2011 Chevy question

[navyAZ1]

I guess I should have asked this question before I bought the truck but any way here we go. We just bought a 2011 3500HD SRW, this truck sits really high compared to the 2006 3500 dually we had. The floor of the bed is 1 inch higher off the ground than the 2006, the other problem is the depth of the bed is 2" deeper than the old bed. Have any of you with the new style chevy trucks had a problem with the front of the trailer being elevated to much and causing the trailer to travel in a high front attitude. I'm also concerned that by the time I get the hitch positioned at the proper height to keep the trailer as level as possible I won't have sufficient clearance between the top of the truck bed and the trailer. With the 2006 I had 5½" clearance and I'm concerned I won't have that. I've not been able to check any of this as I can't get the hitch installed until Tuesday I'm using the B&W Turn-over-ball hitch with the 5th wheel companion.

Thanks,

Ron

 

[caissiel]

Truck designers never do any camping. The Ford in 1999 was the same problem if you bought a 4 x 4 to tow 5th wheels. They had to buy a cab and chassy and after market Boxes. The trailer manufacturers had to make the trailers higher, cutting in the bedroom height. They will never learn I cannot see how a deeper box is so important to a truck that no one puts any load in the box anyway. All the trucks I see on the road now have covered trailers attached to them. Its also too high to use anyway as the side is so high that you cannot put anything in it from the side.

In the old days if the box was not high enough we had side racks to load more. I do have side racks, as high as the cab for my 3/4 ton and I never do any work with my truck without them. It protects the side of my box from stuff falling to the side. I am the only one in my community to use such racks. I get a lot of comments about it.

 

[FLOYD PHILBROOK]

I had a2007.5 3500hd dually new body style and my landmark pulled level.I even ran about 20 lbs air in air bags to level. I also have a companion hitch. I also had 16 in tires on the truck. I just bought a 2011 3500 hd dually and it seems tp be higher with 17 in tires on it. I have hitch installed in new truck and it looks the same height as old truck. I think it will be close to level when hooked and no air bags. Floyd

 

[danemayer]

We've got a 2011 GMC 3500 HD SRW, which I assume is the same body/frame as your Chevy. We're towing a Landmark Rushmore without elevation/attitude problems or lack of clearance. Our hitch is a Hensley BD3. No special adjustments were needed.

 

[2010augusta]

I know many people that have problems with the new body style Chevys.

A neighbor in the park a few months ago came in with an SOB and a New Chevy with the bed sides crumpled, I had to ask, and yep made a tight turn and the pinbox hit the side rail of the bed and he had hit the overhang of the trailer once when disconnecting the trailer, Had the landing gear down, but as the kingpin slide out of the hitch the suspension unloaded and the truck rose up into the trailer.

 

[Chuck Richard]

I hope the positive answers hold out here, I pick up my 2011 GMC 3500 Dually tomorrow and have been concerned since I am moving from a 2001 2500 and I see the bed is just about 2" higher. Looking at the spring setup it looks like it will settle a bit right off to hit the main spring set and I see so many people pulling with the duallies I figured it had to work. I think I will keep checking in on this thread but either way I am committed so will have to make it work.

 

[JohnDar]

Unless they've made some drastic change between the 2009 GMC 3500 Dually and the 2011 body style, you should have no problems. This photo was taken after the dealer installed the hitch while we did the PDI. No clearance problems and I've only got a Reese 16K hitch.

If the truck pops up as you pull away and the bed smacks the trailer, it tells me that the trailer was still loaded on the hitch, even though the jacks were down. It wasn't raised enough before pulling away. I stop extending the jacks when the truck stops moving up. And then raise a tad more.

View attachment 11515

 

[KL7j]

I guess I should have asked this question before I bought the truck but any way here we go. We just bought a 2011 3500HD SRW, this truck sits really high compared to the 2006 3500 dually we had. The floor of the bed is 1 inch higher off the ground than the 2006, the other problem is the depth of the bed is 2" deeper than the old bed. Have any of you with the new style chevy trucks had a problem with the front of the trailer being elevated to much and causing the trailer to travel in a high front attitude. I'm also concerned that by the time I get the hitch positioned at the proper height to keep the trailer as level as possible I won't have sufficient clearance between the top of the truck bed and the trailer. With the 2006 I had 5½" clearance and I'm concerned I won't have that. I've not been able to check any of this as I can't get the hitch installed until Tuesday I'm using the B&W Turn-over-ball hitch with the 5th wheel companion.

Thanks,

Ron

Your right to be concerned about the new SRW pickups and high bed rail and floor.

Been through this with a new SRW Ford, but it was a 4X4 and I think your TV is a two wheel drive.

The Heartland dealer (Capital RV) assured me it would be fine. Turned out not the case as you can see by the photo link below. The 3055RL unit ended nose up on level ground with the 5th plate fully lowered and the bed rail clearance at that slope barely 6".

Heartland did state that some BH models have a larger frame and thus higher over hang height. They would not raise the 5th.

If your new GM truck is not a 4X4, you might have a chance. The rails on the Ford were very high.
I sold the truck and went to a dually, it is not as tall even tho it is 4X4 (I need 4X4) and rides just level.

The 2012 GM will have a new body put on the new 2011 frame but I bet bed floor height remains. Now if the rails will be lower is a crap shoot.


//heartlandowners.org/attac...3&d=1288939630

Hope that new truck settles for you to make rail clearance with a level RV.

 

[navyAZ1]

Thanks folks for the input, I guess we will find out Wednesday after we have the hitch installed. One concern I also have is we had the Trailair Tri Glide hitch installed on the BH last year and that drops the pin about 1½" lower than the standard height so that might raise the front of the coach yet even more when hooked up, guess we will work it out.

Thanks,

Ron

 

[porthole]

I did some measuring with new fords and gm's before I ordered.

All the SRW's were significantly higher. The DRW's were just about the same (less then 1/2") as my 2006 GMC.

So I'm hoping I have no clearance issues with the new truck and the Cyclone. May even know tomorrow.

 

[navyAZ1]

Got the new B&W hitch installed yesterday came back to the camper and hooked up, and everything is fine! Hooked up okay and once all the weight was on the truck everything looked good, I even had 7" clearance from the top of the truck bed to the camper. The front of the camper is a little bit up from level but just over an inch high so I'm not concerned with that. Thanks for all your input, Ann and I are ready to hit the road and enjoy this new truck and the much more comfortable interior.

Thanks,

Ron

 

[nscaler2]

Got the new B&W hitch installed yesterday came back to the camper and hooked up, and everything is fine! Hooked up okay and once all the weight was on the truck everything looked good, I even had 7" clearance from the top of the truck bed to the camper. The front of the camper is a little bit up from level but just over an inch high so I'm not concerned with that. Thanks for all your input, Ann and I are ready to hit the road and enjoy this new truck and the much more comfortable interior.

Thanks,

Ron

Glad to hear that your truck,B&W hitch and 3055 all worked out. We are awaiting our new GMC Sierra 3500HD SRW to arrive. It has been built and we have the VIN number. It is supposed to arrive sometime this week. I too have the companion from the old truck that we traded and am having the B&W goose neck installed on the new GMC to accept the old companion. I love that hitch, and like you was concerned about the height of the rear end of the new truck. Anyway, enjoy your new setup. By the way your signature picture is one of our favorite places.

 

[Chuck Richard]

John, thanks for the pics of your rig, the 2007 to 2011 have the same body so mine should hook up just like yours.