Questions about a semi pulling a 5th wheel...

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I ran into a very large group of semi owners..here is something about iof you are considering to buying a 3500 primarily for hauling a 5th wheel..

Top 10 Reasons to Choose an RV Hauler HDT (Heavy Duty Truck) over a Pickup Truck, Medium Duty Truck (MDT) or a Sport Truck

Safety – superior braking and control.
Finally! – You can pull the largest trailers, and take all your toys.
Easy to Drive – automatic transmissions with no clutch.
Power for passing and climbing the toughest mountain passes.
Quiet, comfortable interiors designed for the longest trips. End your holiday with a
relaxing drive home.
Operate with a standard driver’s license plus airbrake certificate in most provinces or
states
Fuel Economy: 10+ MPG (imperial) while towing the largest 5th wheel trailers or
horse trailers...AND IT GETS BETTER..
Seats up to 5 passengers comfortably
Smaller turning radius than a one ton pickup truck
You can gas up at the truck stop rather than cramming your rig at a regular
gas station.
 
My brother has a Ram 3500 with a 5>9 cummins and a 5 speed. He pulls a 35' enclosed trailer hauling a 6,500 pound pro street pulling truck across the Allegheny Mountains. He has no problems. If you want something you can drive other times and not pay $150 a fill up, and $250 each for tires, get a Ram 3500 with the cummins and a 5 speed. I would not buy a automatic though.
 
Chuckman said:
get a Ram 3500 with the cummins and a 5 speed. I would not buy a automatic though.
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I am already paying 150 a fill up with my 1500.

That auto question is the problem. The truck must have an auto.. :(

..and I think the wife wants a new 3500 if we go that way...the used trucks down here are rather beaten and I can get it soooo much cheaper in the states..
 
yeah my brother has considered converting his to auto...but he's an ex trucker so he doesn't mind rowing the gears. You should see him driving the curved roads in MO. It's like a sports car. He drives his 'pickup' into town..etc...but it's a little hard to get parking spots up close.
 
grassy said:
That auto question is the problem. The truck must have an auto.. :(
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IMO, I would go manual. I know you want auto, but once you're used to it you can shift without using the clutch. Just need it for take off and stopped.

There were a couple of trucking companies that went auto shift on their big trucks, it didn't take long to go back to manual as they had tons of issues with the auto shift.
 
You are probably talking about the Peterbuilt and IH I think..the Volvo autos are fantastic..one trucking company down here uses them exclusively..

My wife will never be able to drive a standard...
 
If anyone is interested in a really nice rig...I can get you in touch with my brother. He use to use it to go south for the winter. But he has bought a Park Model down south and just drives his van south now. So they are wanting to sell the truck and 5th wheel trailer..40ft trailer with 3 slide outs. You can play basket ball inside this thing. :) He has added air ride hitch and air ride axles on the trailer to keep it from being beat to death on the wonderful roads between MO and South TX. He wants around 37K for the truck and 20K for the trailer. It is an FL70 not sure on the year, it has about 400K miles...started life pulling new boats around. I believe they spent over 20K putting the bed and skirting on it.
 
Or you can go BIG or go home like we did lol! My 2012 Peterbilt with my dads 5 car enclosed custom built trailer with all the bells and whistles for any serious car guy to have. This rig even fits in his garage back home in Florida. And my Pete gets about 10MPG loaded, yes the CDL is needed and if you haven't been trained to drive a big rig then that would be a smart idea also. They are not easy to maneuver in tight race tracks or car shows. Not sure what CDL training costs now days, have had mine since 1990. What exactly are you looking for? But I know the average joe can't just buy a big truck and hook a trailer on it and go without some serious driving skills and experience. I see too many giant motorhomes with trailers in accidents when we travel its amazing! Retired people buy huge motorhomes and hook car trailers on them towing their cars with them and they are the scariest drivers out there!
 

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In canada, the rig would be licenses as a motorhome hence, it doesn't come under most legislation..this also applies in the states.

All you need is a regular license plus your air brake certificate..as long as you are pulling a trailer that LOOKS non commercial, you don't have to pull into weigh stations..

I suspect that you do because you look "commercial". People going to race tracks are not exempt either I believe..

I have been driving everything since I was 14....

Actually, women driving vanrockerts with kids strapped in the back scare the hell out of me..
 
grassy said:
In canada, the rig would be licenses as a motorhome hence, it doesn't come under most legislation..this also applies in the states.

All you need is a regular license plus your air brake certificate..as long as you are pulling a trailer that LOOKS non commercial, you don't have to pull into weigh stations..

I suspect that you do because you look "commercial". People going to race tracks are not exempt either I believe..

I have been driving everything since I was 14....

Actually, women driving vanrockerts with kids strapped in the back scare the hell out of me..
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Yeah exactly lol!! I have even driven my rig into Canada and the drivers are same as here SCARY! Especially those with no clue how to drive these big rigs, motorhomes and like you said those moms/dads with the vanrockets LMAO! They all need to get trained and hold CDL's to drive them. Some states have a law that any trailers over 40 ft being pulled with a truck has to hold CDL license. Was hauling oil in Montana/ North Dakota a few years back before retiring from that crap and all the drivers up there towing 40 ft or longer trailers were getting tickets all the time for not having CDL's. I am all for the CDL law for these huge rigs people consider to be just a truck and trailer lol!!
 
You want to know the reason folks don't get their CDL ?

In NS, it costs $10,149.00. OUCH !!!
 
grassy said:
I am already paying 150 a fill up with my 1500.

That auto question is the problem. The truck must have an auto.. :(

..and I think the wife wants a new 3500 if we go that way...the used trucks down here are rather beaten and I can get it soooo much cheaper in the states..
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The thing with a automatic is it does not pull as well, last as long, or hold back as well on steep downhill grades. A manual gives you much better control. We have a church bus that is automatic, and I hate it. We had a 3500 with a auto, that we pulled the same truck with. The manual we have now will run circles around it any day.
 
I know...but life is a compromise and a happy wife will lead to a happy life :)

I have tried, my friends have tried...she just doesn't have the coordination..but she is a killer with a map and tourist books so it works out in the end..
 
Just talked with my Bro and he repeated everything here concerning manual vs auto debate. He said his 13 spd is considered bullet proof and most place would do an even swap for an Auto to 13 spd. But finding one already done would be the way to go. He wants 25K for the 04 Fleetwood Advantage...it's around 40 ft long. He said 37K for the truck and a combo price of 57K. Ready to go snow birdin'.

Here are some pics of his rig.
 

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grassy said:
You want to know the reason folks don't get their CDL ?

In NS, it costs $10,149.00. OUCH !!!
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Dayyaaammmm! That's way out of control! Back in 1990 I paid 2 grand for driving school and went right out with my cousins hauling cars in the state of Florida and have no idea what todays cost for training and to obtain the CDL. I know I have to retest every 5 years for certain endorsements but that's only $26
 
Well, I did it.

I bought a Freightliner CF60 4 door Sport Chassis.

I was lucky that I did not buy it in the US. Apparently, Canada doesn't allow modded trucks to be imported...

I had a guy from Ontario trying to sell me his CF60...I knew it was a no go when he said he hadn't bothered to move the registration from Texas and was evasive when he was going to...

Live and learn.

300 hp cat engine - a little less than 75K miles on it...

It is presently being shipped to me..a great X-mas gift to us :)

ian
 
dragondan64 said:
Or you can go BIG or go home like we did lol! My 2012 Peterbilt with my dads 5 car enclosed custom built trailer with all the bells and whistles for any serious car guy to have. This rig even fits in his garage back home in Florida. And my Pete gets about 10MPG loaded, yes the CDL is needed and if you haven't been trained to drive a big rig then that would be a smart idea also. They are not easy to maneuver in tight race tracks or car shows. Not sure what CDL training costs now days, have had mine since 1990. What exactly are you looking for? But I know the average joe can't just buy a big truck and hook a trailer on it and go without some serious driving skills and experience. I see too many giant motorhomes with trailers in accidents when we travel its amazing! Retired people buy huge motorhomes and hook car trailers on them towing their cars with them and they are the scariest drivers out there!
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Exactly! Hey Danny did your rich butt get banned from another site because of envy or what? Anyways see you at the Muscle car ralley in Edinburgh buddy! Paul
 
grassy said:
Well, I did it.

I bought a Freightliner CF60 4 door Sport Chassis.

I was lucky that I did not buy it in the US. Apparently, Canada doesn't allow modded trucks to be imported...

I had a guy from Ontario trying to sell me his CF60...I knew it was a no go when he said he hadn't bothered to move the registration from Texas and was evasive when he was going to...

Live and learn.

300 hp cat engine - a little less than 75K miles on it...

It is presently being shipped to me..a great X-mas gift to us :)

ian
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Only lifted trucks cannot be imported. But if you take the lift off and import and then put it back in Canada your fine. ;)

Riddler
 
I have just what you need. M2 106 freightliner. I'm going to down size so I'm not going to need it.
 

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Riddler said:
Only lifted trucks cannot be imported. But if you take the lift off and import and then put it back in Canada your fine. ;)

Riddler
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Nope. Checked with the governing body (RIV)... the cf 60 is a modded M2 -106..it is not allowed. I am on a mdt/hdt site and there are a bunch of stories about Canadians who bought in the states and couldn't get them across.

Another odd thing is that for the most part, they are more expensive that what we have in Canada..I am not sure why except that they are very popular with the horse crowd..and those guys have money !

Now where do you buy those whip antenna and do truckers still use CBs ?
 
wesw said:
I have just what you need. M2 106 freightliner. I'm going to down size so I'm not going to need it.
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Where we you when I started this thread :)

Yup..that is a CF 60 sport chassis 4 door....which is based on a M2 - 106.

I was going to do the conversion myself but I went across canada and couldn't find Trying to find a single MDT 4 door or extended cab that had the HP that I wanted.

Nice looking truck..horse trailer or car trailer ?
 
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