Towing a Landmark 365 with a single rear wheel 1 ton diesel

I probably know what most are going to say but curious if anyone is currently doing it. The F350 is rated for the weights and I am sure the diesel will pull it fine but wonder how it feels. I have had a dually, both Ford and Ram and also hold a class A license that I still moonlight with. My reasoning is that the fuel mileage, maintainance and generally getting around with single wheel will be so much better.Thoughts? Thanks,Jim

I have about 7K miles towing my 20K Cyclone with a SRW F350. It pulls like a dream. We have had no issues with the mountains in the west and 50 MPH winds. It pulls it like theres almost nothing there.

I think the new stiffer frame probably stops more of the sway so the SRW would be fine. Also braking should be ok also but again would be your biggest concern I would think. I am towing with my 2011 and other than in high winds I feel the camper back there more than a DRW, I have not had any problems pulling it. Took it up into the mountains of PA this past weekend without a problem towing 16k. Since I have a 2011 I do not have that new stiffer frame the 2017's came with.

It may not be the towing weights that are the issue, but the payload in the bed of the truck. Check your Rear Axle Weight Rating and GVWR on the truck. The possible pin weight (20% of GVWR) + all passengers, pets, gear, hitch, other stuff in the bed, may put you over on the truck.

Www.rvtowcheck.com

And

Www.fifthwheelst.com

Both created by a Heartland Owner, help explain safe towing practices and how to match a tow vehicle to a fiver safely.


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Good morning,

ive been in the same situation as yourself. I had a 2015 F350 SRW pulling a landmark Syracuse. The truck performed well with no probelems. The problem was the pin weight of the trailer and carrying capacity of the truck were the same at 3,100 pounds. Even before gear and passengers. I didn't want to exceed the weight ratings ford put on the the truck so I sold it and bought a f450

have a good day

Eric

TravelTiger said:

It may not be the towing weights that are the issue, but the payload in the bed of the truck. Check your Rear Axle Weight Rating and GVWR on the truck. The possible pin weight (20% of GVWR) + all passengers, pets, gear, hitch, other stuff in the bed, may put you over on the truck.

Www.rvtowcheck.com

And

Www.fifthwheelst.com

Both created by a Heartland Owner, help explain safe towing practices and how to match a tow vehicle to a fiver safely.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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That's some good reading material. The biggest issue will be how close the pin weight on the truck is from what is published. Ill have to get some real weights from my present 5th wheel and make a determination from there.

Thanks,
Jim

Coincidentally I just posted my fifth wheel/truck weights compared to the 2017 F-350 specs here: https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/68785-Weights-on-Bighorn-3570RS-with-Ford-F-350

As mentioned above, there are multiple truck specifications to deal with, not just the towing capacity.

Our Bighorn with a 16,000 GVWR fits within the specifications of our 2017 F-350. Frankly, that is how we decided on the Bighorn 3570RS, it was the largest fifth wheel we found that fit within our comfort level towing with the F-350 SRW.

You may find this helpful.

I don’t pull all the time but I did pull the Landmark (mines not a 365) from storage to the rv park about 70 miles through a mountain pass with wind gusts and never felt any instability. I noticed it back there pulling the hills still rolling 65 up but braking was just like I was unloaded. With the exhaust brake I wasn’t even using the brakes going downhill and maintaining speed until I got in traffic and it was just brake like normal.
To be honest I don’t understand how people feel so unstable in a srw. The peer pressure to go to a dually on RV websites is funny sometimes.
My big toyhauler had a 6K pin weight so couldn’t use a srw for that one but these are anywhere from 3-3500 from what I’ve seen on here which is an easy day for today’s trucks.

I have a 2017 chevy 3500 srw that I pull my cyclone 4200. Took it from Florida to Gatlinburg with no problems. Funny but on Chevy trucks the only difference I could find between a single vs a dually is the extra leaf spring and extra set of tires. Brakes, tranny engine all the same. I added air bags to level things out a bit and checked my tire weight rating. All good and I can still go into a car wash.


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Sowie said:

I have a 2017 chevy 3500 srw that I pull my cyclone 4200. Took it from Florida to Gatlinburg with no problems. Funny but on Chevy trucks the only difference I could find between a single vs a dually is the extra leaf spring and extra set of tires. Brakes, tranny engine all the same. I added air bags to level things out a bit and checked my tire weight rating. All good and I can still go into a car wash.


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I always go into car washes with my FAT hips.. no problems from this girl..

Once you go with big hips you will never go back to NO hips.. My requirement for a new truck back in 97 was it must be hipped.. one blow out will do it.. since them my daily driver has had hips..

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I was wondering the same thing. I have a Ram 3500 SRW towing a 18500 toy hauler. I was a little concerned at first but when they delivered it to my house it came in a SRW 2500 the dealership used. There was no doubt that toy hauler was exceeding its capacities. I spoke to the individual towing it. He said the truck has 275000 miles on it from taking trailers like mine back and forth from Arizona to Washington. He’s never had a issue. I’m currently pulling mine from Spokane, WA to San Antonio, TX but going through California, Arizona and NM. I pulled it through pretty high winds, and over the highest pass along the I-5 in southern Oregon. I won’t sit here and say it pulled it right over the pass without a sweat but it did do just fine. I took it nice a slow. Temps went up a bit but that would be expected regardless. Just to be clear I’m not saying I’m doing the right thing but I am saying it’s possible.


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I don't think there is a question that any of the new SRW trucks, or even some of the older models can "pull" these 5ers. Heck i'm sure they can handle them DRVs or Luxes, which can get well into the low to mid 20k range. I think it's the question or issue of being inside your capacities or specs when it comes to total combined weight. I don't know if there was ever a time that an accident happens or if a police report is filed, if being over weight would cause some problems, legal issues, etc.

We have a DRW, and I'm glad we have it. If we got the SRW, I don't know if we could have added our 115 gal aux fuel tank, the trailer, all our camping goodies, the DW and pup, and be safely within the limits of the truck. Just my 2 cents.

It might pull great and all that but you're still more than likely overloaded. If the door sticker is less than the pin weight, you're in bad shape!


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After witnessing a left rear tire failure on a SRW while towing and seeing the carnage I will never tow a 5er or gooseneck without duals. When the tire burst the truck immediately lost control and crossed the centerline, jack-knifing in the process. The frame of the trailer peeled the cab open of the truck nearly killing the rear seat passenger, the truck came to a stop in the middle of this two lane highway so no roll-over.

No mountain road or passes, no panic stops just two Texas two lane blacktop, 70 MPH speed limit, cool fall day. It happened and everyone walked away but truck was a complete loss, trailer looked okay. It's your choice just make sure you've completely thought this through.

Sowie said:

I have a 2017 chevy 3500 srw that I pull my cyclone 4200. Took it from Florida to Gatlinburg with no problems. Funny but on Chevy trucks the only difference I could find between a single vs a dually is the extra leaf spring and extra set of tires. Brakes, tranny engine all the same. I added air bags to level things out a bit and checked my tire weight rating. All good and I can still go into a car wash.


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Looked at GMC spec sheet for my 2013. The difference is about 5,500 pounds increase of towing capacity with the dully.

11000 gvw will be the first issue that you come up against...I was concerned about my Bighorn 3270 with my
2017 Ford F350 diesel...even that is close to the 11,000 gvw with a pin weight at 2800 lbs. and two occupants.

I was very careful to lose as much excess baggage as possible. BUT, in real world towing, that pin weight doesn't even squat the truck to the helper springs or the Timbren springs. I just towed 8000 miles through the Rockies and it was effortless for the truck. I make every attempt to be at or under gvw rating, knowing that I will then be well within all other ratings.

Funny, but when you look at the tow ratings for my truck, they are significantly more than the 11000 gvw could possibly allow, specifically regarding cargo weight, which for my configuration is about 4600 lbs. Way more than the 3460 on my door sticker. Now, I know that my Laredo package did not add 1200 lbs.

I have to say that I don't think that 11000 gvw cargo number is a real world limiting number. I think it is a real world taxation and registration number, and likely a number that is intended to cut down on warranty claims driven by hard use and heavy hauling. Others will disagree.

Your rear axle and tire ratings are likely the real determining factor for you. Need more info, but I suspect towing that Landmark isn't a great idea. Fifty miles to a campground may be one thing, but extended towing is another. Having said that...I sure see plenty of folks doing it.

You can only make an educated decision if you weigh your combo. Overloads are dangerous.

Speedy said:

After witnessing a left rear tire failure on a SRW while towing and seeing the carnage I will never tow a 5er or gooseneck without duals. When the tire burst the truck immediately lost control and crossed the centerline, jack-knifing in the process. The frame of the trailer peeled the cab open of the truck nearly killing the rear seat passenger, the truck came to a stop in the middle of this two lane highway so no roll-over.

No mountain road or passes, no panic stops just two Texas two lane blacktop, 70 MPH speed limit, cool fall day. It happened and everyone walked away but truck was a complete loss, trailer looked okay. It's your choice just make sure you've completely thought this through.

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If this is the case, then shouldn't all trucks be duallies? I fully understand what your saying, but it seems that it doesn't make a difference what brand of truck, most say that anyone towing should have a dually not a SRW regardless of trailer. Duals won't help anyone 1 bit if a steer tire let's loose. In the grand scheme of things, I feel that there are few accidents w/ SRW, but when they happen, it's all over the news. Sort of like Ford and their 6.0 PS. Vast majority of folks liked them and had few problems. BUT those that had problems, shouted from the tallest mountain and that's all you heard.

Can look at this another way. When you see RV wrecks, what's the majority of them? TT's NOT 5ers. Most TT's are towed by SRW trucks and usually caused by improper weight distribution or TT got to swaying etc. I have a 4 place V-nose snowmobile trailer that's about 30 feet long on a ball hitch. Tow w/ same truck in sig that tows the 5er in sig. While I don't have a problem towing it, can tell the difference between the 2 trailers in towing. Much rather tow the 5er and that's 4x the weight.