Mistake Maybe - Montana Owners Club

Montana_2036 · 10-08-2004, 06:54 AM

I have read and re-read so much on towing capablities and towing limits. So just wish to get some views from those in the know. I purchased a 2005 Mountineer 315RLS,love it, and my TV is a 2003 GMC 1500HD, 6.0 and 3.73. Now have gone on a couple of trips and have had no problems in towing swaying, have dual cam sway system, but am somewhat concerned on the overload issue. Unit label inside camper indicates UVW of 7740, with GVWR of 9900. TV I get different results on its capability. So here is the question, was this a big mistake? I am going out again this weekend and will happen to be at the dealership on Monday for some replacement items and would like to have some good ammo on why they thought this would not be a problem, although this may not be.

Jim

Montana_2036 · 10-08-2004, 06:58 AM

Forgot to mention the truck is a Crew Cab verion.

Jim

Montana_621 · 10-08-2004, 07:08 AM

I'm sorry to say but even if this forum thinks it a problem it's not going to matter, that dealership is probably NOT going to do anything for you. You bought the trailer now so it's yours, they will tell you anything you want to hear just to get the sale. Well most dealers will do that, I shouldn't say ALL.

I'm sorry to say but I think you are VERY close if not over already. The Keystone site says that your camper dry is 7510# and you can load 2390# more into it, if you did that you would really be over. Now the GMC site says that you are able to tow 8,000#, so you are over or very close to being over. I'm sorry but I feel the dealership didn't do right by you. They sold you too heavy of a trailer to be comfortable to pull with your truck.

azstar · 10-08-2004, 12:17 PM

Jim,
I'm sorry to say I'll agree with Mike & Melissa. Your too close to the bubble. Your overloading a lot of stuff. Like the Rear End, the Suspension, the Brakes, maybe the Tires, and the list goes on.

Great Trailer, great Truck, but put them together, not so great.
You may not get a warning before something goes pop.

Wish you the best

faeb and genb · 10-08-2004, 04:00 PM

I towed a 5ver with a 1500 the only problem I had was stopping. You just don't have big enough brakes.
Gene

DiananColin · 10-08-2004, 04:32 PM

faeb and gaeb are right on! It's one thing to start but my biggest concern always is can I stop!

The 315 is a great rig (was our first) - only thing missing was the bedroom slide so changed up to the 335 (Nice rig Steve and Nina). Then along came the 3400 which would not let us say no. We do have a plenty of capacity with the Ram 3500 - we did purchase the rig first then the truck. Not claiming any special skill - it just seemed to make sense that way round. BTW no dealer really understands towing capacities (Truck or Trailer) - maybe they don't want to understand it as they may have to be 100% honest and that means they may risk losing a sale.

Hate to say it but IMHO you are out of balance with the combination. Sorry.

Northstar · 10-08-2004, 07:57 PM

I agree you need a 3/4 ton truck or higher. Happyrving....

Montana Sky · 10-08-2004, 09:48 PM

My first Montana was the 315RLS TT. I was towing it with the same truck as you and sorry to say, ended up blowing the rear end out of it. I replaced the truck with a 2500HD Duramax and had no trouble towing my TT. Then came the RV show last year and fell in love with the 3400RL. Since then I had to replace the pervious truck with the new truck due to a accident and also purchased the 3400RL in April. No towing problems now. I would say if you really like the coach, then you might be better off trading in the truck for a 2500HD. The dealership where I have purchased both my RV'S from warned me that I was overloading the 1500 truck with the TT. And they were right. Good luck and let us know what happens.

Bill and Ann · 10-09-2004, 02:11 AM

Ditto to all of the above. Look for another tow vehicle.

Montana_593 · 10-09-2004, 11:51 AM

You could store your tt near the campground, at least until you can get a bigger truck. I had a suburban when I bought my tt, the salesman told me it was too much tt for the burb. We like the tt so much we bought it anyway. My wife still thinks I bought the tt just to get the truck. I'll never admit it.

Good news is you have a great tt and now you get to pick a new truck, aint life sweet?

Good Luck

Montana_2302 · 11-05-2004, 12:14 PM

You'll dump your rear end within 500 hundred miles if ya dont end up runnin into somthing because ya can't stop....you need a 1 ton...or at the very least a 3/4 ton for the kind of weight you're pulling if you're going to have it fully loaded...i.e. water and personal gear.
Personally i prefer the 1 ton with duallies....My Everest weights 12480 lbs loaded.....with the 2005 F350 powerstroke diesel with duallies....i can tow 15500 lbs....SAFELY! Good idea to have a little extra capability in the event you might want a bigger coach someday.....and with the diesels being what they are....it's not unheard of to get 100-200-300,000 miles out of them....sound investment!

sreigle · 11-05-2004, 01:27 PM

I agree with the others that the truck is probably not going to do well with that load. The UVW of the trailer is without battery and without propane tanks. And, of course, without gear. I'd bet you'll be at 9,000 when loaded for a vacation. Maybe more.

Until very recently I subscribed to the theory that 1-ton is better than 3/4 ton. That's probably still true but we just traded our 1-ton for a new 3/4-ton. The reason I went with the 3/4 ton is that it actually has higher ratings than my '03 1-ton did with same engine and transmission. The new F250 crewcab shortbed single rear wheel is rated to tow 15,400 (FW), has GCWR of 23,000, and GVWR of 10,000. The traded 1-ton was, respectively, 13,400, 20,000, and 9,900. The 1-tons go now to 17,000, 23,500, and GVWR to 13,000 (dually). So, the landscape is changing again. Our Montana weighed 13,980 at last weighing. We've offloaded some things so it's probably closer to 13,500 now. So the new ratings are welcome to us.

Chester · 11-05-2004, 01:33 PM

I agree with everyone. You don't have enough truck. In an emergency situation the trailer may "manhandle" the truck...especially in the brake department. Until you get another truck I'd suggest keeping your speed to 50mph with the trailer.

We have a friend with the 1500HD and he has a 27' Laredo. This is a fairly light trailer and he doesn't like the way the truck handles it.

On the other hand I recently sold our Montana 2750 (10460 GVWR) to a fellow with a Ford F150. I gave him my opinion on his truck and he was confident he could handle it anyway so I wished him all the best.

In my opinion you can never over truck a trailer but you can certainly under truck one.

stiles watson · 11-05-2004, 02:06 PM

You have to do the math. Gross combined weight should not be exceeded. Maximum tongue weight should not be exceeded. If your current truck is in good condition, you may be able to sell it above wholesale. In any case, I have to agree with the others. You have invested in a fine TT, so protect it and yourself. If you think you made a mistake, don't beat yourself up. Life is one long learning curve.

tnorfitz · 11-05-2004, 02:13 PM

We had a similar situation with out 2002 GMC 1500HD ( actually called a heavy half ton. Had no markings like the newer 1500HD). We went to a Jayco dealer and they told us we could pull anything on the lot with our truck. When I did some investigating, I found out that the truck is rated for 8000#, yet the 5er's we were looking at ranged from 8200# - around 12000#. That is when we started looking elsewhere. We found some Montanas at a different dealer, and they told us straight about needing a better towing vehicle. So now we are getting a 2005 2500HD 4X4 CC D/A, with a 2005 Montana 3400RL. Both are coming this month

Bob Pasternak · 11-05-2004, 03:31 PM

What Mr. Reigle says goes with a post I put on some months ago:"...You can HAUL more in a 1 ton; you can PULL more with a 3/4..." setups being equal.

Glass Guy · 11-06-2004, 03:30 AM

Here's something to think about, have the gears in the rearend changed to a 4:11 to 1 that will help the rearend hold up better but will not help you stop much better, also if you don't have a prodigy brake contol you might want to consider one, I had to tow my monty home with a friends truck that had one and what a difference it was the combo stopped so much better than my combo that I have to get one. Let us now what you decide, Roman

Jeff Heiser · 11-08-2004, 03:30 AM

They still actually make 1500's with trailer hitches?

Just kidding.

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida
Chevy 454 Vortec Crew Cab Daully

Jeff Heiser · 11-08-2004, 03:40 AM

Actually, you need a bigger truck. I see folks all the time going down the highway with an undersized tow vehicle pulling a unit that's just to big. They are usually going much slower than the flow of traffic, usually have the front of the truck riding high and are causing a lot of other folks problems by going to slow. Just about every tow vehicle I have seen over the past 25 years that has been broke down on the side of the rode or in a rest area has been do to an under sized tow vehicle for the load (that goes for 5er's, boats, utility trailer, travel trailers). Your safety and everyone elses on the road around you is at risk when you tow with an under sized tow vehicle.

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida
1999 Chevy 454 Vortec Crew Cab Daully
2005 327RKS TT

315RLS · 11-08-2004, 05:42 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by JimRohan

I have read and re-read so much on towing capablities and towing limits. So just wish to get some views from those in the know. I purchased a 2005 Mountineer 315RLS,love it, and my TV is a 2003 GMC 1500HD, 6.0 and 3.73. Now have gone on a couple of trips and have had no problems in towing swaying, have dual cam sway system, but am somewhat concerned on the overload issue. Unit label inside camper indicates UVW of 7740, with GVWR of 9900. TV I get different results on its capability. So here is the question, was this a big mistake? I am going out again this weekend and will happen to be at the dealership on Monday for some replacement items and would like to have some good ammo on why they thought this would not be a problem, although this may not be.

Jim

Jim, We have a 315RLS. When we ordered it we also had a 1500 that we
sold and ordered a 3500/4.10 because the 1500/3.73 was way undersized. We probably could have done a 2500/4.10 but the price difference wasn't that great.

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