Bigtrailer Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 You can't compare a semi pin against an RV pin. They are exactly the same size. However,The difference is a semi is pulling sometimes over 50,000 pounds of freight with tongue weight over 25,000 pounds in some cases. He will have 34,000 pounds on his drive axles with a legal load of 80,000 gross, counting truck weight and trailer weight on just his drive axles. The trailer also will carry up to 34,000 pounds with his load and weight of the trailer combined. He also has air ride suspension, and most have air ride trailers, therefore..... more oscillation going over bumps, curbs, etc. Also, the 5th wheel on a semi is cast iron, not cheap fabricated sheet steel punched out to form a 5th wheel for RV pulling. I still defend the "hot shot" trucker, using his one ton pickup with a gooseneck hauling oil field pipe and supplies, general freight of over twice what a 5th wheel weighs, and going into adverse conditions in fields, haul roads with deep ruts, and doing all this with proven "balls" in their bed! Look at what is holding your "Reese" hitch on ther pickup bed...... bolts, really.! Your trusting bolts, most times 4 to 8, to hold your butt when something goes wrong. Go look at a semi, and compare size, mounting arrangement, and the size of the mounting hardware. Bigtrailer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 Wow, Don't direct your expertise towards me. I pull with a converted semi just like yourself. Except I have an air ride hitch. I too worked in the south Texas oil fields and saw many overloaded, overweight 1 tons moving supplies. I'm just saying that if pulling heavy loads with a gooseneck and a 2 5/16 ball in the bed f the truck was the best way, why don't the big boys do it? Keep in mind that most bed mounted balls, B&W, for example, use a handful of those same bolts to mount the cross-member to the frame rails. Been there mounted that. Most of us that have moved to converted semi's probably have never had the Reese that you so fondly continue to mention. Might want to know who you're trying to educated before educating them. Alie & Jim + 8 paws 2017 DRV Memphis BART- 1998 Volvo 610 Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtrailer Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 Hi Alie, I didn't direct my comments to you personally. I don't use a computer much, and just realized when I typed the comment, it directed it to you, sorry! I noticed in HDT, a lot of the fellas getting big trucks, or wanting them, have never drove over the road. I have gotten many inquiries since doing some discussions in HDT about fellow RV people trying to get info about converting over. No, I certainly do not have all the answers, but after 35 years out there, and seeing wrecks, whether it be the truck at fault, or someone causing a wreck, I have noticed problems when things go wrong, with mounting, load configurations, or poor assembly either from the factory, or whoever put on the tow device, on RV's. I am a dealer for semi trucks and trailers, and get some gooseneck flats and drops in to sell. I could write a book about poor manufacturing for both applications. My 2 cents was from personal ewxperience, as was your observations. I feel we both could learn a lot from each other,and would enjoy a discussion about the RV world. Again, I didn't mean any harm, just sharing. Bigtrailer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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