Which way to go on towing

[cur.bill]

I am trying to decide on what to buy for camping. I have a 1993 F350 dually with the non turbo 7.3, which is just been totally rebuilt. I have a class 5 hitch bolted and welded to the frame and a 5th wheel 16k Reese hitch bolted and welded to the frame. The trans is auto with a 3.55 ring and pinion. I can go either way into purchasing a TT or a 5th wheel. I want to stay with a 22 ft TT or a 26 ft 5th wheeler. I have an equalizer hitch as I have a 24 ft Haulmark that I use for storage and am set up to tow that trailer. I have been told that I should go back to a 4.10 and add a turbo. Years ago I towed a 22 ft TT between Conn. and Florida with a Ford station wagon and never had a problem.
Will the TT be easier on the truck or will the 5th be easier. I assume that I can go larger on the 5th or could a larger TT be easier. I know these mite be simple ?? but I read so much that I guess I am on overload.
Does anyone know what the GVWR on these crewcabs go to. I have the truch set up as only 6,000 lbs for tax purposes. Thank you

 

[OLDBULL8]

GVRW = 24,000
TT are prone to sway, when passed by big trucks that push a lot of wind. Any TT over 25' needs WD to keep the front down for steerage.

A 5er doesn't need all that no matter what size. You can make a quick steering change and the 5er will just follow as long as the setup is right. By setup I mean that the 5er pin is at least 2" forward of the rear axle. Personally I'll take a 5er anyday over a TT. Your 3.55 rear should be OK with a 5er up to 26', just don't do hills in OD or let it lug, keep the RPM's up around 2K.

 

[snicklas]

That is hard to say. I have only towed "bumper pull" types of trailers. (TT, Boat, flatbeds, U-Haul Car trailers and U-Haul box trailers). I have not towed a 5th wheel, but Travis and I have discussed the diffenences quit a bit.

I like my TT, it is a 21' Coachmen Cascade TT weighing in a ~5000 lbs. I have towed this trailer with a Dodge Durango and my Excursion. Both vehicles would tow it, but the Durango was a 60-65 max speed and even with the WD hitch and sway control the trailer would still muscle the truck around. With the exact same trailer and hitch hooked to the Ex, I can set the cruise at traffic speed and "just drive", but with that being said, my truck is a SWR "F-250 Shortbed" (the Ex is built on the 3/4 ton SuperDuty Chassis) that is running a 6.0 PSD and 3.73 rears and the 5 speed TorqShift Auto and my PSD is ~325hp / 560tq so I have a bit of gearing and Horsepower advantage on your truck.

Travis (argve) has towed a 31' TT, 2 30+' 5ers and boats and flatbeds. A major difference between a TT and a 5er is the front wind load profile. A TT is not really that much taller than the truck. A 5er you have to remember, has a "room above the hitch" that you can stand up in, and that floor is just about even with the rear view mirror on the windshield of the truck, which puts a 6+' "wall" above the roof of your truck. This puts a lot or wind drag on the tow vehicle, since you are now driving a 12' tall truck instead of a 6'tall truck. He has said that a 5er does tow very nicely. "It feels like one big unit" is what he has told me when he towning down the road. There is no sway like you get from a bumper pull. But manuvering and backing is quite different. "With a 5er, take everything you know about backing and throw it out the window" was the quote. Remember when you are backing a bumper pull trailer, you are pushing the trailer with a pivot point that is "in front of" the rear bumper, so the pivot opint to turn the trailer is some distance away from the rear wheels, so you can "scoot the trailer, "over there"" when backing by using the overhang swing between the rear wheels and the ball. With a 5er, the pivot point is "directly above" the rear wheels, so in backing with a 5er there is more work in getting it backed where you want it, since you have to move the entire truck to where you want to trailer to go, instead of moving the ball...... i hope that makes sence. I love to tow and have towed alot of bunper tow types trailers, and if the trailer is long enough, I can normally back it where I want it on the 1st or 2nd try. (My little 8' flatbe utility trailer is a bit*h to back up.... it reacts to quickly and you end up chasing it alot... I hope to try a 5er at some time to compair, but with the truck you are using and the size of TT you are talking, that truck should not have much trouble towing it..... it may just not be really fast, with either type of trailer.

One thing to remember with an IDI, and this is a quote right from Trav"
With an N/A IDI I can tow anything I want at 45, and with Turbo I can tow anything I want at 55." Just remember these trucks were designed when the national speed limit was 55, and they work well at those speeds, when my truck was designed, the national speed limit was 70 and they work well at that speed.....

 

[Dirtleg]

My experience with a NA 93 f350 3.55 gears pulling a 14k gooseneck has been very good. As mentioned speeds were slow overall but on flat ground maintaining 65 was not a problem. I have an E4OD and putting in a very large trans cooler was a must. I used a Tru-cool 4130 that I got on Dieselsite for about $130. It's rated to cool a 45k lbs load. I know it did a fine job pulling 21k (truck and trailer) over 1400 miles. As mentioned do not tow heavy in OD. It will burn up your tranny quick. My truck is now moosed and turboed and EGT's keep it from pulling much weight currently. Hopefully some turbo work (more air) and an intercooler will bring it back online in the towing capacity.

I prefer a bed mounted hitch (goose or 5er) to a bumper pull. Tracks so much better down the highway. It does taks a little more planning in tight urban areas as there is a tendency for the trailer to clip the apex on tighter turns. As far as backing you can also get more angle from a bed mounted hitch. I found that after getting used to it backing the gooseneck is much easier than a bumper pull.

My suggestion would be to try and get behind the wheel with each type of trailer and see for yourself what suits your needs. But I don't think you need to be concerned with your trucks ability to pull either one.

 

[argve]

As Scott mentioned the 5ver will catch more wind and makes it pull a little harder but the handling of a 5ver is simply outstanding = no sway when semi's pass or a strong cross wind slams into the side of the trailer. Towing a 5ver is so much easier on the driver.

Now for the comment of not pulling in OD - that is wrong... as long as the tranny isn't hunting for gears you'll be just fine. Overdrive is just another gear... if she starts hunting back and forth then lock out OD until you crest the hill. Because everytime the tranny shifts it slips and this slippage causes heat and heat is the number one killer of auto trans...

and as I have told Scott on many times - Take what you know about backing a bumper pull up and toss it out the window because you have to plan your attack on the camp spot with a 5ver.... With a TT you can as he said pivot the unit right where you want at the last final moment but after pulling and backing the 5ver for a while you will get the hang of it.

 

[EMD_DRIVER]

As Scott mentioned the 5ver will catch more wind and makes it pull a little harder but the handling of a 5ver is simply outstanding = no sway when semi's pass or a strong cross wind slams into the side of the trailer. Towing a 5ver is so much easier on the driver.

I have to agree with Travis, on most of the above paragraph.. However, While pulling our fiver through the mountains a few months ago, a 60+ MPH gust of cross-wind knocked us for a loop. Had I not had both hands on the wheel, we would have been in the ditch. Other than that, it pulls great!