Towing a 21' Ice castle

Would a 21′ ice castle with tandem axles require a 3/4/ ton? Diesel? I have a F150 3.5l ecoboost. Seems like it may be a bit much. Thoughts? Tx

captddh wrote:

Would a 21′ ice castle with tandem axles require a 3/4/ ton? Diesel? I have a F150 3.5l ecoboost. Seems like it may be a bit much. Thoughts? Tx

3.5 with air bags in the back would probably pull it but I wouldn’t want to be pulling it across the country. I know a guy that pulls a 24’ with 2 slide outs with a 3.5 he added air bags and higher rated tires on his.

How much experience towing do you have? Would you be comfortable? Do you know what to upgrade on your truck to handle it better?

Dusty Gesinger wrote:

How much experience towing do you have? Would you be comfortable? Do you know what to upgrade on your truck to handle it better?

Spot on. What worried me the most is wind pushing me around on $hitty Minnesota winter roads with my half ton. I drove home in some nasty storms from LOTW’s and URL with my single axel 8×16 Firebrand. Never had much of a problem. Last spring got a 8×21 tandem with 90” sidewalls. Just camping in it for the summer and pulling it on windy days was enough to decide I need more truck to not get thrown around by wind.

I wouldn’t hesitate to tow it with the half ton. That’s still relatively light and low profile compared to a lot of the standard RVs towed by similar trucks. We pulled a 28′ RV with a slideout behind a half ton without issue and within the vehicle’s stated limits. I’d just be sure to have a transmission cooler and perhaps air bags installed. However, do what you are comfortable with and use common sense.

IDO’s advice section is notorious for telling you that you need the biggest tow vehicle, widest and longest boat, and more hp than you currently have.

buckybadger wrote:

I wouldn’t hesitate to tow it with the half ton. That’s still relatively light and low profile compared to a lot of the standard RVs towed by similar trucks. We pulled a 28′ RV with a slideout behind a half ton without issue and within the vehicle’s stated limits. I’d just be sure to have a transmission cooler and perhaps air bags installed. However, do what you are comfortable with and use common sense.

IDO’s advice section is notorious for telling you that you need the biggest tow vehicle, widest and longest boat, and more hp than you currently have.

Isn’t that the truth!
I tow a 21′ IC with a 1/2 ton with no problem. I don’t try to set any land speed records.

I dont care if you have a 10, 1, 3/4, or 1/2 ton truck if you’re on slush or ice there is only one cure.. slow down, 4wheel drives go in the ditch all the time. DK.

I’ve seen lots of regular old gas wreckers pull them

Can you tow it yes. Should you tow it no. Yes a half ton can pull that and yes you need bags and maybe tire upgrade. I am pulling a 8×16 with my yukon and I’m adding bags to make it more stable, but would recommend a 3/4 ton or some guys claim the Tundra can handle more than the big three for towing, I have spoke to a few that made the switch and said it can handle it. My 2 cents. You can pull anything with a half ton, but can you control it??

IDO’s advice section is notorious for telling you that you need the biggest tow vehicle, widest and longest boat, and more hp than you currently have.

They are also the crowd that drives by when you are in the ditch or having problems and mutters under their breath “dumb ass”.

Pull it with a Prius if you want.

They are also the crowd that drives by when you are in the ditch or having problems and mutters under their breath “dumb ass”.

Pull it with a Prius if you want.
[/quote]I thought they were the crowd that offers assistance 🤔

What does it weigh? Do you have one of the towing packages? My 2019 3.5 Eco Boost with the max tow package is rated to pull 13000#.
No, I haven’t tried it. But it pulls my 28 ft Jayco travel trailer (in the summer) just fine (its nowhere near 13000#). If its slippery I don’t care what your driving, you have to adjust for the conditions. Vehicles have come a long way in recent years, Brakes, transmissions engines, etc and there’s a lot of old school thinking about what a “little” half ton will pull. But there is also this thing called physics that will win every time.

Dutchboy wrote:

IDO’s advice section is notorious for telling you that you need the biggest tow vehicle, widest and longest boat, and more hp than you currently have.

They are also the crowd that drives by when you are in the ditch or having problems and mutters under their breath “dumb ass”.

Pull it with a Prius if you want.

I’d wager that 99.9% of accidents or issues that result in someone being in the ditch have nothing to do with the size of a tow vehicle. What’s more dangerous? The original poster carefully pulling an ice house that his truck is rated for and uses caution….or the guy with his diesel truck pulling a smaller ice house 5-10 mph over the speed limit with aggression.

Accidents are rarely caused by the vehicle or its capabilities. They’re far more often caused by the driver and their decision making.

Guns don’t kill or injure people (as this site regularly highlights)…poor choices and humans do. Do tow vehicles pulling close to capacity kill or injure people? Or does lack of experience and decision making?

Thanks for the advice everyone. Im in the camp of going over sized for the job. I’ll stick to a 17′ model.

I don’t get out on ice fish trips all that much up north, but when I do travel around, I don’t recall ever seeing all of these ice castles in ditches with half ton trucks. I do recall passing a bunch of them in the slow lane, where they are just fine and dandy tho.

2 cents

The difference between most 1/2 ton trucks is about ~2000# in curb weight compared to a 3/4 ton as well. A Silverado Crew Cab 1500 is about ~5600# empty. The 3/4 ton version jumps up to ~7,700 empty. That’s an extra 2000# on the ice as well. On a year with questionable ice, that’s going to cut into time on the water as many resorts pump the brakes on rigs towed by 3/4 ton trucks for safety and what they do to ice roads.

buckybadger wrote:

The difference between most 1/2 ton trucks is about ~2000# in curb weight compared to a 3/4 ton as well. A Silverado Crew Cab 1500 is about ~5600# empty. The 3/4 ton version jumps up to ~7,700 empty. That’s an extra 2000# on the ice as well. On a year with questionable ice, that’s going to cut into time on the water as many resorts pump the brakes on rigs towed by 3/4 ton trucks for safety and what they do to ice roads.

They also limit the size of the wheelhouses at times too and not just the tow vehicle. But I’m with you, slow down and take your time

Wheel houses have most of the weight up front so the tongue weight is more the issue rather than the overall weight being towed. I had mentioned in a different post that a friend has a 28′ RV rated wheel house with a 1 ton. He added air bags, and now added an equalizer hitch. That is a lot of weight up front.

Jeff Gilberg wrote:

What does it weigh? Do you have one of the towing packages? My 2019 3.5 Eco Boost with the max tow package is rated to pull 13000#.
No, I haven’t tried it. But it pulls my 28 ft Jayco travel trailer (in the summer) just fine (its nowhere near 13000#). If its slippery I don’t care what your driving, you have to adjust for the conditions. Vehicles have come a long way in recent years, Brakes, transmissions engines, etc and there’s a lot of old school thinking about what a “little” half ton will pull. But there is also this thing called physics that will win every time.

Great points Bucky. Also, put the small investment in the proper receiver, see many with too low of a drop.

….

buckybadger wrote:

The difference between most 1/2 ton trucks is about ~2000# in curb weight compared to a 3/4 ton as well. A Silverado Crew Cab 1500 is about ~5600# empty. The 3/4 ton version jumps up to ~7,700 empty. That’s an extra 2000# on the ice as well. On a year with questionable ice, that’s going to cut into time on the water as many resorts pump the brakes on rigs towed by 3/4 ton trucks for safety and what they do to ice roads.

Most resorts open ice roads to tandem shacks the same time they open them to 3/4 tons

A 21+’ tandem shack is pushing the limits of a half ton in the winter. It’s not impossible or necessarily a horrible idea, but realize it’s pushing the limits.

No different than a small pickup pulling a 14-17′ single axle. It can be done, but…..

Ask this guy who we stopped to offer help on the gauntlet (Hwy 46) last winter.

It was scary watching him lose it…..Glad it didn’t end up worse

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I’m not an expert on this, but I’ve towed a few different enclosed trailers, campers, and now bought a 6.5×14 Ice Castle this spring.

Here’s my take on it:
Your 3.5 has incredible towing torque for towing and shouldn’t have an issue getting that weight moving. Once up to speed the flat back of the shack/camper/trailer is a sail that gives you constant resistance. Your 3.5 will handle this fine too, you’ll just see the hit in fuel economy.

What I think a lot of people don’t think about is how much wind and bumps in the road can push a truck around towing something like this. Then if your weight distribution is off at all it can really be a white knuckle ride, especially if the roads get bad, and let’s face it… we’re dragging these things around in the winter, sometimes to destinations that don’t have the best roads.

So that 3.5 Ecoboost will get that weight moving just fine, and will pull it through the air with no issue. It will even handle it on bad roads if everything is balanced and the truck is setup correctly, AND the driver slows down to an appropriate speed (easier said than done when you realize an 8 hour drive will now take 15).

So it will do it. But a 3/4 ton will weigh more, have heavier suspension to leave the truck more balanced, have tires that handle the weight without squishing around everywhere, and in general isn’t going to be affected by the trailer getting blown or bounced around as much. That’s not an IDO biggest, baddest, best thing, that’s just physics, reality, and a little towing experience and being along in a 3/4 ton pulling the same enclosed trailer as a half ton and feeling the difference even as a passenger. Pulled the same trailer myself, and in certain conditions with my F150 with 5.0 it was affecting the truck. Not terrible but on bad roads would not have been fun. And power wasn’t really the problem though I wouldn’t have minded more.

^^^^^ this guy gets it. Thank you curlytail. Couldn’t have said it any better.

Two weeks ago I wouldn’t have truly appreciated the way Curleytail explained this. I agree it’s not an engine or a tow rating thing, it’s about control.

While I’m not short on experience towing in general, enclosed trailers I have very little and zero with wheelhouses until just now. Have to agree with that explanation.

ex. Downgraded to a 4Runner which is listed at 5000# tow rating. 6.5×14 Yetti is approximately 2500#, less than my Alumacraft. Way less than my glass boat. However the short wheelbase, squishy tires, and softer suspension combined with the high profile of the house made things kind of suck. Trailer was definitely affecting the truck. Now I know more and this particular vehicle shouldn’t ever tow an 8×16 wheelhouse.

Just a couple things to add about control. Regardless of 1/2, 3/4, or 1 ton trucks It’s all about control.

Crappy under rated tires suck donkey dung. I see guys all the time with their pick up, car tires, and heavy glass boat. Amazing how they bounce around and hard time stopping. The fast wear of tread tells the tale of how the weight is not distributed as it should. If you tow with a truck, get truck tires. Not talking about little penis truck over sized ridiculous tires. Correct size in a E load range.

I don’t think the IC comes with stabilizing bars. Small investment for decent aftermarket. Anyone pulling big enclosed trailers on a windy or crappy days knows to appreciate them.

Level – use the correct hitch and make sure you level the IC.

Brakes- I assume the ic comes with brakes. I see a lot of 1/2 ton trucks still don’t have the full wire harness and just use the basic flat plug for lights. If your pulling something that weighs dam near as much as you, make sure it can’t run up your rear end in an emergency stop. A good controller and wiring for RV plug is cheap.

Air bags are awesome, but load transfer is more important. Too little tongue weight and you’ll bounce like a super ball. Too much and and you lose all your suspension and poor steering control.

Randy Wieland wrote:

If you tow with a truck, get truck tires. Not talking about little penis truck over sized ridiculous tires.

amen brotha

Just remember you want only load distribution in winter and no sway control. Sway control in slippery conditions can be very dangerous.

supercat wrote:

Just remember you want only load distribution in winter and no sway control. Sway control in slippery conditions can be very dangerous.

Not to take this too far off topic, but I don’t see your point about slippery conditions? When I pull my 35’ enclosed with skidder or race cars, I can’t imaging not controlling the sway- especially in slippery conditions. The few times I’ve pulled it without the sway bars was horrible