I just bought a new horse trailer with a 11 foot short wall living quarters and four horses. I have a 6.0L diesel, with a 3.73 rear end, automatic. When I place the trailer on the truck it really squats the rear end out. Loaded I will be around 15,000 pounds. Is this safe to pull a trailer of this size with a single rear wheel? Is there any advantage to having a dual rear wheel and if not can I do anything to boost the load capacity and handling of this truck? Any info would be much appreciated.

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Originally posted by hosstrner:
I just bought a new horse trailer with a 11 foot short wall living quarters and four horses... When I place the trailer on the truck it really squats the rear end out. Loaded I will be around 15,000 pounds. Is this safe to pull a trailer of this size with a single rear wheel? Is there any advantage to having a dual rear wheel and if not can I do anything to boost the load capacity and handling of this truck?

Welcome to the forum Hosstrner.
While the powertrain (engine & trans) of your truck is the same as the one tons, the rear axle weight rating is not. The best method to know if you're at the limit, is to weigh the fully loaded trailer & truck by the axles. (Weigh each axle as you drive on)

Boosting the load capacity of the truck means rebuilding it into a one ton truck. If you change the springs, then the tires are over loaded, change tires, and the rims are overloaded, change the rims, and the bearings are overloaded, ad infinitum... Not really feasible vs buying a one ton truck.

But, many people have added helper springs like Timbrens to level the truck. I wouldn't go that route because the dually is much better... Even though parking it, is a pain.

... You asked about the advantages of a dually...

Aside from the weight carrying rating. The dual tires provide a lot more stability. I think it's eight sidewalls resisting tire squirm. Blow-out protection, with a heavy trailer, a tire failure isn't such a disaster. You'll be better able to control the truck/trailer to a stop.
I have a dually after a 3/4 ton truck. I'm amazed at the difference in trailer stability rolling down the road.

Hosspuller- thanks for the advice. I do have a one-ton however I did take the trailer for a drive today and it is SQUIRREllY! I think I am going to have to go buy a new dually. Just bought the !@#$ truck a year ago. Should of thought about the weight before buying the trailer any other advice to keep me from forking over the money ford needs to get out of hock would be great- thanks,

Hosstrner... What do you mean by SQUIRRElly ?

Steering control? or is the rear doing a side to side motion? I will disagree that you have a one ton truck unless you have some sort of super single tire and rim. The Ford 350 SRW is just a tarted up 3/4 ton truck in my opinion. It doesn't have the weight capacity the dual wheels allow.

hosspuller- I have a f350 (one ton) the squirrelly motion i was feeling was from side to side. It stopped ok and had plenty of power but it rocked from side to side with the trailer. I checked with the dealer and there is only 500 lbs difference betweeen the dually and the single. Will the wider track make that big a difference?

The only way for you to decide, is to pull your trailer with a dually. Can you get someone with a dually to let you drive it under your trailer? You'll want a truck with the same wheel base or longer. A short wheel base accentuates "SQUIRRElly"

Yes, the wider track, number of sidewalls, and weight capacity makes that big of a difference. The 500 pounds difference you're talking about is the combined gross weight rating. Compare the rear axle ratings of the two trucks. Your honking, big trailer is putting a lot of weight on the hitch pin.

Hosspuller- thank for your help. I hooked up to a dulley and WOW what a difference. The squirming and squirelliness of the truck was gone and the trailer rode like a dream. Picking up the new truck tomorrow morn. 07 F350 King ranch 8 foot DULLEY. NICE TRUCK. Was tempted to put an order in on a 08 F450 but, it is a ford and it is a new engine design... not a good mix. will wait till they get the "bugs" worked out before trading the tried and true in. Thanks again.