GMC 2500 HD Diesel Towing Capacity?

[Kabrys]

We are considering buying a Montana 3665RE (2009)5th Wheel and seem to be getting conflicting weights from different sales people and Montana brochures. We are trying to establish if our GMC 2500 HD short Box Crew Cab with a Duramax Diesel 6.6 turbo with the Allison Transmission is capable of pulling and STOPPING the 11,875 lb. rv? It would be great to hear from someone who might have the same TV & 5th wheel and get their input. Thanks

[NCFischers]

Great choice!! We have the 2009 3665RE and love it. We pull ours with a 1 ton diesel dually. The Duramax and Allison with the trailer mode will pull it and the tranny will help it stop. You need to make the decision as to whether you have enough truck to pull the trailer. This subject has been hotly discussed several times on this forum. Many people pull with 3/4 ton vehicles. It comes down to a personal choice and what you are comfortable with.

[richfaa]

Pulling is not the issue. Staying within the trucks ratings and spec's if you are inclined to do so..is the issue. The pin weight(cargo capacity) may be a issue. Sales folks and the brochure will not help. You will have to find out your trucks capacity.

[swanny]

your max gross weight for your truck is 9200lbs. my 07 GMC ext. cab 4x4 short bed with hitch full fuel me and wife 7160lbs. as richfaa said the only things that count are facts. I had a sales person tell me not to worry about the gross truck weight. the only thing that matters is the combined weight. Now for me add pin weight to the 7160 and..............................

[exav8tr]

Kabrys, Welcome to: "The Best Darned Forum on the WWW!!" I pulled a rather heavy 3400 my first year with a 3/4 ton Chevy Duramax. Towing and stopping were not a problem. I found I was over the 9200 lb capacity of the truck (loaded truck + pin weight of trailer). This year I upgraded to a one ton dually to alleviate this problem. I think you will find that your triler will weigh considerably more that the empty weight and pin weights usually run higher also...You must decide IF you want to tow over your limits or not.

[Montana Sky]

I have a 2004 3400RL and tow it with my 2004 2500HD Duramax Crewcab, 4x4 shorbed Silverado. Towing is not an issue, stopping is not an issue; however, I am over the GVWR by a couple hundred pounds. I am within the GCVWR of 22,000 lbs. I did have airbags installed last week after logging 130,000 miles on the truck which solved the 1.5" squat. Know your numbers, make your own decision, and do whats best for you.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

This weight issue gets kicked around on a very very regular basis. After nearly 6 years on this forum and others I have read way to many pros and cons and not once have I read where the 3/4 toners agreed with the 1 toners. Granted when you are talking about the HI-END and ToyHauler 5th wheels this may not be the case but I have seen a few 3/4s towing Tri Axle Toy Haulers.
We are fulltimers pushing (or should that be pulling) nearly 6 years. We travel around the USA each summer logging many miles on the Monty and TV. I have been and will continue to tow my 3485SA with my 2005 GMC 2500HD D/A SB with air bags. My first diesel was an 03 Silverado 2500HD. It and my current GMC have done all I asked them to do. I yanked the 5er up and down mountains thru the Rockies and the Appalachians without any problems. I have made sudden stops without any problems. The 2500HDs will do the job and they do it well.
Go to most any busy RV Park and count the TVs pulling 5ers. I have done this many many times and 90% of the time the 3/4s out number the 1 ton by a wide margin. At our own MOC Fall rally you will find this to be true as you will at most all of our rallys. Does this make the 3/4 owners right? Well you be the judge and think about it. We 3/4HD owners can't all be wrong.

[richfaa]

"We 3/4HD owners can't all be wrong." Well now.....I wouldn't say that////

[Ozzie]

I have read this discussion many times...if GM offered the one ton in a short box, that is the truck I would've purchased. Since they don't, the 2500 is what's in my driveway. I simply cannot have that long beast in my driveway and using it for work in town.

I have also read that if you add airbags or another leaf spring you can get your truck recertified for the additional capabilities.
Has anyone gone through this process? It could provide a solution for those with these concerns.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

"We 3/4HD owners can't all be wrong." Well now.....I wouldn't say that////

I WOULD!!!! But than again I ain't the "weight police".

[exav8tr]

Kabyrs, As you can see, this topic can elicit some unique responses. The bottom line is to run your numbers and THEN make a choice as to what to tow with or what trailer to buy. We all make a choice based on personal decisions anyway. I totally believe it depends on HOW YOU DRIVE. Your decision will be respected by most on this forum and to the others, well, who cares?

[akf15e]

It's been pretty well summed up here. It will do just fine, but make sure you go into this armed with some facts. You will need to weigh the truck and your rig to be sure, but I can say you will almost certainly be under the combined weight limit of 22K lbs, under the truck rear axle rating of 6084, and under your max rear tire rating (6084 or about 6700, depending on the tire).

You will almost certainly be over the GVWR of your truck (9200 lbs). The only way I do not exceed that weight is when it's just me and about 3/4 or less tank of fuel. When the wife and 3 dogs jump in and I toss some firewood in the bed and top off the tank, we go over by 3-500 lbs. What does that mean? Not sure to be honest. Excess wear on the springs maybe? But being 3% over doesn't worry me a whole lot to be honest. But to be safe, I take it slower and give myself lots of room to stop.

[NCFischers]

To change the subject before this gets ugly, Butch, how did the body repair go on the Monty after the nimrod ran into it with the concrete dolly?

[akf15e]

Hey Jim - apparently they don't have an on site "paint and putty" man. They have a guy who swings by whenever enough work needs to be done on rigs. So it may not get done right now (it's in for about 1/2 dozen "tweaks" as we speak). I may look into getting it done locally or see if someone in Myrtle Beach or OBX does work while we are camped there. Otherwise it'll have to wait until the season is over.

How's the monster garage coming along?!

[TLightning]

quote:Originally posted by Kabrys

We are considering buying a Montana 3665RE (2009)5th Wheel and seem to be getting conflicting weights from different sales people and Montana brochures. We are trying to establish if our GMC 2500 HD short Box Crew Cab with a Duramax Diesel 6.6 turbo with the Allison Transmission is capable of pulling and STOPPING the 11,875 lb. rv? It would be great to hear from someone who might have the same TV & 5th wheel and get their input. Thanks

You have asked the wrong question...no doubt our truck can pull any Montana...all GM diesels (3/4 and one ton) have the same drive train. However, your 3/4 ton cannot handle the pin weight of a Montana as well as all the things we put in our trucks (passengers, the hitch, tools, cargo, etc) and remain within its GVWR.

The last person you want advice from is a saleman who is trying to sell you something.

[Sinterior]

Hi, here are my weights as of today....2006 Chev 2500HD E/C 4X4 D/A and an '09 3400RL Anniversary.

I just posted on Trailer Life Forum, so I'll just mention basics

Truck, me, DW, and "stuff" ie, toolbox with stuff, rubber backed skirting for the five, no trailer, full of fuel
fr axle 4290lbs
rr axle 3300lbs
=.......7590lbs

'09 Montana 2400RL Anniversary, most options ie, slide awnings, dual pane windows, gel coat exterior ( I hear that adds weight?) but no washer/dryer or generator, but 4 6V Trojan T105's in genny compartment, solar panels and inverter. Loaded with food, clothes, dishware, bedding, BBQ, spare propane tank, lawn chairs, tools etc etc, empty fridge, and 1/3 tank of fresh water and other tanks empty.

fr axle 4378 lbs
rr axle 5808 lbs
=.......10186lbs

Trailer axles 11330 lbs
Pin weight.....2596 lbs

GCVW..........21516 lbs

The above weights are based on 1kg = 2.2lbs

Suprisingly I'm under all weights limits but truck GVW where I'm a 1000lbs over.

These weights were taken at a BC government certified weigh station, and I understand that they are now starting to weigh BC resident RV'ers, and why I'm looking for a 1 ton dually.

Peter

[richfaa]

The above is the way to get the "facts" and make a decision.

[Dmaxdon]

The Province of British Columbia dictates that if your trailer is over 10000 pounds, you must have a heavy trailer endorsement on your drivers license. This involves a written test which is mostly about weight ratings and how the pin weight of a fifth wheel can overload the pickup before the combined weight rating is reached. It also involves a road test pulling your unit.
I pull my Montana with an 08 Chevy dually with the incredible Duramax Allison power train. I need the 11400 GVWR to handle my pin weight, my auxilary fuel tank and everything else I put in my truck.
I also am an RV sales consultant and I will not sell an RV that will overload my customer's Tow Vehicle.
The law in BC says I can't sell the unit, my driver's license endorsement training insures that I understand it is against the law to tow overweight and my left wing government auto insurance will void my insurance if I break the rules.
It might be ok to tow a Monty with a 2500HD in the good old USA but to do it in beautiful British Columbia could get ugly.

[SlickWillie]

quote:Originally posted by Dmaxdon

The Province of British Columbia dictates that if your trailer is over 10000 pounds, you must have a heavy trailer endorsement on your drivers license. This involves a written test which is mostly about weight ratings and how the pin weight of a fifth wheel can overload the pickup before the combined weight rating is reached. It also involves a road test pulling your unit.
I pull my Montana with an 08 Chevy dually with the incredible Duramax Allison power train. I need the 11400 GVWR to handle my pin weight, my auxilary fuel tank and everything else I put in my truck.
I also am an RV sales consultant and I will not sell an RV that will overload my customer's Tow Vehicle.
The law in BC says I can't sell the unit, my driver's license endorsement training insures that I understand it is against the law to tow overweight and my left wing government auto insurance will void my insurance if I break the rules.
It might be ok to tow a Monty with a 2500HD in the good old USA but to do it in beautiful British Columbia could get ugly.

OK, I gotta ask; Seattle or BC? I'm just curious as I noticed the USA under the user name and in your profile.

These threads all go the same way. I really think you one ton guys are jealous of the ones towing with the 2500s. Should I go into the details of the differences in the GM trucks one more time? I'm sure the other two brands are similar. What is so unsafe about towing with the 2500 with beefed up suspension? Is that little sticker on the door post gonna protect you from an accident?

I saw a guy here pulling one of those huge KZ fifth wheels. Probably 3000 pounds pin weight or near. Had air bags on the TV, didn't even air them up. No bad squat either. 2500HD D/A Chevy tow vehicle. One of the other guys here pulls a Mobile Suite with a similar tow vehicle. Now, I don't tow like that,but if I did, I would probably be SOB by now. But if they want to, more power to them. I sure don't feel threatened when I see them headed down the highway. JMHO

[Clyde n Deb]

You can put a saddle on a Chihuahua too.

How would you figure pin weight on this rig:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW9tL641A_o