My truck is heavy...

[HBarlow]

When I got my new TT, it has a 1500 lb tongue weight. I had to change to a Titan class V, and also had to get a 2 1/2 inch ballmount (drawbar) to make sure I maintained the rating. Using my old 2 inch ballmount with a sleeve, would not carry the day. Just my . 02.

On edit - Harvey - you were absolutely right on your suggestion that I order my new truck with 4. 10's. I just got to Pahrump, and the trip down from Canada was just the best. I hand calculated the mileage driving around 65 mph, and then 75 mph. I found very little difference, with three tanks being in the 17. 4 mpg range. Even though I haven't normally been watching mileage (another of your suggestions), I thought people at the Madness might be interested in what I have noticed so far.
The only complaint - I wish I didn't have to remember to push the exhaust brake switch every time I start the truck. It would sure be nice if Dodge came out with a software patch to do this automatically since running with the brake is reported to enhance turbo operation (prevent sooting it up)

Great! I'm always happy to hear back from a fellow TDR member who has found the advice I offered was accurate.

One of the small details I appreciate on my cab and chassis is once the exhaust brake button is pressed to activate it remains on forever. It is too bad the pickup trucks don't do the same.

 

[CUMMINZ]

One of the first things I noticed was how light his front axle was. "4300#s". With a bumper tow that will mean it is lifting your front end which will hurt your handling. #@$%!

 

[KLauber]

One of the first things I noticed was how light his front axle was. "4300#s". With a bumper tow that will mean it is lifting your front end which will hurt your handling. #@$%!

I was surprised by that as well. Maybe the generator is a foot or two far forward? It doesn't affect the handling when empty. I discussed changing out the big poly tank with 2 smaller ones with the owner. Also I have to visit McElrath trailers tomorrow to pick their brains.



Ken

 

[MAshley]

Well there is only one way to see and that is to weight the front with and with out a trailer . . But in my experiance that is about right weight wise...



Lugging a trailer that tipped the scalles by itself at 14,000 lbs on a bumber pull hitch I would see 1500 lbs of toung weight. with and with out the trailer the front axle saw 0 change. 1500 lbs is well within the rear springs weight ability so I don't see how it could lever the front end up, I could see it happen if you were on the bump stops.



So I want to see what options of GN trailers you have been looking at.

 

[KLauber]

McElrath will convert it to a GN for very little money. Just have to get the owners blessing first.

Ken

 

[NIsaacs]

A bumper pull trailer will "always" take weight off the front axle of your tow vehicle. The amount will be in a direct relation to the amount on the ball, the amount of overhang from the center of the rear axle to the ball and the wheel base of the tow vehicle. This is without a weight distributing hitch.



With a weight distributing hitch you can control the weight placement.



Nick

 

[MAshley]

So I have to ask. . Now that you have a 3500 Dully how has anything changed compared to your 2500? Your scale tickets are pretty much the same, actually not surprising… in fact the front axle is within 20 lbs. and rear is pretty close once you take the 300 lbs of carbon, 50 gallons of H20 and the extra tires and bed. Of the dully scale ticket.



Please don’t take this the wrong way but even with the dully your still unable to haul 600 gallons of water and your way over your bumper pull hitch setup in stock form.

I don’t know what your previous truck axle ratings and GVW were at compared to your scale tickets but I kind of feel like everyone is “Happy” now with your setup but in reality until you have a GN setup your really not ahead any with the Dully the way I’m looking at things. I obviously do not know your financial situation or desires for trucks but I personally believe you may have been able to change to a GN trailer without a new truck. Still no water but I think I would take a 2500 with a GN trailer over, having to buy a 3500 and still the same trailer. Obviously if you already wanted a new truck then ok but on a serious note until you have a GN setup and more than likely move that tank back I don’t see you any safer than before. And in fact stopping wise you maybe at a disadvantage with the dully “less PSI on the tires”



And before you say I’m just talking out of my *** I have a 3500 dully and towed 14K worth of trailer and equipment around, I upgrade the hitch, drove slow and have a exhaust brake I didn’t really think about the trailer when I got it, in fact I spent no time thinking about it and really wish I have gotten a GN to start with. I made due knowing I was AT the limits of the hitch and trailer…I basically had 100 lbs of tong weight and maybe 300 lbs for the trailer axles. I debated a long time and in the end decided the ability to haul dirt, rock, ETC I end up getting a 5 axle roll off Class8 truck to haul my stuff around. If I didn’t want to haul dirt a GN would have been next, But I never really see the dully as an advantage with the bumper pull as the truck isn’t really carrying the load it’s just dragging the load around and a 2500 CTD and a 3500 CTD drag stuff the same.



So I’m serious in knowing how things have changed with the 3500.



Thanks

David

 

[FFeiller]

i prefer a dully for the safety in case a tire goes down, which has happened. a dully does not get moved around in the wind like a srw does while towing

 

[HBarlow]

... ... ... .....

So I’m serious in knowing how things have changed with the 3500.

Thanks
David

The difference is he now has the capacity to safely and legally pull a gooseneck when he can afford to exchange trailers.

 

[KLauber]

Almost legal Harv!

The difference is he now has the capacity to safely and legally pull a gooseneck when he can afford to exchange trailers.

Had a full load of water generated at a truckstop on I-85. They had CAT scales so i weighed and it went like this:



Front 4220

Rear 8900

Trailer 13,040

Gross 26,160



other than being 161 pounds too heavy, i added a 200 gallon poly tank in front of the bed to help take the load off the hitch. Plus I put a 55 gallon drum at the rear of the trailer and only filled the poly tank with about 320 gallons instead of 500. This was a very smooth riding configuration and ol 6. 7 and 6 speed moved it smartly up and down the hills of SC. Only had to downshift on one hill due to a slow truck in front.



Still saving for the gooseneck conversion at McElrath Trailers, though.



Ken

 

[MAshley]

Had a full load of water generated at a truckstop on I-85. They had CAT scales so i weighed and it went like this:



Front 4220

Rear 8900

Trailer 13,040

Gross 26,160



other than being 161 pounds too heavy, i added a 200 gallon poly tank in front of the bed to help take the load off the hitch. Plus I put a 55 gallon drum at the rear of the trailer and only filled the poly tank with about 320 gallons instead of 500. This was a very smooth riding configuration and ol 6. 7 and 6 speed moved it smartly up and down the hills of SC. Only had to downshift on one hill due to a slow truck in front.



Still saving for the gooseneck conversion at McElrath Trailers, though.



Ken

Ken



How goes the truck and trailer? Did you find a GN trailer yet?