I have a 2004 Diesel stock except a Bully dog torque chip and a cold air intake system. 17k miles on it. Automatic tranny and rated to tow 13300. We have been looking at toy haulers (3 bikes) and wifey wants a garage. My son is starting to race around the west. We live in California and have grades going every direction. So I am looking at a realistic tow number. We have a 7k fifthwheel dry weight I can tow 65 if needed over the grapevine, it was a one time deal. I don't mind going over the passes 45 mph. Is a 10k dry weight trailer too much ? Anybody put on an exhaust brake on an automatic. I know I can beef up the engine more, put on a EGT and a better tranny, but the have you seen the prices of a nice toy hauler? 45-60 k. So for now I will get what the truck in the current trim will pull. Also it will be a fifth wheel. Thanks.

 

Here are a couple towing examples to chew on:

I have an '06 Megacab with auto tranny, 3.73 gears and 35" tires. I tow with a 30 h.p. (sometimes 60 h.p.) performance module and pull 9000 lbs of travel trailer with up to 1200 lbs in the bed (golf cart) and I can motor up the mountains of SoCal with ease.

My buddy Joe (JuzPlaneKrazy) has an '06 Megacab with auto tranny and 4.10 gears and stock tires and pulls a 40' toyhauler weighing in just a hair under 15,000 lbs and he slows down to about 45 mph up a particular 7% grade around Ventura, CA. His truck is completely stock in the power department.

Both of us have installed exhaust brakes on our trucks. I use the Pacbrake PRXB and Joe uses the factory approved Jacobs. They both get the job done. On my truck with my load I set the speed I want with the brake pedal (usually about 50-55 mph on a steep grade) and the brake holds me there with no input from me.

 

Opps, I forgot to say it is a 2500. That is a nice steep grade going to Moorpark isn't it.

 

I had a K-Z Sportster 29P 5th wheel toyhauler which has a walled garage separating it from the living area. When we moved to San Diego from the East Coast it was packed to the gills with 2 dirt bikes and most of our household necessities while we waited for our household goods to arrive. Total weight of the trailer and everything in it was 10,500 lbs. Gross weight as measured in Yuma was 18,660 lbs. We came across on I-8 and managed all the grades between AZ and San Diego with no problem. The only engine mods I have are an AirAid filter and MPRP exhaust, my tranny is a full DTT with a Mag-Hytec deep pan. EGTs started to climb over some of the grades, but I never had to back off lower than 55 mph. Tranny temps never budged.

The KZ 29P was the shortest fiver we could find with a separate garage. You do give up living space with the walled garage, so there is a trade off with not having to live with your bikes/tools/fluid/etc. It was nice being able to go in the garage, change out of our dirty gear and go through the door into the living area, but it was a bit cramped even with a slide out in the living room. But that was a compromise we accepted because of the lower price and smaller size of the trailer, and still having the ability to have our bikes secure without sleeping and eating in the same room as them.

Scott

 

don't know anything about the auto but i haven't found a hill that i can't pull and i mean pull with my 6spd and i haul a 10K plus horse trailer and every few months a 16k to 18k haul of hay and i have an almost stock 2wd 2500 nothing more that cold air to breath better. but would love to hear about the auto because my wife can't drive the stick with a laod very well so i need to find her an auto so i don't always have to go.

 

I have an 04 2500 with the 48RE trans. Don't think this is capable of taking an exhaust brake. If you find out otherwise, let us know. I would love to have one on my truck.