Posted 2015-05-28 8:35 AM (#163562) Subject: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Oak Harbor, WA
Good morning everyone.
I have had horses most of my life but the largest trailer I have hauled with to date has been an Exiss XT300 event.
Now we may be moving up to a larger LQ rig, 2005 Bloomer with 14ft SW, no mid tack, 3H with a nice Duster conversion.
Towing rig is a 2014 Dodge 3500 dually with the standard pick up bed. The truck naturally rides pretty high in the back and in the past it has been a bit problematic adjusting things so that the back corners of the bed do not hit under the gooseneck when entering or leaving some driveways.
This trailer is an estimated 14500 lbs without the horses and gear. I figure an additional 2000-3500 lbs depending on hauling one or two horses.
If a third of that total is transferred to the truck BW turnover ball hitch that would be about 6000 lbs. This will (should I think) compress the rear suspension to a point where the trailer should be able to be adjusted enough to have sufficient clearance to the bed (5-6 inches) and ride close to level. That is the plan.
Anyone towing with a similar setup?
Will I need air bags or Timbrens on the rear of the truck? I do want it to compress some so that the ride is close to level and still have enough clearance to the bed.
I will also be installing a replacement hitch adapter...something along the lines of an airsafe adapter.
I really appreciate the expertise here. I am close to closing the deal on the trailer but I need to make sure I am set to tow a load like this safely.
Posted 2015-05-28 11:46 AM (#163563 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Penrose, Colorado
put timbrens on and you should be fine to go, we have a larger trailer than you are talking about and have no problems at all.You will need the tembrens or air bags though to keep the truck level.
Posted 2015-05-28 11:54 AM (#163564 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Oak Harbor, WA
Thanks Kooner. Do they impact the quality of the ride for the horses at all (just curious).
I did just find on the WA DOL website that RVs (including horse trailers) are exempt from commercial driver's license requirements...so that was good news. The combined length limit for WA is 75 ft....but in neighboring OR it is only 50ft and I think we would exceed that by about 5-6 feet. Lots of good shows in OR to go to.
Posted 2015-05-28 1:13 PM (#163565 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Penrose, Colorado
you will never know that you added a thing until you set the trailer down on the ball and then you will notice the truck is more or less level. Tembrens and or air bags only level a truck they do not do a thing as to the way it rides.
Posted 2015-05-28 2:35 PM (#163566 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Oak Harbor, WA
OK...thanks. That seems like the way to go. Looks like I am close to closing the deal on the 2005 Bloomer.....I am thinking of having it delivered since it would be less expensive for me than taking a week off and driving from Whidbey Island WA to Spanish Fork, UT and back. They would charge me $1600 to deliver. Then I just have to hope the dealer (it is a consigned trailer) does a good job going through the PDI to make sure everything is in order.
Posted 2015-05-28 3:26 PM (#163567 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069 Location: MI.
We just put timbrens on ours, had to take the extra spacer out as it was a tad too stiff. They are suppose to have an inch spacing, ours were touching. But boy does it help with towing, feels more stable.
Posted 2015-05-29 6:33 AM (#163571 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Veteran
Posts: 264 Location: Sumas Washington
I tow a similar trailer with a 2013 Dodge 3500 Dually. I installed PacBrake air bags and run them at about 60psi. The truck-trailer combo has worked way better than my high expectations.
Posted 2015-05-29 6:53 AM (#163572 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Veteran
Posts: 259 Location: Topeka Ks
I may be wrong but I thought the Dodge 3500 had a towing capacity of 30k. Before I started spending $$ on suspension upgrades I would pull the trailer a few miles and see if it needs some help.
Posted 2015-05-29 8:37 AM (#163574 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Oak Harbor, WA
Thanks...that is exactly what I am going to do. If help is needed I will go with the Timbrens. But I will get some sort of cushioned air ride adapter right away. Better for my horses ride and better for my neck. :)
The 3500 max towing on my model is 18,500 lbs (I am around 16,500 based on 450 lbs x floor length of the trailer and 3500 lbs for horses and tack.
GCWR is 27K lbs. I am around 22K. These are just estimates using standard norm calculations and I know I need to take it to a scale to get the actual weights.
Truck max payload is 5722 lbs. I figure the tongue weight at 25%; 4,125 lbs.
Posted 2015-05-29 9:05 AM (#163575 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by blah blah blah on 2015-05-28 8:35 AM
Good morning everyone.I have had horses most of my life but the largest trailer I have hauled with to date has been an Exiss XT300 event.Now we may be moving up to a larger LQ rig, 2005 Bloomer with 14ft SW, no mid tack, 3H with a nice Duster conversion.Towing rig is a 2014 Dodge 3500 dually with the standard pick up bed. The truck naturally rides pretty high in the back and in the past it has been a bit problematic adjusting things so that the back corners of the bed do not hit under the gooseneck when entering or leaving some driveways.This trailer is an estimated 14500 lbs without the horses and gear. I figure an additional 2000-3500 lbs depending on hauling one or two horses.If a third of that total is transferred to the truck BW turnover ball hitch that would be about 6000 lbs. This will (should I think) compress the rear suspension to a point where the trailer should be able to be adjusted enough to have sufficient clearance to the bed (5-6 inches) and ride close to level. That is the plan.Anyone towing with a similar setup?Will I need air bags or Timbrens on the rear of the truck? I do want it to compress some so that the ride is close to level and still have enough clearance to the bed.I will also be installing a replacement hitch adapter...something along the lines of an airsafe adapter.I really appreciate the expertise here. I am close to closing the deal on the trailer but I need to make sure I am set to tow a load like this safely.Thanks a bunch!Greg
Never estimate...go over the scales and get some real life numbers...many trailer VIN tags do NOT include the living quarters in the calculation...
Posted 2015-05-29 9:28 PM (#163583 - in reply to #163562) Subject: RE: Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
Elite Veteran
Posts: 690 Location: missouri
Spot on. Get the true weight of combined rig at a truck weigh station.. A couple of years back, we checked ours *30,000 lbs./ truck 15k/trailer 15k- larger rig with LQ, midtack, everything but a hot tub... We sold our *too long Freightliner Showhauler, and we are using an F-350 4x4 with airbags... OK, but think about braking power. Dealers selling these trailers always lie, they sell trailers, not trucks. Good Luck, you will love the Bloomer.
Heavy towing with dodge 3500 dually
