I hate to admit it but I know someone who pulls this kind of weight with a 350, grosses around 33,000, not what I consider safe but I'm a little bit conservative. I gross about 20,000 all up, and it seems about right, I've been as high as 22,000, and had no probs, but stopping is always the question in my mind, my trailer breaks are good but, 20k and above is a whole a lot of weight. As always I think b+r warrior has a point, but I would go straight to a semi, they are about half the price of a new pick-up.

 

Well my plates are comped for 17 tons, that's why I pull with a CDL. But the problem is that I only pull them loads about 4-5 times a year usually around 200 miles at a crack, so I really don't want a much larger truck sitting around collecting dust when I can use a pick-up much more often. However I pull about 15-20000 on the ball much more often.

 

33,000 is even getting close to the limits of a 650 (GVWR 26,000/GCWR 36,000). Pulling 20,000lbs is in the commercial class. At least that's what this sounds like. Wrong truck. Probably wrong license. In California, you get dropped. As in you drop the trailer wherever you get stopped if you're out of class. You'll be sitting there while CHP gives you an exam. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] (The kind where they can check your prostate.)

The hitches on these trucks just aren't designed to take the weight. And at this weight, there's no weight distribution system available. That's all either gooseneck (and those usually only go to about 20,000lb) or pintle/lunette eye (probably good to 40,000lb+ depending on how big you go). A 2" drawbar is only rated to between 10,000 & 12,000 lbs, and usually with WD only. About 7,000/700 dead weight. 2-1/2" will get you up to 15,000 with WD.

Used Class 8 trucks (10 wheel, tripple axle, 36,000 GVWR/80,000GCWR+) can be had for $30-60K depending on condition. Figure you're looking at 600K miles. Probably 200,000 left before rebuilds start hitting. There's a big movement in the RV community to convert these "tired" trucks to RVs to tow the big 5ths out there.

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Well I'm legal here in SD which is where I pull, I know this because I've been inspected and was forced to get a CDL license and given license plates on my truck to pull up to 17 tons. Also I was stopped at a weigh station in Minnesota and put thru the ringer and everything checked out.

 

Dont fool yourself.....The 7.3 has 1 BIG issue.....Electrical!!!!!!! I love this engine, BUT I work on it every day and the electronics of it suck, and expencive, BUT I have yet to this day EVER seen one break due to a mechanical problem!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]