TV selection help

[juddspaintballs]

I recently bought a 350QBQ. I'm new to RVs in general unless you count my 1986 Coleman Sequoia popup that I rebuilt a couple years ago. I do not have a tow vehicle for it and the sellers delivered it to the pad I'm currently living on in it. They used a newer Chevy 3500 Duramax dually crew cab 4x4.





Right now we're full-time living in this and not moving it, but I need the ability to move it. I probably won't be moving it around much, but I do want to get the right vehicle. It appears my GVW is 16,080#. I'm just getting lost in the legalities and details of them. I know the blanket statement is "buy a diesel dually." I would actually like to buy a diesel dually, but even that is confusing with GVWR, GCVW, etc.




I'll be buying used. I don't like to spend all of my money, but I do like to buy the right thing the first time if possible. While the penny pincher in me wants to buy a 90's F350 2wd dually with a 460, it appears that they aren't legally rated high enough anyways, plus I know I wouldn't be happy with it towing very often. By the numbers, I think a pretty new Chevy 2500HD Duramax can pull the trailer weight, but I'm unsure of the payload capacity to be able to do that. Honestly, I'd like a 2006+ Duramax dually, but then I get into the question of whether a crew cab 4x4 would be too heavy of a vehicle to stay within the payload capacity of the truck with the trailer pin weight or not. And then, would I need a CDL being over 26,000# GCVW (I realize the trailer already exceeds the 10,000# limit for CDL) even though it's an RV?




I'm so confused!



No, it won't be a daily driver. No, I'm not parking it in a garage. While I'm new to RVs, I'm not new to driving heavy vehicles or towing trailers. I do not have an A or B CDL, though I could very easily get either. As far as I know, WV doesn't do non-commercial A or B licenses. I am a firefighter and I drive a 76,400# straight truck with three steering axles daily. I am qualified to drive everything in the department including our tractor drawn aerials with a tillerman steering the rear of the trailer. I've never had to worry about weight ratings on fire trucks because we have apparatus people to figure that out.

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by juddspaintballs

...... Honestly, I'd like a 2006+ Duramax dually, but then I get into the question of whether a crew cab 4x4 would be too heavy of a vehicle to stay within the payload capacity of the truck with the trailer pin weight or not....

Any modern dually, whether crew cab, 4WD or what, is full capable of hauling your new RV. If you can find a 2006+ Duramax and you like it, buy it.

[juddspaintballs]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

Any modern dually, whether crew cab, 4WD or what, is full capable of hauling your new RV. If you can find a 2006+ Duramax and you like it, buy it.

I know it is capable. I'm unsure of the numbers game, however. Does exceeding 26,000# GCVW matter? A crew cab dually diesel with people, stuff, and fuel in it could easily weigh over 10,000# and adding a 16,080# trailer to the mix puts it over 26,000#. Not to mention the pin weight of about 3400# deducts from the payload capacity of the truck, which could now easily be exceeded when it's full of people, stuff, and fuel.

[DQDick]

What Carl said. As to the CDL you need to check your state, but many states don't require one for RV's.

[Daryles]

Reference for drivers license
https://www.campanda.com/magazine/rv...-requirements/

Good info on towing capacity
Trailer Life Towing info
https://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides.

[AZ Traveler]

Jed,

If you are not going to move your rig very often you might consider hiring it out. It might be much more cost effective compared to buying a truck and keeping plates and insurance on it.

[buford]

Hey Judds, Welcome to the forum from a fellow Eastern Panhandler. I think you will find these guys knowledgeable and very helpful. Happy Camping.

[juddspaintballs]

Originally Posted by AZ Traveler

Jed,

If you are not going to move your rig very often you might consider hiring it out. It might be much more cost effective compared to buying a truck and keeping plates and insurance on it.

I have seriously considered it. I have a buddy a couple hours away who has a 2008 F450 with a B&W turnover gooseneck hitch already, so I'd just need the companion 5th wheel part to make his truck work even. He's offered it anytime I want. I think the eventual plan is to get my own truck, however. My parents bought this farm last year and we're going to start working it with some greenhouses and livestock. We're going to need a bigger truck than my dad's '94 F250 7.3 and his '93 Ram 2500 Cummins.

A Duramax dually is the ideal setup in my mind. I'm not opposed to stepping up to a medium duty truck like a Topkick or International 4700 or so.

[mlh]

A Dmax DRW would me you a great truck. I think a 06 Dmax is one of the best tow trucks. They don’t have all the pollution controls of the new trucks but they don’t have as much power either. If you aren’t towing often it doesn’t matter. Go for the Chevy, great truck. I don’t say this because I have one, I don’t.
Lynwood

[DutchmenSport]

I feel pretty certain that if you get a 3500 dually or an f350 dually, especially in diesel, you'll have the truck to tow your fifth wheel. And the truck will be useful for your other needs also.

About CDL? First, I know nothing about CDL licensing. But this much I know, if you are towing your own private RV, and you are NOT towing it with a truck that has DOT painted on the side, and you are NOT towing it for hire, your non CDL license will probably be just fine. But, do check with the laws of your state.

I was surprised many years ago in Indiana when a singing quartet performed at the church I was attending then. They pulled up in a converted Grey Hound bus. When they were leaving, I asked the driver about the bus and his drivers license (This was Indiana). He said, as long as it was licensed "RV" in Indiana, you could drive it on a normal license. I was shocked. I looked at the tags on the bus, and it was RV.

It was the exact same bus that is used for commercial enterprises, although years ago, it's still a commercial bus, it's just now tagged RV. No special license to drive it.

[mlh]

In Virginia you don’t need a special license for any RV. No matter length or weight.
Lynwood

[Hornet28]

The 07 Chevy/GMC Classic diesel is the LBZ motor exactly the same as the 06

[triplebvalp]

juddspaintballs,

Forget the 2500. If it happened to be a 4wd crew cab with diesel, the pin weight will be waaaaaay below your projected pin weight. Get or find a 3500 diesel dually and you will be good to go.

[R.S.O'Donnell]

Originally Posted by mlh

In Virginia you don’t need a special license for any RV. No matter length or weight.
Lynwood

Same in Florida. Just recently had a "know-it-all" in a campground tell me I was illegal. I had to show him the back of my DL to shut him up.

"Any non-commercial veh with a GVWR < 26,001 lbs. or any RV".

Fortunately he never bothered me again.