Pulling a Solitude 390 RK

SJ

sjlRowell

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Jun 29, 2021
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Good morning! Need your tried and tested opinions. We currently live full time in a Reflection 320 MKS, pulled with our Ford powerstroke F350 1 ton. Not a dually!! We are considering upgrading to a Solitude 390RK. We really love our 1 ton but are concerned it can't handle the Solitude. My husband crunched the pin weight numbers and it looks like we can. Anyone pulling a Solitude 390RK with a F350 single axle? Any advice would be appreciated! Safe travel!
Sandy and Jon Rowell
 
I would think so as well, dually territory. At 42 ft and 18,000 lbs GVWR. That's a lot of RV to tow with a single rear wheel truck, even a 1 ton. It's possible depending on your trucks specific ratings for payload and Rear axle weight rating and so forth but you might be right at the limit.

Don't believe the listed unloaded pin weight of 2,794 lbs, if that is what you're looking at, it's way off from reality. Fully loaded with your stuff and ready to tow and camp, you'll probably be at least 21% of the RVs GVWR for pin weight and that would be 3,780 lbs. At 23% GVWR for pin weight that's 4,140 lbs for the actual pin weight you can expect. Especially if you have a clothes washer and dryer installed up front.
Then add the trucks hitch weight, and anything else that is loaded in the truck and that's a lot of payload for a single rear wheel truck, even a 1 ton. And don't forget the truck rear axle weight rating. It's possible depending on your specific truck, but look at the "real" numbers that you can expect loaded up.

For our RV running fulltime, at 16,800 lbs GVWR and 37 ft we run 3,600 lbs pin weight and that's around 21-22%.
 
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Another vote for the Dually.......from someone that tows heavy....a Momentum 394M with a 20K lb GVWR.
 
Do yourself a favor and those who you love and those around you, you are in dually territory, 21% of 18,000lbs is going to be 3780lbs and most SRW 1 ton is max out at 38**lbs, you might find a strip down SRW 1 ton that have 4000lbs but after you add the hitch people, and stuff you are going to be around 41**lbs.

Do people tow that much with a SRW, yes, but I wouldn't do it I don't like playing on the edge, you will almost always load up your RV to the max, unless you travel as is from the factory and nobody do that. Safety first and you will thank yourself later, let us know what you decide we wish the best for you and your family.
 
sjlRowell said:
Thank you!! Advice heeded.
Sandy and Jon
Click to expand...

Good to hear. It's always hard when when you know that you really need to switch trucks, but do not necessarily want to. I went through the same thing several years ago, so I know from experience. All these years since then though, I'm 100% glad that I did get the larger truck.
 
I agree with the above advice. Now the question is will you buy a GM, Ram or the Ford :D See what happens when you ask that question :D

Oldcow
 
I also recommend a dually. I tow my 380FL with a F350 dually and would not want to have a SRW.

Now if you are thinking F350 diesel dually, I strongly suggest you consider a F450. I recently ordered one and is due to be built the week of May 27th. When I priced Platinum level trim with equal options with the F350 and F450, the F450 only came in about $1,200 more than the F350 diesel dually. Now less options and a lower trim may increase the differential, don't know. The F450 gets you the best turning radius on the market and larger brakes. Interesting however is the payload capacity for the F450 will be slightly less than the F350.
 
Can you pull it? Yes. Should you? No.
Just returned from a trip to the Oregon coast, where, in the campground, there was a Van Leigh Beacon 40+ foot FBP towed by a matching red GMC SRW short bed. Also there was a 3 axle toy hauler towed by a SRW.
Both on 'em got there, & looked good doing it, but if I saw them on the road I'd want to stay way behind them. When they left, they had quite the squat to them.
I tow my "dinky" Solitude with a DRW and wouldn't want it any other way.
 
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Captcolour said:
I also recommend a dually. I tow my 380FL with a F350 dually and would not want to have a SRW.

Now if you are thinking F350 diesel dually, I strongly suggest you consider a F450. I recently ordered one and is due to be built the week of May 27th. When I priced Platinum level trim with equal options with the F350 and F450, the F450 only came in about $1,200 more than the F350 diesel dually. Now less options and a lower trim may increase the differential, don't know. The F450 gets you the best turning radius on the market and larger brakes. Interesting however is the payload capacity for the F450 will be slightly less than the F350.
Click to expand...

I agree that you should at least test drive the 450 and pay attention to the turning radius. This coming from someone that owns and is very pleased with his F350 dually. The turn radius on the 450 is leaps and bounds better than the 350.
 
Yes I have towed the 390 with a srw350. Quickly upgraded to a 450. Total game changer. Turning radius makes the 450 a great daily driver with it turning 8 ft shorter than a Swb srw truck. However where it really shines is the maneuvering in tight camp sites.
The 390/450 combo is as close to perfect as you can get in my completely biased opinion. ?
 
We own and pull a 390RK with a ram dully because of the weight.
It's 14,600 lb to mutch for a 1 tone.
And that's dry Weight.
 
If my disabled wife could get in a MDT such as a Frieghtlner thats what I would be pulling our 397 with. Our dually 3500 does fine but that extra margin would be worth it.
Get the dually and an air-ride hitch . You will be glad you did.
 
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