12,000 lbs of 5 th wheel trailer

[towtruckdave]

Relax. No big deal. Just toss a couple of thousand pounds of stuff out of the trailer. It's not like there are no couches where you are going right?

 

[NCheek]

If it is 10K vertical, 18K GTW (Gross Trailer Weight) then it will do fine, but that would be the highest vertical rating I have ever heard of.

My B&W turnover ball gooseneck hitch and subframe is rated at 7.5K vertical tongue weight and 30K GTW. After looking at B&W's website, their Companion model fifth wheel hitch that mounts with their normal gooseneck hitch is 18K GTW and doesn't give a tongue weight ( I would assume the same 7.5K tongue rating).

Double check the ratings on your hitch, and if its is sufficient, then I would say you are ok as long as you drive appropriately for the load.

 

[Willie Two]

" Just toss a couple of thousand pounds of stuff out of the trailer "

I'm leaning in that direction

 

[RLDSL]

If it's really 10k pin rating and 18kpull, then you have no hitch issues.
My 5er is an older beast , it's only a 28 foot King of the Road, High end rig in it's time, bit it's a heavy sucker, plus I've rigged a genny under it and my mobility scooter on the back, and sometimes I have an extra 4x8 utility trailer hooked up behind it ( like in the pic in my avitar) when we need to haul extra stuff, but without the extra trailer, that rig weighs in around 18k. Trailer is a hair over 10 ft tall ( used to be right at 10 but I flipped the axles to get more ground clearance when i mounted the genny ) It handles just fine. I just treat it like what it is, a big unruly trailer and we get along just fine. Manual tranny gives me a bit more control in the mountains, but these engines will give good compression braking if you gear down even with an auto to some extent. Make sure to get under and manually adjust your rear brakes on the truck. Jack it up on jack stands and do it right so you start the trip with maximum brakes.

Don't fill your fresh tank before you leave, just carry enough water to flush and wash on the way and dump before you return. Liquid weighs a lot

 

[Fozz]

If your hitch is rated at 18k pulling, you're fine. I tow 10k all of the time, your truck will do ok on the flats, I can pull the speed limit fine. The 6% grade is going to be rough, but just keep an eye on your gauges (egt & tranny). Do a test run to get used to setting the trailer brakes on your brake controller and make sure the trailer brakes and tires are in good servicable condition. Oh yeah, and bring a lot of $$ for gas...er diesel. Expect to get around 9mpg or so with that weight.

 

[Willie Two]

Lots to digest; Thanks again. Gonna go have a beer with the neighbour, I see he is tinkering in the garage.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Drinking good beer with good neighbors is always nice

Like the other folks said, if your hitch is indeed rated for 18k pull then you're perfectly fine. Also, don't worry about the 2k overweight as you stand now, this is all factory specs we're talking about and these trucks are severely underrated there - I've had my own rig weighed nearly double the GCVW at least once, never broke anything, and there are folks here who have pulled 18-wheelers that got stuck! Do like Rob said tho and avoid filling up on your trailer fluids before you head out, that's always a good practice with trailers as heavy as yours.

 

[jwalterus]

as far as your GVW rating, check with your local DMV, I know here in ND you can increase or decrease it by up to 20k (IIRC) for about $10

farmers do it every season, increase it for harvest, and drop it back down right after to save on registration for the year

I have to go turn in my title tomorrow (first time I've ever gotten one in less than a month!!) to have it branded "previously salvaged", I'll check the cost since I have to increase mine (for some reason, probably because it was a farmer's truck, it's under 8k lbs GVW)

 

[FordGuy100]

Look at the forecast and if you can try to pick the coldest day to haul it. Will help with coolant temps.

 

[k_williams1982]

Look at the forecast and if you can try to pick the coldest day to haul it. Will help with coolant temps.

^^^ I know from experience that the colder air temps help with the engine temp and performance. I also liked pulling heavier loads not only while it was cooler out (at night and in winter), but with a little head wind to help force more air through the radiator at lower speeds. Might just be me (young and dumb), but I preferred towing at night for many reasons... cooler air temps and less traffic were the two biggest reasons.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Might just be me (young and dumb), but I preferred towing at night for many reasons... cooler air temps and less traffic were the two biggest reasons.

Not just you, I also prefer driving long distance at night - I usually leave early evening which allows me to be at my destination in the early morning - easier on the engine and cooling systems, less morons on the roads, less smokey bears on the side of said roads... Altho the nice LEO that gave me a ticket at 5am on X-mas morning apparently didn't quite agree with the last part of that logic of mine

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Another tip is that I always carry a temp gun and use it to check the temps on the bearings and brakes on the truck and trailer on a long trip.

 

[RLDSL]

Now personally, my logic has always been that if they can rate a gas burner 350 with 4.10 rear up to 18,500 with a 12,500 pound trailer , I'm good to go no problem, especially since they rate a gasserf450 at26,000 with a max trailer of 20k, only difference between the vehicles being 5.13 rear end and an extra overload and some stouter brakes, but if hauling a trailer that heavy the trailer should have its own brakes. and I figure the way my truck has been modified between turbo for power rating and brownie for gear combination, aside from the brakes I pretty much have a ******* f450 anyway. If I wanted to I could tag it as a farm rig and register it for as much weight as I want but it would cost me about an extra $90 I think it was when I checked.
Not that I would recommend everyone jump in a heavy rig and fly down the road, I spent a lot of years pushing a big truck down the road so it's second nature for me.

 

[RLDSL]

Another tip is that I always carry a temp gun and use it to check the temps on the bearings and brakes on the truck and trailer on a long trip.

I must be magic cause I've been carrying one of those suckers since long before they came out with those fancy point and shoot things.... it's called a hand It doesnt take long to get a feel for you hubs and you can tell if one is having a problem Hint, don't touch the blamed things, approach slowly because if it is going out you will scorch your hand.

 

[65sixbanger]

Just Pull it