Regarding towing and gererators

[RCULVER]

New to this... Just purchased a Bighorn, 2015... wondering how my 2012 Chevy Silerado 2500HD 4X4 extended cab will do pulling the hitch weight of 2010? Also, am wondering about paralleling two less expensive 2000 inverter generators like powermate versers more expensive brands.
RCULVER

 

[danemayer]

Hi RCULVER,

You didn't mention the Bighorn model #, so this answer is approximate.

You should ignore the pin weight spec on the Heartland website and instead plan on a loaded pin weight of about 20% of the Bighorn GVWR. Most Bighorns have a GVWR of 15-16,000 lbs. That would give you a likely pin weight of 3,000 to 3,200 lbs.

When you consider how much pin weight is ok, you're looking at the truck payload spec - for your actual vehicle - not for the best case in the manufacturer's brochure. The payload is usually found on a label inside the driver's door. The payload has to carry the pin weight, plus weight of your hitch, bed liner, bed cover, tools, firewood, pets, passengers, and anything else in the truck.

It wouldn't be surprising to find you're 1,000 lbs over the payload spec.

You might want to spent a little time visiting Fifth Wheel Safe Towing. It's a website designed to help you work through to a more specific answer.

 

[Crumgater]

We have a smaller unit, but we can get by on just a single 2000 watt generator (Honda EU2000) - no A/C, no Microwave (no biggie for us, we boondock in Seattle in the fall). Two weeks ago, we added the Honda EU2000 Companion, to bump us up to a 30A, 4000 Watt generator connection. We can now run the microwave, a crock pot, rice cooker and our Nespresso coffee machine. Works just fine for us. We do have to move them in and out of the basement to set them up, but we cable them to the RV so we feel OK leaving them outside unsupervised once we're setup.

The other downside - you have to go outside to turn them on (i.e. you have to get at least minimally dressed before you can make coffee in the morning).
-Tina