How many of you out there pull heavy 5ers with 3/4T trucks with mods. I know this is a touchy subject but I think there is alot of us. I see them on the road. I pull 20,000 combined with mine and all I have done is a larger trany cooler and had a extra leaf spring put in the rear. It's a 1997 F250HD PSD and it can pull. I watch my axle weights and tire capacity and I do fine.

Bob

But can it stop???  20,000#'s for a Ford 250 PSD is really pushing the limits.  I'll leave this up to the guys to comment and maybe some HDT or MDT guys can step in on this answer.  Our old Dodge 3500 dually with V10 could pull anything but as the weights of our 5er's went up the ability to stop that weight became a problem.  There is nothing like the stopping or pulling power of a good MDT.

When pulling 5ers, how many use the gooseneck to fifth-wheel adapters?  Is there some verified no-no's to using these adapters?  I know many more adapter brands are comming out but what do the RV manufacturers say about them?

Heavy to one person is not so heavy to another.  Just make sure your truck is rated for the  hitch load, tow rating and the GCVW so that the vehicle is designed to carry the weight, pull the load and stop the load.

Larry

Larry,

On the gooseneck adaptors: some manufacturers will not honor a warranty if they are used. They put additional stress on the front framework of the 5er. Some trailers can handle it, and others can not. Unless you have a reason to use them - like you need to interchange stock trailers with an RV - I would stay away from them. I can tell you from owning horses all our lives that they are far harder to hook up than a kingpin hitch.

They do have the plus that on REALLY tilted ground you can hook/unhook them when a kingpin trailer would not be able to handle the angles. However, you would never take an RV onto ground like that - I'm talking really tilted a lot.

Hi, just wanted to comment on the heavy 5ers, we pull a toyhauler with a 3/4 ton, I weighed it with 2 fully dressed motorcycles in the back and full of water 24220# yes I know we're over, we've done this for 5 years now with no problems, I did have the tranny beefed at 5000 mile on the truck just after I bought the toyhauler, we now have 46000 mile on the truck most of which is pulling this camper. I really think as far as stopping power I'm ok not as good as the bigger units on the road but ok. I keep the brakes on the trailer pretty tight. And has to why I fill the water tank when hauling, it counter balances for the bikes in the back to get enough weight up on the pin. I guess my point is use your head when pulling, be prepared for anything.

Anybody towing a Teton 5th Wheel?  I hear they are the best for fulltimers and judging by the prices, they must be well built and well equipped, but do you really need to spend that much or are there other makes of equal quality for less money?

I agree with Niles. I have been towing for years and there is a time and a place to push jt a little depending on the truck and the operator. My old 99 Dodge 3/4 ton, even with my 30 ft 5er was a nightmare to tow until I put an airbag system under it. It is even rated for 20,000 total combined rate however my total being much less was not comfortable to tow until I made that modification.

Been towing my 10ft enclosed trailer with my new to me Ford Explorer the last couple of days. Would not let my better half near the steering wheel account handled terrible. Put a couple of new leaf springs in yesterday morning and the handling is like night and day. It is amazing what a couple of hundred pounds ahead or behind the axle on the trailer does. After running with tonnage (yes tonnage) for the last 28 years in my job.  You find out what you can do and what you cannot do based on the equipment you are using. Some setups just perform better than others.

After seeing some of the getups out on the interstate towing multiple units what can you say...........(A prayer). A well matched rig is nice however many persons do not have unlimited pocketbooks so other alternatives must be considered. Besides from what I understand the frame on a one ton verses a 3/4 and not very much different and many times the same. I feel as long as the owner operator understands and uses common sense and proper maintainence, that will make up for a little fudging on the weights. And after all when I see someone towing a 35ft 5er and a 21ft boat behind their crewcab long box time after time, 500 to 1000 pds over in a controlled enviroment seems a little less insane. Probably get smucked around on this one but, Oh well...............

not the first time......................

Bill,

Tetons are nice rigs. They have a lot going for them, esp. excellent storage. But there are other rigs that are in the same "class" in our opinion. LIke a Newmar Kountry Air, or a Carriage Royals International.

A common replacement for the Teton that a lot of fulltimers are currently getting into is a Doubletree Mobile Suites. It has a lot of nice features and construction for the price.

All of these units are very heavy, mainly because of the quality construction, and require a truck in the F450/550 class, and up, depending on the unit. There is one model Teton (the Sunrise) that can be pulled by a pickup.

Teton is coming out with a smaller unit than the Sunrise in October.  It is the Prestige.  I thought they were advertising that you could tow it with a 3/4ton truck but I could be wrong.  We keep looking and are going to the PA RV Show but at this time we are just dreaming.  We have a Newmar now and like it, but ours is not geared towards fulltiming.  The Kountry Aire is nice.  We have a few years before we hit the road, but love to look and keep dreaming.    

We pull heavy, our Cambridge when fully loaded is heavy.  However we only travel with water in holding tank to flush the John.  Since we just started full timing we are get rid of thing we didn't use.  

We had no problem stoping with our GMC 3500 1 ton dually, our braking system worked properly and we had no problem.  And we had disk brakes installed on the 5er we had plenty of braking.  And we also upgraded to the Chevy Kodiak c 4500 which also has the exhaust brake, we really have no braking  issue.  Disk brakes are a must for larger heaver 5th wheels.  If you watch other TV's towing you can tell just by looking how the truck responds when braking if the 5er brakes are working properly.  Sorry I got off subject.  Life is Good.   GBY...  

I always thought I wanted a Teton.  Actually got pretty serious about buying one in early 06 but felt the workmanship had gone down hill.  Later in 06 I met a fellow and his wife who owned a new Teton and they were not happy with some the workmanship in their unit.  He seemed to think that some of the trained work force had gone to higher paying jobs in the oil field.  I purchased a Landmark/Grand Canyon.  This fifth wheel is made by Heartland.  Trust me it is not a Teton but my wife and I have been happy with the unit.  We have lived fulltime in the unit since August 06.

As many may know hubby started this post about "pulling heavy 5er's". Well we have since traded in "Big Red" the F250 Ford for a 2001, F550 Ford with Western Hauler bed with air-ride and hitch....since purchase we have only moved from one camping resort to another here in Tucson but love the way it rides and pulls!!!  We dont even know the 5'er is behind us. Anxious to get his "baby" on a long haul in coming months.
southwestjudy & Bob & 2blackdogs

We pull a 40 foot Teton with a 2007 Freightliner, Mountain Master conversion with the Mercedes drivetrain.
On our first long haul trip and so far so good.
heading to Wyoming to have our new Teton "put back together"
Quality is very poor!!  Would be veery careful with the PDI if you buy one.
Also can help with what to look for