Truck Towing Capacity

[djh3]

OK Folks might be wrong section here but didnt really go in the "bike trailer" section neither. We have been entertaining the thought of maybe getting a camper. To me the only thing that makes sense is a Toy Hauler. One thing that the boss dont like about the smaller bumper pull jobs is most of them you park the bike in the kitchen or living room. Outback makes a couple and you park in the bed room, they side load door. But some have said those are pretty steep ramps and I would have to concur from pics. So the bedrooms on the bumper pulls some of them look um well cramped to get into bed. So I'm thinking 5th wheel.

Now starts my issues. I have an old 96 3/4 stick Cummins straight cab, so far I aint found nothing I can pull. But the boss dont think it would be a good enough truck to set out cross country in. I beg to differ, but ..... So looking at some info on the trailers I'm poking around. Dutchman makes Voltage and a Voltage V series (a bit less $$) and also Triton which is significantly less. Not that we can afford new any ways. So take a 36' Triton it shows a dry weight of about 11,500 and cargo carry of 4900. So using old math skill (none of that common core crap) thats a total rig max weight of 16,400. Trailer bike clothes gas food water etc. So I go to looking for towing capacities, this is where my confusion begins. I look my truck up and the door sticker says 8800 lb, look in the owners manual and it says 20,000 total truck, trailer everything. round figures the truck weight about 5200 or something. I cant find it now. But the info I have been finding the tow capacity for the 3/4 and 1 ton is the same. So how do these folks get by using 1/2 ton trucks to pull some of these big 5th wheels? Am I figuring things wrong?

[bj66]

I would guess they would change to heavy duty truck tires (10 ply sidewalls), and add overload springs. Not ideal, but some do it. Gearing in the rear end wouldn't be a runaway in hilly country, but I've seen it done. I used to antique tractor pull, old timer I pulled with had a 5th wheel trailer with 3 tractors on it. Total weight of about 14000 pounds of tractors. He had 10 plys, overloads on a 1/2 ton ford with a 5.4 motor. Wasn't a runaway in the hills but he never complained. Matter of fact he said he got along good. The guy farmed all his life and never had a 3/4 ton. He just added overloads if he needed them.

[slowrollwv]

I have been thinking the same thing. I got an 07 F-250 with a 6.0 turbo diesel with a 6 speed man. tranny. Now we are looking at a toy hauler. Don't need any thing big and fancy just enough to haul the bike and a place to lay our head at night. We got the truck at an auction and saved about $10,000.

[Freebird]

I think that the real answer to the question about how people get by with it is that they just ignore the fact that they are overloaded. I did it also. I had a 1/2 ton Avalanche that was rated about 7,000 towing capacity. I pulled a boat that probably went over 9,000 lbs. It pulled it ok as long as you didn't try to push it too hard. Gas mileage suffered badly though. I finally sold it and bought a 3/4 ton Avalanche and it did much better and even got better gas mileage when towing than the 1/2 ton did. Took me a long time to find a nice 3/4 ton Avalanche and then I ended up selling the boat and now don't need the dang thing. Been meaning for weeks to get it listed on Craigslist but just haven't messed with it yet.

[Marcarl]

Another item to consider, and a lot of folks don't, is what is legal. A half ton beefed up may do a better job of towing than a reg 3\4 ton might, although the 3\4 ton may be listed as a heavy tow capacity. That's not how the hy-way cops decipher it though. They go by the book and if you don't have proper and inspected documentation on the beefed up half ton, it just isn't there,,,, kind of like on here,, if there are no pictures, it really didn't happen, type thing.

[videoarizona]

I've been looking at toy haulers for past year. Just can't get my head around having a scoot in bedroom smelling up the place. Plus, my Yukon will haul up to 7700 pounds and I don't like the choices Within that range. The Admiral doesn't like it at all! So plan B. A trailer with a deck to haul bike on. Two problems there: 1. Steep ramp. 2. Deck can hold about 750 pounds. Great for adventure scoots, not touring bikes. So now on plan C. A smaller motorhome and a trailer for bike. Having rented lots of class A's in the past, I'm aware of the maintenance issues.. And don't like that either... But so far that's where I'm at.

As far as trucks... Do not overload your truck. You are figuring things right, @djh3. Either plan on a better truck or a smaller toy hauler.

 

Here are some new haulers for comparison..... Get some ideas then look for use ones...

 

http://www.besttraveltrailers.org/toy-hauler-travel-trailers-top-8-brands/

 

This is another thought if ramp works for touring bikes...

 

http://www.rvtrader.com/dealers/Dakota-RV-2896752/listing/2015-K-Z-MXT-CRC210KS-115194293

Edited July 15, 2016 by videoarizona

[Flyinfool]

As Freebird mentioned, many of those are simply way over loaded. Some get away with it figuring that they are only going a short distance and or fairly level roads or just don't care.

 

There is a lot more to towing than engine size and rear gear ratio. Brakes, engine and trany cooling, axle bearings, tire ratings, hub sizes, even the weather makes a difference.

 

When you look at that total combined max towing weights, many fail to add in the weight on the tongue, the weight of fuel, passengers including yourself and any cargo in the truck including all of the stuff that you store in the truck like jumpers, extra oil, tow chains etc. Its all weight and it all counts.

[bj66]

I have a toyhauler, its a us cargo enclosed trailer with the front 14 feet converted with a walk through door. Its heavy...26 ft. long and a bumper pull. My 3/4 Dodge will pull it ok, but I use an equalizer hitch anyway. It keeps it nice and level because clearance is an issue. I would hate to drag some of the sewer drains etc. That would be a crappy deal to say the least. It even has rollers underneath to keep from dragging the frame. When doing the toyhauler thing, pay attention to storage. Those wide open units are good, but they usually lack storage. If a 5th wheel would work, I would say go for it.

 

I have a couple of friends that purchased 28 foot fifth wheel ultralites, and pull a small aluminum enclosed trailer with the bike inside. Here in SD you can do that. They like the set up. Not much different than all the 5th wheels pulling boats behind them.....

[BlueSky]

Seems to me a 3/4 with a Cummins diesel would make a great tow truck!

[bj66]

Just thought I'd mention, with the equalizer hitch, my toyhauler which is a Forest River conversion, pulls very nice. I pulled it home from getting the fridge worked on today. 20 miles over a stretch of rough highway. When I got home there was a windex bottle full of water which they put inside the fridge to see if it would cool. The bottle had no top on it and was still standing upright when I got home. In the past I have left change on the counter and pulled it home from Sturgis without having any fall on the floor. That is 300 miles. So if you are gonna go bumper pull. Add an equalizer hitch, its worth it....

[bj66]

Seems to me a 3/4 with a Cummins diesel would make a great tow truck!

 

Doesn't get much better

[Yammer Dan]

Guess I'll take my 4 banger Ranger and go Home!!!

[Yammer Dan]

But I get 25 MPG!!!

[djh3]

love my Cummins. Bought it when I had mu 14' and legends race car. the car and equip was probably 2200 cant even guess what the trailer weighed. Originally I had a 1/2 ton 318 short box to pull it. At highway speeds sometimes it was like heardin cats. That trailer seemed to push the truck around. So traded for current one. Single axle trailer so I'm sure that didnt help. But this truck has pulled even a 24' with an extra 12" roof height packed to the gills with my kids furnature and the back of the truck stuffed too. No problemo.

The fellow I got this truck from lived in Wisc and pulled a 5th wheel, it has air bags on the rear axle too. Tires wil make a difference, currently they are not up to spec for towing up to range. I dont pull a trailer now and when I had to get tires year and half a go I didnt go load range E. chances are this truck wont be what I would pull the rig with as the boss thinks we need something bigger cab wise. I'm sure she think we need to take the 80 lb bernese mountain dog with us, sheesh I thought it was vacation? Found a nice 1 ton dually with like 92k and a stick to boot for under 22k. That still hurts.

[bj66]

 

You can see the equalizer hitch in this photo. Its a good thing to have on a bumper pull....

[djh3]

Yea for sure if I went bumper pull I wouldnt even think about pulling one without an equilzer hitch. I probably should have had one on that single axle 14 footer.

[Gary N.]

My first bike hauler and camper. Worked great.

[Gary N.]

We've upgraded a bit.

[djh3]

I dunno, I kinda like the ole Chevy or whatever it is. There is a fellow up Orlando way that shows up to some car shows that has one like that and has a straight axle gasser loaded on it. I want to say like a 56 Vicky

[Gary N.]

Here's a picture of the '32 Ford on the back of the '46 Chevy and a'38 Chevy gasser I used to have. The '46 had an Isuzu diesel and would pull great with the 4.11 gears.

[cowpuc]

I dunno, I kinda like the ole Chevy or whatever it is. There is a fellow up Orlando way that shows up to some car shows that has one like that and has a straight axle gasser loaded on it. I want to say like a 56 Vicky

 

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[Gary N.]

To get back on topic, if you have a long bed truck, have you thought of a bike lift for the truck bed and towing a camper trailer behind on the bumper hitch? This is the one I bought http://www.mountainmaster.net/motorcycleloadingsystem.html

This could be done with a 1/2 ton truck easily, depending on the size of the trailer.

[djh3]

To get back on topic, if you have a long bed truck, have you thought of a bike lift for the truck bed and towing a camper trailer behind on the bumper hitch? This is the one I bought http://www.mountainmaster.net/motorcycleloadingsystem.html

This could be done with a 1/2 ton truck easily, depending on the size of the trailer.

Link pops up as virus possible. But if your putting a 900lb bike in the back of a 1/2 ton your already close to load limit.

[Freebird]

I got no warnings when I sent to that site. I saw one similar, maybe the same one, at a rally a few years ago. They demonstrated it all day and it was really nice.

[Wizard765]

For those that don't need lots of room what about a camper in the truck bed and pull a bike trailer?