Thank you Rigmover.....I think you are probably correct even in the US that it depends on what state and what mood the DOT is in that particular day. They aren't going to bother a dually with a travel trailer because it is exempt and they don't have time to deal with them, but of course there are always the horror stories you occassionally hear about. Now, with having your Peterbilt pulling even a 5th wheel travel trailer, like you said GVWR might cause more of a rucus because it is a unit capable of towing commercially, and with todays "post 911" world, anything is possible from a DOT agents eyes. It would be interesting if anybody else experienced anything. I also wanted to ask since you have tandems, did you need to slide back the 5th wheel on the tractor to clear the undercarriage of the trailer? Thanks again....tr
Better Tow Rig For My Cyclone 3950
- Thread starter Rigmover06
- Start date
Rigmover06
Well-known member
Fifth Wheel Slide
Yes,I have my fifth wheel slid all the way to the back. Only because my truck still has my lowbed ramps on the frame and they stick out about 2 feet from the rear of the frame.(Long Story about the them
).
But it rides okay on that position and corners okay I was gonna leave them on. And they make an awesome rear bumper. As a lady in a Smart car found out in Mission BC almost a year ago.
Dan
Yes,I have my fifth wheel slid all the way to the back. Only because my truck still has my lowbed ramps on the frame and they stick out about 2 feet from the rear of the frame.(Long Story about the them
).But it rides okay on that position and corners okay I was gonna leave them on. And they make an awesome rear bumper. As a lady in a Smart car found out in Mission BC almost a year ago.
Dan
crazybanshee
Well-known member
86tjr
Our rig is titled as a motorcoach. Haven't stop at a scale or had any problems in six years. No CDL needed even though I have one. Have 28K invested in the truck and it will out perform any 45K pickup all day long.
Doug
Our rig is titled as a motorcoach. Haven't stop at a scale or had any problems in six years. No CDL needed even though I have one. Have 28K invested in the truck and it will out perform any 45K pickup all day long.
Doug
nhunter
Well-known member
Except at the parkade!
LOL.....You guys are hilarious....even my wife wonders what I have gotten into here..LOL again......You have me convinced. Also, is there any difference in the kingpin size hooking up to a larger truck/tractor other than just the plate size? It doesn't look like it, but I haven't had to hook up a regular tractor trailer in years, and well, the mind tends to fade with time........
Rigmover06
Well-known member
Kingpin Size.
Well they say size don't matter. But in this case, there is no difference in size. I just have to grease the middle horseshoe around the middle of my plate when pulling the cyclone. And we are off and towing.
Well they say size don't matter
. But in this case, there is no difference in size. I just have to grease the middle horseshoe around the middle of my plate when pulling the cyclone. And we are off and towing.
Rigmover06
Well-known member
Quick Version of Not So Smart Car.
November last year, I am STOPPED at a traffic light. Been there for 30 seconds at a complete stand still. Felt a little nudge. Looked in my mirror didn't see anything. Next thing I know some dude is banging on my drivers door asking me if I am alright? Turns out Missy wasn't paying attention to all the lights on my truck including the brake lights and plopped her smart car into the back end of my truck. Their headlights are just the same width as my lowbed ramps. She had airbag deployment. Tried telling the nice RCMP officer my brake lights weren't working. The officer asked,I pulled the spike and not 2 but 6 Brake lights on the back of my truck came on. She got a tiltdeck tow truck and I got a Timmies refill and carried on. 20 seconds of Krylon and you never knew anything happenend.
Not to mention I got it on Video as my truck has the windshield cam set up and 4 cameras mounted on her.(Youtube under rigmover06)
HUUMMMM.........smart car....Peterbilt
November last year, I am STOPPED at a traffic light. Been there for 30 seconds at a complete stand still. Felt a little nudge. Looked in my mirror didn't see anything. Next thing I know some dude is banging on my drivers door asking me if I am alright? Turns out Missy wasn't paying attention to all the lights on my truck including the brake lights and plopped her smart car into the back end of my truck. Their headlights are just the same width as my lowbed ramps. She had airbag deployment. Tried telling the nice RCMP officer my brake lights weren't working. The officer asked,I pulled the spike and not 2 but 6 Brake lights on the back of my truck came on. She got a tiltdeck tow truck and I got a Timmies refill and carried on. 20 seconds of Krylon and you never knew anything happenend.
Not to mention I got it on Video as my truck has the windshield cam set up and 4 cameras mounted on her.(Youtube under rigmover06)
Last edited:
nhunter
Well-known member
Sweet camera setup! What do the cameras record onto?November last year, I am STOPPED at a traffic light. Been there for 30 seconds at a complete stand still. Felt a little nudge. Looked in my mirror didn't see anything. Next thing I know some dude is banging on my drivers door asking me if I am alright? Turns out Missy wasn't paying attention to all the lights on my truck including the brake lights and plopped her smart car into the back end of my truck. Their headlights are just the same width as my lowbed ramps. She had airbag deployment. Tried telling the nice RCMP officer my brake lights weren't working. The officer asked,I pulled the spike and not 2 but 6 Brake lights on the back of my truck came on. She got a tiltdeck tow truck and I got a Timmies refill and carried on. 20 seconds of Krylon and you never knew anything happenend.
Not to mention I got it on Video as my truck has the windshield cam set up and 4 cameras mounted on her.(Youtube under rigmover06)
porthole
Retired
on Video as my truck has the windshield cam set up and 4 cameras mounted on her.(Youtube under rigmover06)
I can't find it, got a link?
Rigmover06
Well-known member
Cams
There is a 120gig hard drive mounted in my bunk and it records for 14 days before it loops over and starts over again.
www.youtube.com
search for rigmover06 and you'll see the videos I have posted on there.
Dan
There is a 120gig hard drive mounted in my bunk and it records for 14 days before it loops over and starts over again.
www.youtube.com
search for rigmover06 and you'll see the videos I have posted on there.
Dan
WOW!
I was thinking i was doing pretty good with a new Cyclone behind my 08 cc duramax, i can see my truck is in need for an upgrade, the power is good and the pulling was much better than expected, the chucking was not too comfortable through the construction in Dayton, Cincinati, and Birmingham but other than that my "little" rig did great!
love the picutres folks!
I was thinking i was doing pretty good with a new Cyclone behind my 08 cc duramax, i can see my truck is in need for an upgrade, the power is good and the pulling was much better than expected, the chucking was not too comfortable through the construction in Dayton, Cincinati, and Birmingham but other than that my "little" rig did great!
love the picutres folks!
I think in some ways you have a better set-up with the Duramax than I do with the F-350, a lot because of your transmission. I called FORD today and talked to a technician, told him what I had, plus a 16500 pound trailer, and I am far exceding the GCWR. He said the 7.3L Powerstroke is fine, but eventually the transmission is going to let go because it wasn't made for that much weight. I believe him from what I've experienced so far. He even said if I went to a F-450, I would be a couple thousdand pounds away from being on the bubble with that, and by the time you put in fuel plus all of the other junk we travel with, well, I just don't want to take any chances. He also said the braking is not any different between the two. I know there are hundreds of people pulling 5th wheel trailers fine, but with the kind of weight I have, I sure don't want to find out the hard way. From what I understand, the Allison transmission is much better than FORD's, but the GCWR is still the key. I have seen many posts in this site indicating such, which was part of the discussion of an exhaust brake. I guess the way I look at it is that if they build the truck for a certain weight rating, it's probably not a good or safe idea to go past it......at least for me. So, I'm going to do what RIGMOVER did....get a used tractor. Besides, they're less expensive than a F-450 or F-550, and though a little more difficult in some ways, I can come home in one piece.......which after a hard weeks work is not always the case
nhunter
Well-known member
The Alison is a good transmission, but I think Fords is too. My brother in law changed his Alison out due to failure @ 140,000km and my Ford tranny is still going @ 180,000km. And if you look in your owners manual you are not far exceeding your GCWR pulling a 16500lb trailer unless your truck is grossly over weight. On my 99 F-350 I installed a Powerbrake. It is a wiring harness that closes the waste gate on the turbo and uses it as an exhaust brake. Cost me $100. I have it sitting in my garage still, yours for free it you want it.I think in some ways you have a better set-up with the Duramax than I do with the F-350, a lot because of your transmission. I called FORD today and talked to a technician, told him what I had, plus a 16500 pound trailer, and I am far exceding the GCWR. He said the 7.3L Powerstroke is fine, but eventually the transmission is going to let go because it wasn't made for that much weight. I believe him from what I've experienced so far. He even said if I went to a F-450, I would be a couple thousdand pounds away from being on the bubble with that, and by the time you put in fuel plus all of the other junk we travel with, well, I just don't want to take any chances. He also said the braking is not any different between the two. I know there are hundreds of people pulling 5th wheel trailers fine, but with the kind of weight I have, I sure don't want to find out the hard way. From what I understand, the Allison transmission is much better than FORD's, but the GCWR is still the key. I have seen many posts in this site indicating such, which was part of the discussion of an exhaust brake. I guess the way I look at it is that if they build the truck for a certain weight rating, it's probably not a good or safe idea to go past it......at least for me. So, I'm going to do what RIGMOVER did....get a used tractor. Besides, they're less expensive than a F-450 or F-550, and though a little more difficult in some ways, I can come home in one piece.......which after a hard weeks work is not always the case
http://www.dieselpowerhouse.com/powerbraker.htm
http://www.thedieselstop.com/archiv...628&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1.htm
Havacyclone
Member
Nice rig!!
Hey Rigmover,
Interested in a Cyclone but don't want to give up my F250 to move to a F450 as my daily driver. I'm retiring my 9400 International so it would make sense to keep it around. Are you pulling from the trucks original hitch or have you added an additional hitch with more movement.
Interested in a Cyclone but don't want to give up my F250 to move to a F450 as my daily driver. I'm retiring my 9400 International so it would make sense to keep it around. Are you pulling from the trucks original hitch or have you added an additional hitch with more movement.