I would like to hear some opinions. I have an opportunity to buy a large living quarters horse trailer for a great price. The problem is that it will weigh in at 14.5k fully loaded. My truck is rated for 12.5-13k. I plan to add some air bags. Do you all think this will be safe to pull with a 2500 SRW?

The current owner tried to pull it with an SRW F250 and said that it was too unstable. They bought a dually for it.

The trailer is 28' plus the "neck" of the gooseneck.

 

I suggest you weigh your truck with what ever you normally carry including a full fuel tank. Your trucks GVW is 9000lbs. Thats you, any passengers, fuel,
fifth wheel or GN outfit, etc, etc. Do the weight and then see if you have enough left over for the pin weight from the GN and still be inside 9000lbs. Your curb weight is estimated at 6611lbs.

Then add that weight (GVW) to the trailer weight less the pin weight. If you come up less than 20,000lbs which is your Gross Combination Weight, your good to go. If your good, you might consider changing the rear tires out to G Rated Tires, for a little more security.

Adding air bags to the rear does not change the trucks weight rating.

I'm sure your truck can pull the load. If you should ever have an accident with the GN and they show your overweight, your insurance company will leave you hanging.

 

With a 13,480lb Montana my scaled weights: 5,660 on the rear axle (under my 1-ton rating by 490lbs) Tongue wt 2,600lbs (19.3% of trailer wt) I had to put airbags on to help the springs damp bouncing on freeway bumps at 55mph. I also ended up exceeding my Gross Combined vehicle rating. You should look that up based on your gearing 4.10 or 3.73. Your truck should weigh around 7,800lbs loaded so for a 14,500lb 5er you need a GCVR of 22,000 which I doubt the 2500 has. Your engine will tow it no problem.

If you do decide to do it, the G tires are a good idea and you will almost surely need airbags since you have 1 less spring. Finally, you should think about an engine brake to take the stress of those brakes. A dually or a 4500 is probably a good idea. I drive really conservatively with mine, rarely over 55 since I think I'm at the edge of my envelope....you're talking about a 1,000lbs more on a 2500. Also depends a bit on where you drive. SOCAL freeways versus rural makes a difference in the comfort factor if overloaded.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

The scales say it weighs 7040 with me and a full tank. And yes, this will be rural midwest driving. I know I will be over and I understand the legalities. The G rated tires sound like a good idea. Am very happy with my E rated Bridgestone Revos. Need to see if they make them in G.

 

I tow a 32' + the 7'5" neck full 8' wide GN that grosses at 16K fully loaded with my SRW. If you get the GN adjusted to the right length you should not have that high of a load on your hitch, the secret is all about balance and load distribution in the trailer.

You can add air bags, you can also upgrade your suspension to that of a 1-ton. You can then add lengthened bump stops so you can utilize both the trucks springs and the air bags simultaneously, that really smooths out the bumps that are associated with the highways but also gives some support along with the air bags. Adding an exhaust brake is just about a must for towing anything and having good braking capacity.

I registered my truck to the max that New Mexico would allow, that gave me plenty of room for tongue/pin weight whether I was towing my GN or a BP. My truck with a full tank of fuel and myself and a passenger and all the junk in the tool box plus the accessories I have added sits right at 8400 lbs.

I also registered the trailer to it's maximum allowable weight. When I checked with my insurance company and had them look over my registrations and both my trailer and truck, they told me I was legal as far as they were concerned AND they put that in wirting as well. I have been stopped in a couple DOT checks and they checked everything, and I do mean everything, they had my truck on their portable scales and my trailer as well and they had NO ISSUES with my truck and trailer when all was said and done.

Take your time considering some suspension upgrades, get it right, make sure you look good, impeckable appearance, no rear sag, and you will be just fine.



CD

 

Maybe the current owner has run the rig over the scales, or would be willing to do so?

That would be the best way to know what kind of weight on the rear axle you are looking at.

 

That is an internet rumor with no basis in fact. Insurance is for screwing up. Will your insurance company leave you hanging if you have a wreck while speeding or drunk? Those two things are illegal and you would be covered, although the company will probably raise your rates or drop you when the policy expires. Exceeding non-standardized, arbitrary weight ratings is not against the law.

In some states, TX for one, it is legal to register a pickup well above the manufacturers ratings. Hot shotters regularly operate all over the U.S. with 30 to 40k combos and are legal to do so. If you don't want to exceed the manufacturers ratings that is your choice, but it is up to the OP to decide if his vehicle and driving skills are up to the task.

 

I personally know of 2 accidents in Florida where trucks towing fifth wheels
were involved. In both cases the opposing insurance company wanted to know if the truck and or trailer was overweight. Even though the fault was a car merging into the traffic lane. They know people tend to pull heavy and the chance of showing negligence, being unalbe to control the vehicle with the tow is a good place to start fishing.

If your tagged over your trucks GVW and hauling commercial, your insurance is not going to be the same as a private owner towing a trailer. It's going to cost more, have more liability coverage if you choose and more less covers what your doing.

I'm tagged at 13,500lbs GVW. The trucks rating is 11,500lbs. I'm at 11,282lbs with the truck and 22,700lbs with my fiver with 105 gallons of fuel on the truck. Trucks GCWR is 23,000 lbs. I visit the scale each time I leave the house with the trailer on a trip and keep the scale ticket in the truck.

 

This discussion is always very interesting. There are those who's 2500 can handle anything, and other trying to tow a 40' monster whose 3500 can handle anything. Sort of a macho thing to do I guess. They would make great truck salemen for those coming in and asking can this 2500 tow a 38' Newmar fiver. Sure it can - - it can pull anything.

Like Dave, I have close information on this type of thing, luckily not on myself. My friend was heading into California for a 2 week trip towing a 34' heavier fiver with his 2500 with all this wonderful stuff on it that would make it "just like a 3500". He got about 80 miles in and a DOT enforcement officer stopped him, pulled out his scales and proceeded to weigh his truck - - looked at his GVWR as located on the vehicle info plate, looked at him and said we have a problem. Then weighed the trailer and said now we have a big problem. He had him unhook, called for a truck to pick up the trailer, handed him a ticket and two options. He would have the truck haul the trailer on into Bakersfield to an RV site where it would be wheel locked so they could live in it while he traded for the appropriate rated truck, or tow it back to the border so he could continue back east. He chose east.

Do yourself a favor and don't push the envelope - - get the proper truck to do the job according to its ratings.

Bob

 

My heart is aflutter FiverBob, what exactly were the tickets for and why was your friend pulled over in the first place? California is full of 3/4 ton pickups pulling heavy 40 ft toyhaulers to the desert and back. I ONCE saw one get pulled over for speeding. It doesn't make sense that he would only be allowed to continue his trip with "the appropriate rated truck" but quite alright to drive back east with the 2500 he had. If he couldn't pull his trailer west he couldn't pull it east either, the same laws apply in both directions. I've logged a lot of miles in CA and your/his story does not pass the smell test.
CoastalDav, all insurance companies try to pass the blame to the other driver. That is a far cry from leaving you hanging. In fact, that is what I want my insurance company to do. If a wreck is my fault they will still cover me, but if it is my fault and they can shift the blame it saves them money and keeps my premiums low. Doesn't matter if it for a commercial or a private vehicle. Read your policy sometime and see what your exclusions are. I promise you that towing over your vehicle's GCWR isn't one of them. BTW, the first time you use the bathroom, cook a meal, wash the dishes, flush the black tank or add to the fresh water tank your scale ticket is void and means nothing, if it meant anything in the first place.

 

What I'd like to know, FiverBob, is, "what exactly is the difference between a stock 3500 and a 2500 with a camper package?" Two wheels? What else? What is the "legal" limit on a 2500 with a factory camper package that puts on exactly the same stuff as a 3500? Just curious....

 

I think it is rated to pull around 12,750 off a drop hitch. I think thats what my research of my SB QC 4x4 produced. I believe when you get into a 5'ver the rules change a little.


I'd get the trailer scaled and see if it meets or is close within reason to what your truck is rated otherwise. Then register your truck to those specs with some wiggle room.




I might not be right but I think you can pull more with a 5th wheel or GN if your tounge weight is right. I'd make sure not to overload the tires and maybe step up to some rated higher. There are E rated common tires that are rated much higher than the stock ones.

 

if your gonna have moving animals get a drw because when them horse start moving they will move your srw all around. animals in trailers are not like hauling rv's

 

I decided against the purchase. Partly for the weight and partly for the fact that it's a square-nose. Not good for my cab if I turn too sharp.

I've done more reading in this and other forums. It seems that CMV officers are enforcing weights in several differnt ways with different outcomse. Some enforce by the GVW, some by axle weight, some by tire weight, and some by GCVWR. Each method gives you a different number. Dodge recommends a max of 12950 on their website. That weight is safe by any method so that's where I'll stay.

As posted, large animals move!

 

mylocal dot officer told me on my truck and trailer they go by tire limit