Looking at trucks need towing advise FAST

OhShoot · Dec 5, 2013

Ok I'm a new owner of a 2014 Gateway 3500 38 feet long here are the specs GVWR 14,000 lbs Dry weight 11,700 lbs Hitch weight 2,010 lbs has 2 6,000 pound axles we will prob load the camper up with about 1,400 in personal items weight . Now I found a 2006 lbz 4x4 4 wheel drive full 4 door Duramax 2500HD truck with 120,000 miles on it . chevy specs max trailer weight 15,400 lbs GCWR engine rear axle ratio combinations weight ratings 22,000 lbs , so am I safe if I buy this truck will this truck do what I need it to do??? Am I with in the limits of being safe ? And what will I need to do to make it tow smooth ? Please help all this weight stuff blows my mind.

cookie · Dec 5, 2013

I have the same truck, but it is an 07. I have not had any problems towing.
I would suggest that you upgrade the tires to the 265 instead of the 245. The 265's have a higher load capacity.
I would also add air bags to the rear so that you can level the truck when hitched up.

Peace
Dave

priorguy · Dec 5, 2013

Take a look at www.fifthwheelst.com
This site has all the calculators you need. Short for fifth wheel safe towing. Best of luck to you.

And congrats on your trailer purchase.

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MTPockets · Dec 5, 2013

Your truck may have a sticker on the driver door post with the maximum payload. We had a 2012 F350 SRW with a payload sticker of 3600 lbs payload, which is more than what yours will show. Our Big Horn is 14000 also. After fully loaded for long term travel and visiting the scales, we were about 600 lbs over, so I bought a dully. Payload includes passengers, fuel, hitch, and the pin weight of your Gateway. I would guess that truck will be short of what you need.

OhShoot · Dec 5, 2013

I saw the web site been there I do not have the truck yet and do not have all the info and besides I do not understand all this weight and numbers anyway , that's why I put all the info in the post that I do have , need to have for some one on this forum that is way smarter than me on this kinda stuff for help , and maybe do the math for me , because I do NOT understand it.

OhShoot · Dec 5, 2013

priorguy said:
Take a look at www.fifthwheelst.com
This site has all the calculators you need. Short for fifth wheel safe towing. Best of luck to you.

And congrats on your trailer purchase.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Looking at trucks need towing advise FAST
I saw the web site been there I do not have the truck yet and do not have all the info and besides I do not understand all this weight and numbers anyway , that's why I put all the info in the post that I do have , need to have for some one on this forum that is way smarter than me on this kinda stuff for help , and maybe do the math for me , because I do NOT understand it.

jnbhobe · Dec 5, 2013

cookie said:
I have the same truck, but it is an 07. I have not had any problems towing.
I would suggest that you upgrade the tires to the 265 instead of the 245. The 265's have a higher load capacity.
I would also add air bags to the rear so that you can level the truck when hitched up.

Peace
Dave

Daves rig is a lot heavier than yours, and I've followed him all over the country and he has no problems, set it up like he says and you'll be fine.

Westwind · Dec 5, 2013

Play it safe - look for a 1 ton, then you have some extra capacity hopefully, that's what I'm doing and my pin weight is more then yours and I have a Sierra 2500 D/A. I make out fine but everyone says its the stopping that you have to worry about.

priorguy · Dec 5, 2013

Ohshoot. Did you find the worksheets on the site. You can plug in all the data you have to see where you sit on paper. It will then have sections for actual scale weights. Unfortunately specs can vary and change with options, accessories, and whatnot. When in doubt err on the side of safety and get more truck instead of just enough.

A half ton truck will pull a 5er on paper but in reality it's completely unsafe in most cases.

You may tow just fine with that truck but once at a scale you could be in for a surprise. I've always believed in leaving 2000lbs room for safety. My truck is rated for 9300lbs but my trailer is under 6000lbs empty. That leaves plenty of room for fuel, water, passengers and any gear we bring.

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OhShoot · Dec 5, 2013

Oh and the wife wants to add a stackable washer and dryer , don't even have a clue what that will weigh and forgot to add 3 people at a total weight of 425 lbs then the 2 boxer dogs another total weight for dogs 160 lbs , have not bought the truck yet

Westwind · Dec 5, 2013

Don't buy it is my advise, start looking for a 1 ton Diesel Dually. Good Luck in your hunt.

priorguy · Dec 5, 2013

Sounds like you may need to look at a bigger truck, but only maybe. I planned on the family growing as my boys weigh less combined then a medium dog yet grow so fast. And DW wants to get a dog and loves shepherds. There's another 125 lbs.

A wise man once told me there's two ways to do things. "The right way.....and again"

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OhShoot · Dec 5, 2013

priorguy said:
Ohshoot. Did you find the worksheets on the site. You can plug in all the data you have to see where you sit on paper. It will then have sections for actual scale weights. Unfortunately specs can vary and change with options, accessories, and whatnot. When in doubt err on the side of safety and get more truck instead of just enough.

A half ton truck will pull a 5er on paper but in reality it's completely unsafe in most cases.

You may tow just fine with that truck but once at a scale you could be in for a surprise. I've always believed in leaving 2000lbs room for safety. My truck is rated for 9300lbs but my trailer is under 6000lbs empty. That leaves plenty of room for fuel, water, passengers and any gear we bring.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I do not have the truck so I can't put in all the info it ask for on that site and besides I still do not even know how or what to put where in all that figure stuff to confusing to me.

OhShoot · Dec 5, 2013

Only thing I have found with any specs is this web site PDF and down on page 63 64 65 66 67 etc specs on the truck that I am looking at , but have no clue What I'm looking at . http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/at...006-silverado-2500hd-order-book-7-28-2006.pdf

priorguy · Dec 5, 2013

OhShoot said:
Ok I'm a new owner of a 2014 Gateway 3500 38 feet long here are the specs GVWR 14,000 lbs Dry weight 11,700 lbs Hitch weight 2,010 lbs has 2 6,000 pound axles we will prob load the camper up with about 1,400 in personal items weight . Now I found a 2006 lbz 4x4 4 wheel drive full 4 door Duramax 2500HD truck with 120,000 miles on it . chevy specs max trailer weight 15,400 lbs GCWR engine rear axle ratio combinations weight ratings 22,000 lbs , so am I safe if I buy this truck will this truck do what I need it to do??? Am I with in the limits of being safe ? And what will I need to do to make it tow smooth ? Please help all this weight stuff blows my mind.

Max trailer weight for the truck is 15400lbs.
Max weight of the loaded trailer is 14000lbs.
You're fine here

Tongue weight at 25% is 3500lbs plus 200bs+ of hitch plus 600b of dogs and people in the truck. Add a tank of fuel and other stuff and the truck is probably over loaded. Adding airbags doesn't increase the trucks capacity.

TedS · Dec 5, 2013

I had an '04 2500 Duramax cc lb srw and was 1200 lbs over on pin weight pulling a Bighorn not loaded to max gvwr. Moved up to a 1-ton F350 ps cc lb srw. Chevy pulled good, did not feel comfortable braking or over-weight.

OhShoot · Dec 5, 2013

priorguy said:
Max trailer weight for the truck is 15400lbs.
Max weight of the loaded trailer is 14000lbs.
You're fine here

Tongue weight at 25% is 3500lbs plus 200bs+ of hitch plus 600b of dogs and people in the truck. Add a tank of fuel and other stuff and the truck is probably over loaded. Adding airbags doesn't increase the trucks capacity.

So where do the GCWR combination rateing sat 22,000 lbs come into play thanks

priorguy · Dec 5, 2013

That is the total of the truck with contents/occupants and the trailer with contents. You are probably fine there as well. This is usually the case and it is always the pin weight that gets you. The truck needs to take close to 4K in the box to handle the pin weight and the hitch itself. a 2500 simply can't do it.

That is the reason us half ton owners should stick to bumper pulls. We can handle the trailer weight but not the pin weight. Tongue weight on a bumper pull is 10-15% of the loaded trailer but a fiver is 25%.

iawoody2 · Dec 5, 2013

I would be very surprised if your pin weight got to 3500. Gateways are very well balanced as is my Sundance. I have been over the CAT scales and my trailer loaded for travel is 12800 and pin weight is 2600.

Birchwood · Dec 5, 2013

This is the way I calculate for the truck required.The only weight specs that would probably stand in a court of law is what is stamped on the door sill of your truck and the side of your RV.Most rvers don't like this calculation because they will almost always be overloaded with a 3/4 ton.To be safe take the GVWR of your RV and multiply it by 20%.In your case 14000 multiplied by 20% is 2800 lbs(this will be your max pin weight).Add this value to the total weight of your truck(dry weight+fuel +passengers+hitch+cargo).This calculated value should not exceed the GVWR of your truck that is stamped on the door sill of your truck.

Looking at trucks need towing advise FAST

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