HELP! Weight and Specs help needed to make decision

[RBellah]

I posted a couple weeks ago as a first time Fifth wheel buyer and so on. I bought the RV online guide and have spent many hours reading the do's and dont's. I have found a very nice and clean 2006 SunnyBrook LX 31BWKS that appears to be a good buy and per ratings this is one great unit. My questions about this unit is it going to be to heavy for my 2006 Dodge 2500 QC short bed 4x4 Cummins 3:73 ratio automatic?

I am having a hard time finding the specs online from the Sunnybrook website on older models but I seen a 2009 model that says the dry weight is 11,700 Hitch weight 2298 and Gross weight 15,000. Help me out here so I can get serious on this one or move on. I am seeing most of the better units are heavier and around the 10k range when dry. Thanks in advance for all your expert opinions and honesty!

 

[HBarlow]

All you have to know about a fifth wheel you are considering is the GVWR which is posted on the front leftside of the trailer. That is the maximum weight the trailer was designed to weigh and is also the realistic weight when it is loaded for ordinary travel with your personal items, food, clothing, fresh water, etc.

A normal fifth wheel will carry 20% to 25% of its gross weight on the kingpin.

Assuming that the model you are considering is similar to the '09 specs you found the trailer you asked about will weigh 15,000 lbs. ready for the road and put between 3000 lbs. and 3,750 lbs. on the rear axle of your truck.

That trailer is probably too large and too heavy for a Ram 2500. A short wheel base truck is not as capable as a long wheel base for towing a heavy fifthwheel and a 3. 73 gearset is a poor choice.

Yes, your truck can move the trailer just as well as a dually. Will it carry the kingpin weight safely? At best it will be marginal. After you add a full tank of fuel, fifthwheel hitch, passengers, etc. you will most likely be overloaded on the rear tires. Without a slider hitch or extended kingpin the trailer will strike the cab of your truck when you make a 90* turn. You will eventually forget the trailer is on and it will strike the cab. A 4. 10 gear set is a far better choice for heavy towing and an exhaust brake is minimum equipment as is a MaxBrake controller.

Now you can listen to all the "little truck defenders" who will squeal with anger in defense of Ram 2500s because they pull heavy trailers with their baby trucks and haven't crashed yet.

 

[RBellah]

Per Dodge the max tow weight for my truck shows 13k so I was thinking with the dry weight of this trailer being 11,700 I was almost already there and that was why I was asking. Sunnybrook looks like a nice unit... . and the weight on most of their high end models are heavy. Back to looking again... . there are a lot of two star rated trailers out there but only a few at 4 star like this Sunnybrook.



Thanks for your help Harvey and I probably will also need some opinions on the the fifth wheel purchase too. I like the B&W companion with the flush ball but not sure that is the best way to go with my short bed truck for short radius turns. That probably should be my next step is to get this done so when I find one I can at least tow it right?

 

[HBarlow]

Ron,

This product is a good and practical solution to the challenge of towing a fiver with a short bed truck. PopUp RV5 King-Pin Extender for Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer It is inexpensive to buy, simple to use --- no moving parts, strong and durable. A friend has used it on his Ram 3500 to tow a 12k fiver for about five years now. Several companies, Reese among them, manufacture slider hitches. I've never used one.

You will be happier over the duration of your ownership experience with a trailer weighing an absolute maximum of 13,000 but around 12k will be better. Our Rams, all of them, will tow heavy trailers, and some do it and will loudly defend their choices. But your truck will strain and you'll feel the strain. You'll also feel the lack of comfortable control sometimes and worry. If you buy a heavy one you'll quickly be back talking about an expensive set of 19. 5" wheels and tires, airbags, and a transmission rebuild/upgrade. Total cost will be close to $10k. Those situations detract from the pleasure of owning and traveling with your family in your fifthwheel.

I don't know any details about Sunnybrook products but as far as I know they are good products. Surely they build some lighter ones. Actually, 15k sounds heavy for a 31' model. Check the weight on the VIN tag of the actual trailer you are considering. Ignore the dry weight. New trailers weigh considerably more than their dry weight the day they leave the factory before a single item is placed inside.

Arctic Fox builds a good practical fifthwheel in more modest sizes that are better for Ram 2500s. HitchHiker builds HHII or HH LS models that are better choices for Class 2 trucks. See NuWa's website and look at their used inventory: NuWa Industries, Inc.

I strongly recommend the purchase and installation of a MaxBrake controller before you even negotiate for a fifthwheel. Southwest Wheel Company Steel and Aluminum Truck Wheels You can read many satisfied owner reports by TDR members here in the forums.

You sound like someone who is objective and actually wants to make an informed purchase not one of the many guys who has already decided to make an impulse buy and is here looking for members to agree with him and tell him he can tow the too large trailer. I'll be happy to answer your questions if I can.

You'll need a bs filter for some of the opinions you'll receive here and you should also filter my opinions through your own desires, budget, and interests.

 

[AH64ID]

The biggest thing effecting your ability to haul that size of a trailer is the pin weight. The curb weight on your rear axle is about 2,700 lbs. That only gives you 3,200 lbs of load before the tires are overloaded, and the hitch isn't light and will take from that, as will passengers. So it will be very close.



With airbags you would be just as stable and supported as a 3500 SRW truck, with the same main leafs (overloads are only difference, and they are pretty pointless), brakes, frame, etc. So it's more of a SRW limit than a DRW limit. Don't let the fact that it's a 2500 deter you, other than the sticker its really the same truck as a 3500 SRW, so anything a 3500 SRW can safely do you can do in a 2500 with airbags.



I suggest that you get your truck setup for towing a 5er, if its not, and hit the scales to see what your weights are. This will give you an idea of what you can shop for.



As for the truck I highly suggest an exhaust brake and airbags. A good brake controller is a must, Hbarlow mentioned the MaxBrake which is a top of the line brake; personally, I prefer an intertial sytle brake when used in conjunction with an exhaust brake becuae it brakes in realation to the trucks deceleration not pedal position and the truck's deceleration is always greater with an exhaut brake.

 

[RVTRKN]

Here is something I found (click on Sunnybrook) that maybe even the one your looking at. The reason its so heavy, is the three slides it has. HBarlow is right about the data plate and if 15K is the GVWR you will want to have it weighed for the actual weights. If its not close to you I would keep on looking, it would be too far for being unsure. The way you can haul heavy with the 2500, would be to keep your tanks empty except for toilet use. But this is only practical if your going to Campsites only, with hookups, where you can drain your tanks before you leave. Look at 4th gen Forum, "5th wheel tow ratings for 2011 Ram 2500" that might help a bit.



http:2006 SunnyBrook 31bwks



Look at my old truck in sig, it was capable of the Arctic Fox listed there, in fact, if you look at the 4th gen Forum thread, the weights for it, is in the attachments.

 

[Wertles]

I have a Reese slider for my mega cab and it is very easy to use and I have yet to hit the cab. I have however nailed the tailgate so be forewarned. Now I just leave the tailgate at home. If you decide to go with this type of set up I was told by my installer to go with the round tube slider instead of the square tube slider because those have a tendency to bind up. I don't have any experience with the square but my round tube has been flawless. I did get away without one for a year but when traveling to unknown places, I needed that additional piece of mind knowing I could get into and out of tight places.
When I get the long bed, a B&W will be going in for sure.

 

[MChrist]

With that heavy a trailer, I would be concerned with a shortbed SRW. With a long bed, I would have to try it before commenting on it, but I would certainly feel most confident in a long bed dually, 3500-4500.

 

[RBellah]

Thanks guys for all your feedback... . you start to get the itch and it takes some honest-experienced, been there done that help... and weight really is something I want to make sure of on my choices. Slide outs probably add a lot of weight as someone stated above. I am looking the the Artic Fox 27-5L (website) and that looks like a well built unit with the correct balance for my 2500 SWB. I also noticed Artic Mountain Fifth wheel on their website. I am not seeing any dealers here in Texas for the Artic Fox... . probably need to start another thread to see if anyone knows where I should go from here on that brand. Don't give up on me yet... Thks!

 

[HBarlow]

Ron,

You should be able to search the Arctic Fox website and find a list of dealers.

If you are interested in used take a look at PPL's website. A Houston dealer. I've never been to their store but I have been told that they do a huge volume of consignment sales of used RVs and are honest and fair to deal with. Lots of folks purchase expensive RVs then either discover they don't know how to tow, don't enjoy RVing, or can't afford them. Some are like new and deeply discounted if you know how to buy.

Keep in mind, if you find the unit you want it doesn't make a lot of difference where it is. They all have wheels under them. Have your hitch (or extended kingpin on the trailer) and your brake controller installed before you're ready to purchase. All that is required is a few days of vacation time from work (assuming your're not retired) to go pick your new fiver up. Lots of folks do that and make the pick up trip their first RVing vacation. I ordered and bought my HitchHiker in Kansas even though I lived in Lubbock at the time and there is a Lubbock HH dealer.

You'll need this extension also: Draw-Tite Fifth Wheel and Gooseneck Wiring Harness with 7-Pole - Dodge with Factory Tow Package Draw-Tite Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring 20111 It plugs into the back of your OEM seven pin connector and extends the seven pin up to a convenient location in the bed.

 

[RVTRKN]

Thunder RV in La Grand, Oregon was the dealer I bought my used Arctic Fox from (consignment) and they are walking distance from Northwoods Manufacturing where they are built. You might want to give them a call. I had to travel from SoCal to get mine in the middle of winter. (good thing I had a Brakesmart controller)

 

[Barry]

What are you going to do about OEM tire limits?

 

[damar]

Sunnybrook 2004 31BWKS

Looking at the 2004 info it's:



32'6" long

12'6" height

8' 2. 5" wide

7'5" interior height

1890 lb dry hitch weight

10,315 lb dry gross weight

15,000 lb CVWR

4685 lb carry capacity

46" hitch weight

35M BTU furnace

Air Cond not listed as standard equip. Add weight to above.



*** All dry and hitch weights apply to standard models without options added.



Hope this gives you enough info to make an decision.