Community Forums

Desertboyz · 09-02-2015, 01:33 PM

How stable, manageable, and safe is this paring?

We do not want a MDT Truck. A F450 is as big as we would consider. Otherwise, we will go with a Diesel Pusher with a toad.

The dually F450 has an engine exhaust brake, the towing capacity, etc. The Luxe (39 feet) has Goodyear tires, a Mor/Ryde independent suspension, Mor Ryde disc brakes, and Mor Ryde hitch pin (Mor Ryde seems to be a big selling feature, how great is it??)

We go back and forth between class A and 5th! We love aspects of both. I believe our FT travel plans would be to average 2 - 3 weeks in one spot.

We have other considerations (BUDGET!) but we need help with this basic question of this capacity truck and size 5th. Per Augusta, estimated weight on the 37RS is 16900lb to 17200lbs dry with an GVWR of 19500.

All thoughts are really appreciated!

jacknife · 09-02-2015, 02:06 PM

If you have air brakes on the 450 you are the first one l know of to have them. New Ram dually has 32000 plus towing cap. But the ford will work also. With that trl wt you should not have a problem needing an MDT.
The Moryde independent suspension is great as other the other Moryde components. Sounds like a great trl.
You will have no problem towing that wt with a one ton dually / 3500.

I have a 5th so my opinion may be somewhat tainted. Staying 2-3 wks you will be riding around in a big truck. Safety wise a good deal . Which you can use at home. Many less systems to deal with in a trl . You will have to weigh the pros and cons. Good luck!

Desertboyz · 09-02-2015, 02:10 PM

Woops, I went back and edited "airbrake". I meant an engine exhaust brake. Seems like that be mandatory with a heavy 5th going downhill.

hone eagle · 09-02-2015, 02:19 PM

If you don't want a big truck ,I would suggest a diesel pusher and toad .
That is what we will do after we get too old for a truck and trailer.

tuffr2 · 09-02-2015, 02:37 PM

I have a dually truck with a 5th wheel. You ask how stable, safe they are.

The best illustration is going down the road I pass all types of rigs. The only rigs that pass me are the tag axle motorhomes. They must be the very best rigs to travel in. I pass all single axle diesel pusher motorhomes. A dually truck towing a 5th wheel is very stable and easy unstressful drive.

rollondown · 09-02-2015, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hone eagle

If you don't want a big truck ,I would suggest a diesel pusher and toad .
That is what we will do after we get too old for a truck and trailer.

You too old- thats funny!

Stay safe bus driver

To the OP- If your uncomfortable with a MDT, why are you comfortable with driving a DP? Just asking, thats all. The 5'er might have a little more storage space. Thats the only difference I know of. Its a personal choice that only you can answer. The F450 is plenty for that RV.

Desertboyz · 09-02-2015, 04:13 PM

Our first choice (I'll pretend I have unlimited funds!) would be a newer DP with tag axle, and toad. But we do have a budget. For less money, the Luxe provides more features, better, much more up-to-date style, (including a full-size residential oven) and more roominess. It'd also be brand new or very close to.

Those are issues we all seem to wrestle with - the tradeoff's of budget, size, class, etc

I'd be ok driving a F450 around all the time. It's not a Smart Car but I think I could live with it. However, that's as huge as I will go. I do not want to grocery shopping and run errands in anything larger than that.

But the if the paring creates an unstable, uncomfortable, or unsafe driving situation, I will cross it off the list immediately. No savings is worth that.

Gordon Dewald · 09-02-2015, 04:26 PM

We have a 05 450 with a GCVW of 33,000. Our 5er has a GVWR of 18,000 and as towed is 17,856.

Could use a bit more power as we have the 6.0 litre but the truck is extremely stable. The newer 450 have more capacity as well as the new engine is supposed to be much better with more power.

We are under the GVWR by 3347, under the rear axle by 4505, under the front axle by 842, under the GCW by 5136, and the vertical load on the kingpin by 3355.

suprdave1958 · 09-02-2015, 05:28 PM

Dodge or Ford 3500 or 350 is more than enough truck...so a 450 would be no question. I pulled 35 yard dump trailers...loaded over 28000 lbs and concrete a few times with even heavier weight with a 3500 dually 4x4. Many times in hard rain and mud and never a problem. People that ask these questions have probably never driven a 1 ton PU before. You don't need a 4x4, but I personally like ours pulling our 5ver TH. You don't need a big rig...but if you can afford it and get a license for it...skin it back LOL...good luck

tuffr2 · 09-02-2015, 06:10 PM

I will add. You can buy a new F-450 (65k) and a new Luxe (100k) 5th wheel for much less than a nice new diesel pusher (250k).

Again, a dually truck is very stable going down the road. The 2015 F-450 will have plenty of power and technology to be a pleasant towing machine. My 2012 F-450 tows so well that I do not remember any mountains because the truck has plenty of power. The F-450 has larger breaks and a nice tight turning radius. In 2015 the F-450 has been improved quite a bit over my 2012. Even more power and technology.

Pullin' Chocks · 09-02-2015, 08:39 PM

That pairing will work fine and appears well within specifications. I don't believe the 450`s have a true exhaust brake, it is more of an engine brake.

suprdave1958 · 09-02-2015, 08:45 PM

They're are exhaust brakes....Dodge had them since 2008, Fords added them the following year and then Chevy...they actually work pretty well when you need them...but honestly you really don't need them very often.

Cypressloser · 09-02-2015, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suprdave1958

They're are exhaust brakes....Dodge had them since 2008, Fords added them the following year and then Chevy...they actually work pretty well when you need them...but honestly you really don't need them very often.

I wouldn't buy another truck without exhaust brake, they will save your trailer brakes from going up in smoke on long descends.
Ram (Dodge) made some huge improvements starting with the 2013 model. Reference: Cool Tech: 2013 Ram HD Smart Brake - PickupTrucks.com News

Cummins12V98 · 09-03-2015, 04:59 AM

32,500# combined weight in pic. Tows great and rock solid in winds, mountains. True medium duty Cummins engine and Medium duty Aisin transmission. Also the factory rear air suspension will keep the rear at the level in pic up to rear axle rating of 9,750#. These new RAM's are in reality 4500 with 3500 badging. As soon as you go to 450/4500 you will be in a different truck classification and more then likely your insurance will increase. ASE J2807 compliant. 62K truck 120K RV.

Similar quality in a class A with toad would easily be 400K.