# Best truck?



## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

We pull our cattle trailer with a Ford F350, used to pull it with an F250 - no problem at all. We haul cattle in it mostly, so I'm guessing sometimes we'd have well over 2000lb on it, maybe more.


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## HombresArablegacy (Oct 12, 2013)

PunksTank said:


> I'm not ready yet to buy a trailer - but need a new truck. As I go out to look for a new truck I want to be sure it can pull my future needs. I'll need a trailer that can fit at least 2 LARGE drafts - I have an almost 18H clyde and a 19H Belgian. I prefer either stock type with dividers or straight loads. In looking for my ideal truck I'm not sure how much weight it would need to pull, whether goose neck or bumper pull would be more ideal? Diesel or gas? So many more questions I don't know to ask yet!
> 
> Any suggestions for an ideal truck for pulling draft horses would be great!! Thanks so much


Wow, with draft horses that big, you could pay for your new truck doing this: 

Draft horses pulling semi out of snow, see video link below

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x6XGWSckne4
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The Hallamore Clydesdales that they exhibit at the Big E every year are min 18 hands and their weights are all recorded - over 2000lb so I'd think together your two horses could touch on 4000lb. You need to add the weight of whatever trailer you think will suit your needs into that
The gooseneck are more stable than a bumper pull so its going to be a pick up of some sort I think
We have a 3 horse slant bumper pull trailer with tack & storage and our Expedition does a good job of towing that but 3 of our horses combined weight is only around 3000lb


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Definitely diesel. There's no way a gas engine could handle hauling that kind of weight, plus the brakes and chassis on a diesel are usually heavier-duty.

I'd probably go with a gooseneck over a bumper pull.

As for the truck, I love my fiance's 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins turbo diesel. Thing is an absolute beast. Most of the ranchers around here seem to favor Dodges and Fords over Chevys and GMCs.


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## PunksTank (Jul 8, 2012)

Thanks everyone, i'm taking notes. So far i think i'm looking at a ford 250 or 350 with the gooseneck package... do those sound like they'd do the job?


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

A quick internet search suggests the heaviest Clydesdale weighs 3,000 lbs. and the heaviest Belgian 3,200, so conceivably just your two horses could be close to 6,000 lbs. A minimum trailer for two horses that size will weigh 4,000 lbs, so you're looking at 10,000 lbs. before you even throw in a bale of hay and a water tank.

That would crowd the tow limit of almost all the half-ton pickups, so you almost certainly want a 3/4 ton. Whether you go gas or diesel is another matter. The one big advantage of diesel engines is they put out massive amounts of torque at relatively low rpm, which can make pulling a heavy trailer a little less stressful. A diesel will also usually get better fuel mileage than a gas engine doing the same work, but the savings can be offset by the difference in price between gas and diesel, plus the cost of adding urea to a separate tank to accommodate the EPA's desire to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.

Having driven two gas engines to 300,000 miles and beyond, I am not convinced that there is any longevity or maintenance advantage to diesels.

As far as trailer choices, two things to keep in mind -- if you think you want a gooseneck, you'll be happiest with an 8' box for turning clearance, and that will limit your choice of trucks. And second, your very tall horses will want at least a 7.5' trailer ceiling, and those can be hard to find in stock trailers.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Personally, you need to first find a trailer that will handle that weight, height and actual space needed first.
You are talking about a lot of weight in a small area... cattle trailer configuration and flooring for "ready for market" sized cattle, not little calves.
A beefed up floor support system may be needed...that adds trailer weight.

Once you have some better idea of the trailer you then can work on the truck to pull it.

If you do a gooseneck you need to know a pin weight amount to size trailer to truck abilities and capabilities.
If you do a bumper pull you need to do weight capabilities also but now it is pull not in-bed weight...

I need to disagree with the comment that only a diesel can pull the weight you refer to...that is wrong.
I see trucks all the time more than adequately pulling huge trailers and large weight loads with gas engines. 
To me, buying a diesel just costs so much more to buy, then in today's market every single time you go to get fuel. :icon_rolleyes:
Besides they smell and are noisy! FACT....
So yes a diesel may last longer... but by the time you get to the numbers of it lasting longer...the truck and frame is on the way out and you need to replace it anyhow. :x

Bottom line is you need to know your numbers of what you will be pulling before you can truck search.
A gas engine or diesel engine _can_ do the job. 
A trailer properly outfitted with brakes and proper suspension to handle the weight load...absolutely needed.

Happy shopping, number crunching and making dreams become reality.
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo.._


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

I too suggest diesel. Find the trailer that suits your needs first and then whichever type of truck will be able to pull it easily.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

I drive a diesel so partial to the diesel myself.

Diesel- is going to cost more to purchase and to maintain as parts will generally be more, they will require a bit more wintertime maintenance if your winters get below 30, but they are going to have to work less than a gas engine on average to pull the same load so on that note less likely to stress the engine, diesel right now is not a lot more expensive than gas but for the past 5 years or so I was paying over $1.00 more per gallon as compared to gas

Gas engines won't get as good of fuel mileage, but can often make up the difference in fuel cost. If it's going to be a daily driver and only haul on occasion would probably do you just fine, I've seen a lot of LQ trailers pulled by V8's & V10's 


so truck I would say talk to your mechanic to see what they like or don't like, what to look out for, ect...

trailers, I would go to a draft horse show or pull and ask some of the owners where they found their trailers, what if anything they did special for hauling a heavier load, ect...


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## Monkey (Dec 26, 2013)

For your needs, for horses that large, I'd suggest at least a 3/4 ton if not a 1 ton truck. Even if you don't want the dually option with the 1 ton, it'll still have a beefier suspension than the 3/4 ton, meaning greater towing capacity. The towing capacity of a 1/2 ton truck probably won't be enough for you. From what I found when I was looking to buy a new truck earlier this year, today's half tons max out at ~10k lbs capacity. With 4-5000 lbs of horse, plus your gear, plus you and your passengers, plus the trailer which will probably be 3000+lbs (my little two horse, straight load bumper pull, steel frame, aluminum skin weighs 3200 lbs) you'd be pushing the limit of the towing capacity. 

Also keep in mind that advertised towing capacity is not necessarily what your specific truck will be capable of. Once you decide on a truck, check the build sheet or the sticker inside the driver door frame for that particular truck's towing capacity and payload. Many factors (eg. suspension type, frame length) contribute to or detract from the towing capacity. The manufacturers always advertise the maximum available towing capacity on their ads and website. For example, I drive a 2015 Ram 1500 crew cab short bed with a 5.8L Hemi. The Ram 1500's advertised towing capacity is something like 10,000 lbs, but my particular truck's towing capacity is only 7,900 lbs (I chose not to get the air ride suspension). When towing horses, I like to leave a 20% margin on my truck's towing capacity, meaning that I mentally adjust my truck's capacity to only 80% of it's actual capacity (~6300 lbs). I've been told that I'm being overly cautious, but my take on that is: it's my business, not theirs, and I'd prefer to err on the safe side. For my needs (small Arab, medium sized QH, two passengers, two saddles, small two-horse trailer, no hay, no water, no camping gear etc because we don't overnight with the horses) this truck works perfectly. 

Now compare that to my boyfriend's 2015 Ram 2500 crew cab long bed with a Cummins - that thing is a BEAST. The towing capacity is something like 17,000 lbs!!! :loveshower:

I've been talking a lot about towing capacity, since that's the measure that manufacturers provide, but you also need to think about braking and maneuvering the truck/trailer. If the truck is overloaded, it probably will be able to PULL the load, but it might not be able to safely control that load when braking, especially in an emergency. This is why I personally would never attempt to haul a horse trailer with a small/mid size SUV or a light truck, even if the towing capacity is there.

Another thing to consider is lifestyle. Is this truck going to be a daily driver, or is it's only purpose going to be towing the horse trailer and doing other heavy load work? My truck is my daily driver, so I opted for a half ton truck (instead of a 3/4) because it is smaller and easier to maneuver in and out of parking spaces, and because a 2500 crew cab wouldn't fit in my garage! Also, most of my driving is unloaded (eg. to/from work and the grocery store, no horse trailer) and since gas is GENERALLY less expensive than diesel, it made sense FOR ME to get a gas engine, pay less at the pump most of the time, and then just have to deal with the reduced fuel economy when I decide to pull the trailer. I get ~14mpg unloaded in the city, ~19mpg unloaded on the highway, and ~10mpg with the horse trailer. My boyfriend does a lot more towing than I do because of his hobbies, and he consistently gets ~17mpg loaded or unloaded, highway or city. One other thing to keep in mind, a new diesel does have a "break in period." My boyfriend bought his truck new and he didn't get very good fuel economy for the first couple months (~13mpg), so if you're buying new, don't let that discourage you from enjoying the truck. 

As others have said, a gas engine in a sufficiently large truck, with an appropriate suspension, etc. can also get the job done, and I don't think you'd go wrong with either gas or diesel. However, diesels do have a lot more low end torque, meaning that getting started from a stop or on a hill will be easier for the diesel than for the gas engine. 

Also, in my area, it seems that diesels hold their value much better than a gas truck. If you plan to re-sell at any point, having a diesel engine could be to your benefit. On the flip side, if you're buying used, buying a diesel could mean that you have to pay more for a diesel than you would for a comparable gas truck.

Diesels are not smelly or noisy; IMHO, they're no worse than a gas engine, especially if you're looking at a new truck or a truck that's only a couple years old. With today's emissions regulations, the exhaust is very clean compared to older diesels, so if your only experience is with older diesels, I'd suggest taking a test drive in a new diesel truck before making any judgements. Also, don't let all those bro-country kids running around with daddy's money in jacked up diesel trucks color your opinion of diesels. Those horribly obnoxious trucks have aftermarket parts on them and/or the owner has removed the emissions elements to make the truck sound that loud and pour out that ugly black smoke. A true diesel truck is a great, clean vehicle.

Oh, and as for the DEF (urea) that the newer diesels require - go to a large truck stop on the side that all the semi trucks fill up on and look for a DEF pump (there's usually one at each diesel pump). The DEF at those truck stops is much cheaper (usually about half the cost) than if you were to buy a jug of it from a local auto shop.

So... long story short, if you're looking for a recommendation for a specific truck, here's mine: I've owned both Rams and Fords, so has my boyfriend and both our families. Based on the needs that you described, and my experience on both sides of the fence, so to speak, (and because I'm partial to diesels, even though I currently own a gas truck), I'd suggest a Ram 2500 or 3500 with a Cummins. Fantastic, reliable engine in a great vehicle. :thumbsup:


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