Hi, New to the forum

[Deb from Cali]

Hi, My husband and I are just in the process of buying a 5th wheel trailer.

We have be towing travel trailers for over 20 years. We currently have a small 21 foot travel trailer that we tow with our Silverado 1500. But started researching trailers few months ago. We have finally decided that we wanted to go for a 5th wheel setup and have purchased a new Silverado 2500 Duramax short bed to pull the 5th wheel.

Right now we are researching 5th wheel hitches and have been looking a 5th wheels, but want to do our do diligence research before purchasing. We don't want to spend that kind of money and then have buyers remorse.

 

[weighit]

>>We don't want to spend that kind of money and then have buyers remorse.<<

Well that would be unusual, many of us have researched and bought a unit that we thought we would love forever only to want to change after a year or so. Find one that mostly fits the bill and can be safely towed by your new truck. Then go have fun.

 

[wingnut60]

Just be sure the new fiver isn't too much for the 2500--that is a mistake many have made and had to upgrade to a 3500.
As to a hitch--many to choose from. I have used the B&W Companion for the last 9 years and it has held up well. Others mention the Andersen as a good setup. Do you want a completely clean truck bed when not using the fiver?
Joe

 

[Deb from Cali]

The trailers we are looking at have a length of 29-31 feet and the weight is between 13 to 15 loaded. We are about 18 months out from the first big trip. We have lots of time to research everything.

Yes, we want a hitch that will allow us to use the truck bed when we aren't on a tow trip. My husband has been doing research as well. He discovered that the newer truck beds are 2 inches higher than the older models. They have a bed height of 21 inches instead of 19. So we will need a spacer or whatever they use on the new trucks. Also, we have a short bed. We have been told that with short beds you have to use a slider hitch?

 

[wingnut60]

Does your 2500 have the factory hitch setup installed in the bed? That will make a difference in what hitch you can/will need.

I think a fiver that actually weighs 15000 will be too much for your truck, but I don't see a 31' being that heavy.

Many new fivers have cutouts at the lower front corners, allowing sharp turns without hitting the cab--and not needing a slider hitch. You are responsible for measuring to see, or read the brochure carefully for clearance details. At the least, if the dealer says you will be ok---by all means, when you pick it up and still at their lot, back into a 90d turn and watch carefully when doing it to see what the clearance is----salesmen will say just about anything to make the sale.

For the bed height, need to check on some owner forums for the brand(s) you are considering--someone will have your same truck and know what works. I know that some have had a 2" riser added at the factory if ordering new and wanting to tow with a new GM.

Joe

 

[Deb from Cali]

My truck has the wiring in place and has everything except for the holes drilled.

We are researching the slider hitches as well as other types. We have been getting mixed answers on whether we have to get one or not.

I know not to trust RV sale reps as far to them telling you that you, "can tow that easily." But then they would tell someone that a VW bug can tow a 9,000 lb rig as long as they can make a sale.

But according to everything that I have read/researched about my truck is that it can tow a TT that weighs up to 13,000. And a 5th wheel or gooseneck system up to 18,000. That is why I stated up to 15,000 I know to give myself a margin of error. My husband is a direct relative to Tim the tool man. He thinks that guidelines are mere suggestions. That is why I am the driver and it is my truck. I will stay within the guidelines.

My brother had one of the smaller SUVs. The sales guy that sold it to him, told him that his vehicle would have no problems towing it. I tried to tell him that it was too big of a trailer for his vehicle, but what do I know, I am just an older sister that has towed trailers for 1000s of miles. And my bother believed every word of the sales rep. He towed it one trip and sold it immediately. He claims that the trailer was too big for him since he was single. Oh the trailer was too big alright, for him to tow.

 

[wingnut60]

Sounds like you know more about setting up to tow than a lot of people...

A quick look at the GM '16 2500 Duramax site says you can tow up to 15800 by fifth wheel--that is a lot of weight.
The problem is, that same truck has a payload of 2872lbs (again, quick look at GM data);
a 15800 GVWR trailer can have a pin weight as high as 31-3200lbs, maybe even higher.
If you take that 3200 pin weight and compare it to the payload of 2872...see what I am getting at?
That same trailer, towed at around 13000, will have a pin weight around 26-2800lbs--maxing out the payload without anything in the truck for extended camping period.

It is done all the time, and a 2500HD is a great towing vehicle, but you will be close to being over on some weight numbers.

I would not hesitate use one to tow at around 12500-13000, but would be real careful about how much stuff I put in the truck and trailer, and be extra careful not to ever go over the carrying capacity of the rear tires, which should be about 7500lbs.

Good luck in the search, its a lot of fun to look at new units and figure out just the right one...

Joe

 

[Deb from Cali]

A quick look at the GM '16 2500 Duramax site says you can tow up to 15800 by fifth wheel--that is a lot of weight.
The problem is, that same truck has a payload of 2872lbs (again, quick look at GM data);
a 15800 GVWR trailer can have a pin weight as high as 31-3200lbs, maybe even higher.


Joe

Joe, thank you for your information.

I just checked numerous GM and Chevy websites. According to the information that I am reading, my truck can tow a 18,000 5th wheel and a 14,500 conventional trailer. The payload capacity is 3,275 for my truck. I think that you are confusing the 6.0 information with my 6.6 Duramax. Also I have the Z71 package, which puts even a heavier suspension on the truck.

It is amazing how much beefier the set-up is for the new trucks these days. My husband's truck is a 1966 S-20 which is a 3/4 ton of its day. He was allowed put 3/4 of a ton on that truck. After I purchased my 1500 he started reading the owner's manual. He was amazed (and a bit tweaked) that I could put over a ton on my 1500, which for all intents and purposes is considered 1/2 ton.

It is almost like they need to rename the new trucks to 1 ton, 1 1/2 ton, and 2 ton. But I am not sure what the 3500s or the 350s can do, so I am speculating on the last group.

 

[wingnut60]

I may have mis-read the data from the GM website, so sorry if that is true.
However, there is NO WAY to get around the GRAW rating, and on a SRW truck, that is always dictated by the carrying capacity of the 2 tires on the rear axle.
So, if your truck can tow an 18,000lb fifth wheel, the pin weight of such a trailer would be around 20% of the gross = 3600lbs. Now if the rear axle rating of your truck can take 3600 lbs placed on it, and still be UNDER the carrying capacity of the 2 tires, then go for it.
Just because your truck is rated to payload over a ton, that is way less than the pin weight that you say GM rates your 2500 for.
I am truly confused about this--you just cannot put 3600lbs on the bed of your truck.
What is the RAWR of your truck--should be on the door sticker?
Joe

 

[rvndave]

I recommend you...
1) Load your truck with fuel and whatever else you need to take camping, take your truck to the scales and find out what it weighs.
2) Look on the driver's door or door post for the sticker that lists GVWR.
3) Subtract the weight of the truck from the GVWR, this will give you the amount of weight you can safely add to your truck. GVWR - truck weight = payload.
4) Find the sticker located on the driver's side of the rv and find the GVWR
5) Multiply the rv's GVWR by .25
6) Subtract the number you calculated in #5 from #3. If you have a negative number this number represents how much you could be overloading the truck. If your number is in the positive range this is the amount of weight you can safely add to the truck.
I would not trust a salesperson or anyone else to determine what I could tow safely when the above formula is what I would call an educated guess. Dry weights are as worthless as the hitch weights manufactures claim. I suspect the numbers are greatly influenced by the marketing department.