Tow Vehicles - RV-Dreams Community Forum

waltben · waltben

LOML did what she does best a few months ago and changed her mind about a Class A. Not the end of the world, but first I had to find a better truck than my old 119k miles 8.1L gasser to tow a 5er. Stumbled over an '06 F350 Lariat turbo dually that had only 26k miles and was kept in a (believe it or not) barn. Loa...

EggerMar · EggerMar

We had just about decided on buying a Dodge Ram 2500 Cummings Turbodiesel when I received the April 2013 Consumers Report Auto issue in the mail yesterday. Planning on towing approx. 36' 5th wheel. (haven't bought either yet) They are saying the Dodge Cummings historically has the worse rating p...

PangeaPlanet · PangeaPlanet

I'm putting together my full-timer rig in the next few months. For a trailer, I'm looking at used 5th-wheels in the 27-34 foot range. I have a friend who might want to trade her '97 Ford F-350 turbo diesel crew cab for my car. The truck has 130,000+ miles on it, has had some recent work and replacements, n...

cherylbrv · cherylbrv

Now that I've pretty much finished my research on what RV I want (43' DRV custom layout) and where I want to establish my domicile (FL), I'm down to researching the tow vehicle (obviously, I have to wait until I purchase the RV and have the exact weights to work with, but I'd at least like to have my options...

Hina · Hina

I was talking with a mechanic today, and when I mentioned I was looking into a 3/4 ton, he gasped and exclaimed, "What kinda monster trailer are you haulin'? 3/4 ton is a whole lotta truck!" Then he brought up gas mileage, price etc. I have a 25' Springdale TT, shipping weight 5840, carrying...

CaptainRandy · CaptainRandy

Got a 2013 Chevy 3500HD diesel/allison on a railcar headed this way. Scoping out misc accessories but appears a little to early for the aftermarket boys to have goodies on the shelf yet. Still deciding on a 5th wheel hitch but am leaning towards a Reese Pro Series 20,000# unit to haul my 3750FL, figure...

BigE · BigE

We(wife and I) have a 2013 Silverado 3500 drw. Our 5er is set to weigh in around 14500 empty and a max weight of 18000. I believe we are ok to tow with this truck?? Any comments or help is appreciated... Thanks!

Nick2057 · Nick2057

I have a 2005 Toyota Tundra TRD 4 door, V8 truck. We are looking at a towable Passport; dry weight 4850; hitch weight 540; length 29'. Our towing capacity is listed at 7700 lbs. I would love some feedback on whether this may be too much trailer for our truck. Thanks

DieselJunki · DieselJunki

I know you guys probably get this question a million times! But I want to be sure I am doing the math correctly. I would be pulling a DRV Mobile Estate. Now forgive me if this is a repost as I had written one late last night but it didn't show up, or I didn't hit the submit button... who knows. So if this is a dup...

Jack Mayer · Jack Mayer

For those interested in such things here are some links to our new RV hauler. It is a 2009 Volvo 780 with I Shift transmission. This is a 2-pedal setup - no clutch. The truck has a 77" condo with workstation (dinette to RVers), a Webasto heater for heat when the truck is not running, a refrigerator, m...

NWescapee · NWescapee

We've been looking at trucks and it seems that both in the area we live and the area where we have purchased our 5'ver, the Lariat or higher trim level is by far the most common. We were thinking we wanted the XLT trim level, primarily because we travel with a cat. Cloth seats are much better than leather...

Defiant · Defiant

Well we went and did it ,we bought our truck , a 2012 Dodge Ram 3500. We decided to take the plunge as we are taking a trip out to the DRV and Lifestyle factories in July '13 and hoping to make a deal and bring one home !!

Jack Mayer · Jack Mayer

Danielle and I have been towing with an HDT (Heavy Duty Truck, aka a semi truck) for the last 9+ years. Our truck is a Volvo 610 with a custom hauler body on it. It is a dream to drive and travel in. Because we now own a smart car and want to carry that "piggyback" on the truck bed, instead of towing d...

Melstar · Melstar

We have a 2002 F250 7.3 (not 4x4) We plan to travel in late fall out to Bakersfield,CA for a 6 mo. stay.....will have to go over a mountain range pulling our 5th wheel...about 14,000 lbs if fully loaded... Do we need to do anything extra on the truck??? Have had no problems towing through Louisiana &am...

mesa48 · mesa48

Thinking about making the switch from my 07 Duramax/2500HD, 4X4 short bed to a 08 or 09 F-450. I just cannot afford a new one. Wanting to get some advice from you guys that have one on any modifications that you would recommend. My main concern is an exhaust brake. I was going to put one on my Duramax but if...

sunflwrgirl · sunflwrgirl

Ok so we have purchased our 5th wheel and our 2001 Volvo VNL660 and both have an air hitch on them. On the 5th wheel we have a MorRyde at which our home has a full weight of 15,500. and is 39ft long. Our HDT has an E-Z floater on it. The people who owned it previously had a 42ft toy hauler. Not sure the weight but q...

cejones4210 · cejones4210

Hi, Hubby and I are planning on going full time part-time starting next year. I have been following the Paynes and this forum for about 6 months. Thank you all, it is so informative! I would love to go full time but can't convince Hubby! We both love to travel and have been traveling on vacations and long w...

sunflwrgirl · sunflwrgirl

My husband and I have finally found "our perfect" single axle freight liner. Thing is the title is a commercial title. I guess USAA says they cannot loan money on a commercial vehicle. Therefor I am lost, beings that USAA is the only bank we have used for umteem years. Hoping someone can sugg...

Ranger guy · Ranger guy

just sold My 2008 ford ranger so we can get a new truck to tow the new trailer it`s a 28 foot tow behind 6000lbs I towed it with my friends 2012 chev 5.3 and it worked great but was wondering if a 4.8 or a ford 5.0l will work what do you guys tow with?

Kevin and Janet · Kevin and Janet

Is this a good towable vehicle for a Class A diesel? We will use it for sight seeing to see wildlife,monuments,national parks go to the store get around town while we camp long term

sunflwrgirl · sunflwrgirl

So we are searching for that perfect truck and happen to notice some good trucks we find are "commercial". My question is, are commercial trucks a wise choice or should we skip over them? -- Edited by sunflwrgirl on Friday 19th of October 2012 11:26:50 AM

Neil and Connie · Neil and Connie

OK, got a couple of questions on our F450 and the manual isn't much help. We'll have about 6000 miles on the truck when we pass back near our buying dealer in a couple of weeks and I am considering whether to go ahead and have our initial service while we're there. The manual suggests an oil change interva...

lariat450 · lariat450

I am pretty set on buy the new Jayco Seismic 3914 which has a gvwr of 19,000 lbs. should the 450 be able to tow this or should I look at a MDT or HDT? I will be purchasing the truck after I get the 5er so I just want to get peoples opion and if there is another brand that would be good at pulling this please let me so I...

TheHarveys · TheHarveys

I have traded in our 2000 Ford F550 for a 2008 Ford F450 4 X 4 with the 4:88 rear-end. The only option it does not have is a moon roof. Needless to say, I know the 2008 F450's have had reported problems with the cooling system, but I am hoping I will not have some of the problems I have read about. And in the even...

VanMar · VanMar

I am in the process of figuring out both a budget for the full timing life we have planned and maintenance on the tow vehicle. To do this, I need to get some info from the folks pulling with diesel pickups. I currently use synthetic oil in both the car and half ton p/u and change it every six months. The...

Lyman · Lyman

I have a tow vehicle with a limit of 7,000 lbs I'm looking at the 30RLW-DS at 6742 dry weight. here's my plan. Use the trailer on seasonal basis for 1 or 2 years. Store it near campground buy it 60 miles from campground tow it (flat ground) only to dealer if it needs work Then in several years get another TV...

Jack Mayer · Jack Mayer

The 2012 HDT Rally will be held at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, KS October 7-13. This rally is the best place to get educated on heavy tow vehicles, get to drive some, look over all the various things you can do with them - like piggyback cars - and also to see a bunch of fulltimer coaches. In...

Hina · Hina

Thanks everyone for all your advice, here it is, my long awaited tow vehicle! I thought I was going to buy a 2000 7.3L diesel Ford Excursion in Sacramento, I thought it was a done deal, drove all the way over there, 2 1/2 hours, only to find, they sold it to someone else last night!!! Boo hoo hoo, I was so mad/...

jswharton · jswharton

The information that I can find on mountain ascents and descents is fairly general. On the incline, keep RPM’s in the power curve, think that’s 1,800 to 2,200 rpm’s for the new Ford 6.7 “Scorpion” although 2,500 delivers a bit better for me. OK fine. Descend speed, no greater than the ascent. OK f...

James and Cindy · James and Cindy

We need to get our next tow vehicle before our toyhauler. My current truck is not rated for the weight. I was looking at the GMC 3500 but the new trucks are almost 5 inches higher at the tailgate. I have read where people are having trouble pulling shorter, lighter fifthwheels with the new beds. I looked...

Topic		Started By	Replies	Views	Last Post
	Got the tow vehicle, now what about the hitch? (Preview) LOML did what she does best a few months ago and changed her mind about a Class A. Not the end of the world, but first I had to find a better truck than my old 119k miles 8.1L gasser to tow a 5er. Stumbled over an '06 F350 Lariat turbo dually that had only 26k miles and was kept in a (believe it or not) barn. Loa...	waltben	7	1468	08:46 AM Mar 13, 2013 by huronwoods
	Consumer Reports 2013 Truck Review (Preview) We had just about decided on buying a Dodge Ram 2500 Cummings Turbodiesel when I received the April 2013 Consumers Report Auto issue in the mail yesterday. Planning on towing approx. 36' 5th wheel. (haven't bought either yet) They are saying the Dodge Cummings historically has the worse rating p...	EggerMar	12	4093	10:51 PM Mar 10, 2013 by Bill and Linda
	Is a Ford F-350 turbo diesel too much truck? (Preview) I'm putting together my full-timer rig in the next few months. For a trailer, I'm looking at used 5th-wheels in the 27-34 foot range. I have a friend who might want to trade her '97 Ford F-350 turbo diesel crew cab for my car. The truck has 130,000+ miles on it, has had some recent work and replacements, n...	PangeaPlanet	20	3605	07:06 AM Mar 5, 2013 by PangeaPlanet
	Pulling a big rig (Preview) Now that I've pretty much finished my research on what RV I want (43' DRV custom layout) and where I want to establish my domicile (FL), I'm down to researching the tow vehicle (obviously, I have to wait until I purchase the RV and have the exact weights to work with, but I'd at least like to have my options...	cherylbrv	36	8453	07:20 PM Mar 2, 2013 by teaberryeagle
	1/2 ton VS 3/4 ton. Opinions? (Preview) I was talking with a mechanic today, and when I mentioned I was looking into a 3/4 ton, he gasped and exclaimed, "What kinda monster trailer are you haulin'? 3/4 ton is a whole lotta truck!" Then he brought up gas mileage, price etc. I have a 25' Springdale TT, shipping weight 5840, carrying...	Hina	30	19643	03:13 AM Feb 16, 2013 by Hina
	New tow vehicle on its way! 2013 Chevy 3500HD (Preview) Got a 2013 Chevy 3500HD diesel/allison on a railcar headed this way. Scoping out misc accessories but appears a little to early for the aftermarket boys to have goodies on the shelf yet. Still deciding on a 5th wheel hitch but am leaning towards a Reese Pro Series 20,000# unit to haul my 3750FL, figure...	CaptainRandy	41	4395	09:59 PM Feb 14, 2013 by Pete G
	Newbie question (Preview) We(wife and I) have a 2013 Silverado 3500 drw. Our 5er is set to weigh in around 14500 empty and a max weight of 18000. I believe we are ok to tow with this truck?? Any comments or help is appreciated... Thanks!	BigE	8	1036	03:06 AM Feb 13, 2013 by BigE
	tundra towing capacity question (Preview) I have a 2005 Toyota Tundra TRD 4 door, V8 truck. We are looking at a towable Passport; dry weight 4850; hitch weight 540; length 29'. Our towing capacity is listed at 7700 lbs. I would love some feedback on whether this may be too much trailer for our truck. Thanks	Nick2057	2	1248	10:49 PM Feb 11, 2013 by Terry and Jo
	F450 Enough? (Preview) I know you guys probably get this question a million times! But I want to be sure I am doing the math correctly. I would be pulling a DRV Mobile Estate. Now forgive me if this is a repost as I had written one late last night but it didn't show up, or I didn't hit the submit button... who knows. So if this is a dup...	DieselJunki	15	1794	06:23 AM Feb 2, 2013 by Terry and Jo
	Our New RV Hauler (Preview) For those interested in such things here are some links to our new RV hauler. It is a 2009 Volvo 780 with I Shift transmission. This is a 2-pedal setup - no clutch. The truck has a 77" condo with workstation (dinette to RVers), a Webasto heater for heat when the truck is not running, a refrigerator, m...	Jack Mayer	2	1899	11:20 PM Jan 29, 2013 by bigboomer
	Ford F450 - trim levels (Preview) We've been looking at trucks and it seems that both in the area we live and the area where we have purchased our 5'ver, the Lariat or higher trim level is by far the most common. We were thinking we wanted the XLT trim level, primarily because we travel with a cat. Cloth seats are much better than leather...	NWescapee	11	1446	06:19 PM Jan 15, 2013 by NWescapee
	1 Big step to our fulltime dream (Preview) Well we went and did it ,we bought our truck , a 2012 Dodge Ram 3500. We decided to take the plunge as we are taking a trip out to the DRV and Lifestyle factories in July '13 and hoping to make a deal and bring one home !!	Defiant	14	1584	03:42 PM Dec 24, 2012 by Defiant
	Our Ultimate RV Hauler - Round 2 (Preview) Danielle and I have been towing with an HDT (Heavy Duty Truck, aka a semi truck) for the last 9+ years. Our truck is a Volvo 610 with a custom hauler body on it. It is a dream to drive and travel in. Because we now own a smart car and want to carry that "piggyback" on the truck bed, instead of towing d...	Jack Mayer	3	3326	04:06 AM Dec 22, 2012 by Jack Mayer
	Planning a trip to California (Preview) We have a 2002 F250 7.3 (not 4x4) We plan to travel in late fall out to Bakersfield,CA for a 6 mo. stay.....will have to go over a mountain range pulling our 5th wheel...about 14,000 lbs if fully loaded... Do we need to do anything extra on the truck??? Have had no problems towing through Louisiana &am...	Melstar	21	3275	06:22 PM Dec 14, 2012 by Bill and Linda
	F-450 & Exhaust brake (Preview) Thinking about making the switch from my 07 Duramax/2500HD, 4X4 short bed to a 08 or 09 F-450. I just cannot afford a new one. Wanting to get some advice from you guys that have one on any modifications that you would recommend. My main concern is an exhaust brake. I was going to put one on my Duramax but if...	mesa48	3	1741	10:02 PM Nov 24, 2012 by jayc
	Which air hitch should we keep? (Preview) Ok so we have purchased our 5th wheel and our 2001 Volvo VNL660 and both have an air hitch on them. On the 5th wheel we have a MorRyde at which our home has a full weight of 15,500. and is 39ft long. Our HDT has an E-Z floater on it. The people who owned it previously had a 42ft toy hauler. Not sure the weight but q...	sunflwrgirl	13	2270	09:00 PM Nov 23, 2012 by RickandJanice
	Truck capacity - advise needed (Preview) Hi, Hubby and I are planning on going full time part-time starting next year. I have been following the Paynes and this forum for about 6 months. Thank you all, it is so informative! I would love to go full time but can't convince Hubby! We both love to travel and have been traveling on vacations and long w...	cejones4210	22	3232	05:21 PM Nov 16, 2012 by Ronk
	HDT loans.. please help (Preview) My husband and I have finally found "our perfect" single axle freight liner. Thing is the title is a commercial title. I guess USAA says they cannot loan money on a commercial vehicle. Therefor I am lost, beings that USAA is the only bank we have used for umteem years. Hoping someone can sugg...	sunflwrgirl	15	2844	09:05 PM Nov 11, 2012 by sunflwrgirl
	new truck (Preview) just sold My 2008 ford ranger so we can get a new truck to tow the new trailer it`s a 28 foot tow behind 6000lbs I towed it with my friends 2012 chev 5.3 and it worked great but was wondering if a 4.8 or a ford 5.0l will work what do you guys tow with?	Ranger guy	13	1863	07:28 PM Nov 5, 2012 by Lucky Mike
	2003 Ford Ranger Pickup 4x4 (Preview) Is this a good towable vehicle for a Class A diesel? We will use it for sight seeing to see wildlife,monuments,national parks go to the store get around town while we camp long term	Kevin and Janet	4	1458	02:58 PM Oct 27, 2012 by Terry and Jo
	Trying to find that perfect truck, "Commercial" question (Preview) So we are searching for that perfect truck and happen to notice some good trucks we find are "commercial". My question is, are commercial trucks a wise choice or should we skip over them? -- Edited by sunflwrgirl on Friday 19th of October 2012 11:26:50 AM	sunflwrgirl	7	1064	05:05 AM Oct 20, 2012 by sunflwrgirl
	F450 oil change interval and fuel additive while parked (Preview) OK, got a couple of questions on our F450 and the manual isn't much help. We'll have about 6000 miles on the truck when we pass back near our buying dealer in a couple of weeks and I am considering whether to go ahead and have our initial service while we're there. The manual suggests an oil change interva...	Neil and Connie	12	3712	02:02 AM Oct 15, 2012 by Neil and Connie
	F-450 towing (Preview) I am pretty set on buy the new Jayco Seismic 3914 which has a gvwr of 19,000 lbs. should the 450 be able to tow this or should I look at a MDT or HDT? I will be purchasing the truck after I get the 5er so I just want to get peoples opion and if there is another brand that would be good at pulling this please let me so I...	lariat450	5	3038	04:57 PM Oct 11, 2012 by Neil and Connie
	New (to us) Tow Vehicle (Preview) I have traded in our 2000 Ford F550 for a 2008 Ford F450 4 X 4 with the 4:88 rear-end. The only option it does not have is a moon roof. Needless to say, I know the 2008 F450's have had reported problems with the cooling system, but I am hoping I will not have some of the problems I have read about. And in the even...	TheHarveys	5	1614	06:25 PM Oct 2, 2012 by TheHarveys
	Conventional vs. synthetic motor oil. motor oil synthetic oil (Preview) I am in the process of figuring out both a budget for the full timing life we have planned and maintenance on the tow vehicle. To do this, I need to get some info from the folks pulling with diesel pickups. I currently use synthetic oil in both the car and half ton p/u and change it every six months. The...	VanMar	8	3330	10:44 PM Sep 4, 2012 by Bill and Linda
	Tow weight question (Preview) I have a tow vehicle with a limit of 7,000 lbs I'm looking at the 30RLW-DS at 6742 dry weight. here's my plan. Use the trailer on seasonal basis for 1 or 2 years. Store it near campground buy it 60 miles from campground tow it (flat ground) only to dealer if it needs work Then in several years get another TV...	Lyman	5	1529	08:55 PM Aug 22, 2012 by The Bear II
	2012 Heavy Duty Truck Rally (Preview) The 2012 HDT Rally will be held at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, KS October 7-13. This rally is the best place to get educated on heavy tow vehicles, get to drive some, look over all the various things you can do with them - like piggyback cars - and also to see a bunch of fulltimer coaches. In...	Jack Mayer	0	1677	08:02 PM Aug 5, 2012 by Jack Mayer
	THX for all your help, L@@K at my NeW ToW Vehicle! ford excursion v10 (Preview) Thanks everyone for all your advice, here it is, my long awaited tow vehicle! I thought I was going to buy a 2000 7.3L diesel Ford Excursion in Sacramento, I thought it was a done deal, drove all the way over there, 2 1/2 hours, only to find, they sold it to someone else last night!!! Boo hoo hoo, I was so mad/...	Hina	11	5126	12:37 AM Aug 6, 2012 by Hina
	RPM's on the Descent? (Preview) The information that I can find on mountain ascents and descents is fairly general. On the incline, keep RPM’s in the power curve, think that’s 1,800 to 2,200 rpm’s for the new Ford 6.7 “Scorpion” although 2,500 delivers a bit better for me. OK fine. Descend speed, no greater than the ascent. OK f...	jswharton	20	2826	10:49 PM Jul 30, 2012 by Jack Mayer
	2012 Ford 450 (Preview) We need to get our next tow vehicle before our toyhauler. My current truck is not rated for the weight. I was looking at the GMC 3500 but the new trucks are almost 5 inches higher at the tailgate. I have read where people are having trouble pulling shorter, lighter fifthwheels with the new beds. I looked...	James and Cindy	15	2308	04:21 PM Jul 18, 2012 by Bill and Linda
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