3950 towing question

jaybrewer

Member
looking to tow a 3950 with a 2010 f350 4x4 crewcab with 3.73 gears - we plan on hauling a 1000 lb golf cart and nothing else - any thoughts
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Jay, your TV will pull it with no problems. What you need to look at are the GVCW ratings. A 3950 is a heavy trailer with a high pin weight and GWR. Pull out your owners manual and look at the specs. The issue is what the gross rating of the 3950 is.... not what it really weighs when loaded. I know that the big 3 in 2011 have all raised the GVCW ratings but I don't know what a 2010 350 is rated at. Hopefully someone with a 2010 350 will jump in here with that info. I just looked at the GWR of a 3950. It's 18K and your TV will be about 8K full of fuel and 2 people. So...if your trailer comes close to that # loaded. You will grossing about 26K. The empty weight is a little over 14K depending on what accessories are added. You have to figure about 8 #'s a gallon for water and fuel in the tanks. Food and clothes are heavier than you think plus the weight of a generator.

The biggest issue is legal weight rating for your truck. If you ever were stopped for anything by a county mounty.....they only look at the sticker on the door of the TV and the sticker on the side on the trailer. They don't care what it really weighs. Just make sure that you can weigh 26K + with your setup.
 

PUG

Pug
Pulled my 3950 with atv and street bike in garage and lots and lots of the old ladys junk. Our 02 Chev srw duramax strained. Our 09 Dodge 3500 drw pulls like a dream.
 

tgreening

Active Member
No clothes, food, dishes, bedding, camping "stuff" etc etc? That stuff adds up very very fast. I weighed my 3950 with only those types of items and it came in at 16,500 lbs. No water to speak of in any of the tanks, and maybe 10 gallon of fuel in it. It's heavy to begin with and additions add up quick. Pay no attention to published dry weights. Fantasy land. What engine you have in your truck? I pull mine with an '08 F-450 6.4 PSD w/4.30 gears and depending on where I'm traveling, that engine can get a work out. I would have no interest in trying to do it with the V10, "capability" aside. With a loaded truck, including passengers I have about 800 lbs of spare rated capacity left on the rear axle. Axle rating being 9,500 lbs. My pin weight normally runs 4,100 - 4,300 lbs depending on what's loaded and where. If you care at all about rated capacities I'd been surprised if you will be under, with your tires probably being the biggest weak link. Maybe not, but without doing any homework that's my thought.
 

jaybrewer

Member
our truck has the 6.4 diesel - fords website says the truck is rated to pull 15200 with a combined weight of 23500 - the truck weighs around 7000 - the golf cart we have weighs around 1000 - me wife and kids another 450 - we plan on not using the generator and not hauling water - we normally go to ocean lakes and the koa in gatlinburg - are the listed trailer weights off that much - thanks jay
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Jay, with your figures you will be over your GCVW rating. Like I said a county mounty will not care what it really weighs....just what the stickers say. The trailer weights are what a base trailer weighs. The options added will change that weight. HL has said that they weigh evey trailer when it comes off the line. Im not sure what you mean about the genset....will it have one or not? A genset weighs about 300#'s which will go right to the pin weight. I looked up my TV weight ratings...it said I can haul a 15600 5er. Yea right, with my BH loaded and my TV loaded for travel I am at 22K. That is what the GCWR is is. The BH has a gross weight sticker of 14K. The TV 9600. A lot of people pull heavy trailers with a 3500/350.
 

JasonShrout

Member
Hello All! I've seen this discussion a lot lately. It seems to be a toss-up between the Ford 450 and the Dodge 3500 DRW's. We've made up our mind on the 3950 and that's what we are getting soon. Without a good tow vehicle, that RV is just going to be sitting in the dealers lot. Supposing we go with the 3500 (because I can't find a 4500 under $20k that will fit the family), would I be making a mistake? I understand where Jay is coming from with the mention of his axle ratio. It's not like I'm going to be hauling the RV everyday so I'd like to get decent mileage when I'm not hooked up, but will the 3950 eat a lower ratio axle... say across Texas?
 

JasonShrout

Member
Oh, one more question... what really determines the max pin weight that the truck can handle? I understand that the frame on the dodge 2500-4500 is the same. Is it just the suspension? A different tranny? They all have the same engine, so.... I'm not really a big 'fan' of blown or bent blades on the turbo, so if y'all could please help me avoid that, it'd be appreciated ;)
 

TNEagle

Member
Jay, When I bought my 2011 3950 I had a 2006 F250 Powerstroke. It pulled fine but I was very nervous because I new I was way over weight. I added air bags to level the bed. Then I decided for safety reasons to buy a 2011 Silverado Dually. (Duramax). All I can say is WOW! Love the truck and the way it handles the TH. Pulling I'm averaging 11 mpg. 14 mpg just running around.
 
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