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If you're uncertain about the laws in your area, check with your state law enforcement agency. The information given here are meant only as a general guide, it should not be taken as absolute fact. The information provided in this page can change at any given day. Since 1998, competition has forced
the three major pickup truck manufacturers to raise their tow capacity ratings
to 14,000 lb. (or there about) maximum. This has happened with the same large
engines, 4.10 differential ratios, trailer towing packages, dually or not, and
as far as we can see with no changes to the basic products. They are no
different than the 1996 and older models that were rated at 12,500 lb. towing
capacity. This is primarily because the new fifth wheel trailers with multiple
slide-outs and longer lengths result in 14,000 to 22,000 lb. Gross Vehicle
Weight Ratings (GVWR). The pickup manufacturing major players just don't want to
loose out on the business of towing fifth wheel trailers. Many of us are in our "senior years" as we claim all the senior discounts, but with age other things happen to our bodies. Reaction Time slows. Eye sight is not as crisp or focused. Stamina is waning. Strength is less. Lets face it statistically we get into more accidents than 30 year olds do. We must do everything possible to compensate for our aging capabilities and one way to do that is to drive the safest possible rigs especially when it comes to getting them stopped or turned in emergencies. Lots of things effect the stopping distance of an RV. Road Condition must be compensated for by adjusting our forward speed. When it is raining, even if we are behind schedule ( Why should we have a schedule?) we must slow down and increase the following distance. There is a rule that is taught to truckers that says the base following distance has to be 4 seconds or more. One additional second is added to the base 4 second for each additional negative condition. One second added for slick roads; one second added for limited visibility like fog; one second is added for fatigue; etc. Oh, we know, the aggressive car drivers will cut in, or honk because they think you are going too slow. But we all have to be ready for the emergency that will eventually come your way. Lots of things effect turning capability at highway speeds. The major ones are the wheelbase of the motive vehicle, center or gravity, type of hitch, condition of the tires, suspension component design and condition. Million mile truck drivers know that its a lot easier to dodge a hazard if there's room, than it is to stop. Highway speed maneuvering, like a lane change, is a challenge. The point is we probably don't practice doing it, so when it's required we can't do it safely. Longer wheelbases add significantly to the stability of a vehicle attempting to negotiate a high speed maneuver. The shorter the wheel base and the higher the Center of Gravity the more unstable any vehicle becomes. Matching the tow truck and the fiver, becomes another significant variable to deal with. Larger fivers, greater than 13,600 lb. GVWR, require medium duty trucks -- There is no pickup that can safely and legally tow, turn and stop a 16,000 lb. fiver, let alone a 22,000 lb. 40' with three slide outs. The truck must be matched to the fiver in size and weight. The bed and hitch height of the truck must be matched to the fiver hitch height for proper balance. The location of the hitch over or slightly ahead of the rear axle, creates a turning radius that eliminates the use of short bed pickups, unless you get a sliding fifth wheel hitch (which you can't slide back while you are driving). Medium duty trucks can tow 30,000 lb. safely and legally and are rated to stop 45,000 lb. plus. That means the truck can stop a heavy fiver even if the trailer brakes fail. Initial outlay for tow rigs is a
major concern. However, in order to protect person and property medium duty
trucks are becoming a necessity. Long range analysis will show that a medium
duty truck may actually have a lower cost of ownership. Here is an actual case
study. An avid RVer wants to tow a heavy fiver so he buys a high quality medium
duty truck with a custom truck bed and fifth wheel hitch. The rig is rated to
tow 30,000 lb. This hitch is rated for 26,000 lb. The wheel base is 180"
and even though the total length of the truck is 23' it still turns in less than
45'. The purchase price was $53,000. He then safely tows his 14,000 lb. fiver
for 90,000 miles over 4 years, and then it comes time to stop RVing. He sold
this tow rig for $45,000 since it was hardly broken in and had many miles still
left to drive. That means the capital cost of ownership was less than $10,000
giving an allowance for tying up $23,000 additional capital. The maintenance,
license, insurance and fuel costs (the rig got 12mpg towing) was less than that
of a dually pickup. Hypothetically, a dually would have cost $30,000 new, and
sold for no more than $14,000 with 90,000 miles on it. Towing 14,000 lb., the
chance of some major repair required during the 90,000 miles is very great, and
if not covered by warranty, would have significantly raised the cost of
ownership. --- Which rig would you like to drive? By the way, remember the
pickup was not rated to tow the subject fiver.
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