I am looking for a truck that is capable of pulling a gooseneck trailer weighing 26,000 pounds 50 to 100% of the time. I would like to stick with the Dodge/cummins platform but can only find info on/up to the 3500 series. Does Dodge make or have they made a 4500 or 5500 series? Chasis cab? the truck would need to have at least a GCWR of 33K or 34K pounds. The olny thing that I have found that even comes close is the Ford F550. I really don't want to go that route because the new PSD is a POS along with their trannys. GM doesn't appear to have a truck that is capable of that GCWR either. Is there anything that can be done to upgrade a 3500 Dodge to handle this kind of weight? Keep in mind that I am just going by the towing guides that the manufacturers post on the internet, I have not actually taken a trip down to any dealers to see what they offer.

 

I dont know of any dodges,
www.gmc.com look for their commerical medium duty trucks. the C8500 has a GVWR of 42,600

edit: or maybe something from the XT line at International harvester.

 

I forgot to mention, I refuse to drive those ugly GM medium duty trucks........

 

well, looks like its either ford or IH then. maybe a nissan COE or Mitsubishi COE.

 

I believe if you go up to the F650 you can then get a Cummins and a different choice of trannys. Someone else probably has more info.

 

Don't forget about the Freightliner M-2. It is a medium duty truck that you can have spec. out any way you want. Horse power up to 450, transmission anything from 6-speed to Allison or Mercedes auto transmissions. This will probably be my next truck unless Dodge comes out with a 4500 or 5500. The engine and transmission in my truck are great, but the rest of the truck can't take the beating my line of work gives it. The prices aren't that much higher than a loaded 1-ton.

 

Yeah those freightliners are pretty good looking, the FL60 I believe comes with a 5.9 Cummins and the Fl70 comes with the option of a 8.3 ISC?

 

What about a Freightliner or Sterling?

 

We've got a M-2 Freightliner for a tank truck. It's a very nice looking truck and has a 330hp CAT engine. You can get almost anything you want for a drivetrain, ours has a 9spd Eaton in it for a trans. Very heavy duty nice truck. It weighs around 36k loaded (straight truck). It rides like a cadillac compared to the GM's too...lol

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Freightliner M-2 can be had in all wheel drive? Both the International and F650 have 4x4's...

There have been rumors about a Ram 5500, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

No 4x4 in the M-2, but nobody ever said they needed it. Our M-2 does have an electronic locker in the rear that works excellent in snowy conditions. I would be confident enough to take it anywhere the 4x4's would go, because at these weights 4x4 won't do any good when it's sunk to the bumper.