Cyclone 3950

truknutt

Committed Member
I got a 2012 Ram 3500 4.10 gears auto shortbox how well will it pull a 3950

I'm not a Dodge guy but from what I've heard & read you should have NO problem with that combination. Got any pics of the rig & TV?
 
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rustyshakelford

Well-known member
It's a lot of weight for the single wheel. You will probably be over on all weights. That being said, I'm sure it'll pull fine. Just becareful if it gets windy so you don't get pushed all over the place.

Enjoy!

Brett

Is it a single wheel or a mega dually?
 

DW_Gray

Well-known member
(I posted this before I saw your last comment.)

It's a little late now make a change but you may want to read Before You Buy - It's not rocket science to verify the capacities. Without knowing details of your truck there is 50/50 chance you got the right truck. I hope you got the dually.
 

PUG

Pug
I had a 09 3950 and pulled it with a 2500 chev duramax srw. It was a bit much for that. Purchased a 09 Ram 3500 drw, 4 x 4, short bed and absolutely no problem and very stable. Dualies are better. Got around 10 mpg pulling trl at 63 mph. Wanted more living area so purchased SOB 38 ft 5er and hooked small trl on back to haul dirt bikes, 4 x4 or street bike. Best of both worlds.
 
Your truck's tow capacity is between 16550-16700 (depending which model you have: SLT, Laramie, or Longhorn). I just went off what was on your sig line plus you mentioned that you were single rear wheel. I see the dry weight of the 3950 is 14k and max at 18k. Then the hitch weight is at 3346.

Your rear axle will handle the dry weight of the 3950, but you're right at max GAWR of 6200.
 

hogwaii

Member
I have a 2010 Dodge 3500 Mega Cab Dually 4X4 with 6.7 ltr Cummins Diesel. I pull a 2011 3950 Cyclone HD Edition. With 2 680 lb. Harley's in the garage, and gross vehicle wt nearing 17,000 lbs, my Dodge will accelerate up 5 & 6% grades. And on flat ground towing, I'm averaging 10mpg. With the built-in engine brake, Dodge and Cummin's got it right. Hope your truck is a dually. The stablility in the wide rear-end is piece of mind for towing a trailer this big. In other words, you'll have NO problem. You have truck to spare.
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Hi hogwaii,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and Family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

Thanks for the information about your experience with your Dodge 3500. That's what the forum is about, sharing and helping other family members when needed.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M
 

JasonShrout

Member
hogwaii,
Thanks for putting up this specific post! These are the questions that I needed to have answered before we make this investment.
If you or the others don't mind answering the following, we would really appreciate you knowledge and experience...
1. Replacement cost and interval of the truck and trailer tires
2. Major vs. minor annual repairs on the truck due to hauling (ball joints, tranny problems, frame problems at the 5th wheel mount point., etc)
3. Power consumption in the 3950 with long term use (family of 5) and are there any regular problems with power distribution in the trailer?

I will be separating from the service in a few months and we fully intend on this trailer being our full time home. I guess that what I really want to know is... what am I getting into?
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
hogwaii,
Thanks for putting up this specific post! These are the questions that I needed to have answered before we make this investment.
If you or the others don't mind answering the following, we would really appreciate you knowledge and experience...
1. Replacement cost and interval of the truck and trailer tires
2. Major vs. minor annual repairs on the truck due to hauling (ball joints, tranny problems, frame problems at the 5th wheel mount point., etc)
3. Power consumption in the 3950 with long term use (family of 5) and are there any regular problems with power distribution in the trailer?

I will be separating from the service in a few months and we fully intend on this trailer being our full time home. I guess that what I really want to know is... what am I getting into?
Hello Jason, Thanks for your service to our Country and Welcome to the Heartland family & Forum. Your questions, while valid, can have a huge variety of responses. Truck tires tend to be less costly than trailer tires. A lot depends on the wheel size and brand. I like my Firestone Transforce HT (about $125 ea.) on my Chevy and they have about 30K on them so far and are 2 years old. I think they're good for another 2 years. The Trailer tires can vary for the same reasons. I have Goodyear G614's and they are 3 years old. They'll go about 2 more years and run about $250 to $300 each.
As for truck repairs, that's another huge variable. The only thing I've put on my Chevy has been injectors. Plus regular maintenance items, oil and filter changes including transmission oil & filters and fuel filters. Over the 5 years I've owned it, maybe $2000 total. Injectors were under warranty.
Power consumption can vary depending on where you live. Using the A/C a lot may double your consumption. I think it's safe to say and average of 600 Kwh per month for us. Different areas have a slight variance in cost anywhere from .12 to .19 cents per Kwh.

We were full time for only 4 years and loved the lifestyle. If it weren't for having to be in the same area (Wisconsin) for the summer, we would still be full time. I will say it's a great lifestyle. You may have the opportunity to stay in Military parks so "rent" may be pretty reasonable for you. One nice feature of the lifestyle, if you don't like yer neighbors, you can pull stakes and go elsewhere.:angel:
 

JasonShrout

Member
Thank you, Ray! That was exactly the type of information we've been looking for.
The military park thing isn't going to happen. It turns out that its easier to medically separate you these days and completely cut you out after 17 years. Enough about that...

About the maintenance intervals... were the ones specified by the factory adequate, or did you have to make your own based on what you were doing (greasing, oil, tranny, axles, and coolant)?

As it turns out, we are sold on the 2009-2012 cyclone 3950 and will be buying one outright along with a capable truck, but for the purpose of this post, the type of terrain we'll be covering will be confined to the coastal regions of Texas, Louisiana, and possibly Mississippi. So, pretty much... flat and if all goes well, maybe less than 5,000 miles per year on the trailer, and at worst 25,000 per year on the truck (Dodge 3500).
 
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