Community Forums

jesilvas · 12-13-2013, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry Jay

Your trailer will have electric brakes. The wires are run thru the axles. They will abrade against the axle tube and will go to ground, resulting in no brakes. Not fun. The two options are to cut out the wires in the axle and replace with heavy duty duplex wire secured either in the underbelly or behind the axle, It is spendy but worth it. The other option is to go to hydraulic brakes. Also spendy, but even more worth it. The failure point on the wire in the axle seems to average 12,000 miles, but could be more or less.

While possible, not 12k mile average on that. I see MANY trailers that are much older and have gone much further than that, and there are no complaints about brakes.

TXiceman · 12-13-2013, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry Jay

Your trailer will have electric brakes. The wires are run thru the axles. They will abrade against the axle tube and will go to ground, resulting in no brakes. Not fun. The two options are to cut out the wires in the axle and replace with heavy duty duplex wire secured either in the underbelly or behind the axle, It is spendy but worth it. The other option is to go to hydraulic brakes. Also spendy, but even more worth it. The failure point on the wire in the axle seems to average 12,000 miles, but could be more or less.

You can have too much trailer, but you cannot have too much truck.

Been RVing since 1984 and have yet had to rewire a wirings system for the brakes. Do make sure the brake wires are secured.

I have also restored and Silver streak and a silver Avion and the original brake wires were fine.

Ken

wa8yxm · 12-14-2013, 09:04 AM

Well.. You could trade your F-350 in on a Trail Hauler (Google it and you will see why this would work)

However I can only say this. I often cringe when I look at the trailer hooked to the F-150 or even F-250, but I can't recall ever cringing to a trailer hooked to an F-350.

I drive a class A though myself.

tuffr2 · 12-14-2013, 09:32 AM

wa8yxm - are Trail Haulers also known as Sport Chassis? If so ok. If not can you explain the difference?

I call these MDT's Sport Chassis.

caissiel · 12-14-2013, 09:14 PM

I tow a 39ft Heartland unit also with a SRW 2005 F250.
It tows better then the previous 33ft lighter unit.
I would try the present truck and you do the decision.
I did the decision 5 years ago and 25k miles and plan to keep the setup for an other 10 years.
Ford rear plies do not carry as well as the GMs. I added more plies for the lighter unit that was ok for GM 2500 and kept it for this heavier one.

Passin Thru · 12-15-2013, 11:24 AM

You can't buy too big atruck or John Deere IMHO!

SmokeyWren · 12-15-2013, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

are Trail Haulers also known as Sport Chassis? If so ok. If not can you explain the difference?

I call these MDT's Sport Chassis.

Trail Hauler is the brand name of a "hauler" body (a.k.a tow body) made by Wil-Ro Truck Body, mounted on a Freightliner medium duty truck (MDT) chassis. One such MDT is the Freightliner Sport Chassis (Class 5, 6, or 7 chassis cabs with single rear axle), but Class 5, 6, and 7 chassis cabs are also made by other truck companies, including Peterbilt, Kenworth, and International. You can also order a Wil-Ro Hauler tow body mounted on one of those MDT brands, or even on an F-550 Ford. TRAIL-HAULER.COM
The F-550 cab is the same as an F-250 cab, so it doesn't shout that it is a BIG truck the way the Freightliner or Peterbilt MDTs shout.

There are several other truck body manufacturers that will build you a tow body and mount it on your DRW chassis cab truck, or even on SRW pickups or chassis cabs. Western Hauler and Herrin Hauler are two such brand names. So you aren't stuck with Wil-Ro if you want a tow body on a medium duty truck chassis.

Link = Western Hauler - "The True Choice of Champions"

The above photo is a Herrin Hauler tow body on a Ford DRW.

pro_coupe 34 · 12-15-2013, 06:29 PM

I use a 3500 chevy 454 dually to haul the 36 ft 5th wheel 4:10 gears auto.

jrgreenacres · 12-15-2013, 07:36 PM

If your plans are to just use the truck for vacations I'd get as drw gas motor. Diesel trucks have a lot of problems when only used part time.

wandering1 · 12-16-2013, 08:37 AM

DRW will haul more weight over the rear axle than a SRW. I have had both. SRW is just as stable as a DRW towing a fifth wheel. Check the TV specs for the weights.

tuffr2 · 12-16-2013, 05:37 PM

Smokey - thanks. I have seen and actually sat in a FL M2 Sport Chassis. So 'Sport Chassis' is only a FL term.

I have seen PB, KW, and International HDT's but was unaware they also built MDT's. I will keep an eye out to see if I can spot any. The Super Nova class 'C' motorhome is probably built on an International MDT chassis but everytime I see a MDT with a hauler bed it is that FL M2 chassis.

There is 1 HDT pulling a Mobile Suits in the snowbird park that I am in but no MDT's. There is 1 F-550 with a hauler bed but the rest of the guys just have pick-up beds on their 1 ton dually trucks. Some of tailgates are dented which give the truck character.

Thanks again for the explanation.

apmeg · 12-16-2013, 08:30 PM

All, thank you so much for your responses and help - I'm extremely thankful. Definately lots of different opinions out there and it looks like I've got some more research to do especially on specs and our usage since we're a family of 5 plus two dogs so I've got some homework to do but man...you all have been a tremendous help. As a first timer on a site like this it really exciting to see how much help is out there and it's firing me up even more to get on the road.

SmokeyWren · 12-16-2013, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

I have seen PB, KW, and International HDT's but was unaware they also built MDT's.

The Kenworth T170 is the Baby Kenworth, a class 5 MDT. Use your imagination to replace that stake body with a tow body.
Kenworth Trucks - The World's Best®

The Model 325 is the baby Peterbilt. This one has a box body, but you can visualize a tow body on that truck.
Model 325 Features & Specifications | Peterbilt Medium Duty Trucks | Peterbilt Motors Company

International allows you to build your MDT on their website.
International Trucks

tuffr2 · 12-17-2013, 06:26 AM

I have seen these trucks with various beds - typically electrical trucks with the boom off the back, tow trucks, ambulances, logging trucks, and a bunch more but never one with a hauler bed. I am now in Florida where I see all kind of trucks pulling 5th wheels. I will see if I can find a baby KW with a hauler bed. Hauler beds are the coolest beds made !!!