2006 Ford F350 pwerstroke w/3912 Cyclone weights

jimbb732

Member
Looks like I am bumping alot of max's right off the bat with this setup.
Truck weighs out good but the trailer is marginal and the Combined weight s__ks. I was surpised to see the truck empty weight come in at 8300lbs. This kinda shatterred my idea of two harleys and 4 adults in the 3912 next summer in Montana. I pulled it 1000 miles and everything was good on the trip. Combined weight is 24800 with no bikes and minimal gear. When I put the bikes in the garage will it change my pin weight and front axle weight? I am 570lbs under max on the front axle and would like to shift some weight to the front ( I think). I am just trying to massage evrything to get the 'best' of the entire setup.

Also, the Ford combined max is 26000 with the 4.30 gear. I have the tow boss and everything as big as Ford offered but with the 4.10 gear. It appears my truck is the same in every way BUT the Gear ratio so I do not think I will have any brake or suspension issues if I am under 26000....maybe take it ease on the big hills and starting off..

agree???? disagree??? appreciate the input/feedback !
 

Loco

Well-known member
jimbb,
We have a 07 Cyclone Fullthrottle 3795 which is about the same
weight as yours.We came in over 25k with two adults,two kids,two Harley's,all our clothing,food,everything for a week of camping.
1. Yes putting the bikes in the back will take off pin weight on your rig.
2. Will this take weight off your front end NO. Our truck front end loses weight when the rig is hitched up. We are going to put air bags to level the truck up when pulling this spring. I have seen our front tires wear on the out sides because the front end pulls up when loaded. So by taking weight off of the pin you move more weight to the front. Your tow vehicle should set level when the rig is hitched if can. That is why I going with air bags on our Dually.
3. Will it add to the over all weight sure it will. but if you are pulling with a DRW than you should be fine.We are pushing the limits with our rig but, My wifes dually pulls the rig like it is not back there. I have pulled the loaded rig at 80 mph before and her truck still wanted to go faster. I also know it will stop if you have your brakes set right and the tow haul button on.I have done that running 80 and top a hill and the traffic was dead stopped. I suck the seat up but it stopped.LOL.I try not to run over 70 most of the time.But you know when it is time to get home it is time.
4. Starting off is one thing I have some troubles with a shimmy, but when I level the truck up that should go away. Ford said they have had drive line troubles when the back of the truck set down onto the helpers.You get a little shimmy when you start off to hard. I do not dog our truck on take offs. But I do run it for all it is worth out on the highways.
Check out some of our pictures on here and you will see how much stuff we have in our rig. I added more storage in the rear to carry all of our rally things.
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
Loco,

Are you sure you take load off the front axle when hitched up, if so, your hitch is positioned wrong? Normal hitch pin center location is about 3" in front of the rear drive axle and should add a few pounds the front axle. My 3600RL adds 20 lbs to the front axle when hitched up. Probably what you are seeing is nothing more than the rear end sagging because the rear springs are not strong enough to support the hitch pin weight and throwing the front end alignment off. Air bags will level you up and not change the load distribution. The only way to transfer more weight to the front axle is to move the hitch further forward in the bed.

Forrest
 

Loco

Well-known member
Forest,
My hitch is set ahead of my rear axle. Yes you put more weight on the whole truck when hitched. But when you shift the frame down in the back the front of the frame will come up and this takes the some of load off of the front wheels.The pin weight on these toyhaulers are very heavy when you do not have a load in the rear. They manufacture the rigs so when you put 2500 lbs of motorcycles in the back. The trailer will pitch up in the front and down in the back to even the load out across the whole trailer frame and axles.So when we pull with less or no weight in the back the pin weight is very high. When you pull loaded the pin weight is less. The other trailer out there are more balanced than the toyhaulers because they do not have this added weight in the rear. Most trailers are not going to have 2500lbs loaded in the back of the trailer.When I put air bags on the truck frame will not pitch down in the rear so the load will be more even from front to back.It like a lever. If you load the rear than the front gets lighter. Your rig most likely does not have the pin weight of these big toyhaulers.
 

jimbb732

Member
Loco

Thanks for the response loco. Sounds like my setup and urs are close.

There is a Ford Tech Bulletin for a computer change that helps the lurking in TOW MODE. It did improve mine.

Please let us know how the air bags etc work for you. Are you going to add them soon ? I heard there is alot of frame friining to install.

stay in touch.
 
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