marielw824
Member
We will be pulling our 3950 (when we buy it) with a '97 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel, 140,000 original miles. Have done work on it ... will need to do more work on it. Has heavy duty transmission, exhaust break, large 5" exhaust, gauges, and stuff I don't know/remember. Will be getting air bags instead of leaf springs (most likely), WILL DEFINITELY get heavy duty shocks ... we need them now! DH wants to more injectors ... and I'm sure there's other stuff too.
branson4020
Icantre Member
For the benefit of the other posters, do you know what your loaded pin weight is?
smday
Well-known member
I have to second that. I researched alot and finally came to the conclusion of safety for the family and bought the 3500 dually too.
trvlrerik
Well-known member
I am running a srw F350 with Firestone ride rite air bags ( set around 15-20psi) My pin weight when loaded is generally right around 2500lbs. I put anything heavy in the garage of our 3912 to lighten up the nose. In hindsight I should have gone with duals, as now I do not travel in windy conditions with the high profile camper. Weight related pulling issues are not a problem unless you count 9mpg as a weight related pulling problem. My average pulling weight is around 23k.
Worked into a fret!
Of all the posts that pull the most opinions are towing weights vs TVs. I have seen more charts and more "I have heards" than any other section. Everthing from Fords are bad to Dodges can't pull to Chevrolets are not worth buying to I use duals with such and such to "if you don't use this, you will die" to everything you could think of. I really think it is a section to justify what you have spent so much money on. Many items influence what a TV can do and include engine/brakes/brake controllers/transmissions/springs/airbags and on and on. Not one truck can be compared to another UNLESS they are totally stock and right off the showroom floor. There are those that think a deisel is the only thing to use and there are those that don't. Everything from differential gears to transmissions to engines can and are modified for pulling and when it is done it does not fall into the NEW TRUCK comparison. Can a 250/2500 pull a 3580RL YOU BET it can and if modified and built correctly better than others. Proportional brake controllers are great for stopping trailers. It seems as though when posted that a truck is the ONLY thing stopping a trailer, it is simply a part of the chain....the trailer has brakes also and yes can stop it. Not one truck can stop one of these on a dime and not one can stop it without trailer brakes, but you constantly hear about "this truck can't stop this trailer"????? Mine does a very good job of stopping this rig. Does someone really think that by simply having dual wheels the problems go away? Anyway I am not trying to start an argument or say others don't have great posts to help decide, all I am saying is there is really no way of comparison UNLESS no mods are done and ALL information is at hand. I have a F250 that is modified and I do not hesitate at all to pull my 3580RL anywhere and at 11-12 MPG it isn't all that bad. Wind effects all trailers, even if you have DRW. Again I am not trying to spark tempers or get a response, just think this needs to be looked at with more information than "this truck is better than this truck." Many items affect truck or TV decisions
MODS I have:
Guage stack....PYRO/XMSN TEMP/BOOST
Donaldson AIS extreme air intake
Oversized transmission cooler
5" exhaust system
air rides
Super sways
engine oil bypass system
*systhetic 5W30 HD Deisel
*sampled and lab tested each 10,000 miles
Timkin front end bearings
*replaced factory at 155,000
Super r4100 transmission
*custom built with titanium parts
TOYO 10 ply tread 6 ply sides tires
WARN hub locks
*replaced factory at 50,000 miles
DIABLO engine chip
TEKONSHA PRODIGY Propertional
Of all the posts that pull the most opinions are towing weights vs TVs. I have seen more charts and more "I have heards" than any other section. Everthing from Fords are bad to Dodges can't pull to Chevrolets are not worth buying to I use duals with such and such to "if you don't use this, you will die" to everything you could think of. I really think it is a section to justify what you have spent so much money on. Many items influence what a TV can do and include engine/brakes/brake controllers/transmissions/springs/airbags and on and on. Not one truck can be compared to another UNLESS they are totally stock and right off the showroom floor. There are those that think a deisel is the only thing to use and there are those that don't. Everything from differential gears to transmissions to engines can and are modified for pulling and when it is done it does not fall into the NEW TRUCK comparison. Can a 250/2500 pull a 3580RL YOU BET it can and if modified and built correctly better than others. Proportional brake controllers are great for stopping trailers. It seems as though when posted that a truck is the ONLY thing stopping a trailer, it is simply a part of the chain....the trailer has brakes also and yes can stop it. Not one truck can stop one of these on a dime and not one can stop it without trailer brakes, but you constantly hear about "this truck can't stop this trailer"????? Mine does a very good job of stopping this rig. Does someone really think that by simply having dual wheels the problems go away? Anyway I am not trying to start an argument or say others don't have great posts to help decide, all I am saying is there is really no way of comparison UNLESS no mods are done and ALL information is at hand. I have a F250 that is modified and I do not hesitate at all to pull my 3580RL anywhere and at 11-12 MPG it isn't all that bad. Wind effects all trailers, even if you have DRW. Again I am not trying to spark tempers or get a response, just think this needs to be looked at with more information than "this truck is better than this truck." Many items affect truck or TV decisions
MODS I have:
Guage stack....PYRO/XMSN TEMP/BOOST
Donaldson AIS extreme air intake
Oversized transmission cooler
5" exhaust system
air rides
Super sways
engine oil bypass system
*systhetic 5W30 HD Deisel
*sampled and lab tested each 10,000 miles
Timkin front end bearings
*replaced factory at 155,000
Super r4100 transmission
*custom built with titanium parts
TOYO 10 ply tread 6 ply sides tires
WARN hub locks
*replaced factory at 50,000 miles
DIABLO engine chip
TEKONSHA PRODIGY Propertional
Delaine and Lindy
Well-known member
Pin Weight....
Pin weight is the issue when towing heavy trailer with the 3/4 tons. I have said many times its impossible in most cases to change someone's mind between a 3/4 ton and a 1 ton. Its just a choice a person has to make. And another reason is there is so many 3/4 tons pulling 5th wheels. Just try to be safe. GBY...
Pin weight is the issue when towing heavy trailer with the 3/4 tons. I have said many times its impossible in most cases to change someone's mind between a 3/4 ton and a 1 ton. Its just a choice a person has to make. And another reason is there is so many 3/4 tons pulling 5th wheels. Just try to be safe. GBY...
Rmcgrath53
Well-known member
Just from experience I have had a new 2002 F350 srw and used 2002 F350 DRW and the DRW sure handles my trailer at least 25% better
with my 2008 cc dmax, airbags, compressor tank and all that with the titan 52 gal tank filled, also with a washer dryer combo unit and the 2nd ac and all the accessories you can bolt in a 3850 clothes, food and such, NO bikes in it my weights were:
24911 gvw
6880 rear wheel truck weight
14k and change on the trailer wheels
hope this helps you out, i enjoy the truck and it tows ok and with the airbags it really helps out and i dont mind driving it at all, i am leaving in the AM for Huntsville headed north on 65 look me up
24911 gvw
6880 rear wheel truck weight
14k and change on the trailer wheels
hope this helps you out, i enjoy the truck and it tows ok and with the airbags it really helps out and i dont mind driving it at all, i am leaving in the AM for Huntsville headed north on 65 look me up
Bighurt
Well-known member
2008 F450 4X2...bone stock and it pulls it really well. Truck sits nearly level even with no toys in the garage. I do want to add a Spartan tune for a few more horses/ft-lbs/mpg's but it is not really necessary...I just want it
I find it funny you are the only one towing within the manufactures specs for your vehicle.
Rmcgrath53
Well-known member
Bighurt
Well-known member
My apologies I was refering to cyclone owners. Most are over their tow limits, you are safe with the 12,800 and your Sundance.
Cheers
Jeremy