What do you tow with? Page 1 (From TapaTalk Forum)

Dec 17, 2014

I just bought a 2009 35SB3. Reading a lot of the forums and owners information, everyone seems to have F350s, 3500s and duallies or larger. I have a 2500 HD with a duramax diesel. Should I be concerned about pulling my Cameo? It is a little heavier than my Outback was but still within the towing capacity of the truck.
Let me know your thoughts.

Dec 17, 2014

You really need to weigh the truck loaded for traveling and the truck and trailer loaded and see if you’re within the weight ratings for the truck.
One thing you do need to understand, it’s not the trucks ability to get the trailer moving down the highway. It the ability to stop it in an emergency situation that counts.
We went from a 2006 Dodge dually that handled the weight fine and towed great but could not stop the rig even with an exhaust brake, aftermarket rotors and pads, and new pads on the trailer brakes, to a HDT. Main reason is that the HDT was 20k already set up as a motorhome, verse 55k+ for a nicely appointed new dually. The HDT can out brake any of the new trucks with the same loads.

Dec 17, 2014#3

We have a 343B3 your 35SB3 is about 800 pounds heaver than ours, (dry weight). When we first bought ours we had a 3/4 ton truck. It did a good job of pulling and stopping it, but we were over some of the weight limits for our truck. We now have a one ton, not a dully and I can feel the difference between the two. I did find that the published weight info was not as helpful as setting up the trailer and truck for RVing and having it weighed, that’s when I found that we were heaver than I thought.

Dec 17, 2014

I have a 2014 LS34SB . When I purchased this trailer I was towing with a 2005 2500HD Duramax and I soon realized that the pin weight of the new trailer put me well over the rated load capacity of this truck. I subsequently purchased a 2015 3500HD SRW Duramax and have noticed quite a difference mainly in braking ability. Your 35SB3 would be fairly close to my weight if not a little bit heavier and I personally feel safer pulling with the 3500 HD.

Dec 17, 2014

When we started towing our first trailer an F35FD3 2007 bought new in 2010 with an 01GMC 2500HD CC 4X4 6.0L Supercharged gas. Plenty of power and braking just at limit of pin weight. The transmission was the weak link here. Next truck an08 GMC 2500HD SLT CC 4×4 Duramax/Allison. More pin weight towed great got 12.5mpg. Then purchased our new trailer 36XTRM5 Carri lite with alot more pin weight so added Firestone airbags to help keep it level still not to exceed the rear axle GVW. After 2 trips around the country a 2008 Chevy 3500HD DRW Duramax/Allison XCab showed up online with 9432miles on it so we now have a truck closer to handling our rig correctly. Spent 8 weeks this summer and got 10mpg towing.

Dec 18, 2014

We had a 2008 2500HD diesel, and the truck had little payload capability. We had a relatively light, single slide fifth wheel, and exceeded the payload capability. We now have a 2011 3500HD which has about a 4200 lb payload. Payload would include your fifth wheel pin weight, full fuel in your truck, passenger, driver, fifth wheel hitch weight etc.

Dec 18, 2014

First off congratulations on your new trailer,

I tow a 32fws with an F250 with a 7.3l. I feel comfortable with my set up. You like me don’t have a lot of extra weight carrying capacity with your rig. So like what other folks have said weigh your rig and Look at your tire capacity, rear axle capacity etc.

Have merry Christmas

Eric

Dec 18, 2014

Like several have said, do yourself a big favor and go to a truck stop with a CAT SCALE. Load the truck and camper as if you are on a trip, or as close to it as you can, the spouse and dig may not want to go on this little trip, etc.

Fill it with fuel and when you go inside to pay ask for a weigh ticket, and tell them you also want to re-weigh, or weigh twice. The second weigh is very cheap, the first is about$8. They usually tie this to the pump number. I pay in advance because it saves time.

Pull into the scale, putting front axle on one platform, drive wheels on the second, and both trailer axles on the third platform. Push the call button and they will ask if you are ready, say yes and hop back onto the scale so your weight is included. (button is set for semi cab heights, and I can’t reach button while standing on scale) They will tell you when they have the weight.

Move off scales slowly and unhook the 5er in a convenient for all location. Go back to scale and use call button and tell them this is your re-weigh. Hop back onto the scale so your weight is included.

Get your weight tickets and hook back up.

Lookup your unloaded weight in some reference or on the Web. The second weight ticket tells you how much payload you, your fuel, your hitch, options added to the base model, and your stuff consume. You will be amazed!

The first weigh ticket shows total GVW by adding the first two platforms for steer and drive wheels. This should be below your GVWR. Each axle should also be below it’s axle rating. Each of your rear tires also need to be able to easily support a bit more than 1/2 the drive axle’s actual weight.

If you take the drive axle weight on the first ticket, and subtract the drive axle weight on the second ticket, you get the pin weight of the 5er. As mentioned, this is part of not the entire payload consumed. If you add that “pin weight” to the weight if the trailer axles weight on the first ticket you have the weight of the 5er. This should be below the 5ers GVWR. This can be a pretty big tail wagging the tow vehicle, and a 5er high center of gravity puts a lot of extra strain on the tv in turn, stops etc.

You will find that factory “towing ability” specs contains a lot of creative writing if not intentionally misleading info, or they presume you are towing something extremely well balanced weight distribution wise. The industry successfully fights off standardized ratings for the recreational user. Let the buyer beware. This is just fine if you go into a purchase as an informed buyer.

The goal here is when you spend good money to buy your next truck, be sure it is big enough and you don’t have to take a bath to trade into the right one. Or live with a lot more white knuckles than need be.

There are lots of folks out there close and over the edge weight wise that are very comfortable with the way things handle, even in that very rare emergency situation. Even they would be amazed by how much easier things are with a heavier tow vehicle pulling the same weight, 5ers especially.

Take your time to figure out what is right for you. Maybe get a neighbor with a larger go for a ride in your setup and get his/her impression, or hook your 5er to that truck and see how you are or are not impressed.

thawkshaw wrote:I just bought a 2009 35SB3. Reading a lot of the forums and owners information, everyone seems to have F350s, 3500s and duallies or larger. I have a 2500 HD with a duramax diesel. Should I be concerned about pulling my Cameo? It is a little heavier than my Outback was but still within the towing capacity of the truck.
Let me know your thoughts.

Dec 18, 2014

You still have to weigh and know most of your numbers but here is a handy dandy calculator
http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-tra … t-fw.shtml

Dec 18, 2014

2011 Ford F350 Diesel. Best truck I have ever owned. Been pulling since 1974.

Dec 18, 2014

Well I did pulled with an 2006 F250. All set up to pull my 32FWS….but hahahaha well you can all see what I decided to upgrade to due to pin weight. I could not afford a new F350 dully so I opted to go HDT. Now all highways are flat, there is never a head wind to fight or side gust to worry about. I just relax and drive. I get 9 miles to the gallon on average, never have to worry about braking power ect.
Best of all I can still camp in every campground I ever camped at before going HDT. I just get a few more strange looks. I am ok with that and so is the wife.

Dec 18, 2014

We towed our 38′ Carriage triple slide, triple axle for 17 years with our 1996 Dodge Ram dually. We pulled and stopped safely for all of those years. I’m not saying it would be for everyone but it worked for us. In October of 2013, we picked up our 2014 Ram Dually and are pulling the same Carriage.
Good luck with your new Cameo!! Let us know what your final decision is. Hugs, Di

Dec 18, 2014

I’m not a brand conscious guy. I had a GMC 2500 duramax. good truck but not heavy enough to handle the Cameo. I drove the Ford, Chevy and lastly the Ram.. I bought the Ram because they shot me the best price. I do not regret buying the Ram at all. It tows like a beast and it has plenty of toys to make the drives enjoyable. I don’t know if one brand is any better than another, but I do like my Ram.

John

Dec 19, 2014

I pull my 32fws with a f350 and it does a great job.

Dec 20, 2014

I pull a 36Max1 with a 2014 GMC 3500 CC/DRW Denali. They both work great for us, my only complaint is they both set “TOO MUCH”…

Dec 20, 2014

Larry,

We all have auto correct issues, be it on a phone or tablet. Some being hilarious others being plumb embarrassing. Pray tell, what did you intend to say when “set”
TOO MUCH appeared on your writings?

Safe and fun travels all!

Larry 1190 wrote:I pull a 36Max1 with a 2014 GMC 3500 CC/DRW Denali. They both work great for us, my only complaint is they both set “TOO MUCH”…