"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


I don't think a truck that size has the brakes to successfully control
and stop a 36' trailer.

------------------------------------------------

Don't think that's the issue so much. The trailer should have brakes
designed to handle it's weight.
The problem is the light duty nature of the truck in terms of engine,
transmission, frame, suspension, etc. To the best of my knowledge a
F-150 or the 1500 series from GM or Dodge are recommended for very
small 5th wheel trailers and that's a stretch for them. A 36 footer
is going to weigh in at 12,000 lbs or more. Way too much for a light
duty truck.

On 6/1/2013 3:05 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


I don't think a truck that size has the brakes to successfully control
and stop a 36' trailer.

------------------------------------------------

Don't think that's the issue so much. The trailer should have brakes
designed to handle it's weight.
The problem is the light duty nature of the truck in terms of engine,
transmission, frame, suspension, etc. To the best of my knowledge a
F-150 or the 1500 series from GM or Dodge are recommended for very small
5th wheel trailers and that's a stretch for them. A 36 footer is going
to weigh in at 12,000 lbs or more. Way too much for a light duty truck.


Sometimes trailer brakes go hooky falooky on you.

"Hank©" wrote in message
eb.com...

On 6/1/2013 3:05 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


I don't think a truck that size has the brakes to successfully
control
and stop a 36' trailer.

------------------------------------------------

Don't think that's the issue so much. The trailer should have
brakes
designed to handle it's weight.
The problem is the light duty nature of the truck in terms of
engine,
transmission, frame, suspension, etc. To the best of my knowledge a
F-150 or the 1500 series from GM or Dodge are recommended for very
small
5th wheel trailers and that's a stretch for them. A 36 footer is
going
to weigh in at 12,000 lbs or more. Way too much for a light duty
truck.


Sometimes trailer brakes go hooky falooky on you.

-------------------------------

True. Then you're in deep doo-doo. I don't care what kind of brakes
your truck has .... it's going to have a tough time stopping it plus
a 12,000 -14,000 trailer at any kind of speed.

Remember the green '97 Dodge Ram 1500 I had? Towing that old '82
Century ark was a real thrill. The surge brakes didn't work on the
trailer.
I had to plan stops well in advance. If a light turned red and I
tried to stop the damn boat would push me halfway through the
intersection.
I think that boat and trailer probably weighed 6,000 to 7,000 lbs.

On 6/1/2013 3:51 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"Hank©" wrote in message
eb.com...

On 6/1/2013 3:05 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


I don't think a truck that size has the brakes to successfully control
and stop a 36' trailer.

------------------------------------------------

Don't think that's the issue so much. The trailer should have brakes
designed to handle it's weight.
The problem is the light duty nature of the truck in terms of engine,
transmission, frame, suspension, etc. To the best of my knowledge a
F-150 or the 1500 series from GM or Dodge are recommended for very small
5th wheel trailers and that's a stretch for them. A 36 footer is going
to weigh in at 12,000 lbs or more. Way too much for a light duty truck.


Sometimes trailer brakes go hooky falooky on you.

-------------------------------

True. Then you're in deep doo-doo. I don't care what kind of brakes
your truck has .... it's going to have a tough time stopping it plus a
12,000 -14,000 trailer at any kind of speed.

Remember the green '97 Dodge Ram 1500 I had? Towing that old '82
Century ark was a real thrill. The surge brakes didn't work on the
trailer.
I had to plan stops well in advance. If a light turned red and I tried
to stop the damn boat would push me halfway through the intersection.
I think that boat and trailer probably weighed 6,000 to 7,000 lbs.


Scotty, are you listening? ;-)

On 6/1/2013 4:16 PM, Hank© wrote:
On 6/1/2013 3:51 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"Hank©" wrote in message
eb.com...

On 6/1/2013 3:05 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


I don't think a truck that size has the brakes to successfully control
and stop a 36' trailer.

------------------------------------------------

Don't think that's the issue so much. The trailer should have brakes
designed to handle it's weight.
The problem is the light duty nature of the truck in terms of engine,
transmission, frame, suspension, etc. To the best of my knowledge a
F-150 or the 1500 series from GM or Dodge are recommended for very small
5th wheel trailers and that's a stretch for them. A 36 footer is going
to weigh in at 12,000 lbs or more. Way too much for a light duty
truck.


Sometimes trailer brakes go hooky falooky on you.

-------------------------------

True. Then you're in deep doo-doo. I don't care what kind of brakes
your truck has .... it's going to have a tough time stopping it plus a
12,000 -14,000 trailer at any kind of speed.

Remember the green '97 Dodge Ram 1500 I had? Towing that old '82
Century ark was a real thrill. The surge brakes didn't work on the
trailer.
I had to plan stops well in advance. If a light turned red and I tried
to stop the damn boat would push me halfway through the intersection.
I think that boat and trailer probably weighed 6,000 to 7,000 lbs.


Scotty, are you listening? ;-)

I don't know where you all got the idea I would drive overloaded... I am
a stickler, ****es people off. Ask Jess someday how I tie stuff down,
even stuff in the trailer... I have a "superstition".. I never move my
truck (with the trailer on) without touching the drivers seat, then
doing a "walk around" which involves just what it says. I walk around
the whole rig looking at tires, lights, connections under the wheels,
locks, look for leaks... left behind equipment etc.. Jess is required to
also do a walk around each and every time we move, even if it's leaving
the gas station a mile after doing a walk around at the house... The
whole thing goes back to about twenty years ago when I let the guys at
Home Depot load my trailer, seeing those 2x10s flying 30 feet in the
air, changed my life... I am a stickler about towing... you guys must
all be thinking of don who we shamed/threatened into getting a bigger
vehicle to tow his rig...

"JustWaitAFrekinMinute" wrote in message
...


I don't know where you all got the idea I would drive overloaded... I
am
a stickler, ****es people off. Ask Jess someday how I tie stuff down,
even stuff in the trailer... I have a "superstition".. I never move my
truck (with the trailer on) without touching the drivers seat, then
doing a "walk around" which involves just what it says. I walk around
the whole rig looking at tires, lights, connections under the wheels,
locks, look for leaks... left behind equipment etc.. Jess is required
to
also do a walk around each and every time we move, even if it's
leaving
the gas station a mile after doing a walk around at the house... The
whole thing goes back to about twenty years ago when I let the guys at
Home Depot load my trailer, seeing those 2x10s flying 30 feet in the
air, changed my life... I am a stickler about towing... you guys must
all be thinking of don who we shamed/threatened into getting a bigger
vehicle to tow his rig...

---------------------------------------------

You where originally talking about getting a 36' fifth wheel camper
and were asking the group for tow truck recommendations. You
indicated that you were "leaning" towards a four door (crew cab)
Chevy 1500 pickup with a small block. Those of us with some
knowledge and experience with 5th wheel camper trailers know that you
would have exceeded that truck's towing capacity by a long shot and
indeed, you would be overloaded (and illegal) with that configuration.

That's where I got the idea. You asked and some of us were simply
trying to be helpful.

On 6/2/2013 3:05 AM, Eisboch wrote:


"JustWaitAFrekinMinute" wrote in message
...


I don't know where you all got the idea I would drive overloaded... I am
a stickler, ****es people off. Ask Jess someday how I tie stuff down,
even stuff in the trailer... I have a "superstition".. I never move my
truck (with the trailer on) without touching the drivers seat, then
doing a "walk around" which involves just what it says. I walk around
the whole rig looking at tires, lights, connections under the wheels,
locks, look for leaks... left behind equipment etc.. Jess is required to
also do a walk around each and every time we move, even if it's leaving
the gas station a mile after doing a walk around at the house... The
whole thing goes back to about twenty years ago when I let the guys at
Home Depot load my trailer, seeing those 2x10s flying 30 feet in the
air, changed my life... I am a stickler about towing... you guys must
all be thinking of don who we shamed/threatened into getting a bigger
vehicle to tow his rig...

---------------------------------------------

You where originally talking about getting a 36' fifth wheel camper and
were asking the group for tow truck recommendations. You indicated
that you were "leaning" towards a four door (crew cab) Chevy 1500 pickup
with a small block. Those of us with some knowledge and experience
with 5th wheel camper trailers know that you would have exceeded that
truck's towing capacity by a long shot and indeed, you would be
overloaded (and illegal) with that configuration.

That's where I got the idea. You asked and some of us were simply
trying to be helpful.





Right, but some were talking like I was going to do it rather than just
asking...

In article ,
says...

On 6/1/2013 4:16 PM, Hank© wrote:
On 6/1/2013 3:51 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"Hank©" wrote in message
eb.com...

On 6/1/2013 3:05 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


I don't think a truck that size has the brakes to successfully control
and stop a 36' trailer.

------------------------------------------------

Don't think that's the issue so much. The trailer should have brakes
designed to handle it's weight.
The problem is the light duty nature of the truck in terms of engine,
transmission, frame, suspension, etc. To the best of my knowledge a
F-150 or the 1500 series from GM or Dodge are recommended for very small
5th wheel trailers and that's a stretch for them. A 36 footer is going
to weigh in at 12,000 lbs or more. Way too much for a light duty
truck.


Sometimes trailer brakes go hooky falooky on you.

-------------------------------

True. Then you're in deep doo-doo. I don't care what kind of brakes
your truck has .... it's going to have a tough time stopping it plus a
12,000 -14,000 trailer at any kind of speed.

Remember the green '97 Dodge Ram 1500 I had? Towing that old '82
Century ark was a real thrill. The surge brakes didn't work on the
trailer.
I had to plan stops well in advance. If a light turned red and I tried
to stop the damn boat would push me halfway through the intersection.
I think that boat and trailer probably weighed 6,000 to 7,000 lbs.


Scotty, are you listening? ;-)

I don't know where you all got the idea I would drive overloaded... I am
a stickler, ****es people off. Ask Jess someday how I tie stuff down,
even stuff in the trailer... I have a "superstition".. I never move my
truck (with the trailer on) without touching the drivers seat, then
doing a "walk around" which involves just what it says. I walk around
the whole rig looking at tires, lights, connections under the wheels,
locks, look for leaks... left behind equipment etc.. Jess is required to
also do a walk around each and every time we move, even if it's leaving
the gas station a mile after doing a walk around at the house... The
whole thing goes back to about twenty years ago when I let the guys at
Home Depot load my trailer, seeing those 2x10s flying 30 feet in the
air, changed my life... I am a stickler about towing... you guys must
all be thinking of don who we shamed/threatened into getting a bigger
vehicle to tow his rig...

Cool story, bro!

On 6/1/13 3:51 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"Hank©" wrote in message
eb.com...

On 6/1/2013 3:05 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


I don't think a truck that size has the brakes to successfully control
and stop a 36' trailer.

------------------------------------------------

Don't think that's the issue so much. The trailer should have brakes
designed to handle it's weight.
The problem is the light duty nature of the truck in terms of engine,
transmission, frame, suspension, etc. To the best of my knowledge a
F-150 or the 1500 series from GM or Dodge are recommended for very small
5th wheel trailers and that's a stretch for them. A 36 footer is going
to weigh in at 12,000 lbs or more. Way too much for a light duty truck.


Sometimes trailer brakes go hooky falooky on you.

-------------------------------

True. Then you're in deep doo-doo. I don't care what kind of brakes
your truck has .... it's going to have a tough time stopping it plus a
12,000 -14,000 trailer at any kind of speed.

Remember the green '97 Dodge Ram 1500 I had? Towing that old '82
Century ark was a real thrill. The surge brakes didn't work on the
trailer.
I had to plan stops well in advance. If a light turned red and I tried
to stop the damn boat would push me halfway through the intersection.
I think that boat and trailer probably weighed 6,000 to 7,000 lbs.




After my father died and I was selling off the boat store inventory, I
had to deliver a new 22' Cruisers, Inc., cabin boat I had sold to a
customer who wanted to take delivery a bit later in the year at a local
marina. My dad had a Ford stake truck to tow boats and trailers for
"dry" deliveries. There were no brakes on the boat trailer, at least
none of which I was aware. I was exiting the Connecticut Turnpike near
Campbell Avenue by the waterfront in West Haven, and I almost lost the
truck, the trailer and the boat, right over the barrier on the curved
exit. The truck's brakes when towing a boat were for ****. Pretty scary
couple of moments, but we lucked out and I was able to stop the damned
thing. This was in 1973. I didn't own a trailer boat until the early
1990's, but the first thing I looked for was that what I bought had a
trailer with decent brakes.

On 6/1/2013 4:19 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:
On 6/1/13 3:51 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"Hank©" wrote in message
eb.com...

On 6/1/2013 3:05 PM, Eisboch wrote:


"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


I don't think a truck that size has the brakes to successfully control
and stop a 36' trailer.

------------------------------------------------

Don't think that's the issue so much. The trailer should have brakes
designed to handle it's weight.
The problem is the light duty nature of the truck in terms of engine,
transmission, frame, suspension, etc. To the best of my knowledge a
F-150 or the 1500 series from GM or Dodge are recommended for very small
5th wheel trailers and that's a stretch for them. A 36 footer is going
to weigh in at 12,000 lbs or more. Way too much for a light duty
truck.


Sometimes trailer brakes go hooky falooky on you.

-------------------------------

True. Then you're in deep doo-doo. I don't care what kind of brakes
your truck has .... it's going to have a tough time stopping it plus a
12,000 -14,000 trailer at any kind of speed.

Remember the green '97 Dodge Ram 1500 I had? Towing that old '82
Century ark was a real thrill. The surge brakes didn't work on the
trailer.
I had to plan stops well in advance. If a light turned red and I tried
to stop the damn boat would push me halfway through the intersection.
I think that boat and trailer probably weighed 6,000 to 7,000 lbs.




After my father died and I was selling off the boat store inventory, I
had to deliver a new 22' Cruisers, Inc., cabin boat I had sold to a
customer who wanted to take delivery a bit later in the year at a local
marina. My dad had a Ford stake truck to tow boats and trailers for
"dry" deliveries. There were no brakes on the boat trailer, at least
none of which I was aware. I was exiting the Connecticut Turnpike near
Campbell Avenue by the waterfront in West Haven, and I almost lost the
truck, the trailer and the boat, right over the barrier on the curved
exit. The truck's brakes when towing a boat were for ****. Pretty scary
couple of moments, but we lucked out and I was able to stop the damned
thing. This was in 1973. I didn't own a trailer boat until the early
1990's, but the first thing I looked for was that what I bought had a
trailer with decent brakes.

They all start out with "decent" brakes. They take a beating in use.
It's up to you to maintain them in "decent" condition.