Towing a 38RL

Jimni5er · 04-08-2015, 01:07 AM

I have a 2011 2500HD 6.6 Diesel crew cab, 4x4 with air bags & exhaust brake. It states that it will tow a 16,700# 5th wheel in the spec. book. The maxium weight for the 38RL is 16,500. I've noticed that most of you have 1 ton DRW trucks. I don't want to trade trucks if I don't have to. I would just like your opinions if my truck could tow the 38RL safely. Thanks Jim

homeguy · 04-08-2015, 01:13 AM

Take a look over the past issues. This has been addressed many times and no official conclusion. Take the risk if you want. Just remember, their is a difference between spec book and real life.

mhs4771 · 04-08-2015, 01:27 AM

Any of the Big Three Diesels will pull an RW, the question is can you carry the pin weight. 36RL have been pushing 4K plus pin weights, so I doubt that the 38RL will be any lighter. There are several members who traded nearly new 350/3500 SRW TVs for a Dually after towing their 36RL home.

Radio_Flyer · 04-08-2015, 01:34 AM

As said above, risky with that weight. I in a one ton SRW with my 36rl. We aren't full timers, so we generally travel light, just about a 1/2 tank fresh water. I pull it easily and stop well. If we were full timing, it would be close to being over my limit. If I upgrade to the 38rl, it will be a dually. Yes you can tow it, stopping iffy.

Jimni5er · 04-08-2015, 02:18 AM

Thanks for all the info. Guess now I get to go look at trucks. Xmas is going to come early.

Shane Wood · 04-08-2015, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio_Flyer

As said above, risky with that weight. I in a one ton SRW with my 36rl. We aren't full timers, so we generally travel light, just about a 1/2 tank fresh water. I pull it easily and stop well. If we were full timing, it would be close to being over my limit. If I upgrade to the 38rl, it will be a dually. Yes you can tow it, stopping iffy.

I have 36rl and we are about 17000. I have a 3500 Srw and pulls it like a dream. The only issue I had was stopping. When I replaced the electric drum brakes ( covered in grease) with the new Titan Hydraulic discs I now have to have the controller set correctly or it will put us through the winshield.

Radio_Flyer · 04-08-2015, 02:32 AM

Shane, that is on my list to do. It always feels like my truck is doing most of the braking.

**Dave&Ginny** · 04-08-2015, 02:51 AM

As was said earlier.....it's the weight of the pin that's the problem. Putting too much weight on the 2 rear tires can be a problem. As I've posted many times, I had a 1 year old srw F350 that I got rid of quickly after buying the Redwood. These are nice trailers but they are pin heavy. The good news is that the pin weight makes these trailers pull extremely well in most conditions.

RWJSIM2003 · 04-08-2015, 03:29 AM

When we started looking at RW,s frost thing I realized was my srw 350 would at its limit. I looked around and found our F450 which pulls it with ease. Now that we used the DRW don't think I would ever go back.

**piper guy** · 04-08-2015, 02:12 PM

Add one more to Dave and RWJ. I also traded an almost new SRW F350 for the Dually. Will never go back.

Biggest thing with SRW as Dave said, the RL is pin heavy. Even without gen and washer dryer (which at that time we were), you will be overweight on the red axle and especially the tires. I was never comfortable pulling knowing the tires were overloaded.

Do a Dually

EandLTeam · 04-11-2015, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhs4771

Any of the Big Three Diesels will pull an RW, the question is can you carry the pin weight. 36RL have been pushing 4K plus pin weights, so I doubt that the 38RL will be any lighter. There are several members who traded nearly new 350/3500 SRW TVs for a Dually after towing their 36RL home.

We did exactly that. When we towed our 2014 36rl home 1000 miles from the dealer with our 2011 Ram 3500 Diesel srw, we didn't have any trouble towing, however we did feel the side winds more than we liked. In the week before we left to go south for this winter, we traded our truck in for a new 2014 Ram 3500 drw. Wow, what a difference! Way more power for the hills and so much more stable in the big winds! Furthermore, we really were over the max. payload and total combined truck and trailer weight specs with our 2011 Ram. On our way north, we weighed in at Seven Feathers in Oregon after filling with fuel and our combined weight was 26,000 lbs. We calculated our pin weight at just under 4000 lbs.
So glad we upgraded our tow vehicle to the right one for the job!
(2014 Redwood 36rl, washer, dryer fully loaded, about 1/2 tank fresh water, empty black/gray tanks, full of fuel.
2014 Ram 3500 drw, Curt 20K manual slider)

atom ant · 04-13-2015, 07:23 PM

Unfortunately we had to go to dually space, which also meant long bed. I shed a tear for my 1 ton short bed.

Jimni5er · 04-13-2015, 09:23 PM

Thanks to everybody for your replies. I'm with you atom ant. I've been looking at duallies and I get a sick feeling in my stomach about trading my truck in. But I know that I'll be a lot sicker if she doesn't get the 38RL she's got her eye on. Such is life. Thanks again, Jim

EandLTeam · 04-14-2015, 12:01 AM

We loved our Ram 3500 srw shortbed too. It was a beautiful truck and we had put a roll'n'lock tonneau cover on it, sprayed in bedliner and had airbags installed, not to mention brand new tires...just before trade in!
Very sad to see it go, but we quickly appreciated the benefits of the dually once we started hauling with it.

Char & Steve · 04-16-2015, 12:29 AM

I didn't want a long bed either but we needed a Dually...so I had to say goodbye to my 2013 Range Rover Evoque. Someone had to trade and it was me Steve got to keep his Jeep. I told him as soon as his box truck is paid off he gets my truck payment

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