Today I learned. Airbag recommendations?

[markcee]

Here's a very lightly used '22 F450 in CA that CarGurus will deliver to Tucson. Price is ONLY 120K including the $597 delivery fee. It's a 'Limited' so loaded to the hilt. Many more higher mileage units definitely available. I see duallies sitting on the lots here in AZ all the time.

An F450 has a 14K GVWR - but weighs a lot more than an F350 dually, so payload gain is negligible.

The F450 will however have a much tighter turning radius - actually better than an F150 I believe, due to it's 'wide track' front axle. However, they do have 19.5" commercial tires which makes for a rougher ride, so I've read. Seems there's always a trade-off.....

[firestation12]

Another concern I had, that I didn't see mentioned was the tire load rating of 2860 lbs at 65 lbs. The OP has been towing this rig 4,000 miles over the past few months, while temps have been cooler. If he were to subject them to summer temps with approx 1,000 lbs of overload on those tires, I would be surprised if those tires didn't start failing causing damage to wheel well and control issues. I'm not sure what brand tires Ford installs on the XLT model, but Michelin Defender LT295/70/18 are rated for 4,080 AT 80 PSI. Tire failure on the tow vehicle is a scary thing!

[Pull Toy]

Another thought that gets overlooked too often. When you scale, make sure the wife and kids, dog and cat, and all other normal tv weights are taken into account. It’s amazing how much weight goes unaccounted for. Real world safety, needs real world numbers

Good luck,

[Stircrazy]

Originally Posted by JShort880

Officially over 1 year of full timing and maybe this post will help a newbie not be a jerk like me.

Last night I drove from Kansas to Arizona. I was driving down 24 west and genuinely getting confused at why 1/2 of the oncoming semi-trucks were high beaming me. I knew I had my low beams on and I have just stock headlights (2022 f250)

So after I get beamed enough to know that I’m pissing off oncoming traffic, I pulled off to a truck stop to fill up while trying to figure out what in the hell was wrong.

Ended up asking a trucker next to me if he noticed anything wrong. He instantly said, “your truck is loaded and your headlights are pointing up at us”.

When I initially got my rv. The guys at the dealership noted I could get airbags to level out the truck. But they were saying this for other reasons and didn’t note the headlight affect.

Maybe common sense to most. Maybe just a dumb oversight on my part. But the post might help someone else getting rv/truck set up figured out another thing to note.

Feel bad. I’ve been blinding people without realizing it for the past year.

So. Any airbag recommendations?

if your rid is good and it is sitting good don't get airbags, it takes 2 min to readjust the headlights down a bit. just remember how much you turn them down when towing and make that part of your pretrip. air bags can help you level out but they take weight off your suspension to do it so you lose some of your factory stability. if I was going to do something I would rather get something that uses your factory suspension and just enguages it quicker so it doesnt sag as much.

but if your sitting deicent just a little low, readjusting your headlights is free and quick.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Stircrazy

if your rid is good and it is sitting good don't get airbags, it takes 2 min to readjust the headlights down a bit. just remember how much you turn them down when towing and make that part of your pretrip. air bags can help you level out but they take weight off your suspension to do it so you lose some of your factory stability. if I was going to do something I would rather get something that uses your factory suspension and just enguages it quicker so it doesnt sag as much.

but if your sitting deicent just a little low, readjusting your headlights is free and quick.

Just have to ask if you've read the thread? Way overloaded causing the headlights to blind oncoming traffic and the answer is to "adjust the headlights"?

[wiredgeorge]

Since the OP is wintering in a warmer place and likely not hooked up to the camper, I suspect he won't be blinding anyone for awhile anyway.

[JShort880]

Originally Posted by Pull Toy

Another thought that gets overlooked too often. When you scale, make sure the wife and kids, dog and cat, and all other normal tv weights are taken into account. It’s amazing how much weight goes unaccounted for. Real world safety, needs real world numbers

Good luck,

Yeah the weights represent actually weight. Only thing missing is the two dogs from the front of the truck (~150). Filled up the truck before both weighs.

[JShort880]

Originally Posted by Island Eddie

You guys are good.
Will never know what your input saved in heartache.

I've tried to talk to friends about their undersized rigs, they won't listen.
They always say "I've had no problems so far"

Maxing out is like Russian roulette, I am a firm believer of that 20% cushion.

I watched on YouTube videos of trailer accidents, its eye opening.
One showed a brand-new F-250 SRW diesel and new 5th wheel being towed across a two-lane each direction highway in California desert that had an intersection/crossing where it looked like this new rig had to hammer his brakes as if someone stopped suddenly or pulled out into that intersection, etc....

It was sad to look at. The truck horn was still beeping in that tangled mess as the trailer ran up and over the truck, completely destroying it.

Yeah most people are like that. I’ve done plenty enough dumb things that could have been avoided to know to listen when advice/warning is given. This one has numbers to reference so I can confirm.

Getting set up at this location today. I appreciate all the suggestions for next truck. Will be deep diving in a couple days.

[Todd727]

Originally Posted by jasin1

ok somebody correct me if i’m wrong but truck has payload of 2864 but the truck alone weighed 8420 lbs so the payload now is only 2380lbs so that is the hitch weight and extra stuff… the pin weight of the fifth wheel is 3760lbs so he is actually 1380 lbs over payload?

i’d trade the truck or sell it and get a dually or at the very least a f350 with much more payload available…probably get a lot on trade …maybe close to what you paid

Those yellow payload stickers are only of marginal use while shopping for a vehicle. Once you have the truck, have loaded it and can weigh it, there is zero use for that sticker. The white sticker in the truck tells you your max GVWR and each of your GAWR's. Those are the numbers that you need to worry about.

[RET.LEO]

It's a wonder that some oncoming Officer hasn't been blinded by your lights and decided to make a U turn to check you out.
Most Officers don't understand axle weights relating to pickups and RV's.....but you get the right one and it could get extremely expensive. Especially if you got in a accident and someone got hurt.
I have told my son who's a State Hwy Patrol Sergeant if he ever saw a 1/2 ton with a 5th wheel attached it would make a good stop.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Todd727

Those yellow payload stickers are only of marginal use while shopping for a vehicle. Once you have the truck, have loaded it and can weigh it, there is zero use for that sticker. The white sticker in the truck tells you your max GVWR and each of your GAWR's. Those are the numbers that you need to worry about.

I've never been anywhere that would just let me take a truck, load it and take it to the scales prior to sale as far as I know. That's where the payload sticker comes in - for prospective buyers and those that don't weigh their trucks. All you can do then is "guesstimate" and you can't do that with any accuracy using a gvwr and certainly shouldn't with the gawrs.

[Reddog222]

I had to sell my 2500 Ram and get a 3500 after going to the scales. I was about 800 lbs over with the 2500. My DW wasn’t happy with me because I moved to fast also. Good luck. Keep safe. Those lawyers are out there waiting for issues like that. It will be cheaper to get a one ton instead of a law suit.

[gearhead]

Texas Highway Patrol (Department of Public Safety) has officers assigned to weight patrol. They mostly focus on overloaded log trucks in my area but the one I know is pretty sharp and can spot overloaded RV’s. He has one too.
I also know that Harris County (Houston) has a weight division. One of them has a Mobile Suites pulled by a……..Freightliner. He knows.
It took me 4 trucks in 9 years to realize I needed a dually to play this game the way I’m playing it now.
Good luck to you.

[Badbart56]

Originally Posted by gearhead

Texas Highway Patrol (Department of Public Safety) has officers assigned to weight patrol. They mostly focus on overloaded log trucks in my area but the one I know is pretty sharp and can spot overloaded RV’s. He has one too.
I also know that Harris County (Houston) has a weight division. One of them has a Mobile Suites pulled by a……..Freightliner. He knows.
It took me 4 trucks in 9 years to realize I needed a dually to play this game the way I’m playing it now.
Good luck to you.

Always better to have too much truck than not enough.

[JShort880]

Originally Posted by Reddog222

I had to sell my 2500 Ram and get a 3500 after going to the scales. I was about 800 lbs over with the 2500. My DW wasn’t happy with me because I moved to fast also. Good luck. Keep safe. Those lawyers are out there waiting for issues like that. It will be cheaper to get a one ton instead of a law suit.

Luckily she knows when I dig into something it’s only for the best. Before traveling, I had a 2014 vw Tiguan that I paid cash for and loved. She knows I’d rather have the money so it’s not about upgrading for me.

I’ve been getting set up for my next push at work so haven’t dug into the truck hunt/options yet. But this truck won’t be pulling the rv again.

[JShort880]

Thanks for all the knowledge and logic that has help guide me throughout the post everyone!

This might be a good closing point for the thread as when I figure out my next move I plan on opening a new thread in tow vehicles.

Justin

[sourdough]

Per OP's request this thread is closed.