new to 5 ing

[nltraveller]

hello everyone!
new here and new to fifth wheeling, been camping for many yrs using a travel trailer.
we're moving to a new fifth and need some info.
tow vech F250 ford diesel hort box 4X4 crew cab harley davidson edition with 10000 lb gvr pkg
we are currently looking at a 2010 big horn 3580RL
Question... is this too much trailer for the truck? i know i'll be close on my legal weight but can this truck handle this unit?

any info from other 3580RL and 3/4 ton users would be great help in deciding if we buy this unit or look at lighter big horn's


thanks in advance

 

[jimtoo]

Hi nltraveller,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and hopefully to the family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information.

You should get lots of opinions on this subject. Enjoy the forum.

Jim M

 

[DntDctr]

I have an 06 F250 CC short box diesel. My fifthwheel pulling limit is 15500.

 

[Larryheadhunter]

My Ford F-250 super duty with all the heavy suspensions and air bags are rated to pull 15,700 lbs. I can pull 13,500 up a hill at 55mph. That's good enough for me. I have been told to tow 2000 lbs under max so I am happy with my setup. There are Banks type enhancers but my Ford dealer told me it would void my warranty and they would know it.

 

[CrazyScotsman]

I have the 3580 RL and pull it with a F350 dually, my gross combined weight ( truck & trailer ) last time I weighed was 22,560 lbs, it's probably over 23,000 lbs now with all the junk in trailer.
I know I am close to the F350's GCVWR, which is 23,500 lbs. I think you would be over your F250's weight rating, but that has never stopped people towing over weight before. Not that I recommend it.
Just my 2 cents, and enjoy the 3580 if you get it, we love ours.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

nltraveller, Welcome to the Heartland Family & Forum. Please don't take this the wrong way. While your truck may be able to handle the load, it will be over it's rated GVRW.

 

[jmgratz]

Hey Ray, here is an idea. How about a 'CAN MY TRUCK TOW THIS?" heading on the main page and then a chart with the tow rating for the various trucks and weights of the various trailers. Then all someone would have to do is look at the chart instead of asking the same redundant question. I have just finished reading the same question on 4 different posts in the last 20 minutes. Just an idea.

 

[nltraveller]

Hi and thank you for the welcome and the replies.
my truck is legal in my province for 10345 lbd max gross weight, tare on my truck full of fuel and driver 7710 lbs ford says max trailer weight 23000 lbs i am just under my legal weight, until DW loads what she wants in it. lol
I know the truck can pull the load, my big thing is what will it handle like? tip factor and such? it's a high cube and will catch a fair bit of side wind.
we're not looking to end up rubber side up.
and yes i see a lot of 1/2 ton's trying to tow what i am, i'm just not hooking on to a 13000 lb trailer without some thought as to what i am doing.
this is the start of full timing for us and want to enjoy it as much as we can.
thank you and keep the forum a great spot to visit and find out info.

Andy

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Hey Ray, here is an idea. How about a 'CAN MY TRUCK TOW THIS?" heading on the main page and then a chart with the tow rating for the various trucks and weights of the various trailers. Then all someone would have to do is look at the chart instead of asking the same redundant question. I have just finished reading the same question on 4 different posts in the last 20 minutes. Just an idea.

Jim, I think that's a great idea! Let's see if JimB reads this and responds. Whatever he decides is what will happen. I know there is a link to a towing guide on Heartlands website. Maybe we should just respond with the link.

 

[jbeletti]

I am traveling with limited capabilities today.

Link to or provide PDFs of the TL towing guides here? Yes to that.

Create our own guide? Probably better not

We can create a new 'read-only' sub-forum under Tow Rigs with all the towing guides. For that matter, I suppose, if we were so supplied by users with them, we could consider adding tow guides from the truck mfrs.

Jim
from the road

 

[CrazyScotsman]

Andy :: That 13000lb you mention is closer to the 3580 empty weight, time all the junk is put in, you'll be closer to the 3580 gross weight of 16000 lb.
As far as side winds go, my 350 which is a dually, handles it well, but I have no idea how a SRW will handle the side winds.
There are a few folks on this forum, that have F250 SRW trucks, that pull large trailers, hopefully one of them will speak up and give you the info you are looking for.

 

[trvlrerik]

I am pulling with a SRW f350, I am usually well below capacity as far as weight is concerned, but on windy days 3 (30mph plus) I am not pulling, to me it is not worth the risk, there is a HUGE difference between SRW and Duals. just my opinion.

 

[jmgratz]

Here is some info on towing with strong winds with SRW. When we had our 99 F350 SRW back in April of this year we were heading to Albuquerque NM for the Good Sam RALLY. Enroute between Dallas and Lubbock TX we were driving into a steady 35 mph wind which had 62 mph gusts. This wind was coming from the front side so it was not a direct side wind or direct front wind but a little of both. Our travelling buddy who has a Big Horn was behind us at the same time and tows with a F350 dually. He had no problems with stability but for us it was a constant fight. (BTW we know it was stupid driving under those conditions) I normally can tow with the cruise control on but in these conditions the transmission kept shifting so much it would not stay in OD. Kept shifting into 3. So it was 50 - 55 mph all the way. At one point we stopped and when the DW went to get out she opened the door and the wind caught the door and actually pulled her out. We normally would get 10-12 mpg towing and this time was 5 mpg. It was one of the most white knuckle drives I have had.

So to make a long story short, can a SRW handle it...yes. Should it, NO. I now have a DRW FX4 (4 wheel drive) and can feel the difference in stability. One other thing. I was later on a different trip backing into a campsight up hill. The truck was laboring so much the transmission fluid overheated and actually boiled out of the overflow. Luckily I let the tranny cool and refilled the fluid and it was okay. But I watched the guy next to me back into his site with a dually 4 wheel drive without any problem. Moral, get a 4 wheel drive dually. TMHO

 

[nemo45]

I am pulling with a SRW f350, I am usually well below capacity as far as weight is concerned, but on windy days 3 (30mph plus) I am not pulling, to me it is not worth the risk, there is a HUGE difference between SRW and Duals. just my opinion.

Could you explain? I have a SRW, but have driven both towing and could really see no difference, except SRW's usually get better mileage solo. I have towed in some serious wind, if you've ever towed in south Texas you know what I mean. I've decided that when the winds get above 30 mph I'm parkin' it. Last November I towed in South Texas from Austin to Donna, into a steady 30 mph head wind gusting to 45 and got 7 mpg on one tank, a good reason right there to park it. I usually get 10 to 12 towing depending on the terrain.

 

[nemo45]

I guess jmgratz explained it pretty well. But those have not been my experiences. I did have to slow down and take the tranny out of od. But that was a result of having a 3.73 rear end, just as backing up hill and laboring would be, rather than not having 4 wheel drive. The main advantage I see to having duallies is what would happen on a blow out on the rear axle.

 

[jmgratz]

We once camped at the Western Horizon park at Salisbury NC. To get to the campsite we had to pull uphill around a turn on gravel. I spun alot of gravel on the bottom front of the RV (no damage) because of SRW and no 4wd.

 

[trvlrerik]

Could you explain? I have a SRW, but have driven both towing and could really see no difference, except SRW's usually get better mileage solo. I have towed in some serious wind, if you've ever towed in south Texas you know what I mean. I've decided that when the winds get above 30 mph I'm parkin' it. Last November I towed in South Texas from Austin to Donna, into a steady 30 mph head wind gusting to 45 and got 7 mpg on one tank, a good reason right there to park it. I usually get 10 to 12 towing depending on the terrain.

The milage issue does not bother me so much, I avoid the side wind or quartering wind shear. I have had a work trailer (not my cyclone) go up on 3 wheels (3 axle trailer) in a side gust with an f450 dually. It slid the rear end of the 11000lb truck over before it settled down. I am pretty sure if I was in a SRW vehicle I would have been on my side.

Since my personal truck is a SRW 4X4, and I only pack a weeks worth of underwear, when it is blowing hard I am parked.