30ft+/ Oversized load Trailering. Lets see your tow rigs.

Me...Want horror stories? (besides the one you can obviously tell??) Glad you are better.

 

Yep, although my wrench is the first one I bought about 45 years ago, it’s an old beam style, and a 20v max 1/2” drive impact, and a Viair 150 psi 12v compressor (load range g trailer tires) and tubeless plugs. If you’re going to be pulling long distances, I really recommend the TST tire pressure monitoring system, although you can order them with the fancy trailer tow packages on the tow vehicles now, these give temperature also. I don’t go for all that stuff on the truck, I figure I made it all these years without it.
It all stores nicely under my rear seat and in rear door pockets





As you can see, that plug kit on the top is open and rubber cement tube was used not to terribly long ago. You never know. I can usually fix a tire faster than I can change one. It’s better in my opinion than calling road service, who wouldn’t do the job to my satisfaction anyway.

 

Yeah, I outgrew the under the seat storage real fast. So had to get a cross bed tool box. Between lights, fluids, tools, hitches and all the rest of the stuff I have to carry, I moved to the bed box.

I bought a boxed tire plug kit years ago. They do come in handy. It has everything in one handy box. Room to have the fiber plugs, about 60 of them, and the tapered rubber ones. I want to say there is about 100 plugs of different sizes, lube, knife to cut plugs, the reamer and the plug tool.

I had just picked it up and threw it in the gravel truck I was driving. Had a driver call me saying he was stuck with a flat. We put 12 fiber cords in the one hole and it held. He had ran over a pair of pliers and they went into the tire. Still baffled on that one.

 

Those cross bed boxes are nice. I sold the nice weather guard saddle box when I got the 5th wheel because I no longer needed all the storage for tools since retirement. I wanted the Bakflip mx4 tonneau cover for security reasons so I went with the folding tonneau box by UWS. I like this set up because there are things that go with me for longer trips (not tools) that don’t stay in the truck normally and there is room to fit heavy totes for those things between the box and the hitch. Then the totes just get lifted out when I get home.

That story of fixing someone else’s tires is always the way it seems to go. I have fixed my own stuff plenty, but I have fixed others stuff more.

 

Did put some firestone HD airbags on it and calmed the truck down a bunch.

 

Excellent thread, thanks to all who chimed in. Without starting the "can we tow over our specified weight limit" argument, how many of you guys have ever been heckled by law enforcement about possibly being overweight, specifically GCWR? Has anyone ever been asked to actually weigh in?

I finally weighed my boat + trailer bringing it to the marina a few months ago, came in at around 16,400 with half tank of gas, no water or batteries. I'm in the market for a truck and I figured I'd need at least a GCWR of 23 or 24k on the truck if I wanted to stay within limits. I'd prefer not to get a dually considering I only move it a few times a year, however later I'd love to take my family on trips when the kids get older. I'd also prefer to get a pre-emissions diesel as I live in an e-check county, so about '07 and earlier.

Picture is of my dad's truck (2002 GMC 3500 Duramax) with my boat. The truck pulled the boat no sweat... however, the miles are piling up and there's no saying if it'll be around long-term!

Thanks

 

Being at 16k plus, your pretty limited. My trailer with full tanks but no personal stuff, is right at 12k. That 02 Duramax is rated at 16k max. So that is a interpretation on enforcement officer. If you hold a standard license, you might be ok. As a holder of a CDLA, I would get nailed for over weight. By how much in fines would depend on the final weight. Do I risk it, sure do. Have to sometimes. I've been as much as 30k lbs over. That would be jail time.

That Duramax should be fine as long as its maintained properly. Dont want a pickup with hips, then get you a single rear wheel. But at those weights, I rather have the stability of dual wheels. Personally, I think your only other option in to rent a truck from Penski or another fleet rental company.

I bought a 04 Chevy Duramax long bed crew cab to pull ours. I have put just over 5k miles on it in a year. And those are pulling miles. Boat once and our tractor a few times. And with fuel at the current west coast prices, it will be less this year. I currently have a very hard time forking over $2400 for a weekend of fun.

 

That isn't correct...the F250/350 will tow a heck of a lot more than 10000 lbs...that is your gross truck weight including any pin weight or hitch weight.

 

That could be correct at the rear hitch because the factory hitch may only be a class III
My Dodge was the same I had to upgrade the hitch

 

It wasn't until I got my '16 Ram 3500 that I knew about the class V hitch that takes a 2-1/2" stinger, versus the usual class III with the 2" socket. The hitch itself is rated for 16,000 pounds trailer weight, but the limiting factor is usually the tow vehicle.

 

Told my wife the same thing!!!

 

Are you using the 100LL in something besides an airplane?

 

The hitch on all the newer SD 250/350's are class V. My '22 says 18,200 on the hitch, straight or WD is the same.

 

I see the new half ton pickups are being said to have a rating of over 20,000 pounds. I call bullshit. Someone that has never towed or very limited experience gets in one and tries to carry that will most likely end in serious injury or death. My 2004 3500HD with dual rear wheels is rated under that.

The hitch on my pickup from factory was only rated at 10k pounds. I replaced it with a commercial duty with a 25k standard pull limit. My reciever ball for the boat are both rated at 20k#. I have seen what happens when the hitch breaks pulling heavy loads.

My weak link in my set up is the boat trailer, but the tow rig. And that is because my trailer is rated to 15,000 pounds.

Just because they claim it will, doesn't mean it will. Auto makers have been making those false claims for a very long time. And so has trailer dealers. I once seen a half ton pull out of a dealers lot with a 1 ton fifth wheel. I wanted to slap that salesman up side his head.

As for 100ll, I use it for all kinds of applications. Lawn mowers, chainsaws, boats, cars everything. I run it in yard tools every spring. The cars every now and again, to keep them clean. I have yet to have a carbon issue.

 

And, it smells good!

 

I didnt want folks to think I was crazy. I like the smell of jet A too.

 

What does ones experience have to do with tow rating on trucks?

 

I have seen many of accidents because people were told their half ton pick up could tow an 8000 pound trailer. With no experience pulling a wind block.

That is not a load that should be on a standard half ton pickup. More so in the hills. Just like pulling a 12,500 pound load on a 3/4 ton. Yeah, it might be able to pull it. But not safely. And that is made worse with the lack of experience

 

I didn’t order bumper tow package, I needed 5th wheel/gooseneck so this 21,200 # must be standard issue on an F-350. It’s a 3” receiver, pita to reduce it down to 2” to put the bike rack in it when we want to take the bikes somewhere. The receiver on the back of the 5th wheel is 2”.

 

Here’s mine…. I only get to use it twice a year and never get to drive. I’m always the chase vehicle