Best pick-up truck/5 car trailer combination?

Was sort of hoping you were setting us all up & that this was a joke? READ the other posts just from today alone. Seriously, READ, it is all here.

But you want to pull 5 cars behind (specifically) a one ton dually because your friends did not check out the trucks properly? Bad things can happen to good people, happens everyday in trucking. But am telling you that a 5 car & a dually are a bad idea. Besides, look at the traffic on the Interstate, what do you see? Mostly CUV/SUV to trucks. Cars are the minority (on average) so you will have more heavier vehicles than you are trying to sell yourself on the idea of 5 2800-3000 lb cars. Look up the weight on a current Ford Taurus, it is pushing 4,000 lbs pending model. Want to roll with 5 of those behind a dually?

Do what you want to, you are going to anyway. When getting your insurance quote, make sure to let them in on the grand plan.

Oh & yes, the other guys using a one ton & a 5 car are adjectives not fit for print here. Go ride with one of those boys up 17 from Phoenix to Flagstaff, you'll get the idea.

 

I started that thread to make sure my decision was correct to get the ram. I did not start it not knowing anything. It was to make sure it was right. I did outside research and talked with owners of them, but I wanted to make sure.

 

So no experience? Just hearsay, yet you are now giving out advice to other newbies. ....SMH

 

Experience with what. I am no newbie to the business of trucks. I am just not very familiar with pickups. The ones I owned where not used for hauling. I know people who ran pickups and they gave me good information and numbers. I just wanted to back up my decision with input from others. I have experience working on real Cummins motors and running them in trucks. I am in no way endorsing this idea of 5 cars and a pickup. It can be done, but it's not the best idea.

 

You ask "what other option do I have"? Buy a real truck made for the job it will be doing. With real truck air brakes so you can safely stop. Like it or not, dually pickups are not made to take the place of a class 8 power unit.

 

Great comment. You made that comment which makes me think that you understand that a dually pickup shouldn't be hauling 5 times its weight. I can pull a car with a riding mower but does that make it safe?
Guys make comments NOT to deter people from getting in the business but with the thoughts of keeping the roads safe and their families safe.
No I'm not Mr. Safety director or anything like that but just have some common sense and know that a 1 ton truck has no business trying to STOP that much weight. Do your family and yourself a favor and if you want to get a 5 car trailer buy a single axle truck that is designed to haul that weight around.

 

I can see DOT stopping you 300 miles into your 1200 mile trip and writing you a ticket for being over weight. And then making you remove some cars to get the axle weight right. Maybe you can get some tow bars and pull them behind your trailer to get them delivered?

I gross out at 43k on a regular basis when I run our 5500. That is legal all the way around for axle weights but at times, stopping becomes an issue. Truck and trailer are 23k empty. You would be pushing the same gross weight as I do, only you are wanting to use a 1 ton truck.

The problem with your friends is that they went into the trucks without enough money to handle repair issues. In other words they were under capitalized. Your friend that did the rebuild now has an engine that will give him another 1 million miles. Sounds to me like the shop did not even supply the Vaseline when they made out the bill. They overpaid for the truck they got. Yeah a "certified" mechanic can look it over but now days, most of those "certified" mechanics are nothing more than parts changers.

Now with the truck I just bought, I paid 15k under the value because of the mileage. Why? Because I wanted enough to do an inframe when it does need to be done. I am also starting an account that I will be building to 50k so that what ever happens to the truck I can get it fixed, including buying a new one if needed.

Now with all that, my family is on the road with your truck. I don't want you anywhere near my family with that setup.

 

In all due respect , you take the price on a new pickup 60k minus 25k for a great used truck leaves 35 k for repairs . Talk to owners of new pickups also , they are not very reliable . As long as you plan to stay out of California , I would look for a 2003 or older single axle . May well be able to find one with a fresh overhaul! We all want you to do well , but you will need to be properly equipped . My brother started with his f350 , and a three car . Not enough cash flow , so he bought a 4 car , first trip out he drops the transmission ( not covered once ford saw his trailer) ! Quote was 6k , he parked the F350 and bought a 15k single axle. 6 months later bought a 09 international prostar. Two months after bought a 7 car trailer . Long story short in a year and a half he toasted his pride and joy Ford , out grew two trucks , two trailers . The pickup only got 6 mpg , the single axle got mid 8s pulling the 4 car . The 7 car is getting high 7s . But has gotten a over axle ticket already . Bear in mind he is tagged for 80 k . The most the 5 car trailers I have seen are tri 7k axles or two 12 k axles . You will always be pushing legal weights on both truck and trailer. The tires on those are mostly 16 inch rims, will ware out very quickly . Have been close to some one that did what you want to do , and saw his missteps ! Don't want to see any one have the head aches / growing pains he has had! Best of luck !

 

THIS!!!!!!!!