000lb airbags and decided on Anderson gooseneck hitch (with upgraded pressure plate as recommended). Luv it all and am most impressed w the truck. Pulls great and air bags seem to help a ton. MORryde hitch std on the RV fabulous upgrade to greatly buffer tugging. Also upgraded truck to 50gal tank to reduce stress of always looking for gas. Only been out a few trips but ALL great. Big hills do slow me down to 50-55mph. And a too tight turn on last trip while in a pressured rush to back in blew out my back window. $1k lesson learned as u said. I too will probably by new 3500 long bed diesel next time but for now could not be happier. Luv the truck and LUV the new Solitude, big upgrade from our 20yr old 27’ Fleetwood Wilderness travel trailer we also loved. Stay well, travel safe …
I had a midsize toyhauler 5th wheel and 3500 SRW. Within ratings and I felt it drove fine. I started shopping for a big 5th wheel, so I upgraded to a dually first. Towing the same midsize 5th wheel with the dually, I’d arrive at the riding area (narrow winding patchy mountain road) ready to go ride. With the SRW I’d arrive needing to rest. The dually is just more planted, and much less fatiguing than you’d think.
Hey truck king I hope you get this I’m a truck driver since 06 had 2500 most of my life but did not like the feel and I know what I’m feeling in my but so last truck a16 ram 3500 srw night and day difference and I pull doubles I can’t do daul wheel with no automatic car wash plus two more tires to replace . Also short bed looks nice. But longbed makes huge difference so my suggestion to you go get a ram 3500 SRW Longbed and update the difference to all your subscribers.
We have a Grand Design toy hauler, it's triple axel so it's a big one. We tow with a 3500 dually with a long bed, pretty sure you will be very happy with a dually. It's amazing how much better they tow than a 3/4 ton.
One thing to keep in mind when loading up a trailer, if you load too much gear behind the RV axel to relieve the rear truck axel of some weight, it will impact how the truck performs under hard acceleration and hard deceleration. The reason is that under hard acceleration the weight behind the RV axel effectively pushes the back of the RV down, causing the RV to act like a lever and lift on the back of the truck. Not ideal! Conversely, when braking hard from highway speed, if you've moved gear back to lower your hitch weight, just to "lower your payload", the truck will suddenly find itself exceeding the payload, which can create a dangerous situation with the trucks steering. The front wheels may lose some grip; and if you're lucky, you'll stop before going off the road. If you're going round a bend, you could end up taking your RV + Truck off-road at highway speed.
I think it'd actually IMPROVE the ride if you had more tongue weight, and removing weight from the front of the trailer might have actually reduced the stability. The symptoms you mention sound very much like trailer sway due to not enough tongue weight. What I'm getting at is that these problems would not necessarily disappear on a 3500, either, unless you increase the tongue weight. The coils are not a bad thing for towing at all (besides capacity issues) in my opinion: )
I'm not an expert but I think you are on to something. Top Gear did an episode on why Europeans seem to tow the same travel trailers with midsized cars that Americans tow with big trucks. The answer was tongue weight and speed. They put a lot less weight on the tongue, which allows them to pull a heavier trailer, but they absolutely must do so at a lower max speed of around 60mph to avoid the sway that TK seems to have encountered. Thus the meme of rolling road block caravans in Europe. Here in 'Murica we want to tow big trailers at autobahn speeds, and the way we do it is by putting more weight on the tongue to increase stability at higher speeds. But that means we need big trucks with high GVWRs as our tow vehicles. So yes I agree that TK needs a lighter trailer, bigger truck, or both.
I think I heard you saw that as long as the other numbers checked out, you were ok pulling over your payload capacity. My own experience is that I put a deposit down on a 5th wheel a couple of years ago before I knew much about these things. The salesman said my 1/2 ton GMC would “pull it just fine”. I came across a computer program to calculate the actual limitations and found that I would be 450 pounds over payload when I added the weight of the hitch, people, cargo, etc. I also discovered that if I were in an accident while over the limit, my insurance wouldn’t cover me and my truck warranty might be voided. I got my deposit back. I personally wouldn’t pull any trailer without a 20% excess capacity buffer. A one ton is the answer. Purpose built.
I went from Virginia to Maine and down to Florida last year with my F350 dually, 8' bed, 6.7L pulling a 40' Grand design fifth wheel. I'm leaving in a week on a coast to coast trip. This is what i have done to improve this up coming trip. S&B 68 gallon fuel tank. I was also getting 10mpg. Getting in and out of gas stations is where accidents can happen. The larger tank will allow me to fill up after i drop the camper off at the RV park. Reese 3rd generation gooseneck. The chucking wasn't bad with the factory fifth wheel but this will definitely smooth out the ride on those rough roads and free up my bed space. Trailer tire monitoring and Viair 12V tankless air compressor. The compressor is great for filling tires on the spot and the kids floats.
Yea, you were certainly pushing the weight. We have a '16 2500 MegaCab with the 6.4l and 35' Cougar (316RLS) that weighed in at 12.5k on the scales loaded up for a 10 day trip (gene, ice chest, some wood, etc.). We exceeded payload (not quite 3k pounds for our config) by 600# but were well under the rear axle rating (front was almost identical to unloaded). I run airbags and it takes 40psi to level the truck back out (we have a Thuren level kit up front) and I have a 16k Goosebox installed on the trailer. This setup tows great (I wouldn't trade the Goosebox for anything now) but I'm also stepping up to a 3500 ('24 GMC) in the event I go with a heavier trailer in the future. I'm guessing you're probably about 1k heavier on the pin weight and that (possibly coupled with the hitch setup you run) have made a significant difference in how it pulls (I don't get pushed around by other vehicles or reasonable winds). I actually love the factory 5 link under the rear of the 2500s and wish they'd use it on the 3500s as well.
I have a '15 MegaCab Cummins and have not purchased a trailer yet. Should I skip 5th wheels entirely and stick with a travel trailer? I like this truck way too much to swap it out for something different. I'm running a compound turbo setup and have more grunt than I know what to do with. Will upgrade transmission when I start towing.
@@stiffmeister0hYeah Fine if it's a 3500 but the 2500 diesel is the worst combination you can have when it comes to payload capacity in a Ram. Will it tow, absolutely. Is it safe? Highly likely since is has the same chassis, same brakes, same axle, and rear gear. The only difference is the 5 link/coil spring vs leafs between the 2500 and 3500. Only you can make that call. And for what it's worth, the '24 GMC 3500 has been fantastic. The ride unloaded is better. Loaded they're pretty close (I think the Ram was actually a little more stable but this could be a tire issue since I've never towed on a Goodyear). Interior wise, the GMC is amazing in all regards except for the Bose premium sound which is trash compared to the Ram's Alpine branded system.
I have a 2019 2500 Cummins also. I tow my 36ft raptor fifth wheel with it. I bought bags to help with the sag and it’s perfectly fine. I’ll move my in laws 43ft solitude 3k pin weight on my set up also. Zero issues. Recommendation, get a B&W companion (not a slider) it’s what I run. Can nearly break 90* and I have zero jolt or fluctuation when traveling.
Im running a 19’ 3500 Cummins with timbrens on the rear end, truck rides so good towing my GD reflection 28bh, I’ve had other people approach me and ask what I have, because they seen how good I was doing in bad crosswinds, and windy roads where the truck trailer just feels planted
Always better to have more truck than you need when it comes to towing anything heavy. Found that out the hard way with my 9600# GVWR Travel Trailer and the F150 i thought could handle it. Ended up with a 2500 Cummins and wish I’d done it sooner. For a 5th wheel, going long distances, a dally 8ft bed just makes the most sense.
Hi...i think the positioning of your 5th wheel and a trailer that size would need to be on or just slightly ahead of the axle..[ so that being said the long box will help ]...putting more weight behind you trailer axles will surely cause handling issues.
I doubt you’ll read this but from 2014-2018 I hauled a cyclone 4012 and an elkhorn 37mbhs both weighing close to 15k with a 2008 extended cab long bed 2500 duramax. Went from Houston to Redlands, CA with the cyclone with 80 pounds in lifter bags. I didn’t encounter many problems, overweight as hell, yes. Would I do it again? Yes. Is it the right thing to do? Absolutely not. Towed the elkhorn all over California and was happy. Truck did hood towing over the grapevine. Point is, you have much more road time across the United States than I do. A dually would definitely benefit both of us in our own situations, especially if you’re planning on towing more. As far as what truck, all of them scare me. The fuel systems and the emissions systems all scare me for the longevity of the truck. Good luck with your purchases, please keep these videos coming.
Ram 2500 springs (coils or full air) are located inboard the frame and contribute to that instability. Add air bags and your 2500 will tow (stabilize) much better. Still prefer a 3500 long bed for a heavy GVWR and widebody drop frame 5th wheel. I run a 2020 3500 HO SRW that tows everything like a dream. Been there on the 2500 many years ago and learned that lesson the hard way.
I have a DRV Fifth wheel with very similar specs to yours... I am pulling it with a 3500 Dodge 6 1/2 foot bed and a pull right sliding hitch.... I couldn't be happier ... Because it's my daily driver and I live in a urban area in Ontario and 8 foot box is impractical.. Even with the shorter wheelbase, I have the air ride suspension and an air ride pin box and I hardly noticed the trailer back there at all other than of course the weight... I think you'll be very happy with whatever configuration of 3500 you buy I agree with you coil Springs or not made for towing...
I think most important is that you don't exceed the trucks gvwr, the trailers gvwr & the gcvwr. And yes axle & tire ratings should also not be exceeded. I believe the manufacturers leave some wiggle room when it comes to payload. Put a set of Bilstien shocks on the rear axle. Helped tremendously on my truck. Also agree with the longer wheel base 8' bed. Will add stability.
Thanks for sharing your story. I dig your Ram truck. It’s gorgeous. My wife and I just purchased a Ram Laramie 3500 6.7 H/O DRW with the AISIN to pull a the new Toy Hauler. I’ve never owned a truck or an Rv so your video helped me out with understanding things a little bit more. I’ve been told that the truck we purchased is a bit overkill for the smaller sized Travel Trailer Toy Hauler we bought but we wanted room to grow. Maybe one day we will get into a larger 5th wheel toy hauler but since I’m new to this Rv towing thing i didn’t want to get in over my head. I look forward to future videos. ✌🏽
The dodge is a great truck especially its interior is industry leading . The coil over are great for daily driving towing big loads while your gonna suffer a bit but I like the leaf spring cause I don't tow all day everyday .
I own a 2020 ram 3500 HO SRW mega cab. It has served my family well I haven’t had any issues. It has the factory air ride which I was skeptical at first but I really enjoy it now. I would definitely give that some serious consideration when shopping.
I have a 2021 Ram 1500 Warlock that I tow my Grand Design Transcend 261BHSE with. The moment I had left the dealership I had begun to have that side to side motion. I had bought the ProPride 3P hitch for the sway and weight Distrobution control. I had changed out my tires to the Michelin Agilis Cross Climates, Load range E, from the the stock Yokohama Geolander tires. Immediately felt a huge difference to the towing. I live in norther Nevada and have traveled all over the west coast towing that travel trailer. I can say, the hitch and the tires bad a huge difference. I would definitely check it out.
Yeah I've been looking at the 3509 just because of the leaf springs. Not sure I would ever tow enough to warrant an Aisin but I won't pass up a good deal
This is what I have and I would tow this with my truck, I think that the newer truck 1-ton srw will do it with no problem but it will be minimum, the Solitube 310 gvwr is 15,000lbs but I wouldn't have anything less, dually is the way to go for sure I don't fulltime we just go a few times a year but if I was fulltiming well then yeah, dually for sure.
My understanding is that the Rail-mounted CrossWing (which it looks like you have) gives 5" of offset. It's the gooseball mounted crosswing that has the 8.5" offset.
I have a 22 HO Ram Dually Limited. No regrets. It is a beast. Added a Curt 30k hitch. No compromise and no comparison. Stick with the Ram. My 5th is 14k and change and the truck just shrugs it off.
We took a trip from west coast to east coast in2015. 36 foot Everest, 4 slides, with a 2005 RAM 3500 dual. Absolute no problems with wind or towing, very stable. Some chucking in the hitch, changed to a Hensley TS3 hitch, WOW what a difference that made. Definitely definitely worth the money.
I would add Timbrens to the truck and Sumo springs on your trailer and you’ll be all set. Etrailer has both and I put them on my 21 F350 SRW and 21 Pinnacle KPTS 41 ft 16,500 gross fifth wheel and it drives more like a Motorhome feeling like one unit instead of two. Much more stable in a side wind as well as the trailer doesn’t lean with the wind.
I highly recommend a dually for that trailer weight. You will be so much happier. My 5th wheel tops out at 14K within my trucks capacity and I ended up converting my F250 To a dually and it was night and day difference.
How much extra bed length do you really need? Say you had an extra 6" would that make things better? If so the '20 on up GM HD trucks have a 6'10" bed, this might be doable for you instead of 8'. The 2" of clearance during the jack knife test would increase to roughly 8" or more. Also, you could still stick with a 2500 since the payload is in the 3300 lb+ range and thats with the diesel. Also, they have leaf springs.
About the side winds. Depending on how much wind you’re talking about, tractor trailers get that to and your trailer is almost as tall and you’re using a smaller truck to pull it. As far as the cross winds go I dont think using a 2500 matters. I think the problem could have been how much the suspension moves and bounces. I was planning on getting a single wheel 3500.
I have driven chevys as off 2004 after driving ford trucks before and got sick of them breaking. I’ve had a ram 3500 dually for a year now. That would most likely be my choice if I had to buy a new truck. And yes all my trucks have had the 8’ bed but the fords the where 7’8” or so if I remember couldn’t buy an 8’ ladder in them laying down. I do love the duramax , but really enjoy my new ram 3500. My camper is 16000 when loaded and have no issues pulling it at all .
I think a SRW 3500 would still have the side to side issues. The wind hits the side of the trailers really hard. A dually will help side to side more than anything else.
I have run Silverado HDs for 14 years towing travel trailers and fifth wheels (Current is a Montana High Country 330RL) and have never had an issue. My current 2021 has the 10 speed and the 445HP engine and with the engine brake, it’s amazing in the mountains. We live in Edmonton but pull into BC and also down into Montana and Idaho. I updated my trailer tires to 14 ply and also run a TPMS system on them. I also upgraded to the MorRyde wet bolt system and upgraded shackles on my trailer suspension for peace of mind. If you are considering a Chev/GMC, the standard bed is 6ft 10 and with a fixed Curt Q25 on the puck system, I have no clearance issues with a tight turn. I actually dropped my slider system last summer as I never used it and it saved me 120lbs of weight!
Hello. I tow my 2022 Columbus 329DVC with my 2019 F350 Crewcab 4x4 LWB SRW. Diesel. It pulls great. Only thing I question is the trans temp gets upwards of 230 degrees. I ask the Service department at Ford and they assured me that was ok. I’m still kinda Leary of it though. I back off the throttle when it starts to heat up.
Hey I would do some research on getting a gooseneck hitch instead. A ball in the bed and just changing the king pin to a gooseneck setup might help you out alot just a suggestion
I've been towing my 30' Artic Fox 5th wheel for over 10 years with a 2005 Dodge 2500 short bed Cummins. The trailer is 9,000 lbs dry. My wife and I full-timed in it for 1.5 years and just got back from a 2,600 mile trip where we were pulling multiple mountain passes at 7,000+ feet in Utah and Nevada. I love the short bed Dodge for it's ability to maneuver in tight places. My slider hitch keeps the tongue weight over my rear axle for towing stability and in a pinch (seldom needed) will give me all the clearance I need. If I purchased a new truck for this trailer I'd go with a short bed again. That said, I prefer back road towing at 60-65 mph speed. If I were to go with a bigger trailer I'd definitely go 8' bed for the longer wheel base and consider a 3500. I too am interested in how the new gas engines compare with new diesels.
We have a similar sized Grand Design Solitude (2930RL) - we have an 8 foot bed 1 ton and both my wife and I almost forget we are towing on the Highway - we have a B&W hitch with a a MorRyde pin box - both are very heavy duty and help to cushion the camper on bad roads. I think you will like the 8 foot bed for better stability. We currently have a 2020 Ford F350 and it has a 12400 GVWR - perfect size for our Solitude. I have owned a Duramax (2005 Silverado) that towed a longer (40’) camper that was lighter than our Solitude. I like both (the Ford is so comfortable to drive and has much more power than our prior truck). Any of the big 3 SRW 1 tons with an 8 foot bed would be perfect for you. We have a Platinum with the massaging seats (thought that would be a gimmick but after towing an hour or two the seats do make a difference). Get a truck with seats that you really like.
I have the same RV and started with a 3500 SRW truck. After a 4000 mile trip I decided to go with a dually. The reduced stress and fatigue was worth the switch.
As you can see in my profile photo, I had bought a 2019 RAM 3500 Dually. I loved the truck. 3 years later I traded it in on a... you guessed it, another RAM 3500 Dually. I love those trucks. The new one has a HO Cummins, Aisin Transmission, 5400lbs of cargo capacity, and just shy of 34,000lbs of towing. Our 5th wheel is 42 feet long and has a GVWR of 16,500lbs. I live in PEI, last year we drove to Cape Breton and back, through the hills of the Cobequit Pass, and Mt Thom and I was passing vehicles up hills, and never had a white knuckle the entire drive. I feel 100% in command of the rig, every second you're behind the wheel. My wife and the dog fell asleep on the drive it is so comfortable, and I was literally driving with one hand through the bulk of the trip. In my humble opinion, RAM has the nicest interior, ours is a Laramie so if you go with a Limited trim, it's even nicer. At one time, I was all about the look of a vehicle, but now that I'm over 50, it's the comfort of the interior and ride! Though my RAM looks nice, I'm more about how it feels to drive, and it's without a doubt one of the nicest trucks I've ever owned. And I've been buying trucks since I turned 16. Now, all that being said, if I was to make a suggestion that is NOT a RAM, I would say an F450 would be my second choice, with the wide front axle and tighter turning radius. But that's all I got!
I just brought home a 2023 Ram 3500 Dually HO from Chicago to Wyoming, and I'm noticing significantly worse fuel efficiency compared to my 2019 Ram 2500 SO. I averaged 17 to 22 mpg at 80 mph (not towing) with my 2019. However, the 3500, equipped with 4.10 gears, is averaging around 13 mpg. At 80 mph, my RPMs are about 2500. Despite adjusting my speed to 65-75 mph, the mileage remained around 13 mpg. The best stretch of my trip, I hit 15 mpg with a strong tailwind while cruising at 70 mph. Curious to hear about the fuel mileage you're getting with your truck
@@BacAtYouthe HO is much thirstier, and that axle ratio is not doing your unloaded fuel economy any favors. Should tow like a beast though!
Thanks for the honesty, it's one of the things I look for when watching channels like these. Whatever brand truck you go with next, make sure it is a dually, you need it with a trailer that size
Wow refreshing! Someone actually did the research made a decision and rolled with it. BUT told the truth after the fact!
Thanks!
I have a similar setup with the Ram 2500 Cummins, but the 33.5' Grand Design Reflection which is probably 12,000lbs so not as much weight as you were pulling. I noticed some of what you referred to, but then I added the airbags to the rear. What a difference that made...no more side to side swaying and stopped the excessive up and down bouncing I saw on the areas like crossing over train tracks. I would be curious to see how your experience would have differed with airbags to assist the coil springs in the rear.
I have exactly the same truck/5th wheel. I have timbrens on the back. I'm 80lbs over on the back axle. I plan to resolve that with the crosswings. I don't have any sway. Trucks passing have no impact. I travel at 65. Now I'm concerned that the issue is his crosswing hitch being so narrow at the hitch point.
I was in pretty much the same situation last November. I had a 3/4 ton diesel Ford short bed, and a 40 foot Cougar midbunk fifth wheel. Stepped up to a 2022 F-350 dually with the Powerstroke and 10 speed transmission. The difference is almost as huge as going from a 1/2 ton truck to a 3/4. Towing went from nearly white knuckle, to “hey let’s get on the road!!” The stability difference is stunning. Good luck, be safe, keep making great videos!!
Personally, for towing a large camper, I would go for a Dodge 3500 dually with an Aisin HD transmission. Now the dually is wider in the rear and a bit trickier to drive, but it gives you stability. My choice anyway.
It’s meant for the bigger loads lol
I'd definitely go with a dually if I had a big fifth wheel trailer but why the H.O. with Aisin? The S.O. with 68rfe would be a better choice for towing 20k and below. The Aisin's are stout but they drive horribly unladden. The S.O.'s also get better fuel economy.
I disagree. I have a 21 3500 with the HO Cummins & Aisin transmission. It drives fine as long as you let it do it’s thing. If you’re trying to make it something it’s not, you are not going to like it. It’s a truck made to tow, but it’s also my daily driver. Love the truck! That said I have driven a Ford F350. It’s a great truck as well. The new 24 GMC’s are intriguing. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them. However IMO RAM with that Cummins engine & that exhaust break are tough to beat! Great video!
@@Over_the_Hill_RV_Rookies Not sure which part you disagree, but if it's the "bit trickier to drive" part, I was referring to the rear width of a dually. One needs to make wider turns! I've seen a few turning on sidewalks and curbs (not me, naturally😇😂) and it's a bit harde to find a good parking spot sometimes.
@@sylvain-paulcote5470 I wasn’t disagreeing with your comment but the comment by 4WDiesels about the drivability of the Aisin. I love mine!
I have what I think is the same fifth wheel trailer. Mine is a Solitude 310GK 2018 and I was towing it for the past 6 years with a 2017 Chevrolet LTZ 3500 SRW long bed Duramax. Truck did a great job towing the trailer, but I was constantly maxed out on weight. Part of this was because I added a Ranch Hand front bumper and 18k winch, plus a 60 gallon fuel tank in the bed and for quite a while I also had a Onan quiet diesel generator in the bed of the truck too. I would scale my combo everytime I went by my local DOT station that has a free drive on scale with large digital read outs. My normal weights were 5600 front axle, between 7000 and 7500 rear axle and 10,500 on the combined trailer axles. I did find out that keeping the fresh water tank full while driving removed at least 200 lbs from the pin because the water tank is behind the rear axle on the 5er. The GVWR of my 2017 truck was 11,600 and as you can tell I was close to 13,000. I upgraded tires to give me 4080 per tire and added air bags, but I was still over my GVWR. I did end up moving my diesel generator to a custom bracket I made on the rear of the trailer and that put 500 lbs back there. Several weeks ago I purchased a new truck and after long hard thinking, I bought a 2023 GMC Denali Dually. I have to say I don't think weight will be an issue anymore, the truck is very solid and perfect for towing this big trailer. I have yet to hook up the fifth wheel for a haul but it will be happening soon. When I started shopping for a new truck, I looked at Ford, Chevy and GMC and inventory is incredibly low. I ended up buying the truck I got mostly due to it being discounted 6250.00 off of MSRP. Some of the other trucks I looked at were 5000.00 over MSRP. I kind of wanted a 2024 to take advantage of GM's power increase, but when I saw that they only increased HP by 25 and torque by 65 I was happy with the 23 and immediately added a Banks Derringer and I dash that gives me an additional 80 hp and 144 ft lbs at the rear wheels and this is also what I had on my 17, so now I am right around 500 rwhp and 1000 rear wheel torque which feels great.
I think this video will attract a Ram crowd and thus most of the recommendations will be for Ram trucks. I'd love to see you test all three 3500 trucks (Ram, Ford, GM) with your travel trailer and you tell us what you chose and why.
I did and because of in my opinion like a car and what I bought is the GMC Duelly. No issues from Las Vegas to the Keys and then from Las Vegas to Alaska and back. Try the GMC.
The Duallys are all towing beasts, I have the Chevy and I tow a trailer much larger than his with ease.
I love ford. But i would probably swing for the gmc
I think this video will attract the Prius crowd.
Yeah, it's not professional grade though.
I'll never understand why they stuck coil springs on a 3/4 ton truck instead of leaf springs. I can get it for a half ton, but not anything bigger
@steve timleck Doesn’t matter. It should be capable for what it *can* do, not what many of them will *normally* do.
Go questions I would like to know the advantages of both when towing
@christopherbrown1391 The towing capabilities are down on the coil spring truck, since it has less payload capacity. I also believe it's a little less steady when loaded than a leaf spring set up, but I could very well be wrong there
Basically to improve the ride. That always comes with a consequence though of reduced weight carrying performance.
It’s 2024 all about air ride
I pull with basically same truck. 2019 2500 Laramie. Similar trailer. Put shocks on trailer, added Sumo Springs to truck and biggest thing went away from 5th wheel and moved to Reese Goose Box. All of this made the ride experience night and day.
I have to wonder if payload is exceeded and there was an accident if the insurance company would possibly deny a claim?
We tow a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 303 RLS with a 2021 Chevrolet 3500HD LTZ. The truck is diesel and single rear wheel. The hitch is BW non slider. The bed length is 6' 7". There have been no clearance issues in two years and 12,000 towing miles. My average towing fuel mileage is between 10.5 and 12 mpg (we live in the Sierra Mountains). The truck will get as high as 22 mpg not towing on flat highway. In the bed of the truck there is a 60 gallon fuel tank and a tool box mounted on top of it. The truck handles the trailer very well with zero blow by from passing semi trucks. There is no sway or other issues.
I ruled out Ford early on due to their use of a known defective Bosch CP4.2 high pressure fuel pump. RAM was second but the lack of a 10 speed transmission did not appeal to me. I am a retired mechanic with over 35 years of on the job experience. I am biased towards GM based on my personal and on the job experiences.
Thanks for the video and your no sugar coating of your experience.
Dot will not look at payload in case of pull over or accident in the terms of what a manufacturer claims. It’s all about axles weight ratings and gross. Stay in those and you’ll be golden. Manufacture payload is not the law.
You should look at The F450 Dually on 19.5's. Good for heavy hauling and that trailer certainly ID's as heavy!
Thank You for Your honesty, and candidness Howard! I am buying a new truck too. I originally was going with a Ram 2500, like Yours. Then I got on TH-cam, and discovered the payload issue with those trucks. It was not going to work for Me. I then switched My deposit over to a Ram 3500. It was a great truck, but was missing a few options that I really wanted. In addition, I could not actually buy the truck, as there was a stop/sale order on those trucks due to a recall on the intake air heaters, which, is still pending. In a roundabout way, probably a good turn of events for Me. I then started doing research on the Chevrolet. I ended up ordering a ‘24 Chevy LTZ 3500. It was basically one trim package higher, than the Ram Bighorn, for the same money. Hard to overlook the 10 speed transmission, larger fuel, and DEF tanks, and a longer box, in Their version of a standard length. Good luck, in Your search for Your new ride.
Ram 3500 HD hall the way 6 weels
Maybe give the new 24 6.6 Duramax a try. I just bought a 23 and like it so far
Glad you had a safe trip, in my opinion a Cummings or Power stroke is the way to go, both have crazy torque numbers. Can't wait to see what you get.
Who’s cumming
I also have a Ram 2500 pulling 35’ 5th wheel (16,000 lbs) had a terrible sway problem. Replaced the rear sway bar with much larger diameter one and changed the tires . Corrected sway problem. 40K since change with no more sway problems. Wish I would have bought a 3500 but too expensive to change. I would look at the duramax with 10 speed. I love Cummins but I think either truck would serve you well. Best of luck.
I have a Ram 2500 6.7l diesel I tow a 40 ft 5th wheel I added air bags to support the weight. Have not had any problems.
Took a 4,000 mile trip went over the continental divided I passing 18 wheelers at a steady pace without any problems. If you beef up the suspension it would be cheaper then buying another truck.
5:25, you moving weight to the back behind the axles amplifies the winds affect , your better off just putting it over the axles if possible and be8ng slightly heavier on the drive axle. If I were you I’d get a dually,the 3500 single wheel isn’t going to help much.I’d get a GM truck for the IFS front end it’s just smoother more stable and less issues.
I think the honest truth is that it is really hard to beat the Cummins exhaust braking system. Got several family members that work in construction and they all swear by it after having driven all three major brands extensively with huge loads. That said, I am sure they would all address your complaints from this video if you bumped it to a 3500 8ft bed.
If you just added a set of rear air bags to assist the coil spring suspension when carrying weight most of your handling issues would likely be eliminated.
100% agree hand to do that to mine !
Still over payload numbers. Always best to buy enough truck by the numbers. Can always add bags to the bigger truck but you want to be legal from the start.
I towed a 44ft 5th toyhauler wheel dry weight of 16k. And loaded about 21k. Height 13.5 as well. I have a 2017 Ram 3500 dully, asin Trans, HO Motor, and 410 rear end. Bearly knew it was there. Right truck for the rig rig and you'll enjoy the drive I promise ya.
Do you haveva class a license. Looking to get a personal trailer with dry weight 12,000lbs with a 21,000gvwr. Looking for same 3509 dually which is capable. Im juat worried would dot give me problems. I will never exceed actual weight of 26,000lbs but the rated gcwr of both truck and trailer is over 26,000l
We have a 4th gen 3500 dually 8ft bed and we are extremely pleased pulling 34ft 10k bumper.
Good luck you will love the 3500
Yes everyone says dually as it would be the most stable option. However, you now have to pay for 2 more tires every time you need them, plus the added width in parking lots without a trailer. As a daily driver, a single wheel 3500 would probably suit your needs, but as a full time tow rig, nothing beats a dually. If you look up PD diesel on TH-cam, he runs many 3500 single wheel rams with the aisin transmissions and knows everything about them. He runs hotshot and has many trucks over 500,000 miles towing. Very good option
I was in your shoes when I first started rv’ing. Tow our unit from Maryland to Orlando without any issues however, I was experiencing the same issue as you described. I added some manual Firestone airbags and that helped immensely. I ended up selling the truck and going with a Ram 3500 limited drw. Night and day difference.
If adding the airbags helped immensely, why did you switch to a 1 ton?
@@KevinDaigle-d2r because I was well over payload capacity. The payload capacity for the ram 2014 2500 I had was roughly 1760lbs. The pin weight on my fifth wheel is 2800lbs. The truck came for the dealership with a 2” leveling which caused the truck to sag more than it would have without the leveling kit. The Firestone airbags added almost reduced the sagging completely.
Going from a srw to drw I found the drw to be more stable especially if it is a windy day.
@@Morphz_Unlimited I’ve got a 2022 Longhorn with a payload of 2,200. And I am looking at same trailer the original poster has Grand Design 310GK. I think loaded the pin will be about same as yours, 2,800lbs. I do not want to go to a 1 ton due to the ride when not towing plus the 2023 Ram has less content than the 2022.
@@KevinDaigle-d2r again, will it tow it yes, but the numbers is what could potentially get you in trouble if you were in an accident
an after market air bag system would be less expensive than a new truck.
That would not have helped with the 6' bed.
@@Mike-01234 i dont recall bed length being an issue.
I would’ve bought a smaller and lighter fifth wheel. 😂
The Ford SD would have given you the extra 5” needed if you went with that original aka the short bed. And you could have had the Tremor too. Plus payload would not have been an issue. But if you’re going all out, then non Tremor FX4 with the long bed would do the trick. If you don’t want to go into the F-450 Dually.
Your observations are exactly why I purchased X times more truck than what my capacity, axle, tires and GVWR states. Its not so much about being within limits but being in the comfort zone. Its about the journey and getting to the destination relaxed, and not stressed the F out. Everyone do what they want, but F-450 and yanking my 17k GD 349m-r works for me, and completely stress free travels.
Have to go with a F350. I live in Alberta, anyone who’s doing any sort of towing (ranchers, oil and gas, trades, forestry etc) is running super duty’s. We have a mix in our fleet and the fords are hands down the best.
It's the rear coil springs! When Expeditions went to coils in the rear my friend bought one and complained that towing was "hell" as the rear end pogoed back and forth and a bit side to side as well. Word on the street you can get a great deal on a 2500 RAM now and dealers have limited inventory of 3500s for this same reason. If you don't need to tow the coils are great for the ride.
"...right at capacity." Glad Howard changed his mind about the truck. If I owned a similar setup I wouldn't want to be on the razor's edge of capacity and as a fellow motorist who has to share the road I don't want HIM to be at that tipping point, either! Looking forward to seeing your next thoroughbred.
I just purchased a RAM 3500, I had a short wheel bad 2500 RAM and had the same problems. We just traveled 3500 miles with the new RAM 3500 with single tires on the rear, I ordered a 50 gallon fuel tank also. Best decision, the 2500 did well BUT! It was unsafe to travel with my family. Thanks for sharing your experience.
@timothyculliver1993 I currently tow with the 2500 and considering the 3500 as we want to upgrade from bumper pull to travel trailer. May I ask what kind of auxiliary tank you purchased? Short bed truck? TIA👍.
I ordered the 50 gallon tank when I ordered the RAM 3500. At that time you can get the 50 gallon tank.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'd love for more actual life experience content like this. People who use their equipment and maybe more content on the best fit for the application. I'm looking at starting to haul a lot with a gooseneck trailer soon 20+ foot long with heavier loads (around 10,000 lbs) than what I have hauled in the past. My previous experience is mostly towing with a traditional receiver hitch with a 16' utility trailer for mowers, firewood etc. I'll look for your newer video to see what you ended up with.
We'd love your opinion on an F-350 7.3L Godzilla.
I’m in the same boat with my RAM 2500 and a Reflection 5th wheel. It’s a lighter trailer (12k gross) but still puts me over payload. Like you, I am under the tire and axle capacity but I’d like the piece of mind having a 1 ton. Unfortunately between truck prices and interest rates I really can’t justify it for the weekend warrior style of towing we do. That said, if I was buying today I would be looking pretty hard at the ‘24 GM trucks. Since I’m not in a rush, I’m still holding out hope that RAM makes a transmission change in the coming years. I’ve been really happy with my truck.
would love to see a BIG comparo of HD duellys towing heavy... an hour long at least. if you could throw in the F450 as well as the 3500's because of the turning circle that would be an EPIC video !
I have your trailer pulled by a 1 ton ford single rear wheel 4 door anderson hitch, air bags, helwig big rig rear sway bar 6.7 superduty no buffeting no sway under even the worst conditions 65 mph i get 9.5 to 10mpg avg. Drives and pulls the 15000 pounds with ease up and down 9% grades and i set cruise control at 70 mph and it rides as if nothing is behind you! They all are good trucks and ive owned them all but the ford truly is a cut above all of them . and i have to say the rear stabilizer bar was the key to eliminating sway and buffeting.and the air bags that could be adjusted on the fly helped enormously on ride quality.
If you look at a newer GM, you’ll find that the hitch point to cab is about the same as a Ram 8 foot bed. Thereby eliminating the need for a sliding hitch that takes up half your bed. That new bed is actually 6 foot 10 inches.
I’d love to get a F450.
The turning radius is better and the towing weight is about on par with the 350.
Hello from Vaughan, Ontario
Had a similar issue with an even bigger GD 5th wheel. We had a F250 Diesel and purchased a GD 3950BH-R. I knew at the time the 250 would tow it but it would not be safe or legal. Ordered a 2022 F350 Dually with Diesel and have been a happy camper since. Driving is a one hand operation and peaceful. We have done an East Coast trip last summer with zero issues.
TK I know it's a few weeks since you posted but if you would like I'm pretty sure we are not that far away from eachother and if you want to try it with your GD offer is open.
You are completely right about the payload rating and weights.
For your issue with the buffeting, it's probably because the trailer is too balanced on its axles and you put the extra weight in its rear. Look at where the axles are placed and where you said you placed the cargo you put in it. Before you go look at new one ton trucks and get sticker shock how much more they are (as well as the much higher interest if getting a loan) compared to your 2019, put some airbags in the truck and don't put all of your cargo in the rear of the trailer.
A set of airbags and a sliding hitch is a whole lot cheaper than a new 1 ton
My 3500 single wheel tows my camper, similar to yours very very nicely, no buffeting or weirdness while driving.
Howard, had a good time watching this. I've got a 21 Tundra and tow a Jayco 242bhs. Just got back from an Ontario to Tennessee trip and dealt with the same issues. I've now got my eye out for a 2500 that I can drive around and also travel with.
I just sold my '18 tundra and got a ram 2500 w/6.7. I tow an enclosed sand car trailer around 8k. Couldn't be happier. Tundra was white knuckle everywhere I towed. 2500 doesn't even feel it. And Howard is right about the ram exhaust brake, they nailed it. It works really well in both the full brake setting and the auto setting.
I'm running a 2012 Ram 3500 Long box with the Cummins and love it. With a 30 ft long fully loaded (full water tank too) travel trailer I'm getting about 16 L/100 kms. if I upgrade to a 5th wheel, I plan to put on a Reese Goose box on the trailer and use the gooseneck ball (it's a B&W turnover hitch) . I bought this truck used for about 1/5 of the price of a new unit as we're doing things on a budget. Best of luck finding your new truck.
Love the information. I have a 2022 Limited Longhorn 2500. I looked at fifth wheels but landed on a Momentum 25G bumper-pull toy hauler. Hitch weight, overall size, it really works perfect. And I have the bed of my pickup and all our stuff in the back of the hauler.
I appreciate this discussion from a person that knows and understands what they are talking about.
I am a GM fan but I have never pulled something that big.
Clearly, he DOES not understand. If he did, he would not OVERWEIGHT his truck - he KNEW it was over payload and ignored it. Not just putting himself in danger, but put other people on the road in danger. Shame on him. It's one thing for someone who has no idea to do this, but it's sheer recklessness for the TRUCK KING to do it. Really disappointing.
The GCVWR also includes maintaining a certain speed on a grade, braking performance, and cooing engine and transmission in extreme heat. In the 150 series pickups my experience as you get closer to GCVWR also has been less than desirable handling overall. The stiffer the suspension and the heavier the truck platform , the more secure it will feel.
I have a F350 6.7 and I tow a 35 foot 12K fifth wheel. What really helped me was using a Reese Gen 3 goose neck. It has the 2 shocks and the airbag . Not sure if this will help you. Also I run 80 psi in my rear tires. That stiffens up the side walls
I have 2 truck recommendations for you. #1 would be the Ford F450 - Reason is if you're open to going with a Dually for more stability, i think your trailer is a great option for the F450 and long travels. it will give you the luxury of turning radiace in city driving for a Dually. #2 would be the new 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 SRW. I believe that truck has one of the best comforts of driving in long distances if staying away from DRW. I think the new interior is attractive. I've always been a ford guy in terms of diesel but it seems that Duramax with the allison transmission is much more reliable in cold weather based on friends experiences and opinions. Good luck and look forward to seeing what you select.
I have a 2017 ram rebel with the hemi; I pull a 40’ 9000 pound travel trailer, and pulls it just fine
If i had that setup I would go for a f350 srw tremor king ranch, would go with channel name and everything
Awesome live show Howard... Looking forward to seeing the New Rig Enjoy the evening guys!! Thanks again.
But what would the insurance company say about overweight payload if you had a major accident? That is my biggest concern so I went with Ram 3500 SRW.
See you tmmrw Truck King. Thanks for the notice on the show
We have a 2020 solitude 310GK and we are pulling with a 2021 Ram 3500 DRW, 8' box, factory air bags. Love it! worries about weight or towing capacity. We switched from a 2500 Chevy for the same reason as you. the other consideration is insurance coverage if you are over posted weight rating, as well as possibility of being ticketed for being overweight and possibly holding the trailer until you got a heavier truck.
I have a similar set up, ram 2500 and jayco 29.5 bus 5th wheel; the way that we solve the turn radius issue is with a turn point 5th wheel hitch. We can make a 90° turn no problem and because it is a normal hitch we have no side to side movement. We are in Alberta and travel through the mountain and prairie so lots of different condition and never had a problem.
Yeah I went with 3500 SW mega cab pulling a 40’ toy hauler truck does handle it well but in windy conditions you can feel it.
You can be within each axle's weight rating but if you check the GVWR, it is NOT the total of each axle's weight rating, it's always less.
Spot on!! If he is over his payload then he is over GVWR. This is like a politician telling you the partial truth but omitting some other key facts.
He already knows that.
The 10K weight rating has little to do with what the truck is actually capable of and more to do with complying with government taxes and regs. They make "1 ton" trucks with a 10K GVW rating as well for that exact reason.
Payload ratings don't reflect what the actual capability of the vehicle is, but GAWR, gross trailer, and GCWR does. If you get stopped by highway patrol they aren't going to look at your payload number, they will measure the weight on each axle and the gross weight of the combination.
Loved ur RAM Solitude video. We just purchased a 2023 Solitude 310gk and are pulling w 2016 RAM 2500 Mega cab shortbed. Added 5000lb airbags and decided on Anderson gooseneck hitch (with upgraded pressure plate as recommended). Luv it all and am most impressed w the truck. Pulls great and air bags seem to help a ton. MORryde hitch std on the RV fabulous upgrade to greatly buffer tugging. Also upgraded truck to 50gal tank to reduce stress of always looking for gas. Only been out a few trips but ALL great. Big hills do slow me down to 50-55mph. And a too tight turn on last trip while in a pressured rush to back in blew out my back window. $1k lesson learned as u said. I too will probably by new 3500 long bed diesel next time but for now could not be happier. Luv the truck and LUV the new Solitude, big upgrade from our 20yr old 27’ Fleetwood Wilderness travel trailer we also loved. Stay well, travel safe …
I had a midsize toyhauler 5th wheel and 3500 SRW. Within ratings and I felt it drove fine. I started shopping for a big 5th wheel, so I upgraded to a dually first. Towing the same midsize 5th wheel with the dually, I’d arrive at the riding area (narrow winding patchy mountain road) ready to go ride. With the SRW I’d arrive needing to rest. The dually is just more planted, and much less fatiguing than you’d think.
Hey truck king I hope you get this I’m a truck driver since 06 had 2500 most of my life but did not like the feel and I know what I’m feeling in my but so last truck a16 ram 3500 srw night and day difference and I pull doubles I can’t do daul wheel with no automatic car wash plus two more tires to replace . Also short bed looks nice. But longbed makes huge difference so my suggestion to you go get a ram 3500 SRW Longbed and update the difference to all your subscribers.
We have a Grand Design toy hauler, it's triple axel so it's a big one. We tow with a 3500 dually with a long bed, pretty sure you will be very happy with a dually. It's amazing how much better they tow than a 3/4 ton.
4 years this month I have had mine, still enjoy it every morning. Keep up the wonderful work! 🍁
One thing to keep in mind when loading up a trailer, if you load too much gear behind the RV axel to relieve the rear truck axel of some weight, it will impact how the truck performs under hard acceleration and hard deceleration. The reason is that under hard acceleration the weight behind the RV axel effectively pushes the back of the RV down, causing the RV to act like a lever and lift on the back of the truck. Not ideal! Conversely, when braking hard from highway speed, if you've moved gear back to lower your hitch weight, just to "lower your payload", the truck will suddenly find itself exceeding the payload, which can create a dangerous situation with the trucks steering. The front wheels may lose some grip; and if you're lucky, you'll stop before going off the road. If you're going round a bend, you could end up taking your RV + Truck off-road at highway speed.
I think it'd actually IMPROVE the ride if you had more tongue weight, and removing weight from the front of the trailer might have actually reduced the stability. The symptoms you mention sound very much like trailer sway due to not enough tongue weight.
What I'm getting at is that these problems would not necessarily disappear on a 3500, either, unless you increase the tongue weight. The coils are not a bad thing for towing at all (besides capacity issues) in my opinion: )
I'm not an expert but I think you are on to something. Top Gear did an episode on why Europeans seem to tow the same travel trailers with midsized cars that Americans tow with big trucks. The answer was tongue weight and speed. They put a lot less weight on the tongue, which allows them to pull a heavier trailer, but they absolutely must do so at a lower max speed of around 60mph to avoid the sway that TK seems to have encountered. Thus the meme of rolling road block caravans in Europe.
Here in 'Murica we want to tow big trailers at autobahn speeds, and the way we do it is by putting more weight on the tongue to increase stability at higher speeds. But that means we need big trucks with high GVWRs as our tow vehicles. So yes I agree that TK needs a lighter trailer, bigger truck, or both.
Nailed it.
I think I heard you saw that as long as the other numbers checked out, you were ok pulling over your payload capacity. My own experience is that I put a deposit down on a 5th wheel a couple of years ago before I knew much about these things. The salesman said my 1/2 ton GMC would “pull it just fine”. I came across a computer program to calculate the actual limitations and found that I would be 450 pounds over payload when I added the weight of the hitch, people, cargo, etc. I also discovered that if I were in an accident while over the limit, my insurance wouldn’t cover me and my truck warranty might be voided. I got my deposit back. I personally wouldn’t pull any trailer without a 20% excess capacity buffer. A one ton is the answer. Purpose built.
I went from Virginia to Maine and down to Florida last year with my F350 dually, 8' bed, 6.7L pulling a 40' Grand design fifth wheel. I'm leaving in a week on a coast to coast trip. This is what i have done to improve this up coming trip. S&B 68 gallon fuel tank. I was also getting 10mpg. Getting in and out of gas stations is where accidents can happen. The larger tank will allow me to fill up after i drop the camper off at the RV park. Reese 3rd generation gooseneck. The chucking wasn't bad with the factory fifth wheel but this will definitely smooth out the ride on those rough roads and free up my bed space. Trailer tire monitoring and Viair 12V tankless air compressor. The compressor is great for filling tires on the spot and the kids floats.
Yea, you were certainly pushing the weight. We have a '16 2500 MegaCab with the 6.4l and 35' Cougar (316RLS) that weighed in at 12.5k on the scales loaded up for a 10 day trip (gene, ice chest, some wood, etc.). We exceeded payload (not quite 3k pounds for our config) by 600# but were well under the rear axle rating (front was almost identical to unloaded). I run airbags and it takes 40psi to level the truck back out (we have a Thuren level kit up front) and I have a 16k Goosebox installed on the trailer. This setup tows great (I wouldn't trade the Goosebox for anything now) but I'm also stepping up to a 3500 ('24 GMC) in the event I go with a heavier trailer in the future. I'm guessing you're probably about 1k heavier on the pin weight and that (possibly coupled with the hitch setup you run) have made a significant difference in how it pulls (I don't get pushed around by other vehicles or reasonable winds). I actually love the factory 5 link under the rear of the 2500s and wish they'd use it on the 3500s as well.
I have a '15 MegaCab Cummins and have not purchased a trailer yet. Should I skip 5th wheels entirely and stick with a travel trailer? I like this truck way too much to swap it out for something different. I'm running a compound turbo setup and have more grunt than I know what to do with. Will upgrade transmission when I start towing.
@@stiffmeister0hYeah Fine if it's a 3500 but the 2500 diesel is the worst combination you can have when it comes to payload capacity in a Ram. Will it tow, absolutely. Is it safe? Highly likely since is has the same chassis, same brakes, same axle, and rear gear. The only difference is the 5 link/coil spring vs leafs between the 2500 and 3500. Only you can make that call.
And for what it's worth, the '24 GMC 3500 has been fantastic. The ride unloaded is better. Loaded they're pretty close (I think the Ram was actually a little more stable but this could be a tire issue since I've never towed on a Goodyear). Interior wise, the GMC is amazing in all regards except for the Bose premium sound which is trash compared to the Ram's Alpine branded system.
I have a 2019 2500 Cummins also. I tow my 36ft raptor fifth wheel with it. I bought bags to help with the sag and it’s perfectly fine. I’ll move my in laws 43ft solitude 3k pin weight on my set up also. Zero issues. Recommendation, get a B&W companion (not a slider) it’s what I run. Can nearly break 90* and I have zero jolt or fluctuation when traveling.
Im running a 19’ 3500 Cummins with timbrens on the rear end, truck rides so good towing my GD reflection 28bh, I’ve had other people approach me and ask what I have, because they seen how good I was doing in bad crosswinds, and windy roads where the truck trailer just feels planted
Always better to have more truck than you need when it comes to towing anything heavy. Found that out the hard way with my 9600# GVWR Travel Trailer and the F150 i thought could handle it. Ended up with a 2500 Cummins and wish I’d done it sooner. For a 5th wheel, going long distances, a dally 8ft bed just makes the most sense.
Hi...i think the positioning of your 5th wheel and a trailer that size would need to be on or just slightly ahead of the axle..[ so that being said the long box will help ]...putting more weight behind you trailer axles will surely cause handling issues.
I doubt you’ll read this but from 2014-2018 I hauled a cyclone 4012 and an elkhorn 37mbhs both weighing close to 15k with a 2008 extended cab long bed 2500 duramax. Went from Houston to Redlands, CA with the cyclone with 80 pounds in lifter bags. I didn’t encounter many problems, overweight as hell, yes. Would I do it again? Yes. Is it the right thing to do? Absolutely not.
Towed the elkhorn all over California and was happy. Truck did hood towing over the grapevine.
Point is, you have much more road time across the United States than I do. A dually would definitely benefit both of us in our own situations, especially if you’re planning on towing more.
As far as what truck, all of them scare me. The fuel systems and the emissions systems all scare me for the longevity of the truck.
Good luck with your purchases, please keep these videos coming.
Ram 2500 springs (coils or full air) are located inboard the frame and contribute to that instability. Add air bags and your 2500 will tow (stabilize) much better. Still prefer a 3500 long bed for a heavy GVWR and widebody drop frame 5th wheel. I run a 2020 3500 HO SRW that tows everything like a dream. Been there on the 2500 many years ago and learned that lesson the hard way.
I have a DRV Fifth wheel with very similar specs to yours... I am pulling it with a 3500 Dodge 6 1/2 foot bed and a pull right sliding hitch.... I couldn't be happier ... Because it's my daily driver and I live in a urban area in Ontario and 8 foot box is impractical.. Even with the shorter wheelbase, I have the air ride suspension and an air ride pin box and I hardly noticed the trailer back there at all other than of course the weight... I think you'll be very happy with whatever configuration of 3500 you buy I agree with you coil Springs or not made for towing...
I think most important is that you don't exceed the trucks gvwr, the trailers gvwr &
the gcvwr. And yes axle & tire ratings should also not be exceeded. I believe the manufacturers leave some wiggle room when it comes to payload.
Put a set of Bilstien shocks on the rear axle. Helped tremendously on my truck.
Also agree with the longer wheel base 8' bed. Will add stability.
Exactly!! If he is over on payload then he is over the trucks GVWR. At which point it doesn’t matter what the axle and tires are rated for.
Thanks for sharing your story. I dig your Ram truck. It’s gorgeous.
My wife and I just purchased a Ram Laramie 3500 6.7 H/O DRW with the AISIN to pull a the new Toy Hauler.
I’ve never owned a truck or an Rv so your video helped me out with understanding things a little bit more.
I’ve been told that the truck we purchased is a bit overkill for the smaller sized Travel Trailer Toy Hauler we bought but we wanted room to grow. Maybe one day we will get into a larger 5th wheel toy hauler but since I’m new to this Rv towing thing i didn’t want to get in over my head.
I look forward to future videos.
✌🏽
The dodge is a great truck especially its interior is industry leading . The coil over are great for daily driving towing big loads while your gonna suffer a bit but I like the leaf spring cause I don't tow all day everyday .
I own a 2020 ram 3500 HO SRW mega cab. It has served my family well I haven’t had any issues. It has the factory air ride which I was skeptical at first but I really enjoy it now. I would definitely give that some serious consideration when shopping.
I have a 2021 Ram 1500 Warlock that I tow my Grand Design Transcend 261BHSE with. The moment I had left the dealership I had begun to have that side to side motion. I had bought the ProPride 3P hitch for the sway and weight Distrobution control. I had changed out my tires to the Michelin Agilis Cross Climates, Load range E, from the the stock Yokohama Geolander tires. Immediately felt a huge difference to the towing. I live in norther Nevada and have traveled all over the west coast towing that travel trailer. I can say, the hitch and the tires bad a huge difference. I would definitely check it out.
Yeah I've been looking at the 3509 just because of the leaf springs. Not sure I would ever tow enough to warrant an Aisin but I won't pass up a good deal
I'd love to hear more about the Nissan Titan HD, although I know they don't make a truck big enough for your situation
Look at Chevy High-Country 3500 Duramax non-dully
This is what I have and I would tow this with my truck, I think that the newer truck 1-ton srw will do it with no problem but it will be minimum, the Solitube 310 gvwr is 15,000lbs but I wouldn't have anything less, dually is the way to go for sure I don't fulltime we just go a few times a year but if I was fulltiming well then yeah, dually for sure.
My understanding is that the Rail-mounted CrossWing (which it looks like you have) gives 5" of offset. It's the gooseball mounted crosswing that has the 8.5" offset.
We have a 2018 ram 3500 srw. Couldn't be happier. It is rated 11,700 gvwr. I am interested in the giddyup straps.
I have a 22 HO Ram Dually Limited. No regrets. It is a beast. Added a Curt 30k hitch. No compromise and no comparison. Stick with the Ram. My 5th is 14k and change and the truck just shrugs it off.
We took a trip from west coast to east coast in2015. 36 foot Everest, 4 slides, with a 2005 RAM 3500 dual. Absolute no problems with wind or towing, very stable. Some chucking in the hitch, changed to a Hensley TS3 hitch, WOW what a difference that made. Definitely definitely worth the money.
This last March I just purchased a GMC Denali 3500 HD SRW. I alive the truck and it tows my 16,252# 5th wheel without a problem.
I would add Timbrens to the truck and Sumo springs on your trailer and you’ll be all set. Etrailer has both and I put them on my 21 F350 SRW and 21 Pinnacle KPTS 41 ft 16,500 gross fifth wheel and it drives more like a Motorhome feeling like one unit instead of two. Much more stable in a side wind as well as the trailer doesn’t lean with the wind.
Nice job on your mpg. My truck gets 10 MPG on a good day when its empty and not towing. 5L 460
I highly recommend a dually for that trailer weight. You will be so much happier. My 5th wheel tops out at 14K within my trucks capacity and I ended up converting my F250 To a dually and it was night and day difference.
For that size 5th wheel, you should be running a dully. Or make sure if you don’t go dully, look at Ford F-350 super duty or GMC 3500 HD.
How much extra bed length do you really need? Say you had an extra 6" would that make things better? If so the '20 on up GM HD trucks have a 6'10" bed, this might be doable for you instead of 8'. The 2" of clearance during the jack knife test would increase to roughly 8" or more. Also, you could still stick with a 2500 since the payload is in the 3300 lb+ range and thats with the diesel. Also, they have leaf springs.
About the side winds. Depending on how much wind you’re talking about, tractor trailers get that to and your trailer is almost as tall and you’re using a smaller truck to pull it. As far as the cross winds go I dont think using a 2500 matters. I think the problem could have been how much the suspension moves and bounces. I was planning on getting a single wheel 3500.
I have driven chevys as off 2004 after driving ford trucks before and got sick of them breaking. I’ve had a ram 3500 dually for a year now. That would most likely be my choice if I had to buy a new truck. And yes all my trucks have had the 8’ bed but the fords the where 7’8” or so if I remember couldn’t buy an 8’ ladder in them laying down. I do love the duramax , but really enjoy my new ram 3500. My camper is 16000 when loaded and have no issues pulling it at all .
I think a SRW 3500 would still have the side to side issues. The wind hits the side of the trailers really hard. A dually will help side to side more than anything else.
They do. Dually helps a lot.
I have run Silverado HDs for 14 years towing travel trailers and fifth wheels (Current is a Montana High Country 330RL) and have never had an issue. My current 2021 has the 10 speed and the 445HP engine and with the engine brake, it’s amazing in the mountains. We live in Edmonton but pull into BC and also down into Montana and Idaho. I updated my trailer tires to 14 ply and also run a TPMS system on them. I also upgraded to the MorRyde wet bolt system and upgraded shackles on my trailer suspension for peace of mind. If you are considering a Chev/GMC, the standard bed is 6ft 10 and with a fixed Curt Q25 on the puck system, I have no clearance issues with a tight turn. I actually dropped my slider system last summer as I never used it and it saved me 120lbs of weight!
Hello. I tow my 2022 Columbus 329DVC with my 2019 F350 Crewcab 4x4 LWB SRW. Diesel. It pulls great. Only thing I question is the trans temp gets upwards of 230 degrees. I ask the Service department at Ford and they assured me that was ok. I’m still kinda Leary of it though. I back off the throttle when it starts to heat up.
Hey I would do some research on getting a gooseneck hitch instead. A ball in the bed and just changing the king pin to a gooseneck setup might help you out alot just a suggestion
I've been towing my 30' Artic Fox 5th wheel for over 10 years with a 2005 Dodge 2500 short bed Cummins. The trailer is 9,000 lbs dry. My wife and I full-timed in it for 1.5 years and just got back from a 2,600 mile trip where we were pulling multiple mountain passes at 7,000+ feet in Utah and Nevada. I love the short bed Dodge for it's ability to maneuver in tight places. My slider hitch keeps the tongue weight over my rear axle for towing stability and in a pinch (seldom needed) will give me all the clearance I need. If I purchased a new truck for this trailer I'd go with a short bed again. That said, I prefer back road towing at 60-65 mph speed. If I were to go with a bigger trailer I'd definitely go 8' bed for the longer wheel base and consider a 3500. I too am interested in how the new gas engines compare with new diesels.
We have a similar sized Grand Design Solitude (2930RL) - we have an 8 foot bed 1 ton and both my wife and I almost forget we are towing on the Highway - we have a B&W hitch with a a MorRyde pin box - both are very heavy duty and help to cushion the camper on bad roads. I think you will like the 8 foot bed for better stability.
We currently have a 2020 Ford F350 and it has a 12400 GVWR - perfect size for our Solitude. I have owned a Duramax (2005 Silverado) that towed a longer (40’) camper that was lighter than our Solitude. I like both (the Ford is so comfortable to drive and has much more power than our prior truck). Any of the big 3 SRW 1 tons with an 8 foot bed would be perfect for you. We have a Platinum with the massaging seats (thought that would be a gimmick but after towing an hour or two the seats do make a difference). Get a truck with seats that you really like.