Anxiety

[TINARACHELLE]

We ard brand new to RV'ing. We are about to be almost full-timing. My Husband is a travel nurse so we go everywhere. My Husband and I just completed our first purchase of a 2009 Bighorn 3385rl. It's 11,000 dry. 14,000 gross

Our tow vehicle is a 2105 Silverado Hd long box with the 4.10 axel ratio. It has the tow package with the brake assist. Our combined gcvwr is 20500. Our Max fifth wheel capacity is 14,400. We scaled our truck yesterday with my husband and 1/2 tank of gas and it was 6520. I will be not be riding with him because I will be driving my car but I will add in me the dogs and over estimate. So let's say 6900. 9500-6900=2600 payload right? So the hitch weight is 2060. I am driving myself crazy with this. I know that we are okay. I just keep reading about how a 2500hd isn't good enough to tow any larger fifth wheel. So we are at say 13,000 loaded trailer. We won't be traveling with lots of unnecessary stuff. We are already scaled down very well because we already travel just to stick and brick. 20500-6900=13600. I know we are close but I feel like we are OK. I just keep analyzing and obsessing. I am excited but then I am also scared. It

It the second day after signing. �� Did anyone experience anxiety after buying the first time? We will be rolling out next Saturday for our first practice overnighter.

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[jimtoo]

HI Tinarachelle,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and to the family. We have a great bunch of folks here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

Be sure and check out our Heartland Owners Club. Join us at a rally when you can and meet lots of the great folks here and make friends for a lifetime.

Enjoy the forum and your new to you unit.

Jim M

 

[buddyboy]

We pull our 3670RL Big Horn with our Silverado 2500HD. We've gone up and down the Rockies several times with no problems. Some will say that we should have a larger truck, but we're happy and planning more extended trips. Don't second guess yourself. If we had done that, we wouldn't have all these great memories. Enjoy!

Martha

 

[TINARACHELLE]

Thank you because your answer applies directly to our situation. We are currently in Norfolk, Va and his contract ends on 12\26. We will be headed home, towing rig as is, and visiting for a couple days. We are going to pack our necessary things and head out. Guess where we are headed? Pueblo, So you helped reassure me. We still have so much to do. My DH is sooo nervous about learning to drive with our rig. He did figure out how to set the gain on the brakes so.we need to do that before we hit the interstate.

 

[Bob&Patty]

One thing you did not say is...what engine does it have? Is it gas or diesel?

 

[TINARACHELLE]

Gas

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[TINARACHELLE]

6.0 Gas Flex fuel. I know we don't have as much torque as a Diesel but for us we prefer Gas. Personal Choice. We will eventually upgrade probably but not right now.

 

[recumbent615]

Welcome to the Heartland Family - I second the call to join the Club - you will have the opportunity to meet some really great folks as you travel around the country and a great resource. you will also receive a discount from Heartland on parts and accessories for your rig when the time comes that something needs to be replaced.

So you have a 2105 Silverado- is that the one with the Flux Capacitor? but on a serious note, I too had the second guessing because I tow at capacity - I have not every had an issue towing my Cyclone 3010. some things to consider, changing the breaks to Disc brakes will result in better control and a shorter stopping distance with the rig. Other than that suggestion - enjoy the travel.

Kevin

 

[TINARACHELLE]

Welcome to the Heartland Family - I second the call to join the Club - you will have the opportunity to meet some really great folks as you travel around the country and a great resource. you will also receive a discount from Heartland on parts and accessories for your rig when the time comes that something needs to be replaced.

So you have a 2105 Silverado- is that the one with the Flux Capacitor? but on a serious note, I too had the second guessing because I tow at capacity - I have not every had an issue towing my Cyclone 3010. some things to consider, changing the breaks to Disc brakes will result in better control and a shorter stopping distance with the rig. Other than that suggestion - enjoy the travel.

Kevin

Once we added the capacitor to the back seat, and topped off the blinker fluid...we just need that 1.21 gigawatt bolt of lightning. I think we we will leave our rig at home while we get up to 88 mph.

Thanks for making us laugh this am! Thank you for the brake tip. Would have never thought about that.

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[GregP]

Hello and welcome! We have a 2500HD RAM diesel and have been towing with no issues for the past two years with a Bighorn of about the same weight as you. We have been up through Alaska, Yukon and Central British Columbia as well as all of the Canadian Provinces including Newfoundland-Labrador. Although we have had no issues and the BH tows well, we are upgrading the trailer brakes with the installation of disks for the added margin of safety. Also, make sure your tires are up to the task. If you read this forum for a while, you will see that there have been tire issues that need to be dealt with on some units. Also, don't guess on your weights...make the effort to get an accurate scale weight so you not only know how much you weigh, but how the load is distributed between the two vehicles. Enjoy your trailer and check out this site frequently. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on here who can answer a lot of questions you may have.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

None of my replies are showing up..

 

[danemayer]

None of my replies are showing up..

To prevent spam from getting through, the first few posts of new forum members have to be approved by a moderator. We must have all been sleeping in.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

To prevent spam from getting through, the first few posts of new forum members have to be approved by a moderator. We must have all been sleeping in.

I finally realized that. I am so scatter brained today.

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One thing you did not say is...what engine does it have? Is it gas or diesel?

I love the "wonder dog" in your signature because we have one too.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

Hello and welcome! We have a 2500HD RAM diesel and have been towing with no issues for the past two years with a Bighorn of about the same weight as you. We have been up through Alaska, Yukon and Central British Columbia as well as all of the Canadian Provinces including Newfoundland-Labrador. Although we have had no issues and the BH tows well, we are upgrading the trailer brakes with the installation of disks for the added margin of safety. Also, make sure your tires are up to the task. If you read this forum for a while, you will see that there have been tire issues that need to be dealt with on some units. Also, don't guess on your weights...make the effort to get an accurate scale weight so you not only know how much you weigh, but how the load is distributed between the two vehicles. Enjoy your trailer and check out this site frequently. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on here who can answer a lot of questions you may have.

We are actually going to find a scale Saturday and do a dry weight on the entire rig. We can get some idea of where we are at. It will be loaded partially and will be loaded the way it's going to travel to our home in Arkansas because we don't. Have much here in Virginia with us. We are in Virginia right now and his contact ends on 12\26. His new contract starts 1\6.. in Pueblo Co. We will weight fully loaded on the way there. I will not be riding with him so we won't talk about that weight, lol! We can add that on the end.

 

[buddyboy]

Okay. Let me rethink my response. Our Silverado is a diesel with a Duramax engine and an Allison transmission. I'm going to defer to others familiar with towing with a gas engine.

Martha

 

[JohnDar]

Does your vehicle have a tow hitch on it? If yes, consider getting a small cargo trailer (or rent a U-Haul trailer) to haul your extra stuff since you will be driving a follow vehicle. With a one way rental, it might be cost effective since you'll probably stay in one area for an extended time. A consideration if you find yourself seriously overloaded.

If you can find an empty parking lot, try practicing maneuvering and backing up before you hit the road. You can set your brake controller there, as well. Try to get a feel for your gas mileage pulling the rig, also. Since it's a gasser, it will probably be low since you're near the top end of your weight limits. You don't want to run so low on fuel that you have to try to squeeze into a regular gas station with the rig on the back.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

Does your vehicle have a tow hitch on it? If yes, consider getting a small cargo trailer (or rent a U-Haul trailer) to haul your extra stuff since you will be driving a follow vehicle. With a one way rental, it might be cost effective since you'll probably stay in one area for an extended time. A consideration if you find yourself seriously overloaded.

If you can find an empty parking lot, try practicing maneuvering and backing up before you hit the road. You can set your brake controller there, as well.

No, I have a Kia. We have totes that go in my car and trunk. The plan was, no matter what size we had bought was to put the majority of the stuff in my car. We already have pared down considerably what we bring because we don't wanna drag half our house all over, lol. I will be adding pots and pans, winter clothing and some small electronic appliances. We might have some water on board for if we decide to not hotel it on the way. The gas and things will be filled closer to our destination. We are usually in one place for 13 weeks. Sometimes there is an extension offered. We extended an extra 9 weeks here.

My Husband was talking about making sure we could set the gain. He is really nervous about driving bless him. This is a first with a Fifth Wheel. We have piggy backed my car on a dolly in a '13 1500 Sierra. Certainly no control there. I was beat to death riding from Jonesboro, Ar to Norfolk Virginia. Also, we did the same from Jboro to San Antonio and back. Thanks for the great advise.

 

[TINARACHELLE]

Okay. Let me rethink my response. Our Silverado is a diesel with a Duramax engine and an Allison transmission. I'm going to defer to others familiar with towing with a gas engine.

Martha

That's okay. I didn't specify we were gas at the beginning.

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[TINARACHELLE]

So with the disc brakes. Is that all four of just the back brakes. We have the heavy duty towing package if that makes a difference??

 

[cookie]

The thought is disc brakes on your trailer. Yes all four wheels.
I'm curious as to where you got the weight numbers for your 3585RL. I have one and the listed dry weight is 11,950 with a GVWR of 16,000.
And my pin weight loaded is 3,400.

Peace
Dave