Rlhoward

Am new to the forum, and looking for answers. Thanks for the add.
First, my experience in hauling large RVs is limited and almost nil.
I travel in my work and am looking to "simplify" my moves as I move every 3-6 months.
I am looking to purchase a toy hauler because I take my motorcycle with me as I need lots of "wind therapy" with my job.
I am looking at a toy hauler with a loaded weight of 20000 lbs. Dry weight is around 15000. I am looking at a 2015 or better RV.
I am looking at the Ram 3500 Diesel to pull with. My preference is single rear wheel and short bed.
My questions are if anyone has this set up? I've been told by some with the "new" design with rounded corners allows SWB trucks to turn without getting into the cab. A slider hitch is not really necessary. You may not be able to turn 90 degree but they are maneuverable. Does anyone have this set up or am I being handed a lie? I am looking at using the Anderson frame" ball hitch setup as well. I've heard excellent reviews of this device.
Second, I like the single rear wheel and increased ability to park and turn. Does anyone pull a 18000+ lb trailer with single rear wheel setup? I know the dually has more contact surface and spreads the weight distribution, etc. But an 8 foot bed is too long.
The truck I am looking at now is a single back wheel set up with a 6.3 foot bed. Quad cab and 4x4.
I have read on this forum and in articles all the numbers and letter combinations until my brain has bled. Although I understand these numbers are important and needed, I would prefer simple direct answers from raw experience.
Any and all input is greatly appreciated. I am wanting/hoping to get this right the first time.
Thank you all for your assistance in helping me find the path I need to take.
Best Regards
Robert

1-2-3

That's alot for a single. A dual is so much more stable, plus, if you should ever loose a tire, with a single you will be in for a heck of a ride. It may not ever happen but if it does. I was blown away when I went form a single to a dual. The difference is shockingly huge and so so good.

All I've ever had was SWB except for the current 12. If you get cab interference really depends on the specific rv you choose. The one I have, has a factory extended pin box (pin kinds sticks out beyond the front of the rv) and using a swb was no issue at all. Sliders are a pain form what I've heard and most that have them say that the rarely ever use that option.

Busboy

I pull a 5ver rv with a B&W companion NON slider hitch in my short box crew cab. My 5ver has a cut away front cap and the factory says 88deg turning. It is very close to 90 deg and scary when you get close to it. Even with a 5ver pin the small amount of side to side travel on uneven ground in a very tight turn has twice resulted in my pin box catching the inside of the truck box, with a goose ball side to side travel will be much greater so something you'll have to deal with. The newer fronts ate awesome... but don't try and move an older 5ver for someone else.

HMX-1

Direct experience ....

We own a Keystone Energy 260FS, the 2008 model. We traded our '03 3500 QCSB in for my '08 3500 QCLB because the front end would float and I could feel it. "Scary" doesn't come close to describing it or how it felt.

I wouldn't recommend you pulling 20k in a shortbed, much less a SRW truck. You'll need a dually for that kind of size and weight.



-Kris

saggonwaggon91

Pulling a 5er with a short bed also has a lot to do with driving experience. The wife and I delivered campers with our short bed for a few years and even with the 5th wheel 4in in front of the rear axle, we never had a problem with cab/trailer clearence. Toy haulers can be rather tricky in the fact that they are designed to be pulled at loaded weight in the rear to make them pull right or they become very nose heavy, a DRW is the best choice unless you like to tempt fate. If you're deadset on the short bed, find you a mega cab DRW and watch your turns very close.

j_martin

Inexperienced? Want to pull a 20K toy hauler with a SRW short bed? How long have you been entertaining suicide thoughts?

Seriously, a real tow tractor will drive like your car. (1 ton, duals, conventional bed) The rig you propose is a hand full for an experienced driver, and possible suicide for a novice.

Just remember when yer bob-tailing to the grocery store that she has wide hips, and don't run over a rice burner trying to park it. (Been there, done that, got the T shirt)

Dieselbuilder

20000 plus one ton not much for stopping power and if the wind hits you on the side hold on A friend of mine sold his one ton dually and bought a Volvo tractor got rid of the tail wagging the dog

BobTipton

Get a DRW LWB. We pull a 34' fiver at around 15k and I wouldn't pull with anything less. As full-timers, the truck is also our daily driver, and I really don't have any trouble parking it in a parking lot at the local grocery store, or even parallel parking when needed.

Bob

xjaywalker

New to the forum and looking at a 2007 or 08 5.9L CTD to pull a toyhauler about 15k loaded. Saw some people talking about a DRW as opposed to. SRW. And longbed. I was hoping to stay with a 2007 or 08 5.9l short bed 4x4, so any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Should I try to find a lighter toy hauler? Really difficult, unless I go with a bumper towed. And i really like having the bedroom with more room and a slide.

If I have to start looking at DRW, 1 ton I will. Just hate the extra tires and parking.

chrism69

I have a 2011 Fuzion 322 5th wheel toy hauler. Dry 11,400 lbs loaded 16k max. I pull it with a 2016 Diesel 3500 Short Bed Crew SRW no problem. 20k 5th wheel plus a 7k truck I would recommend a dually or a lighter 5TH Wheel. I use a slider hitch just in case. I dont know if it will clear the cab at 90 degrees never had to turn it that tight.

Jeff in TD

I had a 30' toyhauler and 3500 SRW long bed. Worked fine. When I got to looking for a 40' I got my current 3500 long bed crew cab dually.

Ran the rig over the scale and the rear axle weight would have overloaded the SRW rear axle rating, and the tire weight rating. (Wish I could find a slip from the scale).

I happened to tow the 30' 5er with the dually before I found the 40'. Although the SRW did fine with it, driving the dually up a curvy uneven road I found I arrived at the riding area much more fresh and ready to unload and ride. Just more planted, relaxed driving experience.

You get used to the extra width and length quickly. Yeah, I've got to watch what I'm doing if I go through a drive through, but as long as I have any kind of 5th wheel over 30', I will have a dually.

tobyw

Just got back from our first trip out with our 2018 Carbon 387, which according to the spec sheet is 42'-8" long and according to the sticker on the door has an as-shipped weight of 13,765lbs. We loaded it up with propane, water, and 30-gallons of fuel in the fuel station, and then proceeded to load up (4) 400+cc utility quads and all of our typical gear and supplies for a 4-day trip. Never had a chance to run across any scales so I don't know for sure we ended up weight wise, but I would guess somewhere in the 17,500 range? Anyhow, my truck is a 2012 MC 4wd with the automatic and 3.73's, Firestone airbags, and a B&W turnover ball in the bed installed at 4" in front of the axle. We negotiated a Reece Goosebox into the deal on the trailer, and overall our experience was a mixed bag. On smoother roads, it was fantastic. We had some pretty nasty side winds a couple of times and that was very manageable compared to the 31' Class C we just replaced. Braking power was NOT an issue - when those trailer brakes engage you can stop RIGHT FAWKING NOW, so I had to fiddle with the brake controller quite a bit to get to a point it wasn't violent... Our only complaint was some porpoising on certain sections of road that had us feeling like we were on a dingy in open water. Not sure where to look for solutions to that yet, so researching things this morning. As for turning radius, ours seems to be OK, we can get to about 80-degrees before it looks scary close

Desert5600

Right off the bat, a short bed, SWR towing a 20K fifth wheel isn't a great idea.

If you look at the weight numbers of the specific tow vehicle (door jamb sticker) and compare them to the weight numbers of the trailer, they won't match. Typically, the pin weight of a fiver is 20% of the trailer weight. At 20,000#, the pin weight will be 4,000#. That's a lot of weight depending on the actual payload rating of the pickup, toolbox, people, and whatever else you might have in the bed. Add that to the shorter wheelbase and SRW, and its going to make for an uncomfortable tow.

Then there is GCWR. The SRW may not be rated for a GCWR of 27,000# plus.

The Andersen hitch is a good choice. Its rated for 4500 pin weight and 24000 trailer weight and it is easy to remove when you need the bed space for hauling something.

Really, later model, long bed, dually diesel with an exhaust brake for that kind of weight.