3/4 ton with 40 ft 5th wheel

[ecampbell]

Originally Posted by Bubba1

Sure it can tow it...but can it stop it. My guess would be "not well."

Mike H

Interesting as I was always told the brakes on the trailer should stop it. I have a 44' with a Ram DRW. I can bring the truck and trailer to a full stop by using the brake controller. I would never expect truck brakes to stop my trailer.

[mobilemike]

Originally Posted by aircommuter

knowledge. We were traveling with friends in Tennessee, they were towing their fiver with their 1 ton dually. On a couple of occasions we came to some intersections at the bottom of some hills. He was pushed through one of the intersection because he couldn't get his rig stopped. And he said he had difficulty stopping at some of the others.
.

Obviously there is a problem with the trailers brakes or the brake controller. Or the person setting the gain on the controller.

A 7k lb axle has brakes that are rated to stop 7klbs.

Then you just stack axles.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by deltam

While doing some paperwork on our new 5er, there was a guy buying one bigger than our 38 ft with a 3/4 ton 4x4. Makes me think DMV needs to start weighing/checking campers. Looked on the overload springs when he pulled out.

Rant coming...

DOT should damned well demand MUCH higher standards for running gear and brakes on RVs...to say nothing about insisting that RV manufacturers quit playing games with dry weights, tow-vehicle requirements, and so on.

Many leaf-spring axles and spring connections are barely good enough to make it off the dealer's lot before failing. Plastic bushings in leaf shackles, and non-grease-able dry joints in the suspensions are utterly unacceptable. The same manufacturers who provide these tin-foil suspension components do a thriving business in aftermarket upgrades. Meanwhile, chintzy suspensions lead to bad wheel alignment, blowouts, and thou$$$ands in damage to the coach bodies blown apart by shredding tires. (Speaking of which, why aren't their steel fenders over the tires to protect the coach bodies??? Who makes "fenders" out of plywood or particle board and plastic? RV manufacturers, that's who.) When's the last time a tire failure on your tow vehicle shredded the car body?

And where in hell are the shock absorbers (dampers)? A tow vehicle is essentially undriveable if it has worn out dampers, and yet, almost every towable on the road goes out the door with no shocks whatsoever! RVs bound down the road as if on pogo sticks.

And let's not get started on tires.

Can you imagine cars being turned loose on the roads underpinned by the junk under many brand new RVs?

And where do they get off installing antiquated brake hardware on rigs that often weigh twice what the tow vehicle weighs? Tiny drum brakes with electromagnetic actuators are just so much more junk. What is the last car you bought that had drum brakes? Electrically controlled hydraulic disk brakes should be the standard. (Yes, an electric hydraulic pump, a master cylinder with a proportional electric actuator, and real disk brakes.)

So, yes, many manufacturers are putting out junk that's not really road worthy, and many sales people will advise buyers to hook a 20,000 pound fiver to a 2500 series pickup that has no exhaust brake. There is precious little accountability in the RV industry. I can only assume that the few remaining manufacturers must have a lot invested in lobbyists, because nothing else under DOT's domain is so shoddily built and poorly regulated.

You were warned.
I'll start the popcorn.

[Airmech]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

Rant coming...

DOT should damned well demand MUCH higher standards for running gear and brakes on RVs...to say nothing about insisting that RV manufacturers quit playing games with dry weights, tow-vehicle requirements, and so on.

Many leaf-spring axles and spring connections are barely good enough to make it off the dealer's lot before failing. Plastic bushings in leaf shackles, and non-grease-able dry joints in the suspensions are utterly unacceptable. The same manufacturers who provide these tin-foil suspension components do a thriving business in aftermarket upgrades. Meanwhile, chintzy suspensions lead to bad wheel alignment, blowouts, and thou$$$ands in damage to the coach bodies blown apart by shredding tires. (Speaking of which, why aren't their steel fenders over the tires to protect the coach bodies??? Who makes "fenders" out of plywood or particle board and plastic? RV manufacturers, that's who.) When's the last time a tire failure on your tow vehicle shredded the car body?

And where in hell are the shock absorbers (dampers)? A tow vehicle is essentially undriveable if it has worn out dampers, and yet, almost every towable on the road goes out the door with no shocks whatsoever! RVs bound down the road as if on pogo sticks.

And let's not get started on tires.

Can you imagine cars being turned loose on the roads underpinned by the junk under many brand new RVs?

And where do they get off installing antiquated brake hardware on rigs that often weigh twice what the tow vehicle weighs? Tiny drum brakes with electromagnetic actuators are just so much more junk. What is the last car you bought that had drum brakes? Electrically controlled hydraulic disk brakes should be the standard. (Yes, an electric hydraulic pump, a master cylinder with a proportional electric actuator, and real disk brakes.)

So, yes, many manufacturers are putting out junk that's not really road worthy, and many sales people will advise buyers to hook a 20,000 pound fiver to a 2500 series pickup that has no exhaust brake. There is precious little accountability in the RV industry. I can only assume that the few remaining manufacturers must have a lot invested in lobbyists, because nothing else under DOT's domain is so shoddily built and poorly regulated.

You were warned.
I'll start the popcorn.

I agree with everything said, but until something changes that forces all manufacturer to change there ways we are all stuck with the same old junk.

[DJNCJ]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

Rant coming...

DOT should damned well demand MUCH higher standards for running gear and brakes on RVs...to say nothing about insisting that RV manufacturers quit playing games with dry weights, tow-vehicle requirements, and so on.

Many leaf-spring axles and spring connections are barely good enough to make it off the dealer's lot before failing. Plastic bushings in leaf shackles, and non-grease-able dry joints in the suspensions are utterly unacceptable. The same manufacturers who provide these tin-foil suspension components do a thriving business in aftermarket upgrades. Meanwhile, chintzy suspensions lead to bad wheel alignment, blowouts, and thou$$$ands in damage to the coach bodies blown apart by shredding tires. (Speaking of which, why aren't their steel fenders over the tires to protect the coach bodies??? Who makes "fenders" out of plywood or particle board and plastic? RV manufacturers, that's who.) When's the last time a tire failure on your tow vehicle shredded the car body?

And where in hell are the shock absorbers (dampers)? A tow vehicle is essentially undriveable if it has worn out dampers, and yet, almost every towable on the road goes out the door with no shocks whatsoever! RVs bound down the road as if on pogo sticks.

And let's not get started on tires.

Can you imagine cars being turned loose on the roads underpinned by the junk under many brand new RVs?

And where do they get off installing antiquated brake hardware on rigs that often weigh twice what the tow vehicle weighs? Tiny drum brakes with electromagnetic actuators are just so much more junk. What is the last car you bought that had drum brakes? Electrically controlled hydraulic disk brakes should be the standard. (Yes, an electric hydraulic pump, a master cylinder with a proportional electric actuator, and real disk brakes.)

So, yes, many manufacturers are putting out junk that's not really road worthy, and many sales people will advise buyers to hook a 20,000 pound fiver to a 2500 series pickup that has no exhaust brake. There is precious little accountability in the RV industry. I can only assume that the few remaining manufacturers must have a lot invested in lobbyists, because nothing else under DOT's domain is so shoddily built and poorly regulated.

You were warned.
I'll start the popcorn.

Well said!

I installed disc brakes to my 16k trailer and upgraded the 2500 Ram to a 3500 dually...why??...for greater safety of the people I love the most as well as those sharing the road with us. Shocks are next.

Sometimes accidents happen. Operating well within the weight limitations and improving upon manufacturers cheap equipment might just avoid an accident. I like to think it tips the scale in my favor.

[Cumminsfan]

Originally Posted by mobilemike

Obviously there is a problem with the trailers brakes or the brake controller. Or the person setting the gain on the controller.

A 7k lb axle has brakes that are rated to stop 7klbs.

Then you just stack axles.

12"x2" brakes on a 7000# axle. Same as my 5200# axle.
I have zero issues stopping my 9000# 5th wheel. If I had another 5000#'s behind me I think I'd want disk brakes.

[Gordon Dewald]

Its all fun and games when you are at the max until one little thing goes wrong. Then you hope and pray for a miracle.

Given the questionable quality of many of the components I would prefer a good edge. I feel really comfortable with the brakes on the truck, the brakes and connections on the trailer not so much.

[KHBama]

I’m one of those “over weighted” truck/5er people. I have a light 5er and while completed loaded with family I’m about 500-600lb over weight. I tow with a Ram 2500 5.7L(got my sights set on diesel in near future), but I can get virtuality the same truck with the 6.4L and get 10,000GVWR sticker and magically pickup up 1,000lb in payload and now underweight while towing, NICE MARKETING TOOL. Common sense has to come into play at some point. I do have air bags but without them, I get a very small squat in the back when loaded up and have 0 problem stopping.

[Tonysoup]

Originally Posted by deltam

While doing some paperwork on our new 5er, there was a guy buying one bigger than our 38 ft with a 3/4 ton 4x4. Makes me think DMV needs to start weighing/checking campers. Looked on the overload springs when he pulled out.

Washington state just this year asked the weight on trailers before they would issue tags. They may be up to something like charging us tonnage on them but when I asked, the guy at the Dept of Licensing (That's where we buy our tags) said they just wanted the information. It would be very easy with that information on your registration for a cop to determine if you are overweight.

[Tonysoup]

Originally Posted by NevadaNick

Depends on the pin weight. I have 3700 lbs until i exceed my tire rating on my 3/4 ton.

Towing weight is every bit as important as pin weight, maybe more. Some trucks may have higher towing weight than me but mine is all I know. It's a 2005 2500 HD Silverado. Towing max is 15,300 and a 3500 dually is the same so check your max towing weight before you think all is OK.

By the way Max pin weight has nothing whatever to do with the rating on your tires as long as you have tires that meet manufacturers recommendations. Max pin weight is in the specs from the manufacturer and nothing you can do will change that.

[NevadaNick]

Differing views, i go with whats legal and what i am comfortable with. Been across scales with an F250 at over 33k lbs and was legal and comfortable but wouldnt want anymore weight than that.

[aircommuter]

Originally Posted by Nwcid

Where did you come up with that?

The only person on here was quoting diesel at 7lbs per gallon, which is accurate, 6.943lb/gal.

Go back and read what danshan 432 wrote and tell me that again. Maybe your the only person on here that didn’t read the entire post.

[Tundra2084]

According to the Science and Technology Desk Reference, the weight of a gallon of common fuel (such as gasoline) is six pounds. A gallon of water, on the other hand, weighs about 8.4 pounds

the density of petroleum diesel is about 0.832 kg/L (6.943 lb/US gal), about 11.6% more than ethanol-free petrol (gasoline), which has a density of about 0.745 kg/L(6.217 lb/US gal)

At least Google is good for something lol

[fvstringpicker]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

There is precious little accountability in the RV industry. I can only assume that the few remaining manufacturers must have a lot invested in lobbyists, because nothing else under DOT's domain is so shoddily built and poorly regulated.

You were warned.
I'll start the popcorn.

Im a relatively active trader. If you go in an see who the major stockholders are in these companies, you'll have a clearer picture that won't require much assumption.