coozy wrote:
I am a 5th wheel want-a be! I would like some advice on the 5th wheel towing capacity for the rig we are thinking of buying.
We brought a 2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab, 4x4, 6'6'' box, Duramax Diesel 6.6L V8 turbo, Allison transmission, 3.73 axle, with the 5th wheel trailing and Z71 packages. The GVWR is 9200#, GAWR Front 4860# Rear 6884#, GCWR 22,000#. The Chevy dealer helped me pick out a truck to tow a 5th wheel and says "this truck will haul anything".
We are considering buying a Montana 3400RL with the Mor/ryde suspension system and several options. The shipping weight is 12460#, carrying capacity 3180#, hitch (King pin weight?) is 2140#, Fresh 66 gal., Waste 50gal., Grey 93gal., and LPG 60#. Tire size is 234/80R16E.
The RV dealer says we will have "no problem" towing the 5th wheel with our truck (because it is a diesel).
We would like to know what experienced 5th wheel owners think of this rig set up!
After we retire next May, we intend to use the rig for a three month trip to Alaska!! Any advice on planning for that trip would be appreciated as well. Thank you.
I am a 5th wheel want-a be! I would like some advice on the 5th wheel towing capacity for the rig we are thinking of buying.
We brought a 2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab, 4x4, 6'6'' box, Duramax Diesel 6.6L V8 turbo, Allison transmission, 3.73 axle, with the 5th wheel trailing and Z71 packages. The GVWR is 9200#, GAWR Front 4860# Rear 6884#, GCWR 22,000#. The Chevy dealer helped me pick out a truck to tow a 5th wheel and says "this truck will haul anything".
We are considering buying a Montana 3400RL with the Mor/ryde suspension system and several options. The shipping weight is 12460#, carrying capacity 3180#, hitch (King pin weight?) is 2140#, Fresh 66 gal., Waste 50gal., Grey 93gal., and LPG 60#. Tire size is 234/80R16E.
The RV dealer says we will have "no problem" towing the 5th wheel with our truck (because it is a diesel).
We would like to know what experienced 5th wheel owners think of this rig set up!
After we retire next May, we intend to use the rig for a three month trip to Alaska!! Any advice on planning for that trip would be appreciated as well. Thank you.
Bottom line answer: Your 2500 is fine for the Montana 3400RL. Some people will recommend a bigger tuck because they feel it's safer. The truth is that the majority of RVs the size of the Montana 3400RL is being safely towed by 2500s. The power-train between the 2500s and the 3500s are much the same. The load classification is the biggest difference. That line from the dealer "this truck will haul anything" is a common one but don't believe it like I did. In my case I did have to go up to the 3500. It's good that you came here to ask.
Dave Gray
RV Safety Educator & Consultant
08 Dodge Ram 3500 4X4, Dually, 6.7L Diesel, 09 Heartland Cyclone 4012
GVWR- 9600
Front GAWR- 4700
Rear GAWR- 6100
Truck wo/trailer:
Steer Axle- 4125
Drive Axle- 3350
Truck w/trailer:
Steer Axle- 4100
Drive Axle- 5450
Trailer:
Loaded weight- 10,170
Driver's side front- 1950
Driver's side rear- 2050
Passenger's side front- 1975
Passenger's side rear-2075
Pin weight- 2075
Jeff
Wonderful wife Robin
2016 F350 PSD Dually
2016 DRV 38RSSA
Steer - 4200#'s
Drive - 6780#'s (6830#'s rated tires)
Trailer - 13600#'s (14K#'s rated)
Total Axles - 24580#'s
(Trailer GVWR at 17121#'s)
Pin 3580#'s
GVW Trailer - 17180#'s
I moved a couple hundred pounds from the front storage areas of the coach to my shop to lighten the load a bit. And moved a few things from front storage to the trunk to take some more off the pin. It did pull and handle very nicely..
Regards, Hamshog
2009 Silverado 2500HD EC/SB Dmax/Alli - SuperGlide 18K - Firestone Bags - 265/75R16's -
2010 Carri-Lite 36XTRM5 w/ Big Foot - Champion 4000W
2005 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ
2007 Fleetwood Pegasus Ultralite M-180FQ
Fiver - 2003 Glendale Titanium 32E37, empty fresh, 1/3 full black and 2/3 full grey:
Steer axle 4620 Lbs
Drive axle 5220 Lbs
Trailer axle 8620 Lbs
Gross weight 18460 Lbs
Assuming truck weight of 7750 Lbs trailer = 10710 Lbs
Specs for truck from GM:
GAWR(F) 4860 - Under by 240
GAWR(R) 6884 - Under by 1664
10584 -
GVWR 9200 - Over by 640
GCWR 22000 - Under by 3540
2010 Carriage Cameo 36FWS
2018 Silverado 3500HD D/A Double Cab Dually LT
1999 F250 short box CC Superduty.
![[image]](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_b9BulTyF6AI/TBG4ZuLWzVI/AAAAAAAAAN8/P-Upd-xyA1Q/s800/IMG_9611-preview2.jpg)
Front axle 4330 lbs
Rear axle 5830 lbs
Total truck weight 10,160 lbs
Trailer axles 10,380 lbs
Total Combo weight 20,540 pounds
Comments
The 355 weighed 10,752 pounds coming from the factory.
Mods (estimates)
- 7K lb torsion hydraulic disk axles 250 pounds
- golf cart battery rack 30 pounds
- 4 golf cart batteries 240 pounds
- roof rack 75 pounds
New empty dry weight: 11,347 pounds
The truck weighs about 7500 pounds with the stuff we had in it. The trailer weight must have been about 13,000 pounds with a pin weight of 2660 pounds.
The trailer has 235/70R16 LRD tires rated at 3,000 pounds each, for a total of 12K pounds. With the original 6K axles, the trailer had a GVWR of 14,000 pounds. It now has 7K axles.
Cargo
- me, my wife and our dog
- 2 kayaks (50+ pounds each) with paddles and paddling gear
- empty water tanks
- 2 full 30 pound propane tanks
- 1 HD garden wagon
- 2 axes
- 4 lawn chairs
- 1 compliment of kids toys
- food and supplies
- roller blading gear
- 1 kids bike
- no rear bumper !
- 1 very full tool box
- 2 small jack stands
- 5 gallon jerry can of diesel fuel
- 1 medium dog kennel
- 1/2 tank of fuel in the truck
Yet to add
- rear hitch receiver bumper with cargo rack 150 pounds
- 4 bikes 120 pounds
- 2 golf cart batteries 120 pounds
- solar panels and stand 120 pounds
- total weight yet to add 510 pounds.
Trailer weight will be about 13,500 pounds when complete with the additions. The combination weight will be about 21,000 pounds.
A stock '99 F250 was rated for 8800/20K GVW/GCW. The F350 (heavier springs) was rated for 9900 pounds. The F350 dually (same frame and brakes) was rated for 12,500 pounds.
My truck has 275/65R20 tires (3750 pounds each), 10K rear air ride suspension, a 3rd gen Cummins and will have an exhaust brake next week. It handles this trailer fairly well. The combination stops extremely well due to the hydraulic disk brakes on the trailer.
In severe weather, which I have towed in a lot since I got the trailer in April, the truck will move around a bit. The rear suspension is just a tad soft. I'll probably add a stabilizer bar to the back with a quick disconnect just for towing.
I define severe weather as 30+ MPH cross winds, raining, poor visibility, etc. At this point regular passenger cars as well as commercial trucks are pulling off the road.
The 355 is a very big, tall trailer. 39 feet long, 12' 8" to the top of the A/C and it doesn't taper down at the back due to the height needs fo the loft. Plus I have kayaks on the roof. In short, its a big sail and you can feel it in really bad cross winds. Other than that, it tows like a dream. I forget its back there on flat roads with no side winds.
Probably the biggest issue my truck has is that the tires hydroplane in deep water. It doesn't happen often but when it does it provides a few thrilling seconds.
This sort of weight is as much as I like for the power of my engine (325/610) on steep grades. On 6% grades I'm down to 45-50 MPH. On 8% grades I can be down as low as 30 MPH if I ever have to shift down to second gear. That rarely happens and if it does its pretty brief.
I get 11-11.5 MPG pulling at 60-65 MPH. The trailer is pretty aerodynamic, especially when its tucked in tight to the cab of the truck. Fuel economy drops a bit in the mountains when they are steep and its full power up and lots of braking going down, but its never been worse than about 10 MPG and once you get back on the flatter stuff, it picks right up.
I love this combination. The truck is versatile as a stand alone vehicle. The trailer has tons of room and lots of storage and yet it pulls well. We are very comfortable. Everything works and its great on long trips.
* This post was edited 06/22/10 01:51pm by an administrator/moderator *
Monte
Truck:
2007 GMC Sierra CC, LB, DRW diesel.
GVWR 11,400
Weighed alone the day we brought it home used with full tank of gas and me.
Front axle 4420
Drive Axle 3540
Gross weight 7960
Fifth wheel:
Open Range 429 BHS
GVWR 14330
Weighed dry the day we bought it.
Attached to the truck. I want to know the weights but I wasn't prepared to unhitch and weigh separately.
Steer axle 4440
Drive Axle 5940
Trailer Axle 9580
Weighed fully loaded for fulltiming as we departed on our first trip. I figure that would be the heaviest we would weigh. Full propane tanks. We have since thrown away or donated some clothes and other sundries as the clothes rod in the closet broke under the weight.
Steer Axle 4420
Drive Axle 6600
Trailer Axle 11260
Gross weight 22280
Truck is rated
GVWR 11,400
Trailer weight as fifth wheel 16,000
GCVWR 23,500
Eric
www.adventurenickel.com
http://egad-ybnormal.blogspot.com/
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
Frank
2011 Palomino Maverick 1000SLLB on a 2004 Dodge Quadcab CTD Ram3500 SRW long bed equipped with Timbren springs, Stable Load bump stops, Rickson 19.5" wheels/"G" range tires and a Helwig "Big Wig" rear anti sway bar.
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
Thanks but...there is no return home, this is home.
Normal running TV & TH GCW weight= 20,220lbs, TV GCWR is 23,000lbs
Real weights from scale:
Steer axle - 4920 LBS
Drive Axle - 5740 LBS
Trailer Axles (Combined) - 9560 LBS
GCWR total 20,220 LBS
Steve">, Michele">,
2014 Dodge 3500 Mega Cab dually 4X4 6.7 Cummins
2013 XLR Thunderbolt 35X12
Chuie - Dachshund
George - Chihuahua
Rocco - Catahoula
It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it!
