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Old 08-23-2017, 07:44 AM   #1
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HDT or F450 for 20k fifth wheel

Anyone tow with a HDT? Going to buy our truck today and have been looking at the newer F450's. Will the F450 require bags to tow a mobile suite?

I know trucks but I know nothing about diesels or HDT's. Would rather have the HDT to sit higher and all the benefits of pulling/stopping our rig but don't know anything about manufactures, milage, etc... We will be traveling rvers living full time. Thanks for any input.
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Old 08-23-2017, 08:07 AM   #2
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left a bunch of mobile suite owners and

they all seem to live full time. Many 40 footers and a huge 43 ( three axles) version. All of them had f350's.
The smaller mobile suite user had the prerequisite f350 king ranch dually and said
"he would never own a dual rear tire again it just rides so rough
but he liked the stability"

all I can offer -I would drive them both without a trailer if it is your primary vehicle and see what you can live with

it is a compromise. Most mobile suites owners become smart mobile
weeks of months in a great location

and then you have to live with that truck
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Old 08-23-2017, 08:30 AM   #3
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Go to Escapees forum! There is more info on HDT 's than you can digest.

If you will be doing any snow, ice, or offroading, the 450 in a 4x4 would be my choice. If staying on good road surfaces, the HDT has some big (no pun intended) advantages!
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Old 08-23-2017, 09:48 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TimT View Post
Anyone tow with a HDT? Going to buy our truck today and have been looking at the newer F450's. Will the F450 require bags to tow a mobile suite?
You shouldn't need air bags or any other suspension mods if you don't exceed the 14,000 pounds GVWR (5,320 pounds payload capacity) of the new F-450 pickup.

2017 F-450 pickup has
GVWR of 14,000 pounds, payload of 5320 pounds.
GCWR of 41,800 pounds, tow rating of 32,500

The biggest, heaviest Mobile Suites 5er is 44' long and had GVWR of 24,000 pounds. Pin weight will be about 4,800 pounds when loaded to the gills for a full-timer's move with all their stuff, leaving only about 500 pounds for weight in the pickup. That means not much weight in the truck except two people and a little bit of stuff when changing RV parks with a maxed-out trailer.

The more common 38' Mobile Suites has GVWR of 21,000 with a wet and fully-loaded pin weight of about 4,200, which leaves about 1,100 pounds for people and stuff in the cab and bed of the truck. That's a more reasonable load for a full-timer move that should not require any mods to the suspension of the F-150.

So to answer your question, the new F-450 pickup will be all you need with a 38' Mobile Suites 5er, but you'll have to pay attention to the weight in the pickup with a 44' Mobile Suites if you don't want to be overloaded, and thus need air bags or other suspension mods.

But the next step up is not an HDT. If the 38-footer is not big enough for your druthers, then the F-550 chassis cab with a tow body should be all you need for even the heaviest Mobile Suites 44-footer. Or almost any MDT would work too. Both Peterbilt and Kenworth make cute little single-rear-axle MDTs that with a tow body are perfect for dragging the biggest Mobile Suites (or any other DRV RV).
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Old 08-23-2017, 09:49 AM   #5
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just go big

a full 43 foot DRV and white freightliner HDT

https://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/d/...242459072.html
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Old 08-23-2017, 02:55 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by SmokeyWren View Post
That's a more reasonable load for a full-timer move that should not require any mods to the suspension of the F-150.
I'm sure you realize that was a typo and should say F-450.

IRV2 has a 1-hour time limit for editing a post, and I had to handle a honey-do as soon as I posted that one. By the time I could get back, the one hour had expired.
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Old 08-23-2017, 03:14 PM   #7
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we get it

I was curious as to the new f-140 - no worries - we all share our experiences and expertise here

towing with the correct vehicle is so important

And if you really want to know the full experience

go to enterprise or penske and rent a suitable similar truck

and spend a tank of gas to evaluate that vehicle with a trailer

when in doubt more truck and aware of total GVWR is a place to start
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Old 08-23-2017, 08:59 PM   #8
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All depends on what model drv.Camped next to a couple last month,they have a drv 44.Empty he said rig weighed 20k with gross at 24k.They had a f450 and sold it he told me it was not enough truck.Now owns a freightliner.They are fulltime so probably at or near gross trailer weight.Also spends a lot of time in the mountains.On the other hand I own a model 36 drv weighs 17.4k empty gross at 20k.I pull that with a f350 dually with air bags.
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Old 08-23-2017, 09:34 PM   #9
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Also do not believe any of the advertised weights in their catalog.(d.r.v.) They are all light.If you buy off the lot you will know weight,if ordering new you wont know till its done.
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Old 08-23-2017, 09:51 PM   #10
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Fleet Fords body service specs shows the newer F350 DRW 6.7 4x4 174" wb has more payload than the same cab/drivetrain F450 pickup bed.

F350 DRW 14000 gvwr and 9900 rawr.
F450........14000 gvwr and 9900 rawr.

The older F450 had those big 11000-12000 lb RAWR and will carry more weight.

A F550 cab & chassis shows a 19500 gvwr 13660-14706 lb rawr for lots of load carrying capacity.
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Old 08-23-2017, 10:02 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Norcolmille View Post
they all seem to live full time. Many 40 footers and a huge 43 ( three axles) version. All of them had f350's.
The smaller mobile suite user had the prerequisite f350 king ranch dually and said
"he would never own a dual rear tire again it just rides so rough
but he liked the stability"

all I can offer -I would drive them both without a trailer if it is your primary vehicle and see what you can live with

it is a compromise. Most mobile suites owners become smart mobile
weeks of months in a great location

and then you have to live with that truck
You are suggesting that someone buy a tow vehicle based on how it rides without a trailer attached. If it rides smooth is that the one to buy? Doesn't seem to be the way to decide. I would think that one would determine the GVWR of the trailer and then pick a range of trucks capable of handling that load. Then drive those to evaluate the ride. Don't purchase a TV that is too small and doesn't allow you to upgrade to a larger trailer in the future. Personally I would lean towards the MDT Peterbuilt or a low roof HDT Volvo.
Happy shopping!
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Old 08-27-2017, 06:09 PM   #12
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RAM 3500 works VERY well for us!

Happy trails,
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'16 Mobile Suites 39DBRS3 '20 RAM 3500 Laramie Crew Cab Dually 4X4 6.7L HO Cummins, Aisin trans, 4.10 gears, Rear Air Suspension, Andersen Ultimate 2
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Old 08-29-2017, 10:01 AM   #13
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We tow our 40' Teton with an HDT. Had a 3500. Too much pin weight for it. Power was great. Had to add bags literally bowed spring package backwards. Rode like a sled then. My Freightliner Century is a very smooth, solid, stable tow truck. Also I paid 21,500 for it. With all mods, bed, hitch, singling, boxes less than 35k. Try buying a 5500 for that.
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