ecarl357

This may be a dumb question, but here goes. I am looking to buy a toy hauler. I found one I like, but it is big and heavy. It is a 35', triple axle, tag, toy hauler which by the time it is loaded up will probably run somewhere in the neighborhood of 13,500-14,000lbs. I would be towing it with a 06 4x4 Cummins Mega Cab with the auto tranny & 4.10 rearend. My main question is how will my truck perform? Is this too much for my truck? Like I said this may be a dumb question, but I am looking for some input.

Thanks in advance,
Eric

MtnTrucker

I couldn't find my chart that shows rated tow capacity, but my guess is that if you have SRW's this setup would slightly exceed the factory tow rating. If you have DRW,s then I think you would be OK.

I've never towed more than 10K with my truck so far, but I see posts in here where are other people are towing 20-25K and they seem to do OK as long as the truck is setup properly for it.

vzdude

Sould be o.k. Proabably would be better with dual rear wheels, but..... You might post over in the rv section for more answers. It won't perform like a race car, but it should pull it just fine.

Porky69

Is your truck a one ton? dually? If it is a one ton dually it will handle it wonderfully.

Depending on how heavy the trailer and its pin weight are the answers may vary, but most toy haulers are extremely heavy.

If it is a one ton SRW it will pull it but it will be a little unstable and the ride will be a little harsh and it will probably be over GVW.

If it is a 3/4ton it will squish the rear suspension flat (horrible ride) and will be way over GVW.

My fifth wheel weighs about 14000lbs and I did tow it with a one ton SRW with 3.73 gears, and it rode horrible- I added Firestone Ride-Rite Air Bags and it improved the ride but was still a little wobbly. Then I upgraded to a one ton dually with 3.73gears and the ride is good and it is stable.

ecarl357

Sorry about that, it is a 3/4 ton srw. Would a weight distribution hitch make a difference?

ptgarcia

My buddy Joe (JuzPlaneKrazy) tugs around a 40' luxury (not kidding, it's sweet!) toyhauler that just about hits 15,000 lbs loaded with his 3500 Megacab SRW 4x4. He has put over 10,000 miles on the combo and says it pulls great. He added a set or airbags to help handle the pin. You'll want to do the same, especially with the 2500 leaf springs.

ptgarcia

Oops! I missed the part about it being a tag. I assumed 5th wheel.

A WD hitch and a sway control is a must, and you'll want to replace the factory hitch with a Class V unit. That's a big heavy trailer for a tag!

Rough-n-Ready

How much towing experience do you have? In my opinion, that is a very big and heavy trailer to start out with. If you must get one that big and heavy, do yourself a favor and look closely at a fifth wheel. That trailer length and weight in a tag will be almost miserable to tow. That is even with a proper weight distribution hitch (which is a must). The triple axle should help out, but even with the hitch set up good, it will bounce and buck you pretty bad.

ecarl357

I have a alot of tow experience. 24' -36' tags, but that was using a 1 ton crew cab dually (without the help of any towing devices). I think the 3 axels will help a lot with the hitch weight and bucking. I have had 5th wheels, and I do like the way the feel.....much more comfortable, but with the toy hauler I want to get into places where a 5th wheel would wreck the bedsides in a hurry. I am not so much worried about the handling because I have driven a lot of long tags and I feel comfortable with them. The main difference, and a big one, is I am now talking about using a 3/4 ton srw. I think the long wheelbase of the Mega Cab will help, but I am a little worried about the trailer having its way with the back of the truck since there is not an extra set of tires there. I guess I was looking to see if there was anyone on here that was using a similar setup and what they thought about it. I have to make a decision quick because the price on this thing is too good to pass up.........hmmmmmm

Rough-n-Ready

Sounds like you know what you're in for. It can be done, I have a buddy that pulls a monster toy-hauler tag with a F250 shortbed Crew Cab Ford Powerstroke. He complains about the ride and bucking all the time, but he got the tag for the same reasons you are talking. (He trashed the bed with the fiver going through a little ditch) He did say he would get a standard transmission next time because he has already gone through his auto.

dodgeduner

Get a 5th wheel

Jetman

You might want to look into having an air ride suspension installed to help with the ride, wheel hop, and suspension dive on deceleration with a heavy load. I am having mine installed on the 16th and I am going with the Talon product. Same type of air springs you see on the Big Rigs. I do like having the DRW for those wind gusts on my trailer.

soulezoo

Yeah-- the tag vs 5th is going to make a big difference. X2 on what ptgarcia and rough and ready said above. It can be done and the weight alone is not that big a deal... if it were a 5er. x2 on the ride-rights any way. That big a tag will have a lot of tongue weight you can't make up with just weight distribution springs. You'll have to have both and the upgrade to the class V hitch. I would highly recommend you get gauges even if you don't mod the truck otherwise. You can burn up a tranny and an engine quick going up a hill without watching what is going on with that big of a trailer. Remember that a tag will put extra strain on the rear of the truck that a same size 5er won't. You really are pushing the envelope so extra care must be taken when towing that just to be safe. That big a trailer I think I would be more comfortable with a duelie and a 5er. Just from a safety standpoint.

whitebuffalo

power wise you will be fine. i think airbags would be needed for regular pulling of that. i've pulled 12K on my gooseneck with too much on the tongue and it handled it just fine but did put substantial squat on it.

also, i have the 6 speed, so ur results could differ. i havent driven the auto

Texasimport

I have a 26ft toy hauler and miss my DRW dodge when I tow it. . .the 2500 shown in my sig. does well for power but does need more suspension even with the load leveling hitch. I would strongly recomend a set of airbags and some rancho 9000s so when you pull that trailer you can air up the bags and turn the shocks way up to.