Anybody towing a 39' Monty with a 2011 SRW 3500 CC - Montana Owners Club

RKassl · 02-20-2015, 01:53 AM

Thinking about moving from our 2955RL at 32' long to a 3440RL at 39' long. I am concerned because I pull our 2055RL slightly nose high which lowers the rear of the Monty slightly. Never had any bottoming problems at all. But I am concerned that adding 7' more to the length will aggravate things. So I am looking to see if anyone tows a 39' to 40' Montana with the same vehicle as we do a 2011 Chevy 3500 D/A CC SRW with a standard box. We needed to raise the Pullrite hitch with the 3' spacer to clear the bed rails when we went from our 2004 2500HD to the 3500.

What do you think? If this would be a problem we would be forced to drop back to a new 3160RL at 36'.

**DQDick** · 02-20-2015, 02:39 AM

Not sure about your set up, but the pin box is also adjustable. On our set up we adjusted both the pin box and the hitch to get the trailer to pull level.

bethandkevin · 02-20-2015, 02:42 AM

I pull with a 2500HD D/A. As you can see from our signature photo, we set level. Your 3440RL resembles our 3402RL very closely.
Only on the worst of roads have I bottomed out. Fortunately that is rare, even in Michigan.

TAKPAK · 02-20-2015, 05:35 AM

We have pulled our 3725 (40 feet long) with first the 2008 K3500 GMC SRW 4X4 and now with our new 2015 K3500 SRW 4X4, no problems. Nice and level. Never have had any dragging problems.....well, except once when we "scuffed" the front landing gear (no damage) on an exceptionally sharp rising entrance to RV parking lot for a restaurant. But, never even close to scraping the rear....ever.

winter texan · 02-20-2015, 01:45 PM

Had a 36 foot Mountaineer. Got at new 39 foot 3582 Montana. Pulled from Elkhart IN to FL and got 11mpg with an 2005 Dodge 2500. Couldn't tell the 2000 pounds of extra weight made any difference.

jhudson · 02-21-2015, 01:44 AM

I tow with a vehicle very similar to yours. Only difference is it is a extended cab and long bed. As seen in picture, both truck and trailer are level. Never had any issues with dragging anything. To be honest, I am more worried about overhead clearance than dragging issues. Clearance between truck bed and trailer is 7 inches.

PackerFan · 02-21-2015, 10:45 AM

We also pull the 3725RL, 39 ft., with a Dodge 3500 SRW 4x4 and have never had an issue with dragging or bottoming out. I added air bags to the truck and that helps a lot when leveling everything up.

TLightning · 02-21-2015, 12:47 PM

As the norm, this topic is fraught with the normal "pulls fine" is "always level" and similar comments. Do the numbers prior to getting a SRW drive truck to haul a big Montana. The issue is the pin weight and the weight in the truck...any diesel will "pull" any montana.

1retired06 · 02-21-2015, 03:20 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by TLightning

As the norm, this topic is fraught with the normal "pulls fine" is "always level" and similar comments. Do the numbers prior to getting a SRW drive truck to haul a big Montana. The issue is the pin weight and the weight in the truck...any diesel will "pull" any montana.

Agree.

jhudson · 02-22-2015, 02:04 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by TLightning

As the norm, this topic is fraught with the normal "pulls fine" is "always level" and similar comments. Do the numbers prior to getting a SRW drive truck to haul a big Montana. The issue is the pin weight and the weight in the truck...any diesel will "pull" any montana.

True statement, however some of the newer 3500 srw have better numbers than the older DRW vehicles. So it is difficult to ruling out them out of the equation. My SRW is able to carry my 3725 without exceeding its gross weight rating of its axles and still within its gvwr of the truck. I am close to the 11600 gvwr of the truck, and have to pay attention to how I load, but able to handle the load.

Some folks I realize like to have more margin, but I am okay with my margins. I will admit though, if I were to do it all over again, I would have the DRW as I do have to be careful in loading our 3725.

I guess my point is the newer SRW 1 ton trucks are quite capable vehicles and should not be ruled out automatically without first doing the numbers and weighing both truck and trailer loaded ready for your adventures.

Now I believe the original poster was asking the question about if his 2011 3500 SRW would have any issues of dragging the rear of a 40 foot trailer, as his current trailer sit higher at the nose. With his 2011, I believe his gvwr is 11500 pounds and his rear axle rating is 7050 pounds. He, in my opinion, can handle the weight if careful with loading. Lastly, if he is able to level the trailer, should have zero issue with dragging of the rear. I am not sure about this, but I do believe the newer Montana's have more height in the pin area thereby able to accommodate taller trucks to allow the trailer to be towed level.

RKassl · 02-22-2015, 03:38 AM

Thanks MR JHudson, you read my question. I do not need a lecture from the "weight police of the dully division'! The world does not rotate around DRW vehicles. My biggest concern is with my 2011 truck. In that year they really raised the sidewall of the bed plus with the enhance rear suspension the 2011 and on SRW ride high enough that Pullrite said to use 3" riser on our Superglide slider hitch to safely clear the top of the bed rail with our 2004 Monty. Thus the nose of the 2005 Monty is riding a little higher than I would like it to be. On our 10,000 mile Alaska trip we never had a problem.

We did everything to try to correct the nose high condition, the pin box was moved all the way to the top setting to bring the nose down, that maybe helped a little bit.

I wonder if the new Montana's have a different structure in the front compared to our 2005 to make them ride leveler with the newer trucks that are SRW? I just may call Keystone and ask them for some feedback on this.

The reason for my post was to make contact with owners who may have the identical tow vehicle and at least a 39' and a Superglide hitch so I could understand in advance if I was going to have a problem.

Thanks for your response.

jhudson · 02-22-2015, 07:49 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by RKassl

Thanks MR JHudson, you read my question. I do not need a lecture from the "weight police of the dully division'! The world does not rotate around DRW vehicles. My biggest concern is with my 2011 truck. In that year they really raised the sidewall of the bed plus with the enhance rear suspension the 2011 and on SRW ride high enough that Pullrite said to use 3" riser on our Superglide slider hitch to safely clear the top of the bed rail with our 2004 Monty. Thus the nose of the 2005 Monty is riding a little higher than I would like it to be. On our 10,000 mile Alaska trip we never had a problem.

We did everything to try to correct the nose high condition, the pin box was moved all the way to the top setting to bring the nose down, that maybe helped a little bit.

I wonder if the new Montana's have a different structure in the front compared to our 2005 to make them ride leveler with the newer trucks that are SRW? I just may call Keystone and ask them for some feedback on this.

The reason for my post was to make contact with owners who may have the identical tow vehicle and at least a 39' and a Superglide hitch so I could understand in advance if I was going to have a problem.

Thanks for your response.

Hi Bob,

I too was in the same situation prior to my purchase of our 3725. Had a 2004 SOB made in Canada. Pulled it with my dodge diesel and was a level tow. When I got my 2012 Silverado, as you stated in your post, I had to raise the hitch up 2 inches and the result was the SOB was nose high. I could not do any thing about it as I needed to maintain enough clearance between truck rails and trailer. I didn't like it but it towed fine with the nose up.

In 2013 we purchased the 3725, I measured the distance from the ground to bottom of the 3725 right beside the pin. I had an additional 4 inches compared to the SOB! In fact I didn't have to change the height of the hitch for the 2012 at all. It was the same height that I had with the SOB. When I hitched up for the first time the new 3725 and the Silverado was level with 7 inches of clearance between truck rails and trailer.

I know I do not have the same hitch and truck, but my truck is close to yours. I do know that there is more distance between the ground and pin and have that measurement at home. Sorry I can't give it to you now as I will not be home for about one week.

I hope that this will help you in your decision.

Regards,
Jay

mhs4771 · 02-22-2015, 12:29 PM

Here's my experience: Had a 2005 Chevy Ext Cab Long Bed D/A combo and was pulling a 2010 Montana 2955RL level with approx 8" Rail/Monty clearance. Traded for a 2011 Chevy Ext Cab Long Bed D/A combo, backed the two trucks up to one another with tail gates down they were exactly the same height, BUT the 2011 Side Rails were approx 2" higher. So we lost 2" clearance, but still had the min of 6" and continued to tow level.

TLightning · 02-23-2015, 04:29 AM

I'm not the ''dually'' police and I'm not giving anybody a lecture. There is some really great information on this and other forums. There is also some horrible information on this and other forums...especially regarding weight and towing issues. Some folks, with good intentions, but very little knowledge or understanding, pass out totally incorrect advice. Just because they are doing it, does not make it right or safe.

You need to do the numbers for YOUR truck and YOUR Montana.

Here it is again:

Tow capacity is the GCWR minus weight of the truck when ready to travel (loaded with pin weight, etc).

RKassl · 02-23-2015, 08:34 AM

TLightning, I am not asking for tow capacities or weights, I will make that decision myself. I was asking for the physical connection of my tow vehicle to a longer Montana than I have right now to understand if it can be towed LEVEL. Can you understand this now?

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