How much HP/TQ to tow a stacker?

[BillyRyan]

Trying to find someone with experience towing a stacker with 2 cars and a motorhome. How much HP / Tq did you have to tow comfortably? My trailer is a 24ft aluminum stacker. It weighs 8700 empty. 2 cars and a Zuma in it plus misc tools and stuff. Probably looking at 15-16k I’d say. I believe the 350 Cummins have 1050tq and the 400 have 1200. Has anyone towed a similar trailer with a 350? If so how did it do? The 350 engines are much more abundant than the 400 in my price range. Would hate to buy a 350 if a 400 would be a lot better
Thanks
Billy

[4543]

Billy, Not trying to state the obvious but more is always better. Have no experience with the engines you asked about. Have pulled 24’ stacker, two cars, golf cart, misc tools with a Bluebird Wanderlodge weighed about 47000, trailer about 15000. Power was a 500HP Detroit Series 60 with Allison Six speed trans. Going from Denver to Sonoma was a bit of a struggle. On flat ground no issues at all. Current rig is Showhauler with 450HP, 10speed trans weighs about 35000, 28’ stacker with two cars, golf cart, lots of stuff, weighs about 17000. Pretty much no issues anywhere. Another issue towing a stacker is making sure you have plenty of brakes. I know you know all this, gues I’m just restating the obvious.

[Eric Merryfield]

Originally Posted by BillyRyan

Trying to find someone with experience towing a stacker with 2 cars and a motorhome. How much HP / Tq did you have to tow comfortably? My trailer is a 24ft aluminum stacker. It weighs 8700 empty. 2 cars and a Zuma in it plus misc tools and stuff. Probably looking at 15-16k I’d say. I believe the 350 Cummins have 1050tq and the 400 have 1200. Has anyone towed a similar trailer with a 350? If so how did it do? The 350 engines are much more abundant than the 400 in my price range. Would hate to buy a 350 if a 400 would be a lot better
Thanks
Billy

Billy I can't speak to the 350, but I've done just about 80,000 with the 8.9 2006 winnebego towing the 30 foot goldrush stacker. My 8.9 is a side radiator, and that makes a huge difference as compared to the rear radiator coaches. My trailer is about as heavy as yours, likely a touch lighter with two cars, etc, its a comfortable towing experience, but don't expect to keep up with buddies towing with a duallie and a standard height 24-30 foot trailer.......If you need that level of speed, you need the Toter. Other factors are height of your trailer, mines not that high compared to say a optima, your shorter trailer may actually have a higher tonque weight! I did tow the goldrush up to epping recently with my bone stock 2000 F350 crew cab duallie of course(upgraded the hitch to class 5), towed fine. If you can see if you can do some test tows of prospective RV's or the types you are considering with your trailer. Just make sure their hitches have been upgraded! And check your tonque weight to make sure your hitch can handle it. Eric

I tow 60-65, 62 is a sweet spot, best milleage ever was 6.2, normal 5.8 worst ever 4.9 due to 30MPH headwind!

[Jeff Stout]

Helped drive my buddies 425 cat MH with a 28 ft stacker. I thought it drove terrible. No power 4.3 mpg struggled to run 65mph and eventually trailer broke back of MH hitch and trailer went down the ditch.

[jmcarter]

Based on my towing 12K lb enclosed (not stacker) a 450 Cummins, side radiator and tag axle would be the minimum for a stacker. My Entegra Aspire still delivered 8 MPG towing in the torque sweet spot at 62 MPH (as Eric pointed out). Have often regretted selling it but $5 diesel eases the remorse (I’m a cheap skate, sleep in a tent when I’m touring on my bike if that tells you anything).

Don’t care for cats of any persuasion

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by BillyRyan

Trying to find someone with experience towing a stacker with 2 cars and a motorhome. How much HP / Tq did you have to tow comfortably? My trailer is a 24ft aluminum stacker. It weighs 8700 empty. 2 cars and a Zuma in it plus misc tools and stuff. Probably looking at 15-16k I’d say. I believe the 350 Cummins have 1050tq and the 400 have 1200. Has anyone towed a similar trailer with a 350? If so how did it do? The 350 engines are much more abundant than the 400 in my price range. Would hate to buy a 350 if a 400 would be a lot better
Thanks
Billy

The 350 hp would do the job if your weight estimation is correct. I have a toter with 330 hp and I pull a 40 ft gooseneck non stacker at about the same weight as your trailer is expected to be. Tows nice at 65mph and gets about 7.5-8 mpg. The 400 hp would for sure be better if you can find one. Toter type RV is better to tow with than a diesel pusher MH.

[jmcarter]

Toters and Super C’s are tuned for TQ rather than HP and of course have much higher hitch ratings. Think we’ve all seen some hefty trailers on hitches rated for 12 or even 10K. Mike can share what happened to one of his buddies on Jellico Mountain, scary stuff.

[BillyRyan]

Thanks for all the replies. I ended up finding and purchasing a 2004 travel supreme with the 8.9 400 Cummins. Pick it up this weekend so I guess we’ll see how it does when I get it home. I think and am hoping it will do good.

[Rob Petrie E395]

I just saw this. But I have a 09 Haulmark/Freighliner toterhome with a Cummins ISC 330 (330hp/1000tq) in it. That is bone stock no tuner no nothing. I pull a 44’ GN stacker trailer. I’ve had both my 4th gen Firebird Racecars in it plus my C6 Corvette, a golf cart and all the normal crap you take to the racetrack. And it goes just fine. Crazy part is at 75 mph (where the limiter is set). It gets the exact same fuel mileage with it without the trailer behind it. You’re not going to run 75 up Monteagle or the WV toll road. But it will go up it just slower. You have another 100hp and another 255 of torque. I’d say you’ll be good.