Need info from 3655fl and 3685fl owners

[Montana_5824]

Been looking at the above two 5'ers for the past couple months...I have a 1999 300FL Shasta right now but intend to upgrade and the rigs listed are set up the way both the wife and I like. I have a 2004 Duramax C/C Short Bed...my question to you is concerning tongue weight...are the 5'ers listed to heavy, hitch wise, for my truck. I just love the front living rooms and Montana fits the bill 100%. Thank all of you for your time. Have a great camping season

[Broome101]

We have 2005 3685FL, never towed with Chevy before. But we started out with 2001 F250 PSD. It worked fine, I traded last year during the ford Friends and Family deal going on went to long bed and F350. F250 pulled it just fine, had very little sag in rear due to heavy weight of pin, F350 no sag at all. f it does sag you can always add air bags.

[Cat320]

I've done extensive research in trying to determine if I need a dually or can get by with a 3/4 diesel. These trucks will pull nearly anything, but they will be over GVWR when adding the pin weight. All the airbags/booster springs/gizmos and gadgets cannot change the GVWR of your truck, which is 9200. Check the sticker on the left rear door or pillar of the drivers side of your truck. The sticker, entitled "Tire and Loading Information," will have a section that says, "The combined weight of cargo and occupants should never exceed ____ pounds." That's all you can carry and stay within GVWR. The max cargo capacity of your truck (if it is a 4x4, cc, sb) is between 2300 and about 2500, a bit more if a 4x2. The empty pin weight will be around 2390 (at least that's what it says in the brochure for the 3685)...so by the time you add a couple of hundred pounds to make it a realistic pw, a hitch, full fuel, passengers, cargo, etc...you are over. There are quite a few using 3/4s, and will say they've done if for years with no problems. However, to me, it just does not make good sense to put yourself, family and other drivers at risk. I've talked to an atty and the ins co...if I'm involved in an at fault accident and am over weight, I open myself for all sorts of liability issues. I'm not willing to take that risk, so I'm planning on a dually. Good luck.

[Montana Sky]

The Chevy and GMC brochures both clearly say the max kingpin weight for a 2500HD is 3,000 lbs.

[patodonn]

We tow a "fully timer" loaded '03 3655FL. As of 3 months ago, the Monty total weight is 13675, the pin weight is 2275. 11400 on the trailer axles.

Best,

[Fordzilla]

I had a F350 SRW that we pulled the 3685 with for a year before trading to a dually. It towed it fine I was just wanting a little more insurance when we are traveling long distances with that kind of weight on the back two tires of a single wheel.

[tweir]

We've towed our '04 with both a 2500HD with the 8.1 engine and now we tow the unit with a 3500 Duramax. Both trucks are/were equipped with air bags and in either case, never had any problems. We gained a bit more payload capacity with the 3500 and more room with the crew cab arrangement.

[Cat320]

MontanaSky...you are correct regarding the brochure saying the the max pw is 3000lbs for the 2500HDs. Problem is the only 2500 you can put 3000lbs on is the 6L gasser. By the time you add the D/A combo (and it's 700lbs) to the truck it will not take 3000lbs without going over GVWR, 9200. It's a catch 22...the gasser can take the 3000lbs pw, but then the GCWR is only 16000. So if you have the truck at max weight, you can only tow 6800lbs (16000 - 9200). The D/A version's GCWR is 22000, so it'll tow lots more...but can't take the pw.

To be a bit more specific, I've looked at a number of 2500HD trucks (all D/As) on dealers lots. Here are the max cargo capacities: 2325, 2420, 2350, 2300 and 2600 (this was an ec, not cc, thus a bit more cargo capacity).

I'm not the weight police here, just doing research to decide which truck I need to get...to be sure I get the correct one.

They do not make this easy.

[Montana Sky]

Cat320,
You are correct, the Montana's will over weight a 2500HD on the GVWR. My coach has a pin weight of 2,105 lbs and brings me right at the GVWR. You have to do what is right for you, I hope you find a truck that will make you comfortable.