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Fla2RI · 10-23-2008, 04:06 PM

I'm close to buying a Jayco Designer fifth wheel weighing in at 11410 empty, 2350 hitch weight, 15800 GVW.

Wife wants to stay with a new 2008 F350 Lariat Diesel 4x4 CrewCab Long bed, Single Rear Wheel. GCVR 23000. She won't drive a dually.

Need some advise, what do you think, will it handle it?

Fla2RI · 10-23-2008, 04:06 PM

I'm close to buying a Jayco Designer fifth wheel weighing in at 11410 empty, 2350 hitch weight, 15800 GVW.

Wife wants to stay with a new 2008 F350 Lariat Diesel 4x4 CrewCab Long bed, Single Rear Wheel. GCVR 23000. She won't drive a dually.

Need some advise, what do you think, will it handle it?

TXiceman · 10-23-2008, 04:47 PM

With the Jayco, your pin weight loaded will be closer to 20% of the GVWR or 3160#. You need to see which payload package the truck has in it. The newer SRW F350's are around 11,500# (look on the plate inside the drivers door jamb). Next you need to get a real curb weight for the truck, probably be 7500 to 8000# when loaded, so you would probably be OK if it has the payload capacity.

Ken

Fla2RI · 10-23-2008, 05:11 PM

Thanks Ken, I'm going to the Ford dealer tomorrow and will check the curb weight. Does curb weight include fuel?

CD · 10-24-2008, 05:21 AM

Fla2RI
Point out to your DW that the duals are only about 7" wider (on each side) than a single. They are less than the width than the 5er. If you are close enough to hit the dual, you are real close for a single. The issue of a dually being REAL WIDE is more visual perception than real. When I was teaching my step daughter to drive our dually she drove past a post (here on our farm). When the mirrors got past the post she freaked out about the duals. I told her that going staight past something and cleared the mirrors the the duals would clear. She has no trouble driving it now. The stability of the duals is worth learning to drive it.

Hitchhiker · 10-24-2008, 05:37 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Need some advise, what do you think, will it handle it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Even if the SRW truck will handle it, you'll have a more enjoyable towing experience with a dually. My 2 cents worth.

TXiceman · 10-24-2008, 07:57 AM

I have to agree with Richard on the handling with a DRW. My wife drives our DRW without a problem. The long wheelbase presents more problems than the wide hips in the back.

If the mirrors will fit through, so will the fenders.

ken

LindaH · 10-24-2008, 10:53 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Fla2RI:
Thanks Ken, I'm going to the Ford dealer tomorrow and will check the curb weight. Does curb weight include fuel? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Forget curb weight...that's not going to be the "real life" weight of the truck once you load it up with gear (including a fifth wheel hitch), people, and a full tank of fuel. The curb weight of the truck in my signature is 7,183#, but it's *real life* weight when we had it weighed at the 2007 Spring Escapade was 7,975# (that includes us, our 25# dog, a full tank of fuel, the fifth wheel hitch, 2 Honda 2000s, 2 2-1/2 gallon gas cans (full) and all the other miscellaneous junk we carry in the cab and bed of the truck.

I agree with others who say to go ahead and get the dually. I drive our dually, both solo and towing the fifth wheel...it simply isn't a problem.

Steve Rankin · 10-26-2008, 01:59 PM

IMHO, there are only 2 problems with driving a dually.

1. Parking in urban situations where parking spaces are barely big enough for Toyotas.

2. When the wife says she doesn't want to drive it. Logic just isn't going to change that.

And there's difference between wives and daughters, in case you haven't noticed. Daughters are younger and much more willing to try things that seem a bit scary.

diandtom · 10-28-2008, 06:22 PM

My 2500 handles our fiver ok, but my next truck going to be a dually.

Jeff_in_The_Dalles · 10-28-2008, 10:50 PM

You also want to check to see if you will be over the rear axle's weight rating. That will also be posted in the door jamb, and running it over a scale would give you the real number of what the truck's unloaded rear axle weight is.

Don't forget in addition to the pin weight of the trailer, you will likely have people, camping gear, and the weight of the hitch assembly.

Anyhow, I used to have a Ram 3500 SRW. It handles my little 30' toyhauler fine, but I've been thining of going bigger... So I got a Ram dually. Even with the little 5er, the dually is much more stable on those narrow, uneven mountain roads.

TXiceman · 10-29-2008, 03:02 AM

The curb weight from the dealer can not be trusted. The true curb weight will include full fuel, passengers, 200# for a 5er hitch, tool box if you have one, any add on accessories. The F350 in my signature is right at 8000# with a 5er hitch and ready to roll down the road.

If you are really interested in a particular truck, tell the dealer you need to see a weight slip on that truck or take it fro a test ride and find some scales and spend about $8.00 to weigh it.

And remember that the pin weight from the trailer can be around 20% of the trailers GVWR once loaded, so forget the brochure weight.

The dually will be more stable pulling a larger 5er, but if the weights come in OK for a SRW, it will work and keep the BOSS happy.

Just remember that you never hear of anyone complaining about having too much truck...but you do hear a lot about not enough truck.

Personally, with the Jayco Designer, I'd not even consider a SRW...but that is my 2 cents worth and if you add 3 cents you would have a nickel.

Ken

porscheracer · 10-29-2008, 06:05 AM

Your real concern will be rear axle weight. I strongly suspect that with the SRW setup, you will be over.

CD · 10-29-2008, 10:18 AM

Just don't get sucked into the idea that it has plenty of power and seems to go down the road fine. If you find that you need the extra rubber on the road it may be too late to do anything about it.
I posted a story about a 5er accident in June 05. After following the story rather closly I am convinced that the RV was much too heavy for the TV (F250 Ford). A witness observed that the TV was going backwards when it crossed the median, which to me means that it jack knifed before or just as it left the freeway. Here's links to that story.
TV links.
http://www.kirotv.com/traffic/4549114/detail.html
http://www.komotv.com/news/story_m.asp?ID=37120