BUD: each trailer will weigh out differently. And will change on the load. If you have water or not. The toy boxes seem to carry their water in front of the axles (compensated for by the toys.) And as that weight changes, of course the tongue will. Just have to measure each one. Even two identical trailers could measure out differently. That's why I say weigh 'em as part of the deal so you know what are going to get. ESPECIALLY if weight is an issue. With a 1/2 ton truck, it is, no matter what. If you are running a SuperDuty, etc. it's not much until you start hitting about 25'. At that point you start hitting license issues before you hit truck issues.

My friend was gladly sold a 38' Sierra 5th wheel toy box. This trailer has a GVWR of 15,800lbs. That's 800 lbs into requiring a Class A Non-Commercial License. It's way over what even his F-350 can tow. I assume the dealer was also the one who installed the hitch. He now pulls Cuesta at 35MPH in 1st gear. That truck is gonna be toast.

To me, dealers need to be more responsible. They are KNOWINGLY selling a rig that the person can't tow legally on their license, or their truck. If I was an insurance company/agent, I'd have a fit and probably dump them as a client. I guess this way the dealer can claim ignorance. Another friend used to even haul trailers for an RV dealer and there was nothing ever said. Can't blame them. We have a 16,000lb dovetail w/pintle hitch (CA Class C limit is 10,000 on bumper tows) at the office that nobody who works for the company can even legally pull!

Is your truck 10K GVWR or is your trailer 10K GVWR? I have no idea where Dakotas come into the picture at. I would think your GCWR would be a bit higher.

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GCWR 10,500 pounds, max trailer weight 5,750 ---- Seems I need a bigger truck!!

 

A Dakota can tow about the same as a Tundra. It is with in a few hundred pounds of each other.

I pull Cuesta Grade in 1st gear at 35 mph also. Every other hill is not that bad. I know I need a larger truck but the Dakota will do everything I want OK just not perfect. Its my DD, wheeler and tow rig all wraped up in a small package. If I need to do 100 mph I will take the wifes Accord V6.


Water tanks???
They guy that I bought the WW from did a spring under axle swap and the trailer sits to high for my truck. I want to return it to stock but it looks like the straps for the fresh water tanks are going to hit the axles. The straps are sagging alot and hand down about 6" under stock. Can I replace then or rebend them. The bolts on either end are just as bent and stretched. Are the tanks going to go back to flat with some heat? Sorry no pix of this.

Craig

 

Definately sounds like you need to do something with that tank. Wouldn't want to drop a tank (full of water or not) going down the highway. Water weighs in at 8.3lbs/gallon so you can see how much pressure it puts on those straps. Redoing them may/should get the tank back up where it belongs.

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Yep My Chevy 2500 pulls the toy hauler over Cuesta at 35 also. I get 8-10 mpg on the straight and level if I keep it under 65. I usually get a hair less than 8 going over the Sierra's on hwy 80. On any grade at all and I bog down to 60 or so, and Usually slow to about 55 and run in second gear at 3000 rpm.

Next truck will be Turbo Deisel, but what I got works well enough to keep until it wears out. I have about 60K on it and I figure after 125K - 150K, I should be thinking of trading it in on a new one. I'd keep it longer if I didn't just use it to tow....Seriously 90% of the milage on this truck are from towing.....and I figure after 125K that's enough, I make too much money to not buy a new one..... when the time comes..

 

I think I will get some new bolts, nuts and washer before I do the axle flip. I will also have new bars for the tank at that time in case I need them. I will post pictures in a few weeks when I do it. I have a trip planned for Pismo in late August that I would like to have it lower by then.

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Perpetrate,
That thing must be working hard to get that low of gas mileage and pull at 35 mph on hills. I wouldn't look for it to last very long if you tow often with it

 

Cuesta Grade is not hill it is a Mountain!

On hills it tows just fine and yes I push it hard but I am a Mechanic and if breaks I will fix it.