1994 Top Gun- What Truck?
04-17-2012 | 07:01 PM
#11
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From: Here and There
Every time you read one of these threads it is like that movie ground hog day. Same thing over and over. Each guy has his brand and there are a handful that have a 650, top kick or sport chassis.
Personally I'd get another Dodge like you had with the Auto (I'm a dodge guy).
Weigh your rig and figure out what the actual weight is. If you are within your GCWR and you have corresponding tags to pull that weight than you are golden. If you are over than you aren't legal and it won't be good if you get in an accident. Throw away your crap factory receiver and get a Titan class V or better so that you are "Properly Equipped" on that end of things as well.
Personally I'd get another Dodge like you had with the Auto (I'm a dodge guy).
Weigh your rig and figure out what the actual weight is. If you are within your GCWR and you have corresponding tags to pull that weight than you are golden. If you are over than you aren't legal and it won't be good if you get in an accident. Throw away your crap factory receiver and get a Titan class V or better so that you are "Properly Equipped" on that end of things as well.
04-17-2012 | 07:31 PM
#12
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,288
Likes: 87
From: New Jersey
Chevy/GMC 3500 with a Duramax and Alison Trans.
18,000# on hitch
23,000# on 5th wheel
http://www.chevrolet.com/silverado-3500hd-pickup-truck/
My 2001 pulls like a beast, no problem with my 38 Comp (yes it is a couple thousand pounds lighter but still)
18,000# on hitch
23,000# on 5th wheel
http://www.chevrolet.com/silverado-3500hd-pickup-truck/
My 2001 pulls like a beast, no problem with my 38 Comp (yes it is a couple thousand pounds lighter but still)
04-17-2012 | 08:25 PM
#13
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 612
Likes: 10
From: St. Louis / LOTO
Every time you read one of these threads it is like that movie ground hog day. Same thing over and over. Each guy has his brand and there are a handful that have a 650, top kick or sport chassis.
Personally I'd get another Dodge like you had with the Auto (I'm a dodge guy).
Weigh your rig and figure out what the actual weight is. If you are within your GCWR and you have corresponding tags to pull that weight than you are golden. If you are over than you aren't legal and it won't be good if you get in an accident. Throw away your crap factory receiver and get a Titan class V or better so that you are "Properly Equipped" on that end of things as well.
Personally I'd get another Dodge like you had with the Auto (I'm a dodge guy).
Weigh your rig and figure out what the actual weight is. If you are within your GCWR and you have corresponding tags to pull that weight than you are golden. If you are over than you aren't legal and it won't be good if you get in an accident. Throw away your crap factory receiver and get a Titan class V or better so that you are "Properly Equipped" on that end of things as well.
04-17-2012 | 08:54 PM
#14
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Posts: 14,571
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From: Channel Islands, So. Cal.
Any of the 1 ton trucks from Ford, Dodge or GM will tow it just fine. The problem comes from being over weight. If the truck company says you can tow 15k on a ball mount, you have to take into consideration the tongue weight, weight of the boat, full of fuel, weight of the trailer and what ever crap you have in the boat. With a Top Gun you're probably going to exceed that limit. Like I said, the truck can pull it and usually more but you also need to stop it. And if you can't stop quick enough and plow into a car full of people and seriously injure someone or kill them, you're screwed. The first thing your insurance company is going to do is look for a way out. As soon as they see you're over weight, your policy is null and void and you're on the hook for everything. They also look at the gross combined weight limit. I don't know of a truck out there right now, besides a Sportchassis that can tow all of this legally, I don't think even a 450 or 550 can. So if you think it's out of your price range, what's an accident with no insurance coverage going to cost you? Also, not sure where you are but in California, if you tow over 10k or 10500k or are even towing a trailer capable of it you have to have a class A endorsement. Most states have a similar rule. H20 Toie knows more about this than I do, but it's a big deal. That's why three of us bought the Sportchassis.
How about the class V hitch breaking at the welds while towing a tiger with a 3/4 ton dully? Thank god I just happen to look under the truck and caught it. No doubt the thing will tow it. Safely is the question.
04-17-2012 | 09:12 PM
#16
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Yea Tank, you're right.. I almost folded your GMC like a cheap Christmas card towing that Tiger.. lol I see that the Chevy does "18k" but you need to read the fine print. Someone suggested getting the whole rig weighed, good idea, weigh the whole thing, then just the boat full of fuel with all your gear in it, then see what it comes out to, then you know for sure. Then like I said, there's the whole issue with the drivers license. Here in CA you have to have an endorsement, non commercial class A I believe if you tow over 10k, or even pull an empty trailer capable of it, even empty. The CHP will give you a ticket and make you park your rig till you can get someone with the proper drivers license to tow it. A lot of people have been getting buster the last couple of years, states hard up and the money is good.. I think Texas has the same law, but don't quote me.
04-18-2012 | 06:01 AM
#17
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From: Splendora, TX
Interesting. I need to check into my class A and the Titan class V. I have electric over hydraulic brakes on all 3 axles. It stopped on a dime, but there is a 2-3 second delay before it really kicks in. One day it may be 2-3 seconds too late. I don't tow it much, but I want to start going to events like the Tickfaw 200, which is a 6 hour drive. When I had a 2002 Dodge with Automatic, I went through 4 transmissions in one summer. Every 4 hours of towing, it broke. I never had one problem with the 2007 Dodge 4x4 dually diesel with the 6 speed manual transmission. That is why I am hesitant to get an automatic.
Last edited by UrbanDisturbance; 04-18-2012 at 06:04 AM.
04-18-2012 | 07:24 AM
#18
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 8,527
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From: Taunton Ma
what were you replacing the transmissions with ? i've had customers tow huge campers for 200k miles in 24v dodges. even a class 5 hitch is only rated for 10,000 lbs i believe. the new gm's have a 2.5" receiver but not sure of the weight rating. The license requirements usually go off of gcwr, so the gvw of the truck on the door tag, and the gross weight rating for the trailer, 16,500-18,000 for an 8 lug trailer to fit a top gun on. which puts you well over the 26,000lb limit of a class d drivers license.
A few drag racers I know bought crew cab top kick's because they were able to get a better deal on them then a loaded 1 ton
A few drag racers I know bought crew cab top kick's because they were able to get a better deal on them then a loaded 1 ton
04-18-2012 | 08:57 AM
#19
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,989
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From: Santa Clarita CA
My Sportchassis gets better mileage than my F350 ever got. Tires last a lot longer, the interval for oil changes is a lot longer ( but does cost more) They turn better than some pickups. ride better and are just plain cool.
If you take a new truck and upgrade it you are going to be close to the price of a sportchassis.
also look at what the resale of a pickup vs Sportchassis is and like i said in the long run they are not going to be much more if at all.
04-18-2012 | 09:23 AM
#20
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Joined: Jun 2001
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Any of the 1 ton trucks from Ford, Dodge or GM will tow it just fine. The problem comes from being over weight. If the truck company says you can tow 15k on a ball mount, you have to take into consideration the tongue weight, weight of the boat, full of fuel, weight of the trailer and what ever crap you have in the boat. With a Top Gun you're probably going to exceed that limit. Like I said, the truck can pull it and usually more but you also need to stop it. And if you can't stop quick enough and plow into a car full of people and seriously injure someone or kill them, you're screwed. The first thing your insurance company is going to do is look for a way out. As soon as they see you're over weight, your policy is null and void and you're on the hook for everything. They also look at the gross combined weight limit. I don't know of a truck out there right now, besides a Sportchassis that can tow all of this legally, I don't think even a 450 or 550 can. So if you think it's out of your price range, what's an accident with no insurance coverage going to cost you? Also, not sure where you are but in California, if you tow over 10k or 10500k or are even towing a trailer capable of it you have to have a class A endorsement. Most states have a similar rule. H20 Toie knows more about this than I do, but it's a big deal. That's why three of us bought the Sportchassis.
http://www.ford.com/trucks/superduty...ations/towing/
I think that'll do it. Sure a sportchassis would be nice, but it's overkill when a truck like the above can and will do the job legally.
