2006-2009 3500 Duramax SRW for TV - Montana Owners Club

bigskyjimmy · 02-27-2015, 02:41 PM

Me and my wife are fulltimers and have 2 rigs, my 2003 Duramax dually and our Lexus but we want to get down to one rig(of course a truck Only problem is My wife will NOT drive a Dually..EVER and my 2003 LB7 Duramax does not have enough power anymore for the new Monty ,Anybody towing these newer Monty's with a SRW 3500 long bed crew cab Duramax and I am thinking about going without 4WD as I have NEVER used 4WD in 6 years .....ANY THOUGHTS Gang????

TAKPAK · 02-27-2015, 03:12 PM

Hi Jimmy. We're here in Portland, sort of the west coast. Anyway, in regards to your question, we did have a 2008 K3500 GMC/DM/Allison SINGLE rear wheel unit, with the extended cab. Loved it. It pulled two 3400's and our new 3725 with no problems. Just walked up the hills like they weren't there. Only reason we sold it and got a new 2015 was the pin weight of the 3725 is so heavy, it put us over weight a bit. Otherwise, we'd still have it.

Never had any concerns about stability, even on corners. The SRW's did just fine. The new 2015 is also a SRW unit.

The 2008 was (and still is) a great truck. Sold it to a friend who's going to pull a 30 foot Cougar fiver with it. The 2008 had no problems, and as I said, NO lack of power. Your older truck has the five speed Allison in it, ours had the six speed. I think 2008 was the last year before the DEF came about, but I may be wrong on that. It did have the DPF, but never had any trouble with it in 70,000 miles.

I do have the four wheel drive, because I'm on a farm. And I HAVE used it.

Any other questions, feel free to PM me.

bigskyjimmy · 02-27-2015, 03:24 PM

Thanx TAKPAK that is good to hear from a fellow NWer with LOTS of Mountains ,I Love The LBZ Duramax/ 6 speed Allison combo but I am concerned with the pin weight and I wish my wife would drive a Dually and we cannot afford a brand new Rig and even with a Banks tuner my LB7 Duramax with the 5speed Allison still struggles going up big Passes and the stock 5speed Allison cannot handle any more power upgrades

but a 2006-2008 SRW 3500 Duramax is right in our wheelhouse pricewise AND powerwise ALSO does your truck Squat very much when Hooked up[

Thanx again for the input

]

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by TAKPAK

Hi Jimmy. We're here in Portland, sort of the west coast. Anyway, in regards to your question, we did have a 2008 K3500 GMC/DM/Allison SINGLE rear wheel unit, with the extended cab. Loved it. It pulled two 3400's and our new 3725 with no problems. Just walked up the hills like they weren't there. Only reason we sold it and got a new 2015 was the pin weight of the 3725 is so heavy, it put us over weight a bit. Otherwise, we'd still have it.

Never had any concerns about stability, even on corners. The SRW's did just fine. The new 2015 is also a SRW unit.

The 2008 was (and still is) a great truck. Sold it to a friend who's going to pull a 30 foot Cougar fiver with it. The 2008 had no problems, and as I said, NO lack of power. Your older truck has the five speed Allison in it, ours had the six speed. I think 2008 was the last year before the DEF came about, but I may be wrong on that. It did have the DPF, but never had any trouble with it in 70,000 miles.

I do have the four wheel drive, because I'm on a farm. And I HAVE used it.

Any other questions, feel free to PM me.

TAKPAK · 02-27-2015, 04:30 PM

No problem. Regarding "squatting" on the truck......no. The two 3400's (a 2008 and a 2011) did not phase the K3500. Actually, the new 3725 caused the truck to squat a lot more, but it still sat pretty level. In looking at the weights of others, it seems the 3725 has a really heavy pin weight. I know it added about 1000 pounds above the 3400's to the back of the truck. Otherwise, there were no other issues. Over Mt. Hood, the Siskiyou's, Coast Range, Oakridge, etc, some pretty steep hills, and never a problem Maintained at least 50 MPH in most cases. Gross combined weight, we were/are at about 22,000. You won't go wrong with a newer truck, just finding a good one will be the issue.

bigskyjimmy · 02-27-2015, 04:37 PM

Cool great info Terry and you are hitting 50MPH up those hills ?? not too shappy ,I was lucky to hit 45 and struggling to do that.....BY the Way Thank you very much for your Service my good man

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by TAKPAK

No problem. Regarding "squatting" on the truck......no. The two 3400's (a 2008 and a 2011) did not phase the K3500. Actually, the new 3725 caused the truck to squat a lot more, but it still sat pretty level. In looking at the weights of others, it seems the 3725 has a really heavy pin weight. I know it added about 1000 pounds above the 3400's to the back of the truck. Otherwise, there were no other issues. Over Mt. Hood, the Siskiyou's, Coast Range, Oakridge, etc, some pretty steep hills, and never a problem Maintained at least 50 MPH in most cases. Gross combined weight, we were/are at about 22,000. You won't go wrong with a newer truck, just finding a good one will be the issue.

bncinwv · 02-28-2015, 01:43 AM

My wife said the exact same thing about never driving a dually, and even reiterated that after being behind the wheel after the purchase. Time changes things and she drives the dually whenever she wants now. Of course, things might not change on your behalf, but if there is a need for transportation, circumstances sometimes dictate behaviors. The other thing to add, for some reason a woman tooling around in a dually draws repeated looks!!
Bingo

Art-n-Marge · 02-28-2015, 06:23 AM

While I doubt your new 3500 SRW truck could tow your rig is in question, it would depend on whether it's important to be weight rating compliant or not. My current older TV could not tow many of these newer Montana since the weights have increased, but I suppose if you went through the effort you might get lucky and all might be good.

I am convinced the weight ratings of all trucks are better than documented but the LEOs or lawyers don't care about that. While any Toyota Tundra owner will tell you that it was used to tow the Space Shuttle over it's final 12 mile trip, it was at less than 20mph and cleared and blocked streets and with a large amount of police escort. We don't have that luxury or limitation when towing our tons of fun.

bigskyjimmy · 02-28-2015, 07:05 AM

YEP Art-Marge I know I would be close on Weight,but so is my 2003 Dually and I do care about that for sure,tough call for me, Hey Bingo you are right a Woman driving a Big Dually does get a lot of looks and I think it is Sexy

and I wish my wife would do it and she will drive it around SOMETIMES but the "BIG BUTT" just scares here, but SHE LOVES her Lexus but with us traveling around so much it is in storage too much and has to go

pineranch · 02-28-2015, 08:45 AM

My wife was hesitant about driving the dually but need caused her to try and found she had no problems. Three years later, on our last trip back from Colorado she tried towing the Monty. She did 800 miles and she parked it in two campgrounds. Did I mention she turned 70 last summer.
Mike

bigskyjimmy · 02-28-2015, 11:53 AM

Holy Molly!! that woman has guts my friend

I have many friends that have 5er's and NONE of their wives will drive and little alone park them PRETTY IMPRESSIVE

and she is 70!,I see a Bunch of women driving class A's and C's but not 5er's

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by pineranch

My wife was hesitant about driving the dually but need caused her to try and found she had no problems. Three years later, on our last trip back from Colorado she tried towing the Monty. She did 800 miles and she parked it in two campgrounds. Did I mention she turned 70 last summer.
Mike

mhs4771 · 02-28-2015, 12:47 PM

I don't know what to tell you Fellows, but I've got 21.5K towing our previous Monty and 34.7K towing our current SOB, includeing this Summers trip from Florida to Alaska and back. Oh, and all those towing miles are with a Dually.

ALSAN · 02-28-2015, 01:48 PM

My wife took my 02 Dodge dually with a 6 speed manual trans with our 33 ft horse trailer from northern Wisconsin into the Chicago area picked up 2 horses from 2 different farms and then took all down to the Kentucky horse park stayed a week then came home retracing the route back home no problems but in my semi she said no way
All in the mind set

bigskyjimmy · 02-28-2015, 02:31 PM

Yeah I know you do Michelle but you are for sure in the minority,it's not that Woman can't that's for sure,my wife and many others think it's the "mans job" BUMMER I would LOVE to have her drive sometimes and RELAX

I think Women in Farm Communities,Midwest etc.. are more use to big trucks and towing than them "City Girls"

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by mhs4771

I don't know what to tell you Fellows, but I've got 21.5K towing our previous Monty and 34.7K towing our current SOB, includeing this Summers trip from Florida to Alaska and back. Oh, and all those towing miles are with a Dually.

Irlpguy · 02-28-2015, 04:09 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bigskyjimmy

Yeah I know you do Michelle but you are for sure in the minority,it's not that Woman can't that's for sure,my wife and many others think it's the "mans job" BUMMER I would LOVE to have her drive sometimes and RELAX

I think Women in Farm Communities,Midwest etc.. are more use to big trucks and towing than them "City Girls"

RELAX.... are you kidding, my wife used to drive our truck and camper, she drove our car hauling out boat and I could never close both eyes and RELAX. She has never had an accident and is a good driver but I can tell you this dude would be white knuckled with her driving my pride and joy hauling our Montana....no..no..no.. it is not going to happen.

Now then, if you are going to be happy with the possible weight issue with the SRW TV and your wife will drive it to the store to get those things you need to be comfortably fed and lubricated, then go for it.

Tis your decision, and no, I will not write a letter to your wife promoting your decision one way or another.

bigskyjimmy · 02-28-2015, 06:14 PM

LMAO you busted me ED, you are right I would Be HORRIFIED if she ever took the wheel to drive the 5er

,NOT that she would want too Thank God,she scares the heck out me driving the Lexus little alone a 40ft 15K 5er,she is the best wife in the world but she knows her limitations Luckily for me We drove a SRW NON Dually today and she said she is fine with it

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Irlpguy

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bigskyjimmy

Yeah I know you do Michelle but you are for sure in the minority,it's not that Woman can't that's for sure,my wife and many others think it's the "mans job" BUMMER I would LOVE to have her drive sometimes and RELAX

I think Women in Farm Communities,Midwest etc.. are more use to big trucks and towing than them "City Girls"

RELAX.... are you kidding, my wife used to drive our truck and camper, she drove our car hauling out boat and I could never close both eyes and RELAX. She has never had an accident and is a good driver but I can tell you this dude would be white knuckled with her driving my pride and joy hauling our Montana....no..no..no.. it is not going to happen.

Now then, if you are going to be happy with the possible weight issue with the SRW TV and your wife will drive it to the store to get those things you need to be comfortably fed and lubricated, then go for it.

Tis your decision, and no, I will not write a letter to your wife promoting your decision one way or another.

You may also like: