Towing HEAVY

/ Towing HEAVY #21  
/ Towing HEAVY #22  
This is what we use. 2011 IH 4400 with a 20,000 lb rear axle, air brake, air ride, air suspended cab. It is still a rough sob to ride in and I would not be happy using it for daily duties. It was $90K new plus the custom deck. If you're going to use a gooseneck or a fifth wheel over a flat deck you will want to order a low profile unit. ( like how you see rollbacks configured. )

I would also stay far away from any IH engine.... We have had three major repairs in 30,000 miles of easy use. Two of which were not under warranty.

The tractor on the trailer can weigh up to 19,000 lbs depending on how it is configured.

Vibe on the trailer.jpg

This is what it replaced. 2003 F-550 with the max towing option, which I believe was 30,000 lbs GCWR at the time. In this configuration the tractor was only 13,000 lbs. The truck pulled the weight fine, but the trailer brakes were always problematic. I got pushed through an intersection in the rain on one occasion...

DSC04541_rs.jpg
 
/ Towing HEAVY
  • Thread Starter
#24  
This is what we use. 2011 IH 4400 with a 20,000 lb rear axle, air brake, air ride, air suspended cab. It is still a rough sob to ride in and I would not be happy using it for daily duties. It was $90K new plus the custom deck. If you're going to use a gooseneck or a fifth wheel over a flat deck you will want to order a low profile unit. ( like how you see rollbacks configured. )

I would also stay far away from any IH engine.... We have had three major repairs in 30,000 miles of easy use. Two of which were not under warranty.

The tractor on the trailer can weigh up to 19,000 lbs depending on how it is configured.

View attachment 474616

This is what it replaced. 2003 F-550 with the max towing option, which I believe was 30,000 lbs GCWR at the time. In this configuration the tractor was only 13,000 lbs. The truck pulled the weight fine, but the trailer brakes were always problematic. I got pushed through an intersection in the rain on one occasion...

View attachment 474622

I like that 4400 and will be hauling something very similar except on rubber tracks not a buggy mount.
 
/ Towing HEAVY #25  
Nope it can tow it. The 3500 dually with 4.10 gears and the Aisin transmission is rated to tow 30,100 in a crew cab 4x4 mega cab. 216 Ram 35 Dually Review: Towing 3, Pounds with "Only" 9 lb-ft Torque - YouTube

Yes they do exist. But they are a heavier duty version of the 3500 and tow 6000+ pounds more than the regular diesel version. I wonder how much this option costs for the 6.7HO diesel. I don't expect many will be built. They will be like the Ford F-150's that can tow 12000 lbs. They exist on paper and is an option but are impossible to find.
 
/ Towing HEAVY
  • Thread Starter
#26  
Yes they do exist. But they are a heavier duty version of the 3500 and tow 6000+ pounds more than the regular diesel version. I wonder how much this option costs for the 6.7HO diesel. I don't expect many will be built. They will be like the Ford F-150's that can tow 12000 lbs. They exist on paper and is an option but are impossible to find.

The main difference is the Aisan transmission. The rest of the truck is mostly the same. I bought a new GMC dually last fall and was considering the Ram with the Aisin and 30k capacity but none of the dealers in a fifty mile radius had one on the lot. I could have ordered one but my old truck was wrecked and I didn't have time to wait. I don't know why they don't stock more of them most the guys buying Ram dual lies intend to tow heavy.
 
/ Towing HEAVY #27  
This is what we use. 2011 IH 4400 with a 20,000 lb rear axle, air brake, air ride, air suspended cab. It is still a rough sob to ride in and I would not be happy using it for daily duties. It was $90K new plus the custom deck. If you're going to use a gooseneck or a fifth wheel over a flat deck you will want to order a low profile unit. ( like how you see rollbacks configured. )

I would also stay far away from any IH engine.... We have had three major repairs in 30,000 miles of easy use. Two of which were not under warranty.

The tractor on the trailer can weigh up to 19,000 lbs depending on how it is configured.
View attachment 474616

This is what it replaced. 2003 F-550 with the max towing option, which I believe was 30,000 lbs GCWR at the time. In this configuration the tractor was only 13,000 lbs. The truck pulled the weight fine, but the trailer brakes were always problematic. I got pushed through an intersection in the rain on one occasion...

View attachment 474622


Nice rig...
I'm sure that is does well...

For the original post, most any truck in a medium duty (6K-7K) class with air brakes should get be sufficient...
Cost will be a major consideration...
Heavier equipment like that is not inexpensive...
 
/ Towing HEAVY #28  
Yes they do exist. But they are a heavier duty version of the 3500 and tow 6000+ pounds more than the regular diesel version. I wonder how much this option costs for the 6.7HO diesel. I don't expect many will be built. They will be like the Ford F-150's that can tow 12000 lbs. They exist on paper and is an option but are impossible to find.
That's why you order. I have owned the heavier F150, and F350. Takes about 6 weeks.

Chris
 
/ Towing HEAVY #31  
This is what we use. 2011 IH 4400 with a 20,000 lb rear axle, air brake, air ride, air suspended cab. It is still a rough sob to ride in and I would not be happy using it for daily duties. It was $90K new plus the custom deck. If you're going to use a gooseneck or a fifth wheel over a flat deck you will want to order a low profile unit. ( like how you see rollbacks configured. )

I would also stay far away from any IH engine.... We have had three major repairs in 30,000 miles of easy use. Two of which were not under warranty.

The tractor on the trailer can weigh up to 19,000 lbs depending on how it is configured.

View attachment 474616

This is what it replaced. 2003 F-550 with the max towing option, which I believe was 30,000 lbs GCWR at the time. In this configuration the tractor was only 13,000 lbs. The truck pulled the weight fine, but the trailer brakes were always problematic. I got pushed through an intersection in the rain on one occasion...

View attachment 474622
The International 4400 was what I was going to replace my F450 with. Though I was only towing 17,000+ lbs it was day in and day out 30,000+ miles a year which beat that F450 up pretty well.

Brian
 
/ Towing HEAVY #32  
The International 4400 was what I was going to replace my F450 with. Though I was only towing 17,000+ lbs it was day in and day out 30,000+ miles a year which beat that F450 up pretty well.

Brian

Would stay away from anything post 2010. The warrant claims on their egr equipped motors almost bankrupted the company. On ours the high pressure pump failed at 50 hours, one of the emissions sensors failed with 30K and the last repair was for a leaking seal behind the bellhousing. About $11K in repairs if you were paying out of pocket. The pump and the sensor problems left me on the side of the road...
 
/ Towing HEAVY #34  
One must have when you are looking at a single axle medium duty truck is a locking rear. The difference is not much, ie; totally useless off of the road to nearly useless off of the road but it will still keep you from chaining up in the mud.

Anyway, IMHO, when your endeavors have you on the not so soft and fuzzy feeling when pulling with a 3500 or so, by all means step up to a real truck. There are plenty of considerations but one "biggee" is no true engine brake on the engines typically powering this class, C7 (3126), 8.3, 44?. Look for one that at least has an exhaust brake. The service brakes by themselves will work quite well mind you, but on a hill, any hill, you are going to be on them.
 
/ Towing HEAVY #35  
One must have when you are looking at a single axle medium duty truck is a locking rear. The difference is not much, ie; totally useless off of the road to nearly useless off of the road but it will still keep you from chaining up in the mud.

Anyway, IMHO, when your endeavors have you on the not so soft and fuzzy feeling when pulling with a 3500 or so, by all means step up to a real truck. There are plenty of considerations but one "biggee" is no true engine brake on the engines typically powering this class, C7 (3126), 8.3, 44?. Look for one that at least has an exhaust brake. The service brakes by themselves will work quite well mind you, but on a hill, any hill, you are going to be on them.

I have an exhaust brake and engine brake on my dt530. The exhaust brake currently isn't hooked up but I often have to blip the throttle to keep my speed up coming down the mountain. I think you meant no real Jacobs brake.
 
/ Towing HEAVY #36  
I have an exhaust brake and engine brake on my dt530. The exhaust brake currently isn't hooked up but I often have to blip the throttle to keep my speed up coming down the mountain. I think you meant no real Jacobs brake.
A Jacobs brake is a true engine brake where as the valves are all held closed to build holdback compression. Honestly, I have do not know if the offerings by say Detroit Diesel are inhouse or by whomever. I was not aware that IH offered a true exhaust brake on the DT530.

Jacobs or "Jake" is trademarked, hence, I stated engine brake. Note that Jacobs will readily take a town to task for erecting signs that say "No Jake" brakes.
 
/ Towing HEAVY #37  
A Jacobs brake is a true engine brake where as the valves are all held closed to build holdback compression.

That is not how a Jake Brake works. It opens the exhaust valve near the top of the compression stroke. Basically, it turns the engine into a compressor.
 
Last edited:
/ Towing HEAVY #39  
That is not how a Jake Brake works. It opens the exhaust valve near the top of the compression stroke. Basically, it turns the engine into a compressor.

The interesting part is that the Jake brake was invented by Clessie Cummins, after retirement, and he found the Jacobsen manufacturing company (known from the spanner drill chuck) to produce the system as an aftermarket kit.

Clessie Cummins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
/ Towing HEAVY #40  
The interesting part is that the Jake brake was invented by Clessie Cummins, after retirement, and he found the Jacobsen manufacturing company (known from the spanner drill chuck) to produce the system as an aftermarket kit.

Clessie was quite the innovator. This is an interesting read, based on an article written by his son, Lyle. It tells the whole story of the Jake Brake, including Cummins Engine Company turning it down for production. I wonder how many times that has been regretted!

https://www.asme.org/getmedia/1db2c2a5-ecb3-43c6-98e6-0f2fdca6e61d/108-Jacobs-Engine-Brake-Retarder-1957.aspx
 

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