Can this truck safely tow the 3490BHS

[Cris371]

We've been looking for months-came across a 2009 Big Country 3490BHS that the dealer has priced at $x. Seems like a great deal and it has everything we want except the power awning. Is a manual awning a pain to deal with? We are members or RV.org and purchased their buying guides, and mult. CD's to help us make our decision. This is our first RV and we want to make a good choice-this is a lot of money for us! According to the report they generated for the model we are looking at, they recommend a 1 ton truck . Ours is a Ford 250 3/4 ton diesel extended cab/long bed. Funny thing is that we also looked at a Jayco that is two feet longer and obviously weighs more but they recommend a 3/4 ton truck for that one. We want the Heartland because of the quality and at 36ft-thats really as long as we want to go so we don't limit ourselves too much regarding where we can stay. Do you think the larger truck recommendation is due to the fact that the tanks and storage area are so much larger in the Heartland, there is more potential to overload it? We don't plan on "dry camping" much-if at all-so that is not really a factor for us at this point. Any advice? Opinions?

Thanks!
Cris

 

[Bob&Patty]

Cris, you should be fine. That being said, most of us are probably a little over on the pin weight. You need to check on your GCVW for your TV. There are many threads on this forum about weights. Go to the search box and you can read them for yourself. Make sure you read the ones for California. Welcome to the forum and Heartland. Bob

 

[itsbeertime]

Firstly, I was just told here that the 3490BHS is discontinued for 2010, so if you found one you like I'd think quick, as they are not building them any longer. We saw one online over the weekend and I went to research it and asked here and was just told it's discontinued.

As for you truck, I don't know the Ford specs, but my 2500HD would be overweight a tad with this. But it's within the limits I've set for myself that I would do. I'd need larger tires and airbags to feel better also. But it would still be overweight. So you have to feel comfortable about it. There's lots of people towing things much bigger and heavier than these with a 3/4 ton. Should you? Welll......there's the age old debate again...

 

[tmcran]

The one ton will give ya peace of mind and more options IMHO.

 

[grizzlygiant]

I pulled my 3400 Bighorn with my 3/4 ton Dodge Ram. I did OK but always felt I was pushing the limits. I downsized to my current 2800 Sundance and notice a world of improvement in driving (acceleration, hill climbing, passing, sway, and stopping). Parking is now a no-brainer at 31' instead of 37'. Sometimes smaller is better.

 

[Cris371]

Thanks everyone! According to the Ford Manual-this unit is within it's weight towing capacity. But can we go just by that info. to feel safe?

It'sbeertime-When you say bigger tires do you mean on the truck or the 5th wheel? I can't remember what size tires our truck has, but hubby went with pretty heavy duty tires. The 5th wheel has 16" tires. I really want this to be the one! But with four kids to consider-I've got to feel safe.

I've read so much about weight limits etc...my head is spinning. Hubby seems to think it won't be a problem and he is usually very conservative on stuff like this. Why would a longer, heavier unit be safe to tow with a 3/4 ton truck (according to the RV.org report) and not this particular unit? Other than the larger tanks, I don't understand.

Thanks again everyone. Such a welcoming forum!

 

[Rmcgrath53]

Taking it home unloaded ypu might be fine. Add all your gear, and weigh it ,and you will for sure be over. IMHO, one ton truck, you would be safer.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Cris371, welcome to the Heartland Forum. There are so many factors involved in determining weight capacity it can as you say get your head spinning. Just remember you have to include the 4 kids and gear when figuring the trucks weight. We started out with a 2500HD for our 3400 Bighorn and moved up to a dually for 2 reasons. 1. to get into a diesel cause our 2500 was a gasser and 2. to get within our weight limits. We were a little over with the 2500HD. There was a noticeable difference in the seat of the pants feel with the dually. Felt more stable and capable of handling the weight. We have friends with a 36 ft. Jayco Designer and it has a lower GVRW and less tire and axle under the trailer, hence, less carrying capacity therefore less truck is needed. And in my opinion, much less trailer quality.

 

[David Broadbent]

We have the same unit and love it, we tow with a 2500HD duramax, and tows like a dream, we used the unit 50 nights last year, towed from B.C. to Calf and back, no problems at all, we live in a mountainous area of British Columbia, with no problems at all,hope this will help you.

 

[Nabo]

We don't have the 3490 but do pull our 3250 with a 05 2500 dodge without any problems pulling the mountains or driving in the coastal areas. We are thinking about upgrading to a Big Horn and have started looking at and pricing the 3500 dodge single wheel truck. Thought we are in a recession!!!! oh well. Might stay with what we have.

 

[crazycanuck]

Cris,

We have an '06 Ford F-250 CC SB diesel and just purchased a 3490RB. I believe the BHS is the same frame as the RB, but ours has only 1 set of bunks and a rear washroom. We drove 1150kms (700mi) with most of our gear, loaded the unit up and drove home. We had no issues whatsoever! The truck cruised along no problem and the factory brake controller stopped us well. The 6.0 had plenty of power and while on the highway we travelled 70mph with ease. There is some weight to this unit and you can feel it, but with any trailer you must leave a little extra room. This is not our first RV trailer as we previously had a 30' Fleetwood Prowler, and I also tow a loaded 30' enclosed trailer in the winter.
What I have done is ordered a set of airbags (Ride-Rite) to help with some of the weight as I have read alot of people who tow use them. I would put them in a 350 SRW also as it would lower the back of one of those also. Our choice was to use the 250 as there is not alot of diference between this and the SRW 350 and there is no way I was getting a dually as this is my daily driver also.

Good luck on your purchase!

Cheers,

Dale

 

[NWlambear]

Smaller is better....with a 3/5 ton Ford 250?

My husband and I agree smaller is better! So we are still search for that perfect 5th Wheel for us. We have a 2008 Ford-250 Diesel..one reason we are looking for a smaller 5ver. I like the looks of some of the Heartland units. So it was helful to read you post. We want to get something 30' or less. Happy Rving...from 2 Wanna-Be partial-fulltimers. Tricia'n'Brian (NWlambear)

I pulled my 3400 Bighorn with my 3/4 ton Dodge Ram. I did OK but always felt I was pushing the limits. I downsized to my current 2800 Sundance and notice a world of improvement in driving (acceleration, hill climbing, passing, sway, and stopping). Parking is now a no-brainer at 31' instead of 37'. Sometimes smaller is better.

 

[grizzlygiant]

My husband and I agree smaller is better! So we are still search for that perfect 5th Wheel for us. We have a 2008 Ford-250 Diesel..one reason we are looking for a smaller 5ver. I like the looks of some of the Heartland units. So it was helful to read you post. We want to get something 30' or less. Happy Rving...from 2 Wanna-Be partial-fulltimers. Tricia'n'Brian (NWlambear)

I am taking a journey around the USA in my Dodge 2500 RAM pulling our new Sundance 2800RLS. I've traveled 2100 miles so far ---leaving Coeur d'Alene, ID, over the Rockies and across the Prarie to Branson, MO. The Sundance pulls like a dream, even in high winds of Nebraska. It has all the comforts of my previous Bighorn withouht the parking/turning hassels. Absolutely, smaller IS better (for us anyway).

 

[caissiel]

I use to haul a 24ft 5th wheel with my 88 Ranger in 92. A friend had the same truck with a 21ft trailer and we both towed equally. He regretted not having the 24ft trailer because it had more air space (Room) and the same equipment, and we had the same cupboard. My fellings about a shorter trailer is the air space that you don't have. My 3500RL comes with G tires and 7000# Axles. It was my concernes with the last trailer the Axles were way to weak. In addition 4ft is no heavier to haul when you have 100# air in the tires compared to 80#. Besides my new HL is now 1 MPG better on fuel then the old trailer and I am super satisfied with the drive, now that my truck is back to stock springs. And I had the fresh tank full. I was concerned with the ride quality of the G tires, well last night I had the rear stabilizers up and the trailer bounces real good when my little pretty wife walks around in the trailer. I drive my truck like its loaded all the time and having 1500# or 10% more load, I would hardly feel it for sure.

 

[trvlrerik]

In looking at a lot of 5th wheel campers I noticed that weight and length are not always related when compairing different brands. Heartlands are on average a little heavier than counterparts of other makes, in my opinion this may be a quality issue. When dragging a house around America, I opted for the highest quality of materials I could afford, and the Heartland product was my choice.

In regard to loaded weight of a trailer in order to keep it simple I have found a simple method that works for my family (the way we travel and pack).
For a one week trip each person weighs 400 lbs. each pet weighs 25 lbs. My personal goal is to never leave the driveway over 26k. Our heaviest ever was 27500, my 1 ton does not notice much, but my personal peace of mind is better under 25k. Lots of people push their equipment way over listed loads with no problems, I think we all have our own comfort level that we can live with, just my opinion, I could be wrong.

 

[Bighurt]

Aren't you already overloading your F350 by 2800 lbs, max 5th wheel tow weight for your vehicle is 15200, pretty sure the 09 3912 is 18000 GVWR?

 

[jrm111]

We have the same unit and love it, we tow with a 2500HD duramax, and tows like a dream, we used the unit 50 nights last year, towed from B.C. to Calf and back, no problems at all, we live in a mountainous area of British Columbia, with no problems at all,hope this will help you.

Good to hear. We pick ours up on Friday and here in Ontario everything is a hill compared to what you are used to. Can't wait to have our 2005 Duramax 2500HD put to work. Thank you.