Can my 2006 GMC 2500 safely tow a Bighorn 3055RL?

alicia

Member
This is my first time using this forum. I emailed Heartland this question and they referred me back to GMC. Maybe some other owners can give me feedback. We are planning on purchasing a Bighorn 3055RL. My question is - will we have any problem towing that much weight with our 2006 GMC 3/4 ton diesel with an Allison trans.

We now have a 2006 Holiday Rambler Savoy LX and have had no problems towing it, but the Bighorn is a good bit heaver. We can set the cruise on 70 and it will go up hill, never slowing down.

Looking forward to hearing back from anyone. Thanks.
 

sealman

Active Member
I don't see any problems, as our 3100RL is a little bigger and a little heavier. We have no issues at all.
John
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
alicia,
No problems what so ever towing with your 06 Duramax w/6 speed Allison. You couldn't have a better set up. I tow a 3600RL with the same Duramax as yours, my combined gross weight is 22460 lbs...........your combined weight will be much less and within legal weight limits.

Forrest
 

pmmjarrett

Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
No problem, good setup. May want to consider a Timbren SES kit or Airbags.

Timbren is the easiest to install and costs less, no need for a compressor or to find an air hose to adjust pressure. Will make a big difference in ride and handeling loaded and still give you a good ride empty.
 

creeper

Well-known member
You'll have no problems pulling, but you will be over some of the weight limits. GVWR will be trashed.
 

sislv

Tom & Sharol
Towing speed

This is my first time using this forum. I emailed Heartland this question and they referred me back to GMC. Maybe some other owners can give me feedback. We are planning on purchasing a Bighorn 3055RL. My question is - will we have any problem towing that much weight with our 2006 GMC 3/4 ton diesel with an Allison trans.

We now have a 2006 Holiday Rambler Savoy LX and have had no problems towing it, but the Bighorn is a good bit heaver. We can set the cruise on 70 and it will go up hill, never slowing down.

Looking forward to hearing back from anyone. Thanks.


Alicia...........we have a 2006 Bighorn 3055RL and 2006 GMC 2500 ext cab with the Dura Max and Allison. We have over 7,000 towing miles on the units and have had no problems towing. The main thing is we are at or slightly exceeding weight limits by the time we load everything. The main thing to be concerned with is the stopping ability, which is one of the reasons we limit our towing speed to about 60 MPH. Also your tire speed ratings are probably 60 MPH. If you watch your loading amount and drive accordingly you probably can get by. I would strongly suggest you hold the towing speed down though, it takes quite a distance to stop these units.

I see you are from Farmington, I was stationed at Roswell in the Air Force back in the 1950's and still have a good friend living there. We're hoping to winter in Arizona this coming winter and stopping in Roswell on the way out. I used to enjoy going up to Ruidoso, very nice country.

Drive safely and enjoy.........
 

Clark

Member
Alicia, I have a Chevy 2500HD 6.6L Diesel with the Allison transmission and tow a 2008 BH3055RL virtually the same as your TV and rig. I have weighed mine and the GVW on the trailer is 12,700 lbs (my Long TV is rated 13400 GVWR) and the GCW truck and trailer is approximately 19000 (truck GCWR is 22000 lbs). All weights were loaded with 1/3 fresh water and 1/2 tank fuel and packed ready to camp. Based on my weights, I think that you should be just fine. You can check others weights here on this forum in a search or on the RV.NET forum to get other inputs.
Clark
 

Thedonald

Member
Can't help much except to say I have a Sundance 3200ES 34.1' with a weight of 12,000 and a hitch of 1900. That is not to far off what you are getting, about a thousand on each, and I just pulled it from PA to Orlando with a 2007 2500 HD diesel with allison. It was a piece of cake. I stayed in overdrive most of the time even up hills and the truck stayed level.
 

cmart

Well-known member
Alicia, we have a 2002 Duramax with Alison and a 08 3055RL and though we have only used it only 4 times locally, we have had no troubles what so ever with the pull-a-bility of the TV. I haven't tried the mountains yet, so I can't comment on inclines and declines. Best of luck and I know you'll enjoy regardless since your in one classy fiver.
 

jwb187

Active Member
Hi Alicia,

Yes, most of the posters are correct, you will have no trouble pulling your 3055 with the 2500hd duramax/allison, however.....you will be over the manufacturers suggested weight limit....your GVWR for that truck is 9200 lbs....your truck loaded with fuel, passengers, etc will weigh somewhere aroung 7200 to 7500 lbs. That leaves you with only around 2000 lbs of payload.....your pin weight on the 3055 will be around 2400 2500 lbs....leaving you over on GVWR by around 400 to 500 lbs. I think Heartland advertises the pin weight in their brochures at around 2800lbs. This apparently doesn't bother most people as what you have is a popular combination....I also have the same combo and get hammered pretty hard over on RV.net. It really boils down to what you are comfortable with.....If you think your rig stops okay and feels stable going down the road, go for it...jwb.
 

pmmjarrett

Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
Hi Alicia,

Yes, most of the posters are correct, you will have no trouble pulling your 3055 with the 2500hd duramax/allison, however.....you will be over the manufacturers suggested weight limit....your GVWR for that truck is 9200 lbs....your truck loaded with fuel, passengers, etc will weigh somewhere aroung 7200 to 7500 lbs. That leaves you with only around 2000 lbs of payload.....your pin weight on the 3055 will be around 2400 2500 lbs....leaving you over on GVWR by around 400 to 500 lbs. I think Heartland advertises the pin weight in their brochures at around 2800lbs. This apparently doesn't bother most people as what you have is a popular combination....I also have the same combo and get hammered pretty hard over on RV.net. It really boils down to what you are comfortable with.....If you think your rig stops okay and feels stable going down the road, go for it...jwb.


Pin weight on the 3055 is 1995 lbs according to the website. Should be fine. Will be at about the limit for the truck.

Load the trailer properly and adjust the brake controller correctly and the trucks GVWR and braking ability will be a non issue.
 

BobSue

Active Member
loaded pin weight

I don't know about the Chevy, but I am over GVWR on my F-250 pulling the 3055RL.
I don't think we are unusual in the amount of "stuff" we have in the trailer and the basement is very empty looking and I have a pin weight of 2640#. If you look at the weight of my tv with wife, hitch, fuel, tools and cats; there is only 1960# left in GVWR for allowed pin weight. That is below hitch weight advertised and that is before putting any "stuff" in the trailer.

I was ignorant of the GVWR requirements before getting weighed. If I had known about this stuff before hand I would definitely have held out for a 1 ton truck. You can't find GVWR any any towing web site or Ford web site or even the owner's manual. Only on the door frame of the truck. Not having any place to store behind the axles of the trailer leads to a high pin weight when loaded; much higher than the web site would indicate!

But, all that said; I haven't felt out of control or unable to stop with my rig.

I won't be replacing either tv or 5er any time soon, but I will do it differently next time; and I will be closely examining every extra pound of stuff put in the trailer.

My data after getting weighed:
Truck: 7840# unhitched; 10,480# hitched for pin weight of 2640#
Trailer: 10,000# on axles when hitched; for total weight of 12,640#
4700# on back axle while on landing gear. Probably a little less when hitched? Pretty even split it seems to me.

GCWR per owners manual is 23,000# so I am OK.:)
GVWR per sticker on door is 9800# so I am over by 640#:mad: Would be another 100# with full fuel tank.
 
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