Ford F250

[Enroute]

I too bought my 2010 F350 SRW King Ranch from Woodhouse and they are truly a top notch dealership. Too bad I ended up dumping the Ford due to it being a lemon (another story for another time) but I 2nd Dave's comments on Woodhouse being a superior dealership. They also sell Ram and Chevy, all of their dealers/brands take very good care of their customers.

I also wanted to comment on the Redwood and how heavy they are. Just two weeks ago I traded my 2011 Ram 3500HD SRW in for a 2012 3500HD DRW due to bending the drive shaft and breaking the hanger bearing from towing my 2013 36RL. I have not had the option of towing with the new dually, but from what I've been told it will be night and day above the SRW. I am not trying to tell anyone what to do with their own choices, but I would suggest really looking twice at towing any of the Redwoods with a 3/4 ton truck. Again....just my opinion.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

It's really a shame that Dealers aren't more upfront with regard to the real world weights of these rigs, rather than "Oh, sure you can pull it with that Truck". When we first starting thinking of a 5er I went looking for a 2500 Duramax/Allison Long box with a towing package and couldn't find anything, but the local Dealer offered me a better deal on a 3500 dually than I could get ordering a 2500. Sure am glad I took that deal even tho we didn't get a 5er then, but a larger TT, then when we were ready for a 5er we didn't have to worry about the TV.

I agree....most of the RV dealers will say something like "well the transport guys only use 3/4 ton trucks and they pull them for a living". What they forget to mention is that these trailers come in EMPTY. I had one dealership actually tell me that the average RV only puts 750lbs of additional weight in their RV.

[mhs4771]

Dave, maybe that's 750 Lbs for our 4 legged friends. I know we travel heavy so we have about 3K added to the dry weight. But our rig is fully loaded for long term living and travel at a moments notice. Pots, pans, dinnerware, clothes and most of the time the fridge it loaded. So normally just hookup and go, no taking a day to pack as it's already packed. So we need the dually to handle our 4K pin weight.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

Dave, maybe that's 750 Lbs for our 4 legged friends. I know we travel heavy so we have about 3K added to the dry weight. But our rig is fully loaded for long term living and travel at a moments notice. Pots, pans, dinnerware, clothes and most of the time the fridge it loaded. So normally just hookup and go, no taking a day to pack as it's already packed. So we need the dually to handle our 4K pin weight.

I'm about the same way. We have a pin weight of about 4000 as well. We don't skimp when it comes to loading the trailer, if we think we'll use it we take it along. I figure between the computers, books (I can't get my wife turned onto a Kindle) and my tools we have an extra 800 lbs there.

We've worked too hard to skimp now

[COLJDM]

We have a 2008 Dodge 3500 DRW and have towed our 36FL over 25K miles. The truck performed outstanding, fuel mileage was between 9 - 11 mpg dependent on terrain. We had a double blowout on the passenger side of our 36FL coach (that is another long story regarding E rated tires) and the truck held the coach straight and we safely stopped. I contribute our safety in that situation to the truck. Highly recommend DRW for stability and towing capacity/capability

[Blacklion]

I really don't think a 3/4 ton should be used to pull a 5th wheel. Pulling isn't so much the issue as it stopping. We pulled a Montana with a Duramax Chevy were side-swiped, tearing the side of the truck off and ripping the trailer wide open all along the side. The trailer went up on two wheels, as evidenced by the tire marks, and I believe to this day that the extra tire on the dually was what kept the rig from flipping over. Just my opinion. The extra wheels on the dually make pulling more stable and also provide extra stopping ability in an emergency. I personally don't think anyone should rely on the trailer brakes to stop these heavy trailers. Again, my opinion.

[jlandon13399]

Blacklion,

Thank you for the feedback. I am looking at all options for towing my RW34SK. I know stopping in an emergency requires all the brake power possible. These rigs are heavy which is why I give a lot of space in front of me. Have a great New Year!

[Chad36RL]

Bob,

I have a 2012 F250 Super Duty 6.7 Diesel. I have a 2013 36RL.
I installed air bags to keep truck level.

No generator but tools in front storage.
All tanks empty when traveling. Except for a
litte in black water with chemical.

I have had ZERO problems with tires or torque.
The truck pulls very well, handles very well.

Been to Pennsylvania and back. In their Mountains, no problem.

Hope this helps.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Chad36RL

Bob,

I have a 2012 F250 Super Duty 6.7 Diesel. I have a 2013 36RL.
I installed air bags to keep truck level.

No generator but tools in front storage.
All tanks empty when traveling. Except for a
litte in black water with chemical.

I have had ZERO problems with tires or torque.
The truck pulls very well, handles very well.

Been to Pennsylvania and back. In their Mountains, no problem.

Hope this helps.

Don't know if you noticed or not, but Bobs post was 1 year ago.

[piper guy]

Hi Chad

Glad your rig tows well. The only caution I will make is to have it weighed with a set of individual wheel electronic scales. I also have a 36RL, loaded about the same as you describe (no genset, no W/D). When I got it, I had a 2012 F350 CrewCab Shortbed with the 11,500 GVW package. Pulled the rig ok, but I had this nagging feeling I was overweight. I had added airbags, front and rear Hellwig swaybars, and a steering stabilizer. Power was never an issue.

When I got the rig weighed, I found that I was almost 900 lbs over weight on the truck rear axle. The axle and suspension are not a problem, the limiting factor is the tires. I decided that I didn't really want to chance a tire failure on a single rear tire so traded it for a Dually. best move I made - difference in towing is night and day and it only takes about a week to get used to having "hips".

As the saying goes, your mileage may vary, but I'm just sharing what I found.

[Chad36RL]

Thanks for the info. I do have a washer dryer. So if
you were 900 over I may be more. That's about 450 lbs. per
tire.

[homeguy]

Originally Posted by piperguy

best move I made - difference in towing is night and day and it only takes about a week to get used to having "hips".

HIPS ARE SEXY!

[atom ant]

We towed ours home from Texas with a SRW F350. I hit the scales and we had a bit to spare on the rear axles, but once I loaded the W/D and generator, it was too much.

Now with 12,000 lbs of tire capacity and 9,000 lbs of axle capacity, I can even fill the water tank and stay in an electric only site! That really opened up some possibilities. We would never venture beyond full hookups before.

[rcflame]

I have been pooh poohed many times about my thoughts on TV and towing, whether this is because they don't want to admit the truth, or really aren't that knowledgeable about towing. I know what the GVW and GCW rating of my tow vehicle is, and the GVW, GAW rating of my trailer. I also know, by scaling, what the actual front axle, and rear axle weights of my TV are solo and with the trailer, and what the axle and pin weights are of the trailer. I will not travel with either unit overloaded. Anybody can think what they want, but I believe this has helped keep the wife and I safe and able to enjoy this life style for many year.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by rcflame

I have been pooh poohed many times about my thoughts on TV and towing, whether this is because they don't want to admit the truth, or really aren't that knowledgeable about towing.

Part of the reason you get pooh poohed is there are a lot of over conservative advise givers out there that make you feel like you are unsafe if you don't at least use a locomotive to move a tent trailer. Not saying it's you, but I've had a SRW and I got slammed a lot by those that think the only safe way to tow is with a DRW, regardless of the numbers, so we get a littledefensive when folks say we don't want to admit the truth or don't know what we are doing.

[rcflame]

It doesn't matter if you are SRW, DRW, tandem axle or whatever. What matters is are your weights within the ratings of the TV & RV. If you are, your good. What is bad and dangerous are the ones that figure if the TV can pull the trailer, that's all that matters. They don't care if the can stop it or handle it in an oh s_ _ t situation.

[Chad36RL]

Ok folks. I am a newbie. What are the acronyms?
TV, SRW, DRW, pooh??? Yikes!!!

[johnboytoo]

Tow Vehicle, Single Rear Wheel, Dual Rear Wheel, Doggie Doo :-}

but here's a start - hope this helps:
CG - Campground

FW - 5th wheel trailer

EB - Exhaust Brake

MH - Motorhome
TD - Turbodiesel

HH or TH - Hobby or Toy Hauler
TT - travel/tow trailer

DH - Dear Husband

BIL - Brother In Law
WDH- weight distribution hitch

TW- tongue weight

IIRC - if I recall

DW- dear (or darling) wife

DS- dear son

DD- dear daugther

pup- pop up


http://www.montanaowners.com/Acronyms.html

I especially like SOB



Edited by: johnboytoo

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by rcflame

It doesn't matter if you are SRW, DRW, tandem axle or whatever. What matters is are your weights within the ratings of the TV & RV. If you are, your good. What is bad and dangerous are the ones that figure if the TV can pull the trailer, that's all that matters. They don't care if the can stop it or handle it in an oh s_ _ t situation.

Rodger, I think most of us agree with you but like the old saying goes "what came first the chicken or the egg"....as RVers the question is what comes first the truck or the trailer? If someone reads the Redwood brochure and looks at the numbers for the weights they think they'll be ok with a SRW truck. But after they bring home their new trailer (and their money spent) they find they're a little heavy. Now momma has to like a truck with hips bigger than hers! Not an easy thing to be forced into.

[sinder]

TV - Tow Vehicle
SRW - Single Rear Wheel
DRW - Dual Rear Wheel