3400

[bruceeb]

My wife and I are looking to purchase a Montana 3400, as we like the floor plan. We will pull it with a 2003 Cevy 3/4 ton ET with D/A. I notice that there are many of you out there who are similarily equipped. I've heard so much controversey regarding hitch weight, that I am looking for information from those who have done/are doing this.
I have also installed air bags with a compressor.
Bruce and Bev plus Hamish, our Scottie Terrier

[bsmeaton]

Bruce - if you're looking at the 2007 3400RL, expect a pin weight between 2,100 to 2,800 lbs depending on how it's equipped and loaded. Adds that contribute significantly are front AC, generator, gel coat, Washer/dryer, stuff stored in the basement, or any other major mass installed in front of the axles.

Our F350 has a maximum cargo capacity of 3,400 lbs using true weight/GVWR, or 3,750 maximum capacity for the tires.

[Mudchief]

You are right there is a lot of opinions on this. Most people are concern about pin weight, axel weight. For me the most important thing I am concerned about is the ability to stop. I have never seen a truck on the side of the road with the axel or frame broke because of the hitch weight. I have pulled with both and both do a good job of pulling but neither one will stop any better than the other if you get in trouble. The lightest thing I pull is our 3400RL.

[rames14]

Terrie and I have towed from Maine to Texas, through the Rockies and in all kinds of weather. We have had no problems whatsoever. You will find many folks using a similar tow setup. The nice thing about the GM with the Allison is the transmission braking. It really assists coming out of the mountains. By the way, we love our 3400 as well. There are a lot of different floorplans to suit just about anyone's taste. About half of the units made by Montana are 3400's. Good luck with your choice.

[Montana Sky]

My coach came in with a pin weight right at 1,800 lbs. I weighed the coach before I left on a 7,000 mile, 7 week road trip last fall and my pin weight was right at 2,197 lbs. My truck, myself, dog, hitch, and full fuel weighs in at 7,108 lbs. Take that number plus the hitch and my GVW is 9,305 lbs. That put me over my GVW by 105 lbs; I added a full tank of fresh water to the coach and that transfered enough pin weight to the coach axles that I was under my GVWR. I have towed over my GVWR by a few hundred pounds, but I never exceed the rear axle weight rating on the truck. Towing with a 2500HD can be done, but one has to pay attention to where you store the heavy items in the coach. We a few trips to the local scales, you will find what to put where to help reduce the pin weight.

[foggyb]

Hi Never weighed ours but by Saturday we will have over 40,000 miles on the 3400 with no major probs. Have replaced pins and shackles and brakes but that is expected. Dan

[bruceeb]

Thank you all for your remarks. I do believe that we will go ahead with the purchase. We just retired last year, and spent the winter in Arizona. We found it a little cdramped in our Titanium with one slide. We'll do that trip again, and we also spend a month in Alberta during the summer to visit with relatives and friends. So we don't tow it all year round.
Thanks again for your assistance.

[Cat320]

Any diesel will 'pull' any Montana fine. Pulling is not an issue. The issue is the ability of the 3/4 to handle the pin weight. The empty pw of a 3400 is 2000, a realistic pw is 2500. 2500 is over the GVWR of the majority of 3/4 ton trucks...and that's before you add passengers, cargo, the weight of the hitch, tools, the extra fuel tank people like to add, etc. So bruceeb, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story is that it will pull fine, but you will be over weight...your truck/your money/you'll be in it/you decide.

On edit...I noticed you are from Canada. I would suggest you PM Don (Wrenchtraveller), he is from Canada, and has stated in the past that Canadian law requires you to meet all weight restrictions as spelled out by the manufacturer.

[bigred715]

Cat320, I completely agree with you. That is precisely why I went with 3500 SRW. I pull a 2880RL with a pin weight of 2160#, but I have a Onan generator up front. I could have bought a 2500HD in the color I wanted, but I would have been about 200# over my GVW. At the time I bought over Labor Day they were giving an extra $1000 for rebate and I couldn't order the color I wanted for the 3500. I can add about 480# extra to the truck and be within my limits. This was my third try to get it right.

[Wrenchtraveller]

British Columbia is the Province I live in and because we have government auto insurance, it is very important to be within your weight specs. The rest of Canada, I am not sure about.
I like my 2955RL very much but it has no real storage behind the wheels and I am not about to remove my two rear recliners and stack cement bags back there to lighten my pin weight. I end up with 2600 pounds on the pin and I need every bit of my 7000 pound rear axle rating. In 05 Ford went to a 7000 pound rear axle on their F350 and they went model and engine specific on the GVWR.
My GVWR is 11200 and I just manage to stay under it. My truck was at 11080 last year when I was completely loaded up and my wife takes everything. I know I travel heavier than most people but it really is nice to be able to pack what you want and meet your truck specs. The main thing is keep your truck tires aired up to the specs listed on the door label and know how much weight you have on the rear tires of your TV.

[sreigle]

Bruce, as you said, there are many of us towing similar rigs to yours and having no problems towing, stopping, or controlling. Many of us are over our payload and GVWR. I am over on those, too. You have to decide whether this is acceptable to you. I understand in Canada, at least some parts, there are some laws about this. In the U.S., according to my attorney and insurance agent, they are guidelines. However, if you have an accident and someone decides to sue you because you are overweight, then you may possibly be liable, if they can prove the overweight caused the accident. I've yet to hear of a case like that but you do open yourself to that possibility. My insurance agent says our company would pay but might then decide to cancel us until we were withint the recommended weights if they have to pay for this reason. Because of our extensive experience towing this way I am willing to accept this slight risk. We'll turn 80k on this truck this week and this is the third truck where we've been in a similar situation. The three trucks' total mileage is over 200,000 although probably only about half of that is towing. You are smart to evaluate the situation and make the decision you feel is best for you.