We have been looking for several months at rv's and have decided that the Cyclone 4100 King in the best fit for us . We decided on the toy hauler because we do vinyl graphic's and we plan on taking our business on the road with us when we travel full time . We presently have a Chevy 2500HD with duramax diesel . The sale rep told my wife that if we installed air bags , heavier tires and a slider hitch our truck would handle the 4100 . I have run the numbers and it goes right up to the max of 22000 lbs . My better judgement tells me that is sales talk and that we need to trade up to a dually , but this one is paid for and if it would work for a few years then it would be worth the cost of the upgrade . Would like to have the forums opinions .
cy 4100 King
- Thread starter Finreaper
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi Finreaper,
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum. This is a great place to get answers and help when needed as there's a great bunch of friendly and helpful people here.
The GVWR of the 4100 King is listed as 18,000. If fully loaded, you may have about 20% or 3,600 pounds sitting on the hitch. Add to that the weight of the hitch, the bed liner, bed cover, tools, pets, passengers and anything else in your truck and your 2500 could easily be overloaded by 1,000 pounds or more.
If the truck squats from the weight, airbags might get you back to level, but you'll still have a weight distribution problem and could put excessive wear on the truck.
You can find out more about this at Fifth Wheel Safe Towing.
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum. This is a great place to get answers and help when needed as there's a great bunch of friendly and helpful people here.
The GVWR of the 4100 King is listed as 18,000. If fully loaded, you may have about 20% or 3,600 pounds sitting on the hitch. Add to that the weight of the hitch, the bed liner, bed cover, tools, pets, passengers and anything else in your truck and your 2500 could easily be overloaded by 1,000 pounds or more.
If the truck squats from the weight, airbags might get you back to level, but you'll still have a weight distribution problem and could put excessive wear on the truck.
You can find out more about this at Fifth Wheel Safe Towing.
ramdually4100king
Well-known member
I have a 4100 and would not recommend towing with anything other than a dually. I am not saying your current truck would not tow it but the trailer is huge and I had a hitch weight of 4000 lbs (verified on scale) and a dually axle is rated for 9500lbs. I also had severe axle wrap and had to add a leaf just to keep the drive train from shaking apart.
I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide.
I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide.
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Please please visit FifthWheelSt.com for info on what you can safely tow with your truck. Seems pretty scary to me!!!
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scottyb
Well-known member
Definitely sales talk. I had a Chevy 3500 SRW when I bought my 4100. I pulled it about 3500 mi. The drive train handled it OK, but I was severely overloaded and it was very unstable in a moderate crosswind. After a couple of white-knuckle rides through west Texas on I-10, I knew that i had to get a dually. I disliked them and never wanted to own one, but they do have a purpose, and this is one of them. It was like night and day. There's no way I would hook it up to a 2500. You could easily overload that truck by 2000 lbs with a 4100. I went across the scales with my dually and the 4100 and weighed 30400.
ptysonjr
Active Member
Finreaper, If you can afford the dully then by all means go for it regardless of the brand. More is always better when hauling this beast. We were asked if the truck in question could handle it and my opinion is yes with some modifications and monitorring the weight. Good luck with your deciscion and safe travels.
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alex00
Well-known member
I can't speak to whether or not your 2500 can handle the trailer, but the 22,000 pound rating you mention doesn't sound correct. That may be your gross combined. I don't think any 2500/250s out there are rated to handle a 22,000 pound trailer. I'd be cautious of anything a salesperson tells you. Their profit and your safety are competing interests.
I have the Cyclone 4014 and pull with a Ford F-350 SRW long bed with the Ford fifth wheel prep package from the factory. I use a Reese hitch purchased from the Ford parts department at my local dealer where I bought the truck. I don't get any sway or problems with wind and I have pulled across the USA twice with no problems in the 18 months of ownership. I do not have an air bag or modifications of any kind to the truck, hitch or pin. I don't even feel the Cyclone behind me, the truck handles so good.
remoandiris
Well-known member
According to Chevy's website, the 2014 2500HD has a fifthwheel towing capacity of 17,400. You didn't state what year you have and 2014 is probably the highest capacity 2500 built by Chevy thus far.
http://www.chevrolet.com/2014-silve...apabilities.config=crew_cab_standard_box.html
According to Heartland's website, the 4100 King weighs 14,595 dry.
http://www.heartlandrvs.com/index.php?p=35&c=toyhaulers&sc=CYC&view=specs
So as long as all the stuff you put into the coach is less than 2,805lbs, the truck should be fine. Subtract accordingly if your truck has less 5thwheel towing capacity than the 2014.
I have a 2011 GMC Dually. I definitely know my CY4000 is back there.
http://www.chevrolet.com/2014-silve...apabilities.config=crew_cab_standard_box.html
According to Heartland's website, the 4100 King weighs 14,595 dry.
http://www.heartlandrvs.com/index.php?p=35&c=toyhaulers&sc=CYC&view=specs
So as long as all the stuff you put into the coach is less than 2,805lbs, the truck should be fine. Subtract accordingly if your truck has less 5thwheel towing capacity than the 2014.
I have a 2011 GMC Dually. I definitely know my CY4000 is back there.
danemayer
Well-known member
There's 5th wheel towing capacity, which is horizontal load, and pin weight, which is vertical load. 2500s will often have the same towing capacity (horizontal load) as a 3500. They do not have the same payload spec and are not rated for the same pin weight (vertical load).
remoandiris
Well-known member
Correct, and according to the Chevy site, the 2014 2WD diesel 2500HD's 5th wheel towing capacity is 17.4K. The SRW 3500 is about the same. The 3500 crewcab dually can pull 22.8K and the regular cab dually can pull 23.1K
In other words, either keep your current 2500 or get a dually. A SRW 3500 won't help with 5th wheel capacity.
danemayer
Well-known member
Maybe you missed the point. It's not just about towing capacity. 2500s don't have nearly enough payload spec.
scottyb
Well-known member
Looks like the payload of a 2500 is around 3K. That's probably as much as my 07 3500. I didn't like the feeling when a crosswind was making the 5th wheel and truck lean over. Maybe it's just me and because I was taught to cut grades on a bulldozer by the seat of my britches and I'm a little more sensitive that way. I don't get that feeling with the DRW. Bottom line is, TYOT. Be safe and enjoy your 4100.
remoandiris
Well-known member
Yes, I missed your point. The 2500's payload is about 3K. The 3500 SRW is about 4K and a dually is almost 5.5K.
