Towing a 34' trailer

Hi all, I currently pull a 28' enclosed with my 2006 Dodge 1 ton 4x4 Cummins diesel with single rear wheel. I am thinking of up grading to a 34' enclosed and was wondering if anyone else is pulling a 34' and if so how does it pull.

Thanks

 

We have a 36' triple axle fifth wheel towed by a Duramax powered Sierra. It tows great.

 

This would be a 34' spread triple axle tow behind.

 

I tow a 31' camper with my 2005 2500HD with duramax. Long bed, crew cab. Tows no problem. Even my wife has driven. I do have the Reese setup with cam sway control. Good stuff.

 

I doubt you would see much difference besides a little more weight and turning radius. The hardest thing about towing enclosed is the air drag from the trailer, basically like towing a parachute IMO. Once you overcome that i really dont think length is much issue. Now if the longer trailer stands taller, then i could say you will see a increase in drag and will be noticeably different.

 

I think you have plenty of truck for the 34' trailer, but I'll second a weight-distribution hitch with the cam sway bars if you don't have one already. I have a Reese Strait Line set-up and it works really well.

 

I currently run a Reese weight distribution hitch with no sway control.

 

Sway bars would be extra-safety IMO.

 

I agree and plan on getting that done.

 

Alan we have a 32' and tow with a 2000 Ford F350 crewcab dually and I think it tows better then our 28' except for the weight. I haven't scaled it yet but I bet we are pulling at least 16K. You know you need a CDL right?

 

John, I hadn't thought about license requirements. I though as long as you were not for hire you could tow just about anything. Are car haulers and travel trailers different?

 

Yes they are. Check yellowbullet about CDL. Got mine 3 years ago. What a pain! If you get stopped it will get impounded if he wants to. Never say you are going racing or to a show just going to test the car.

 

John, I read through all that yellowbullet stuff. The more I read the more confused I got so I call DOT and they said I was ok as long as my truck and trailer Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) was 26,000 or less. My truck is 9900 GVWR and the trailer would be 15600 GVWR so that puts me at 25500 GCWR. When I'm loaded and ready to roll I'll swing into the Cat scales and check it.

 

I think here in NY there is something called the camper loophole or something to that effect. Go purchase a new diesel pusher motor home that weighs 20,000 lbs and no special license needed. Anything else that big or heavy, CDL required. Go figure. I have a friend who works at Camping World. He can't believe what he sees on a regular basis...

 

Alan, my truck is 11 or 12K I believe so I am just over the 26K plus I believe I read somewhere that if you have a triple axle you automatically need a CDL. You are also suppose to stop at all weight stations no matter what but I never do. I had a club member get stopped on the highway towing a 24' that he just bought and went by the weigh station and a trooper came out after him & read him the riot act for not stopping. He told the cop he had no clue that he had to stop and like I said the trailer was new with just a temp plate on it. The cop said after 911 things have change for all these enclosed trailers.

 

Old thread but the crazy confusion continues with rules and regulations. I got fed up with different states having different rules. Our state (Maine) any trailer +10,001 lbs cdl required regardless of use, or combination +26,001.
I got "FEDup" as in federal or state changes, so I'm buying a 26,000 lb box truck for private use. No more 12 tire tolls, 12 tire maintenance, 5 axle brake maintenance, better fuel economy and better ride for the race vehicles and ATV. Even has an 8' x 8' camper in the front of the box. New truck is registered as an RV = cheaper insurance also.
Always interesting to read through some old posts especially right before the Nationals.

 

towed a 32 with my srw 2500 cummins ,duramax, and 3500 gas when my bil had it. He also used a 00 ctd dually 2wd to tow it as well.

 

I tow a 31 foot RV trailer with a F150 3.5 Litre EcoBoost. I haven't had any problems pulling. The trailer is 5700 lbs dry weight, plus water, propane, household items, kids toys/bikes... probably around 7000 lbs total weight.

 

This might explain why my 24’ enclosed trailer has 2-10,000 pound axles and a weight rating of 10,000. Although now that I think about it the tires are rated at 2600 each. I’m not sure if there are higher rated trailer tires than that or not. They are class E.
Cliff

 

CDL requirements are all federal laws. Google FMCSA.