What do you tow your Cardinal 5th wheel with?

RVBill-FRF

Advanced Member
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Dec 4, 2017
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57
Hi everyone, Just wondering what your towing your trailer with and how does it handle, I am going to get a new truck this week and I am on the fence as to a SRW or a Dually. I have a 2016 2500 HD Duramx with extra leaf springs and a set of Timbrens towing a 3350 RLX with dry pin weight of 2250 lbs and dry weight of 12500 LBS. Stepping up to a one ton GMC next.

Thx for your replys
RV Bill
 
I’m towing my 3350RLX with a 2016 GMC dually. It’s overkill for this trailer. We had been planning on getting a 3850, but ultimately decided it was too long for where we are at this stage of life. Any of the 2019 SRW trucks can handle the pin weight of the 3350. If you think you’ll go bigger down the road, then go dually so you don’t upgrade both at the same time.

With that said, I’ve got no complaints about my dually. It’s super stable and tows the trailer very nicely and I don’t ever worry about exceeding my payload. In Oregon, land of the Prius and compact parking spaces, I do find myself parking way out in the back of lots and sometimes crossing parking lines, but the walk is good for me.
 
Any of the 2019 SRW trucks can handle the pin weight of the 3350


That is exactly what I want to hear !!

I would love to have a dually to tow this with but not for a everyday driver.

Thanks you :)
 
I think it's probably close, but seems doable.


GVWR of that 5er is 16,200 (and change).


20% of that is ~4,000 lbs


My 2017 Ram 3500 has rear axle weight rating of 7,000


Rear Axle weight of my truck unloaded is ~2800 lbs.


At full GVWR of the 5er, I would be within 200 lbs of the rear axle weight rating, but exceeding the payload by about 600 lbs.


If you are one who is more focused on the Rear Axle weight (which I am), it would be close, but doeable.. just need to watch weights.


If you are a strict payload guy, if you get close to 16,000 loaded you will likely exceed payload.


Mike
 
i tow my '18 3350rlx with a non dually, and it pulls fine
[and, i like the non dually for running around town]

now i must say, i'm still getting used to this whole package,
and a dually "might" be a little nicer/easier on the road,
but dually owners might want to chime in, with their opinions

marc
 
I’m reaching out to a buddy that weighed his setup fully loaded to camp and will post his numbers. He’s towing with a 2019 SRW Ford F-350.
 
I tow my 3350RLX with my F-350 srw with no problem at all. Had a 3850 Cardinal that was heavier but pulled it west of Mississippi River with all ease. I did put air bags on truck but now run usually 40 to 45 lbs in them.:campfire:
 
I'm in the Dually group. Prior to my MH I towed a 19,000 lb 5ver with a RAM dually, CC, LB. Never an issue with pulling, handling and comfort level. Solo parking takes more care. Always back in. However, if you will never go to a bigger 5ver then a 3500 SRW will suffice. But like most of us if you look at a larger unit you just might like the option to upgrade to the larger 5ver. It's impossible to resist looking at larger units at dealers, shows, etc. And NEVER let the DW look at a larger unit. Then you are doomed to make a trade.
 
Last edited:
RVBill,
I'm also in the dually camp for fivers. I'm also retired so take this for what its worth. My fiver is only 12000 lbs and I pull with an older F350 long bed crew cab (overkill, maybe?). Its a mile long truck, but the stability, going down the highway is worth it to me. Heck, call me crazy but my fiver is in cold storage now and I'm still driving the dually around town, just for the fun of it. Yup, that's me, parked way down the end of the hardware store parking lot. Meanwhile my Tundra daily driver sits in the garage. Used it for 120 mile round trip commute when I worked. But I love it too. I guess sometimes you just need two trucks!!
 
I am in the dually group towing a 15,500 Crusader and wouldn't use anything less. The question for me is not payload or power, but is ability to maintain control in an emergency.
 
Just thought that I'd add, that since we now have a MH I no longer need the dually. Suggested to DW that we could sell the dually for something smaller. She went into orbit! She loves to drive that thing! What's weird about this is that she is 5'0" and 80 years old! Has no fear. Drives our RZR like no tomorrow. Even rolled it once. We got it on all fours and she got in and tore across the desert. It's all in the frame of mind. Did I mention that she also has a firey temper! :eek:
 
We started out with SRW F-250 then after taking camper home we traded in for a DRW F-450. DRW takes out all the sway and floating effect you get when hauling a sizable load. You don't get that sluggish effect with DRW.
 
SRW is all you need however I prefer a 3500 over a 2500 as a loaded Cardinal and truck will be over the payload rating.
 
I have a Cardinal 3250 and tow it with my RAM 2500 Longhorn SRW and 4WD.I put airbags on the truck and it tows like a champ.
I use the truck as a daily driver so picked the truck first for my comfort. Then I limited the 5er to what it could handle.
Never an issue even with 40-50mph crosswinds in the desert.
 
3825fl being towed with 2015 ram 3500 drw long bed with 6.7 cummins diesel. we bought the truck knowing it would have a safety margin. i have now other combo to compare to but we feel safe and stable with this truck / trailer.
 
Towing A Cardinal 5th wheel

I have a Cardinal 3850RL and pull with a 2006 Chevy double cab dually, but I would be more concerned with towing safety than anything. Any Tow vehicle will pull a RV, but you get into a bad situation I want a truck that can handle the load.
 
I love driving my new dually and am surprised at how quickly I got used to it as a daily driver. On our short test run with the 5th wheel, the rear end settled just one inch from unloaded. Even though my trailer only weighs 9500# with a tongue weight of 1500# I really like the way the dually handles while towing. Night and day different than our previous f250srw. I don't see myself ever going back to a SRW truck unless I downsize to a much smaller camper.
 

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