Which tow vehicle

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by JIMNLIN

I tow a 11200 lb 5er with a 2500 Dodge/Cummins short bed. With 2220 lbs of pin weight it puts my trucks 6000 RAWR at 5200 lbs.

What Rusty said.

RAWR is rarely the limiter on a three-quarter ton pickup. GVWR is usually the limiter. How much did you exceed the GVW with 2220 pounds of hitch weight?

[CD]

OP was asking about turning radius. Different makes & models are different. My Dodge dually, long WB has a very good turning radius. A friend has a Ford F250 also long WB that doesn't turn near as tight as mine does. I think his is a little shorter WB than mine. With my 28' trailers, if I could turn tighter I would hit the tongue.

[JIMNLIN]

Originally Posted by RustyJC

Much of the discussion on this thread has dealt with GVWR. Although I know that you choose to ignore it, you might want to share where you stand relative to your manufacturer's GVWR just for the benefit of the newbies who are working their way through the numbers.

Rusty

Where I stand on GVWR has nothing to do with will the truck handle the size trailer mentioned.
Your focus is on GVWR thats fine. I don't question you for doing so.

[JIMNLIN]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

What Rusty said.

RAWR is rarely the limiter on a three-quarter ton pickup. GVWR is usually the limiter. How much did you exceed the GVW with 2220 pounds of hitch weight?

GVWR has no legal load carrying status. The load limiter is the trucks axles/tires. My trucks GVWR is 9000 lbs and has a 9160 GVW. I'm well under front and rear axle/tire ratings which is the load carrying limiter.

The GM has a 9200 GVWR and a lighter unladin gross weight and more importantly has a lighter unladin rear axle weight for carrying more weight than my Dodge, and will work fine for the size trailer mentioned.

[RustyJC]

Originally Posted by JIMNLIN

GVWR has no legal load carrying status. The load limiter is the trucks axles/tires.

Dodge's Bodybuilder's guide states the following on the pages that give the GVWR, GAWR, GCWR and maximum trailer ratings:

3. ......Additionally, the GAWRs and GVWRs should never be exceeded.

Some individuals choose to size their tow vehicles accordingly in order to stay within the manufacturer's ratings. For them, GVWRs and actual GVWs are important.

Rusty

[Jon Mopar]

If you want to keep costs down....go buy a 5.9 Cummins Dodge Ram. You'll thank me later.

I've pulled a bigger trailer with a V10 Ram 3500 reg-cab. It worked great, but was thirsty though. It was kind of a neat party trick..."hey, look how much gas my truck burns lol". I can't complain though.

[JIMNLIN]

Originally Posted by RustyJC

Dodge's Bodybuilder's guide states the following on the pages that give the GVWR, GAWR, GCWR and maximum trailer ratings:



Some individuals choose to size their tow vehicles accordingly in order to stay within the manufacturer's ratings. For them, GVWRs and actual GVWs are important.

Rusty

Others choose to use the GAWRs or the tire load placard or GCWR or payloads from the mfg website/etc/etc all claiming to stay within a manufacturers rating of some kind.

I, as many others, choose to use the manufactures certified RAWR for carrying hitch loads on my trucks rear axle/tires. That rating is certified by the trucks manufacturer and is on the certification placard (door tag).

Some owners (not all) with the new 3/4 and one ton SRW trucks with those high 10000 GVWR and 11500 GVWR are overloading their trucks rear axles when using GVWR to figure rear axle loads for certain configurated trucks.

Example; using GM weight calculator that figures in all options and std equipment is the 6.0 gas 2500 GM loaded out LTZ 4x4 extended cab 2wd with a 10000 lb GVWR and 4400 FAWR and 6200 RAWR has a payload of 3775 lbs when using GVWR. The same trucks rear axle has potential of 3647 lb payload. Using GVWR has overloaded the 2500 GM LTZ trucks rear axle/tires.

Some of the new Fords F350 SRW 11500 GVWR with certain configurations have even a higher rear axle overload potential.

Bigger trucks GVW is the sum of the axle ratings. Out LDT trucks are getting closer to that point.

[RustyJC]

Staying within the manufacturer's ratings, if one elects to do so, involves ALL the ratings - GVWR, GCWR, front GAWR and rear GAWR. One cannot look at only one rating and ignore the rest, and I don't believe I've seen anyone advocating conforming to GVWR and ignoring GAWRs. It's a "both/and", not an "either/or" approach. Generally, though, since GVWR has been significantly lower than the sum of the GAWRs, it's been the limiting factor among the manufacturer's ratings for SRW trucks. Your own situation illustrates this - under rear GAWR, but over GVWR.

Rusty

[Scarab0088]

It's tough picking between what's the best tow rig and wanting a truck that is a good daily driver.

I didn't see it mentioned...so I'll just add a point worth remembering and comment on another point when shopping for a Tow Vehicle.

1. 4WD vs. 2WD - The turning radius is usually wider and GCWR usually lower with typical trucks if you chose a 4X4. Doesn't matter if you pick a Pick-up or SUV. This is all because of the weight and mechanicals in having the driven front driveline.

Having said that, I picked 4WD because there is really nothing that can replace the added traction - when you need it.

2. For the single vs. dual rear wheel thing, I picked DWR too. Same thing as 4WD, there's really no replacement for those extra tires in the back - when you need it. I have less worry about flats now than I had with my old SWR truck.

A Long Bed, 1 Ton, 4X4, DWR truck isn't really the best daily driver, but I still love it
Good luck!

[Cat320]

Originally Posted by RustyJC

Staying within the manufacturer's ratings, if one elects to do so, involves ALL the ratings - GVWR, GCWR, front GAWR and rear GAWR. One cannot look at only one rating and ignore the rest, and I don't believe I've seen anyone advocating conforming to GVWR and ignoring GAWRs. It's a "both/and", not an "either/or" approach. Generally, though, since GVWR has been significantly lower than the sum of the GAWRs, it's been the limiting factor among the manufacturer's ratings for SRW trucks. Your own situation illustrates this - under rear GAWR, but over GVWR.

Rusty

Exactly, well said.

[Beausdog]

I would pick the new 12 F350 CC PSD SB SRW FX4 with 11,500 gvwr and tow package (7k rgawr) i tow a 14k trailer with mine and actually still have about 800-1k lbs left on my rear axle weight and gvwr, and 800 lbs below my gcwr. That should leave you plenty of room to play with as you are 600 less in the hitch, and 2k less gvwr in your rig. I think a three quarter ton may be ok but reallu close to your limits.

[timberframe]

Seeing how this is my first time shopping for a truck to use for a fifth wheel trailer, I have to say it is very confusing. I know the previous owner of this trailer pulled it with a Chevy Silverado 3/4 ton. But I dont know if he was within the limits of all the different wieght limits. I told my wife that if we dont find a truck pretty soon, we will have to go camping in the dealers parking lot where the trailer currently sits. I think he has free doughnuts and coffee though. Ha-ha

[Beausdog]

Originally Posted by timberframe

Seeing how this is my first time shopping for a truck to use for a fifth wheel trailer, I have to say it is very confusing. I know the previous owner of this trailer pulled it with a Chevy Silverado 3/4 ton. But I dont know if he was within the limits of all the different wieght limits. I told my wife that if we dont find a truck pretty soon, we will have to go camping in the dealers parking lot where the trailer currently sits. I think he has free doughnuts and coffee though. Ha-ha

:roflback:

[Beausdog]

Are you looking at new or used?