What truck for my new 16,000 lb 5th wheel?

Hey friends, I'm currently on the hunt for a truck.

I recently won a Bighorn Fifth-Wheel with a gross weight of 16,000 lbs through an auction handled by mmc brokerage llc (https://mmcbrokeragellc.com) — they specialize in bank and financial institution asset sales. The rig arrived two weeks ago. I was super excited, but then I realized I can't tow it with my CRV (I know, I should have done my research beforehand). We plan to move it infrequently, as we live in it full-time in South Florida.

Now that I need to get a different truck, I'm reaching out for advice. What kind of truck do you all use? SRW? DRW? 4x4? 4x2? 350, 250, 3500?... you name it!

THANKS A MILLION! :)

Oh Boy, here we goooo....lol

Only a Ram...I used to have a Chevy and we could not go anywhere:) Just kidding, any of the Big 3 will pull your Big Horn. I prefer a Dually just because it's more stable, in my opinion. I had a Chevy 3500, DW wanted a new truck, so she bought a Ram. We are obviously not brand loyal. I am more best price loyal.

We have towed our BH3575el (GVWR 16K) with combined weight of 24,500 lbs for two years with our 2015 RAM 4x4 SB CC 3500. We load heavy as we lived in it for over a year. It has been to Arizona and back to Washington twice with extended travel along the way. We are quite happy with the setup. We have been in high wind several times, and over lots of mountain passes.

This is a loaded question, for sure! LOL. TruckGuru's comment made me chuckle! :) Are you brand loyal? All the new diesels are towing monsters, and are very nice trucks. With your Bighorn I'd say most would agree 350/3500, but SRW vs DRW is split. We went with a DRW for extra capacity and stability. Also, nice score on the auction — heard mmc brokerage only does bank transfers and includes 500mi delivery, sweet.

The new Ford Platinum is incredible. Simply the most amazing vehicle I've ever owned. You need to drive one.

My thought exactly. You really did ask that question here, didn't you? Most people have been driving the same make truck since they were 16. Where you sit is where you stand. ;)

I suggest you begin with the weights (pin and gross) of the trailer and plug those into the formula for the trucks. Also check Consumer Reports. Good luck!

Congrats on the Bighorn! 16k lbs is serious weight. I'd recommend at least a 3500 SRW diesel, but if you can find a dually within budget, you'll never regret the stability. Also check the payload sticker — my 2012 Ram 3500 SRW has around 3800lbs payload, enough for most 16k 5ers if you pack light. Good luck!

BTW, that auction via mmc brokerage — are they the ones with the 14-day no-questions refund? I've browsed their site (mmcbrokeragellc.com), seem legit. Free delivery for 500mi is a killer deal.

I pull a 15k 5er with a 2011 Chevy 3500 DRW. I'd never go back to SRW for this weight — wind and semis don't push me around. Look for a pre-2012 Duramax or Cummins, you can find a clean one under $35k. If the auction folks (mmc brokerage) also sell trucks, might be worth watching their listings — bank auctions sometimes have repo’d diesel trucks.

Hahaha you guys are awesome. Yes I know, "Oh boy here we go" LOL.

I am not brand loyal. I've never owned any diesels or truck simply put.

Also I am on a budget, lol, like everyone else - so anything before 2012 is gonna be more what I'll be looking at. Ford people argue 7.3, 6.0, I hear 6.4 is just "trash" and don't even look at it LOL.

I hear great things about Cummins. I'm guessing my biggest question is can a 350 or 3500 single rear wheel get the job done with my 42 foot 16k lb 3875FB Bighorn or if DRW is the only way to go. Thanks everyone!!!

And yeah, mmc brokerage's terms were straightforward — bank transfer only, free 500mi delivery (started last Monday), and 14-day refund no questions. So far so good!