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Agent Crucible

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Aug 24, 2012
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To cut back on a long story, I'm looking into a 18000 GVW toy hauler trailer. My research indicates I need at least a Class 5 medium duty truck to pull that. We're talking commercial-class trucks like Toyota's F550, or the bigger Silverados. I was looking into military trucks for a while. But I get the impression I'm reading this wrong. I had a dealer try to tell me an F450 would pull it just fine. That would also imply that a truck's maximum haul isn't its maximum haul. The stats are fairly specific. The F450, in fact most trucks, top out at about 16k. Am I reading this wrong? Is pulling not the same as hauling? Am I trying to buy too much truck?

I think it was GMC which was actually very specific about what fifth wheel trailers their trucks could pull (seriously). The number didn't seem to be exactly the same as the maximum haul.

Who's smarter than me here?
 
18K GVWR is a seriously heavy trailer and, yes, you are in the medium duty truck category for a tractor.  GM and Ford in their heaviest 3500/F350-450 pickup lines have some units that will pull in the 20K GVWR neighborhood -- they get that with their big turbo-diesels running stump-pulling 4.10/4.30:1 rear ends and dual rear wheels.  Check out Trailer Life's tow rating tables at www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides/.

Hopefully some of our big fiver folks will chime in with the offerings that Volvo or Peterbilt might have.

 
Agent Crucible said:
Who's smarter than me here?
Click to expand...

Actually you are the smart one here!!!  By looking into what you will need to haul a trailer that heavy instead of blindly believing what a salesman will tell you to sell his unit.  And yes, pulling is the same as hauling.  The part they don't like to talk about though is that there is a lot of trucks that could get that load going and pull it down the road.  However, STOPPING it is different story. 

Good luck with your search!
 
I pull an 18k toyhauler with an f350 dually and it is well within the trucks tow rating of 21500 pounds, i assume you are talking about a fifth wheel?

Steve
 
SARGE: I SIT HUMBLY IN YOUR WISDOM.

STEVE/SUE: Yes, a Cyclone 3800 fiver. Until something better comes along, but we're running a cell phone repair business out of this bad boy, and this one is not only popular, it fits the bill. And has a huge kitchen for my fiancee.

CARL: Thanks, Carl. I'll definitely check that out. I'd be just happy as hell with anything that has a crew cab. Not every state has a ride-in-trailer law, and I gotta carry the family.

ALL: This leads me to another question, which I'll post as a new topic so everyone can take a shot. Hope to see you guys there!
 
Crew cabs seem to be available in the big Fords.  I suspect tho, that you are going to have to special order this thru a truck dealer.  Finding one of those rascals on a car dealer lot will be fortuitous to say the least.  In a time of $4.00 ++ fuel, 4.10/4.30 rear ends may be getting rare. 
 
You might wish to check out Trail-Haulers,  Just google it,  They take Freightliners and convert 'em for RV use.  I think they have two sizes.

Folks who own those do not worry "Can I tow it".
 
Just to hammer this home.  Hauling/towing whatever is not the issue.    STOPPING is the issue.  Make sure that whatever you get has got the biggest/baddest brake system money can buy.  The worst scenario I can imagine is trying to keep from crawling into the trunk of a ford focus that just cut in front of you.
 
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