Spoiled by my HDT

[Chad Heiser]

In another topic, I talked about the saga I recently went through with the motor in my HDT.  This saga resulted in my T2000 not being available to me for a recent trip.  It was only a long weekend trip to the foothills of gold country here in CA, but it was an annual trip we do with friends that we did not want to miss.  I started scrambling to figure out how we could make the trip.  Luckily a friend was gracious enough to loan me his F450 at the last minute.  Granted it wasn’t a new F450, but it was still good enough (at least in the ratings) to handle our DRV.

I picked the truck up the night before we were supposed to leave and brought it home with me.  Then I got up the morning were were to leave and had to swap pin boxes on the DRV.  I had an RVHLIFESTYLES straight down pin box on the DRV for use with my T2000 that wasn’t going to work with the F450.  It was a bit of a hassle, but it was necessary.  Once I finished the swap, we hit the road.  It was only about a three hour trip from home to the campground, but it was a good reminder why I went the HDT route six years ago.

This was the first time I had towed a 5er with anything other than my T2000 since I bought it back in 2012.  Over that time, I had forgotten how different it was to tow with a pickup (even an F450) versus an HDT.  While I wouldn’t call the trip nerve racking, it was definitely not as relaxing as using the T2000. I had to be more “engaged” with the towing process in the pickup than in the HDT.  This isn’t a bad thing, but it wasn’t exactly relaxing.  I had to pay more attention to what I was doing, when I needed to slow down, when I needed to speed up, etc.  I was glad it was a relatively short trip.

I also forgot how different the seating position was between a pickup versus the HDT.  Again I was glad it was a pretty short trip. I could definitely feel the difference when I got out of the pickup when we got to our destination.  This was also the first time I had towed a 5er this heavy with a pickup.  My DRV weighs 20000+ lbs the way I had it loaded for this trip.  I have towed hay trailers and other trailers that were heavier with a pickup, but that was short distances at low speeds.  My Montana only weighed 16000 + lbs.  What a difference 5000 lbs makes.  I didn’t really grasp how much heavier my DRV was than Montana because I had only ever towed the DRV with the HDT.  I couldn’t really tell much of a difference between it and the Montana behind the T2000.  Well on this trip, I could tell the difference.

The final straw was climbing highway 50 out of Sacramento.  I wouldn’t call this a steep grade by any means, but the F450 was bogged down to 45 mph max speed no matter what I did.  That was not pleasant on the highway and it was something I had never experienced before (my old Duramax never slowed down like that with my Montana 5er).  I could list a bunch more differences that I was reminded of with this recent experience, but this post is already long enough, so I will spare you the laundry list.

I know I am preaching to the choir on this forum, but this experience has really reinforced the idea in my mind that going to an HDT was the right decision for me.  Even my DW who has mostly tolerated my HDT ramblings, but hasn’t been a big proponent of them, made mention to me how different the two experiences were.  (I think she may finally be a true convert, although the price tag of the in frame we just had done didn’t help in her conversion .)  I am never going back to a pickup to tow such a heavy trailer.  I know they are technically capable of doing the job, but the experience with a pickup is no where near as enjoyable as it is with an HDT.  

[hone eagle]

so true

but dont post this over on RV.net😉

[Jack Mayer]

(The good thing about the in-frame is that you will never have to do that one again. And that is about the only good thing....  :

 

[ewacowboy]

I will put this post in my back pocket and share when those "certain conversations" come up 😁.  Thanks Chad.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Yup... I rode with a guy to pick up his camper from a dealer recently.  30 miles.... and I again, realized why I went the HDT route.

[adept99]

Did you have to buff out the fingerprints embedded in the grab handle??

[noteven]

Anyone ever pulled a tilt deck 8 ton tag hitch highboy with a pickup? 

Stiff I beam frame, sturdy spring ride, wiiggly deck sticking out past the hinge?

That’s a ruff sumb*tch right there. 

Yes I will use my AirSafe hitch next time...

[rickeieio]

1 hour ago, noteven said:

Anyone ever pulled a tilt deck 8 ton tag hitch highboy with a pickup? 

 I once owned a 1984 White/GMC/Volvo day cab, short wb, Hendrickson suspension.  When you bob-tailed, you needed to clench your teeth real hard..........

Not all big trucks ride nice and smooth.

[noteven]

rick did it have the shifter in "the back seat"?

[Exile]

On 9/8/2018 at 9:07 AM, rickeieio said:

 I once owned a 1984 White/GMC/Volvo day cab, short wb, Hendrickson suspension.  When you bob-tailed, you needed to clench your teeth real hard..........

Not all big trucks ride nice and smooth.

Hendrickson was the guy that became famous for just welding the axles to the frame.😉

or that’s what it feels like anyway. 

Maybe it was great back in  The day before air suspension. 

[lockmup68]

Is it just me that pulls the big hills at 35 with the rest of the semi's? Like the pull out of Pendleton, OR. Did that three times this summer, twice with no AC at 106 degrees.  So slow, but steady. And jake brake all the way down the other side without touching brakes. Love it. 

[maveric]

We pulled that pass this summer....at 35. I was worried about dropping the east side, but it really wasn't that bad with the Jakes.

I had to go pick up a small tractor a couple weeks ago. My HDT was having the transmission replaced, so I had to use my old 82 F350. It really doesn't like my 30' GN anyway, but it REALLY didn't like it with the tractor on it. That was a white knuckle drive home (only about 30 miles and mostly flat) since it didn't stop as fast, and the steering felt light (which was probably my imagination).