Attention traveling race teams, need some towing advice.

Hi, for those of you who travel a lot for racing I am looking at getting a 97 or 98 Dodge 3500 extended cab w/ a 12V Cummins and a "92" Reverse fifth wheel 47 ft car hauler. I have read that the roof wings are too far from the trailer to improve mileage but also that they help with handling in high winds and keep the bugs off the front of the trailer. Do you guys feel it's worth it or no? the wings are a little under $1,000.

What do you recommend to keep or make it easier to get the bugs off the front of the trailer/Truck?

Is an auxiliary fuel tank a good idea? Given the troubles I had with my Chevy 3500 Gasser that an Aux tank could be a big help and would later allow me to run a Diesel Generator off the aux tank. How big should I go?

Thanks for any and all advice,
Trevor Sherwood

 

Stop at the blue beacon truck wash
they do an excellent job at getting the bugs off

 

Thanks guys, not sure where a Blue beacon truck wash is as I have never seen one before. I am in Spring Hill, FL and will be traveling up to IL, OH, IN, TN, GA and back.

Going to pass on the wing and depending on how comfortable the truck is will determine if I do the Aux tank, I like the idea of having it but also know my dad will probably have to stop every hour and a half most likely.

Thanks again,
Trev

 

A buddy tried the wing thing back when it was the cool thing to have. He tried real hard to fudge the numbers but he got nothing out of it. Later he installed one of those bubbles on the front of the trailer. I don't remember the number but he did get some mpg out of it but what he raved about is how much nicer it towed.

 

Make sure to ask Blue Beacon or any truck wash to flush their lines of any acid pre-soak chemicals....soap and water only!
The first time I stopped at one my trailer aluminum was etched a dull gray color from the acid....pretty sure they don't use now it unless you ask, but it's hard on the shiny aluminum trim on your trailer!!

 

Always tell them soap and water and not to acid wash the wheels
they like the acid but it does not due your aluminum any good. The Blue Beacons are located all over the country. Florida has very few truck washes. Tried to get the truck washed one year on the way to Gainesville after we entered florida and it was 75 miles out of the way.

 

Simple green works real well. After cleaning I have sprayed and wiped wd-40 on the front area and it works pretty good. heavy wax is another good option to.

 

Thanks guys, was originally planning to power wash it but with the Genie being up there under the housing not sure if that is a good idea.

 

When we towed with a Dually the best thing I ever did was install 100 gallon fuel tank. If you are towing the distance you are talking about you wont find a convenient fill every time you need it with limited fuel capacity and a huge rig.

 

Ended up getting a nice 05 Dodge with the 5.9 Cummins and an auto, it came with a gravity fed 60 gal tank and tool box combo. Now if I could just get my dad to not have to pee every hour I could make some headway...lol

 

EMJ. Empty Milk Jug.

Chris Saulnier - Team Tigges
Mechanic Falls, Maine

 

LOL, not in my nice new truck.

 

I get around 350 miles out of my 08 f450 4wd lariat dually. But I don't run 75 and only pulling a 40' 5th wheel enclosed that Gvwr is 16k. 6.4 with dpf and cat removed and installed an h&s minimax and deleted egr.