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Old 09-26-2007, 05:40 AM   #12
Bill and Lisa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 707
M.O.C. #6958
Maybe by sticking to facts I can help you know what to look at without opening the preverbial can of worms.

I tow a 2007 3000RK with a 2001 Chevy 2500HD Duramax/Allison. What follows is only my experience....yours' may differ.

The Chevy has a GVWR of 9200 pounds, I am over that.
The rear axle rating is 6084 pounds, I was close on that.

What I have done to give myself increased piece of mind

1. upgraded tires to 265/75R16. Previous rear tire max load was 3042 each (6084 total). Total max load for new tires is 6830.

2. Added air bags to:
a. improve ride
b. return truck to level which shifted some of the weight to the front axle and some of the trailer weight to the rear axles.

3. FW tank is forward of the axles on the 3000RK so I only run with tank 1/3 full to minimize pin weight.

4. Don't fully empty the kitchen Grey tank unless it is my last stop before reaching home. That weight, all the way at the rear of the unit helps keep down the pin weight (which is what pushes the hitched truck over the GVCWR)

New problem I am aware of based upon discussions with the Moryde folks at the rally. Your trailer should be towed as level as possible to evenly distribute the load on the dual axles. Level is determined by measuring distance from fram to ground at the front and the rear of the unit.

Prior to adding the air bags my 2500 squatted quite a bit and I was still about 1" higher at the front of the monty than at the rear.

Now that I have added the air bags and the truck is back to level I am about 5" higher at the front of the trailer than at the rear. Not good. For around $800 Moryde can cut off my existing suspension, insert tubular spacers and remount my suspension. It was strongly recommended that I save up and for $1600 replace the axles completely with the independent wheel suspension. I am probably going to go that route but need to check if that can only be done out in Goshen IN or if it can be done elsewhere, closer to home.

Interim partial solutions
1. I have room to lower the whole hitch on my rails one notch. Hesitate to do that as there have been a couple of times where getting into or out of campsites and fuel stations the back of my bed side walls have come close to "touching" the underside of the bedroom area. reducing that vertical clearance by putting the hitch lower in the truck bed worries me.

2. looking at the ability to partially compress the leaf springs on all four truck wheels, lowering the whole truck closer to the ground.

My monty is 2000 lbs under the gvwr for the trailer so I am not sure if I am over loading the rear trailer axle or not but am very close to it if not over.

This are my "challanges" using a 2500 but I am not looking to change TV any time soon. I am generally pleased with the ability of the 2500 to pull the 3000RK. Coming through PA on the way back to VA from the rally there were times where I dropped to 40MPH (didn't want to run higher than 2700 rpm) but as others have said, there were plenty of 18 wheelers ahead and behind me travelling the same speed on those stretchs.

Hope this helps you understand the issues and what you need to look at as you make your decision.

Bill
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Bill and Lisa Rearick
2023 Grand Design Reflection 367BHS
2020 GMC SIERRA 2500 Denali, 8 ft bed, SRW, Duramax Diesel w/10 speed Alison Transmission.
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