Tow vehicle...15,000# GVWR

[Loren B.]

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Originally Posted by TomR Opps! Sorry I read your post thinking you were ordering a 5th wheel from NH...my bad! Actually, I was speaking with Marty at the factory and asked if NH quit building TTs...since they do not show on the web site...she stated they have a couple in process as we speak...no doubt one is your! 　 I now understand how it does not have the pin weight/bed capacity problem. As you say though that is one big heavy trailer...how much more weight than your AS 34'? 3-4K#s?

I hope one is ours. Cole told me over a week ago that they had started on the frame.
　
Obviously we don’t have a weight on the unfinished New Horizons trailer yet, but Cole estimates that it will weigh about 12,000 pounds empty. I’m guessing that it will be about 15,000 pounds loaded.
　
The New Horizons will have one living room slide-out and a half basement for storage. It will be about as long as our Airstream which is 34 feet. I haven’t weighed the Airstream empty, but ready to travel with full water, LP, pantry, and refrigerator, it weighs 9800 pounds.
　

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Originally Posted by TomR Just curious...what factors led you to the TT vs the 5er? The ability to stay with 3/4 ton TV? Since you already own one? Any other TT advantages? I assume you could get nearly the same floor plan on a 5er?

There were lots of reasons for a TT instead of a fiver. Size and weight were two. I like my truck and don’t want to buy another one. I especially don’t want to have to buy the equivalent of a semi-tractor to drive once I get to my destination. My truck is a short-bed pickup and the bed has a cap on it. Inside the bed is a 100 gallon fuel tank and a tool chest. The dogs ride back there too sometimes, weather permitting.

We got a very nice floor plan that is similar to our Airstream. Both it and the New Horizons are front kitchen layouts. My wife likes that arrangement because she doesn’t have other people (me) trying to walk past her while she’s cooking. Basically, we started with the things we liked about the Airstream’s floor plan and changed the things we didn’t like. It wound up being similar to a floor plan that you could order for a fifth-wheel rig, but without the three steps up to the bedroom, without quite so much weight, and with a smaller basement storage area.

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Originally Posted by TomR When will you take delivery?

It’s scheduled to be completed by mid-August, although I want them to take whatever time is required to get it right.
　

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Originally Posted by TomR P.S. Do you have your AS on Airstream Forum?

Do you mean for sale? We don’t have it listed for sale anyplace yet. I’m too lazy to get out there and clean it up for buyers, especially in this heat we’ve had lately. As a last resort, New Horizons said that they will take it and sell it on consignment if we haven’t found a buyer by the time our New Horizons trailer is finished. I’m guessing that that’s the most likely outcome.
　
If you mean do I have photos or a description on the Airstream Forum, the answer is still no. I am a member over there, but haven’t kept up.

[chaunclm]

We have a 29 foot New Horizon TT. Our dry hitch weight is 1280 pounds. We were weighted going into Canada year before last and were just shy of 21,000 pounds gross weight. I would guess we have 1800 pounds on the hitch. The tow vehicle is a Chev 2500 HD with the Dura Max/Allison set up. The truck handles the load fine. We upgraded the factory receiver to a Class five, and are using the Draw-tite 1500 pound equalizer control arms. We did bend the A -frame on the frost heaves on the Alcan last year and have had that beefed up.

[Loren B.]

Jane and Chauncey,

Thanks for that information. It gives me an idea of what to expect.

I also upgraded the truck's hitch. I installed the 18,000 pound Reese Titan. I intend to use the 14,000 pound Equal-i-zer as the weight distributing hitch.

Sorry to hear about the A-frame. I hope that New Horizons has beefed that up on my trailer already. I think they are using a 2" x 6" rectangular tube for the frame at that point. Is that what you had?

I assume that you are happy with the performance of your Duramax as a tow vehicle. If so, then I probably will also be okay with my 2500 Dodge diesel.

Again, thanks for posting.

-- Loren

[chaunclm]

Loren,

Concerning the A-Frame, I failed to see a heave and the rear wheels of the truck left the road. The A-frame moved about 1 inch. I had a two by three inch heavy box added to the bottom of the two by six tube. I don't think under normal circumstances one would ever have a problem, but like everything man makes one can break it if one tries hard enough. It was one hell of a bump.

We are very happy with the way the truck handles the load and are very happy with our New Horizon.

I'm sure your Dodge will handle the towing extremely well, plus it sounds like you have set the truck up the right way to tow a heavy TT.

Having a lot of weight on the hitch causes the trailer to be very stable when towing. We have no sway or wind movement at all.

[capemayal]

I'd like to jump in with my 2 cents.

I have a '06 F350 DRW LB. GCWR 26k. A couple of years ago, we purchased a HR 37' Presidential Suite 5th wheel.

After checking on different forums, I was able to find a spreadsheet calculation for TV's and safety margins.

Based on that, we could safely pull AND stop 14k with a decent margin. We routinely have friends come with us, so there weights - them and their cargo, need to be included.

To be on the safe side, I upgraded to a MDT, and I'm glad I did.

14k on a MDT might seem like overkill, but once you get on a long, steep grade, you'll appreicate it's capabilities.

I could easily pull that 17k trailer with the 350, and not be overweight anywhere, but, I just wanted to be safe for me and the family.

I've seen what can happen with P/U with a trailer that pretty much matches the truck's weights. Just because the p/u is rated for the load, doesn't mean it can safely handle the load - just mfg hype, as far I'm concerned.

Remember, that mfg use 1/2 tank of fuel and a 150# driver for the calcs - and to me, that's not real world at all.

Keeping me, DW, and GC safe are what's important to me.

A MDT will be able to handle any size 5th wheel with room to spare.

A comparable, good used MDT, these days, can be had for the same price as a new or near new DRW p/u.

As far as SRW or DRW, in my opinion the DRW is the better choice if only stability, not to mention capacity.

4x4 - Personally, I don't see the need for it. In all my years, I've never been in a situation where it was useful, or that I needed it.

And, the 4x4 reduces your capacity a bit, maybe not a lot, but it could make the difference for your capacity. Same for sticks.

So, don't forget that GCWR is just as important as RAWR on your TV.

In any event - scale, scale, and scale some more.

Happy RV'ng

[shj525]

TomR,

I posted some links in the Tow Vehicle forum that might help you.

Good luck!