TexasNate
Oregon
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Joined: 07/24/2023
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Hi folks. We have a 2004 Ford F-350 6 liter diesel pickup. It's not a dually, unfortunately. Everything is stock other than headers and a cold air intake. We recently bought a 2016 Oakmont 5th wheel which I have no experience pulling. It's very heavy. Loaded at the scale it showed it at a little over 16000 pounds. We need to take it from Oregon to Montana and there are a couple of mountain passes. Considering our lack of experience with a fifth wheel and the weight of the RV, I'm a little concerned about those passes. I was wondering if someone more experienced than myself with this heavy of a trailer could advise whether it would be safe to pull this rv with this truck on a steep grade. We've driven a large class A motorhome towing a jeep all over the country but are new to 5th wheels.
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JIMNLIN
Oklahoma
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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A 20 year old truck doesn't have the high gvwr/rawrs (wheels/tires/rear suspension) as the new gen F350srw trucks.
For a single one run as you mention and assuming brakes on the truck/trailer work as they should it would be ok in my books....and no overloaded rawr (rear axle/rear tire/rear suspension).
Other consideration is what kind of shape is the 20 year old tranny (auto?)
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers
'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides
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BB_TX
McKinney, Texas
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Joined: 04/04/2005
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You will be significantly over the truck tow rating. That year with diesel was rated up to around 13,500 lbs max depending on overall configuration, reduced for larger cabs and 4x4 drive train. And very likely well over your payload rating as shown on your door sticker. Did you determine the pin weight when you weighed it?
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Mike134
Elgin, IL
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Joined: 11/20/2019
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My 2002 E-350 did not have a payload sticker. Not sure when Ford started putting them on.
2019 F150 4X4 1903 payload
2018 Adventurer 21RBS 7700 GVWR.
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jjj
Lancaster,Ca.U.S.A.
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Joined: 09/12/2003
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I have a 2002 Ford F-350 crewcab Dually w/ V-10 & 4:30 rear end and my book shows max tow is 13,500 lb. I think you will be way over weight.
2002 F-350 Crew-Cab Dually
V-10-4.30 gears Mag-Hytec diff.cover
w/Amsoil-6.0 trans cooler Curt Q5 20K hitch & bedsaver
2005 Keystone Challenger 34TBH-Fifth Airbourn
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JRscooby
Indepmo
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Joined: 06/10/2019
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How could anybody declare this would be "safe" for somebody on the net?
If I had owned the truck for years, worked with it, I would have no issue moving the load once. I'm not saying I'm a better driver than OP, but I know I can't count the number of trips I have made well over the GVWR, and GCVWR of many, many vehicles.
The fact the OP is on asking advice from strangers tells me he does not have the experience, but might be he is hoping to be told NO! so will come up with another plan.
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sayoung
Tx
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Joined: 09/17/2012
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Smart money is hire a rv transport company since this is a one way one time trip. Why risk it ?
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Walaby
Georgia
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I think you're flirtin with disaster.
1. Likely well over your weight ratings.
2. That old of a truck likely doesn't have added measures such as exhaust brake, tow haul mode.
3. Steep mountain passes.
I have a 2017 Ram 3500 (non Dually). My 5th wheel is teetering around 15,000 lbs. I would not be comfortable towing 16,000 with it, especially steep mountain passes.
You should be more than just a little concerned.
Mike
Im Mike Willoughby, and I approve this message.
2017 Ram 3500 CTD (aka FRAM)
2019 GrandDesign Reflection 367BHS
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TexasNate
Oregon
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Thanks for the input from everyone, it's much appreciated. We
The consensus seems to be that our truck is just not suitable for this heavy of a trailer so I think we're going to try to hire someone to transport it and then look into getting a more capable pickup for the future. Does anyone have a recommendation along the lines of what a baseline is for pickups for something this heavy? Should it be a 1
ton dually and less than 10 years old (or newer)? The last thing I want to do is put ourselves and other people on the road at risk but we travel a lot for work so I need to be able to pull this myself in the future.
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BB_TX
McKinney, Texas
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Good thinking. A one ton dually diesel would work well for that 16,000 lbs. Any of the big 3 will work. All are equally capable. Just a matter of which one fits your butt better. And suits your wife of course.
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