Half Ton Tow Vehicle Owners Unite!

[craigbenoit]

We are currently towing a 25 Ft. Rockwood 5th Wheel at 8,800 lbs. with a 2008 Toyota Tundra extended cab and 8 Ft bed. 5.7 V8. 9.5 MPG towing this spring, Massachusetts to Big Pine Key in Fl. 1500 miles each way, 58 to 68 MPH on cruse control most of the way. Nope we stayed off I 95, way to rough at the bridge decks.

We towed for a while with a 1983 BMW R80 RT Motorcycle on a home made lift at the rear of the trailer. Blew trailer tires when the temps were above 90 Deg. In cooler temps no problems on trips of 350 miles, 380 miles and 860 miles up to the Forillon National Park on Canada's East Coast. But I quit while I was ahead and I don't tow at crazy speeds any more. I really miss my Beemer on long trips, it's a joy to ride.

When we first bought the Rockwood in 2007 we towed it with a 2 wheel drive 2000 Ford F150 with a V6 and 5 speed manual trans for a year until I retired and no longer needed to commute on a daily basis. We had towed a Shadow Curser 5th wheel for 6 years dropping gears on those Vermont hills on Rt 89. But the 21 MPG when not towing was important when daily commuting to work.

Fifth Wheel Trailers give up some utility with the interior steps to the front of the trailer but for people who travel with their rigs the stability on the road and the ease of hooking and unhooking the trailer make all the difference.

Towing across the Beacon - Newburg bridge on RT 84 in New York with heavy cross winds, watching light cars battle to stay in lane and feeling this combination of long wheel base truck with a 5th wheel trailer travel straight and true will convince any body who tows of the stability of the 5th wheel setup.

We are migrating to longer and longer trips and really thinking about moving to a Motor Home and towing a dingy. Then maybe I can trade my Tundra for a Pickup with a manual transmission, and 8 ft. bed and get back to bringing my Beemer along again. She's old and I wash her once a year out of guilt but Beemers are for riding not for show. 160000 miles on that bike and it's been to the shop once for carburetor re-build and tuning. Oil changes, tires and break pads done at home. That's it for 33 years of pleasurable riding.

[Superslif]

Getting set to leave on a Alaskan trip with a 14' Tundra ( 5.7 double cab ) and towing a 26'tt 4400 dry maybe 5500-5700 wet. Were going to be loaded down more than our usual trips because of all the stuff were taking to Alaska. And will be keeping tanks semi filled. Plan to take 25 days to make it to North Pole Alaska.

Have done many 500 mile plus (one way) trips to the mountains of WV., PA., NY OH. and VT.

The 5.7 pulls fine...most of the time I can stay in the 1700 RPM's area at 62-64 MPH. getting 11 to 11.5 MPG. But if the terrain gets hilly or I have a headwind that will drop to 10 -11 area (MPG).

Now the big question...Always looking for the next RV...On the way to Alaska were stopping in MT. at a Arctic Fox dealer. The one I want to look at (28F) is 7500 lb. dry. Loaded we'll be well over 8500 lbs...Can a 5.7 Tundra handle that. Mine is rated to tow 9900 lbs....

The only complaint are the 20" Bridgestone tires on my Limited don't seem to wear well. With only 12k miles on them, I don't think I'll get over 35k. Going to have to research a better wearing tires.

[craigbenoit]

Super,
Your question about tires on your Tundra.

My 2008 Tundra came stock with Michelins. Replaced them in the spring of 2015 just before a trip from Massachusetts to Big Pine Key in Florida. I had 90,000 miles on the truck at the time, but I always ran Bridgestone Blizzarks in the winter months - November to April, about 3,000 miles per year. So take 21,000 miles off the 90,000 and I figure I got about 70,000 miles on the original Michelins and they still had good tread left just not enough for me starting out on a 4,000 mile jaunt.

[Robin25113]

Originally Posted by craigbenoit

Super,
Your question about tires on your Tundra.

My 2008 Tundra came stock with Michelins. Replaced them in the spring of 2015 just before a trip from Massachusetts to Big Pine Key in Florida. I had 90,000 miles on the truck at the time, but I always ran Bridgestone Blizzarks in the winter months - November to April, about 3,000 miles per year. So take 21,000 miles off the 90,000 and I figure I got about 70,000 miles on the original Michelins and they still had good tread left just not enough for me starting out on a 4,000 mile jaunt.

I also changed out my tires last year with "E" rated Michelins. Still had tread but was seeing cracks on the tread. Had 47K miles on them since 2007. According the MFG date they were 8 yrs. old. and hard as a rock. I like the 18's I now have. I thought about upgrading my Limited to 20's but they just didn't have the load range I was looking for.
X2 on the SC. What a difference. I like mine.

[RPr]

I tow a 25 ft. 6600 lbs. on the scales TT with an E-Boost F-150. It works fine.


Being safe had little to do with the TV. it has to do with the people behind the wheel.


We could all come up with some wicked and unstable combination of TV and TT. But anyone who works construction or farms in the fall know that 1/2 and 3/4 ton is just a suggestion.


If you over load your TV you will increase the wear and tear that is for sure, but I will pick the fellow with a 20% overloaded 1/2 ton over the folks with the dually powered diesels that blew by me on the Interstate at 75+ mph pulling a 40 ft. fifth wheel any day.


Power and capacity does not equal safety.

[Badlands Bob]

The great thing about running 62 in a 70 zone is you never have to change lanes to pass anybody. Just set the cruse control, sit in the right lane and watch them fly by. I'm retired and not in any hurry.

[Old Bill]

When loaded for camping, our TT's axle weight is 3,940 and estimated TW is 445. The GVWR of our unit is 4,736, so we run close to 93% of GVWR when traveling.
Our TV has a GVWR of 5,815 and the combined axle weight when hitched is 5,540, or about 88% of GVWR. Our GCWR is 11,113 and our TV & TT weight combined is 9,480, or 85% of GCWR.
*All weights from Missouri DOT weigh station.

I'm now into my 3rd year of towing with my setup and so far I'm comfortable with it. When towing I keep my speed at 60 or below. In the mountains I'll go over 4000 RPM on long, steep inclines, but seldom over 3200 in the foothills; level highway I run around 2200. I've not had any problems with swaying or porpoising, and braking has been very good.

[gspot]

Originally Posted by Badlands Bob

The great thing about running 62 in a 70 zone is you never have to change lanes to pass anybody. Just set the cruse control, sit in the right lane and watch them fly by. I'm retired and not in any hurry.

Amen.

[cmcguire48]

I tow a 24ft starcraft with a 2016 f150 2.7 ecoboost and it tows great but would not want to go any bigger.

[cmcguire48]

I tow a 24ft starcraft with a F150 2.7 ecoboost and it tows fine but wouldn't want to tow anything heavier.

[Abnmarine]

Until three days ago I towed my 6,800 lb loaded Arctic Fox with a 2014 Dodge Ram, Hemi/8 speed with 3.42 gears in the Colorado mountains. It handled it just fine.



I decided to play it safe and upgrade to a new 2500. I love twice the torque over the Hemi and the exhaust brake lets me drive down a 6% grade without touching the brakes.



I realized the 1500 was just enough but love the Cummins.

[RangeMaggotBob]

Originally Posted by jj141979

I have a 2003 Dodge Ram Quad Cab 4x4 Hemi 4.56 gears and tow a 2012 Coachman Catalina Santara 271bhs 29' 3" weighs in about 6500lbs. Towed last year from western PA to Myrtle Beach, from Myrtle Beach up through the Smokies into Knoxville Tenn, then back home to western PA! Towed so unbelievable I can't describe it! Had 6 people in the truck too! You don't need a HD truck to tow upwards of 7000 or 8000lbs I don't care what anybody says!!! Just use a wheight distribution hitch and ADJUST IT PROPERLY!!!!

It's not only about the towing- it's also about the stopping. You're a brave man jj141979!

[Robin25113]

Originally Posted by Badlands Bob

The great thing about running 62 in a 70 zone is you never have to change lanes to pass anybody. Just set the cruse control, sit in the right lane and watch them fly by. I'm retired and not in any hurry.

I'm not retired yet, but I concur with your reasoning. I do the same.

[SailorSam]

Just learned something on another site about the 2016 F-150's. On the display showing the view from the backup camera there is a small "+" sign in the top left corner. If you touch it, the camera is supposed zoom in on the trailer hitch/receiver area...