My tow vehicle is a 2003 Ford F-250 crew cab, 6 Liter Power Stroke, automatic, 4x4, slide-in certified. I pull a 2005 Forest River Wildcat 29RLBS. TV has never had a problems, so far, going from eastern NC to Shennendoa Valley VA, Gatlinburg TN, or Waynesville NC. Needless to say I have towed at the eastern continental divide numerous times, having respect for safety, but with no fear. Stopping has never been a problem with TV and when pulling the 5ver, and I have to look at the rear view mirror to assure myself the trailer is still there.
I looked at weight, plenty before buying the trailer. My trailer weight on the decal is much lighter than the average I see folks pulling with a similar tow vehicles.
Does anyone think I need to go with a dually?
2003 4x4 F250 Crewcab, 6.0 L Powerstroke, 6.75 ft bed
2005 Wildcat 29 RLBS
Sidewinder pin box
Montana 5th wheel
Cab mounted boat/motor (see signature picture):
In the Cab: Wife, dog and fishing poles
Gross Veh. Wt Rate Rated: 9,900/Loaded 10,120 (over by 220lbs)
Gross Ax Wt (front) Rated:4,750/Loaded 4,460 (under by 220lbs)
Gross Ax Wt (front) 4,220 Empty (Diff-240lb - wife, dog, boat)
Gross Ax Wt (rear): 6,150/Actual 5,660 (under by 490lbs)
Gross Ax Wt (rear) 2,940 Empty (Diff-2,600 tounge wt+120 boat/motor)
Gross Comb Wt Rate: 19,000/Actual 21,000 (over by 2,000lbs)
Trailer Axle Wt: 10,880lbs
Trailer Wt: 13,480lbs
Tounge Wt: 2,600lbs (19.3% of trailer wt)
With the Pac Brake, the 2,000 over on GCWR doesn't seem too bad. Thoughts??
Handles grades up and brakes down just fine. Hit a turn out on a down grade today and it was WAY too short, braked just fine and the sports cars piled up behind us went on their merry way.
* This post was edited 05/20/09 01:41pm by Brad NSW *
USN Ret. 03Ram3500, 5.9CTD, 5spd, SRW, ATS filter, S&B Intake, IssPro (Pyro, Boost, Fuel, Trans & R Dif) SMARTY SR, Prodigy Controller, AirDog 100. 09Montana 3665RE 5er, 6 TST Tire monitors. Pakbrake Ex brake & airbags, 12' Baltik inflatable w/3.3HP OBM
Truck
2007 Tundra Regular cab and standard bed. Truck is weighed eguipped with a 12k class 4 hitch and a 16k slider 5r hitch and 3/4 tank of gas.
Truck only
Actual/Rated
Steer axle 2740 / 3900
Drive axle 2340 / 3950
GVW 5080 / 6600
Fifth Wheel
2005 Aljo 2605 27' Full water and propane
Sticker Dry weight 6450 lbs and Dry pin weight 960 lbs.
TV with 5r Actual/ Rating
Steer axle 2780 / 3900
Drive axle 3440 / 3950
GVW 6220 / 6600
5r axle's 6040 / 8400
5r pin 1100 / ???
5r total 7140 / 10300
GCVW 12260 / 14000
2009 Jayco 28.5 RLS Super Light
2007 Tundra RCSB
Michelle & Don
Puyallup, WA
weekenders & 2 long trips per year
2007 Dodge 4x4 Ram 2500 Quad, Laramie,Diesel, 6 spd manual
2008 Grand Junction TMS 35.5
Vitalady wrote:
OK, totally stupid question........ how do you weigh your rig(s)? Can you just drive up to a truck weigh and ask permission? Pay? Or is there another "weigh", so to speak?
OK, totally stupid question........ how do you weigh your rig(s)? Can you just drive up to a truck weigh and ask permission? Pay? Or is there another "weigh", so to speak?
No such thing as a stupid question.
I went to a local CAT certified scale and paid the $9. I remember someone mentioning that their scale operator didn't charge them if they just wanted the numbers without anything being printed out.
2008 Keystone Challenger 32RKS
2006 Dodge 2500 Cummins, 6-speed manual, exhaust brake, air bags, Rancho 9000 shocks
Steer Axle: 4460 lbs
Drive Axle: 6720 lbs
Trailer Axle: 12420 lbs
Gross Weight: 23,600 lbs.
Getting close to the max weight of my dually - hard to believe these fifth wheels can get to weighing that much.
Steer Axle: 3780
Drive Axle: 4840
Trailer Axle's: 7800
Gross Weight: 16420lbs
fuel tanks full,around 60 gallons of water (left the drain half open and had to fell the tank the next morning),2 dogs,me and the wife.i don't usely tow with that much water,just this time the dump station had a line and the flying J was 4 miles away and thought i would weigh it with water in the tanks just to see how fat we are.
* This post was edited 04/26/09 08:26pm by tubzz *
97 F-250 PSD 4x4
2005 keystone cougar 30ft 5ver
Front axle 8800#, Rear Axle 5050# (without Fifth wheel)
Fifth wheel '92 36 foot Alumalite
14'000# loaded with empty tanks
Pin weight 2800#
I'm picking my new Montana up on Thursday and towing it empty to our storage yard until I find a dually. I'm lucky in that my dealer is great and I trust them and they are looking for a truck for me.
Now I know, buy your TV after the 5th wheel!
IMHO with today's governments at all levels scrambling to generate revenue, RV'rs are going to be targeted for weight/safety checks and fines.
The last thing I need is to be in another country (we travel the U.S. a lot) and run into being overweight and the likely problems to follow, or here in Canada which seems to be checking RV'rs more and more.
I've seen a lot of posts here and other sites that basically state there are few if any actual laws that cover non commercial vehicle weights or safety issues (some "self proclaimed" lawyers have said as much on some forums, but being realistic, how many of us would be prepared to hire a lawyer and fight any fines in regards to being overweight, and literally perhaps waiting years and paying out a lot of money to get a ruling, which we may well lose?)
Peter
p.s....I'll weigh my current truck both with the new fiver (empty) and without and post the results from a BC certified weigh station, and weigh again in a few days with both loaded for a long trip.
* This post was edited 04/29/09 02:49am by Sinterior *
Pete, Terry (Teresa) & Cira, 12lb furbag ">
2007 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40SKQ
2017 Chev Equinox V6 AWD
Blue Ox Avail
Patriot II Braking system
Garmin dezl 560LMT
total weight 16,180# -
Capacity 23,500#
Truck - 6800# - GVWR 9,200#
Trailer - 9,380# - (dry weight - 6,800#)
Pin Weight - 1,740# -
leaving 7,640# on axles (rated 10,500#).
Plenty of safety margin all the way around.
Weights taken on a certified scale
Grandkids - reasons to go camping!
Papa & Grandma Honey!
Wildcat 27RK
GMC 2500HD 2X Dura/Alli E/C S/B
Draw-Tite 18k Signature Series, Demco Glide-Ride
Schefenacker TTT
*** And 4 Awesome GrandKids! *** ">
