Towing HEAVY

[bdog]

What is the smallest truck that can safely and legally tow around 35k (trailer weight plus load)?

I have been hauling my equipment and my pickup to our jobs on a semi with a 53' step deck. It works but is hard to get into a lot of the places I need to get into and I got to thinking what if I bought a larger truck that could tow my equipment and still be able to use it as a work truck to drive back and forth to the job and such. My equipment weighs around 25k and would fit on a 30' trailer. I figure a 30' trailer that can handle that much weight is going to weigh close to 10k.

I was researching the ram 4500, 5500, etc and while they have crazy payload capacity the are actually rated to tow less than the 3500 which is rated to tow around 30k. Seems strange to me the 4500 and 5500 are only rated to tow around 26k I think. The F-450 is rated to tow 31k and change.

Is there something out there that is smaller than a single axle semi that can tow 35k and is small enough to be used as a normal truck? It would not really be my daily driver I have a another truck for that but when working I would drive it around 50 miles a day and would need to park it at motels, restaurants, etc so I don't want something huge.

 

[newbury]

Fords claiming 31.2K 2016 Ford Super Duty | View Towing Specifications | Ford.com

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Not that I have seen. The 3500 rams are rated pretty high but I honestly wouldn't use a pickup for towing that heavy, why don't you look into a short wb SA day cab truck and a shorter trailer?

 

[Snobdds]

That is in that funny range of too big for a medium duty truck and too small for a heavy duty truck. I think your stuck with a class 8 semi truck.

 

[bdog]

Fords claiming 31.2K 2016 Ford Super Duty | View Towing Specifications | Ford.com

Yes the 31,200 is for the F-450 I believe.

 

[bdog]

Not that I have seen. The 3500 rams are rated pretty high but I honestly wouldn't use a pickup for towing that heavy, why don't you look into a short wb SA day cab truck and a shorter trailer?

That would solve my problem of getting into tight spots but I am not sure I would want to drive a day cab semi around all the time and it takes all 53' of trailer once I throw my pickup on the trailer. I was hoping for something I could put a flatbed on and have a diesel tank, tools, etc and have a gooseneck style trailer instead of a fifth wheel.

 

[wolfpack2]

How far are you towing between jobs and how often. Have you considered using a 20K GN and making two trips? That would put you in a comfort range for a 1-ton dually.

 

[bdog]

Usually two jobs a month and usually 250-600 miles away.

One machine weighs 20k by itself and the other misc stuff on the trailer weighs 4-5k.

 

[wolfpack2]

So much for that idea.

 

[wolfpack2]

Looks like you are into a Medium Duty minimum. The F650/F750 diesel have a GCWR of 50K. So they should be able to hand the 35K trailer. I would expect the other class 6 or 7 trucks to have similar capability.