Towing 2018 30.5 MLOK fifth wheel with half ton pick up

[gilgrc]

Originally Posted by Jim Smyth

You guys keep talking yourself into those views. The Lawyers love people like you. Just remember that ignorance doesnt alleviate you of your responsibility to stay within weight when the $hit hits the fan. Everyone will stick a microscope up you A$$ to find any fault. You can bet your bottom dollar that they will look for any reason not to pay out. Numbers are numbers and they dont lie.

Don’t worry about me, I used ignorance when I read ignorant and negative comments like your. I’m very happy and that’s all it matters

[Mopar_Earl]

To stir the pot more, why bother making and selling anything heavier than a 150/1500 truck when obviously they can haul and tow anything? Could a 150/1500 truck pull a loaded semi trailer too? That would save truck companies big bucks over class 8 trucks. Couldn't a compact truck do just the same?


Earl

[Half Ton Heavy]

Originally Posted by Kway3

Congrats! It looks like a great combination.
It has almost as much payload as my 2016 3/4 ton diesel had!
I have a Reese 16K slider hitch.
I also reinstalled the Reese Sidewinder pin box I had on our old trailer. I found sliding the hitch a pain..

I would posit it more payload, unless you had a regular cab diesel. Every 3/4 ton diesel I looked at topped out less than 2200 lbs.

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by Duramaxsky

No it does not. The tow ratings only allow 3000 pounds for no brake trailers as after that the law requires them. An F250 will not stop 20,000 pounds without trailer brakes.

Sorry but brake capacity is part of the factor in the tow rating. That's why tow ratings are higher on 2500s than 1500s with the same engine. They normally have larger brake systems while gear ratio and horsepower may be the same. Heavier springs have very little if any effect on tow ratings and that is the only other difference in the vehicles.

As for stopping a 20000# trailer it most certainly will stop it. The unknown is how long will it take. The 2500 will stop it in a shorter distance than a 1500 hence a higher tow rating.

[Half Ton Heavy]

Originally Posted by Jim Smyth

You guys keep talking yourself into those views. The Lawyers love people like you. Just remember that ignorance doesnt alleviate you of your responsibility to stay within weight when the $hit hits the fan. Everyone will stick a microscope up you A$$ to find any fault. You can bet your bottom dollar that they will look for any reason not to pay out. Numbers are numbers and they dont lie.

Sounds a lot like FUD.
If the numbers are all in the green, where’s the beef?

[Half Ton Heavy]

Originally Posted by Bayoutalker

Sorry but brake capacity is part of the factor in the tow rating. That's why tow ratings are higher on 2500s than 1500s with the same engine. They normally have larger brake systems while gear ratio and horsepower may be the same. Heavier springs have very little if any effect on tow ratings and that is the only other difference in the vehicles.

As for stopping a 20000# trailer it most certainly will stop it. The unknown is how long will it take. The 2500 will stop it in a shorter distance than a 1500 hence a higher tow rating.

Actually, SAE j2807 only requires stops from 20 mph with stated load. That si well within the thermal limits of brakes of 1/2 tons. Tires are more the limiting force in the brake test.

[Duramaxsky]

Originally Posted by Bayoutalker

Sorry but brake capacity is part of the factor in the tow rating. That's why tow ratings are higher on 2500s than 1500s with the same engine. They normally have larger brake systems while gear ratio and horsepower may be the same. Heavier springs have very little if any effect on tow ratings and that is the only other difference in the vehicles.

As for stopping a 20000# trailer it most certainly will stop it. The unknown is how long will it take. The 2500 will stop it in a shorter distance than a 1500 hence a higher tow rating.

Wrong it's based on what it can tow. You can have the same GCWR on a 3/4 ton and a 1ton. It is all about gear ratios and power. But the 1 ton has bigger brakes. As it must stop more weight without a trailer. And the lighter 3/4 ton has a higher tow rating as the total is the same. Brakes are not in the tow rating as trailers have their own brakes.

[Bayoutalker]

http://www.cartest.ca/factors_that_affect_towing_c.htm


Here is a list of the factors that affect tow rating and brakes are listed.

You are correct that a 3500 has larger brakes than a 2500 and a 1500 smaller still. But to say it is to stop a larger load without a trailer makes no sense. Why would that affect tow rating if nothing is being towed? The article above lists all of the factors that go into tow rating and brake size and material is definitely listed.

[Mopar_Earl]

With all vehicles. The vehicle should stop itself and the trailer should stop itself. Combined they should stop effectively and safety. A semi truck isn't suppose to stop the trailer, that's why the trailer stops itself with its own brakes. Back in the day semis didn't even have brakes on the steer. My 3500 ram isn't designed to stop itself and the 13k trailer with just the truck brakes. In a trailer brake failure it could, but it's going to take a lot of distance and by no means the same thing.


Earl

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

With all vehicles. The vehicle should stop itself and the trailer should stop itself. Combined they should stop effectively and safety. A semi truck isn't suppose to stop the trailer, that's why the trailer stops itself with its own brakes. Back in the day semis didn't even have brakes on the steer. My 3500 ram isn't designed to stop itself and the 13k trailer with just the truck brakes. In a trailer brake failure it could, but it's not going to take a lot of distance and by no means the same thing.


Earl

All of that is correct but in the event the trailer loses brakes the truck has to be able to stop it albeit in a much longer distance. That's why vehicles with higher tow ratings have larger, more robust brakes to be able to stop larger loads.

[Mopar_Earl]

Don't forget not only the brakes are larger as you go into larger trucks. But the rims, tires, axles, driveshaft, frame, suspension, steering and cooling systems are also larger in size and capacity. There really isn't any way to compare a 150/1500 to a 350/3500 truck. They just aren't the same. They just aren't. Most of the time they don't even have the same engine or transmission options or gear ratios.

I have no issue with someone using a little truck provided they actually are within a couple hundred lbs of all the ratings. Note I said a couple hundred, not a 1000 lbs. If you're within all the ratings, why not? Issue is a lot if not most 150/1500 trucks would be grossly over one or more ratings with most 5th wheels. I mean GVWR, GAWR, GCW and max trailer weight.
My 293rkds is isn't that large and my 3500 is good with about 500 lbs to the good on GVWR. No way would any 150/1500 be within its ratings pulling my trailer. I traded up my 07 2500 cause I was over my GVWR by a lot. My other ratings were good.

If someone is grossly overweight harms my family and I or our property at their fault, it's court time! Notice I said grossly overweight. Not 100 or 200 lbs.


Earl

[Duke4857]

Look at your insurance policy. If you are towing overweight and have a accident, they might not have to pay due to negligence. I have never heard of this happening, but it is written into most policies.

[Bayoutalker]

My 2500 has a tow rating of 15,800# and gross weight on my 34RSBS is 11,500#. That's why I chose that truck.

There are a few lightweight 5ers that are 1500 towable if the truck is properly equipped but very few trucks on the lot have all the requirements. That means you must special order one to get the max rating.

[Bayoutalker]

http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides/

Here is a good place to check tow ratings. If your truck rates for the gross weight of your trailer you should be safe to go provided you don't overload the truck itself.

[AmericanBiker]

It's not a 5er but I pull a Octane 222SL toyhauler (8Klb GVWR) with my 2.7 Ecoboost F150. Truck only has 1430 payload and is rated to pull a 7500lb trailer. I am very pleased at how well this truck handles this trailer. I was planning to step up to a bigger truck but now that I’ve been driving this combo I just don't see the need.

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by AmericanBiker

It's not a 5er but I pull a Octane 222SL toyhauler (8Klb GVWR) with my 2.7 Ecoboost F150. Truck only has 1430 payload and is rated to pull a 7500lb trailer. I am very pleased at how well this truck handles this trailer. I was planning to step up to a bigger truck but now that I’ve been driving this combo I just don't see the need.

You are slightly over your tow rating if your trailer is loaded to GVWR. While it will tow fine as long as everything is working properly it will not stop the trailer in the event of brake failure as quick as a larger vehicle. Pulling is only half the equation. Stopping is the other. If you are towing on flat ground you may not have a problem but if you travel in the hills or mountains you should subtract 10-15% from the tow rating and the trailer weight should be below that.

There are a lot of discussions on this other forum concerning towing with some very informed people. Many of them tow in mountainous areas. If your want to see what others are saying, check it out.

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php

[AmericanBiker]

Originally Posted by Bayoutalker

While it will tow fine as long as everything is working properly it will not stop the trailer in the event of brake failure as quick as a larger vehicle. Pulling is only half the equation. Stopping is the other.

Anything is possible but I have never once had a full blown brake failure in the last 30 years or so of RVing. I will say that I am a nut when it comes to maintenance and I do stay on top of my equipment.

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by AmericanBiker

Anything is possible but I have never once had a full blown brake failure in the last 30 years or so of RVing. I will say that I am a nut when it comes to maintenance and I do stay on top of my equipment.

I've not had a problem either but I do know a couple people that have. They say it was a wild ride. I'm not anxious to try it out personally.

[Subaru297]

Or just forget to plug in your 7 pin plug. I have done that before.

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by Subaru297

Or just forget to plug in your 7 pin plug. I have done that before.

You're not the only one! Or have it come out on the road.