Mobile Suites Owners...

[MTK46]

Originally Posted by roadcamping

At a bit over 5000 lbs payload capacity on my F350 DRW, I could probably be within the limits pulling a Mobile Suites. However, I would really want the larger brakes on the F450. I'm not sure how Ram or Chevy brakes compare to Ford.

Brakes on your F-350 are just fine. Most DRV have disc brakes so those will be much better than any drum brake 5th wheel out there.

[Muehl112MS]

Originally Posted by MTK46

Brakes on your F-350 are just fine. Most DRV have disc brakes so those will be much better than any drum brake 5th wheel out there.

Yes brakes on mine are very good. Use them to slow the truck any chance I can

[vikingboy1]

We are towing a DRV Mobile Suites 38RSSB3 with a 2011 Ford F-350 full size box crew cab 6.7Liter turbo diesel 4x4 SRW with a 3.73 rear end. We just left the Detroit area on Jan 11th of this year and are currently sitting in Port Aransas, Texas with no problems at all. While I am usually a GMC man I got a great deal on this ford truck so I jumped the fence. I had the rig weighed on the way out of town and scale said the following
steer axle 5180
drive axle 6900
trailer axle 14020
for a total gross weight of 26100



the rig handled great and I would say you should not have any problems

P.S. with the cruise set at 65 the rig averaged 12.5 MPG all the way down here.....

[Rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Muehl112MS

I have a 17 f250. Have a 17 MS Manhattan. Gross weight off the lot was 30k for total setup. My pin weight is only coming in at 3800 right now. I put 7500 air lift bags and the biggest hellwig sway bars on before picking up trailer. Only have to run 40 lbs or so in the bags to make everything sit level and ride smooth. I wonder how much difrent it woulda been without those things. But it tows amazingly. My last trailer was a 39 foot bumper pull that weighed 12,000 and it moved around a lot more on me. I have towed to in steady 20mph with gusts up to 30-35 and truck nor trailer flinched going down the road 65-70 mph. Turn radius though with short beds is limited but I have a slider and can get to just shy of 90 degrees. Drive axle weight is 7400 and that’s what I’ll keep eye on the most. Even my wife pulled it down i40 and said she fealt just fine and she’s not the type to be doing that kind of thing. Stopping was no issue either. If I towed more than a handful of times a year I’d get a soortchassis but that’s not the case so I just make sure and plan out my routes well and PAY ATTENTION. do with that info as you please.

Great you look at your drive axle, what about the tires?? That axle is rated for more than 7,400#, but what about your tires, what is their capacity.

[Muehl112MS]

Originally Posted by Rhagfo

Great you look at your drive axle, what about the tires?? That axle is rated for more than 7,400#, but what about your tires, what is their capacity.

3750lbs at 80PSI so I’m clear there. Looking to find something about 4000 but the tires I have now are about the best ones to have from what I see most places.

[Rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Rhagfo

Great you look at your drive axle, what about the tires?? That axle is rated for more than 7,400#, but what about your tires, what is their capacity.

Originally Posted by Muehl112MS

3750lbs at 80PSI so I’m clear there. Looking to find something about 4000 but the tires I have now are about the best ones to have from what I see most places.

Just barely 7,400# on a pair of tires rated at 7,500# is not much wiggle room. Why not just get a 3500 DRW?

[Muehl112MS]

Originally Posted by Rhagfo

Just barely 7,400# on a pair of tires rated at 7,500# is not much wiggle room. Why not just get a 3500 DRW?

Because I only tow a handful of times a year and not much on duallys. I said I’d pull it home from dealer with his truck then decide if I needed more truck based on how it did and it did incredible. Not sure how much the upgrades I did helped but I know it feels much more comfortable than my previous bumper pull that was 40 foot. If I do upgrade trucks it will be to a sportchassis or something similar but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

[NW Explorers]

You need a dually! It's really no big deal driving and parking one. Like a friend of mine told me when I had the same feelings that you do about dualies, if the mirrors fit, the truck fits. I back into most parking spaces and park in the "south 40" of the lot but I need the exercise anyway.
Happy trails,

[MobileOneDS]

Sunset ranch:

We are selling our 38ft DP and about ready to make offer on a 2019 40 ft KSSB4! Sounds like your happy with you rig!

Mike

[consolenut]

To me the new truck ratings are hype just like the muscle car horsepower wars in the 70's. All those payload and towing capacities mean nothing. When you get into a DRV or higher class 5th wheel that total towing capacity is out the window. There calculating it seems on 10-15% pin or tongue weight. A DRV or higher class runs 20% and sometimes higher on the pin. Your rear axle weight rating and tire capacity will run out far before you hit towing limit. So that towing capacity is crap in a high end 5th wheel. And to answer the dually vs single rear wheel. I'd much rather have 4 tires carrying a load then 2. Towing and the phrase " it handled it well coming home from the dealer its worth $.02 thats it. That is the lightest that 5ver will ever be until it goes back to be traded in. So the ride home is useless to judge of how it will handle the load. If ya wanted that ride to be of value load all the holding tanks with water. Black, Grey Fresh and you might get an idea. Go to the scales at a truck stop weigh the truck. Figure out real world of what you have weight wise to play with. Then let the scale slip determine what you tow and what you tow it with.

[Oklahoma RV]

Originally Posted by Wundertaker

Sounds like you have a great rig. I'm convinced that a Mobile Suites will not work with my SRW....DAGNABIT!!!

We tow a Mobile Suites 38 RSB3 with a
GMC 3500 SRW. Yes we are over weight
and we are aware of all the possibilities.
We only tow about four times each year
and only about 650 miles each time.
The Duramax/Allison combination handles
it easily. We did add air bags to the truck
and always run the best Michelin tires.
Keep the speed down and enjoy the scenery.
Flyer915

[MTK46]

Originally Posted by consolenut

To me the new truck ratings are hype just like the muscle car horsepower wars in the 70's. All those payload and towing capacities mean nothing. When you get into a DRV or higher class 5th wheel that total towing capacity is out the window. There calculating it seems on 10-15% pin or tongue weight. A DRV or higher class runs 20% and sometimes higher on the pin. Your rear axle weight rating and tire capacity will run out far before you hit towing limit. So that towing capacity is crap in a high end 5th wheel. And to answer the dually vs single rear wheel. I'd much rather have 4 tires carrying a load then 2. Towing and the phrase " it handled it well coming home from the dealer its worth $.02 thats it. That is the lightest that 5ver will ever be until it goes back to be traded in. So the ride home is useless to judge of how it will handle the load. If ya wanted that ride to be of value load all the holding tanks with water. Black, Grey Fresh and you might get an idea. Go to the scales at a truck stop weigh the truck. Figure out real world of what you have weight wise to play with. Then let the scale slip determine what you tow and what you tow it with.

When I first bought my used DRV I wanted to see what the pin weight was. So I filled the water tank with 100 gal & also filled both propane tanks. Went to the scales & here is what it was. My GVWR for the DRV is 18.5k
Pin came right at 4k & axles were 13.5k. This was also with a full tank of diesel in my F-350. So pin is 21.7% of my GVWR or 23% of my actual total weight. Yea DRV's are heavy.