Can a 3500 handle this?

[ToddK]

I have an '06 3500 mc 4x4 ctd,g-56, 5" turbo back, sc on tow mode, pac brake and a few other things. I am looking into buying a Fuzion 362 toy hauler. Pin weight is 2820 lbs, dry weight is 12500, gvwr is 17000-18000. Is this too much for this truck? I know a lot of people are towing these types of trailers with the ctd, but I think these numbers are out of the range for this truck. Thoughts please. Thanks.

 

[CUMMINZ]

Put a set of 19. 5s on it and you will be great.

 

[mberry]

Put a set of 19. 5s on it and you will be great.

Physically, yes the truck can handle that load. Depends on whether you are prepared to accept the legal repercussions in case of an accident. Your choice.

 

[Sled Dog]

I have an '06 3500 mc 4x4 ctd,g-56, 5" turbo back, sc on tow mode, pac brake and a few other things. I am looking into buying a Fuzion 362 toy hauler. Pin weight is 2820 lbs, dry weight is 12500, gvwr is 17000-18000. Is this too much for this truck? I know a lot of people are towing these types of trailers with the ctd, but I think these numbers are out of the range for this truck. Thoughts please. Thanks.

NO PROBLEM!!!:-laf:-laf:-laf PM me if you want a great deal on 19. 5s for a SRW.

 

[GAmes]

Physically, yes the truck can handle that load. Depends on whether you are prepared to accept the legal repercussions in case of an accident. Your choice.

I'm wondering what "legal percussions" he would have to accept. If it is registered for the weight and insured according to state standards what else is there? Surely you can't be trying to spread the internet myth that towing over manufacturers GCWR will somehow compromise your insurance coverage. :-laf

 

[HBarlow]

Dry weights can usually be placed in the "wishful thinking" column.



If GVWR of the trailer is 18,000 lbs. that is a very good estimate of what it will weigh when actually in use. Pin weight will be 20% to 25% of gross which is 3,600 lbs. to 4,500 lbs.



Will your truck pull it... ..... yes. Will it be fun to drive... ... NO. But lot's of folks are doing it.



Does your truck have dual rear wheels? How about dually helper springs? If the answer to either question is no my reply would be no, your truck cannot handle that load.



Harvey

 

[EGroeneveld]

Dry weights can usually be placed in the "wishful thinking" column.



If GVWR of the trailer is 18,000 lbs. that is a very good estimate of what it will weigh when actually in use. Pin weight will be 20% to 25% of gross which is 3,600 lbs. to 4,500 lbs.



Will your truck pull it... ..... yes. Will it be fun to drive... ... NO. But lot's of folks are doing it.



Does your truck have dual rear wheels? How about dually helper springs? If the answer to either question is no my reply would be no, your truck cannot handle that load.



Harvey

This is incorrect for a toy hauler. They are built to have a huge weight carrying capacity, think Jeeps or dune buggies or 8 quads fitting in one. The dry weight is still usually incorrect but if all your putting in it will be two quads the weight will be closer to 14-15k for most of these large toy haulers. A regular rv trailer is a differnt story, many times their allowance for carrying anything is usually just around 1,000 pounds or less. You should however get its weight before buying.



I personally bought a dually for hauling a trailer of this size. I personally would not haul it with a single rear wheel truck. I'm sure you can and many do, but their is reason for dually's and this is one of them. For my taste's you would be on the edge.

 

[TBittner]

My buddy has a 2005 3500 4x4 6-speed 4:10 single rear wheel jake brake and 5'' exhaust, last year he weighed out at the scales at 30,312 pounds truck and trailer combined. The truck pulled it with no problems. Stopping is whats scary with the jake it really helped out a lot but still is kind of scary. Oh and he was hauling topsoil in a dump trailer that was a bumper pull. I dont think its the safest thing to do, i would not recommend it.

 

[HBarlow]

... ... ... ..... This is incorrect for a toy hauler... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .....

If you had written, "I disagree" I would have simply ignored your post. But since you wrote "this is incorrect" I will explain, for the benefit of others who might read this and make decisions based on it, why my post was not "incorrect. "



I have visited several RV manufacturing plants over the years since the early '70s. None I have toured have an actual scale for weighing their products. The empty weight of a particular model provided by RV manufacturers is at best an engineer's calculated or estimated theoretical weight. At worst, it is influenced by marketing reasons and is deliberately lower than actual shipping weight. It is never/very rarely accurate because it is based on a unit with no options. It is safer to assume that every trailer is delivered weighing more than the dry weight listed in brochures.



Assuming the trailer actually weighs more than the manufacturer's stated weight then adding one air conditioner, two television sets, a generator, and various other options or accessories like gas tanks and electric pumps, additional batteries, and a spare tire and wheel would probably easily add 1,000 to 1,500 lbs.



Then, when you fill the propane tanks and water tank, add food (canned, packaged and refrigerated), clothing, bedding, and personal items to the living compartment an additional 1,000 lbs. to 1,500 lbs. or more has been added.



I have no idea how the original poster would use his toy hauler but if his family has several quads and/or motorcycles weighing 600-700 lbs. each that is likely to be another 2,000 to 3,000 lbs. added.



Toyhaulers I have pulled have gasoline tanks and electric transfer pumps, hoses, and a nozzle. Gasoline weighs what, 5-6 lbs. per gallon? I never paid any attention to the size of toyhauler gas tanks but assuming the tank is at least 20 gallons the tank, gasoline, transfer pump, hardware and plumbing would add another 200-300 lbs.



Folks who use toyhaulers and haul their toys to the desert carry tools, helmets, safety equipment and clothing, possibly spare parts, and various other items. I would estimate another 500 to 1,000 lbs.



I'm not going to add the weight of the items I listed because they are only educated guesses or estimates but as I said, dry weights are best placed in the "wishful thinking" column. Experienced RVers know that the GVWR of any unit is likely to be a very good estimate of it's traveling weight.



I weighed my own Hitchhiker 5er recently. The manufacturer said its dry weight was something like 12,500# and king pin weight something like 2,500#. With only modest loading it scaled 14,000 lbs. and the kingpin weight was 3,600#. It has two ac units, one over the front bedroom, and an Onan 5. 5KW generator, neither of which are included in the dry weight.



Each to his own. If someone decides to pull such a trailer it is not my concern. My only interest is in providing answers I believe to be accurate and correct when someone asks a question.



Harvey

 

[klenger]

The Mega Cab is a very heavy truck, leaving little capacity for loads. I suspect you would be well over the truck's GVWR. It's up to you to decide if that's OK.



As I understand toy haulers, the highest hitch weight is likely to be when the trailer is empty (no toys) as the trailer load for the toys is behind the trailer axle, which would reduce the hitch weight.

 

[mberry]

I'm wondering what "legal percussions" he would have to accept. If it is registered for the weight and insured according to state standards what else is there? Surely you can't be trying to spread the internet myth that towing over manufacturers GCWR will somehow compromise your insurance coverage. :-laf

No, no I would never intentionally perpetuate a myth!! I just think that with as many people there are that will sue you for looking at them wrong, it's not a bad idea to keep that in mind. On the other hand, perhaps that state won't allow you to register it for that weight?

 

[jelag]

HBarlow... . good comment... .

I own several 3500 dually's... . one, and 04 pulled a trailer that weighted close to 20K lbs every time it left... it had power disc brakes..... the only time we felt the truck was shy of power was going up a 6% grade over the grape vine and over the mountains in I-15 N and I-90 West to Spokane... the pacbrake held the load going down hill.....

We felt we never had enough brakes in heavy LA traffic... . we just couldn't keep enough space in front to be really happy... . we never had truck problems based on the way we treated it... when the truck got to 250K miles we made it an in town truck..... and now use a larger truck on the old route.....

The 3500 dually with an exhaust brake went 160K miles before its first brake job and might have gone further but it was in for service so we did the brakes... .

One of my other trucks, tows my 15K lb 5er with ease... I know its 15K as we've scaled it... just like we used to scale the work truck and trailer... . BTW I said trailer weights above, this doesn't include the truck with a 100 gal tank in the bed... . each of us that drove it have a class A CDL... ... .

 

[GAmes]

No, no I would never intentionally perpetuate a myth!! I just think that with as many people there are that will sue you for looking at them wrong, it's not a bad idea to keep that in mind.

You can be sued, and lose your life savings, even if you are totally in the right. I can tell you a story about a long time friend of mine who it happened to... ..... oh, and he is 100% disabled now too, because of the incident. If you live in fear of what might happen you will live a pretty boring life.

 

[hsmith]

Definition on a crying shame is a bus load of ambulance chasers going over a clifff with two empty seats!!!



Hello Gary

 

[mberry]

You can be sued, and lose your life savings, even if you are totally in the right. I can tell you a story about a long time friend of mine who it happened to... ..... oh, and he is 100% disabled now too, because of the incident. If you live in fear of what might happen you will live a pretty boring life.

I definitely don't live in fear anymore. After almost being killed several times, some of them my own fault, I don't have much fear anymore. That doesn't mean I'm reckless either.

 

[GAmes]

Definition on a crying shame is a bus load of ambulance chasers going over a clifff with two empty seats!!!

Ya got that right Smitty, especially in TX. It took 7 years to get the plaintiffs off his back. They didn't get a dime, the lawyers did.