Ford van, 302 c.i., up and down the hills, 1960 24'
tradewind (that's what we've been doing). If you know
how to respect the load, and respect the road, and
aren't towing your trailer around 9 months of the
year, what more do you need?
Toby 2029
--- "Dr. Gerald N. Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> My neighbor tried his 318, extended cab 1/2 ton
> pulling a 30' SOB.
> Trailer dealers said no problem. Truck dealer wasn't
> sure. The Dodge
> owner's manual says the 318 with any automatic and
> any rear axle is good
> for 8100 pounds. The first trip out trying to climb
> a hill in Boone
> County Iowa into a 30 mph head wind he was down to
> 2nd gear. Three weeks
> later he was moving that mobile castle with a 4x4
> V-10 and getting 7
> mpg. Says it will be a Cummins diesel by next
> summer.
>
> You have to take trailer towing capacities with a
> little grain of salt,
> especially if there's any high altitudes in your
> future. Trailer weights
> have a tendency to be heavier than listed. First
> because wood varies,
> and second because those are dry, with no propane,
> water, waste, awning,
> groceries, cooking utensils, or clothes loaded. Its
> easy to add 1000
> pounds of those things, the straw that breaks the
> Dakota's back. And you
> have to take away from the truck ratings, anything
> you haul in the
> truck, including the driver, the topper, passengers,
> spare tires, and
> other such things that can easily fill the back of
> the truck.
>
> For any size Airstream (except a very vintage
> Bubble, maybe) you need a
> frame mounted hitch with load equalizing bars to
> level the truck. With a
> substantial trailer (20' or more for the Dakota) you
> probably need a
> controlled sway hitch so the trailer doesn't
> completely control the
> truck.
>
> Gerald J.
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