2005 F250 pulling Montana 3650RK - Montana Owners Club

Montana_3020 · 02-05-2005, 04:37 PM

Anyone see any problem with me pulling the 3650RK and a 3 seat jet with my 2005 F250 CC 4x4 PSD? Will I have any trouble in the wind? Do you really need the dullies for the 37' 5vers. I think we are getting ready to pull the trigger here. The wife insists on the 3650 kitchen I really like the 3475 living and it about a foot shorter and 300 pounds lighter.

Thanks for All your advice!!!
Ron O

sreigle · 02-05-2005, 05:09 PM

Ron, we're towing a 35 1/2 ft 3295RK that scaled last weighing at 13,980 lbs. Your 3650RK probably won't weigh any more than that although the extra trailer may make yours heavier overall. We tow this thing with a truck that sounds nearly identical to yours and it tows beautifully. Previously we towed this rig with an '03 F350 SC 4x4 PSD and it also was terrific. We have not towed a second trailer behind the Montana so can't help you with that.

That foot shorter and 300 pounds lighter will not even be noticed by your truck. In the overall weight scheme, that's not very significant in my opinion.

By the way, I hope you mean 3 seat jet ski. If you really mean 3 seat jet, all bets are off!

Montana_3020 · 02-05-2005, 05:17 PM

Thanks Steve!! Its funny what your mind does when your typing on these forums. Seems like I'm always getting a head of myself in my thoughts since I'm not a good typist.

Montana_3020 · 02-05-2005, 05:19 PM

By the way what kinda mileage do you get Steve?. You know how windy it gets here in Kansas.

Merv · 02-05-2005, 05:51 PM

Rono,
you may want to check out the laws about towing two trailers in your state. Regardless wether the truck will tow it, you may be over length or worse yet your state may not allow two trailers. some states do not.
here is a web site with the trailering laws for the US.
http://www.rvsafety.com/state.htm
or
http://www.towingworld.com/towinglaws.html

I was towing a 28ft 5Th wheel and a 14ft atv trailer behind my dodge and was about 6 inches overlength in my state.
hope this helps
Merv

sreigle · 02-06-2005, 04:34 AM

Rono, I do that typing thing all the time. Half the time when you see the 'edited by' remark at the bottom of my posts it's because I saw and corrected a typo or brain ____.

Mileage. We have just 10k miles on this truck and, if it's like the prior truck with same drivetrain, it won't peak until over 30k miles. But here's what we've found so far.

Towing - keep in mind we're towing over 13,500 lbs and that our one 1200+ mile trip towing with this truck started with the truck having about 6800 miles on it, was in a variety of hills and flats, lots of wind, lots of rain, etc. Not optimum conditions in other words. Overall, towing, we got 10.6 on that 1200 miles. Keep in mind also much of that is on winter diesel. I'm finding solo the winter diesel gets about 2 mpg less, solo, than summer diesel. So when the truck breaks in and we're on summer diesel I'm expecting it to get around 12 mpg. The '03 averaged 11.5 - 12.0 depending on terrain, speed, wind.

Solo. This one has a trip computer so it's been interesting to check the mileage with that. I did track mileage manually over several tanks and found it so close to the computer's readings that I stopped tracking it manually. On the following, I'm not babying the truck trying to get better mileage. I'm just driving it and letting the mileage fall where it may.

Around town we're getting 16.0 to 16.5. That includes short trips in town as well as 30 or 40 mile trips and includes stopping and starting the engine, etc., etc. Just your usual around town driving.

Trips that include extensive highway driving (solo) it's averaging 18.0 to 18.5. That includes startup, several stop lights getting out of town, and driving about 20 miles of city just to get to a serious highway. I've seen as low as 17.5 on those trips but we had a lot of idling and extra stops on those trips.

Awhile back I tried to see what pure highway mileage we are getting by waiting until we were cruising at highway speed (70 to 75) then resetting the computer and letting the mileage numbers settle down over maybe 20 miles. It's really interesting to see how the uphills and downhills affect mileage. Anyhow, it settled down into the 20-21 range. It's a bit startling when you hit the reset and then start a downhill and see numbers in the 80-90mph range. Of course, when you start back up the other side it drops precipitiously.

If this truck is like our prior trucks it will slowly improve on mileage until it peaks out in the 30-33k miles range. Especially when towing.

tbhd · 02-06-2005, 06:15 AM

You might want to check with your DMV. In Michigan there is a special endorsement you have to have on your driver license. It's called a "R" endorsement and there are some specific rules concerning the extra trailer as to how it is hooked up. Hope this helps.

sreigle · 02-06-2005, 12:28 PM

The laws in the state in which the vehicles are registered are supposed to be honored in other states but that's a really iffy situation. The allowable length varies by state as does the legality of double trailers. In Kansas, doubles are legal so long as 1) one of the trailers is NOT attached by ball hitch and 2) combined vehicle length does not exceed 65 feet. I used to tow a Jayco Eagle 255BH fifthwheel ahead of a 19' bassboat plus trailer. It was legal but barely.

Montana_3020 · 02-06-2005, 02:47 PM

Thanks All,
Right now Steve I',m only getting 12.5 to 13.5 going back and forth to work. I also found during the summer that I got better milage going back and forth to work 16.5 to 17 and around 12.0 when pulling our 27' TT and the Jet Ski. You can pull two, ball trailers as long as they both have brakes and you not over 60'. Your right also in that you can be up to 65' otherwise and that's why I'm trying to get the wife back to into the 32' range just in case we decide to get a bass boat later.

Montana_2130 · 02-06-2005, 04:48 PM

Ron you may well need a reality check here. I know that nobody (myself included) wants to hear that they are over there limit but........... I am pulling a 2003 3575 with a 2005 dodge 1 ton and am having trouble staying within the weight limits of the truck. You probably have a 2,100# pin dry pin weight to start. Have you checked on you gross weight for the truck including fuel,people,cargo etc? Loaded your 5'ver pin weight will be at or exceeding 3,000#. My E rated tires are only rated for 6,400# max. Subtract 3,000# = 3,400# max dry(no people/cargo/fuel/etc.) This is always greater than the actual rating for the vehicles axle rating. You need to crunch the numbers to know where you are.

Can your truck tow this trailer. Probably. Will you be over loaded with an extra trailer...definately. You may also be setting yourself up for tickets as the cops will recognise a f-250as being over-laden. Also, while you have elect. brakes for the 5'ver how about the extra trailer? How many times have you seen a 3/4 ton truck pulling a 36+ fifth wheel, let alone a triple? There must be a reason.

sreigle · 02-06-2005, 04:53 PM

Rono, I think you're near Wichita, right? So you're likely running winter diesel right now. That will not only cut your mileage it's also supposed to affect power although I've never really noticed a power difference.

Montana_3020 · 02-08-2005, 03:05 AM

Thanks all,
The new F250's are rated at 10000 lbs. Gvw. The truck weighs near 7000. The dry pin on the 3650 is 2000 so yes we are approching the limit and we are reconsidering for now the trailer.

RO

sreigle · 02-08-2005, 05:00 AM

The new F250's have higher ratings than last year's F350. Ours does not have the highest available ratings but GVWR is 10,000, GCWR is 23,000, and tow rating is 15,400 on ours. The F350 can go to 19,200 tow rating and 23,500 GCWR. Also, the F250/F350 brakes on the '05 models are larger and do a terrific job with trailer in tow, per the September issue of Motor Trend. All of this is the reason why when we traded I had no problem going from a 1-ton to a 3/4 ton. The 3/4 ton has higher ratings than the 1 ton we traded. Our Montana model is the second heaviest GVWR and pinweight. Actual weight on last weighing on ours was 13,980 with pinweight of 3120. This F250 does a fantastic job with it. I recently added air bags because I did not get the Camper Package (don't confuse with tow package) that adds the extra leaf on the rear springs. We had just a bit of squat in the rear and I prefer the truck to ride level.

Rono, it's unlikely yours will weigh as much as ours, in case those numbers worry you. But adding a second trailer will add weight. Also, if you're towing a second trailer, that's going to reduce the pinweight.

Montana_3020 · 02-08-2005, 10:38 AM

Steve,
Thanks, I have the camper package, but we are reconsidering not buying the 3650 because of the length issues. If/when we get rid of the jet ski I will want to get a fish/ski rig of al least 16-18' feet and that will put us over the length limit and probably close to tow limit, hence the reconsideration. If we were just going to retire and pull nothing else then we would go ahead and get the 3650. It sleating and freezing ran here in KS. Are'nt you glad you left?

Ron O

sreigle · 02-08-2005, 11:56 AM

I hear you. Sorry I misunderstood your thinking.

You bet I'm glad we're not in that sleet and freezing rain! We do worry about our kids in the KC area, my folks and siblings and their families an hour or so west of there. I hear in Topeka they have a layer of ice covered by 5 inches of snow and still coming down, last we heard. While here we did some sightseeing sans jackets. We had a very nice walk on the beach, finding a dozen or so nice sand dollars.

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