3/4 or 1 ton

[Rick and Mindy]

the debate continues. As said before, it is very important to have the weights to determine if your tow vehicle is adequate or not. When I purchased my 31SL I pulled it home with a 2004 Dodge 2500 and it pulled fine but when I weighed the rig at the CAT scales I found out that I was over the Gross Combined Weight Rating of the 2500. I was also over the weight on the rear axle. I really did not want to go the Dually route so after much research I determined that the 1 ton Ford would satisfy my needs. After weighing the rig hooked up to the 2011 F350 CC SRW I determined that I was within all ratings a
nd the 1 ton will do the job I need. Here are my weights:

Truck only: Steer axle 4700
Drive Axle 3360
Gross weight 8060

Truck and 31SL: Steer axle 4760
Drive axle 5740
Trailer axle 10740
Gross weight 21240

Gross Trailer weight figures to be 13,180 lbs.
Pin weight figures to be 2400 lbs.

I will mention that the weights were with a full tank of diesel fuel, and my wife and I in the cab. We are careful in what we travel with and are probably much lighter in trailer weight as a result.

[Jim & Mary]

I think this is our #1 hot button issue. We try and offer our experience as having gone through towing our RW's with both SRW and DRW 1 ton trucks. Piper guy and me (and probably others) have traded perfectly good SRW trucks (mine was still under warranty) for the reasons that Vaughan has stated. I can tell you that I've got about the same number of miles on our RW with the SRW and the DRW, and there is just no comparison to the feel and stability that the dually provides. Notwithstanding the facts of overweights on the TV rear axle.

[superduty glampers]

Number 1 hot button? I call it BULLING, the same 6-8 people jump all over this,usually with in minutes of the question being asked. The funny part is most of the time the question asks "Is anyone using a 3/4-1 ton SRW to tow a RW?" Out of all the people using a SRW truck nobody posts, because these people start BULLING them for using a SRW truck and there just tied of hearing it. Last year it was tires, "you got to get G rated tires" now it's "you got to have H rated tires" my electric brakes stop my camper just fine but don'the worry if I don't changer them to disks, I'LL be treated like a second rate citizen. If you traded in a perfectly good truck because YOU didn't feel comfortable then that's on you, I won't be bullied into a DRW because I don't want a DRW. July 12th will be 2 yrs I've been pulling this RW with my F-250, I'm sitting at Lazy Days Tampa,1000 miles from home and my truck did it with ease. By the way there are 3 RW'S here and 2 are being pulled by F-250s.

[piper guy]

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. You CAN ride a motorcycle without a helmet, you CAN ride in a car without a seatbelt.
It's not about Bullying. You stir the pot when you make the allegations that you are perfectly fine in the 250 towing one of these big girls and then you acknowledge that you haven't had her weighed.

Again, can you tow the rig, yes, obviously you can. So did I for 8 months. All I can say is I will never question my decision to upgrade to a Dually.

[mhs4771]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

About the only RW you can get by with a 250/2500 class TV is the 31SL and that's only if you pack light.

Sorry I ever made this post as I didn't mean to start such a debate, But I still stand behind my statement. Friends at our winter park were pulling their 31 SL with a Chevy 2500 till they ran across the scales and saw how much over they were on the TV, their now using a 3500 SRW and within all numbers.
Our 36RL was 14K before we added the first paper plate, or 39MB left the factory at 15.5K.

[travelin' texans]

As far as I'm concerned they can tow with whatever they see fit as long as their accident due to overloading doesn't involve me or mine!

[Shane Wood]

Cool
Now the Ford guys are at each other

[Dan]

Ha Ha as my father said, there will always be people who insist on pushing the limit. I remember there was a guy in our neighbourhood who took his 6 kids everywhere in a car because he didn't like minivans. Let me see if my math is correct, now that would add up to 2 per seat belt

Just saying

[xtasee]

I did not want to post this until I had the real numbers. Here is how my 2017 31SL weighs in. Keep in mind this is the "Baby Redwood".

The brochure shows 12,120 lbs and a pin weight of 2,265.

I ordered the 31 because I already had a newer 3/4 ton Duramax and the other trailer I was looking at first (36FB) really needed more truck.

I ordered the options I wanted (listed below) but do NOT have the residential package, Washer/Dryer or Dishwasher.

I loaded my camping stuff (not much) like chairs, mats, grille, propane, a few tools etc. and we were careful to not have heavy kitchenware. Mostly plastic or paper. This weight is with the water tanks mostly empty. No clothes

The Trailer weighed in at 14,650, and the pin at 2,580. So much using factory weights....

The airbags I added, and running 75 lbs of pressure in them, really helped the stability and it tows very nicely. The disc brakes on the trailer make a HUGE difference comparing it to my boat. In my opinion if you are towing with a lighter (than a DRW) truck, you really will love the extra security of the brakes.

The issue is the truck tires. I have 305/55 R20 tires rated at 3195 each. With the Superglide hitch and 3/4 tank of fuel, the drive axle weighs in at 6060 leaving 330 pounds for extra pin weight.

That puts me under but not by much.

We are very careful now with where we load extra stuff. Because we ordered the 8K axles and H tires, the trailer is way under GVW ( by 3K lbs). The truck tires not so much...

[CampAddict]

Hello all, I have a 1999 Ford F-350 dually 1 ton and am currently using this truck to pull a 31sl. The truck is in excellent shape that has air bags and the truck has been entirely gone through. Two wheel drive truck with new tires, brakes, shocks, clutch fan, 4 inch pipes, exhaust brakes, and all new fluids. All this done to tow my 31sl. Now my 1999 dually is rated to pull 13,500 lbs. and that's what it was back then and I know the newer later model trucks pulls a whole lot more. This truck has low miles; 114,000 to be exact.
My 31sl is a 2014 that I bought new for the purpose of camping only, which I try to take out every other month. Will eventually buy a later model truck and when I do I'm seriously considering purchasing a F-350 SWD since I'm pulling a 31sl or do I need to jump back into a dually. And the other question I have, is it necessary to have disc brakes on a 31sl? Have yet to weigh my trailer but I don't carry much.

[piper guy]

Well .... This becomes mostly personal choices. The SRW will handle a 31SL fine as far as weight, control, etc. just make sure it has the full tow package and a appropriate rear axle. My son and I were looking at new F350 SRW at the dealers yesterday and found that quite a few of them had a 3.31 axle . This is fine for fuel economy but for towing it needs to be a 3.55 or 3.73. Don't know about Ram or GM but I'm thinking the trucks would be similar. The biggest thing you will notice is stability and general "feel" going from the Dually to the SRW. Not saying it will be unsafe, just saying the feel will be different.

The brakes are a judgement call based on how you use it and where you drive. I can say I've driven the same rig with and without disc brakes and will never own a fifth wheel again without disc brakes. They've saved my butt several times and going down grades now is never a concern, even some 12% ones we found in Canada a coupl of weeks ago.

[CampAddict]

Good point about the axle, I'm running 4:10 I think 3:73 is about as far as I want drop down to. Your suggestion about the disc brakes is something I will have to do. Every since I upgraded my tires to the G rated tires, my RW rides harder so now I'm looking into upgrading my suspension with possibility of doing the Moryde SRE 4000 and also need to research shocks for the RW. I have the Trailer Saver TS3 but I seem to experience some chucking when braking and wondering if the airbags of the TS3 is causing that.

[piper guy]

Which Pinbox does your 31SL have ? If it has the airbag equipped Tri Glide that is probably a big part of your chucking issue with the TS3. From everything I've read, the airbags don't play well with each other. You can have them on the hitch or on the Pinbox but not a good idea to do both. .

[Rick and Mindy]

Originally Posted by CampAddict

Good point about the axle, I'm running 4:10 I think 3:73 is about as far as I want drop down to. Your suggestion about the disc brakes is something I will have to do. Every since I upgraded my tires to the G rated tires, my RW rides harder so now I'm looking into upgrading my suspension with possibility of doing the Moryde SRE 4000 and also need to research shocks for the RW. I have the Trailer Saver TS3 but I seem to experience some chucking when braking and wondering if the airbags of the TS3 is causing that.

For information, I do have a 2011 F350 SRW with the 3:31 rear end and I have pulled my 31SL approximately 4000 miles and the truck pulls it like a dream. Prior to purchase. I checked with a Ford mechanic and asked about the differences between the 3:55 and 3:31 and was told it was minor. All the tow ratings I could find gave the same ratings for the 3:31 as the 3:55. As for the G rated tires, according to most tire manufacturers (I checked with Ron-Titan Guy on this) recommend tire pressures based on the weight of the vehicle. I am putting G's on mine and I will probably run them with between 95-100 psi which should soften the ride some.

[superduty glampers]

Originally Posted by Rick and Mindy

For information, I do have a 2011 F350 SRW with the 3:31 rear end and I have pulled my 31SL approximately 4000 miles and the truck pulls it like a dream. Prior to purchase. I checked with a Ford mechanic and asked about the differences between the 3:55 and 3:31 and was told it was minor. All the tow ratings I could find gave the same ratings for the 3:31 as the 3:55. As for the G rated tires, according to most tire manufacturers (I checked with Ron-Titan Guy on this) recommend tire pressures based on the weight of the vehicle. I am putting G's on mine and I will probably run them with between 95-100 psi which should soften the ride some.

Why bother asking a mechanic? I'm a FORD mechanic at the Super Duty plant that's all I work on is Super Duty. I sat down with 2 Super Duty engineers a build sheet and a RW brochure to order my truck, but the truck pro's on this forum know more.

[travelin' texans]

Cool! All you Ford guys just got promoted to pros! Congratulations!!

[bergeman]

This is cool, I'm starting to get interested in my truck. Does any body know how to open the hood on my GMC so I can see what the engine looks like? I believe that where it is at.

[Shane Wood]

Pull inside release lift up 3" and you will see a latch you press. Apparently you didn't do a very good inspection when you got it. The GMC motors are in the back above the rear axle I have a flathead 8 and fits under the box

[CampAddict]

Originally Posted by piper guy

Which Pinbox does your 31SL have ? If it has the airbag equipped Tri Glide that is probably a big part of your chucking issue with the TS3. From everything I've read, the airbags don't play well with each other. You can have them on the hitch or on the Pinbox but not a good idea to do both. .

I have the Roto flex but I still experience some chucking when braking. My 31 SL was in for service and they had to replace the brakes because of grease issues. Brakes were adjusted. We went for a test drive in my dually and still experiencing chucking when braking and sometimes when accelerating. To isolate the problem we used there service truck which was a 2006 F-250 with a 20,000 lb Reese hitch and experience no chucking which makes the TS3 suspect. It may be a Trailer Saver but I've seem to be given up ride comfort when braking. The only other possibility could be that I might have too much air pressure in the bag because it was not exactly centered on the shaft of the TS3. If I remember correctly, I have 70 lbs of air pressure in the bags which I'm known to keep 60 lbs in the bags.

[RollsRoyce]

What is your rear GAWR on your Suramax