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Old 10-15-2014, 12:30 PM   #1
tnraptor
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Anyone towing raptor with 3/4 truck?

Looking for people with experience on pulling these heavy pin weight raptors or other heavy weight pins on 3/4 ton trucks. Tricks or tips on doing it or any advice on certain tires, bags, springs, weight distribution, or hitch combos that's helped you get down the road easier.


kansas bow hunter.
pickwick lake is home though.
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Old 10-15-2014, 02:46 PM   #2
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What is the gvwr and loaded pin or tongue weight of the raptor you plan on Towing? More info is needed to get accurate advice.
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Old 10-15-2014, 03:27 PM   #3
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whats your payload and gvwr from the sticker on your drivers door jam say. which model raptor are you looking at.
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Old 10-15-2014, 03:33 PM   #4
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I've already pointed out to you in another thread, that airbags, spring helpers, tires, "fancy" hitches, will do nothing to increase your towing capacity or payload. They might soften the ride, reduce the sway, make the TV and 5th wheel sit more level, but that is about it.
Do you want to get "down the road easier" or down the road "safely and easier"?

Look at the sticker on the door of your TV as well as the toy hauler and give us some numbers to work on. Never mind about the dry weight of the toy hauler - it isn't important.

You really need to take the truck - complete with any passengers and any other cargo that you usually put in the truck or in the bed - to a weigh scale and obtain some real weight numbers. Don't forget to add in the weight of hitch to these figures.
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Old 10-15-2014, 04:22 PM   #5
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My guess is the GVAWR on your truck is 6200. The rear axle curb weight will be somewhere around 2600-3000 depending on what you have loaded and options. Your tires will be a 121 load index which is 3197 per tire, putting your tire carrying capacity at just under 6400 so your axle is the limiting factor. I haven't seen a Raptor with a pin weight under 3k, probably closer to 3500. Pretty much anything you do to "help" the suspension will not help the axle. Additionally, you will be very close to the limit on your tires.

My experience towing with the 2500 was that the stability just was not there with the tires. When I moved up in trailer weight I noticed a definite tail wagging the dog effect as the tire sidewalls flexed under the weight. When I upgraded to a 3500 dually it was night and day difference.

I've been there, done that. I was not a fan of dually's, did not want one.....until I put a 15,000 lb 5er behind my 2500, my pin weight is about 300-400 less than a Raptor.
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Old 10-15-2014, 04:31 PM   #6
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Thank you BS smith
Im pretty sure pin weight is 3k on trailer. Was gonna try to haul everything from clothes to four wheeler in toy hauler to help with weight. I don't like the dually either. I'm thinking 1500lb cargo is max I'll carry. I know the weight is over loaded quite a bit but just wondering how fast is comfortable on a good interstate. I'm pulling long ways and I hear guys on pipeline say they drag them everywhere with f250. All the research Im seeing doesn't look good for my setup. I've just bought it and probably got into a mess listening to the wrong folks say its k to pull it with f250

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pickwick lake is home though.
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Old 10-15-2014, 05:18 PM   #7
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The F250s are great trucks, I have owned one and used 3 others at work. There is a big reason they make 1 tons, to tow big trailers. The basic 250 and 350 are not much different, that difference is towing/carrying weights. If you upgrade the springs and tires you have a 350. Likely at more cost than just buying the 350. I get a kick what people say they pull, here DOT E- trucks which are 3/4 or 1 tons come out to crash sites and move 80,000 lbs truck off the roadway with tow straps. I would not buy a used truck from them and their trucks are replaced every 2 years before they nearly worthless.
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Old 10-15-2014, 05:26 PM   #8
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I'm looking at new trucks now lol this is an expensive lesson. Key word looking and wishing lol

kansas bow hunter.
pickwick lake is home though.
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Old 10-15-2014, 05:28 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnraptor View Post
I'm looking at new trucks now lol this is an expensive lesson. Key word looking and wishing lol

kansas bow hunter.
pickwick lake is home though.
Very smart. Don't rule out DRW's...and it doesn't have to be "new".
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Old 10-15-2014, 05:56 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnraptor View Post
I'm looking at new trucks now lol this is an expensive lesson. Key word looking and wishing lol

kansas bow hunter.
pickwick lake is home though.
We have had this discussion before in previous posts concerning Raptors and 2500's you can use search to read more. Reading your last post not sure if you need to read more, Raptors and 2500 TV are not a recommended match to be legal/safe. Yes you will see 2500's dragging Raptors down the road, hopefully not around me.

Think this may have been a less expensive lesson as compared to a possible future more expensive experience had you not realized what combination TV Trailer you were working with.

Been there and did that with a 2500, see my Sig

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Old 10-16-2014, 02:51 AM   #11
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I still miss my 2500, it was a very nice looking and riding truck....I miss it except when connected to the 5er. I will never pull this trailer with anything other than a DRW again. The trip with the 2500 that made me make the move to the dually was a 40 mile drive down a very nice highway.

While looking at my options, I considered different tires and wheels. The 350/3500 SRW have a different size that are available in 124 load index, gains you about 800 lbs in total carrying capacity. That may have made a difference, but I wasn't willing to take a chance and spend $2k+ on tires and wheels to find out. That also doesn't address the axle rating, and I definitely didn't want to have problems with the rear end, bearings or whatever, due to overloading the rear end. With your set-up, I'd look at a DRW. JMO based on my experience.

I found used DRW trucks seem to sell a little slower on the lots, you can make a pretty good deal trading in a 250. I went from the 2500 to the 3500, blue book value was over $7k difference, made the deal for $2k difference. Made it a much easier sell with the DW when I told her we were gaining $5k in equity value
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Old 10-16-2014, 09:48 AM   #12
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Thanks yeah my f250 is personal vehicle for trips and such why I don't wantdually . I gave every day work truck also just like driving my 250 and pretty much the dually will be for camping only. I do that a lot anyways so maybe haul camper everywhere.

kansas bow hunter.
pickwick lake is home though.
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Old 10-18-2014, 06:02 PM   #13
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Talking Started with an F-150

We had a nice F-150 but I talked my wife into going to an F-250 "it's just this much bigger" I said. We ended up buying a Matrix 27' TT and it towed it pretty well. The RV dealer said it would pull most anything they had. After a long trip in a thunderstorm, I was a little nervous about adding a 5er. Weight is no issue but stability and handling is different. I got an e-mail offer to upgrade trucks and I jumped on an '15 F-350 Dually. It has a rated 31,000 lb capacity with a bigger turbo and 50ft lbs more torque and ""it's just this much bigger". It pulled the TT like it wasn't there. We upgraded the TT to a Raptor 395LEV Monster. At 18,000 lbs the F-350 squats a little under the weight, but WOW. I LOVE TOWING THIS RIG. The weight keeps the truck down flat and we pulled in gusting winds and only knew it by the movement of the trees. The truck get's 11.5 mpg ...always... The tow mode combined with the exhaust brake make it a dream to drive on trips and it handles beautifully with the Raptor. We are going diving in Balmorhea, Texas next weekend, a 5 hour drive, and I look forward to taking the Raptor out to play. By the way, the F-350 is named Godzilla. (Godzilla was a girl)
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Old 10-18-2014, 06:46 PM   #14
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That sounds awesome! The fuel mileage is way lower than a 3/4 ton mines around 17 empty 14 loaded.

2012 f250 4x4 four door lariat.
06 raptor 3712 toyhauler
kansas bow hunter.
pickwick lake is home though.
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Old 10-19-2014, 04:21 AM   #15
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That sounds awesome! The fuel mileage is way lower than a 3/4 ton mines around 17 empty 14 loaded.

2012 f250 4x4 four door lariat.
06 raptor 3712 toyhauler
kansas bow hunter.
pickwick lake is home though.
If you slow down a little you'll do better. Granted mine is GM so a little different characteristics, but I found the sweet spot is about 62-64, basically of I keep it between 60-65 I get 22 empty and 10-14 loaded (depends on trailer, 10-11 with the 15k 5er, 12-14 with the 7k car trailer). As soon as I go over 65 the empty starts to drop. I don't know about the loaded since I don't tow faster than 65.

When I bought the dually my DW said there was no way she was driving it......until I got tired one day and told her she had to take over, I wasn't really, just wanted her to drive it. Now she drives it all of the time. Just have to think a bit about where you park. The wheels aren't any wider than the mirrors so really no different than driving a non dually down the street.
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Old 10-19-2014, 04:57 AM   #16
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Yeah I run 80mph all the time if I was running 68 mine gets 18.5 mty 15loaded

2012 f250 4x4 four door lariat.
06 raptor 3712 toyhauler
kansas bow hunter.
pickwick lake is home though.
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Old 10-28-2014, 12:13 PM   #17
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My guess is the GVAWR on your truck is 6200. The rear axle curb weight will be somewhere around 2600-3000 depending on what you have loaded and options. Your tires will be a 121 load index which is 3197 per tire, putting your tire carrying capacity at just under 6400 so your axle is the limiting factor. I haven't seen a Raptor with a pin weight under 3k, probably closer to 3500. Pretty much anything you do to "help" the suspension will not help the axle. Additionally, you will be very close to the limit on your tires.

My experience towing with the 2500 was that the stability just was not there with the tires. When I moved up in trailer weight I noticed a definite tail wagging the dog effect as the tire sidewalls flexed under the weight. When I upgraded to a 3500 dually it was night and day difference.

I've been there, done that. I was not a fan of dually's, did not want one.....until I put a 15,000 lb 5er behind my 2500, my pin weight is about 300-400 less than a Raptor.
I did the same thing. We upgraded fro a double axle Toy Hauler 5th Wheel 32' that weighed 11K to our current Raptor triple axle that weighs 18K. I originally had a 2002 F350 CC LB SRW and the dealer wouldn't even let me pull it off the lot. Long story short, I got the 5er home and took it on our first trip with the F350. Well that was the last trip the ol F350 would tow the new 5er, I could tell it was way over the weight rating of the truck. I ultimately located a super clean 2006 F550 that had been completely set up to tow a Raptor as the previous owner also had a Raptor. He was selling the 5er and the truck. This truck with the commercial sized tires and wheels, giant rear end with 4.88 gear, large fuel tanks (110 gal) and Link Ultra Ride air suspension makes for a great tow vehicle. I still need to weigh the F550 by itself but I did hit the scales with the Raptor empty (pots, pans, tools, linen, dry food, extra generators) and this is what the scales read.
Steer: 5240lbs
Drive: 7820lbs
trailer: 12680lbs
Total: 25,740lbs

Granted a new dually will prob tow just as well if not better, I just couldn't take on the cost of one... Good luck!!
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Old 10-28-2014, 12:24 PM   #18
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Folks talk of "investing" in a good TV. If buying a tow vehicle could be considered an "investment", then buying used wisely makes more sense than buying new and suffering the initial depreciation. You're a good case in point.
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Old 10-28-2014, 03:13 PM   #19
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I still need to weigh the F550 by itself but I did hit the scales with the Raptor empty (pots, pans, tools, linen, dry food, extra generators) and this is what the scales read.
Steer: 5240lbs
Drive: 7820lbs
trailer: 12680lbs
Total: 25,740lbs

Granted a new dually will prob tow just as well if not better, I just couldn't take on the cost of one... Good luck!!
Wow I thought an F550 would be heavier than that. I just hit the scales with my 3500 today. This is the first time I've had the 5er fully loaded with full water tanks so had to see how it looked.

Steer: 4260
Drive: 6700
Trailer: 11640
Total: 22600

Nice to have a GAWR Rear of 9375, GAWR Front of 5600, and a GVWR of 13,000. Still a lot of room for more cargo, but I can't think of any more crap I would want to pack, other than the occupants. I have to add 700 lbs to the cargo for the family of 5, but still well under what the dually can carry.
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Old 10-29-2014, 08:32 PM   #20
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The 550 is right at about 10k by itself. So the Raptor is coming in at about 15740lbs empty, no rzr, dirt bikes, fuel, water, clothes, gear, food, dogs, wife kids or me... I really wanna hit the scales loaded one if these times but then again maybe not...


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