Community Forums

Nate_32 · 01-22-2022, 09:35 AM

Hello all!
I am in the process of buying a toy hauler and am new to the rv life. I have pulled my girlfriend's parents camper once and we loved it. It was a 30' bumper pull. Now I've purchased a one ton F350 (non-dually) to pull a 5th wheel toy hauler. We put an offer on a 44' triple-axle Cyclone. My questions are does anyone think that I'll have any issue pulling that size camper with a SRW truck?

More importantly, as a newbie, what advice do you all have that you've learned the hard way when it comes to buying and owning your camper? Trying to soak up as much knowledge as I can as we jump head first in!

Thanks,
Nate

laj · 01-22-2022, 09:50 AM

Well now you’ve opened it up. for the weight police, and they will come flooding in. Just go slow, and let things settle in as you get use to pulling it.

wolfgolden · 01-22-2022, 10:49 AM

Your truck will have a sticker in the driver's side door jam. It will indicate the maximum cargo weight for your truck.
Subtract from that number the weight of all passengers, fuel, and other stuff you normally drive with.

The RV you lol at will also have a weight sticker. Look for the GVWR, which is the RV fully loaded weight. 20%-25% of the GVWR weight will sit in the bed of your truck on the kingpin.

Pick an RV without to much weight for your truck.

Post numbers if you have questions.

jjackrash · 01-22-2022, 10:51 AM

You don't post any weight specs on the towable or state the year of the truck, but a 44' cyclone IIRC is probably going to push 18k wet with 3500 or so pounds in the bed (educated guess based on shopping similar rigs). I don't have a weight policeman's badge, but that's getting pretty darn heavy for an SRW.

TXiceman · 01-22-2022, 11:28 AM

I am thinking that you will have too much pin weight for a SRW truck and are into dually territory. So, since you have the truck, check the numbers and back down on a trailer that will fit your truck.

Ken

Dave Pelletier · 01-22-2022, 11:41 AM

What they said; weigh it but my guess is that you're well into dually 1 ton territory

Dave

CecilD · 01-22-2022, 11:41 AM

Hey Nate, welcome to the forum. No baby steps for you! Most of us go through a progression of smaller rigs to get to something that large. After 40 years of towing RVs, I would still be intimidated by something that large. Then again, I'm old and less aggressive now. We all "lean in" at different levels, makes America what it is.

Hard to comment on your numbers without knowing which truck and what you are going to be putting in the garage. Toy haulers are generally nose heavy to allow for pin weight reduction when loading the garage. I looked up a 44 ft. Cyclone's numbers. With a 3,300# dry pin weight, I'm guessing you will receive a lot of suggestions to step up to a dually or step down to a smaller trailer. Good luck.

When you do get your gear ready to tow I suggest you practice on empty roads and parking lots. The fiver will track differently than the TT you pulled before and it is important to know where your trailer's tires will be. Good luck.

Flyer15015 · 01-22-2022, 11:52 AM

Nate,
You know that there are aftermarket Dully setups that are not that expensive, you could DIY to your Ford.............
It would make your rig SO MUCH MORE stable.

Mike in Colorado

Old-Biscuit · 01-22-2022, 11:52 AM

Year of that F350 SRW??

RAWR of truck is KEY for towing 5th wheel trailers
Actual weight of rear axle vs RAWR indicates how much additional weight can be added before exceeding the RAWR
*Hitch plus WET Pin weight (Wet pin=22% of 5vr GVWR)

So you have the truck....load it up 'camp ready'
Fuel, you/all passengers, stuff in cab, etc and go get weighed ==CAT Scale
Weigh ticket $12/$15
Shows Steer weight (Front Axle), Drive weight (Rear Axle), Total weight

Subtract ACTUAL weight from RAWR and then using 22% of that 44' trailers GVWR----do you have enough Rear Axle Capacity left to carry that Wet Pin

17000# GVWR @ 22%=3750#

RAWR 7230 - 3750 = 3490*** most that ACTUAL Rear axle can weigh camp ready

44' Cyclone is TOO heavy for F350 SRW

Get weighed and do the MATH

Nate_32 · 01-22-2022, 12:52 PM

Appreciate all the very helpful advice! I'll check the sticker when i get home later today. My truck is a 2017 F-350 6.7 with a level kit (if that helps) I def don't want to be white knuckling a ticking time bomb around the country!

Thanks again!

Rhagfo · 01-22-2022, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Year of that F350 SRW??

RAWR of truck is KEY for towing 5th wheel trailers
Actual weight of rear axle vs RAWR indicates how much additional weight can be added before exceeding the RAWR
*Hitch plus WET Pin weight (Wet pin=22% of 5vr GVWR)

So you have the truck....load it up 'camp ready'
Fuel, you/all passengers, stuff in cab, etc and go get weighed ==CAT Scale
Weigh ticket $12/$15
Shows Steer weight (Front Axle), Drive weight (Rear Axle), Total weight

Subtract ACTUAL weight from RAWR and then using 22% of that 44' trailers GVWR----do you have enough Rear Axle Capacity left to carry that Wet Pin

17000# GVWR @ 22%=3750#

RAWR 7230 - 3750 = 3490*** most that ACTUAL Rear axle can weigh camp ready

44' Cyclone is TOO heavy for F350 SRW

Get weighed and do the MATH

Well if Old Biscut says too much, you should pay attention! Going by RAWR can put you in legal limbo!
If you get into an injury accident even if not cited, a personal injury lawyer has a basis for a civil lawsuit for you exceeding your GVWR. They will look at that triple axle TH and see dollar signs!
Not telling what to do, just advice, it is your choice!

RVnAggie · 01-22-2022, 03:54 PM

Welcome to the RV world, Nate.

As others have said, you’ll be in dually territory with that particular trailer. Lots of weight/capacity considerations to evaluate and some math to be done in regards to ensuring safety and comfort when you travel.

You’ve got a nice truck there, but not really enough mule for that wagon.

Do your research and match the right trailer to your truck and you’ll enjoy your travels.

Happy trails,

Rhagfo · 01-22-2022, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate_32

Appreciate all the very helpful advice! I'll check the sticker when i get home later today. My truck is a 2017 F-350 6.7 with a level kit (if that helps) I def don't want to be white knuckling a ticking time bomb around the country!

Thanks again!

Well a 2017 F350 SRW will only have a max GVWR of 11,500# maybe 3,500# payload.

Don’t be afraid of a DRW TV! We daily drive our 2016 Ram Crew Cab long bed 3500 DRW. There are not many places we won’t go with it, do need be aware of the hips. My daughter has a 2004 Ram 3500 crew cab long bed that she uses to tow her horse trailers.

Nate_32 · 01-22-2022, 07:36 PM

Now I'm even more confused! The guy at Camping World said the general rule of thumb is 2 axles can be pulled by a 3/4 ton and 3 axles by a 1 ton. I get that is not always going to be true. However, now it appears that even the Forest River 335pack13 we were really wanting may exceed the truck's payload capacity with the "wet" pin weight.
Showing my work thanks to Old-Biscuit!
GVWR of TH =16915 x .22 = 3721 lbs
Payload according to sticker on truck says 3594.

Does this mean we need a dually to pull just about every 5th wheel toy hauler? I really don't want to get a bumper pull, but don't want to do a bunch of math every time I load up the camper! I thought I was doing good by jumping to the 350 instead of the 250 to begin with! I really like my new truck, but don't want to get a super short toy hauler either! Thoughts?!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12-2...ew?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/126-...ew?usp=sharing