Interesting video

[Davydee]

just curious, which hh could you not comfortably pull with an 18000 pound rating. taking into account the fact that all these ratings far understate the trucks capabilities?   bob r

The CE38LKTG that we are looking at comes with a GVWR of 18,700 lbs.  This means you can expect a pin weight in the neighborhood of 4,000 lbs.  I wouldn't want to try to pull this trailer full time with a one ton truck, even a dually.  You might be okay for short local trips but I wouldn't even think about trying it for the long haul.  I know Greg Surratt pulls his 37CKRD with his F350 but even he will tell you, he should probably have a bigger truck.  JMHO

Bryan, don't forget the F650 and a cat diesel option.   You'd look   Davydee

[CampingCaptain]

Bryan, don't forget the F650 and a cat diesel option.   You'd look   Davydee

David,
The only problem with that is we would only be able to afford a HH II 29.5LKTG.     

Bryan

[Newt]

Bryan, don't forget the F650 and a cat diesel option.   You'd look   Davydee

David,
The only problem with that is we would only be able to afford a HH II 29.5LKTG.     

Bryan

Yes, but, you'd sure have a smile on your face going down the road

[Davydee]

...and happy B-day    (aka Bryan)  David

[Ancient Mariner]

darin, we are guys, we would all like to have a bigger truck most of the time but being over weight in todays world of product litigation would not concern me for a second unless i was way overweight. if you stay within 10-20% you should be fine. greg probably has no trouble at all with his combination and with all the electronics he has probably added by now he could be another 2 or 3 thousand pounds heavier that we think.  bob r

What electronics?     You mean the two tower computers, two laptops, two flat screen televisions (much lighter than the original Phillips units     ) and Progressive Surge protector?

Last time I scaled this monster, I was just under 28,000 lbs GCW, or close to 2,000 lbs over GCWR for the truck but well within all other ratings.  My pin weight was 3700 lbs.

I know I'm a sinner, but I'm trying.  I ordered a new sleep comfort bed tonight in hopes that it will be lighter than the current mattress and we are slowly discovering that there are things that we couldn't live without when we moved into the trailer last year that just don't matter anymore.

The CE38LKTG that we are looking at comes with a GVWR of 18,700 lbs.  This means you can expect a pin weight in the neighborhood of 4,000 lbs.  I wouldn't want to try to pull this trailer full time with a one ton truck, even a dually.  You might be okay for short local trips but I wouldn't even think about trying it for the long haul.  I know Greg Surratt pulls his 37CKRD with his F350 but even he will tell you, he should probably have a bigger truck.  JMHO

I look at it this way:  When I hit the road, my truck is also my daily driver.  I had to consider the tasks I have for the truck - grocery getter, sight seeing and towing.  I consider my F-350 as "right-sized" for my intended use.  I recently read on the SKP HDT forum where somebody was topping grades at 51 mph with their comparable trailer and an HDT.  I top grades at 45 mph, so there's not that much difference except that I'm probably one or two MPG to the good compared to an HDT or MDT.

Everything I've seen of the F-450s say they are getting  1 - 2 mpg less than I do with the same drive train.  I attribute this to the extra weight they have with their heavier frames.  They have the same drivetrain I do.

I'm comfortable with my combination but I have 10 years experience driving over-the-road in big rigs, averaging 150,000 miles per year, most of the time running close to 80,000 lbs and a couple of times running way over that kind of weight (holiday weekends, closed scales, etc, etc.).  Somebody with less experience may not be as comfortable.  My boss was all gung-ho to get a truck and toy hauler.  He has a GMC with a full Banks package, but when he saw the size of my trailer, he admitted that it scared him to think of hooking on and going down the road - and he's a fearless, retired Marine Gunny!

I'm not going to get into quality, the ability to run up a hill faster or any other performance aspect of the big three, but I believe Ford has been catering to the towing crowd for three years now with their option packages, GM is playing catch-up with their 2008 IBC and Dodge has not made a move yet.  Ford has the edge on towing capacity with their Tow Boss option on the F-350 and up.  GM and Dodge tow ratings for their 450/4500 class trucks are no better than their 350/3500 class trucks.

I purchased the Ford base on it's capability to come closest to the ratings I need to haul the trailer I chose.  I know Richard is pulling the same trailer with a GMC (I think he's posted weights?) and there is at least on Dodge/37CKRD combo out there.

[bobr]

thank you greg that was my point exactly.  bob r

[CampingCaptain]

I have really thought about this subject a lot.  I know I can probably get by with an F350 with the tow boss option and probably some air bags or I can get the new F450 which I believe has a new design so that the bed is no higher than the 350 now for a few thousand $ more.  I wish I could afford to take a chance and try the F350 first (better fuel economy) and if it didn't work out trade up on a 450 but I have to get it right the first time.  Since I would always rather err on the side of caution, I'll go with the 450 (Don't stand too close to my exhaust, just in case.    ).  We're thinking about keeping the DW's car as an every day driver when we Winter over in the South and then store it until the following year. 

Bryan

[Trap]

I have really thought about this subject a lot.  I know I can probably get by with an F350 with the tow boss option and probably some air bags or I can get the new F450 which I believe has a new design so that the bed is no higher than the 350 now for a few thousand $ more.  I wish I could afford to take a chance and try the F350 first (better fuel economy) and if it didn't work out trade up on a 450 but I have to get it right the first time.  Since I would always rather err on the side of caution, I'll go with the 450 (Don't stand too close to my exhaust, just in case.    ).  We're thinking about keeping the DW's car as an every day driver when we Winter over in the South and then store it until the following year. 

Bryan

Have to agree with you Bryan it's better to err on the side of caution, than risk any problems down the road. Since you have your trailer already picked out, it better to buy the truck to match your needs.

Trap

[ghosst]

I can honestly say that if GM or Ford had the Cummins engine ( and I know they wish they did) I would have that truck. Most of the truck interiors are roughly the same. (seats 4, AC, stereo, heater etc.) so really what concerns us all is the engine and drive train. If Ford had the Cummins, all the Fords owners now would have a Dodge or GM cuz they just gotta have a V8 engine.

Opps... Did I just say that? LOL

Darin

i believe ford still owns cummins and the talk around the water cooler is ,,when dodges contract extension runs out ,ford will install the cummins in the ford ...just some idle talk ,,but very interesting ..i guess the jurys still out on this one ..jmho

[Newt]

Darin

i believe ford still owns cummins [/quote]

Ford does not & never has owned Cummins!

If you want a Cummins in a Ford, you can have one  in the F-650

[Hawk Holiday & Miss Muffin]

Pretty funny hey Newt.

My father who was a car dealer (Mopar) for about 50 years is rolling in his grave on that one  .

I weighed on the side of caution. Reminds me of Nancy Reagan "Just say NO" to Ford.
I thought the "Super Duty" stamped on the front of the hood looked like an oversized fake diamond cocktail ring. I do hope Ford and GM get their issues worked out. I can't stand the thought of people paying all that coin for a truck to have alot of engine problems. I say that cuz it could happen to any of the big 3. Nobody wants to buy a lemon, no matter if the wrapper says Dodge, Ford of GM. You can bet that they are all burning the midnight oil to find solutions to their respective issues. Nobody wants to be branded as having a bad truck line.

Darin

[bobr]

i would bet that less than 10% of all ce's are pulled with anything heavier than a 3500 from one of the big 3. you can make a case for going to a bigger truck but very few people do so. if you look at where the weak point is and work on that (usually tires) you can get to a comfortable position with any of the big 3 3500 dwr trucks.  bob r

[xtravel1979]

Sharing some info that has been passed on to me. When you see 3 axle RV's they need 2 ton truck under them for not only power, but braking. Ford is slipping and fast. If I traded tomorrow it would be for a Dodge. Dodge's are doing well, I am told.
Keep your ear to the ground a listen for Toyota. They have a 2 ton, Ryder type truck out now, and there are some rumors of possible a Cat engine in a 1 ton Toyota. In my opinion, if that happens, the Big 3 will change......... 

[Ancient Mariner]

Sharing some info that has been passed on to me. When you see 3 axle RV's they need 2 ton truck under them for not only power, but braking.

Cite your sources. 

The F-350 Tow Boss . . .

Ford - http://media.ford.com/newsroom/feature_display.cfm?release=21403

is rated for the same horsepower and torque as the F-450 and more horsepower and tow capacity than the stock Dodge 4500 and 5500 . . .

Dodge - http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/medium-duty.html

and about the same horsepower but more tow capacity than the GM 4500 and 5500.

GM - http://www.thedieselpage.com/duramax/2007Duramax.htm

[rwpor]

I would have liked to have a little more information - or maybe I missed it. The guy had the truck all instrumented up but exactly what kind of weight was he pulling, what was the percentage of grade and what was the outside air temp? I can't see how the dodge appeared to be doing so well, but if the DM was at max GCWR, the temps were in the  mid 90's and the grade was over 6%, he wasn't doing too bad - except for the overtemp warnings. The Dodge looked like he had a pretty good load but we don't really know.

<Don>

I think the temp was 91 deg, he  was towing a uhall truck on a goose neck trailer.