Looking at a 40' 5th wheel, how is the 6.4 going to do? - Diesel Forum

DUB1 · 06-23-2009, 06:20 PM

Give me the skinny fella's..

I have a new 2008 SRW F-350 Crew cab LB, how is the truck going to do with that big of a unit behind it and how will the 6.4 tug it?

I have a 32' V-10 class C motorhome now and can still rip the hills at 55 with 4,500 lbs in tow behind that, will it compare?

stoverbro · 06-23-2009, 06:47 PM

If that won't pull it what will.....? a peterbilt or freightliner?

smotrs · 06-23-2009, 06:55 PM

I don't know, the 6.4 may be a little too much truck for that job, may want to look at a Ranger maybe.

SmokeyWren · 06-23-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

2008 SRW F-350 Crew cab LB...

Not enough info for a definitive answer, but I'll guess at some of the other info.

Diesel engine and automatic tranny and 3.73 rear axle ratio and 4x4 drivetrain?

GCWR is 23,000 pounds. GVWR is 11,500 pounds.

The wet and loaded tow vehicle with the normal tools, jacks, people, pets, ice chest, options such as spray-in bedliner, 5er hitch installed, and a full tank of diesel will weigh about 9,000 to 9,500 pounds. So assuming 9,500, that leaves 2,000 pounds available for hitch weight, and 13,500 for max weight of the wet and loaded trailer.

2,000 pounds hitch weight on a trailer that has the normal 18 percent hitch weight is a max trailer weight of 11,111 pounds without exceeding the GVWR of the tow vehicle.

The Keystone Raptor model 3812TS is 39.7' long so that's close to the 40-footer you mentioned. It has a GVWR of 18,000 pounds, with a dry shipping weight of 13,405. Dry shipping weights are notoriously understated, so you'll be over the GCWR of your tow vehicle after you fill up with propane and add a few gallons in the fresh water tank. No food, pots and pans, bed linens, toys in the garage, nothing.

So the short answer is Ford says you can't tow that much trailer without being overloaded. Your limit is a 5er with a GVWR of around 12,000 pounds without being overload per the Ford engineers. And nobody else's opinion counts.

If you want to tow an 18,000 to 20,000 pounds or heavier trailer, Ford makes a tow vehicle that will do it without being overloaded. But it ain't the F-350 SRW.

Try a 2008 or 2009 F-450 pickup with a GCWR of 33,000 pounds. That puppy can tow a trailer that grosses around 23,000 pounds without being overloaded.

SmokeyWren · 06-23-2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stoverbro

If that won't pull it what will.....? a peterbilt or freightliner?

If you want to tow a 20,000 pounds trailer without being overloaded, a medium-duty truck such as a "Baby Pete" will do the job. Yes, Peterbilt and KW both make the "little" single rear axle medium-duty trucks. So does International and Mack and others. But a properly optioned F-450 pickup will also do the job without being overloaded.

The F-350 SRW diesel will "pull it". So will my 10-years-old F-250. But not safely, and probably not without overheating something trying to climb a mountain pass with that much trailer tied on.

smotrs · 06-24-2009, 12:15 AM

20,000 lbs? I missed something? Is that how much the trailer ways?

DUB1 · 06-24-2009, 08:46 AM

To answer your question yes, it is a 4X4, automatic, 3.73 and the trailer I am looking at is a Fuzion (just like Raptor).

So this would be an unsafe measure for the family and the truck?

here are the specs on the trailer:

Axle Weight 6,000 lbs. Dry Weight 13,021 lbs. Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) 3,479 lbs. Hitch Weight 2,385 lbs.

ncitro · 06-24-2009, 10:00 AM

Like smokey sayes the dry weight is useless you need to work off of the GVWR of the trailer. (The theoretical max it could ever weigh)

PRO-4 #31 · 06-24-2009, 10:02 AM

I have a 36ft 5th wheel hallmark race trailer loaded with car and all it is a little over 18.5k and i pull it with my 08 SRW with no problem at all it will pull any hill stops just fine .

ncitro · 06-24-2009, 10:09 AM

Oh it will pull it, but you are over what Ford has designed the truck for.

Shinny · 06-24-2009, 11:08 AM

The truck will pull it. IMHO it's not worth going over the weight limits. Think of the problems you'll have if you're in a serious accident and your found to be over.

SmokeyWren · 06-24-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smotrs

20,000 lbs? I missed something? Is that how much the trailer ways?

When I wrote that blurb, we didn't know how much the trailer grossed. All we knew it was a 40-foot 5er. Lots of 40-foot 5ers have a GVWR of 20,000 or more.

But later he replied that his has a GVWR of only 16,500.

But he'll still be overloaded when the trailer is wet and loaded for the road and grossing over 16,000 pounds. His max trailer weight without being overloaded over the GCWR of his tow vehicle is about 13,500 pounds. And his max hitch weight without busting the GVWR of the tow vehicle is about 2,000 to maybe 2,500 pounds if he empties the toolbox. But the hitch (pin) weight of a 16,500 5er is going to be around 18 percent, or over 2,900 pounds. IOW, he'll be overloaded.

Shinny · 06-24-2009, 12:13 PM

Smokey,
Your post about GVWR/GCWR above is the easiest I've ever seen or heard it explained.

caryt · 06-24-2009, 02:45 PM

Ist get a Dually..with the proper capasity, SWR trucks puling heavy..nuts IMO

smotrs · 06-24-2009, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

When I wrote that blurb, we didn't know how much the trailer grossed. All we knew it was a 40-foot 5er. Lots of 40-foot 5ers have a GVWR of 20,000 or more.

But later he replied that his has a GVWR of only 16,500.

But he'll still be overloaded when the trailer is wet and loaded for the road and grossing over 16,000 pounds. His max trailer weight without being overloaded over the GCWR of his tow vehicle is about 13,500 pounds. And his max hitch weight without busting the GVWR of the tow vehicle is about 2,000 to maybe 2,500 pounds if he empties the toolbox. But the hitch (pin) weight of a 16,500 5er is going to be around 18 percent, or over 2,900 pounds. IOW, he'll be overloaded.

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification.