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Kraft Crew · 10-02-2019, 01:15 PM

Interesting video about the testing behind tow ratings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPhMnj1F-Lc

tuffr2 · 10-02-2019, 01:53 PM

Agree, kinda interesting. A brand new truck being tested with new brakes and tires etc. It would be interesting to see how after 3 to 5 years of towing how well it can still do these tests.

There is that flat bed trailer I always talk about. The very easiest kind of trailer to tow. It is loaded with weights to make it heavy but with no wind resistance.

I know this was not TFL testing the truck but Ram engineers doing the testing. I did comment of a different TFL video that they need a big heavy Toy Hauler 5th wheel. Something with wind resistance to get a different feel for how well the truck can tow.

BigRVBigTruck is the only person I saw test towing a big travel trailer but he was towing it with his late model F-450.

It is however good to see some of this testing as it is better than not seeing it.

Jshopes81 · 10-05-2019, 08:55 AM

Was he actually driving or did he have his wife drive while he made his video from the passenger seat?

tuffr2 · 10-05-2019, 10:35 AM

It seemed as if he was driving. He was using GoPro cameras so no real way to tell for sure. One pointed in front over the hood and one in back on the long trailer. I found this video ok as I am researching towing a big trailer with a little short bed F-250 6.2 gas truck. The trailer was well behaved behind his dually truck.

If you ever get a chance you need to look at the big triple slide Jayco Eagle 330 RLTS travel trailers with a GVWR of 11,750 lbs.
These trailers are huge. Just over 12' high and 39.3' long. When I look at them I immediately think dually truck.

jjackrash · 10-05-2019, 10:46 AM

It was interesting see how much braking power was reduced when the trailer brakes were disengaged as well as the explanation about how much the lack of weight on tires decreases breaking power. The bit about the importance of understeer in keeping the trailer following the truck around corners was really interesting as well.

Jshopes81 · 10-05-2019, 12:18 PM

I would say probably need a dually for that. I just had to run out and check my jaycos weight, im only at 10250 for gvwr. Is your 250 a screw or scab? I run a wdh on the 350 just because of the receiver rating and no wdh on the work dodge because its got the big 2.5" receiver with higher capacity i just run a tri-ball. Either way you know its there. The 350 porpoises way more because its not sprung near as heavy as the dodge and the wdh cuts that out some. Aside from that, there isnt much difference towing between the two. I just pulled a hill near 7 springs with the 6.0 that i last pulled with the dodge. Im thinking the 6.0 pulls as well as the dodge because of the gearing because its down about 300ftlbs on the cummins but the dodge has 3.55s or something. Both trucks its a 1 hand on the wheel, just another day at the office. You know its there, it wont let you forget it, but its not concerning.

Any chance a dealer near you would let you hook up and take one for a spin? If you had everything lined up and that was keeping you from signing i would be inclined to believe theyd let you make a run with it.

SmokeyWren · 10-05-2019, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jshopes81

Any chance a dealer near you would let you hook up and take one for a spin?

Taking a new unloaded RV for a spin won't tell you how it will pull and handle and stop when wet and loaded for an RV trip.

Unless you stop by Home Depot and load about a thousands pounds of sandbags or something in the RV.

Jshopes81 · 10-05-2019, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

Taking a new unloaded RV for a spin won't tell you how it will pull and handle and stop when wet and loaded for an RV trip.

Unless you stop by Home Depot and load about a thousands pounds of sandbags or something in the RV.

I honestly cant tell the difference between mine empty or loaded. At that weight even 1000 lbs is less than 10%. It would still give an idea if its scary with just the trailer amd no gear it would obviously be no good loaded. If its easy peasy empty 1000lbs if loaded right isnt going to make it night and day different. I threw a 1000lb golf cart in the bed for the first time this weekend. It all goes down the road about the same.

rollondown · 10-05-2019, 01:57 PM

Now unplug or cut your brake wire and do those stop tests again.....

tuffr2 · 10-05-2019, 02:04 PM

SAE J2807 used to start at the Davis Dam and tow the weight for the 11.4 miles up that incline on route 68 in Arizona

This video might be pre testing for Davis Dam.

Jshopes81 · 10-05-2019, 02:11 PM

And that j2807 video is a pretty good watch. Id like to see some other trucks do the davis dam test pre j2807. Ive personally smoked a couple 5500 series rams on pennsylvania hills. Maybe melting the coolant resevoir in an 08 doesnt count as a fluid loss.