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10-10-2019, 12:52 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9
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Half ton to dually
I have a 31' Rockwood trailer i purchased off my father two years ago (Rockwood 8318ss). I had pulled it with his 2006 chevy 2500 6.0 and aside from drinking like a pig it seemed to not have any problems. I have a 2014 silverado 1500 double cab 5.3 with tow package. Rated for 9600lbs with 1780lb payload. I towed this trailer up into the mountains for 5 hours to relocate for work. Despite being within all my weights, i stopped at a scale and checked early on, the drive was bad enough that i will not pull it with that truck again. Plenty of power but the trailer kept trying to sway anytime i went above 90km/h, the limit was between 100-110. I need to move the trailer again about 4 hours higher into the mountains but now i also have a 2003 dodge ram dually with the cummins. This is a dedicated work truck that constantly carries approx. 3000lbs in the box. My wife will be following me in the chevy to transport tools that i dont have room for in the dodge.
TL;DR
Towed travel trailer into mountains with half ton. Scared the hell out of me. Doing it again with a dually. Should i be worried?
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10-10-2019, 01:01 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas,OR
Posts: 4,584
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About what? With a decent weight distribution hitch you may never know the trailer is back there.
__________________
Don and Lorri
Resident Dummy.
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10-10-2019, 02:45 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9
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Well i dont have any way of removing the weight in the back
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10-10-2019, 03:12 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1,211
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheeto2
TL;DR
Towed travel trailer into mountains with half ton. Scared the hell out of me. Doing it again with a dually. Should i be worried?
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Nope. Drop the trailer on the ball and roll out. If you can actually tow it with a half ton, the dually won't have any problems. Enjoy the better towing experience.
__________________
2014 F350 DRW 6.7L CC FX4 King Ranch Ruby Red Metallic 158,000 Miles 4,450 Hours
2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf 29TE | Because I'm home, no matter where I am.
2018 Honda CB650F | Because the truck leans the wrong way when I turn.
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10-10-2019, 03:47 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
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A dually has built in sway control in the wide hips. It will be night and day towing differece than towing with a little 1500 series truck.
You should not be worried.
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10-13-2019, 04:06 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9
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My concern is more towards payload. With my tools in the back, by the time i add everything in the truck and the hitch weight i'll be alot closer, if not over the payload rating than my half ton without the tools and extra weight. Unfortunately i dont have a scale within reasonable distance to me to get exact weights.
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10-13-2019, 05:00 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
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I can see your point if you have a lot of heavy tools. The cargo capacity of the ole dually should be around 4,000lbs I would think. I had maybe 3,500 lbs of heavy tools and stuff in the bed of my ole dually and I could tell as the truck was different in the way it drove.
Can you make two trips?
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10-13-2019, 05:47 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9
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I dont have any way of removing the tools. The engine driven welder being half of the weight i would need heavy equipment to remove it from the bed. Tool chests are bolted in to the point it would be too time consuming to feasibly remove them.
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10-13-2019, 06:57 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,454
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That 2003 Ram 3500 DRW has a weight rating of 12,200#, if it had a payload sticker it would be in the 4,000# range. The rear axle is rated at 9,000#+ rating. Hook up and go.
__________________
Russ & Paula, Portland, OR. The Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW Aisin 4X4 14,000# GVWR.
2005 Keystone Copper Canyon 293FWSLS Rear Kitchen 12,360 GVWR
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10-13-2019, 07:12 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1,211
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Honestly, don't worry about it. That trailer is so light that even if you do go a little over your ratings, you'll still be fine and it will tow way better than the smaller truck. You're honestly not going to stress out that truck.
__________________
2014 F350 DRW 6.7L CC FX4 King Ranch Ruby Red Metallic 158,000 Miles 4,450 Hours
2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf 29TE | Because I'm home, no matter where I am.
2018 Honda CB650F | Because the truck leans the wrong way when I turn.
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10-14-2019, 09:56 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,858
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i'm thinking your hook up to the 1500 and or your weight distribution was wrong. you really shouldn't of had any problems. what does the T/T weigh ready to camp?
Jay D.
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10-14-2019, 12:36 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,539
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Sway is almost always caused by improper loading resulting in too little tongue weight, or less frequently the axles are placed so there is too little tongue weight. If you are getting a lot of sway you most likely need more weight in the front of the trailer. The trailer also needs to be level when towing. Too high in the front and more weight is placed on the rear axle, too low in the front and too much weight is on the front axle.
__________________
2020 F28 RKS Titanium
2017 Creekside 23 RBS Sold
2016 F250 Super Crew XLT Overworked
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10-14-2019, 01:32 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9
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Well I'm halfway through my trip at this point and still havent passed a scale, but the truck has handled the trailer great. Fuel mileage, braking, power and especailly handling are all much better. Feel a bit silly for ever worrying about it.
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10-14-2019, 01:34 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9
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As to the sway in the 1500, i was/am using a cheap hitch that came with the trailer but dont tow it enough to warrant spending $$ on a more expensive one. I'm sure a better hitch could have helped.
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