ANXIOUS TO PICK UP MY NEW 40 DB3

waldmeer · 08-22-2009, 07:04 PM

Just finalized the purchase of a new 2009 40 DB3 from International World in Elkhart. Dave Titus there was great to work with. Plans are to pick it up next Wednesday and am anxious to do so. We will spend a couple of days there transfering our "STUF" to the MS We are full time in the RV since last Dec and enjoying the life on the road. This new MS will give us MUCH more space and many amenities we did not have in the motorhome.

Have had a 35' class A motorhome since 1998 and am a bit concerned about parking with a 5th wheel. It will be a new challenge and would appreciate any tips on doing so.

We have been staying a campground in Vicksburg, MI for the summer. There appears to be a MS gathering at Hidden Ridge Campground just a short drive north of here in Sept. Anyone else going there?

GlennWest · 08-22-2009, 07:56 PM

What are you towing it with? That will be one heavy coach.

waldmeer · 08-22-2009, 08:20 PM

I have a Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab Heavy Duty Dually

GlennWest · 08-22-2009, 08:42 PM

You've got a BIG problem. No LDT can handle the weight of a 40'DRV. A 36" MS is really not safe to pull a 3500. I pull a 33' MS that weights over 15,000 lbs. loaded and it all a 3500 is rated for. We wanted a 36' but didn't want a MDT truck is why we got ours. It is NOT SAFE t pull your new DRV with that truck.

Carny Bill · 08-22-2009, 10:38 PM

I really hate to get this started again, but you must use your own judgement on what to pull this rig with. By the books you would need a MDT, however I would never be afraid to pull this load with a 4d one ton.

My duramax does and would pull/stop all most anything I put under it.
A great part of this is how experienced you are at towing heavy loads also.

shield up.................

2 DA WDS · 08-23-2009, 12:09 AM

OHHH NOOOO! We' re all gonna die pulling with our girly trucks!!!

Congratulations on your purchase!

RodeWorthy · 08-23-2009, 12:33 AM

Waldmeer,
Congratulations on the new rig! I know you are going to love it.

I tow (and stop) my MS with no problems with my Chevy 3500. I do respect the load and drive accordingly but I would do that with any combination.

Take your time while parking. Best to use a spotter to assist. Get out and take a look (frequently) if you don't feel sure about where the rig is going. It helps to put down a target on the ground that you can use to gauge your progress and approach. Could be a ball or a piece of rope. Before long you will be an expert and putting that unit in places you never thought possible. If you can find a big parking lot to practice without an audience so much the better. I get most of my practice at my storage site :)

Everyone who has towed had the same concerns when they started. You will do fine. Have fun!

morscuba · 08-23-2009, 09:16 AM

Congrats on the new rig. As Roadworthy said hope you love it. I really enjoy mine.
My 04 Dodge D3500 towed a 40 ft Alfa toyhouse loaded with toys and "stuff" for 4 years, and my 36 ft MS with a motorcycle and trailer in tow for a year just fine.
I went with an MDT for one reason I wanted to take the bike and a Smartcar. Just have to watch those hills on the downside. I had 84K on the back brakes and 92k on the front and "NO" major problems with the truck when I traded it in with 125K (most of it towing). I do have to say though I really enjoy the Freightliner comfort and uphill wise.
Oh yeah most important part HAVE FUN AND ENJOY!!!

Motor31 · 08-23-2009, 12:07 PM

Congrats on your trailer. I wish you luck with the truck. Towing overloaded is neither safe nor smart. Recommending anyone else do so isn't either.

billr · 08-24-2009, 02:19 PM

Congrats on your new MS! I have yet to see one of the new 40' units, I'll bet its really nice! You are going to love it for sure.

I hate to jump into the middle of this, but here goes....

Sorry you met with the " truck is too small" issue right off the bat. That can be a rather disheartening to take in all at once. I too bought the a MS while having a Chevy duramax and thought I'd be ok. And I was for over 2yrs. If you call OK being over every capacity on the truck including the tires (SRW). I added all the bells and whistles to make it as capable as I could, also having an exhaust brake on the truck and Elec/Hyd Discs on the trailer helps the braking issues. I never ran into any problems towing, but did have some hair raising times on down grades with sharp curves and stops at the bottom. Also red lights and cars slamming on the brakes. No matter how hard I tried to allow plenty of space, and keep my down hill speed low, sometimes it just was too close for comfort.

I decided to get a larger truck and it made more sense to me $$ wise and a lot of other reasons to go with a HDT. I have absolutely no concerns now on braking, wts or power. The trailer cord can come disconnected and I may not even notice any difference in braking. Not so in any pickup. It is not for everyone and each person has to decide for themselves on what suits them best and how they feel towing with any particular truck.

You will see how that works for you once you are on the road.

Make your choice based on what your truck is actually rated for and how much your trailer weighs (actually weigh it after loading). Look at pin wt, Combined wt and towing wt. Rather then what anyone's opinion is, including mine! :)

Bill

waldmeer · 08-24-2009, 02:21 PM

Talked again with the dealer who tows his 43' MS with a 3500 with single tires in the rear. He has towed it and similar units for years and has had no problems. His father is picking up a 36' MS today and is towing it with a 2500. He said, "There is no way I would let my dad tow with something I thought would get him into trouble"

SO we are etill excited to pick up our new full-time home this wednesday. We will spend a couple of days there while they install the hitch on the truck and we transfer our "stuff" from our motorhome to the MS. The dealer will work with me on towing and parking before we leave there. We will be staying in a place about 45 miles from the dealer until late Sept. then will head south in small increments of 250 to 300 miles at a time and staying for a week in between stages,

Thanks to all who ahev given input ou our purchase.

westx · 08-24-2009, 04:14 PM

Just returned from a 2800 mile trip with our 40 DB3 with office to Chama New Mexico pull by my 3500 Chev Durmax no problem what so ever. Went with 10 motor homes and keep up with them up and down the mountains.

jdwilson3 · 08-24-2009, 04:47 PM

Good l.uck and we will keep you in our prayers.

Gemstone · 08-24-2009, 05:51 PM

"Talked again with the dealer"......

Not to make any sales types mad, but I believe there is a saying about how to tell when sales folks are lying....

Best thing to do is weigh the unit at a truck scale as soon as you pick it up, before you put so much as a coffee cup in the cabinet, then mentally add 2-3000 pounds for your "stuff", then look at what your truck is rated to safely tow (read "stop"), and make your decision about the correct truck for your situation. Been there, done that.

Regards
Gemstone

2 DA WDS · 08-25-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemstone

"Talked again with the dealer"......

Not to make any sales types mad, but I believe there is a saying about how to tell when sales folks are lying....

Best thing to do is weigh the unit at a truck scale as soon as you pick it up, before you put so much as a coffee cup in the cabinet, then mentally add 2-3000 pounds for your "stuff", then look at what your truck is rated to safely tow (read "stop"), and make your decision about the correct truck for your situation. Been there, done that.

Regards
Gemstone

2 things.

The comment on the sales folks was the first thing that popped into my head when I read that post.

The comment about read what your truck is rated to 'safely' tow. Here comes the 'things that make you go hmmmm?'.
All stuff I see on the trucks is how much they can tow. if you look at specs for a F-350 with a gas engine it can tow X number of pounds. If you look at a F-350 with a diesel engine it can tow X more pounds than the gas version. So, if just changing the engine changes the amount you can tow. What does the tow rating actually mean? It apparently only relates to what the truck can pull.
From all the weight police, for lack of a better term, posts I've read the main concern is stopping, not pulling. Are there any specs out there for stopping ability of the various size trucks? Do you take into consideration the brakes on the Suite, standard, large or disc?

bstark · 08-25-2009, 11:36 AM

The only braking thing I've ever heard of regarding regulations refers to the commercial class tractors and it is set at X number of feet when loaded from a specific speed and only applies to current years production for that reg. A manufacturer's requirement only as there is no safe way to test this anyway without seriously damaging equipment. I believe the test tractor submitted to an agency for testing has to stop within a specific distance, fully loaded, 4 out of six tries.

Old: Full GVWR from 60mph in 355 feet
New: commencing in part by 2011 - Full GVWR from 60 mph in 250 feet.

There is much more to these rules but that is the basic heart of them.

Motor31 · 08-25-2009, 11:50 AM

The manufacturers published tow ratings tell the story, not the salesman looking to make the sale.

For a one ton Dodge (3500), the highest tow rating they have in the 09 Trailer Life tow guide is 17,450 (one model unit only) and you need to have the chassis cab for that. The regular Dodge 3500 only goes up to 15,850 (one model).

The older 38' model mobile suites (DRV if you will) were 20,000 GVW units. Mine (05)came in at 18,500 before they raised the GVW in later year models. The empty weight was 16,200 on it. I also have a 4200 lb pin weight. I'm at GVW in our rig as confirmed by actual scale usage instead of the salesman's claims. I'm curious as the GVW of the new 40' trailer. The published GVW not the salesman's claim.

One 3/4 ton Dodge (2500) in the 09 guide only has a rating up to 13,550. The DRV units also have a GVW above that even the 36' units.

Dodge makes a nice truck, quiet and smooth ride, but they have the lowest tow ratings of the 3 domestic manufacturers.

Tow ratings take into consideration not just the engine transmission combination but the rear end gearing, frame, axle, brakes and wheels used as well. Modifying the truck (chips and suspension mods like bags) does not change the tow rating, only the manufacturer can do that. Tire load ratings are another limiting factor.

Never ever believe the salesman when he says you can to anything on their lot. I had one claim I could tow a 36' 17,000 lb Excel with a half ton Dodge Dakota PU but the max rating on that truck was 7,000 lbs. Get the published figures from the manufacturer and base your decision on the numbers.

Please notice there are no derisive names or comments here in this post. Take it or leave it as you wish.

2 DA WDS · 08-25-2009, 11:57 AM

Bruce, I thought I'd be hearing from you or Bill!

Mike, not trying to call names. Perhaps I should have said 'people that are concerned with towing capacity'?

Gemstone · 08-25-2009, 12:05 PM

I agree, my comment about sales folks was a bit general....I apologize if I have offended any present or past salesmen/women. Maybe I should have qualified it a bit by wondering aloud what the dealer did not tell the prospective buyer. Like perhaps that his Dad only travels to a local lake once a month, and the terrain is mostly flat, thus he felt a 3/4 ton sufficient, given a known set of circumstances. We all know that we can get in trouble by believing what dealers and sales folks claim as real world conditions....that is what my previous comment was meant to convey.

My comment about pull (read stop) is exactly that. From what I've read, truck weight ratings are based largely on what weight a truck can safely stop in a required distance....therefore it has relatively little to do with what is is capable of pulling. We know our 1 ton diesels are capable of pulling huge amounts of weight, but personally, I like the fact that my big truck will stop my loaded weight without relying on the trailer brakes. And the icing on the cake is that the KW cost a fraction of what the Dodge did.
While I don't claim a big truck is the correct solution for everyone, I do speak from experience regarding stopping...I will only use the Dodge as a puller in emergency situations or off road conditions.

Regards
Gemstone

billr · 08-25-2009, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2 DA WDS

Bruce, I thought I'd be hearing from you or Bill!

Mike, not trying to call names. Perhaps I should have said 'people that are concerned with towing capacity'?

Now Tom, easy does it! ha....

You will note I never said everyone should run out and get a big truck (F450, MDT etc..) Just what "I" did and my experience pulling with a pickup. I agree that capacities are all over the place, but are we so much smarter than the design engineers and the folks that make these trucks to say, well I can tow a heavier unit because it works and I haven't had any issues nor has anyone I know?

I'll eat my hat if there is anyone that tows with a pickup and can Honestly admit they have Never ran into a situation that made them "pucker up" and think, man I have no idea how we got through that. Maybe this truck should be a bit bigger. I know for sure I have, many times.

Can you pull with a PU, absolutely! Would I if I didn't have the opportunity to have the Volvo with all the benefits, I would (it would be an F450 though, just my choice with its larger brakes and axle)

About the braking concerns, I believe trucks as designed to stop their loads with the assist of the trailer brakes, which is why the are required by law on trailers over a spec wt. The main difference between a hwy tractor towing a commercial trailer, is they run air brakes that when a disconnect of lines or failure in the system causes spring brakes to engage to stop the rig with the truck. In the RV would we have no back up on the trailers at all. If any of a number of things go wrong and its very easy for them too like cord pulling out, elec/hyd actuator failing, damaged hyd lines on disc brakes, wiring issues on any elec brake syst, you only end up with the truck. I have had that happen with a pickup and no way could I stop the rig, I cruised right through an intersection. Lucky the guy in front saw me coming and pulled out of the way. Another time smoked all brakes truck and trailer on a grade with a stop at the bottom, was not going too fast (I thought) just not enough brakes. Even still there was no way to go slower since the gearing was maxed out and brakes were applied sparingly to save them from fading out. Even with the exhaust brake on the Duramax it was hair raising. Just on a few occasions, but only takes once.

The benifit of the HDT being able to whoa down the whole rig is a bonus since its not pulling the 80,000lbs its rated for. And with the possibility of a trailer brake issue, its covers my rear.

Now, I did not get the Volvo because the braking was a huge benefit. It was mostly due to the $$ savings over a new PU. I just get the benefits of the truck as a bonus.

OK, my disclaimer..... I no way insist anyone should change their trucks. I only state the facts as I know them. I mean no offense to anyone or their trucks!

The original poster just wanted to share his New trailer with us and we have strayed a bit on that. I think everyone has his and the rest of the groups best interest in mind when they state their thoughts.

Bill