Anxiety

[TINARACHELLE]

The thought is disc brakes on your trailer. Yes all four wheels.
I'm curious as to where you got the weight numbers for your 3585RL. I have one and the listed dry weight is 11,950 with a GVWR of 16,000.
And my pin weight loaded is 3,400.

Peace
Dave

Thank you for the clarification. The weights came off the door of the rig...but I transposed numbers. It's 3385RL. I will go correct that. So many numbers this weekend.

As as far as tires, the tread look OK but I can't see the numbers to check the age. We will make sure Saturday and get them changed if needed. How many years should they be allowed to go before they are unsafe.

 

[Miltp920]

As far as the tire issues, the biggest issue has been with the brand...Power King Towmax have had issues on heavier 5ers. What is the brand of tire on your 5er?

 

[TINARACHELLE]

As far as the tire issues, the biggest issue has been with the brand...Power King Towmax have had issues on heavier 5ers. What is the brand of tire on your 5er?

Tbh, I don't remember and we haven't picked it up yet. I don't think it was towmax. It might behoove us to just have the brakes and tires done at once. I am thinking good year but can't be 100%.

 

[Shortest Straw]

Living in Colorado we see many folks towing with gassers. I personally would not drive one. With that being said I see many gassers pulling some pretty big rigs up some pretty big hills around here.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

Living in Colorado we see many folks towing with gassers. I personally would not drive one. With that being said I see many gassers pulling some pretty big rigs up some pretty big hills around here.

So tell my why you wouldn't drive one? Less power? Personal preference?

 

[TINARACHELLE]

 

[Shortest Straw]

I like the power no doubt about it. Personal preference maybe. I am a farm/ranch kid and diesels are what we always had. There is a reason that semi trucks are diesel. The longevity of a diesel for towing is another aspect of it. Granted not all engines are the same but it has been shown in many tests that a diesel will tow longer than a gasser without issues/repairs. The traveling nurses I have met in my day stayed for 3-6 months at a time so moving your rig often may not be a big enough issue for you.

 

[TravelTiger]

Have you visited www.fifthwheelst.com there are some great calculators there to help you, and unbiased factual info about towing safely. Although everyone has their opinion and means well, it's best to do the math and know for sure. Only you are liable for your choices.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TINARACHELLE]

Have you visited www.fifthwheelst.com there are some great calculators there to help you, and unbiased factual info about towing safely. Although everyone has their opinion and means well, it's best to do the math and know for sure. Only you are liable for your choices.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We did the math up and down and side ways. I am just asking for experiences with my truck brand. I know opinions are subjective but I have lesrned a great deal from these forums. We turned down several rigs because of the weights on them. We had salesman, car and RV, telling us we could practically pull a house. We did mess up and almost buy a rig that while it looked OK by the numbers, when we did the math it was too heavy. This was the first rig we negotiated on. It started at 12500 and 14200 gross. It's was too much payload. It scared us because 1. We found out you have to do the math because no one cares that's taking your money 2. We would never be deliberately negligent and put people in danger. As someone suggested I will carry stuff in my vehicle. Realistically we could probably keep it close to the dry weight while towing.

http://rvtowcheck.com/rvtc_calculator.html

 

[TINARACHELLE]

We did the math up and down and side ways. I am just asking for experiences with my truck brand. I know opinions are subjective but I have lesrned a great deal from these forums. We turned down several rigs because of the weights on them. We had salesman, car and RV, telling us we could practically pull a house. We did mess up and almost buy a rig that while it looked OK by the numbers, when we did the math it was too heavy. This was the first rig we negotiated on. It started at 12500 and 14200 gross. It's was too much payload. It scared us because 1. We found out you have to do the math because no one cares that's taking your money 2. We would never be deliberately negligent and put people in danger. As someone suggested I will carry stuff in my vehicle. Realistically we could probably keep it close to the dry weight while towing.

http://rvtowcheck.com/rvtc_calculator.html

That was supposed to show 13, 222

 

[danemayer]

Hi Tina,

Gas engines develop max horsepower at high RPMs. If you're trailer weight is near the max rating for the tow vehicle, the first time you go up a steep hill, you'll find the engine will be screaming. You'll need to keep an eye on temperature gauges. And running near red line RPMs won't do your engine any good.

As you go into the mountains, you'll probably find that as you get to higher altitudes, the engine power may drop off quite a bit as the air gets thinner, making things worse.

You'll also find that going down long Colorado 7% grades may be quite challenging. We do it all the time using the engine brake and sparing the truck/trailer brakes - don't know if gassers have engine brakes. If you're depending on your truck/trailer brakes to keep your speed under control you could end up with some pretty hot brakes. I've seen people smoke their brakes going over Wolf Creek Pass on 160 and I'd expect you could do the same west of Denver on I-70. Northbound I-25 through Raton Pass in New Mexico can also be challenging.

It might all work out ok, but you might find yourself upgrading to a 1 ton diesel.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

I like the power no doubt about it. Personal preference maybe. I am a farm/ranch kid and diesels are what we always had. There is a reason that semi trucks are diesel. The longevity of a diesel for towing is another aspect of it. Granted not all engines are the same but it has been shown in many tests that a diesel will tow longer than a gasser without issues/repairs. The traveling nurses I have met in my day stayed for 3-6 months at a time so moving your rig often may not be a big enough issue for you.

Your absolutely correct about the length of stays. The most standard contract is 13 weeks. You might come across 26 weeks sometimes. A lot of times, the Hospital will ask a nurse to sign another 13 week contract. His very first assignment was a 26 weeker but the Hospital changed it for him because he had never traveled. We were in San Antonio, TX. We will have been here in the Tidewater for five months when we leave.

Our sticks&bricks is in Arkansas. Flat in the middle of cotton, rice and bean farms. Mark's Dad was a Mechanic for John Deer until he got hurt very bad at work and lost a leg. My late Daddy was a long haul trucker till about three years before he died. I will always associate the rumble of a diesel to my childhood.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

Hi Tina,

Gas engines develop max horsepower at high RPMs. If you're trailer weight is near the max rating for the tow vehicle, the first time you go up a steep hill, you'll find the engine will be screaming. You'll need to keep an eye on temperature gauges.

As you go into the mountains, you'll probably find that as you get to higher altitudes, the engine power may drop off quite a bit as the air gets thinner, making things worse.

You'll also find that going down long Colorado 7% grades may be quite challenging. We do it all the time using the engine brake and sparing the truck/trailer brakes - don't know if gassers have engine brakes. If you're depending on your truck/trailer brakes to keep your speed under control you could end up with some pretty hot brakes. I've seen people smoke their brakes going over Wolf Creek Pass on 160 and I'd expect you could do the same west of Denver on I-70. Northbound I-25 through Raton Pass in New Mexico can also be challenging.

It might all work out ok, but you might find yourself upgrading to a 1 ton diesel.

This is what our towing package includes:

[h=3]HILL START ASSIST[/h]To help give you extra time to switch from the brake to the accelerator without rolling, Hill Start Assist senses potential “rollback” when braking on an incline and then holds the brakes momentarily when you lift your foot from
[h=3]TRAILER SWAY CONTROL[/h]Keep both your heavy duty work truck and your heavy duty trailer heading in the same direction, automatically. Sensors detect a swaying trailer, and the system helps bring it back in line by applying both the truck’s and the trailer’s brakes (when properly equipped).
[h=3]AVAILABLE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER[/h]Heavy duty towing means heavy duty braking. For control and easy monitoring of your trailer brakes, Silverado HD offers an available integrated trailer brake controller. It’s located close to the steering wheel for quick adjustments.

 

[danemayer]

This is what our towing package includes:

HILL START ASSIST

To help give you extra time to switch from the brake to the accelerator without rolling, Hill Start Assist senses potential “rollback” when braking on an incline and then holds the brakes momentarily when you lift your foot from
TRAILER SWAY CONTROL

Keep both your heavy duty work truck and your heavy duty trailer heading in the same direction, automatically. Sensors detect a swaying trailer, and the system helps bring it back in line by applying both the truck’s and the trailer’s brakes (when properly equipped).
AVAILABLE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER

Heavy duty towing means heavy duty braking. For control and easy monitoring of your trailer brakes, Silverado HD offers an available integrated trailer brake controller. It’s located close to the steering wheel for quick adjustments.

All good features, but they won't help you deal with mountain passes.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

All good features, but they won't help you deal with mountain passes.

What mountain passes are we going to hit coming in from the west on 70 and taking a state Highway to the area between pueblo and Colorado city. And hitting 25. We will be at the KOA Pueblo west

 

[danemayer]

What mountain passes are we going to hit coming in from the west on 70 and taking a state Highway to the area between pueblo and Colorado city. And hitting 25. We will be at the KOA Pueblo west

If that's the only place you'll be, you should be fine.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

If that's the only place you'll be, you should be fine.

Oh yes, we will be docked there and use my tuna can for travel. I will have the truck for my use during the day.

 

[Shortest Straw]

There is an art to getting down a long steep grade and not burning your brakes up. To much of that on a lighter pick up will cost you some cash in brake jobs for sure. You do need to be aware that any road or highway west of I 25 in Colorado is going to have a long steep grade somewhere and in most cases many of them. Initially that would just limit where you two may take the next job.

 

[TravelTiger]

I wasn't trying to be overly critical, I'm just trying to give you the advice I give everyone that asks for opinions on "will my truck tow this?"

Because I see it often on all types of RV forums. Folks try to justify the truck or trailer they picked based on other's experiences rather than do the research themselves. Sounds like you have looked at the numbers, but the payload (with a loaded, not dry pin weight) may be a concern. Our rig has a GVWR of 14348. When we weighed, we came in under 13,600 but found our pin weight was around 3000 lbs, and that wasn't loaded for full time living.

You are right to be concerned, but if you weigh and adjust accordingly, you may be OK. Practice some short drives around areas you are familiar with, if you can, before the big journey.

Our 1st trip was from Dallas, TX to Santa Fe, NM just one week after buying the rig. I don't recommend doing that!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TINARACHELLE]

There is an art to getting down a long steep grade and not burning your brakes up. To much of that on a lighter pick up will cost you some cash in brake jobs for sure. You do need to be aware that any road or highway west of I 25 in Colorado is going to have a long steep grade somewhere and in most cases many of them. Initially that would just limit where you two may take the next job.

I saw that on the map so I was thinking that 25 must be the split. We will probably go back to the east coast for the summer next year and if he were to extend in Pueblo we would be gold. So what's the technique we need to use? Or is there something to read or watch.