I tow with about five different vehicles but with only one that I own, and I can compare mine to a 2500 Suburban that I out pull with my little RCSB. It even handles the toungue weight better. Grant it the weight ratio is better with the Suburban than mine and probably safer but they both feel equally safe with mine being stronger and much more firm. Then there's a Chevy 1/2 ton and another Dodge 1/2 ton, and a 2500 Duramax Deisel which of course is the stongest. But all have pulled their limits and above and are still ticking. The only unsafe one out of the bunch is the Chevy 1/2 ton when pulling 7k lbs, it's suspension is way too soft. The two Dodges and especially mine are firm and up to the task. So being that Dennis01's truck is a few hundred pounds heavier than mine I think it's plenty safe to tow 7k lbs. And from the pics, it looks pretty confy and set up right. Besides, the guys having fun and trying share his thoughts and oppions. Having a bigger and safer truck doesn't give Cthulhu the right to bash another who chose to have the best of both worlds with good looks and good towing, lol!

 

Watch out for the weight police! A bunch of grannies that think you need to buy a 1 ton truck to tow a lawn mower. The fact is that any modern trailer has electric brakes that can stop the truck un assisted. A fifth wheel is rated by gvwr and pin weight. As long as his pin weight doesn't exceed his axle ratings he is fine. I tow 9000 lbs with my 2010 like a dream

 

I would have to agree, I have a 09 4x4 qc with 35's r17 with airbags.

I tow requarly a big tex 20' 12pi trailer dry weight is 2500lbs, bust sometime I use it to pull a bobcat that add another 6-7000lbs. I have the best brakes money can buy on both the trailer and truck. and I have been stoped by DOT and they said I was fine I have pulled it as far as I have to. Granted I live in the south where its mostly flat.

Remember all the car manfactures rate the truck themselves and because of the way society is they add a "saftey rating" so they dont get sued.


If it scares you, then write to your congressman and change the laws in your state.

 

Actually, starting in 2009 or 2010 there is a standard for rating towing capacity. That's why the ads for the Tundra towing 11K disappeared and Ford's ratings dropped a bit. Dodge was already rating the Ram correctly which is why it was a bit lower than the over-hyped guys.
Personally, I think much over 8K is getting into 2500 range for the better suspension and brakes.

 

Dennis, you are pulling an unsafe load as it is.
I fully agree with you your truck can pull the weight, and your trailer has excellent brakes, but I'll bet you if you scale that rig, your rear axle is way overloaded.

I bought a 2011 Outdoorsman believing I could pull my 28' 5th wheel with it. Pulls great, just like you say. Stops OK. But even with empty tanks and no passengers I was way over the weight limit for the rear axle.

I ended up trading it in for a 3500 and just finished a trip through the Rockies. Glad I did.

I know lots of folks that pull a rig like yours. You "can" do it, just watch out for the scales and don't get into an accident because ICBC (insurance company) can and will deny your claim as you are overloaded.

Mike

 

Yeah, thats what I was kind of getting at. Sure you can pull it and there are those out there that say go for it but when in front of a judge or making a claim is when you find out you are screwed. I've seen it myself. The judge looks at the limits on paper and you end up paying for it in the end. You can be the greatest driver in the world but the dope driver out there that hits you can cost you along of pain once the judge see's you are over the limit.

 

If the fifth wheel is set up right for this trailer tongue weight is about 600 lbs... about half the weight rating...

 

It comes down to weight distribution in the trailer. Most 5th wheel trailers have a lighter tongue weight than a standard hitch trailer. I tow a 27ft. Tahoe trailer that weighs 8300lbs at full capacity. That is with all of the tanks full and allowing for 300lbs. of necessities such as food and clothing. My old 01' F150 had a 8300 lb. max towing capacity and with this same trailer I hit the scales and cleared with flying colors. I never tow the trailer with fully loaded tanks (unless from the campground to the nearest dump) so the trailer is never that heavy. BTW my tongue weight is close to 800lbs. on my trailer. He said that his 5th wheel is only 19ft? If you guys think a full size truck can't pull a 19ft. TT, you're crazy. 19ft. is nothing! Hell, the guys over on the Tacoma forum pull bigger trailers than that. Some of the guys on this forum are like stated before "weight police." Maybe they live in a state where they are heavily regulated.

 

More important...it's knowing HOW to distibute the weight

 

When I posted the pic and thread of my truck and trailer I thought I might get a few negative comments, didn't expect to have comments regarding insurance, lawsuits, judges, and even 1 guy wants to smack me. I use my truck daily for work (1 year old and 50,000 km) I pull the trailer maybe 2-6 times a year mostly within 100-200km from home, all done on mostlt flat highways. I have had 3/4 ton diesels but went back to 1/2 ton because of the ride, fuel economy, and overall maintainace costs. I don't need a HD truck for work, and being I only pull a trailer a few times a year, I can't justify having a heavier truck. So I will pull with the 1/2 ton and will deal with judges, scales (have never heard of a RV unit being sent to the scales) and whatever else comes up for doing such a criminal act as this.