Watching a friend make a mistake with his F250

[1361]

I have a good friend who is buying a New Grand Design 374TH. I know this is way too much trailer for his poor little F250 Diesel. I tried to explain this to him and he has even admitted that he realises it's too much for his truck. But he is still adamant on just beefing up his suspension and giving it a try. The thing that bothers me the most is the RV dealership. They are going to sell and install his new 5th wheel hitch for the trailer they are selling him. How can they get away with this? Surely they must have some percentage of responsibility if something should ever happen.

I know this happens all the time all over the US. How can something so wrong and unsafe continue to happen?

Sorry, just venting I guess.

[jim1521]

Your friend needs to wake up and and accept responsibility. A wreck with that will become a life-changing event for him. Lawyers will turn him inside out - especially if he knows his truck was under-sized.

You're a part of the problem: you're trying to put this on the dealer.

It's not the dealer's obligation, it's your friend's obligation to learn what is right from wrong.

[adamfolger]

Tell your friend to run this by his insurance agent....

[smurfsofwar]

Originally Posted by jim1521

You're a part of the problem: you're trying to put this on the dealer.

That's a bit of a stretch

[Dtwallace]

I’ve seen plenty of F250’s properly setup to handle this size trailer, however I don’t feel comfortable without at least an F350 duelly pulling one.

I’m sure by the time your friend loads this trailer with all the trimmings, his truck’s tires will be dangerously over loaded.

If not, he still won’t have the safety backup duels give you in a flat tire senareal.

[jim1521]

Originally Posted by smurfsofwar

That's a bit of a stretch

No, it really isn't. All too many times we're looking for someone else to blame. The dealer isn't the guy who's buying the trailer. The dealer isn't holding a gun up to his friend's head. The friend admitted that his truck is undersized. Yet here the OP is trying to put it on the dealer - placing the blame somewhere else, when in the end it's the friend's responsibility to accept that he's got the wrong truck.

The friend is getting emotional about this and has to have that trailer at all cost. That's what is clouding his judgment.

[Dtwallace]

Originally Posted by jim1521

No, it really isn't. All too many times we're looking for someone else to blame. The dealer isn't the guy who's buying the trailer. The dealer isn't holding a gun up to his friend's head. The friend admitted that his truck is undersized. Yet here the OP is trying to put it on the dealer - placing the blame somewhere else, when in the end it's the friend's responsibility to accept that he's got the wrong truck.

The friend is getting emotional about this and has to have that trailer at all cost. That's what is clouding his judgment.

Don’t worry, the friend will realize his delima soon enough, and buy a truck better suited to safely handle that trailer.

For now, he just wants to get it home. Let’s give him the benefit of doubt before we burn him and the OP at the stakes.
Lol

[Oldelevatorman]

Show him the numbers. Tell him he can't make it a 1-ton no matter how hard he tries!

[smurfsofwar]

Originally Posted by jim1521

No, it really isn't. All too many times we're looking for someone else to blame. The dealer isn't the guy who's buying the trailer. The dealer isn't holding a gun up to his friend's head. The friend admitted that his truck is undersized. Yet here the OP is trying to put it on the dealer - placing the blame somewhere else, when in the end it's the friend's responsibility to accept that he's got the wrong truck.

The friend is getting emotional about this and has to have that trailer at all cost. That's what is clouding his judgment.

No, it really is a stretch. You are directly accusing the original poster as being "part of the problem". OP isn't part of the problem. He/ she is only pointing out their frustration with the situation as well as pointing out something that many, many people on this forum do daily- the RV dealership sales tactics. You are doing the exact same thing the OP is- redirecting. They are blaming the dealership, you are blaming OP. The blame is solely on the person buying the trailer. Nobody else. Nobody can sway his decision- it's his decision to make. I bet he wouldn't give two [mod edit] about what a bunch of people on an internet forum think about his setup.

[lynnmor]

Originally Posted by Oldelevatorman

Show him the numbers. Tell him he can't make it a 1-ton no matter how hard he tries!

He might be aware of the fact that the F250 & F350 are exactly the same except for springs and related hardware. He can make it a 1-ton for not a lot of money. No, the sticker doesn't carry the weight. Now that said, the trailer in question likely needs a dually, not the SRW models.

[rockriver]

a close friend just bought a small retro trailer.
they had inherited a continental.

I advised him that the continental in the old days was rated for towing a heavy load, but those days were past... and that now his car was not rated for the tow behind travel trailer...
he told me about how the salesman had told him "it will tow it fine."

on first trip, a truck came by and trailer and car swerved all over and according to friend he and wife about died.

he came home and bought a truck.

sadly, this situation exists in the boating industry and automotive.

I've seen/heard so many boat salesmen say, "oh, your truck will tow this
boat just fine." and have heard the truck salesman "this is the truck for you. it will tow that boat just fine." so many times... and I stood there and smiled, knowing that I was at the wrong dealership. if they were that ignorant (or willing to lie that whopper) on something i'd already checked on, what about the other stuff they had said.

I do think that the dealer (if it could be proven) would carry some responsibility in the event of a wreck. the problem would be proving it..
but, if the dealer installed the hitch on the truck that was to pull the overweight trailer, that is some huge proof!

to the dealers on here. my suggestion... if the customer insists on you installing the hitch, on an improper truck, i'd be getting the customer to sign something removing liability from the dealer. your lawyer can help you draw up the form. and even then, the form would help prove that the
dealer knew he was selling a dangerous product.

[mrgrayaz]

Nice Unit.
UVW*
15500 lbs
Hitch Weight*
3200 lbs
GVWR
20000 lbs
Length**
41' 3"

Figure a 4k pin weight loaded.... Needs a Dually, never-mind just a F-350: a SRW will be over Axle/Tire limits once the unit is loaded.

[raineman]

Originally Posted by lynnmor

.....He can make it a 1-ton for not a lot of money....

That is the funniest thing I have seen on this forum for a long time. My wife is even cracking up. She said, "imagine all those people that wasted their money on a 350 when all they have to do is turn a 250 into a 350".

Too funny. Hopefully you are not being serious.

[SSTraveler]

Camping World of Columbia did the same thing to my neighbor, who has zero experience, selling him a 34' 5er and installing a hitch on his 2Wdrive F150 quad cab with V6 EcoBoost Engine. He didn't accept he was over his limit when the trailer broke out his back window or when he hit a big dip on the Interstate and the pin popped out of the bed hitch. Nearly wrecked them. He claimed it was because Camping World didn't install the necessary capture plate. He refuses to discuss the possibility that his truck is under capacity for his trailer. His wife says she is deathly afraid everytime they go out and they only travel if they can go with another experienced couple who could help them if they have a breakdown. Sales people are going to tell you what they need to just to make the sale. People need to do their reseach before buying so they understand what they are getting into. Most of the time Rvs are a spur of the moment purchase.