We currently own the 3250ts Big Country. Looking to purchase the 3160rl elite Big Horn. The dry weight on my Big Country is 10,030 lbs and the Big Horn is 12,600 lbs. Can anyone tell me if they've made this big of a jump in weight and if so, do you see much difference in pulling and handling? I have a 2500hd Chevy Silverado diesel. Thanks.
Dry Weight
- Thread starter srae
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi srae,
Towing capacity of a 2500 vs a 3500 is going to be about the same. Your main consideration is going to be pin weight increase because you're probably already close to the truck's payload spec. The truck's payload has to accommodate the pin weight of the trailer, the weight of your hitch, bed liner, bed cover, tools, pets, passengers and everything else you put in the truck. A 2500 typically has a payload between 2500 and 3000 lbs depending on model and configuration. You should plan on the pin weight of the trailer running around 20% of the GVWR. So a 15,500 lbs GVWR will likely have 3,100 lbs of pin weight. Everything else puts you over spec.
You may want to visit Fifth Wheel Safe Towing and run the numbers.
That all said, there are many owners towing large Bighorns and Landmarks with 2500s who report they have no problems.
Towing capacity of a 2500 vs a 3500 is going to be about the same. Your main consideration is going to be pin weight increase because you're probably already close to the truck's payload spec. The truck's payload has to accommodate the pin weight of the trailer, the weight of your hitch, bed liner, bed cover, tools, pets, passengers and everything else you put in the truck. A 2500 typically has a payload between 2500 and 3000 lbs depending on model and configuration. You should plan on the pin weight of the trailer running around 20% of the GVWR. So a 15,500 lbs GVWR will likely have 3,100 lbs of pin weight. Everything else puts you over spec.
You may want to visit Fifth Wheel Safe Towing and run the numbers.
That all said, there are many owners towing large Bighorns and Landmarks with 2500s who report they have no problems.
SeattleLion
Well-known member
We just bought a 3160 el. The weight increase is due to 7,000 lb axles replacing the lighter 6,000 lb ones in the spec.
oscar
Well-known member
Your owners manual lists the max weights for a TT or fiver. It also lists the GCVWR. If your 2500 HD is fairly recent it may just work. Personally I would like a dually. I seem to recall that my 2010 2500HD Dmax was good for a 16.500# fiver.
License requirements differ state to state. Yes, when the trailer goes over 10K you may need something more than a class C.
License requirements differ state to state. Yes, when the trailer goes over 10K you may need something more than a class C.
