Help before I order.....Can I tow this rig ?

[Abbacus]

I would like some help on picking a Cameo, I have a 09 Dodge Max 2500 SRW 4X4 short bed with the 6.7 Cumm 6 spd Jake brake I weight it 7500lb measured. At 9600 GVW I think I have 2000 LB for pin weight, After I remove the tail gate, install a slide hitch and air bags. Question  can I tow this Cameo ? I really like the 36FWS but it's too much so I think the 35FD3 would work it's pin weight is 2125 LB.

We currently have fulltime for 3 years in a 29ft Class C Jayco Melbourne, it is nice but very limited storage. We are hoping to sell our home in the next 90 days. I retired from the GVT in 07, we will hope to make the big trip to Alaska this year or next. I have been told by my RV friends to just take the Class C to Alaska or find a small 26ft fifth wheel and upgrade next year. I would really like to just upgrade only once. In the past we tow a 34ft Hoilday fulltime for 3 years.

Thanks again for all the help
Bob & Tillie JJ Boxer
K5YPP

[NHIrish]

In a word....no.

[Diesel Hugh]

I would take the Jayco to Alaska and then buy a big unit.  No use beating up you new unit on the Alaskan Highway.
Hugh

[Abbacus]

Diesel Hugh I noticed your tow truck is a 2500 and you have a 35SB3 I really like that unit. Do you think after Alaska I could tow with my 09 Dodge 2500 setup like yours ?
Thanks again for the reply
Bob

[bobnlinda]

having done the alaska trip i also would suggest using the jayco,then trade after that.

[Diesel Hugh]

Lots of 35SB3's are being towed with 3/4 ton Chev., Ford and Dodges.  Some may be over by several hundred lbs. but I've never seen one on the side of the road waiting for a wrecker.
I can't tell mine is behind me on the road. It pulls like a dream
Hugh

[huntram]

With a short bed and a 32FWS what is the best way to go?

1. Order with Mor/Ryde hitch and use a manual slider
2. Order with Mor/Ryde hitch and use an automatic slider (Pullrite)
3. Have a sidewider installed.

Thanks,
Brian

[moo2613]

I have the Morryde and no slider on a short bed dodge.  I can turn as tight as I need to and then some without even getting close.  The old Wildcat actually hit the truck, in the same turn, the Cameo has several inches of clearance.

[gakimoff]

My wife and I just started to consider full timing. We really like the Carri-Lite 36MAX1. It has a dry weight of approx 14500lbs and GVWR of 17000. The 2011 Fords have a max 5th wheel towing capacity of 15800lbs for the shortbed and 20,000+ for the long bed. What has been your experience in sizing your towing vehicle? Should one plan on maximun weight for the 5th wheel? I suspect so if one in full timing. I really prefer the shortbed, but fear the chance of overloading it would be pretty high. Please share your thoughts. What are the problems one could encounter towing a 17000lb rated rig with a truck rated for 15,800lbs? Thanks.

We currently own a 2008 Everest 322R and tow it with 2004 Ford F250 Diesel. Our current truck definitely does not have the towing capacity so we will be upgrading both.

[gtfiver]

Welcome to the forum gakimoff. I'll give you my opinions on this. If the dry weight is 14.5k and you will be full timing, I think it is safe to assume you will be near the 17000 GVWR of the coach. The towing capacity numbers you see in brochures are not very meaningful. Ignore them. The primary numbers you should be considering are the GVWR and GCWR of the truck.

The GVWR will limit how much pin weight you can carry. If you are fully loaded, the pin weight will probably in the neighborhood of 3400 pounds or more. If your truck weighs in the neighborhood of 8000 pounds with passengers and cargo, you will need a GVWR of around 12,000.

The GCWR is the combined weight of truck and coach. With the coach you are considering, if the truck weighs around 8000 pounds and the coach 17,000, you'll need a GCWR of at least 25,000.

I'm not up on the 2011 Ford specs (I have a 2008), but I don't think the short bed SRW  will have these characteristics. You will probably have to go dually long bed, and probably with a higher-than-standard axle ratio (Ford used to call this "tow boss"). The long bed will give you some extra wheelbase, which would be a good thing also.

[eldondr]

Ditto to everything gtfiver said. I have a 2008 Chevy 3500 dually and a 35FD3 Cameo and I'm almost at the max weight with my rig. I took my rig to a scale and had an actual weight of 11,240 lbs on the truck with a GVWR of 11,400. Truck and trailer weighed 22,860 with a GCWR of 23,500. If you are going to be upgrading and fulltiming and want to stay with Ford I would go with nothing smaller than the F450. SAFETY FIRST. Just MHO. Good luck and have fun!!!!!

[swm]

I just picked up my 2011 36 fws with washer & dryer loaded with thermo glass,and all the xtras, love it towed 200 miles no problems.I have 2005 single wheel ram 3500 diesel It has 19.5 wheels, xhaust brake,air-lift bags, preaditor programer. 3.73 gears, 16k superglide hitch,mor-ryde pin box. I ordered g rated goodyears. tires It, pulls better then 2008 3400re big horn. Don,t know why but my wife said I was  much more relaxed pulling the 36fws. Order the one you want,there not much differnt in weight and we  really love are unit.We also  went for independent suspenion and disc brakes. boy does this thing stop! Good Luck If I can help let me know. Jim THomas

[gakimoff]

Thank you all for the towing capacity insights. You confirmed what I suspected. I'll need the F350 dually long bed with the 3.73 axle. That truck will be 5th wheel towing rated for 20,800 lbs. Some one recommended the F450. The F450 only comes with 4.30 axle and is 5th wheel towing rated for 24,000 lbs. A friend of mine warned me that higher axle ratios are inversely proportional to fuel economy. We've done a couple of 2 week long trip from Georgetown, TX (near Austin) to Yellowstone so I know the impact of fuel economy. When we are able to start full timing, I anticipate we will move around alot so fuel economy will be an important factor. There is so much of our great country to see.

[eldondr]

It is true that in most cases the axle ratio is inversely related to fuel economy while running solo but that is not so in the case of towing a heavy load. The lower (4.30) gears will allow the TV to pull with less throttle than the 3.73s and can actually get better fuel economy. What is the GCWR on the F350 you are considering?

[gtfiver]

I got curious and looked this up online. Ford has really upped the towing specs on the 2011 F350 models. With the 3.73 axle ratio and the 6.7L Powerstroke, the DRW has a GCWR of 29,000 and GVWR of 12600 (I think, its kind of confusing). Sounds like it will do the job.