Tow Vehicles - RV-Dreams Community Forum

stevena118 · stevena118

Hi all, I have found out this seems like a good place for great info. So my question is ,as i currently tow aboat that tips the scale at 11000. Lbs and is on a conventional trailer. We are looking into a 5th wheel toy hauler. From my owners manual and vin # info i belive i can tow 15,500 lbs on a 5th well set up. My...

RonC · RonC

Comfort Ride used to be an air bag hitch. They have now changed to an "air cell" technology ... no air bags to leak or deteriorate due to UV exposure and oil impregnated bushings ... so no need to grease. Seems like a better mouse trap, but I was wondering if anyone has used a new Comfort Ride and if you kno...

ahull · ahull

The last couple years the TFL guys do a towing MPG loop .... very interesting. Here is the HD video .... https://youtu.be/274hcMblOQU I would have to say I was a bit surprised at how low they were. I am seeing around 10 no wind & no hill days and as low as 8.5 with headwinds & hills (GCVW ~29k). A...

Barb and Frank · Barb and Frank

I took the top section of my new B&W hitch off for the winter and before I put it back on, I want to know what type of grease to use to lubricate the base. Any info would be much appreciated. Frank

ahull · ahull

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emJcrYuJArg&t=0s

ahull · ahull

watch Another good comparison done by the guys at TFL Truck & Mr. Truck running up & down the Ike Gauntlet. The Big Three are pumping out some very impressive trucks. Look at the spec. sheets and you might be able to find a winner if you split hairs. When you look at these runs it is pretty clear...

duram89 · duram89

hey guys just want to show you how we bring all of our toys, bought a loadall ramp for my truck and absolutely love it I can bring my Harley or golf cart. check them out loadall.com . the ramp is in my truck that we tow hope this helps someone out as much as it did me.

kcandred · kcandred

The wife and I have just inked a deal on a new Cougar Xlite 28RKS. The dealer is making a couple of additions we wanted so I'm figuring out which hitch I want to use, reading here on the forum folks likes and dislikes etc. The thing I'm running into is finding a real number for the height of the pin box so I can b...

Ohioken7 · Ohioken7

I have been buying rebuilt title cars for me and my 3 teen/twenties kids for several years. Normally I can buy them for 60-65% of normal priced same vehicle. I have been watching several f350's and other well equipped tow vehicles on eBay. I am a couple years from the dream. Any opinions or experiences t...

Ref Tom · Ref Tom

looking to change my umbrella policy. Anyone have suggestions. Thanks

Dave and Denise · Dave and Denise

We had ordered a F-450 in February and it came in yesterday. What a beautiful truck it is. I was really surprised to find that it came with many more extras than what I expected. Also, we bought this truck from a commercial dealer. It was a great experience and I recommend anyone that is thinking of bu...

Kato · Kato

For those of you that have a Ram 5500 with hauler bed, what do you do with the spare tire? Right now, mine is laying flat on the bed chained to the hitch. Is there a way of mounting it under the chassis? Thanks! Tim

Barb and Frank · Barb and Frank

We have a Ram 3500 on order to tow our new Landmark Key West - 41 feet' 18,000 GVWR. We've read older posts in this forum, but would like to have current information including your thoughts on a hitch. What hitch do you have - what are the pros and cons - and if you had to buy a hitch today, what would you get?...

Ljbrandt · Ljbrandt

hi we are going to be purchasing a 5 th wheel expecting to use it 4-5 months a year initially. i am looking for guidance on the best truck and can we use a short bed to tow? are the hitches easily remove able when not in use? will a dodge 2500 or a Ford F-250 handle towing most 5 th wheels. any input would be app...

kb0zke · kb0zke

We're looking at a 5'er with a GW of 14,000 pounds. We want to get a truck first, are are looking at 2011-2014 Ford crew cabs. Are we going to need the F450, or will an F350 do? Or is there really that much difference between them?

Team Murc · Team Murc

So I am a tad confused on the tire pressure for my 2014 F 450. According to the "tires" the cold psi should be 80#. On the door jamb of the truck it estates front tires cold psi should be 75# and the dually rear tires cold psi should be 60#. Now the 5# difference in the front tires seems prettyminor but the 20# o...

Barb and Frank · Barb and Frank

Earlier this year we purchased a 2016 Ram 3500 dually without an air suspension system. We are thinking about adding an aftermarket Firestone lift kit with compressor. Has anyone added an aftermarket system, and if so, what model - and what were the results? Any information would be greatly appre...

FamilyOf5 · FamilyOf5

Hi All, We are looking into relatively heavy fifth wheel trailers, most likely GVWR of 19,500 or 24,000 pounds. I keep going back and forth between the Ram 3500HD and the 5500. Both are "capable" of towing either vehicle, but the 5500 offers a significantly higher margin of safety for my family (ver...

ahull · ahull

Here are my predictions for what the Big 3 are going to do for 2017 model years. Chevy/GMC 3500 2016 was GM's year to shine and generally speaking their towing numbers are a lot more realistic than Ford or RAM. Engine Power = No Change Towing #'s = No Change RAM 3500 RAM 3500 had a recent H/O bump in the eng...

mikec54 · mikec54

Being new to the lifestyle, as in we haven't even settled on a 5th wheel yet, I am not only wondering about the size of the towing unit, brand, etc but also what about the bed size. 6.5' or 8'? By the time you have a crew cab and an 8' bed, you sure have a "limo" for running errands and sight seeing. Thanks for yo...

ahull · ahull

I have no bias here other than to say both of these trucks have more than enough power to haul our 5th wheels. Also note these trailers are loaded with a <20% tongue weight so don't even consider getting anywhere close to 30k lbs for a 5th wheel. As this forum continues to point out it is all about the r...

billsfann · billsfann

Help! In October I bought a 2015 ford expedition with a tow package (supposed to tow 9200 lbs). I got my Jayco Jay Feather in May and am having trouble driving the SUV. The weight of the trailer is 6,080 (I had it weighed last week) although specs say it shouldn't weigh more than 5,995 with cargo. Okay...

DeltaRon · DeltaRon

Buying new 25 ft Airstream (5800 lbs dry, 7300 loaded). Tow vehicle 2015 Tahoe with HD trailering, brake controller and 5.2 Vortec. Dealer sells Reese and Equilizer WD hitches and sway bars. I've heard Hensley is best (certainly more $$$). I want best safety and simple operation. Any advice? Also,...

Pamela · Pamela

We originally chose a Ford F350 DWR and were in the process of locating one, but we have recently read reports that the exhaust brake did not perform as well as the Chevy 3500. Does anyone have experience with either of these? We have family in Colorado so will be traveling over mountain passes. Any th...

Flashman · Flashman

Texas now requires a non-commercial Class A license if the rig exceeds 26k lbs. My question: what is the rule of thumb for the added weight of 'stuff' (dishes, furniture, food, fuel, water, golf clubs, etc., etc.). I know the only true way to determine the actual weight is to (drum roll, please.......

missouri dave · missouri dave

Looking at tow vehicles for a fifth wheel. Is there any reason the Megacab with it's 6'4" bed wouldn't do just as well as the Crewcab with it's 8' bed?

Terry and Jo · Terry and Jo

As the title suggests, I am taking the risk of being accused of being the "Weight Policeman." But, so-be-it. Having driven everything from motorcycles to 18-wheelers, I know that there are definite safety issues when one's RV is running overweight. Thus, I'd like to share the results...

Neil and Connie · Neil and Connie

We picked ours up yesterday…beautiful dark red and tan to match the rig…if you're interested in photos it's at http://guntherandkara.com. What a nice truck…way more features and complex user comfort stuff than our old F450. We upgraded after 4 years due to 3 things…bed rail to bedroom clearance, r...

DebbieM · DebbieM

I looked through all the posts on tires and all I see are comments about liking one or the other of these Michelin tires but no comparisons. I'd like to hear details in which of these tires are better overall for the full time towing we do. We do have a 4X4 dually and do some off road exploring so I'm leaning t...

Barb and Frank · Barb and Frank

Picked up our new Ram 3500 on Saturday - Cummins Diesel, AISIN, 4.10 rear axle ratio, 8' bed, DRW, 5th wheel prepped - and lots of bells and whistles. We have never had a diesel vehicle before - so any info on operating a diesel would be appreciated - especially DEF. Our dealership was clueless when it c...

Topic		Started By	Replies	Views	Last Post
	08 ford f350 srw lariat 4x4 shortbed? (Preview) Hi all, I have found out this seems like a good place for great info. So my question is ,as i currently tow aboat that tips the scale at 11000. Lbs and is on a conventional trailer. We are looking into a 5th wheel toy hauler. From my owners manual and vin # info i belive i can tow 15,500 lbs on a 5th well set up. My...	stevena118	29	4447	06:28 PM Apr 15, 2017 by cpaulsen
	Comfort Ride versus Trailer Saver Hitch Question. (Preview) Comfort Ride used to be an air bag hitch. They have now changed to an "air cell" technology ... no air bags to leak or deteriorate due to UV exposure and oil impregnated bushings ... so no need to grease. Seems like a better mouse trap, but I was wondering if anyone has used a new Comfort Ride and if you kno...	RonC	8	4834	07:45 AM Apr 11, 2017 by Bill and Linda
	TFL HD MPG Loop (Preview) The last couple years the TFL guys do a towing MPG loop .... very interesting. Here is the HD video .... https://youtu.be/274hcMblOQU I would have to say I was a bit surprised at how low they were. I am seeing around 10 no wind & no hill days and as low as 8.5 with headwinds & hills (GCVW ~29k). A...	ahull	12	2440	07:53 PM Apr 3, 2017 by Gary Marcondes
	B&W Hitch Question (Preview) I took the top section of my new B&W hitch off for the winter and before I put it back on, I want to know what type of grease to use to lubricate the base. Any info would be much appreciated. Frank	Barb and Frank	7	1859	10:25 AM Apr 2, 2017 by Cummins12V98
	TFL Truck HD Dyno 2017 (Preview) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emJcrYuJArg&t=0s	ahull	8	2899	04:27 PM Mar 24, 2017 by RonC
	TFL Truck Gold Hitch Award 2017 (Preview) watch Another good comparison done by the guys at TFL Truck & Mr. Truck running up & down the Ike Gauntlet. The Big Three are pumping out some very impressive trucks. Look at the spec. sheets and you might be able to find a winner if you split hairs. When you look at these runs it is pretty clear...	ahull	23	4482	12:28 PM Mar 12, 2017 by Bill and Linda
	loadall loading ramp (Preview) hey guys just want to show you how we bring all of our toys, bought a loadall ramp for my truck and absolutely love it I can bring my Harley or golf cart. check them out loadall.com . the ramp is in my truck that we tow hope this helps someone out as much as it did me.	duram89	4	1761	06:43 AM Feb 17, 2017 by Hdrider
	Hitch height (Preview) The wife and I have just inked a deal on a new Cougar Xlite 28RKS. The dealer is making a couple of additions we wanted so I'm figuring out which hitch I want to use, reading here on the forum folks likes and dislikes etc. The thing I'm running into is finding a real number for the height of the pin box so I can b...	kcandred	1	1868	01:39 PM Jan 15, 2017 by CJSX2fromCT
	Would you consider a rebuilt title tow vehicle ? (closed) Trucks tow rebuilt title (Preview) I have been buying rebuilt title cars for me and my 3 teen/twenties kids for several years. Normally I can buy them for 60-65% of normal priced same vehicle. I have been watching several f350's and other well equipped tow vehicles on eBay. I am a couple years from the dream. Any opinions or experiences t...	Ohioken7	14	5318	06:29 PM Dec 29, 2016 by Talensnana
	Umbrella policies (Preview) looking to change my umbrella policy. Anyone have suggestions. Thanks	Ref Tom	1	1453	07:45 PM Dec 21, 2016 by RonC
	Really Excited - Our new F-450! (Preview) We had ordered a F-450 in February and it came in yesterday. What a beautiful truck it is. I was really surprised to find that it came with many more extras than what I expected. Also, we bought this truck from a commercial dealer. It was a great experience and I recommend anyone that is thinking of bu...	Dave and Denise	10	3221	06:33 AM Dec 19, 2016 by carolinakids
	Spare Tire on Ram 5500 (Preview) For those of you that have a Ram 5500 with hauler bed, what do you do with the spare tire? Right now, mine is laying flat on the bed chained to the hitch. Is there a way of mounting it under the chassis? Thanks! Tim	Kato	13	4640	03:55 PM Dec 18, 2016 by Glenn West
	Hitch - Your Preference (Preview) We have a Ram 3500 on order to tow our new Landmark Key West - 41 feet' 18,000 GVWR. We've read older posts in this forum, but would like to have current information including your thoughts on a hitch. What hitch do you have - what are the pros and cons - and if you had to buy a hitch today, what would you get?...	Barb and Frank	28	6723	06:47 PM Nov 15, 2016 by Cummins12V98
	Newbies (Preview) hi we are going to be purchasing a 5 th wheel expecting to use it 4-5 months a year initially. i am looking for guidance on the best truck and can we use a short bed to tow? are the hitches easily remove able when not in use? will a dodge 2500 or a Ford F-250 handle towing most 5 th wheels. any input would be app...	Ljbrandt	5	2272	12:12 AM Nov 12, 2016 by JamesNobles
	F350 or F450? (Preview) We're looking at a 5'er with a GW of 14,000 pounds. We want to get a truck first, are are looking at 2011-2014 Ford crew cabs. Are we going to need the F450, or will an F350 do? Or is there really that much difference between them?	kb0zke	10	1790	08:01 AM Nov 7, 2016 by Bill and Linda
	PRESSURE! (Preview) So I am a tad confused on the tire pressure for my 2014 F 450. According to the "tires" the cold psi should be 80#. On the door jamb of the truck it estates front tires cold psi should be 75# and the dually rear tires cold psi should be 60#. Now the 5# difference in the front tires seems prettyminor but the 20# o...	Team Murc	6	1271	11:41 PM Oct 10, 2016 by Rickl
	Air Suspension System for 3500 Ram Dually (Preview) Earlier this year we purchased a 2016 Ram 3500 dually without an air suspension system. We are thinking about adding an aftermarket Firestone lift kit with compressor. Has anyone added an aftermarket system, and if so, what model - and what were the results? Any information would be greatly appre...	Barb and Frank	9	2137	02:33 PM Sep 19, 2016 by Barb and Frank
	Commercial-Grade Truck (Preview) Hi All, We are looking into relatively heavy fifth wheel trailers, most likely GVWR of 19,500 or 24,000 pounds. I keep going back and forth between the Ram 3500HD and the 5500. Both are "capable" of towing either vehicle, but the 5500 offers a significantly higher margin of safety for my family (ver...	FamilyOf5	14	2521	07:20 AM Sep 13, 2016 by Bill and Linda
	2017 Towing Predictions (Preview) Here are my predictions for what the Big 3 are going to do for 2017 model years. Chevy/GMC 3500 2016 was GM's year to shine and generally speaking their towing numbers are a lot more realistic than Ford or RAM. Engine Power = No Change Towing #'s = No Change RAM 3500 RAM 3500 had a recent H/O bump in the eng...	ahull	22	3996	07:43 PM Sep 12, 2016 by RonC
	Truck Bed Size (Preview) Being new to the lifestyle, as in we haven't even settled on a 5th wheel yet, I am not only wondering about the size of the towing unit, brand, etc but also what about the bed size. 6.5' or 8'? By the time you have a crew cab and an 8' bed, you sure have a "limo" for running errands and sight seeing. Thanks for yo...	mikec54	13	2336	06:51 PM Sep 5, 2016 by Glenn West
	Superike Ram 3500 & F450 (Preview) I have no bias here other than to say both of these trucks have more than enough power to haul our 5th wheels. Also note these trailers are loaded with a <20% tongue weight so don't even consider getting anywhere close to 30k lbs for a 5th wheel. As this forum continues to point out it is all about the r...	ahull	10	1574	09:55 PM Aug 29, 2016 by RonC
	Ford Expedition and towable (Preview) Help! In October I bought a 2015 ford expedition with a tow package (supposed to tow 9200 lbs). I got my Jayco Jay Feather in May and am having trouble driving the SUV. The weight of the trailer is 6,080 (I had it weighed last week) although specs say it shouldn't weigh more than 5,995 with cargo. Okay...	billsfann	6	1769	06:51 AM Aug 23, 2016 by Bill and Linda
	WD hitches (closed) WD hitches (Preview) Buying new 25 ft Airstream (5800 lbs dry, 7300 loaded). Tow vehicle 2015 Tahoe with HD trailering, brake controller and 5.2 Vortec. Dealer sells Reese and Equilizer WD hitches and sway bars. I've heard Hensley is best (certainly more $$$). I want best safety and simple operation. Any advice? Also,...	DeltaRon	6	2022	10:09 PM Aug 11, 2016 by RonC
	Chevy 3500 Diesel Dually vs Ford F350 Diesel DRW (closed) (Preview) We originally chose a Ford F350 DWR and were in the process of locating one, but we have recently read reports that the exhaust brake did not perform as well as the Chevy 3500. Does anyone have experience with either of these? We have family in Colorado so will be traveling over mountain passes. Any th...	Pamela	16	11295	08:12 PM Jul 31, 2016 by nineback
	GVWR (closed) (Preview) Texas now requires a non-commercial Class A license if the rig exceeds 26k lbs. My question: what is the rule of thumb for the added weight of 'stuff' (dishes, furniture, food, fuel, water, golf clubs, etc., etc.). I know the only true way to determine the actual weight is to (drum roll, please.......	Flashman	11	1991	10:16 AM Jul 31, 2016 by Glenn West
	Ram 3500 Mega cab vs Crew cab (Preview) Looking at tow vehicles for a fifth wheel. Is there any reason the Megacab with it's 6'4" bed wouldn't do just as well as the Crewcab with it's 8' bed?	missouri dave	3	1600	12:07 PM Jul 26, 2016 by The Bear II
	I'm Risking Being Called the "Weight Police"!!! (closed) (Preview) As the title suggests, I am taking the risk of being accused of being the "Weight Policeman." But, so-be-it. Having driven everything from motorcycles to 18-wheelers, I know that there are definite safety issues when one's RV is running overweight. Thus, I'd like to share the results...	Terry and Jo	24	5250	06:52 PM May 31, 2016 by Howard
	New 5500HD with Classy Chassis Hauler Bed (Preview) We picked ours up yesterday…beautiful dark red and tan to match the rig…if you're interested in photos it's at http://guntherandkara.com. What a nice truck…way more features and complex user comfort stuff than our old F450. We upgraded after 4 years due to 3 things…bed rail to bedroom clearance, r...	Neil and Connie	22	4311	12:44 PM May 31, 2016 by Neil and Connie
	Michelin LTX M/S2 vs. Michelin LTX A/T2 Michelin LTX tires (Preview) I looked through all the posts on tires and all I see are comments about liking one or the other of these Michelin tires but no comparisons. I'd like to hear details in which of these tires are better overall for the full time towing we do. We do have a 4X4 dually and do some off road exploring so I'm leaning t...	DebbieM	11	5571	08:32 PM May 30, 2016 by Cummins12V98
	New Ram 3500 (Preview) Picked up our new Ram 3500 on Saturday - Cummins Diesel, AISIN, 4.10 rear axle ratio, 8' bed, DRW, 5th wheel prepped - and lots of bells and whistles. We have never had a diesel vehicle before - so any info on operating a diesel would be appreciated - especially DEF. Our dealership was clueless when it c...	Barb and Frank	9	2126	08:56 AM May 29, 2016 by Barb and Frank
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