sm. trk. - Montana Owners Club

paddler67 · 02-02-2011, 03:25 AM

hello
would you tow a 39' 5ver with 4 slides approx 16k with a short bed ext. cab 4x4 TB 2011 chevy???
i need help with this q.
thanks.

gene
presently in bushnell,fl.

NCFischers · 02-02-2011, 03:34 AM

3/4 ton or one ton?? More info needed.

paddler67 · 02-02-2011, 03:37 AM

2500. 3/4 ton
thanks

pineranch · 02-02-2011, 04:18 AM

Here's a site you may want to check.
http://changingears.com/rv-sec-tow-v...-ratings.shtml
Are you sure your unit weighs 16K? I have a 37'4" 3605 and loaded with all we need I am at 13800 down the road. I need to stay below my total GCVW weigh of 23000.
Mike

richfaa · 02-02-2011, 04:59 AM

Which Montana do you have???? My 06 3400 actual length is 39 feet 4 inches with a GVWR of 15,500lbs. The newer 3400 has a higher GVWR... We need more info on both the truck and camper

Truck... Diesel???? DuallY???

pineranch · 02-02-2011, 05:05 AM

Rich,
You must have had your unit "super sized".
http://keystone-montana.com/index.ph...pecs&year=2006

Art-n-Marge · 02-02-2011, 05:33 AM

IIRC, any 16K GVWR probably needs a dually. However that link provided by pineranch shows that a Chevy 3/4 can tow over 17,000 lbs as long as it's properly equipped. Look at your manual for RAWR, GVWR and CGVWR to verify it.

Keep in mind it's not the engine and trans that tow your trailer, because it's the same power plant in most trucks even those with higher weight ratings and more tires. Why, might you ask? Because there are many other factors that must support moving and stopping that much weight like, the differential, brakes, shocks, suspension hardware, drive shaft, U-joints and on and on. No one knows for sure what weak point lowers one weight rating from another and I don't know of any aftermarket addon that will legally stand behind their product and claim it increases the GVWR because it might not be their product that is the weak point.

PineRanch, FYI mid-year many '06 Montanas were changed to 7K axles and this is when the GTWR increased to 15,500 on many rigs. Rich might have one of these. Prior to that (like mine), they had 6K axles and therefore the GTWR averaged a little more than 14K. This is why documentation should be read with a grain of salt. Your Trailer may vary and you must check the sticker label to know what you have, then know what to add on top of that (2nd A/C, W/D, gear, etc.)

pineranch · 02-02-2011, 05:50 AM

My comment to Rich was "tongue in cheek" and it looks like he did "super size" his unit. It's a play on the fast food drive thru, "do you want it super sized".
Mike

Hooker · 02-02-2011, 08:05 AM

Towing capacity is not the issue with a 5th wheel. Any diesel will "tow" any Montana, however a 3/4 ton truck cannot handle the pin weight of a big 5th wheel and remain with in the manufacturer's specs.

racerjoe · 02-02-2011, 09:13 AM

Would I ? no. The short bed is not a problem a slider can't fix, but with a single axle rear and a 3/4 ton suspension you do not have enough capacity for the pin weight and duel rear wheels will give you more stability. thats my take.

pineranch · 02-02-2011, 09:40 AM

I've stated my opinion on this before. If you are over your recommended axle weight, you break it you pay for it, period. If you are over your maximum gross combined weight, you can't stop it and now you are unsafe. My limit is 23000 and I guard against going over that. I believe there are Dodge, GMC, Chevy and Ford owners out there hundreds of pounds over the GCVW be it a 250/350 or 2500/3500. Rear axle weight is just a number to me, I'll live with what I will allow over. Thoughts!!!!!!!!!!
Mike

kdeiss · 02-02-2011, 11:16 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by paddler67

2500. 3/4 ton
thanks

2500 or 2500HD ?????

CamillaMichael · 02-03-2011, 07:09 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by pineranch

I've stated my opinion on this before. If you are over your recommended axle weight, you break it you pay for it, period. If you are over your maximum gross combined weight, you can't stop it and now you are unsafe. My limit is 23000 and I guard against going over that. I believe there are Dodge, GMC, Chevy and Ford owners out there hundreds of pounds over the GCVW be it a 250/350 or 2500/3500. Rear axle weight is just a number to me, I'll live with what I will allow over. Thoughts!!!!!!!!!!
Mike

Mike, I agree with you...I believe it is very important to know what your numbers are and then work from there. Michael

paddler67 · 02-04-2011, 03:06 AM

.

thanks for ihe inf.
a friend need the inf and i was given the wrong wgh. when i was told 16k. i was concerned. the 5 ver wghs 13.500 instead of the 16k. which makes a big difference.
thanks for the feed back.
gene

SlickWillie · 02-04-2011, 05:20 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by pineranch

I've stated my opinion on this before. If you are over your recommended axle weight, you break it you pay for it, period. If you are over your maximum gross combined weight, you can't stop it and now you are unsafe. My limit is 23000 and I guard against going over that. I believe there are Dodge, GMC, Chevy and Ford owners out there hundreds of pounds over the GCVW be it a 250/350 or 2500/3500. Rear axle weight is just a number to me, I'll live with what I will allow over. Thoughts!!!!!!!!!!
Mike

That is a pretty strong statement. Most 250, 2500 vehicles share the frame, driveline and braking systems with their 350 & 3500 counterparts. Rear spring packs are the exception, and of course the dually has an extra set of wheels on the back. The guy with the F250 with beefed up rear suspension can carry the same weight on the rear axle that the F350 SRW can carry. I think Art can testify to that. Seems he upgraded wheels also. If the numbers on the paper worry you, don't do it. I can assure you, if we go to a heavier unit, I'll add more suspension on the rear axle, and take it to the numbers of the 3500 rear axle without losing a minutes sleep. I already have the wheels and tires to do the job. JMHO

sreigle · 02-04-2011, 06:53 AM

Looks to me like the original poster might be asking about towing with the shortbed and not really interested in opinions on weight ratings. I could be wrong, of course. Many here are doing exactly what he proposes with absolutely no problems for many, many thousand of miles. That's not to say I endorse going over the ratings, it just says I've never experienced a problem and am still waiting, for many years, for a single report where it's caused an accident.

With a shortbed truck you have a few choices. I've been towing with shortbed trucks since 1995 so here's what I've found.

1. You can tow with a standard, non-sliding hitch but you will have to very carefully watch when you make sharp turns. Otherwise you could cause fifthwheel to contact the cab and/or rear window of the truck. Several have blown out the rear window. Our truck has a small dimple (very lucky, we were).

2. You can purchase a manual sliding hitch or possibly add a slider to your existing hitch (depends on brand and model). With a manual slider, if you feel your turn may introduce cab to fifthwheel, you get out and throw a lever and then follow another procedure to slide the hitch back. This gives you the same turn radius as a long bed truck with standard hitch, in most cases. You should not have the hitch slid back when driving down the road because it causes the pin on the fifthwheel to be behind the truck's axle. That introduces instability when towing.

3. You can purchase an automatic sliding hitch, such as the Pullrite SuperGlide. This hitch automatically slides back when you turn. The sharper the turn, the farther it slides back. With this hitch you just go and you just turn, you don't worry about it. These auto sliders are pricey but if that's not a problem the peace of mind is terrific. Just ask me.

4. There are other solutions such as the Fifth Airborne Sidewinder hitch. This also works well.

There may be others but those are the ones I'm familiar with.

paddler67 · 02-05-2011, 03:16 AM

.

paddler67 · 02-05-2011, 03:26 AM

.

all inf. is knowledge.
the orignal q. for my knowledge.
can a short bed 3/4 ton diesel auto srw ext.cab be used safely while towing over 13ks.
i'm presently towing with a f350 td cc drw LB and would like to go to a short bed so i can have a shorter turning radius and better fuel mileage. i avg. approx. 9 to 10 towing. and 13 to 14 empty. also, an extra benfit my wife would drive the smaller trk.
thanks for the inf.
gene

exav8tr · 02-05-2011, 03:44 AM

Paddler, I pulled my heavy Montana for a year with a SB 2500 Chevy diesel and had no problems, I was probably around 15k at the time. I wanted a new truck so upgraded to a long bed dually. Pain in the keester as a daily driver but have adapted, DW drives the monster also. Just have to know limits. As stated, there are things you can do to beef it up and since there are no state laws, (that I am aware of), for towing heavy, for the private hauler that is, you can do what you want. You could even go to larger brakes on the fiver if stopping on a dime is a concern. As Steve says: That's not to say I endorse going over the ratings, it just says I've never experienced a problem and am still waiting, for many years, for a single report where it's caused an accident. I concur with some type of sliding hitch though.......Good luck and happy motoring......

Emmel · 02-05-2011, 09:22 AM

Agree with Steve and Phil, I've been towing since '01 with the 2500HD. I have not experienced any problems and as they said, haven't heard of any.
Now, you have to decide what you feel comfortable with. My truck just turned over 100k this week and approximately 75k is from towing.

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