Towing with a D/A HD2500

The DW and I really like the 2011 BH 3610 RE. The dry pin weight is listed as 2115. Are there any owners of this model towing this model with the TV listed? If so, how does it handle?
We are currently pulling a 35 foot fiver with a pin weight of about three hundred pounds less.
I think there's plenty of HP to pull it, but I'm more concerned about the pin weight.

BTW our TV is a 2007 Chevy HD2500, CC, SB, D/A, standard bed.

Looking to get some great info from this forum!!

Thanks,

Skip

Skip, can you tow a 16K trailer with a 2500....yes....will it be overloaded....yes. Safe....maybe. Unless things have changed, a 2007 2500 D/A C/C SB is rated at 22K GCVW, at least mine is. With my setup I am right at 21.800# GCVW. Your options are a lighter/smaller BH....or....get a 2011 2500 that has a 5er tow rating of 17K....well within specs for a 3610RE. OH yea, and you be towing legally. Air bags, helper springs will NOT raise the legal towing weight. Whats on the door is what that truck is rated at....PERIOD. JMHO

I agree with Bob on everything. I will also add that there are many, many 2500's towing more than you are looking to tow and they are not having problems.
My bro tows a 3610RE with a 2005. 2500. No probs.
I'm not saying right or wrong, just that it happens all the time. Air bags or helper springs and bigger tires are a good idea.

Peace
Dave

Do not make your estimates based on a brochure dry pin weight. Those who have actually weighed their 3610s can chime in here, but I would imagine the loaded pin weight can easily be 3000 lbs.

I weighed my truck with me, the wife, the dog, ice chest, hitch, and fuel. Total was 7430lbs.

The BH 3610RE dry weight is 12,438.

I'll carry an additional 40 gal. of fuel. 288lbs.

Add another 1000lbs for propane and stuff.

Total = 21,156lbs. 844lbs. less than max.

So, if I stay under 6084 total payload, wheel and tire limits, I should be okay.

Although, I will be over my total gvw of 9200lbs. This is the part that confuses me. Some say that the truck has two certified ratings, and the payload of 6084 is one of them. My truck manual states to stay 3000lbs. or under for the payload. I guess I will weigh it, and if over the 3000lbs., I will bag it and change the wheels and go with the 265 tires for the additional weight limits.

Thanks guys.

Skip

Skip, you dont have to change the wheels to install the 265 tires. I have the stock cast wheels and they work just fine. Now the 285 tires are a different story. The one thing you have to remember is that by installing a larger tire that you have now made your rear end gear ratio higher. Your speedo will read about 1 MPH slower that actual speed.

The thing that always concerns me is that your TV is overloaded by the LAW. This issue has be dicussed to death on this forum. Maybe someone from TX will chime in here about TX laws on weights. I do know what the Ca. laws are and you would be ticketed big time here. The CHP here only looks at the sticker on the side of the trailer,your TV door sticker and if it says 16K and 9200, then thats what they go by. Not what you think it weighs. There is one other aspect to consider. If you were in an accident and were found to be over the weight limit of your TV. Your insurance might just not cover you. Not trying to beat you up...just want you to be safe. All the add-ons will not legally increase your TV's payload. Good luck and happy camping. It's JMHO.

I have your same truck except a 2003, and I pull a 2011 BH 3670RL.

I, too, had the same concerns as you. I, too, was coming from a 33' fiver with lower pin weight.

Surprisingly, even loaded for a trip my BH hits the scales at 13k pounds and the pin weight is only 2500lbs. My basement is pretty full with all the usual stuff. With wife, kids, and some gear in the truck this puts me over the GVWR of the truck by about 250lbs. Now some would say (especially on rv.net) that I'm more dangerous than a jihad terrorist flying an airplane. But I believe my combo is quite safe, especially with the added airbags and the extreme caution and good judgment I use while driving.

It's a personal decision if that 250lbs over the GVWR of the truck is a deal breaker for you. In my case, I"m still well under the rear axle ratings, and the GCVWR, and we all know the duramax has plenty of power, so...

On edit: I see you are from Texas. Is your truck 4WD like mine? If not, you may be fine since that makes your truck lighter than mine?

Jeff

ihsolutions.....Thanks for the great info. My truck is two wheel drive, so I will be a little lighter.

Bob&Patty.....Thanks to you as well. My wheels are stock (6.5") wide, and the 265s require a minimum of 7" wide. Also, if I buy the BH, I'll stay clear of CA.....LOL

Skip

Bob&Patty said:

Skip, can you tow a 16K trailer with a 2500....yes....will it be overloaded....yes. Safe....maybe. Unless things have changed, a 2007 2500 D/A C/C SB is rated at 22K GCVW, at least mine is. With my setup I am right at 21.800# GCVW. Your options are a lighter/smaller BH....or....get a 2011 2500 that has a 5er tow rating of 17K....well within specs for a 3610RE. OH yea, and you be towing legally. Air bags, helper springs will NOT raise the legal towing weight. Whats on the door is what that truck is rated at....PERIOD. JMHO

Click to expand...

Bob,
How does the CHP use the numbers on the door post to determine if your "legal" or not? On my rig, what's listed is GAWR - front, GAWR - rear, and GVWR. Confused...

Jeff,
That's what has got me confused. My TV weighs 7430, and if I add 2500 for pin weight, then that puts me over GVWR by about 730lbs. But, I'm still under the rear rating of 6084.

My sticker ratings are frt - 4500, rear - 6084, and total 9200, which is also confusing since the two add up to 10,584, not 9200.

Skip

Skipper5 said:

Jeff,
That's what has got me confused. My TV weighs 7430, and if I add 2500 for pin weight, then that puts me over GVWR by about 730lbs. But, I'm still under the rear rating of 6084.

My sticker ratings are frt - 4500, rear - 6084, and total 9200, which is also confusing since the two add up to 10,584, not 9200.

Skip

Click to expand...

It's normal for the combined axle ratings to exceed the GVWR rating. There's other things that contribute to limiting the GVWR. But I just don't understand how the CHP would know your pin weight - unless they just use a formula for estimating it from the trailer GVWR.

Hello Skip!

I sent you a PM with some weight information about our rig that may be helpful.

Best Wishes!

I would think the CHP would have portable scales and weigh you on the spot.

Bob, Ship and Jon, lets get this straight. The CHP does not weigh your rig. They look at the sticker on the trailer and the sticker on the door of the TV. Trust me, they can add and subtract.

2007 chevy 2500.....Skips or my truck.....7400#'s +/- (mine is a 4WD and LB and probably heavier).
2007 BH....mine.....Sticker says 14K.......14000#
21000#

the gross combined vehical rating is ......22000#......so you have 1K to play with.

Same truck........................................7400#
new BH....sticker says........................16000#
23400#..........you are now 1400# over the LEGAL limit of the truck.

The CHP doesn't take you to a scale, they don't check your pin weight. They can add and by the door sticker on the truck and sticker on the trailer...........you are over weight. Thats where they "GOTCHA". I hope this helps...best way I can explain it. My neightbor is a BIG OL' CHIPPY and thats straight from the horses mouth. It's in the drivers handbook for the drivers test. Just like the 20 question test to get the adendum to your class C license to pull a trailer over 10K. Now you really don't want to know about having to have a CDL (non-commercial) for a trailer over 15001#. BTW, Larry (larryheadhunter) is the only person I have ever heard of getting a ticket for not having the adendum. Go figure.

Look folks I didn't make the rules, I just know what they are in California.

Bob&Patty said:

Bob, Ship and Jon, lets get this straight. The CHP does not weigh your rig. They look at the sticker on the trailer and the sticker on the door of the TV. Trust me, they can add and subtract.

2007 chevy 2500.....Skips or my truck.....7400#'s +/- (mine is a 4WD and LB and probably heavier).
2007 BH....mine.....Sticker says 14K.......14000#
21000#

the gross combined vehical rating is ......22000#......so you have 1K to play with.

Same truck........................................7400#
new BH....sticker says........................16000#
23400#..........you are now 1400# over the LEGAL limit of the truck.

The CHP doesn't take you to a scale, they don't check your pin weight. They can add and by the door sticker on the truck and sticker on the trailer...........you are over weight. Thats where they "GOTCHA". I hope this helps...best way I can explain it. My neightbor is a BIG OL' CHIPPY and thats straight from the horses mouth. It's in the drivers handbook for the drivers test. Just like the 20 question test to get the adendum to your class C license to pull a trailer over 10K. Now you really don't want to know about having to have a CDL (non-commercial) for a trailer over 15001#. BTW, Larry (larryheadhunter) is the only person I have ever heard of getting a ticket for not having the adendum. Go figure.

Look folks I didn't make the rules, I just know what they are in California.

Click to expand...

Thanks for answering that Bob. Where do they look up the GCWR? On my rig, it's not on the door sticker.

Bob, there should a sticker on the drivers door by the latch. At least it is on a GM truck (dont know what you have). The weight sticker for the Horn is on the left side front outside wall. Your TV owners manual will state what the GCVW rating is also. Find it and high lite it just in case. I got an axle weight at a Cat Scale and carry it with me. It will have each axle and your gross weight on it. I was #600 under the GCVW and that was loaded for a week of camping, full of fuel, and momma and all her junk.

Thanks Bob. As I said earlier, my door sticker doesn't list GCWR. Checked my owners manual and it doesn't have model-specfic GCWR info either (plus, I might not be carrying it in the truck anyway.) So I'm still totally in the dark as to how the CHP figures out what my Gross Combined Weight Rating is. Maybe youre CHP buddy can explain it.

"Bob, Ship and Jon, lets get this straight. The CHP does not weigh your rig. They look at the sticker on the trailer and the sticker on the door of the TV. Trust me, they can add and subtract."



If this statement is true, the CHP may well be able to add and subtract but this ability provides no indication whatsoever thay they have common sense.

Consider my Sundance 2900MK.

This RV comes standard with 15" wheels and 5000 lb axles. With that combination the dry weight is 8,295 lbs and GVWR 11,685lbs, ie the incremental weight capacity is 3,390 lbs.

I purchased the RV with optional 16" wheels and 6000 lb axles. With that combination the dry weight is 8,695 and the GVWR is 13,000 lbs, ie the incremental weight capacity is 4,305.

Do you really think that it is physically possible with no increase in the dimension of the size of the trailer for me to store an additional 915 lbs? Could I even store 3390 lbs with the standard specification?

Without real weights you can easily see how simply adding two theoretical weights together results in a very dumb conclusion. I sincerely hope that the CHP is not that naive.

Well in my Province my 2005 F250 is registered for a GVWR rating of 12000lbs. The sticker on the truck is showing 10,000 Lbs.
My friends with 2004 and 2000, F350 Duelie and their registrations are for 11400 lbs.

I have the commercial plates and my 2 friends with the F350's duelies have the regular plate, so I have to stop at al scales with a regular trailer and they don't.

Bob and others. The GCVW rating is in your TV's owners manual...not on the door. For all I know the CHP may have their own manual that states what a certain year and model TV can haul legally. The biggest concern would be if you had an accident or did not have the adendum to your license and were deemed over loaded. The adendum would be a ticket....the accident...well might be BIG trouble. The only point that I am trying to make is....buy a TV that you will be legal pulling the trailer. I'm not the weight police nor do I care if someone want's to break the law. Just don't harm my family or friends by being arrogent/stupid... by loosing control or not being able to stop your rig because you don't have the TV that is rated for the load.

Every 2 days the same question is posted on the forum. Some from "newbies" some are not. As I see it, the 1st thing that happens is a "salesman" tells a new Rv'er that "OH SURE..YOUR TRUCK CAN PULL THAT TRAILER". He doesn't care if you go out and kill someone or yourself and family...he just puts money in his pocket. We looked for over 2 years and had that happen at more than 1 dealer. We had the 05 2500 D/A at the time. Once I joined the forum "I" learned more about the truck to 5'er weight ratio. I need to say this also. I drove semi's,(my own), for a living, had a CDL, so let me tell you about the "weight police". I know about being overloaded on 1 axle, those tickets are not cheap and you have to move the load around before you can leave the scales, in any state......period. Ever moved 2K worth of #100 bags of potatoes from one end of a 42' trailer to the other in 110*.... Bet not.

So in closing...if you want to argue and fuss about who has the best truck, and fight about what is legal. Go for it, just make sure that your facts are correct. Do your research, read your states driving handbook or talk to your local "County Mounty" about what is and is not legal. All JMHO..........Bob