Anyone Towing a 3750FL With a GMC? - Montana Owners Club

captbanjo · 08-21-2013, 09:32 AM

We presently tow a 2005 3400RL with a diesel GMC 2500 truck. We are considering changing to a 3750FL. The pin weight is heavier than the 3400 is. This would mean that we can't tow that model with our present truck as I understand it.

I'm wondering if anyone else is towing this model and with a GMC truck? I've been very happy with my GMC truck and would like to replace it with another GMC.

bethandkevin · 08-21-2013, 10:01 AM

Wayne, you don't mention what type of RV'ing you're doing. If you're towing a lot and longer distances, you're probably correct in looking at a new truck too. If you don't pull that far, you're probably ok for shorter trips. Many opinions will come out in response to your question I'm sure. For the record, I'm towing mine with 2905# (loaded) on the pin and with the distances I currently tow, I'm comfortable with what I have now.

captbanjo · 08-21-2013, 10:15 AM

Thanks. A lot of our towing is in the four hour driving range from Rhode Island to New Hampshire. But we also go to Florida every winter which is about 1200 miles from Rhode Island.

I'm thinking a 3500 would be the best bet if we were to buy a new truck. It doesn't look like I would have to get a dually?

K0LCB · 08-21-2013, 10:26 AM

I use a 3500 Dodge wit DRW, I haven't had any problems. I am pretty upset with the waynGMC treated their retired employees so I will probably never buy another

Tom S. · 08-21-2013, 10:30 AM

Leaving the single rear wheel vs dual rear wheel arguments to others, if you think a 3500 SRW will handle it, why not increase the springs rating on yout 2500 by putting on a pair of 3500 springs? It's a bolt on conversion that shouldn't take more than a couple hours (or less at a shop). As long as your wheels and tires are rated for the extra weight, you'd be good to go.

Unless of course you're looking for an excuse to buy a new truck.

bethandkevin · 08-21-2013, 12:13 PM

I agree with Tom. That would be a simple and relatively inexpensive way to prolong the use of your present truck. I added one additional leaf to my old truck, a half ton, to handle my lightweight SOB at the time. If you're handy, as Tom said, a couple hours work. Great idea Tom!

captbanjo · 08-21-2013, 12:54 PM

Interesting possibility I had not considered...thanks!

Irlpguy · 08-21-2013, 01:55 PM

As with Tom I will not debate the issue of single vs Dual rear wheels, however the GVWR of the truck will not be changed whatsoever by the addition of heavier rear springs. It will indeed not sag as much and may improve the ride but the trucks GVWR is based on several factors only one of which is the capacity of the springs.
I would check the GVWR of your truck as stated on the door frame and weigh the truck to determine it's actual weight full of fuel and what you might carry in it when traveling. That will tell you how much capacity you have left for the pin weight of a heavier unit.

If you ignore those things I suspect you would be over your trucks GVWR. Lots of folks are towing heavier units with 3/4 ton trucks and are overweight but so are some with 1 ton's and dually's. It is a choice you make, however I think it is advisable to be as informed as you can regarding the pin weight of the new RV and the capacity of the truck before making those decisions.

JMHO

swanny · 08-21-2013, 01:59 PM

I tow a 3625RE with a 2007 GMC 2500hd diesel. I added an extra spring, a "SuperSpring". Superspring is the company name. I added a 3000 lb spring, very easy add on. One hour both were installed in my driveway.

kevin

Art-n-Marge · 08-21-2013, 02:49 PM

Hi Swanny, as long as you checked that your wheels and tires would support the new weight up to the GVWR of a SRW 3500 GMC, then you should be able to support some of the ratings provided by the Superspring. I did the same thing with my SRW Ford F-250 by adding the F-350 overload spring and hardware and had to change my wheels and tires to support it. I was able to gain only 1,000 lbs at the rear end and 1,500 gross weight rating gain. And even though I have air bags in the rear, they DO NOT increase ratings at all but make the ride smoother, more comfortable and raise the rear end enough so my headlights do not turn into high beams.

For example, just adding 3,000 more lbs of capacity at the rear springs and the wheels and tires match the new rating doesn't mean you gained all 3,000 lbs of rating because beyond the GVWR of the SRW 3500 GMC, there may be other components needing an upgrade.

With Capt Banjo looking at a new 3750, I'm not sure even a 3500 will support the rig unless it's a dually. I know even with the mods I did to effectively turn my F-250 into an F-350 for personal use (I did not recertify/relabel to make things 100% official) I don't have enough truck to tow that model rig with only SRW. I believe any new model of dually including GMC would have ratings to satisfy the that new rig. So when you get that new truck, I hope you post pictures. It's fun looking at others' new toy even if they are work-like.

captbanjo · 08-22-2013, 09:46 AM

Lots of good stuff! I have a mechanic I trust and I think I'll run this all by him and get his opinion on my truck.

HOOK · 08-22-2013, 03:01 PM

Bingo is towing a 3750 with a chev 1 ton dually. I will only suggest that you consider the safety of the wider stance and stability of a dually. IMHO and not trying to rehash this again , the dually is safer in an emergency situation. It's not about towing the unit, it's about controlling it in an emergency.

Samiterry · 08-22-2013, 03:27 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by HOOK

Bingo is towing a 3750 with a chev 1 ton dually. I will only suggest that you consider the safety of the wider stance and stability of a dually. IMHO and not trying to rehash this again , the dually is safer in an emergency situation. It's not about towing the unit, it's about controlling it in an emergency.

I concur. We had a Chevy 2500 HD, and just felt that a 3500 HD dually would be more stable and safer.

dsprik · 08-22-2013, 04:27 PM

I had a 2002 GMC 2500HD and I pulled our 2007 3400 for 6 yrs with it. I just upgraded to a GMC 3500 HD (granted it has the dreaded SRW) as I felt the 2500 was really getting tired. I believe you will be able to pull that FL for a few years, but my experience is that you will wear that 2500 out sooner. JMHO.

NCFischers · 08-23-2013, 01:05 AM

The Diesel engines and transmissions are the same in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks so the power to pull is relatively the same. As Larry said, the ability to stop and control an emergency is far more important in my opinion. I've had to do it a couple of times and was glad that I was driving the truck that I have. I'm not sure that the results would have been the same with a smaller truck.

Tom S. · 08-23-2013, 03:10 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Irlpguy

As with Tom I will not debate the issue of single vs Dual rear wheels, however the GVWR of the truck will not be changed whatsoever by the addition of heavier rear springs. It will indeed not sag as much and may improve the ride but the trucks GVWR is based on several factors only one of which is the capacity of the springs.
I would check the GVWR of your truck as stated on the door frame and weigh the truck to determine it's actual weight full of fuel and what you might carry in it when traveling. That will tell you how much capacity you have left for the pin weight of a heavier unit.

If you ignore those things I suspect you would be over your trucks GVWR. Lots of folks are towing heavier units with 3/4 ton trucks and are overweight but so are some with 1 ton's and dually's. It is a choice you make, however I think it is advisable to be as informed as you can regarding the pin weight of the new RV and the capacity of the truck before making those decisions.

JMHO

While the GVWR sticker on the door won't change, the physical/actual GVWR will. The only difference between a 3/4 ton GM truck and a SRW 1 ton truck are: 1) springs, 2) Tires, 3) Wheels. Nothing else, well, except as I said the sticker.

Tom S. · 08-23-2013, 03:13 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by NCFischers

The Diesel engines and transmissions are the same in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks so the power to pull is relatively the same. As Larry said, the ability to stop and control an emergency is far more important in my opinion. I've had to do it a couple of times and was glad that I was driving the truck that I have. I'm not sure that the results would have been the same with a smaller truck.

The 3/4 and 1 ton SRW both use the same brakes. A dually might give better braking due to the extra rubber on the road, but I believe even they use the same pads and rotors as the other two.

EDIT: I just checked brake part numbers for both a 3/4 and 1 ton and they are the same.

NCFischers · 08-23-2013, 04:03 AM

The stability that I had in the two panic stops I had to make I'm not sure I would have had in SRW's.

Captain Joe · 08-23-2013, 07:07 AM

I had a 1 ton Dodge dually and towed a 3750FL. I did the math and including EVERYTHING, I was overweight, especially when we took long trips and DW packed accordingly. Changed trucks...see signature.

Art-n-Marge · 08-23-2013, 08:11 AM

DW and I think we stay in control of our loads. Just because there's cabinet space, we don't necessarily fill it. Trips to the scales 3 times during our Montana towing lives confirms, I was overweight the first time, then did some leaf spring work and the other 2 times we had margin.

While that is a beautiful tow vehicle that Captain Joe has, it may not be needed in all cases. When calculating things you should start with the Gross Vehicle or Trailer weights and stay under them. Only the scales will confirm it. The smaller the tow vehicle you select, the harder it is to remain compliant.

If the OP is in the market for a new GMC, and goes with a dually, the odds are very much in his favor. No doubt the dually is more stable and much stronger even with identical power plants, because it's not just the power plant that tows a load. But do get the 4x4 version for even better performance and less problems in bad weather. It only takes once to pay for itself. I do have a SRW and it's 4x4 and I've only needed it four times in 7 years and over 98,000, so I'm happy I did pay more for it. Now if I had only gotten the dually....

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