Hi everyone. I'm not particularly knowledgable with aftermarket truck stuff, so figured I'd post here.

I recently bought a 42' Pace shadow GT, and will be using it to tow some of my and my friend/family's racecar stuff.

The heaviest car that will ride along, will be a 66 Belvedere, the heaviest 2 car combo will be my 72 Camaro and probably random 240sx's (maybe 6k total). I normally carry about 2k worth of tools and equipment, and another 5-600lb in wheels/tires. So all-in-all, probably around 10-13k depending on who's cars are in it.

I have a stock 2500, but the previous owner seems to have put some sort of tune on it. Stock airbox, stock exhaust thing blows smoke until the turbo spools, then it will spin the tires from a roll in 3rd, and some days depending on pavement 4th. I don't know what is done, but I'm suspect it just has a dyno tune.

Anyways.

I have a single rear axle 2500, and am trying to figure out what modifications I need to do to safely tow this thing. I normally cruise about 60-65 when towing, and drive like grandma with that huge trailer. Was looking into some airbag setups, and wheel/tire options, and curious what you guys thought.

I'm a broke college kid, who only owns half this stuff because I used to do racing stuff as a job and had some money from it, so the most efficient setup is what I'm looking at, but I'm very very very open to being educated on the subject.

I also got injured one weekend, and had to have some friends drive home when I had my old trailer. The clutch master was going out, and I was due to replace it that week, however they destroyed the clutch on the way home. I found a South Bend PN 1947-o for sale locally, would that work for what I'm doing? I haven't put my truck on a dyno, and obviously can't with the clutch situation, but it walks all over my friends 06 4wd 5.9, so I'm really not sure if itonly has 100rwhp on him or not...

Sorry for all the ignorance here. Normally I don't really modify the truck stuff, my logic is it weighs 8,000lb and has no purpose being modified, but the previous owner felt otherwise, and I'm too cheap to modify it back. Plus the extra power is nice when towing, although the smoke is annoying.

 

Don't let too many guys hear you say that here!

I can't answer your questions except to say that I, personally, would want dual rear wheels. As long as the trailer brakes are working properly, it *should* stop ok.

 

Welcome to the Forum !!

I don't know what the specifics or your truck is, so you will have to look at the below info and decide where your at. I you have questions, either repost
or send a PM. I assume this is a GN hook up. ?? Below from Dodge Towing Guide.

2003 dodge ram heavy duty pickup 3500/2500 SLT, QUAD CAB, 2WD, 8.0 FT Bed, 48RE Four-Speed Automatic Transmission, 5.9L Cummins Turbo Diesel Engine:

With 3.73 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 9950 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 11500 lbs
Payload [i] = 4617 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6883 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3919 lbs/3919 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4750 lbs/9350 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 17000 lbs

With 3.73 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 10300 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 9900 lbs
Payload [i] = 3369 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6531 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3878 lbs/3878 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4750 lbs/6150 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 17000 lbs

With 3.73 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 10950 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 11500 lbs
Payload [i] = 4617 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6883 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3919 lbs/3919 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4750 lbs/9350 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 18000 lbs

With 4.10 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 11950 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 11500 lbs
Payload [i] = 4617 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6883 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3919 lbs/3919 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4750 lbs/9350 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 19000 lbs

With 4.10 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 12300 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 9900 lbs
Payload [i] = 3369 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6531 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3878 lbs/3878 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4750 lbs/6150 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 19000 lbs

With 4.10 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 12950 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 11500 lbs
Payload [i] = 4617 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6883 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3919 lbs/3919 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4750 lbs/9350 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 20000 lbs

With 4.10 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 13300 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 9900 lbs
Payload [i] = 3369 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6531 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3878 lbs/3878 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4750 lbs/6150 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 20000 lbs

 

Yeah, gooseneck.

 

man your truck will do it but just start off concervative driving, until you have got a few trips under your belt pulling it. you will learn if you will be able to pull out on the roads with traffic coming and will also learn when to start breaking...just a matter of doing it accouple times and you will wounder why it is you were worried about it in the first place...just get comfortable with it....i imagine its like pulling a parachuet(idk how to spell) behind you!!!! lol

 

Get yourself a set of airbags and make sure your tires are load range E. Other than that save for a transmission in future LOL ! Also if its a auto change the fluid and filter at least once a year ! Enjoy

 

Is it a long bed truck? Everything clear ok?


Seems like it's right on the edge of what your truck is rated and these trucks are known to be well under rated so take that as it is. I'd pull a 13,000 lbs trailer like that with my truck no problem.


You need to invest in a EGT gauge and clutch though for sure.... No telling what kinda tune your running that could make it get hot. Also remember not to let it bog and drop below 1700 rpms; that's basically how I tow crusing. Other than that she really rips stumps from 2000-2500rpms. Cruise at certain RPMs and you'll get your comfort level and mpg need figured out.

 

The real sticky part of mods is bang for the buck. You could spend $300 on a new air filter. But you don't get anything out of it. So you have to be carefull.

The stock truck should handle that load without much problem. So I wouldn't mess with anything under the hood. Except to make sure it's all in good shape.

The trans and diffs can get pretty hot, so make sure you have a quality synthetic fluid in there to handle the heat and load.

Then the issue becomes trailer control. Air bags are pretty nice, but expensive and can fail when you really need them. Good shocks and a heavy duty sway bar will suffice. Use a good hitch to manage emergency manouvers and high cross winds. You get what you pay for (if you're lucky)/ As with any trailer, try to keep the pin weights reasonable.

Most of all, drive carefully. I see too many souped up diesel trucks hauling big trailers at 85mph. That's a recipe for disaster; just because you can get up to 85 doesn't mean you should. And it eats up a lot of expensive fuel.

 

Bob, it's a Gooseneck.. You'd have to be completely out of your mind to own a 40+ bumperpull.

Found some freinds towing with similar setups, gonna get some helper bags and 10 plys and then I'll feel a bit more safe. I can drive it fine, and already have a good bit just conservatively on the highway. Concern was cross country trips with mountains etc. Even with weaknut tires and no helper springs the truck tows fine. The triple axle on the trailer really seems to help stability, and the goosneck tows great.

It's a longbed, everything clears fine.

 

You're right, I should have said pin weight, not tongue weight. Concept is the same, though.

 

Wow! I guess I'm outta my mind then.

 

I always thought that was a given.
40 ain't far from the 38 ft travel trailer I had. But wait, my name is Scott too.

I also hauled a 39 foot travel trailer from Goshen IN all the way up to La Crete Alberta...check out the distance. Overall length of that one was actually 43ft.
Not far from the territories, not far from BC but way WAY far away into the middle of nowhere...close to the tundra.
Pulled just fine.

 

I have a friend who pulls a 42' GN 8-horse trailer with living quarters using a 2003 standard tranny, the truck is bone stock with a PacBrake and air bags. She has no problems pulling the trailer whatsoever with all 8 slots filled with horses, that's at least 8K of horseflesh. After 260K miles she is getting her 3rd clutch installed, the stock clutch went 160K the 2nd aftermarket basic/similar stock clutch went 100K, this time she got a valair, but I am not sure what the # rating is, thought she told me it was a 3600 SD. She runs load range E tires, and it is a single wheeled truck.


You will more than likely be just fine with your truck and enclosed trailer, watch how you load it, put the heavier vehicle over the axles.


CD

 

Speak for yourself!
I guess you did!

 

I did.